What a fun interview with Eric aka @brothercigar_ from Instagram. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to Eric a few times before we even agreed to do the interview and he is just a breath of fresh air. You know what I mean when you’re talking to someone from NY about cigars and their passion.
Eric everyone knows that cigars are an acquired taste. What drew you in at the beginning and what do you think has kept you intrigued by the cigars themselves.
E: Well growing up, I remember my father smoking cigars when we had family or friends over for parties, card games, business meeting etc. Whenever the gentlemen smoked cigars, I always noticed how “cool” I thought they looked. As I got older that same “cool” thought always stuck with me. I also started becoming influenced by cigar smokers in movies, mostly business and mobster type movies. To me, cigars resembled sophistication, classiness, success, ya know men in suits. All of that really appealed to me and I wanted to be like that.
Immersing myself in the cigar culture has not only kept me intrigued, but grown my appreciation for the methodical process of cigar making. When I started my cigar Instagram, @brothercigar_ over 3 ½ years ago, it was just for kicks. I was initially trying to pass time while living on my own in a new city. Looking back, I never would have thought that @brothercigar_ would take me to where I am today. This isn’t for “kicks” anymore. I am truly invested and passionate about this industry. From understanding the complete cigar making process to the number of hands one cigar touches, to the extensive quality control process. It also brought me my own podcast The Burn Down!
You and TheDapperCigar Justin run a cigar podcast Burndown together… Can you tell us what all it entails and how are you standing out from the crowd? You mention often the #rookiemove, can you tell me how that came about?
E: The Burn Down is a weekly podcast that aims to bring the comradery of a cigar lounge to the internet audience. When you go into a cigar lounge, you go for two things: a good cigar and an enjoyable atmosphere. That’s exactly what we bring. Justin and I strive to make our podcast relatable, informative, funny and we do that all by just being ourselves. That’s what really separates us from the rest. We deliver the feeling of that friendly conversation you get in a cigar lounge that we all enjoy while smoking a variety of awesome sticks. The experience is designed as if you’re sitting right there with us! Our main focus is no negative conversations. It’s all about being positive, inspirational and we have a little fun doing it too!
The #rookiemove started during our very FIRST episode as a joke. It all stems back from when I was in high school and college going to parties. When someone committed a “party foul” (breaking a bottle, dropping a cup, etc.) the whole party would CHANT a certain “word”. When Justin dropped that ash on the first episode that instantly came to me and I just yelled ROOKIE MOVE. It stuck ever since and people were posting their “rookie moves” all over social media and it just stuck! It’s a positive and fun spin on something that some people would find negative or embarrassing. If you don’t #rookimove, do you even smoke cigars?
There is a wide variety of cigar brands out there, some more known than others. What do you think the distinguished brands are doing right, that the smaller guys can learn from them?
E: The first thing that comes to mind for me is “consistency”. The brands that are very successful are consistent with everything they produce. The first company that comes to mind is Padron. When you purchase a Padron, you KNOW exactly what you’re getting yourself into and it’s never a guessing game. You know you’re getting a spicy smoke, that’s smooth, with an easy draw and as we say on The Burn Down “AMPLE” amount of smoke output.
That would be my recommendation for the smaller or boutique cigar companies. CONSISTENCY. Be consistent in your message, your “WHY” and your product that you produce. People like consistency, well at least I do! Perfect example of this is Nova Cigars by Leonor Abzaradel. She consistently produces cigars that never disappoint. I smoke these pretty regularly and have to say the experience is always memorable.
You’re quite a dapper dresser yourself, where do you get your sense of style from? What are the most important qualities and accessories for the dapper gentleman to possess? What are the must haves?
E: Well, thank you! They say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but when you first encounter someone, what’s the first thing you see…How they’re dressed! It’s all about that first, initial impression. Do you want to be known as the guy in the pajama pants or the guy in the tailored suit? Me? I want to be known as the suit guy!
I really like the style in the 1950’s, where men wore a suit for everything they did. It just looked sharp and sophisticated and I wanted to look just like that. Going back to your first question, inspiration also came from that Mafioso lifestyle of 3-piece suits, dapper from head to toe with a cigar. I loved it!
The most important quality when getting dressed is to feel comfortable and confident. If you feel confident, nothing else matters. You can be in a $1,000 tailored suit, but if you don’t feel like you can take on the world, that suit doesn’t matter one bit.
When it comes to accessories, the first thing is a monogram of your initials on the cuffs of your dress shirt. To me, that separates yourself from the pack and its say’s “I mean business.” It’s sharp and classy. Second, a lapel pin for my jacket. Typically, you’ll find me rocking an American flag or some kind of tobacco related pin. It makes your jacket stand out and it’s a great conversation piece! The third and last accessories is SOCKS! All kinds, funky, stylish, classic looking socks. It really shows your personality and can really complement your ensemble nicely. Someone will always point out your cool socks.
What do you like to do in your leisure time?
E: I enjoy playing golf, traveling, hiking, reading self-improvement and mindset books, working out and spending time with my family and friends. My favorite pastime is relaxing at my country house in upstate New York.
Safe to assume you’ve smoked a lot of cigars in your lifetime, but there are always those few special cigars that hold extra meaning to us. Tell us about your top 3 and why they are so memorable.
The popular question is, “What’s your favorite cigar?” and I’m glad you’re not asking that because it’s a hard question to answer and it’s like picking your favorite child. However, 3 cigars stand out to me. First, the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario. This is my favorite Fuente- hands down. I had this for the first time at my country house during a fall month. It was cool and crisp outside. I was smoking on my deck with feel-good music playing, realizing how much enjoyment I was getting from this cigar and this moment. There was nothing like it. The second that comes to mind is the Padron 1926 Series. This was the very first Padron I’ve ever tried. I was at my favorite cigar lounge in Long Island, New York and no other Padron has swayed me away! Lastly, the Oliva Serie V Melanio. I bought this cigar early in my cigar journey at C.I. International Super-Store in Pennsylvania before going to my first CigarFest event in 2017. I thought the band looked cool, but then when I smoked it, man what a cigar! Later, I learned it was the 2014 Cigar Aficionado Cigar of The Year and it’s been a staple with me ever since.
Let’s pair alcohol to cigars. What is the first thing we have to look out for when looking to pair a cigar with any particular spirit? What will make the pairing that much more enjoyable?
E: Let me just say this, my favorite pairing with a cigar is coffee. That being said, cigars and bourbon is next on the list! The first thing you have to look out for when pairing is making sure your cigar is equipped for the specific pairing you’re about to embark on. Meaning, if you’re having a pilsner beer or coffee, it’s probably best with a mild or mild-medium cigar. Scotch or Bourbon definitely goes best with a full-bodied cigar. You don’t want to take two extremes of the spectrum and put them together. In my humbled opinion, an Oliva Connecticut cigar will not pair well with an Eagle Rare Bourbon.
Three things make the pair even more enjoyable: the people around you, the atmosphere you’re in, the music you have playing.
Where do you hope this podcast takes you? What are in the plans for the rest of the year, and is there anything we should be on the lookout for next year? Maybe merch?
E: Great question. We’re already humbled on where it’s taken us so far so we’re very excited for what the future holds. We have created an LLC for The Burn Down so it is an official business. Justin and I envision getting to a certain point where we can create stability by doing the podcast and channel full time as well getting involved in other avenues we’re looking to start.
For the next year? Well, we’re in the middle of creating our own website which will be really unique and offer some great things, INCLUDING merch. We’re in the midst of having our own cigar as we’re working with a cigar marker which is really exciting as we didn’t think we’d be able to have our own cigar this quickly. Lastly, focusing on creating more content for our Burn Down Academy section of The Burn Down YouTube channel. The Burn Down Academy is our educational content that provides information anything cigar related! The sky is the limit for the boys of The Burn Down.
Who is your favorite Cigar Ambassador in the industry? Also, what is your favorite brand.
E: To be honest, I don’t have a favorite Cigar Ambassador. However, some Instagram accounts I enjoy following is @cigarbossman, @mike_thegreek @cigarlover12, @noblecigars, @matthiasclock, @thedappercigar, @cigar_bosslady to name a few. I like all these accounts because they are all authentic, passionate about the cigar industry and all-around good people, as I have gotten to know many of them personally.
Favorite cigar brand? Hmm. I have a few of course. The big guys, LFD, Padron, Oliva, My Father. Boutique brands, Nova Cigar, Blackbird, Artesano Del Tobacco. All these companies produce excellent cigars and embody the sophistication and quality I look for in a brand.
I know you’re an avid golfer, so can you correlate how playing golf and taking your time pairs so perfectly with enjoying the moment with your cigar?
E: I like this question. Well, first thing about playing golf is you need to relax and concentrate at the task at hand, hit the ball straight. Just like a cigar when you’re about to smoke a cigar, in order to maximize full enjoyment, you need to be relaxed. No distractions. Concentrate at the task at hand, enjoy the pre and light up ceremony. Focus on the feel, the smell, the taste of the cigar then successfully cut, light and smoke the cigar properly. If you have a bad drive and are in the rough in golf, you can still get yourself to shoot for a great hole. A cigar, if you’re struggling with it to light properly, have an uneven burn, a tight draw it’s something that can be fixed and still able enjoy your whole cigar experience.
Anything else you want to tell our readers?
E: First and foremost, thank you Gene for giving me this opportunity. Thank you everyone for reading and checking out my article from Tastethedram! I hope everyone stays safe and stays blessed. Tune into The Burn Down every Friday for a good smoke and an even better time. CHEERS!
