The Cigar Guys Featured on Taste the Dram: Alex Talks Cigars, Culture and the Road Ahead

We have some news we’re a little humbled to share: Taste the Dram has published a feature interview with Alex, one of the four co-hosts of The Cigar Guys. Read “Inside The Cigar Guys: An Exclusive Interview on Cigars, Culture & Passion” on Taste the Dram.

Taste the Dram describes itself as “an independent magazine on whisky, spirits, cigars and the people who make them,” and the interview, by The Dram Editors, came out on October 29, 2026. Here’s a quick look at what Alex talked about, and a sincere thank-you to the team behind it.

Where The Cigar Guys Came From

Alex goes back to the beginning. The Cigar Guys started sharing cigar content on TikTok in April 2022, around the same time Besa Cigars was being built, so the team was getting into the industry from both the product side and the media side. The weekly podcast launched on January 14, 2023, and gave the show room for longer conversations, interviews and the personalities behind the cigars. Alex credits the dynamic between him, Jared, Mark and Zach as a big part of what the show became.

He also explains how the show grew into a media company over time. It came from showing up, publishing consistently and expanding into articles, short-form videos, industry news and event coverage.

Advice for New Cigar Smokers

The interview spends time on Alex’s book, The Cigar Guys’ Ultimate Guide to Cigar Smoking. He says the goal was to make the cigar world feel approachable for beginners, from the basics of choosing, cutting and lighting a cigar to feeling confident asking questions and discovering your own preferences.

His advice for newcomers is simple: take a little time to learn the basics, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and be honest with a knowledgeable tobacconist about your experience level. (If you’re working on the basics, our guide to straight, V and punch cuts is a good place to start.)

Favorite Guests and Memorable Moments

Asked to pick a favorite guest, Alex chose Alex Weghorn, National Brand Ambassador for Davidoff Cigars. He mentions their conversation ran over two hours and only stopped because it had to. His biggest takeaway was how much there still is to learn, even after years in the industry.

He also shares the story of interviewing Steve Saka over Zoom when a storm knocked out the power three times mid-recording. Steve patiently waited for the show to reconnect every time. (You can find our episode with Steve Saka here on the site.)

If someone could only listen to one episode, Alex points them to the conversation with Miguel Schoedel, which he calls one of the show’s top-performing episodes. He says it captures what the show is aiming for: “entertaining conversations where you walk away knowing something you didn’t before.”

Honesty, Culture and Community

Alex also talks about how much more visible cigar culture has become, with new brands, more creators and cigars showing up more often in lifestyle content on Instagram. To him, the opportunity is turning that first spark of curiosity into a deeper interest in the craftsmanship, history and people behind cigars.

On reviews, he’s direct. A free cigar from a brand shouldn’t decide what you say about it. “The foundation of The Cigar Guys was built on honesty and integrity,” he told Taste the Dram.

The conversation also covers what makes a great cigar lounge (it starts with the people and a sense of community), his favorite cigar and whisky pairing, and the cigar he considers most underrated, Sans Pareil. Alex notes in the interview that he represents that brand.

What’s Next

Alex closes by looking ahead. The show has been running for almost four years, and the projects in development include a national cigar events page, daily industry news in audio, video and written formats, and new partnerships. The goal, as he puts it, is to give people more ways to connect with the cigar community.

Thank You, Taste the Dram

We’re grateful to The Dram Editors for the thoughtful questions and for giving Alex the space to tell our story in his own words. A feature like this means a lot to a show that started with a few friends sharing cigar content on TikTok. Please give the full interview a read. It covers much more than we could fit here, along with photos.

How to Listen

If the interview made you curious about the show, new episodes of The Cigar Guys Podcast come out every week. You can listen on Spotify, watch on YouTube, or browse our podcast episodes and video podcasts right here. New to the show? Start with Meet The Cigar Guys and Alex’s page.

Source: Taste the Dram: Inside The Cigar Guys: An Exclusive Interview on Cigars, Culture & Passion, by The Dram Editors, October 29, 2026.