Deep Cuts Live

Season 6 of Deep Cuts Live continues with episode 168, featuring special guest Laurel Tilley of AJ Fernandez Cigars for a wide-ranging conversation on branding, retail, events, tobacco, and the evolution of one of the premium cigar industry's most influential companies. Host Antoine Reid sits down with Laurel to discuss her journey from retail tobacconist to brand ambassador and brand development...

Season 6 of Deep Cuts Live continues with episode 166, an inside look at one of the premium cigar industry’s most recognizable companies. Host Antoine Reid sits down with Javier Largaespada of Drew Estate for a conversation about digital marketing, cigar culture, brand storytelling, and what’s next for Drew Estate following a major year of new projects and releases. In this episode, Javier shares...

Season 6 of Deep Cuts Live continues with a conversation featuring one of the most recognizable voices in premium cigar social media. Host Antoine Reid sits down with Ibis Luis, better known to many as @CigarLover12, to discuss her journey from retail tobacconist and cigar educator to co-founder of Pangea Cigars. What began as a passion for cigars evolved into a career built on education, trust, a...

Deep Curts Live host Antoine Reid sits down with Scandinavian Tobacco Group's Justin Andrews to explore his journey from eastern North Carolina tobacco country to helping shape some of the cigar industry’s biggest brands and collaborations. From contract manufacturing and blending to Diesel Cigars and industry partnerships, this episode offers an inside look at how modern premium cigar brands are...

Season 6 of Deep Cuts Live continues with the return of Robin James, founder of Blue Smoke ATL, for a conversation on creativity, entrepreneurship, and carving out a unique lane within the premium cigar industry. Robin’s work sits at the intersection of function and design—handcrafting cigar pokers that double as statement pieces. In this episode, she shares how a simple idea turned into a growing...

Season 6 of Deep Cuts Live continues with a conversation centered on one of the most recognizable names in premium cigars. Host Antoine Reid sits down with Alex Weghorn, Brand Ambassador for Davidoff Cigars, to explore the evolving role of brand storytelling, consumer experience, and innovation in today’s cigar industry. In this episode, Alex shares his journey from retail tobacconist to represent...

Season 6 of Deep Cuts Live continues with a high-energy conversation featuring Paul Copeland, owner of Shore Thing Cigars—one of the most experience-driven retail concepts in the premium cigar industry. In this episode, host Antoine Reid sits down with Paul to explore what it really takes to build a modern cigar retail business that goes beyond product and into atmosphere, hospitality, and storyte...

Season 6 of Deep Cuts Live kicks off with a deep dive into the world of ADVentura Cigars. Host Antoine Reid sits down with Marcel and Nicole Knobel and Henderson Ventura to explore the origins of the brand, the roots of its bold pirate theme, and the philosophy behind building a modern premium cigar company. In this episode, the team breaks down their latest release, La Llorona, shares insight int...

In this episode of Deep Cuts Live, I’m joined by Teresa Wessling, a seasoned tobacconist at Georgetown Tobacco, one of the longest-running specialty tobacco stores in Washington, D.C. We dive into what it truly means to be a modern tobacconist—balancing tradition, education, customer experience, and retail best practices in a highly regulated and fast-evolving market. Teresa shares firsthand insig...

In this episode of Deep Cuts Live, I sit down with Jason Wood, the founder of Outcast Cigars and a key figure behind Miami Cigar Co., to talk entrepreneurship, brand building, and what it really takes to carve out space in today’s premium cigar market. We go beyond the blends and the bands to explore Jason’s journey—from navigating distribution and retail relationships to building a brand identity...

An all-new Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid. Episode 158 with special guest Mike Palmer, national sales manager for Powstanie Cigars.

An all-new episode of Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid. Episode 157 with special guest Ra'ed W. Saqfelhait, co-founder of The Leaf Master Tobacco Trading, LLC.

An all-new episode of Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid. Episode 156 features special guests Sandy Cobas and Giselle Herrera from El Titan de Bronze. This mother and daughter duo run one of the most popular cigar factories in Miami, Florida's Little Havana neighborhood. Learn how El Ttian de Bronze got its start, Sandy's rise in the industry, and why several leading cigar brands including Cohi...

An all-new Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid. Episode 115 with special guest John Hakim, Scandinavian Tobacco Group's brand manager for La Gloria Cubana, Partagas, and El Titan De Bronze's Redemption.

An interview with Billy & Gus Fakih, owners of Artesano Del Tobacco, on their highly-rated premium cigar brands Viva La Vida and El Pulpo and their experiences in the premium cigar industry.

An all-new episode of Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid. Episode 153, Enrique Sanchez, founder of Global Premium Cigars.

An all-new Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid. Episode 152 with special guests Fouad & Romy Kashouty, owners of Hiram & Solomon Cigars.

An all-new Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid. Episode 151 with special guest Rob Maneson, (now former) president of the U.S. and Americas at League of Fat Bastards Cigars.

An all-new episode of Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid. Episode 150, Les Mann, vice president of sales at S.T. Dupont USA.

An interview with Anto Mahroukian, president of JM Tobacco. Hear the origin story of JM Tobacco and its quest to create quality cigars offered at an affordable price point despite the rise in expensive premium cigars. 

An interview with Eladio and Emmanuel Diaz, master blender and commercial director for Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera. Learn about the impressive career of Eladio Diaz, a leading blender from the Dominican Republic, and how he's taking his blending skills to a new level by building a family-owned brand. 

An interview with Justo Eiroa, president of JRE Tobacco. Justo talks about Aladino Cigars and his experience working with his father, Julio Eiroa. Learn how Justo has built his family's premium cigar brand and the steps he's taking to ensure his company gives back to Honduras. 

An interview with Juan Martinez, executive president of Joya de Nicaragua. Juan shares the story of one of Nicaragua's leading premium cigar makers and brands, Joya de Nicaragua, and gives us a blender's take on what makes Nicaraguan-grown tobacco so special. 

Eddy Guerra, head of U.S. brand marketing at Oettinger Davidoff AG, joins in for episode 145 of Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid! This episode covers marketing and branding tips for luxury and small businesses and provides insights into some of Davidoff Cigars's latest releases, the AVO Experience, a collaboration with DJ D-Nice, and the return of the Davidoff Maduro. 

La Aurora is the oldest cigar factory in the Dominican Republic, but does its reputation make it an easy sell in the U.S.? In Episode 144 of Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid, hear from two men who are part of La Aurora's U.S. sales team. Learn about the legacy of this Dominican Republic cigar brand, the visionary and entrepreneur who leads the company today, and why this premium cigar brand s...