Episode 199
6:30pm – SHOW START
This week on the Stogie Geeks show, we welcome our special guest Abe Flores of PDR Cigars, in our Debonaire Ideal segment we look back at our all-time favorite Stogie Geeks smokes, and we review our stogies of the week. All that and more, so stay tuned!
6:30-7:00 – Interview: Abe Flores, PDR Cigars
- How did you get started in the cigar industry? From what we understand, you have a technology background (validate)?
- When did you decide you wanted to be a factory owner?
- Did you originally start making your own brands or did you start making cigars for other people.
- The PDR 1878 seemed to be the cigar that put you on the map. Tell us why that cigar was so successful.
- PDR seems to have a large arsenal of tobacco, is it your style to work with many tobaccos from other countries
- What is some of your favorite tobacco to work with and why? What is some of the more difficult tobacco to work with, and does it have a high reward for your efforts?
- You also seem to like to work with Brazilian Cubra. Tell us about that tobacco and what makes it so special.
- Is there one tobacco you haven’t worked with, but perhaps would some day like to release a cigar with
- How many cigars do your factories produce in a given year?
- How do you maintain the integrity of that many cigars leaving the factory, in terms of construction, flavor consistency, burn, and draw?
- What is your process for coming up with a new cigar, does it start with an idea of flavor, experience, intended customer or something else?
- Of all the cigars you’ve blended and produced, which one is your favorite?
- You have become a factory where a lot of leading brands have come to work with you. Most notably, La Palina Cigars and Viaje come to mind. What has that been right? In particular, what has it been like to work with Andre Farkas, you both seem to have some excellent chemistry.
- Walk us through some of your new releases for 2016.
- The past few years, PDR really has become a leader in packaging. Tell us a little of what went into that and what you look for.
- Tell us about the A.Flores Serie Privada, the one that got the Top 10 rating from Cigar Aficionado for 2014.
- Obligatory FDA question
- Anything else upcoming on the horizon?
- Five Questions?
7:00-7:15pm Debonaire Ideal: A Look Back…And A Look Ahead
We look back at some our favorite smokes over the last 200 episodes, and take a peek into what the future looks like.
7:15pm-8:00pm Stogies of the Week
Will’s Cigars:
Paul’s Cigars: