His name is Sam Moss. Sam’s son, Zach, was kind enough to share stories of his father with me. I am honored to introduce and share these stories with you in celebration of his new cigar line.

Sam comes from humble beginnings but has always had a passion for exploring the elegance of life’s pleasures. Once while he was living in Hong Kong, he walked into a premium tobacco shop and decided to live by the motto of “when in Rome…” and asked the man who was working there, “What’s the best you’ve got?” Without hesitation, the man pointed him in the direction of Davidoff. For Sam, this was the start of his respect for the brand and love for cigars.

Growing up, he watched his father and grandfather both smoke cigars. His father may not have been exposed to premium cigars on a regular basis, but since Sam’s discovery of the premium cigar industry it has only boosted his love for cigars over the years. In fact, it would be Sam’s late grandfather, Sammy, that he would like to pay tribute to with his own cigar line.

Sam will be launching his own cigar line featuring three entirely different cigars. He sought to go after creating a premium cigar to celebrate his love of smoking while blending a line that was reflective of his lifestyle. These cigars were handcrafted and perfected under the supervision of his good friend and fan of his Rebecca Moss line, master blender Henke Kelner of Davidoff.  The two have a mutual admiration for each other’s passion for their respective craft.  Their different styles led to a vibrant blend that took several years to fully develop after being put through the rigorous quality controls of the factory.  The cigars feature a mixed Cuban and Dominican wrapper grown in Ecuador, Dominican filler, and a mainly Dominican binder with a hint of Peruvian.

If it’s the little things that make you happy, the perfecto is Sam’s morning smoke that he always turns to when starting his day. This medium blend is short, yet most people say they smoke it to the end to savour the flavor. It is his favorite when coupled with a cup of coffee in the morning, as it is a creamy cigar.

The robusto is his daytime smoke.  Whether it’s while on the move with the top down on his car, or just grabbing a mid afternoon break to set his mind straight, the robusto is a smooth and full blend that asserts its presence without being overwhelming.

Then there is the toro, an awesome blend of complex flavors that builds up perfectly as it is fully enjoyed.  This is my his nightcap, an ideal smoke of choice when he wants to simply enjoy the fruits of his labor and forget about the rest.

I admire Henke Kelner’s passion for the palate and respect him greatly as a blender. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Kelner and sharing many great laughs and insights. I definitely look forward to experiencing the blends he and Sam have created. I love that there are stories involved, and I can only imagine the conversations, laughs, and memories created when making these blends. It is something I will be thinking of as I enjoy my smoke.

Life’s luxuries are more than about quality, they are about memories and experiences. They honor the things we respect and admire, involve history and relationships, and can often involve a connection with our family as well as the families of others.

Over the course of his career Sam has published award-winning books including “Pen Passion” that examined the artistic beauty of fine writing instruments as well as “A Time To Watch”, recognized by The New York Times as an artistic look into the history of luxury timepieces that was responsible for the explosion in the wristwatch market in the ‘80s. His pen line, Rebecca Moss, named after his late grandmother, has grown over the course of two decades into a luxury brand that deals exclusively in the production of the finest writing instruments and leather accessories that reflect his passion for pens while infusing his eclectic personality into his designs.  Each line is functional yet fashionable.

Sam was kind enough to have given me some of his writing instruments which I have fallen in love with. They are beautiful and perform as elegant as their designs. One in particular I want to share with you brings a smile to my face each time I use it.

Beyond writing well, the beauty of the design is something I appreciate each time I hold it in my hand. Something so simple and clever- the cap of the pen is held on magnetically. Whether you need it at the back of the pen while in use, or to cover the pen when you are done- the cap smoothly grabs a hold to the pen via a magnet. This is functionality meeting design and I adore it.

Sam and Zach felt like old friends when I first met them, and I hope to meet them again soon under a relaxing setting where we can talk and perhaps even conduct an interview. Thank you both for your great generosity, I look forward to when we meet again.

www.rebeccamoss.com

One of the interviews that I didn’t get at the show was Don Pepin Garcia of My Father.  He is one of the busiest people  in the industry and his booth at the show proved that. In addition to releasing a very limited series this year from My Father Cigars as well as his regular line of cigars, he finds time to blend and make cigars for many other makers: All of the Tatuaje brands for Pete Johnson, all 3 La Aroma De Cuba lines and both San Cristobal lines for Ashton, all of the EO brands for Eddie and Eric (601, Cubao, Murcielago), the Miami line of cigars for Nestor Miranda, La Forcade, La Sirena and more.

It was my good fortune that Pepin was in Texas for an event the week following the show, and I was able to catch up with the master blender himself. Jose Oretga, his new VP of sales, is one of the nicest and most genuine people in the business and served as our interpreter.

The folks at Habana House in Austin threw a first class event and were so kind and accommodating, and the turnout was unbelievable. It was a wonderful evening and a perfect post script to this year’s IPCPR.

www.myfathercigars.com

Tatuaje

Xikar

Prometheus

Cigar Agency

Cain/nub

La Palina

Camacho

La Caridad Del Cobre

Joya De Nicaragua

Reyes Family

Los Blancos

Graycliff

Augusto Reyes

A.J. Fernandez/San Lotano

Viaje

Rocky Patel

Reinado

Boveda/Humdipak

La Flor Dominicana

Esteban Carreras

Padron

Gran Habano

Miami Cigar/La Aurora

Ashton

Kristoff

7-20-4

Adrian’s Costa Rican

EP Carrillo

Toraño Family

Drew Estate

Alec Bradley

Quesada

J. Fuego

Illusione

I have many wonderful interviews to present to you- please check in for the latest update! The most recently added video will be listed at the top of the page. Thank you to all the manufacturers for taking the time to give us this great insight!

One of the common topics this year was how we are one community- a family, and at the end of the day competition is not the focus. I was delighted to hear the friendly support for all cigar makers- no matter the company or competition. There was a genuine support for a collective success, for each company and for the industry. I was also delighted to see the support for media in terms of bloggers and twitter. Bloggers were able to conduct interviews and bring the experience to the consumer at home, not to mention help the retailer inform everyone of what is new and soon to be seen in their local shops. With so much news and so many questions to ask, the bloggers bring in an easy format for people to get these answers, get informed, and  get excited so they walk into their local cigar shop ready and eager. It also allows us to learn more about the cigar makers themselves, to hear their inspirations, history, stories, and even their tips for better smoking experiences. We are given information and a connection to better appreciate our favorite smokes.

I want to thank Hava Cigar and StogieReview.com for their incredible efforts in presenting the Twitter BOTL Cocktail Hour at IPCPR for a second year in a row, and thank all who sponsored this great event. Please click here to visit StogieReview.com for a complete list of sponsors as well as all the details involved in this event. Thank you!

It was wonderful to be able to relax and socialize after the show, and this year there were so many wonderful opportunities. During the show business must be a priority, and so it is only when orders are not being conducted that interviews are taken. Bloggers played the role of media, not consumer, to get the needed message out to the eyes of the public. It is a beautiful balance that brings so much into this industry.

I also want to thank CigarRobbie for including me in one of his interviews- I am absolutely flattered! You can view the interview here: Interview with Smoking Hot Cigar Chick.

I’ll be posting a lot of interviews and videos over the next few days. These are some special videos I am very excited to share with you!

And now for something completely different! Here on the blog I like to keep things focused on not only the leaf but things we enjoy with cigars. Most of the time it has to do with the palate- food, wine and spirits. But our indulgence comes with passion, and when we can combine our passions we truly get an amazing experience and the most out of life.

I want you to meet my friend Dennis Rogers, the strongest man in the world pound for pound. You may have seen him on the History Chanel in Stan Lee’s Superhumans show. If not, you definitely need to check him out. Dennis performs incredible feats of strength (bending hammers, horseshoes, rolling up frying pans and even holding back a plane) all over the world and has a passion for life that is inspiring. I had the pleasure of being a part of a feat with him and wanted to share the experience with you!

I think cigars bring us together and bring out our passions. It can be easy to find passion in the things we love, but sometimes we may dismiss our own skills. Embracing our abilities and talents makes life much more interesting and happy. Something I think is incredibly fun is mixing each others passions and talents together- such as in this case we had fun with my love of cigars and Dennis with his amazing grip and strength.

How do you combine your passions? Do you and your friends come up with great stories by involving what you do (whether it be a profession, hobby or skill) with your love of the leaf? It doesn’t have to be an extravagant show, sometimes something as simple as having friends over for cigars and a libation after work, or perhaps after a fishing or hunting trip and talking about your accomplishments of the day. Cigars are part of  your lifestyle. How do you incorporate cigars with the other aspects of your life?

I am currently in New Orleans for IPCPR and will be updating the blog as often as I can. The one thing I will be able to do instantly though is update with photos from my phone- so be sure to check in for all the latest updates!

When I’m looking to relax and bring the evening to an end, I love pairing a fine spirit with a cigar. Sometimes one will inspire the other, such as a tawny port making me want a padron anniversary. In this case, it is more about the spirit and how it works so well with most any medium to full bodied cigar. I think a solid medium works beautifully here.

As far as rum is concerned, I’ve fallen for the “Z’s”: Zacapa, Zaya, and as seen here in this video, Zafra. Zafra has become a favorite of mine. It is finished in a bourbon cask, has a beautiful complexity in the taste and a nice smooth finish. I’m having a glass tonight with a Winston Churchill spitfire and am enjoying the combination very much. If you haven’t tried Zafra before, definitely give it a taste and let me know your thoughts. I know I am enjoying it.

What are your go-to spirits? As far as rum is concerned, Zafra is now my go to rum.

While at the CAO event at Stogies of Houston, Brian McGee showed us just how important the role the wrapper plays in a cigar.

I have been fortunate to try this exact same example with Brian and can tell you there is an immediate difference when an LX2 wrapper is placed on top of the CAO Gold Vintage (that wrapper has now become the binder). What was once smooth, mild, and creamy suddenly became full with lots of spice. It is incredible how quickly the characteristics change. And sure enough, when the new wrapper was removed, the cigar returned just as it was- mild, smooth, and creamy.

This is an interesting experience and certainly convinces me that the wrapper is responsible for 60-80% of the flavor. Thank you Brian for sharing this with us!

What better location than a Rocky Patel Lounge to try the latest from Rocky, the 15th Anniversary Cigar! I went to “Stogies” in Houston to give one a taste and see what it is all about.

The Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary cigar has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler, and is made in his new factory in Nicaragua. It is beautifully constructed with a nice box press, and though for my first taste I had a slightly unexpected harshness in the beginning, it smoothed out quickly to a very pleasant medium body. There was a nice amount of smoke with a consistent and even burn, and I never had to fight or relight the cigar throughout the entire duration. Always a great sign!

After the first few puffs when the harshness went away, it was such a dramatic change it took me by surprise (almost like a different cigar). I am very curious to have one again and see if it has that same power in the beginning.

Hopeful the harsh factor was unique to my cigar, but beyond that there were plenty of earthy flavors with a nice caramel sweetness in the finish.