Yeah It's Me...

My name is Ben and although I currently live in Southern Maine, I moved from Knoxville TN where I grew up. I am a University of TN Graduate with a Bachelor of Science and minor in Business Administration. I am a huge fan of Apple products and I love home theater tech ( I used to install it with one of my best friends J.R. through a company he started). My love for cigars started when I was a freshman in college and there was this swanky two story cigar shop/bar in the downtown area. One day after of class I decided to go to a party the bar was hosting that night. When I arrived it was crowded and there was food, drinks, and cigars flying around everywhere in the room. I bought a Davidoff petite corona and it had been aging in that humidor for who knows how long. I can’t tell you specifically, all I remember was texture of the smoke, the aromas, and a draw that was effortless. I had no idea cigars could behave this way and from then on I have made it my mission to study the culture, development, and business side of premium tobacco. Through several herfs and a collection of friendships my friend Mark decided it was time for us to do our own thing, so he started a brand, website, and podcast called Cigar Tipsters. He invited me to join in and it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. A conduit to where we could talk about any issues we wanted and just two guys shooting the breeze about cigars and life. That’s how we became who we are today. We strive to improve both our brand recognition and our friendship through the use of cigars and debates. In this crazy world we live in premium tobacco get’s lumped in with so many other non premium tobacco products and certain government agencies are trying to shut us down. We are here to set the world right, one cigar at a time. With your help we can educate and expand the minds of our readers to learn more about the cigar industry, current events, and education. My name is Ben Balliro, and this is Cigar Tipsters. If you have questions or comments on any of the content on our website please feel free to reach out to us on our comments page. Thank you and happy smoking!