Stalk Priming: Content Preview

For the better part of 2009 we have been researching and studying a very unique dark tobacco harvesting method known as Stalk Priming. This is an exclusive presentation of an agricultural and processing method which has been hidden or lost to the contemporary world of cigar smokers. We are calling this content "in development" because we would like to re-create these harvesting and processing conditions and ultimately taste the final product; that will take money, time, and more effort. In addition, this is considered CMT Curriculum, or 'advanced' content which will eventually go into the testing process for Certified Master Tobacconists.

Regardless of all these details, none of the research and writing we do has any value if we do not share it, so here it is... Please feel free to comment and share.

Thanks to Jose "Don Pepin" Garcia for sharing hist time, experience, and wisdom during the develpment of this content. The astute observer may have noticed that we included a definition of Stalk Priming in The Tobacconist Handbook and TU Glossary, but this is the first preview of the academic curriculum.

"We Are Better Than Them" Bigotry

"We are better than them" is a notion that anti-smokers and the anti-smoking movement hold close to their hearts and minds. But they do not have a monopoly on that sentiment, as I just heard a cigar salesman tell me that "we are better than them" when referring to cigarette smokers.

We know that cigars and pipe smokers enjoy tobacco very differently from cigarette smokers and the products themselves are very different. But, dependency and patterns of use does not make anyone better than another.

Are you better than me because you work out four days a week and I only work out three? Are you better because you eat more vegetables? Are you better because you are thinner? better looking? have more hair? etc..... The notion that one person is better than another for the pleasures they choose, their tastes, and/or preferences is absurd, divisive, and it is the reason all smokers are losing their rights. The anti-smoking/nanny-state/pleasure-police movement capitalizes on the notion that 'they know better' and that 'they are better'. But, this is a fraud and it is the essence of their bigotry. The only qualitative measure of a person should derive from how they treat other people.

Ultimately, we must all respect each others' rights and freedoms in order preserve our own. Tobacco users are not "dirty", "filthy", or "disgusting" people any more than non-smokers, fat, or ugly people are. In fact, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and taste is subjective, so who are we to judge?

Tobacconists and tobacco lovers are clearly the besmirched underdog in this society and we are going to have to change the way we view the world in order to make significant progress. We must change our perspective, become less divisive, build more coalitions, and teach others to respect our freedoms and choices as much as we respect theirs. If every cigar lover, as 5% of the population, convinced 12 people to respect our freedoms, then we could have a chance at surviving the tyranny of the majority.

"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."

- Benjamin Franklin

The Tobacco Smokescreen: Distracting Bigotry

In NYC we are now fighting the prohibition of all flavored tobaccos; plus the threat of banning smoking outdoors in parks and beaches so 'children won't have to see smokers'. Meanwhile, taxation, smoking bans, and de-normalization of smokers continues to increase. Yet, we learned this year that the use of anti-depressants has doubled over the last decade and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, you can walk into any convenience store, supermarket, or 'nutritional center' and buy yourself amphetamine-like drinks and diet pills, erectile aids, and five hour energy shots. Plus, I just read that the new 'hot' product on the market is caffeine laced meat!

Politicians and legislators are beating up on the tobacco industry and the people and businesses suffering the most are retail tobacconists and luxury tobacco aficionados. Yet, 'feel-good' prohibitions, taxation, and restrictions continue to be passed by local, state, and federal agencies. Meanwhile, the substantive problems of the world seem to go unaddressed. At this point, even cigarette smokers are more than paying for any societal costs associated with their pleasures, yet the government is milking them to pay for childrens' health-care - this is happening because the societal perception that cigarette smokers (or all smokers) are "filthy" or "dirty" people with a "disgusting" habit. Well, as long as our government chooses to stigmatize and punish unpopular people, I can guarantee that nothing positive or substantive will ever get done. Consumers of alcohol and fat people beware! This will not stop until we stand up and help minorities protect their choices/pleasures/freedoms, even if they are not the freedoms that we choose to exercise.

"You can only be free if I am free."
- Clarence Darrow

The Worst Freedom is OK

As a retail tobacconist I have paid half a dozen floor taxes and tax increases this year alone. The campaign against all smokers is in full effect around the globe while smoking bans (both indoor and outdoor), de-normalization, perpetual and unreasonable tax increases, continue to usurp our freedoms. But the hallmark of 2009 is the prohibitions that have been put into place by the FDA (banning flavored cigarettes) and now NYC banning ALL flavored tobacco; again, under the intellectually bankrupt logic that these products are 'attractive to children' - even though it is illegal to sell these products to children.

Today Dr. Michael Siegel, a famous anti-smoking advocate, wrote in his blog "the anti-smoking movement is very much a religious-like one and that it is based largely on ideology rather than science." Now we should be able to see things clearly; smokerism and the relentless taxation is not based on science, but rather bigotry. And smokers, along with other freedom loving people, have been saying for years that the health police/nanny state will come after soda pop, obese people, and alcohol soon enough. Well, soon enough is already here!!! Taxes and bans on fatty foods are becoming prevalent while European cities have started to ban happy hours!

Behaviour and pleasure control has never been about health, because happiness cannot be measured in years or numbers. As a society we must accept that cigarette smoking is the absolute worst personal freedom and then move on. It's OK; there will always be a WORST Freedom. But, the key to living in free and democratic societies is to preserve freedoms, not constantly whittle away at them. Today, smokers pay more than their fair share of the 'societal' (health care) costs associated with smoking; they are not a burden to non-smokers. So it must be time to leave them alone. Otherwise, our government is just punishing people who they do not like and that is reprehensible. At this point, it will be up to non-smokers to stand up and say "Enough Is Enough". Even the worst freedom is OK, now lets get on with our lives!

"You can only be free if I am free."
- Clarence Darrow

In Loving Memory of Rudy Garmendia

It has been just over a year since our industry lost one of its greatest leaders, Daniel Miranda of Miami Cigar & Co. Danny was too young and good to leave us so soon. Sadly, today I was informed of another great loss which has come as a big surprise. One of my oldest friends, Rodolfo (Rudy) Garmendia, was killed by a drunk driver on August 11, 2009 on 836 in Miami. This tragedy is unfathomable, and statistically improbable, but true. Rudy left behind three beautiful children, a wife, and extended family. He was just 36 years old.

Just a few weeks ago I was sitting on the rooftop of the Clevelander hotel in SoBe with friends and family telling "Rudy" stories; twenty years after the fact, he had us laughing! To my mothers surprise she learned a lot more about our high school exploits than she ever wanted to know.

Rudy had an extraordinary ability to make people smile and laugh. He had a special swagger and a natural exuberance for life. He was also a classic Cuban exaggerator and ball-buster and we loved him for it! And he was a cigar lover. He was beautiful.

I'm writing about Rudy because he embodies all of the great things that I happen to love about my friends, tobacconists and cigar smokers: they have a unique gift for savoring and creating special moments. In many ways cigars add punctuation and anchor the special moments in our lives; they are part of the process of relaxing, decompressing, and savoring our time. And, while we all live and die, very few of us have the ability to create and spread as much joy and fun as Rudy Garmendia. I suppose the lesson I will take from this tragedy is to show more exhuberance for life and smile more! That is the greatest gift I ever got from Rudy. Thank you Rudy; I will miss you and learn from you as long as I live.

My heartfelt condolences, prayers, and love will continue to go out to his family and friends.

Tobacco Prohibition 2.0: Banning Flavor

Today, the New York City city council voted 46 to 1 to ban/prohibit flavored tobacco products. The ban does not include Menthol or Mint, like the FDA 'Protect Your Family from Smokers' bill, and it does not ban flavored pipe tobaccos - yet.

All of this is happening in the same city where the nanny-minded mayor changed the law so he could stay for a third term in office, banned indoor smoking, and is now trying to ban outdoor smoking in parks and beaches - because 'children should not have to see smokers'.

Where are all of the infuriated people? Where are Americans who value freedom? Individual Rights? And not just the rights you use, but all individuals' rights?

Within thirty minutes of this news breaking, I have witnessed emails, facebook, and twitter messages from industry members and not one of those messages had anything to do with the usurpation of our freedoms. Topics did include: tonight's featured bottle of wine to drink at home; something about farmville; a note about splurging on a ribeye steak because it's 'hump day'; a bejeweled score; what you are watching on TV or the internet; what you are smoking; what you are wearing for Halloween; what game you are watching tonight; who you are rooting for; and something about a golf tournament.

Sadly, many NYC tobacconists did not find out about the vote until the day before; so some of us are being rail-roaded and disenfranchised by the system. But, the real problem is our own apathy and lethargy. Where is the anger? The vote was 46 to 1!

These prohibitions started with the FDA justifying a ban of cigarettes that have a 'characterizing' flavor that 'can be attractive to children'. Yet this is the most bankrupt and illogical justification because IT IS ILLEGAL TO SELL TOBACCO TO CHILDREN. So that should be the focus - stop sales of tobacco to underage children! It's not rocket science; you don't have to be a genius to figure it out. The prohibition of products that are 'attractive to children' is the most insipid legislative trend I have ever seen in my lifetime; it is as bad as McCarthyism, Racism, anti-Semitism, and any other 'ism' which is based on an ideology of hatred and bigotry.

One hundred years ago men congregated in bars, pubs, and clubs to discuss matters of the day... at the time, most of them smoked. Yet today, we are not allowed to congregate, smoke, and talk in the same place - except for the rare retail tobacconist. And now the walls are crumbling around us.... The guiding principle behind the founding of America was 'the individual pursuit of happiness'.... so it was. What is the guiding principle behind America today?

Unfortunately, the path to freedom is wrought with challenges and sacrifice. For starters, sign The Tobacconist Preservation Act, join the CRA, get Certified, and finally, get your head out of your arse and take half of the time you spend watching TV, sports, or shopping for crap, and start fighting for your freedoms. Otherwise, all that is worth living for, the simple human pleasures, will be lost.

Cigar Myths: Body

Body = Strength

Myth: The body and strength of a cigar are the same and/or related.

Truth: Body, in terms of flavor (taste+aroma) profile, does not necessarily correlate with the Strength of a cigar. Strength refers to nicotine potency or the intensity of spice – two separate factors. Body is a flavor descriptor which can refer to the depth, breadth, and richness of a tobacco (flavor).

So, a strong cigar can be medium bodied, while a full-bodied cigar can be mild or medium strength. As an example, imagine that chicken has a mild body, while beef has a richer body, yet both can be spicy/strong, depending on how they are seasoned.

Visit Cigar Myths for comprehensive content.