Cigar lounge talk with industry access.
Long Ash Podcast follows the rituals, personalities, and business of cigars from a conversational JR Cigars vantage point. Solo episodes explain blends, wrappers, rare releases, and beginner habits, while guest episodes bring makers and cigar-adjacent personalities into relaxed shop talk.
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Long Ash Podcast covers cigars through the relaxed, slightly messy energy of a lounge conversation. The show is rooted in JR Cigars, but its recent episodes range well beyond product talk. It looks at why cigars have become more visible online, how social media lets smokers hear directly from brands, and why lounges can make the hobby easier for beginners to enter. The pacing is conversational. Chris often begins by naming the cigar in hand, then follows the thought wherever it naturally goes. Some episodes are practical, especially when he explains wrappers, cigar strength, Lanceros, Churchills, Connecticut shade, palate fatigue, and why new smokers should be guided gently. Others lean into collector fascination. A rare-cigars episode circles the allure of white whales, Opus X, Cohiba BK 54, Gurkha Black Dragon, Dominican tobacco, special packaging, and the stories that turn scarcity into obsession. Guest conversations add an industry layer. Robert Caldwell talks about a brand, murals, boxes, and the atmosphere around building a brand. Hostos Fernandez discusses his history in cigars and the Juan Lopez private label collaboration. Lorenzo of HVC Cigars talks through Crafted by HVC and the Pan Caliente idea. JJ from Kaleo brings cigars together with wine, restaurants, and the memory of discovering the experience in Iceland. The show also carries its own history. The 300th episode looks back to earlier tables, early guests, Nick and Greg, behind-the-scenes editing, Tyler, and a format that has shifted over time. Its polish is intentionally limited. Flubs, quick apologies, half-planned milestones, and end-of-episode laughter stay in the frame, giving the show an unguarded quality. For some listeners, that looseness will be the appeal. For others, the draw is its mix of approachable cigar education, insider access, and affection for the rituals around sitting down, lighting up, and talking longer than planned.
Made for: Long Ash Podcast suits cigar smokers who want casual guidance, brand stories, rare-release chatter, and relaxed shop talk. It is especially useful for newer enthusiasts trying to understand strength, wrappers, formats, lounges, and social cigar culture.
What sets it apart: The show combines JR Cigars proximity with an informal, behind-the-camera feel, so product knowledge and industry guests come through without a stiff tasting-room format. Its best moments feel like overhearing a long table conversation among smokers, makers, and curious regulars.
JR Cigars Presents: The Long Ash PodcastThe Cigarchitect Nick Libretti teams up with videographer Secret Chris to discuss cigars, the industry and the mysteries of life
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Cigar conversation becomes an easygoing route into horror rankings, unsettling television premises and the screen stories that linger after viewing.
Long Ash Podcast lets screen culture wander naturally into its cigar conversations. Chris and Tyler build one episode around a horror-themed sampler, then rank cinematic monsters by how frightening they would be to encounter.
A Dracula ranking lands beside a lit cigar, and suddenly your lounge chat has better material.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Chris considers what makes cigar culture feel welcoming to newcomers.
Chris has a few ideas about why cigars feel more approachable to newcomers. In this solo episode, he points to social media, where smokers can hear people behind cigar brands talk about blends and find others who share their interest.
An unplanned 300th episode revisits the people and work behind The Long Ash Podcast.
The Long Ash Podcast reaches episode 300 with the host admitting he never planned for the milestone. He remembers the small white round table, the JR Cigars drape, and the days when Nick and Greg were the regular hosts.
Chris Arangio considers what makes a cigar rare and why collectors keep looking.
In this solo Long Ash Podcast episode, Chris Arangio asks what makes a cigar rare. Finding one can be difficult; paying for it can be another matter. He is drawn to the stories that keep collectors searching, especially when he describes the Cohiba BK 54 as his white whale.
Chris moves from cigar preferences to practical advice on starting strength, wrappers, and tasting notes.
Chris starts with a loose sketch of smoker types, using favorite cigars to get at what different people enjoy. He touches on Cuban cigars and how size can change the smoking experience, but the episode finds its footing when he remembers giving cigars to friends who quit after…
Chris and Tyler smoke cigars and rank the movie monsters they would least want to meet.
Chris and Tyler use Friday the 13th as an excuse to smoke two cigars from the Monster Smash sampler and ask which movie monsters would be worst to meet in person.
Halfwheel's top 25 has the hosts comparing picks and questioning Dunbarton's run in the consensus rankings.
Halfwheel's consensus rankings leave the hosts with a question: did any other cigar maker appear near the top as consistently before Dunbarton's run? They suspect Dunbarton stood apart, though Nick may have made the top five regularly too.
Wrestling toy talk with full collector brain.
Nick Libretti of JR Cigars announces a collaboration with Bardstown Bourbon Company, discussing the similarities between cigar and bourbon production.
Halfwheel’s 2024 consensus review centers on how its cross-industry cigar rankings line up with the hosts’ own list, especially around Dunbarton.
Chris and Tyler of the Long Ash Podcast smoke the Crown Heads La Vereda 6x54 after it won an Instagram story vote over the AJ Fernandez Dessinio and the Monte Cristo M.
Chris from JR Cigars discusses why the rising mainstream popularity of cigars is not necessarily a bad thing.
Chris from the Long Ash Podcast interviews Robert Caldwell of Caldwell Cigars, reminiscing about their first meeting seven years ago and discussing Caldwell's unique approach to the cigar industry.
Hostos Fernandez discusses his history in the cigar industry and his role in creating the Juan Lopez private label cigar for the Long Ash Podcast.
Chris interviews Reinier Lorenzo of HVC Cigars about their collaboration on a new limited edition cigar called Crafted by HVC.
JJ Julius Son of KALEO discusses his introduction to cigars and wine with host Christopher Andrew at the Albion Summit.
The Long Ash Podcast marks its 300th episode — launched in May 2019 — with host Secret Chris joined by impromptu drop-in guests James Artful, videographer Tyler McGuigan, and co-founder Nick.
Host Chris Arangio of the Long Ash Podcast runs through five of the rarest cigars in the industry while smoking the Leflore Dominican Andalusian Bull for the first time on a snow day solo episode.
["Long Ash Podcast Episode 298, 'What Your Cigar Says About You,' turns cigar preference into a smoker taxonomy.", "Chris hosts solo, says a special guest is coming next week, and uses his own smoking habits plus references to Tyler, James, and Nick to anchor the examples.", "The categories cover Cuban cigars, Warped, Crown Heads, Foundation, Southern Draw Jacob's Ladder Brimstone, Connecticut shade, Maduro, limited editions, budget boxes, and aging.", "Chris says he fits several categories himself and asks listeners to compare notes on what they smoke and why."]
Long Ash Podcast hosts Chris and Tyler mark Friday the 13th by smoking two cigars from Tatuaje's 14-count Monster Smash sampler, a box themed after horror icons like Dracula, Frankenstein, and Jason Voorhees.
The hosts discuss their top ten cigars of 2025, focusing on AJ's blends from the San Latano factory.
The hosts discuss the differences between affordable and high-end cigars, especially in the context of holiday gifting.
Nick Libretti of JR Cigars visits Bardstown Bourbon Company to announce a new collaboration, discussing the similarities between cigar and bourbon production with VP Dan Calloway.
Chris and Tyler introduce a rookie to cigar smoking while discussing their journeys as independent filmmakers.