Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/17/ci...rarian-part-1/

“There’s a magazine article that came out two weeks ago,” Garmirian explained, “that had all the, I call them ‘The Looney Club.’ All the loonies. You know: Tatuaje, Drew Estate, Don Giolito [from Illusione Cigars]. All these — This is crazy. Who are these people? [It’s] hip-hop, where they have bastardized cigar smoking to a level of being a la vogue, being cool.”

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Wow. I figured that PG was the loony one....selling mediocre cigars for $15.....but you know what? Maybe I need to rethink...maybe he's the genius. If Pete, Dion, JD (and other energetic young cigar makers) created crappier cigars and upped the MSRP by a 5-spot or so...maybe he wouldn't think them so loony.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Eh... it's all about customer service. He may be super knowledgeable, and I'm sure that stands for his staff and son as well. That being said, his staff and son both insisted that the bundles with mold on them were actually plume. Ha. I didn't go back after that instance.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I tend to ignore what most bloggers have to say. Especially when all they do is drop in and post a link. Reputation and respect is earned over time and after getting to know someone. Just because someone has a blog doesn't make them any more knowledgeable or respected.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Interesting read, comes accross poorly IMO, probably has increased sales because of the exposure to premium cigars in general those other loons are driving but at his age and experience he can say whatever he wants.

I am not a fan of PG cigars, but to be fair I am not a fan of any dominican cigar.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I have a couple PG cigars in my humidor. Think I'll pitch them now.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

:2

He sounds like an elitist, and I hate elitist jerks.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I had a PG this weekend, I was not impressed.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Much too mild and tasteless for me.

But he can say whatever he wishes to.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

The "looney club"? Boy he is a silly goose.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Bloggers and columnists are a lot alike in this instance. Bad form and disrespectful in my book. Won't know who's opinion is right since I won't click.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

pot, meet kettle....talk about loony.....I just now got around to reading the whole 'article'. PG (and the 'writer') is operating on a different plane of reality than I am. I guess after I've been smoking cigars for 52 years I'll finally be 'entitled' to understand wtf he's talking about. Love how the 'writer' tries to describe how good the PG cigar is by saying what it isn't. ....it tastes like air and doesn't TOTALLY suck.......

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I agree. Really piled on the compliments eh?

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

i feel that he makes a point. of course, it came across very harsh.


he has an idea of what he thinks a cigar "should be".
he makes that cigar. he does have a point that many of the newer makers are all about hype. that hype is independent of the cigars themselves.
nobody on this forum, or any other forum, can tell me that Drew Estates does not advertise in a very specific way to attract the younger newer smoker. the same goes with Viaje, Tatuaje, and others mentioned. i guess he finds that hype annoying.

there is nothing wrong with having a targeted marketing plan to the younger smoker.
Paul Garmirian clearly is not marketing to the young crowd (or any crowd for that matter). he seems to look at cigars as high end luxury goods. it is anything but hype to him. it is all about subtle luxury.

this is why he has his own company. he is doing it his way. if people like his cigars, good for him. if they dont, oh well.

i would love to try one just to try them. I tend to like milder blends as of late. maybe i can see what he is talking about. its a very different cigar philosophy than what is in style in the cigar world right now.


edit: I am a big fan of DE, DPG, and many other of what he is against but i am not willing to discount a cigar because the owner of a company doesnt like what i like in a cigar.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I've had a few PG Maduros and really enjoyed them...the wallet, not so much.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Well put!!

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

So they are good because he blends them not to be salty, acidic, acrid etc? That's well and good but I think more is required of a good cigar than not tasting nasty. I might have to seek some of these out and see what they are like.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

If you can beat my garbageman to my curb this afternoon, there are 3 of them there.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

They can't be that bad...

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Both of you should,I'd like to hear your thoughts.The last one I smoked was severely under filled,that pretty much ended it for me.

You can get his number online,chances are you'll speak to him or his son.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Sounds like the ranting throws of a jealous, bitter, little man who never achieved the success he somehow feels he is owed meanwhile he is envious of those around him who are newer to the industry yet far more successful that he ever was.

Funny, you talk to any of the guys he singled out, pretty much all they have to say about other people in the industry is complimentary. All this ass has to say is how great he is and how bad/clueless/worthless everyone else is.

What a piece of work.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I actually enjoyed the article and respect his perspective. He makes cigars that appeal to a different cigar smoker and my hunch is many reacting to the article weren’t smoking cigars back then. A lot has changed in the cigar industry, and not all for the good. I don’t think its envy; he could’ve sold out long ago. He has his “shtick” and they have theirs.

It’s got to be about 20 years since I have had a PG cigar, but I consider then a premium long term brand like Davidoff, Dunhill, and for better or worse Oscar. How many under 50’s are smoking Tempe Hall? The same ones smoking PG’s.

The article stated, “I associate cigars within my frame of reference,” he said, “with what they ought to be. And I fancy everybody has a role model. I fancy myself as a cigar merchant in the latter part of the 19th century in London: You have quality products and you don’t go nuts.”

That really sums it up. If you like that kind of aesthetic theme to cigar smoking, you are on the kind of smoker who may fancy a PG.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

PG does sound like a jerk.. But I'm with Peter on this one. I am a blogger, but I don't go around to all the sites pushing links to my site... I do reviews, post them here, with a link to my site in my signature. If someone wants to check it out, that's cool, if not, no skin off my back.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Exactly how it should be, Scott. Kudos to you.

My point here is not about PG and his opinions of the newer guys. What ticks me off is members who join forums for the sole purpose of linking to their blog in order to validate their purpose. As if their opinion is more informed or relevant than the opinions and perspectives of the members of our community.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Well i have only two things to say.
1- This was the first blog i have ever read.
2. I will make it a point to try his cigars (at least one) and then i will make my opinion on PG. Just like every cigar i have smoked to this day.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Exactly, especially given the way it was posted with a link followed by the most incendiary paragraph in the article.

I wonder if the same link and paragraph were posted on other forums. Im sure some of the folks here would know if they are on the other sites. This is the only site I frequent...

As for Garmirian, what he stated could be taken in several contexts. He doesn't make a bad cigar, but my tastes have moved toward stronger smokes where Tatuaje and Illusione are a great fit (as are several others).

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I haven't seen it on the other sites I peruse, Scott.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I've seen it on at least one other forum that I know of, coincidentally, this guy also has 3 posts there, and registered this month. People that register on forums just for the sole purpose of pushing their blog/publication to the masses, are exactly the kind of people that give the rest of us bloggers, who do it for fun and being informative, a bad name. Just my opinion.
Scott

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Be interesting to see if David reads the comments on the threads he starts, or simply moves on. I'd like to hear his thoughts on how this type of "blog redirect" is viewed by the true members of this community.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Wow, that does appear a bit harsh. I will say however that I have never had a bad PG. in fact, on of my favorite sticks is his regular line Bombones. Don't have many of them, but enjoy them immensely when I can find them.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

By the way Tom, I think you'd really like PGs. I think you'd be impressed with the flavor profile.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

At this point, he has not read anything on CA beyond his own posts.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I respectfully disagree, Moses.
I'd submit that if you appreciate that sort of aesthetic theme to cigar smoking, you are the kind of smoker who may fancy a cigar. Period.
Just because this gentleman expresses this odd projection into his brand doesn't remotely mean that anyone picks up on it, or wishes to wear a wig, monocle and bloomers while they smoke.
Certainly no more than one should want to get a tattoo were they to smoke a Tatuaje.
If a brand of cigar defines an individual, the first thing I'd think is that they very much undervalue themselves as a human being.
Maybe even so much so that they need to tear down others to prop themselves up, as Paul has exhibited in this case.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

The grumpy old man in me gets what he's saying, although I don't agree. Not with his characterization of younger cigar makers.

I've been smoking for almost 40 years. From my first cigar—handmade, luckily—I knew exactly what I wanted from a cigar.

I get impatient with young smokers; it does frustrate me sometimes that I have an encyclopedia of knowledge about smoking and keeping cigars, but they don't ask! Or they ask all the wrong questions (IMO). :sl

And if you'd asked me 10 years ago about Drew Estates and some of the others that Garmirian refers to, I might've held a similar opinion to the old man's. Because I was coming at it from a firmly, sadly uninformed viewpoint.

And, truth be told, some of the marketing does put me off, and some of it makes me determined not to try their cigars. For instance, JdN's advertising 100% turns me off; I never wanted to be the Marlborough man nor in a motorcycle gang, and less so now, in my mid-fifties. And some brands' use of ersatz military imagery and accoutrements downright pisses me off.

But what puzzles me about PG's vitriol is that he's met these guys, and presumably he's tried their products. Not all of their cigars are great, and I'd even venture to say that a lot of them are not very good at all; but some of them are superlative, and a select few are among the jewels of modern offerings.

The fact that he's met J. Drew and isn't totally infected by his enthusiasm, his drive and the joy and pride he puts into his cigars, not to mention the undeniable quality and flavor of lines like LP, tells me that the old man has succumbed to no small amount of bitterness.

And that's a shame.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I found it interesting to see that Dion remarked via Twitter about this story.

Dion Giolito ‏@illusionecigars
"Dr. Garmirian really is a great guy. A bit eccentric, ind I can identify for sure -"
"It sucks that Paul Garmirian said the things he said in his interview. I've always looked up to him - even paid Homage to him in my ~68~."

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

BRILLIANT post. I don't recall that I've tried anything from PG, and the "live and let live" in me says everyone is entitled to their own opinion - and tht wouldn't sway me from trying in the future. But I agree, the passion these guys put into their smokes and their businesses can hardly be bad at all. Maybe "not elegantly stated" could be the phrase of the day...

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Always liked the PG's I've had. Not quite sure what to make of this.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Amen.

Yes, the lack of respect that he idicated toward these guys trying to make a go in the industry is disappointing.

Different tastes in cigars is what draws me to them, and in regard to cigars, variety is the spice of life.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

I'll take the Looney Club all day long; hell, we are in an asylum, after all!

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

Better than the Culture Club, because they just come and go, they come and go....

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

:r:r:r

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

You're killing me Smalls :r

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

oddly enough there is a PG Boutique shop near me, right across the street from a close friend.
http://www.mcleancigars.com/PG_Cigars.html
I was thinking of suggesting this as a middle spot for some buddies but they might frown on our LPs and such

Re: Paul Garmirian talks trash about younger cigar makers
 

:D