Cigar Hacks

Castro’s in Bedford has changed hands and changed its name. The Hacks go direct to the source for the latest information and renovation details. The Hidden Herf is a definite plant to see if Pat can pick it out since he was at an event for this line recently. Local Spotlight – Castro’s Cigar Lounge; … Continue reading "Episode 399: Now Open Under New Management – Local Spotlight: Castro’s Cigar Lounge; Bedford, NH"

It’s a week of reports from European vacations and local cigar events. Everyone on the panel who was not out of commission has an event story to share. The Hidden Herf is well received. Local Spotlight – Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH Conspiracy Corner – What’s a Stone Hedge?

As we work our way through the Widow Jane that was bequeath to us by the Stogie Hunter last week, Mama McGroin joins us at McGroin Manor a for segment. The Hidden Herf is sort of guessed and is a decent smoke. Local Spotlight – Ash Cigar Lounge; Kingston, NH – Ash Becomes a Diamond … Continue reading "Episode 397: Jane, Jen, Sammy, and Eldon – Local Spotlight: Ash Cigar Lounge; Kingston, NH"

The Reverend Harvey has smoked his last cigar on this earth. We gather to celebrate The Rev’s contribution to hundreds of episodes in a way that Harvey would have enjoyed. It’s a bittersweet episode with lots of Harvey content and his unique brand of entertainment. As he would always say; “Get yourself a comfortable chair … Continue reading "Episode 396: In Remembrance of the Reverend – Local Spotlight: Castro’s Back Room; Manchester, NH"

We have a special out of town visitor this week for what is shaping up to be a Mini-Palooza. Direct from the Tobacco Shack we bring you this week’s episode and get to know a new old-friend of the show. The Hidden Herf is eventually sort-of figured out. “President Pat” and Nurse “The Face” Rick … Continue reading "Episode 395: The Stogie Hunter Comes Calling – Local Spotlight: Mr. J’s Havana Cigar Lounge; Coventry, RI"

We dial things back a bit this week with a three member OG panel for a quiet evening, that is until Nashville Dave calls in. N-D is at the Nashville Fervor Festival VIP party where he puts Candice on the phone. Who knew where that would go. The Hidden Herf is also dialed back a … Continue reading "Episode 394: Dialing it Back – Local Spotlight: Smokers Abbey / Fervor Festival; Nashville, TN"

Castro’s in Bedford is changing hands and The Hacks are on top of the situation with the latest public information. The Hidden Herf is a deliberate repeat and a bit of a test to see how the cigar has changed or how the panel perceives it more than a year latter. Local Spotlight – Castro’s … Continue reading "Episode 393: Hidden Herf Retest – Local Spotlight: Castro’s Backroom; Bedford, NH"

It’s a relatively small crew of six this week around the firepit for our first outdoor episode of the season. The mailbag sends us in a couple different directions. The Hidden Herf looks like an old familiar friend and garners a decent rating. Ricky tells us about Ashtray Condoms? Local Spotlight – Granite State Cigar … Continue reading "Episode 392: Firepit Etiquette – Granite State Cigar Shop; Laconia, NH"

It was inevitable that the Hacks bring in some Artificial Intelligence outside of Conspiracy Corner. Don’t worry, there are still way too many Hacks to make this a fully AI show. We have a newly minted participant and a couple of folks we haven’t heard from in quite a while. The Hidden Herf is a … Continue reading "Episode 391: A Chat with “Pat-GPT” – The Tobacco Shack; Rowley, MA"

Back home in Plaistow where this all began, we check out the new lounge seating, Dennis mans the bar, and we hear from the Maltese Falcon. The Hidden Herf fools some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time. Local Spotlight – Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH … Continue reading "Episode 390: Have a Cup of Shut the F-Up – Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH"

The Hacks sit down with the Amanda and Lauren from Micallef Cigars to get the latest details on the Color Series. Things go off the rails early because we have been sitting in the lounge for a couple hours with the podcast juice flowing while the technical issues were resolved. This is an educational and … Continue reading "Episode 389: Red and Blue Make Purple – Twins Smoke Shop; Londonderry, NH"

The crew is back from New Orleans and PCA 2025, where we get a couple of perspectives from their PCA experiences. This month marks the end of an era for Castro’s in Concord. The mail bag is full and Nurse Rick takes a beating from Miserable Nick. The Hidden Herf receives ratings at both ends … Continue reading "Episode 388: PCA 2025 Recap – Local Spotlight: Castro’s Backroom; Concord, NH"

The annual Masters event is in full swing in Plaistow Cigar and we are here for another year with 3Leaf Cigars. The lounge is shaping up now that the new bar is in. The Hidden Herf has aged well. Local Spotlight – Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH Conspiracy Corner – Tartaria

We are at the Tobacco Shack’s “Party for the Hell of it 4.0” and it’s a fuller house than last year. We are joined by Mike the Cop, our local Rocky Patel rep who conspires with one of our own on the Hidden Herf. It turns out to be a good one! Local Spotlight – … Continue reading "Episode 386: Party for the Hell of it 4.0 – Local Spotlight: The Tobacco Shack; Rowley, MA"

It’s a six-pack of Hacks this week in the Mustang Barn. It’s time for low keyed recording but it turns out to be a very funny episode with a few surprise gifts. Sure, alcohol was a factor. The Hidden Herf falls “short” but still gets a good rating. Local Spotlight – The Cigar Authority; Salem, … Continue reading "Episode 385: The Gifts – Local Spotlight: The Cigar Authority; Salem, NH"

It has been 5 years to the week since we’ve done an episode at Federal Cigar and The Slow Burn Lounge in Dover. With the new management, a Hack behind the bar, and Jim from the Great Cigars Podcast in town the stars aligned in Dover. The lounge is full and the jokes are almost … Continue reading "Episode 384: Great Cigars – Local Spotlight: Federal Cigar; Dover, NH"

Jonathan Carney joins the Hacks this week to talk about his new venture; Bentley Tobacco | USA and Bentley Cigars. We start out be going to the beginning and telling stories around our collective cigar adventures. This is a long one so we smoke two different cigars, both are well received by the panel. Somehow … Continue reading "Episode 383: Story Time with Special Guest: Jonathan Carney – Local Spotlight: Twins Smoke Shop; Londonderry, NH"

Nurse Rick, Pat McGroin, and Mustang Mike return from Florida with tall tales. This week we record in the 7-20-4 Lounge at Twins Smoke Shop in Londonderry, NH where Nick Goss is holding an HVC Cigars event. The Hidden Herf is an unusual novelty cigar. Three new Hacks are sworn in. Local Spotlight – Cigar … Continue reading "Episode 382: Back from Florida – Local Spotlight: Cigar Castle; Tampa, FL"

The crew drops in to Grumpy’s Cigar & Lounge for the Oliva Cigar event this week and we seem to win the majority of the swag. We have to wait until after the event to do the recording because it was just too busy in the lounge. There is a contingent of half a dozen … Continue reading "Episode 381: Not Tired of Winning – Local Spotlight: Grumpy’s Cigars & Lounge; Hudson, NH"

We return to the The Mustang Barn for another panel stumping Hidden Herf. This week it’s cars and driving related stories along with our cigars and bourbon. Ricky and Pat are in Florida this week and leave us a few voice mail messages. Detroit Steve reports on his travels and the cigar lounges he stopped … Continue reading "Episode 380: Fast Car and Auto-Driving Stories – Local Spotlight: Elite Cigar and Smoke; Rochester, NY"