The Emoji movie was awful, the Emoji Cigar story is not

Had the opportunity to speak to the Emoji Cigar King Mike. If you ever visit his profile you might notice that he rates his cigar experiences through emojis, and somehow they all seem to make sense. Without further ado, check out his full story below:

Please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?

M: So, the idea for this account actually came from a group message I have with my friends. We have this long-running group message of about 10 guys I’ve known since we were kids,  where we talk about anything and everything friends talk about. Amongst those topics, of course, are the cigars were smoking. Someone would mention they were smoking a certain cigar and if asked how it was, we would usually put a thumbs-up emoji or a poop emoji as opposed to describing it in long descriptive paragraphs. And that’s when I realized a lot can be said about a stogie with a simple emoji, especially in the quick-scrolling world of Instagram.

How long have you been smoking cigars, and how did you first find yourself in this world?

M: I started smoking cigars seriously around 2011, but cigars have been in my life for as long as I can remember. My father, Big Mike, has been smoking cigars since I’ve been a kid. I remember smoking a cigar with him after a day of working on our house. I was in high school at the time. I asked him if he had a cutter and he said “yeah, the best cutter in the world. Your teeth” as he bit the cap off. Classic Big Mike.

You run Emoji Stogies account on Instagram. What should we know about you? What is Emoji Stogie all about?

M: Well I’m married with three kids, so that’s the most important part of my life – being a father and a husband. My identity as Emoji Stogies is pretty low key in my personal life, but that has been changing more recently as I’ve been more open to revealing myself as Emoji Stogies and in doing so have met some really cool people along the way. Most of them seem to be surprised at how young I am (37), for some reason having me pegged as a much older person.

How do you think the tobacco industry will change over the next decade?

M: I’m not much of an insider when it comes to laws and regulations, but I’m excited to see how this industry plays out in the future. One new development that has really taken a hit on my personal smoking experience is the complete banning smoking on beaches in the state of NJ, where I vacation on weekends in the summer. Smoking a cigar on the beach has been such an enjoyable part of my cigar smoking and for it is banned is a major gut shot!

What posting strategies do you find work best to appeal to your followers?

M: Admittedly, I’m not much of a strategist. The whole idea of reviewing cigars with emojis was designed for quick consumption, but lately, I’ve really been keen on promoting interaction and discussion if possible. I’ve also been using my stories to post various polls/questions and promote friends within the community.

How do you gather inspiration for your Instagram posts?

M: Well, I only post about once per week, so I guess I don’t gather inspiration too quickly, but I try to take my time with the cigars I post for review. Lately, I’ve been smoking a lot in the Philadelphia center city area, exploring the city while I smoke. Other than that, in general, I try to take my photos during the day, but I seem to smoke more at night, so that’s a little bit of a conundrum.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?

M: While this Instagram account isn’t necessarily my passion, I am passionate about enjoying myself, and smoking cigars seem to be a cheat code for enjoying one’s self. Look at the factors that come with smoking a cigar: there’s a high chance you’re A) with good company, B) outdoors, C) having a drink, and D) relaxing. So, in that sense, yes it has been easy!

What’s your favorite type of cigars, in terms of vitola, origin, seed, wrap, shape, profile?

M: One thing I ask myself frequently is what my smoking habits would be like if I didn’t have this account and the need to actively seek out new cigars. Would I be able to pin myself down to a certain profile, origin, wrapper, or company? Or would I still seek new releases and companies? We’ll never know!  Deep thoughts, huh?

What are some amazing yet underrated cigars you’ve come across, that others should try?

M: Patina Cigars!!  (insert Statue of Liberty emoji here). I guess to answer my deep thought from the previous question: if I didn’t have this account I could definitely see myself reaching for a Patina Habano or Connecticut more often than I do now. But wait, if I didn’t have this account, would I ever have had a Patina Cigar in the first place. Wow, even deeper thoughts!

Over the years I would assume you smoked some great cigars. Give me your top 5 of all time, 1-5, 5 being the best one. 

M: Oooh, tough one. I have so many cigars I could consider for some sort of top list, but I can definitely tell you what my favorite cigar is: The Arturo Fuente Anejo no. 77, aka The Shark. Admittedly, it has an unfair advantage because it has become my go-to “special occasion cigar”, so not only is it a great cigar, but it is personally linked to so many of my own special moments and milestones.

Is there anyone in the industry you look up to? What is it about them that gives you inspiration?

M: While not in the industry, per se, my father, brothers-in-law, and friends are who I smoke with the most and I’m lucky that they are always there to share their experiences, knowledge, and inventories with me. Within the Instagram community, there are way too many awesome brothers and sisters to name.

As 2019 has just begun, are there any projects this year or over the next few years we should be on the lookout for?

M: I just look forward to continuing my personal cigar exploration and meeting/collaborating with more people within the community and other related communities. It’s really cool to see people like you who are bridging the gap between the different communities on Instagram such as whiskey and cigars.

Anything else you want to share with our readers?

M: I’d just like to thank you for the opportunity to say a little bit about myself and I hope your readers were able to learn a little bit about the man behind the emojis!