Not Just Blowing Smoke with Pastor Padron

Last June, we reviewed the newly arrived Aladino Cameroon Lonsdale. One of the things that sets the Aladino Cameroon line of cigars apart, is that JRE Tobacco grew the Cameroon themselves on their farms in Honduras, so that they could have control over the whole process of the crop. The result was a wrapper that had unique and subtle nuances that tobacco from the country of Cameroon typically offe...

It is The Ladies Night Takeover of NJBS! Bree takes the wheel from Pastor Padron and Kendra the Potion Master takes over for Pablo Maduro, and Dave is transmorgified into "Davina the Divine" for this special estrogen laden episode, and that is not just blowing smoke! Bree and Kendra are joined by special guest: liquor rep "Tequila Talia." The ladies will be smoking the Sobremesa Cervantes Fino fro...

One thing that the tobacconists of Not Just Blowing Smoke agree on is that you do not need to spend a lot of money to have a world class smoke. In fact, there are a number of great options out there for cigar smokers that are $10 or less. On this episode of NJBS, we share some of our picks for excellent cigars at or below the $10 range, including the cigar we will be smoking on the show--the San L...

Baseball star and cigar aficionado, Orlando Cabrera, joins us for the next in our series on aging cigars and tobacco. In this episode, we look at a method of aging that is a bit out of the box--incorporating whiskey! Orlando has found that aging his cigars using whiskey adds complexity and depth to his cigars. And he is not the only one! Kurt Kendall offers a set of 6 of his famous Dog Walker ciga...

Jorge Armenteros, Certified Master Tobacconist, Owner of A Little Taste of Cuba Cigar Parlor, and President and Founder of Tobacconist University, joins us via Skype in a rare podcast appearance from TU's new home base in southwestern Florida. We talk about Jorge's extensive experience as a B&M retailer, how that grew into a passion to help train and educate other retailers, and the birth of Tobac...

Cigar maven, Instagram sensation, and one of our most popular guests, Aida Ritnery, aka the Cigar Boss Lady, returns to NJBS as we review the Leaf by Oscar Connecticut Toro and The Virginia Cream by G.L. Pease! Not Just Blowing Smoke is the cigar and pipe podcast that brings the knowledge, expertise, and fun of Twins Smoke Shop right to you. Wherever you are, and whenever you want it. New episodes...

In this episode, we are joined by retired private investigator and Twins Tobacconist, Scott Keller! Scott joins us to talk about Netflix’s hit documentary Trial 4. Scott is in episodes 6 and 7 of the series, and discovered what may be argued as the key facts for the defense which has been seeking to prove the innocence of a man accused of shooting a Boston policeman over twenty years ago. While we...

Whether you are enjoying a fine cigar or a bowl of your favorite pipe tobacco, one of the key skills you need to know is how to cut and prepare it. It is not rocket science, but there are some dos and don'ts everyone needs to know. In this episode of NJBS, we are going to ask: What is the difference between a good cut and a bad one? How can you tell the difference? What kind of cutter works best?...

If you spend any time around Twins Smoke Shop and Lounge locations, you will hear stories about Kurt Kendall's private collection of cigars, aka Kurt's Vault. Just how big is it, what is in it, and what does he continue look for? Find out in this episode as Kurt gives us a rare look inside his fabled vault and talks about his passion for collecting, aging, and sharing premium cigars. Not Just Blow...

Did you know that how you light your cigar or pipe and what you use to light it can dramatically impact the performance of what you are smoking? What methods work best and what ways should you avoid? What lighters work best for lighting tobacco? How do you take care of the lighters you have? In this episode, Pastor Padron, Paul, Nick, and Dave discuss lighters, lighting, and relighting. Of course,...

Max Stokkebye, Brand Ambassador for Peter Stokkebye and Lane Limited pipe tobaccos for STG returns to the show for a pipe tobacco double header: Peterson's Elizabethan Mixture and Peterson's 3P's (aka Peterson's Perfect Plug)! Are these tobaccos worth picking up? We give you our honest opinion, and that is not just blowing smoke! And yeah, Max is related to Peter Stokkebye--Peter was his grand fat...

In this episode we talk about learning to pick out and describe the distinct flavor and aroma profiles in what you are smoking. To do that we will be smoking the 7-20-4 One 13, a limited edition collaboration of Kurt Kendall and Joe Torres, and Peterson's My Mixture 965.   Not Just Blowing Smoke is the cigar and pipe podcast that brings the knowledge, expertise, and fun of Twins Smoke Shop right t...

Online shopping has revolutionized the cigar and pipe business. This has been a big plus for many people who are not near a B&M (Brick and Mortar) smoke shop. But while websites can offer huge selections and low prices, they cannot replace the personalized service, atmosphere, and expertise available at B&M stores. Many manufacturers see the traditional smoke shop as the heart of their business, a...

It’s the NJBS 2020 COTY TOTY (that's geek speak for Cigar of the Year and Tobacco of the Year) Episode! At the end of each year, we look at what we think were the year’s best freshman releases for cigars and tobacco, and tell you what our picks are for the top spot. 2020 saw some great new releases, and picking the best of the best was no easy task. And that was an enjoyable problem to have! Our C...

We often approach the pairings for the show starting with the cigar or tobacco and then asking what would it pair with. Tonight, we reversed that philosophy, and started with the drink and then looked for what would pair well with it. There is nothing like coming home or arriving at your favorite bar or pub on a cold winter's night and warming up with a finger or two of your favorite Scotch. What...

Christmas is right around the corner, but this is 2020, and that means it is a COVID Christmas! While no one was sick with “the rona,” shipping delays and pet illnesses left us without the planned 7-20-4 One 13 cigars, the Savinelli and Peterson’s Christmas pipes, Paul, and Kendra. What do do… We went with one of Paul, aka “Pablo Maduro’s” favorite cigars for the holidays, the Oliva Melanio Double...

Size Matters! In this episode we are joined by 7-20-4’s Kurt Kendall who invites us look at how ring gauge effects the smoking experience of tobacco blends. We explore how size matters by smoking the "Master of Flannel's" 7-20-4 1874 Gagger, a 6x60 vitola, and then the 1874 Lancero, a 7½ x 38 vitola. Both are made up of the same blend of tobaccos. So, just how much does the girth of a cigar change...

In this  we are episode, we go back to one of our audience’s favorite topics: how aging effects tobacco. We focus on how aging effects pipe tobacco by smoking Night Cap that was tinned this year, and then comparing it with Night Cap that was tinned 9 years ago in 2011. Both these tins were sealed and were opened for the first time on the show. Not Just Blowing Smoke is the cigar and pipe podcast t...

I know. You were expecting the Ladies to take over. But like the great philosopher Jagger wrote: “you can’t always get what you what. But if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.” So tonight, will be a special fireside-show with yours truly—Pastor Padron! (and Dave... aka Daved and Confused.)  Smoking by the fire set the mood and the agenda--talking about our favorite Fires...

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we will be sharing the 5 cigars and tobaccos that we are most thankful for this year...our top 5.  While we talk about our top 5 cigars, we review the Byron Petit Poemas by Selected Tobacco. Should this super premium cigar be on your short list of cigars to smoke this Thanksgiving?  For our pipe tobacco review, we light up Davidoff's Flake Medallions. While we discus...

Advertising, branding, and building name recognition, all work together to create consumer desire and to cultivate expectation for premium cigars and tobacco. But just how much influence does all that have on the consumer’s experience and impression of what they are smoking? We are going to do our own experiment to find out! On this episode of NJBS, we smoke a well known and popular brand cigar…bu...

Is it possible to have a great cigar or pipe tobacco without having to break the bank? Yes it is! In this episode the guys of NJBS smoke the Charter Oak Broadleaf Grande as the poster child of a great cigar for $6. While they review that cigar and sip some fresh brewed coffee with Jamison Cold Brew and Bailey's Irish Cream, they share their picks for world class cigars for less than $8. In the sec...

A few months ago, Paul threw out the thought of recording an episode live at an event. We thought it was a great idea and decided to give it a go at our Tatuaje event on October 30th at Twins Smoke Shop in Hooksett, NH. Edgar, Tatuaje's New England rep, sits down with us and talks all things Tat, Monsters, and Pumpkins as we smoke one of Tatuaje's most coveted event only cigars, the Pumpkin Spice...

The days are getting shorter and the evenings are getting cooler. And that means it is the season for short cigars! This year we are continuing our tradition of looking at 4 different short cigars that are prefect for a 20-30 minute smoke; just right for your evening walk or a short sit on the porch after dinner. This year we look at Tatuaje's Havana VI Verocu No. 5, the 7-20-4 Factory 57 Dog Walk...

For a long time, the most popular cigar vitola was the Robusto. But as the years have gone on, the desire for larger and thicker cigars have been gaining popularity in the marketplace. One of the proofs of this growing trend is that now the Toro is the most popular size. In this episode, we delve into the world of extra large cigars with Asylum Cigar's founder, Tom Lazuka, and Regional Sales Manag...