We had Darren from Principle Cigars join us for our May AMA, and it was a great conversation. He tapped in from Manila—had to reconnect a few times—but we kept it rolling and got into the story behind the brand, their approach to the craft, and what they’re building. If you missed it live, here’s the full recording. After you watch, drop your thoughts—what stood out to you?

Mark your calendars: June 11 at 7:00 PM CST This is a CLUBHOUSE MEMBERS ONLY event. You don't want to miss this. WHO ARE HERMANOS DE ARMAS? HDA stands for "Hermanos De Armas" — Brothers in Arms. This isn't just a cigar brand. This is a mission. Founded by two U.S. military veterans — Andray McCuien (Army Signal Chief Warrant Officer 3) and Zack Van Ginkel (Air Force veteran) — HDA was born from a simple idea: create bold, flavorful cigars that honor the camaraderie and brotherhood experienced in service. WHY HDA IS DIFFERENT ✅ **VETERAN-OWNED WITH PURPOSE** Andray discovered cigars during a tour to Iraq in 2008. After hard days, a great smoke with fellow comrades became sacred. HDA is their way of bringing that brotherhood to the world. ✅ **BOLD FLAVOR, SERIOUS QUALITY** HDA works with the Oveja Negra factory in Nicaragua (the same factory behind Black Label Trading Company and Black Works Studio). Every cigar is crafted with precision — blending tradition with modern innovation. ✅ **MENTAL HEALTH MISSION** Zack and Andray partner with Team SAPO, a nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans and first responders with mental health struggles. When you smoke HDA, you're supporting a mission bigger than cigars. ✅ **SIGNATURE BLENDS** - **Cataclysm** — Bold, complex, the first blend that started it all - **Descending Shadows** — Dark, rich, earth, pepper, dried fruit, espresso - Multiple lines crafted from the world's best tobacco WHY THIS AMA IS GOING TO BE FIRE 🎤 **REAL CONVERSATION** Open, relaxed discussion with the people behind the brand. Not a sales pitch — a real talk about cigars, brotherhood, and building something meaningful. 🌿 **INSIDE THE BRAND** Learn the philosophy, blending approach, and stories behind HDA Cigars. Understand what goes into every stick. 🌍 **GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE** Connect with HDA live from around the world. This is a worldwide community moment. WHAT TO EXPECT ✅ Learn the HDA story directly from Andray and Zack ✅ Ask questions about their blending process

Mine is to hit the 10 mark😜 Started last night with a My Father and now I just lit up this CAO Sombra! Tomorrow's agenda includes a monthly Bbq Dinner that I am hosting this month so I will have to work around that. But I feel confident that I should hit the mark! It's good to set goals! Then focus and execute!

Great weekend continues with a fire pit and my first cigar from Plasencia. This is the 151 and it's a smooth smoke! I'm getting some sweetness and a little spice with a creamy mouth feel. I've ordered a sampler pack and I can't wait to stack them up against each other. It's a very enjoyable cigar to sit back with some country jazz and a bourbon.

I spent several hours with a friend of mine Saturday who I haven't been able to see much because of his wife's sickness. She had cancer and he was overwhelmed trying to deal with that and take care of her. When she finally passed away, and I say finally as she is now out of pain, I reached out to him to see how he was doing and ask if he wanted to have a cigar. Fast forward six weeks and yesterday, he texted me that he would love to have a cigar. I knew he didn't have any so I had an Undercrown shade ready for him. It was a great 2-hour time where we got to talk about the memories of her and he opened up about the struggles that he was going through following her passing. They had been married for decades. We were able to also laugh about time spent together, and also dive into what the future might look like for him. I believe that without the cigar there wouldn't have been the fellowship. I have talked in the past about how it is a tool that can be used to bring people together. As he left I was struck by how exactly true that is. We would not have had the same conversation, opening up aboit feelings, tears and laughter, without that cigar.