Tobacco Business

[ 86 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER | 21 ] being a bit standoffish, many are intimidated by me. On top of having a dry sense of humor, I think I’m misunderstood a lot. Once I do get to know and like you, I really enjoy talking trash. Typically those who I get along with love talking trash too. [Laughs.] What else do you thinkmost peoplewouldbe surprised to learn? I absolutely love to read. At heart, I believe I’m an introvert. I try to read four to five hours every day. What genres do you like best to read? Mostly biographies, books on business, even science books and manuals. I’m not really big on fiction. I love to learn, just not in a structured way like college was. Since we are doing Zoom, I can tell you are in a lounge somewhere. Tell me about it. I love this place. It is called Terrible Cigar Company. They have this great shop and lounge, and they have a digital subscription service. The owner loves the military and first responders so much that she offers them a 25 percent discount here in Miami. That is very impressive. I think the biggest military discount I have seen is 15 percent, and even that is rare these days. Robert, tell us about the Lost & Found line. I started it with a close friend of mine who owns La Barbra Cigars, Tony Ballato, in 2012. You know him well—he has been attending C.A.T.S. Festival for several years now, even before I did. We both enjoy finding these great stashes of cigars at factories that, for whatever reason, never got put on the market. These are the quality of cigars that if we didn’t sell one of the blends, Tony and I wouldn’t be concerned about it, as we would get to smoke them. [Laughs]. Lost & Found is also the line that we have historically done our charity drives with. Tony, my wife and I are really big about giving back. So when did your dream of Caldwell Cigars become reality? I started Caldwell in 2012, which I believe is about the same time Operation Cigars for Warriors and C.A.T.S. began. Yes, sir, that is correct. Of all the projects that you have done, which one has been your favorite? That is easy. It was the building and launching of Caldwell Cigars with a group of four friends. It felt like the Wild West. We have had a ton of fun doing it. Best of all, I’m still having a lot of fun. I love being able to create all these crazy names and keeping the names, box and band designs all art-centric. I believe when doing business a ton of energy should be present. What cigar lines did you start out with? When we went public, we first introduced the King is Dead, Long Live the King and Eastern Standard. What is your top selling cigar to date? That is easy: Blind Man’s Bluff. I know that for me, one moment I had never heard of Caldwell Cigars, and the next you guys were everywhere. It seemed everyone was going crazy buying, reselling and trading your cigars. What is your opinion of social media? Social media was, in my opinion, the biggest part of our success. We got lucky and launched Caldwell Cigars around the same time when Instagram started. It was perfect timing! You came to CFW to be part of the Synergy Program because you had a desire to give back to our troops. What is it about our troops that gives you the drive to give back? I support the U.S. military, especially our veterans. The selflessness that our troops have is very special and rare in this world. They In addition to creating several popular cigar lines launched through Caldwell Cigars, in recent years Robert Caldwell has launched several cigars with charitable focuses, such as the upcoming Mad Mofo that will benefit Operation: Cigars for Warriors.