Some Introductions...

Last Monday, we ran a blog post asking for interested parties who might want to write regularly for the Tiki Bar...and we got a very good response. We got about 8 or 10 positive responses from folks who expressed some level of interest and went ahead and signed a few of them up. We thought this would be a good time to introduce the new members of our little family...plus re-introduce ourselves for those who may be newer readers.

DAVID JONES

I am the founder of Tiki Bar Online, which was started for a couple reasons: first, to try to keep in contact with my Southern California herfing group after I moved to Tennessee; and second, to keep track of what I thought about cigars. That was almost five years ago and the purpose of the TBO has evolved over time to become focused on cigar reviews, news and other cigar-related matters. I have been smoking cigars since July 2001. Because cigar blogging doesn’t pay much (or anything, really) I spend 40+ hours a week working as a graphic designer. Since the middle of 2012 I’ve been providing design and other creative services for Emilio Cigars.

I am eternally curious about new blends so my favorite cigars have changed wildly over the course of almost 12 years of smoking cigars. At the moment, my favorite cigars are Four Kicks Robusto (Crowned Heads), La Dueña (My Father), La Musa Corona (Emilio Cigars), and Revere Corona (262 Cigars).

David’s schedule is undergoing some major changes with the addition of new writers. His regular times will most likely continue to be every Tuesday and Thursday, along with 2 to 3 Fridays per month.

KEITH HOLLAR

I've been enjoying cigars since late 2003 and like Dave mentioned he was the one to get me into them.  It was during Cigar Fest 2010 that Dave asked me to join him in writing form the blog.  My "regular" job is a telecom analyst for a credit union here in Southern California.  I really enjoy trying almost any new cigar I can.  However the cigars I enjoy most are in the medium to full range.  My favorite cigars do change from time to time, but for the moment they are the Don Cirilo Maduro toro from Felipe Gregorio, Respect Hooah from AKA Cigars, San Lotano Oval robusto from AJ Fernandez, and CroMagnon EMH from RoMaCraft Tobac.  I also handle sales for Emilio Cigars in Orange County.

dmj: I was there when Keith started smoking cigars. He was (and is) part of that SoCal herfing group and one of the closest friends I’ve ever had.

Keith’s reviews will continue to be found here every Wednesday.

DONOVAN STAPP

I started smoking cigars as a business decision. When I was 18 I worked for a newspaper selling advertising. As a part of this I would visit customers in Knoxville and Farragut areas, some of which i met with and smoked cigars at a b&m in Knoxville. In October of 2008 I noticed a grand opening at a cigar store in Farragut. I stopped in and became friends with the guys there and it became my.home store. I then lost my job in December and was given a part time job at this cigar store. After two years full time at this store we parted ways, but I still have a definite passion for the industry.

dmj: I met Donovan when he was working at Silo Cigars in Knoxville (Farragut). He has great taste in cigars and will amaze you with card tricks.

Donovan will be writing a weekly article, appearing each Monday.

JON SIDDLE

Jon Siddle has been enjoying various strengths and makes of cigars since his first introduction to them in the summer of 2004. A contributor to the now-retired Cigar Spy cigar blog, he is always happy to offer an opinion on cigars to family, friends and business colleagues.

dmj: I’ve never actually met Jon in person, but we ran into each other several years ago on Twitter. Over time I’ve learned we share many common interests. 

Jon’s articles will be appear on the first Friday of each month.

VERNON COLEMAN

Vern grew up in the Bronx, but has spent the last 40 years in Southern California. A good friend introduced him to cigars at a church function...a Barn Dance, actually. Being the best-dressed man in attendance, the friend said, “With an outfit like that, you need a good cigar!” To which Vern replied, “You got one?” The rest is a bit of SoCal cigar history as Vern took to cigars quickly and suddenly it was hard to go anywhere without someone already knowing him. He loves attending big cigar events and meeting new people; he has been to 9 Las Vegas Big Smokes, a CI CigarFest, and the 2012 Chattanooga TweetUp. He is also known for smoking his cigars past the nub...a point at which most people would toss the stogie, he still has 15 or 20 minutes. The practice of getting every possible bit of smoking pleasure from a stick has long been termed “Verning” a cigar.

dmj: What is there to say about Vern? He is the Pimp Daddy of cigars...just about always the best dressed man in whatever room he happens to be in...he and the gentleman that got him into cigars are the two people that got me into them. I’m proud to call him “friend.”

Vernon’s articles will appear the second Friday of each month

THE HIPPIE

Having grown up in the South, The Hippie was no stranger to tobacco.  Although a city boy, his farming cousins were anything but, and visiting them frequently allowed him to watch the process of tobacco grow from seedling to harvest to curing in the barns.  Both grandfathers enjoyed a pipe, and that opened up a new door to a more fragrant and sophisticated way to smoke.  The smell was intoxicating.  Then in the 90s, prominent athletes and actors really started to endorse cigar smoking.  Just like pipe tobacco, the smell was unique and enjoyable, and promoted a more cultured way to enjoy tobacco.  Remembering Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen smoking cigars after winning another championship for the Chicago Bulls, or seeing actors like Jack Nicholson made cigar smoking mainstream.  Friends, too, were enjoying cigars and the passion had started.  Everything else is, as they say, history.

dmj: If Stogie Review can have a Hippie, so can we! Ours comes by way of Nashville, is multi-talented, and is most likely the only member of our team with his own Wikipedia entry (under his real name...which we’ve been asked to keep quiet as he may or may not currently be in a witness protection program).

The Hippie’s articles will be appear on the third Friday of each month.

I think that's a good start...we have several other people who were interested in doing some writing for us as well. They have been asked to submit guest reviews for publication during the month of March...so there may be some more to add to this roster in another month or so. Please welcome the latest additions to the Tiki Bar family.