This past year I was asked by several members of a popular cigar forum to review a Palió cigar cutter. At the time, I had been using many different cutters and had decided on a different brand to use as my regular cutter. I was very interested in trying out the cutter, in part because I had never done so, and also because I was impressed by the legion of faithful supporters who swore by the Palió.

 

 

 

 

DOC: Can you tell us your background as a lover of the leaf, and, exactly what brought you into the cigar cutter business?

 

MARC: I owe to a great degree my involvement in this industry to a very dear friend of mine who exposed me to the enjoyment of cigars in 1995. He had purchased a box of cigars to celebrate the birth of his brother’s first child and I remember vividly the evening we enjoyed them. From the outset of my exposure to cigars I was enraptured with the whole experience. The cigar itself, the time spent enjoying it, the camaraderie of people who indulge in cigar smoking, truly every aspect.

 

Having had this first cigar moment I began to research all things cigar immediately and began to try many cigars, read about cigars in a historical sense and generally familiarize myself with as much information and experience as I could. After some years this path lead me to working in a traditional tobacconist retail establishment, which had been in business for many years in Connecticut. This opportunity furthered my education greatly with all the resources available to me including the direct tutelage of the owners who provided a wealth of information.

 

I have known for many years that I needed to have my involvement in this industry be farther reaching and of a more substantial level. Accomplishing this would allow me to help other cigar brethren enjoy and experience the world of cigars at the level I do, or through my interaction with them they would be able to have their level of experience begin and end at any point on the spectrum which they desired. I began to investigate my options about 5 years ago and in the process of doing so, added to a great friendship a business relationship with one of my partners in Brother of the Leaf, LLC, John Sheerin. We talked about how we were going to begin our entry to the industry and developed a plan, but as happens often in life, the opportunity to acquire Palió cigar cutters kind of fell into our lap. In a short time we had amended our plans and Palió had become the focus of our initial endeavor.

Palió naturally fit into the philosophy with which we had begun our conversations, as to how we wanted to be involved in the cigar industry in a general sense. We approach business in a more traditional way, which we believe is not common in today’s world in that we believe in our products being the best they can be, and the support and customer service behind them are our first priority. The “bottom line” of business is secondary and will take care of itself if the first priority is addressed and greed is taken out of the equation.

 

As cigar people first, the Palió cigar cutter was simply the best cigar-cutting device we had purchased and used ourselves as hobbyists and the ability to own it and bring it to the marketplace was an opportunity we could not pass up.

 

DOC: Give us a little history on the Palió cutter and tell us what makes the cutter so unique.

 

MARC: The Palió cigar cutter was developed by a surgical instrument company whose founder was an avid cigar smoker. Its design in every facet has the benefit of being created by engineers who make instruments used in surgery. Therefore their attention to detail and precision far exceeded the necessary specifications for cigar preparation devices. It is made of a proprietary composite, as opposed to a traditional ABS plastic making it more durable and providing flexibility or “give,” which allows the blades to interact the way they do providing a shear cut. The stainless steel blades are remarkably sharper than other cigar cutting devices available on the market and are hardened to a Rockwell hardness to ensure that they will stay that way. Its designed shape has three distinct advantages when compared to other cigar cutting devices, which make it unique. First, the finger rests on either side allow the user to have specific lateral control giving them a more precise cut when preparing their cigar. Second, the contoured holes for the users fingers to be placed in at either end of the cutter provide an ergonomic attribute. Lastly, the cutter itself is designed for use, as a cigar rest if someone needs or wants to put their cigar down and in either case does not want to put it in a soiled and unsanitary ashtray or has no ashtray. Most importantly our product warranty is as simple and convenient to our customers as it can be; if for any reason they feel that the Palió cigar cutter they have purchased is not performing the way they experienced when it was purchased, it can be returned to ANY authorized Palió cigar cutter retailer worldwide for a replacement.

 

DOC: Can you describe to our readers the finer points of trimming a fine cigar?

 

MARC: The proper way to prepare a cigar for smoking is to remove the cap providing the smoker with the ability to draw. Many people cut a cigar further down from the actual cap than is needed, this can often result in the cigar unraveling, as the head of the cigar is created by the roller in such a way to keep this from happening. The cigar should be placed in between the two blades, the cutter brought to close on either side of the cap and then swiftly cut. I would add that aligning the blades on either side of the cap, but a tiny bit below the actual line of the cap itself is recommended, as some times there is a little overlap of leaf just under the cap.

DOC: Tell us a bit about your new cutters. When will they arrive on the market and how do they compare with your original Palió cutter?

 

MARC: Our new cutters will be available within the next few weeks. We had an overwhelming response at the recent RTDA trade show and consumers should be able to find our product both in the United States and internationally without much effort. In comparison the new cutters are of the same exact quality and function that our customers have come to know in our original composite Palió cigar cutter, but provide options in the exterior finish. This addition allows the consumer to purchase and own a Palió cigar cutter that may better suit their personality because we all have individual tastes. The two versions being released are a carbon fiber and a burl wood finish. We plan to continue to offer even more variety in the future, including some very special limited edition pieces.

 

DOC: What does the future hold for the Palió company?

 

MARC: As far as Palió is concerned we set out to bring cigar accessories to market under the Palió brand name, which we felt filled a void in the industry where it was lacking a “best of” in the market place. So, we currently only have a few other products we feel will fit that ideal. We will not allow ourselves to put the Palió name on any product for sale to consumers that is not cigar related purely for the sake of having another item in our portfolio. Consumers can expect to hear about these products in the coming year by visiting their local Palió authorized retailer or by visiting our website. As I alluded to previously, we are cigar people first and foremost who make cigar products for cigar smokers.

 

As Brother of the Leaf, LLC however we are working on several ventures that we believe will bring excitement and more top quality products and services to our industry, which we believe will be very well received by consumers. Palió branded products are only a start to the impact we would like to have on the industry as a whole.

 

DOC: What would you like the Stogie Fresh readers to remember about Marc Aub and Palió cutters?

 

MARC: First, I’d like your readers to know that there is much more to Palió branded products and Brother of the Leaf, LLC than Marc Aub. Our company is comprised of three individuals at it’s leadership level, John Sheerin, Michael Daversa and myself, who all bring a passion to the company as cigar hobbyists ourselves, which is unparalleled. Our company already possesses and will continue to add staff, which exemplifies a desire to deliver the best to the marketplace with respect to products, services and a genuine concern for our customers at all levels. Second, I’d like your readers to make an automatic association with excellence when they see or hear about a product or service our company offers and feel confident that these products and services are being presented for cigar people by cigar people who stand behind their actions in every way.