Eat Drink Smoke

Happy Independence Day from Eat Drink Smoke — and welcome to our 400th episode! America turns 250, Eat Drink Smoke hits 400, and Tony Katz and Fingers Malloy celebrate with fried apple pie, patriotic cigars, cold beer, and a whole lot of fast-food nostalgia. The show kicks off with the triumphant return of the deep-fried McDonald’s Hot Apple Pie. Is it smaller than it used to be? Absolutely. Is it...

America’s 250th birthday is coming, and Eat Drink Smoke is getting ready the only way it knows how — with hot dogs, cigars, bourbon and a little bit of chaos. Tony Katz and Fingers Malloy preview the perfect Independence Day setup with Costco hot dogs, the great charcoal vs. propane debate, and whether America can survive another 250 years if people keep putting pets on airplane tray tables. The f...

This week, Tony and Fingers review the Micallef White Label Connecticut Robusto and Puncher’s Chance The Undisputed Single Barrel Bourbon. The cigar is a 5x52 Robusto featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, and the guys discuss why Connecticut cigars have come a long way in recent years. Once thought of as mild morning smokes without much depth, today’s Connecticut cigars are bringing real flav...

This week on Eat Drink Smoke, Tony and Fingers review the AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial and Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The New World Puro Especial brings plenty of Nicaraguan character, with notes of coffee, wood, creaminess, dried fruit, and a medium-plus profile that may play bigger than advertised. At around $9 a stick, is it humidor-worthy? The bourbon review featu...

This week on Eat Drink Smoke, Tony and Fingers review the Stoic Equanimity Justice, a hefty 6x52 cigar with an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, Dominican Criollo 98 binder, and a flavor profile that brings spice, cedar, earth, richness, and a truly ridiculous amount of heft. It is the kind of cigar that makes you wonder whether you should smoke it or use it to break out of a locked car. The drink this w...

Tony and Fingers ask the important question: Is your HOA out of control? Fingers has a neighborhood watchdog, a grabber, and apparently a man monitoring street parking like it’s a federal investigation. This week, the guys review the Cuban Seed Cigar Company Cohiba Grand Pyramid and the Cody Road Single Barrel Rye. The cigar is a massive 6.5 x 54 pyramid with a Corojo Habano wrapper and a wood-for...

On this version of the Happy Hour, Tony and Fingers review the James E. Pepper Barrel Proof Decanter Bourbon, a gorgeous bottle with a proof that comes in just under 110 - though you would never know it from the nose. The guys get oak, caramel, vanilla, baking spice, a mystery fruit note they can’t quite pin down, and what Tony describes as a rich custard-like finish. At around $60, both agree thi...

Tony and Fingers light up the My Father La Gran Oferta Lancero, a 7.5 x 38 smoke with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Cuban-seed binder, and Nicaraguan filler. The cigar opens with leather, pepper, spice, and a debate over whether the finish is wood or bitter espresso. Because obviously, this is where civilization hangs in the balance. Also on the Happy Hour: Tony talks about his early-morning Indy...

Tony and Fingers review the My Father La Gran Oferta Lancero and the James E. Pepper Barrel Proof Decanter Bourbon. The cigar brings early pepper, leather, wood, and a mellowing medium profile that makes a strong case for the humidor. The bourbon turns out to be a hidden gem, with oak, vanilla, fruit, a rich mouthfeel, and a shockingly smooth finish for nearly 110 proof. Also this week: Memorial D...

Tony and Fingers pour Mayor Pingree Small Batch Red Label Bourbon from Valentine Distilling in Ferndale, Michigan — a 94-proof bourbon that blends Valentine’s triple pot-distilled bourbon with traditional column-distilled bourbon casks from Lawrenceburg, Indiana. They get notes of vanilla, oak, honey, bread, pepper, citrus, and a little orchard fruit — then find that a cube or a little water bring...

Tony and Fingers light up The K by Karen Berger Connecticut Toro, a soft box-pressed 6 x 52 Connecticut with an Ecuadorian wrapper, Nicaraguan core, silky presentation, light spice, creaminess, cedar, and a little sweetness. They talk about why Connecticut cigars deserve more respect, when this cigar fits best, and whether it earns a spot in the humidor at around $12. Also on this Happy Hour: the...

This week, Tony and Fingers review the K by Karen Berger Connecticut Toro, a silky Ecuadorian Connecticut with Nicaraguan binder and filler. Connecticut cigars get dismissed too easily, and this one makes the case for why that is a mistake. The Karen Berger Connecticut brings creaminess, cedar, a touch of white pepper, some sweetness, and an easygoing profile that works in the morning, at night, w...

The cigar review: Kristoff Veinte Twentieth Anniversary. The drink review: Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon. Topics this week include: Bartenders reveal the 10 drinks you should NEVER order in a crowded bar. Gen Zers aren’t having children because of this scary reason. Aldi just announced a major change to grocery prices. M&M's released a new flavor. Do you miss going to the video store? All th...

Tony and Fingers' cigar review: Cohiba Serie M Reserva Roja. Their drink review: Crown Royal Blackberry Whisky Lemonade. Topics this week include: 60 practical Father’s Day gifts your dad will actually use. 29 things literally every single millennial had in their parents' house growing up in the '90s. High-paying remote work jobs are fading fast. Have Americans forgotten their manners? All that, a...

The cigar review: La Gloria Cubana Spirit of the Lady. The drink review: Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Rye. Topics this week include: 15 healthy light beers to drink this summer - Bonus review of Blue Moon Light. There is still time to enjoy some of the best Memorial Day restaurant deals of 2024. 50 great Memorial Day recipes for your holiday cookout. Amazon plans to give Alexa an AI overhaul — an...

Tony and Fingers' cigar review: Red Anchor Admiral. Their drink review: Barrell Vantage. Topics this week include: Are Americans losing their taste for Starbucks? A Tinder survey says men and women misinterpret what they want from dating apps. Uber launches bus shuttle service, expands Costco tie-up to woo price-conscious users. Fingers has a shuttle story. How should you order a steak? All that,...

The cigar review: Arturo Fuente Hemingway Masterpiece. The drink review: Sullivan's Black Marble Stout. Topics this week include: Fingers bought a new "grill." How much have fast-food prices gone up since 2020? A North Carolina cafe customer is nailed by $2,000 in charges after workers posted her credit card online. Dave & Buster’s will soon allow customers to bet on arcade games. The guys ans...

Tony and Fingers' cigar review: The Asylum Insanity Later. Their drink review: Silver Grove Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Topics this week include: What does the latest news about McDonald's say about the US economy? If you’re not feeling happy in life, say goodbye to these daily habits. Ploys supermarkets use to trick you into spending more. A bedtime habit that may be ruining your relationship. All...

The cigar review: Micallef Blue. The drink review: Sonoma Cherrywood Rye. Dan Thompson of Micallef Cigars talked to Tony at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show in Las Vegas. They discussed Micallef's history, family involvement in the cigar business, brand strategy, and the industry's handling of inflation. Other topics this week include: Congress just passed a potential TikTok ban. Now what?...

Tony and Fingers' cigar review: HOF by David Ortiz. Their drink review: Green River Wheated Bourbon. Tony spoke with Ram Rodriguez of Artista Cigars. They discussed how Ram teamed up with David Ortiz to develop the HOF Cigar, Artista's growth and the lighting of a cigar with a BIC. Other topics this week include: Caitlin Clark's press conference turns awkward after a cringeworthy icebreaker from a...

The cigar review: The Blackbird Superb. The drink review: Widow Jane Applewood Rye Whiskey. Tony talked to Jonas Santana of the Blackbird Cigar Company at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show in Las Vegas. They discussed Blackbird's effective use of social media and what he has planned for BCC in 2024. Other topics this week include: Was the solar eclipse life-changing? The rent is too damn hi...

Tony and Fingers' cigar review: The Kristoff Guardrail. Their drink review: The Trash Panda Vanilla Latte-Inspired Blonde Ale by Metazoa Brewing Company. Tony spoke with Michael Herklots of Ferio Tego at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show. They discussed the Ferio Tego Summa cigar, Michael's theory on cigar blends, and his take on what 2024 will bring for the cigar industry. Lauren Frederick...

The cigar review: The Brick House Maduro by J.C. Newman. The drink review: Public Enemy No. 1 Brown Ale by Black Dog Brewing Company. Topics this week include: After covering the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show, Tony and Fingers returned from Las Vegas. They have stories. Tony interviewed Drew Newman of the J.C. Newman Cigar Company. They discussed the importance of the story in cigar making,...

Tony and Fingers' cigar review: Liga Privada No. 9 Corona Viva. Their drink review: 15 Stars Fine Aged Spirits Triple Cask. Topics this week include: A shocking number of people have landed dates on LinkedIn. Virgin Voyages is selling month-long cruises to remote workers: 'Work from helm.' There is a Fireball rub? Seven phrases you should never say to the one you love. All that, and much more, on...

The cigar review: The Luciano Underrated. The drink review: Augusta Old Route 8 Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon. Topics this week include: The TSA unveils passenger self-screening lanes at the Las Vegas airport as 'a step into the future.' Gen Z and Millennials are turning into ‘old, hunched-backed people.’ Another reminder that social media is a cesspool. Family Dollar and Dollar Tree will cl...