America’s 250th birthday is coming, and Eat Drink Smoke is getting ready the only way it knows how — with hot dogs, cigars, bourbon and a little bit of chaos.

Tony Katz and Fingers Malloy preview the perfect Independence Day setup with Costco hot dogs, the great charcoal vs. propane debate, and whether America can survive another 250 years if people keep putting pets on airplane tray tables.

The featured cigar is the J.C. Newman The American 250th, a commemorative cigar celebrating the nation’s semiquincentennial. Tony and Fingers break down the cigar’s classic American-made blend, its “beefy lancero” feel, and whether it belongs in your humidor for the Fourth of July.

The drink review features the Evan Williams Single Barrel America 250 Commemorative Edition Bourbon, clocking in at a very patriotic 117.76 proof. It brings oak, heat, spice, caramel and enough firepower to make Fingers question several life choices.

Also on this episode: bedbug travel fears, how late is too late for caffeine, Trader Joe’s mini tote madness, M&M’s dropping colors, the Senate taking on housing costs, and why emotional support animals do not belong on airplane tray tables.

Light the cigar, pour the bourbon neat, grill the hot dogs, and celebrate America 250 with Eat Drink Smoke.

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This week, Tony and Fingers review the Micallef White Label Connecticut Robusto and Puncher’s Chance The Undisputed Single Barrel Bourbon.

The cigar is a 5x52 Robusto featuring a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, and the guys discuss why Connecticut cigars have come a long way in recent years. Once thought of as mild morning smokes without much depth, today’s Connecticut cigars are bringing real flavor — and this Micallef delivers wood, hay, bready sweetness, a touch of pepper, and plenty of value at around $8 a stick.

The drink this week is Puncher’s Chance The Undisputed Single Barrel, a 108-proof bourbon from Wolf Spirit. Tony and Fingers break down the nose, palate, proof, rye spice, finish, and whether this bottle belongs in the liquor cabinet at around $55.

Also on this episode: Fingers brings Tony another unforgettable Gas Station Find — Atomic Boss Blue Riz Hard Punch. It is 12% alcohol, bright blue, sold in a juice box, and may or may not taste like a fluoride rinse mixed with bad decisions.

Plus, Tony and Fingers talk World Cup visitors discovering America, ranch dressing and the TSA, Father’s Day food deals, grilling, beef ribs, Jersey Mike’s knocking Chick-fil-A out of the top fast-food spot, Jersey subs, Indiana tenderloins, family drama, parenting, Prime Day deals, and Defiance Beef.

It’s cigars, bourbon, blue gas station regret, and America’s growing ranch dressing diplomacy.

All that and much more on this edition of Eat Drink Smoke.

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This week on Eat Drink Smoke, Tony and Fingers review the AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial and Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

The New World Puro Especial brings plenty of Nicaraguan character, with notes of coffee, wood, creaminess, dried fruit, and a medium-plus profile that may play bigger than advertised. At around $9 a stick, is it humidor-worthy?

The bourbon review features Blade and Bow, a 91-proof straight bourbon with a big nose, fruit cocktail notes, oak, heat, and a very cool backstory tied to the historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Is it worth nearly $50 a bottle?

Also on the show: Fingers’ horrifying breakfast choices, dirty soda health warnings, inflation and gas prices, stolen bourbon, Amazon Prime Day confusion, beef prices, brisket shortages, New World Screwworm concerns, AI-designed vaccines, toxic dating gurus, and why a freezer full of Defiance Beef might be the ultimate dating profile upgrade.

All that and much more on this episode of Eat Drink Smoke.

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This week on Eat Drink Smoke, Tony and Fingers review the Stoic Equanimity Justice, a hefty 6x52 cigar with an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper, Dominican Criollo 98 binder, and a flavor profile that brings spice, cedar, earth, richness, and a truly ridiculous amount of heft. It is the kind of cigar that makes you wonder whether you should smoke it or use it to break out of a locked car.

The drink this week is Jacob’s Pardon Small Batch American Whiskey Batch #2, coming in at 109.3 proof. Tony and Fingers find vanilla, brown sugar, oak, butterscotch, a little heat, and enough flavor to make it a serious contender for the year-end list.

Also on the show: Beyond Meat wants to become a protein drink company. Is that a smart pivot, or should they lean into brisket-flavored beverages and shock the world? Tony and Fingers talk summer foods, ribs, grilling, watermelon feta orzo salad, frozen grapes, and why kale should maybe just go directly into the trash.

Plus, bourbon layoffs continue as the industry faces a serious slowdown. Is it tariffs, changing drinking habits, GLP-1 drugs, oversupply, or all of the above? The guys break it down.

And in News of the Week: the 2027 Masters ticket lottery is open, the White House Correspondents Dinner has been rescheduled, and the FCC says you may want to turn off Bluetooth when you are not using it.

Light up, pour a drink, and enjoy another episode of Eat Drink Smoke.

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Tony and Fingers ask the important question: Is your HOA out of control? Fingers has a neighborhood watchdog, a grabber, and apparently a man monitoring street parking like it’s a federal investigation.

This week, the guys review the Cuban Seed Cigar Company Cohiba Grand Pyramid and the Cody Road Single Barrel Rye.

The cigar is a massive 6.5 x 54 pyramid with a Corojo Habano wrapper and a wood-forward profile, but construction issues raise the big question: is it worth the $55 price tag?

The rye brings fruit, banana bread, light spice, and a little heat — but at nearly $50 a bottle, “pretty good” may not be good enough.

Also this week: Las Vegas continues its war on the middle-class gambler, casino buffets are disappearing, brisket prices are ridiculous, Tony’s Memorial Day brisket cook goes sideways, Walmart and Ollie’s recall a children’s toy over asbestos concerns, and NPR faces newsroom cuts.

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Tony and Fingers light up the My Father La Gran Oferta Lancero, a 7.5 x 38 smoke with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Cuban-seed binder, and Nicaraguan filler.

The cigar opens with leather, pepper, spice, and a debate over whether the finish is wood or bitter espresso. Because obviously, this is where civilization hangs in the balance.

Also on the Happy Hour: Tony talks about his early-morning Indy 500 tradition, Fingers considers upgrading his Masterbuilt Gravity Series grill, and the guys get into Memorial Day barbecue plans, brisket strategy, ribs, grill deals, Cracker Barrel’s summer giveaway, Allegiant Air filling part of the Spirit Airlines void, and whether ordering Cracker Barrel for delivery is a crime against the Republic.

Plus, Defiance Beef, smoked sirloin tip, reverse-seared steak, brisket logistics, and the eternal truth: there is no one “right” way to barbecue, despite what the brisket weirdos on the internet keep telling you.

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On this version of the Happy Hour, Tony and Fingers review the James E. Pepper Barrel Proof Decanter Bourbon, a gorgeous bottle with a proof that comes in just under 110 - though you would never know it from the nose.

The guys get oak, caramel, vanilla, baking spice, a mystery fruit note they can’t quite pin down, and what Tony describes as a rich custard-like finish. At around $60, both agree this one is absolutely in the liquor cabinet.

Also on the Happy Hour: six once-popular lunches you don’t see much anymore, including liverwurst sandwiches, chipped beef on toast, perfection salad, sardine sandwiches, and the deeply troubling possibility of a peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich.

Plus, Cuba makes threats, gas prices hit the car market, used SUVs may become bargains, Tony considers a 1989 Corvette, and Defiance Beef has a Memorial Day deal worth checking out.

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Tony and Fingers review the My Father La Gran Oferta Lancero and the James E. Pepper Barrel Proof Decanter Bourbon.

The cigar brings early pepper, leather, wood, and a mellowing medium profile that makes a strong case for the humidor. The bourbon turns out to be a hidden gem, with oak, vanilla, fruit, a rich mouthfeel, and a shockingly smooth finish for nearly 110 proof.

Also this week: Memorial Day grilling, Indy 500 cigar traditions, brisket plans, grill deals, Masterbuilt vs. Traeger talk, Allegiant filling Spirit Airlines routes, Cracker Barrel giveaways, old-school lunches, used car chaos, EV range anxiety, and whether anyone should ever order Cracker Barrel delivery.

Plus, Tony explains why the radio call of the Indianapolis 500 is unlike anything else.

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Tony and Fingers pour Mayor Pingree Small Batch Red Label Bourbon from Valentine Distilling in Ferndale, Michigan — a 94-proof bourbon that blends Valentine’s triple pot-distilled bourbon with traditional column-distilled bourbon casks from Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

They get notes of vanilla, oak, honey, bread, pepper, citrus, and a little orchard fruit — then find that a cube or a little water brings the bourbon together nicely.

Also on this Happy Hour: Jack Daniel’s reportedly saying no to a massive Brown-Forman offer, why Malört keeps showing up in people’s feeds, St. Elmo’s shrimp cocktail, hot wings, blue cheese vs. ranch, cigar note-taking, Fingers’ deeply troubling food diary, the cars thieves love most, Byron Allen buying BuzzFeed, older trucks, Chevy Avalanches, and why Defiance Beef may be the better place to spend your money.

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Tony and Fingers light up The K by Karen Berger Connecticut Toro, a soft box-pressed 6 x 52 Connecticut with an Ecuadorian wrapper, Nicaraguan core, silky presentation, light spice, creaminess, cedar, and a little sweetness.

They talk about why Connecticut cigars deserve more respect, when this cigar fits best, and whether it earns a spot in the humidor at around $12.

Also on this Happy Hour: the proper way to reheat leftover pizza, why skillet pizza may be the superior method, Tony’s appliance-unplugging habits, cigar humidor headaches, Subway’s continued decline, Eric Clapton getting hit by a fan-thrown record, concert etiquette, Weird Al, Rod Stewart, and a Defiance Beef road trip that may or may not require a flatbed.

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This week, Tony and Fingers review the K by Karen Berger Connecticut Toro, a silky Ecuadorian Connecticut with Nicaraguan binder and filler.

Connecticut cigars get dismissed too easily, and this one makes the case for why that is a mistake. The Karen Berger Connecticut brings creaminess, cedar, a touch of white pepper, some sweetness, and an easygoing profile that works in the morning, at night, with coffee, or whenever you feel like smoking a Connecticut because you are an adult and can live your life.

They also review Mayor Pingree Red Label Bourbon from Valentine Distilling in Ferndale, Michigan. It is a 94-proof bourbon that brings vanilla, oak, honey, spice, pepper, and a little orchard fruit — especially after adding water or putting it over a cube.

Also discussed: the best way to reheat pizza, using leftover pizza toppings in an omelet, Tony’s toaster paranoia, Subway closing hundreds of locations, Eric Clapton ending a concert early after being hit by a thrown record, whether Malört should be reviewed on the show, the strange human desire to eat painfully hot wings, and which cars thieves love to steal.

Find everything at EatDrinkSmokeShow.com.