Now my husband is asking for an $800 cigar to contemplate eternity. Thanks.

I’m going to turn 71 this year. The actuarial tables tell me that I’ve lived over 91% of my life. I’ve just started smoking cigars, about two a week, and I really don’t give a hoot about the health risks at this point. I’m going to die soon and I know it and I’m OK with that. I really, really enjoy smoking a premium cigar. It’s probably the most enjoyable thing I have left to me. For all you fear mongers out there, put that in your pipe and smoke it!

To anyone who hasn’t watched this full podcast episode, I highly recommend it! Very interesting and entertaining conversation.

I appreciate the cigars, but am very disappointed in the complete lack of pints.

I can’t for the life of me understand how Christians condemn people over smoking a cigar or having a drink when you know every fellowship hour they attend after church is full of Christians stuffing their faces with donuts and cookies 😂

Idk who you guys are but 4 minutes into this and I already love it! Definitely going to check the whole EP

I’ve never smoked, but I have drank the spirits and to enjoy this beverages while discussing the deeper topics of life is such a pleasure. I wish I had a team where we met once a week over bourbon to conversation on how to bring the eternal truths to earths corners.

I have tremendous appreciation for both Mr. Fradd and Mr. Knowles. I enjoy their content, and I enjoy a fine cigar. But I would like to challenge their position a bit on this. Cigars are very addictive. There was a point in my life where I found myself sneaking off to smoke when my wife wasn’t looking, and I realized the cigars were controlling me, which is obviously not good, but anti-Christian, anti-Catholic. After quitting for many years, I did return to cigars, but I’ve been successfully limiting my consumption to about one per month, and it’s no longer hard for me to skip a month or two. I would like to challenge Matt and Michael to try to stop smoking cigars for a while, to see first of all if they can do it, and secondly to see if it changes their perspective. Lent would be the perfect time to do this. I’m guessing, since they admit to a daily cigar habit, that 40 consecutive days of abstinence would be exceedingly difficult, yet but a drop in the ocean compared to what Our Lord suffered.

This was great fun to watch.

Cigars are great, but pipes are where true Catholicism resides. (Jk, Matt.)

I’m literally kicking my feet giggling I love Michael

If he has only the very best he shouldn't have only cuban, it isn't 1995 anymore

This guy's 34?! I thought he was in his 50s.

Cigars at 2:00. I was one of the poor boys in college who started with cheap cigars. They were around $2 a piece. It is good to start with the bad ones since when you find the great ones they really stand out. I was at pre-wedding celebrations for a friend of mine. His father had gifted really good Cubans for the event and I was hooked. To me there are other good non-Cubans, however Cubans are my favorite. You have to smoke the ones you can afford and splurge on special occasions for the best. Do not get into debt buying boxes in bulk. They are best smoked with friends and great conversation. And a great single malt whiskey helps too.

The guy saying all bourbon is the same, lol.

As a Roman Catholic and a cigar smoker, 42 years young, I really admire Michael Knowles. However, I began to experience a tad bit of pretentiousness between the two when they were talking about $800 dollar cigars. I was about to close the video and watch something else...UNTIL the gentleman mentioned Lagavulin being the best scotch. Right there and then, and I have no idea who the heck he is, but I knew that he knew what he was talking about. I would like to say a couple of things. Cuban cigars can be exceptional. I live in Canada and thus have never had a problem obtaining Cuban cigars. However, in the US, with the moronic embargo, there is this mystique around Cubans which might lead some to believe that they are better, or more precious, than non-Cubans. I totally get this. However, the truth of the matter is, is that a great cigar is a great cigar. As Michael so rightly says, among the group he was in, that while they smoked an $800 dollar cigar, many would not have known the difference between a 10 dollar and 800 dollar cigar. And that's not a problem at all! Cigar smoking is for everyone! Many non-Cubans are better than Cubans! In Ontario I can buy two bottles of Lagavulin 16 for the price of one bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. If you are a scotch drinker you know what this means. Look, if you like a 25 dollar bottle of scotch and enjoy a 15 dollar cigar then enjoy it! If you come across a person who snubs their nose at you just ignore them. I assure you this, if you went out with them for drinks and cigars and the snob went to the bathroom and you switch labels on a cigar from an $800 dollar cigar band label to the label of a $30 dollar cigar- 90% would not be able to tell the difference. And, furthermore, they would harp on at length about how amazing their cigar is compared to your $30 dollar cigar. People are fools. Although I can't complain. These fools make some of us rich.

I liked this video solely because he used the word 'dingus' at the end and it made me chuckle cos I have only ever heard it said between my mates.

Saying all bourbon is the same is literally insane.

Accurate, to the point of bourbon though; hailing from the mecca of bourbon, try Rabbit Hole Derringer next to another sub-hundred dollar bottle of bourbon. It is a finished bourbon so there's that but all the same. It is a wonderful sipping whiskey.

Bourbons are definitely not all the same. Not saying this to argue, but rather to point out the differences that I perceive, as this is my spirit of choice. The smoke profiles can certainly taste similar, but some are more forward than others. For me, the biggest difference from one bourbon to the next is the level of sweetness. Some are much more "caramel" like which gives them a bit of a more viscous feel on the way down while others are dryer and can feel a bit hot on the back of the throat. And you certainly don't need to spend a bunch of money on the most expensive whiskey, same as you don't need to do on a particular cigar. My buddy's favorite bourbon is made by a brand called "Law" I think and this particular one is aged in port barrels which gives it a sweeter profile and a bit of a dried fruit note. A bit sweet for my taste. My favorite is Basil Hayden, which is much more on the dry side compared to the prior and can put people off because it IS a bit hot going down. I like to jokingly say to people "put it on ice and let it breath a bit. That'll smooth it out, and if that doesn't get smooth enough for you I promise it'll get much smoother when you start on your third glass." haha. But it's all about what you enjoy, and the more frequently you enjoy different brands of anything, the more you can perceive the differences.

I'm too young to smoke but I think people care way too much about smoking. Smoking cigars and pipes and nowhere near as bad as cigarettes since they aren't made to be inhaled through the lungs.

Laphroaig is the finest scotch imho lol. Love this, I wish I knew more people like these gentleman so I could do this same thing far more often.

Most people don't know that smoking makes people more social and open to share their memories. You don't get that with just a cup of coffee, coffee turns people hypocritical.

My best shot at smoking an expensive cigar is secondary smoke... okay, now I would need to find very rich friends who partake of expensive cigars.

Scottish whiskey, I’m Scottish btw. Isn’t all that. Some are good but it’s became a game. Most Scottish whisky has added food colouring and can be flavoured in barrels that made Bourbon, sherry or other things. You should step in to Brandy, that’s a drink, also bourbon is great, wild turkey rare breed or pappy!

I think cubans are overrated. I think a lot of the appeal in the us is that they are forbidden

I love Lagavulin 16-probably my favorite Scotch. I really enjoy a fine cigar. But frankly, the two are a very poor pairing, as the peaty-smokiness of Islay malt tends to clash with the creamier smoke of a fine cigar, each detracting from the other. A sherried mainland Scotch, Port, or Bourbon, are far better partners for a fine cigar.

What’s the swill?

at 21 i bought a bottle of auchentoshan 12 for $80 as my first bottle. first glass horrible. the next day 2nd glass ohhh thats goooood (once you get acclimated to the high alc liquor be goooood

It's so effed that we still can't have Cubans legally.

3:04 just use a crystal decanter. Makes it fancy without lying

Big up the single malt scotch whisky. Speyside, Highland, lowland & Islay. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Burning one now. $800 dollar cigar. Dang i won't even spend $800 on my next TV.

Hey Dingus, I just subscribed 😅

IMHO a cheap Canadian whiskey, a decent pipe tobacco, and a corncob pipe can deliver an experience equal to any $800 cigar and expensive scotch.

There are lots of ways to contemplate eternity without killing off some of our best Catholic minds early. Take Karl Keating's lead and get outside to view the mountains or the vast night sky.

".... and thus the spirit of evil has turned life into smoking, and made the mouth, which ought to be employed in thanking and praising the Lord, into a smoking furnace. It is a silly whim, a desecration of the lips, ... How do I allow myself to do something like this?" - Blessed St. John of Kronstadt

I've had a few Cubans and many many Cohibas. To each his own but I'll take an LFD Double Ligero any and everyday. That's just me! 😆 🤣

I’m so in love with Michael I’m so beyond jealous of his wife 😭

Lagavulin 16 is the greatest readily available scotch, yes. The best scotch I've ever had was their 16-year-old "Distillers Edition" which I haven't been able to find here in Mississippi since COVID supply chain disruptions began. What makes it better than the regular 16 is that these are finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. Divine.

I just bought a $1600 cigar to contemplate eternity.

Your body is your temple.

He's either trolling bourbon drinkers, or he has very little experience with it. Not all bourbons are the same.

Yep, bourbon comment was totally wrong. Check out someone with a great palette such as Jason C.

I’d like to try cigars but it seems it could get expensive fast. I’ll stick with my pipe 😊

Even if I were rich I would just have any cigar that I enjoy don't really care about the price even if it was just $10 as long as I enjoy it that's really all that matters.

Pipes are really nice.

Love and appreciate the freedoms shown here ! I also allow myself to smoke a little weed and smoke a pipe ,so kudos to your example !!

Wish this was much longer!

Richard Overton smoked up to 12 Cigars a day. He lived until 112.

the bourbon comment was so painful to hear

Behike 52's are not $800 cigars lol. Even in Canada, which has some of the most expensive prices in the world because of taxes, they are about $300. If I were to buy this in Europe and have it shipped to the US it would be about $150/stick usd. There are zero cigars that cost $800 each that are regular production and not some sort of bidding situation. The closest you will get are cohiba talisman for about $500usd. I think these guys may just overpay by about 5x to have access in the US to rare cigars. Seems like a great business. In fact, I will go buy some behike 56's tomorrow and maybe 1 or 2 cohiba 55th anniversary cigars. I can literally get them around the block for about 250usd each. Before you call me pretentious, I am 34 and have been smoking cigars since I was 15. I have always loved collecting and smoking them even from that young of an age. I have a collection of about 1000 cigars with an average of about $60/stick (CAD). So when I buy a several hundred dollar cigar or a sevreal thousand dollar box or lighter, it is after a gradual build of of my collection which is worth way more now than what I paid for it. In 2016 I realized that prices were going to skyrocket, I could see the writing on the wall clear as day. That year I spent about $25k on cigars and everyone thought i was insane. Since those prices have at the very least doubled, I could now smoke about 15-20 expensive cubans a year without ever buying one again. I still intend to purchase more than I smoke even though I have significantly reduced my purchasing. This year, for example, I bought a box of: romeo y julietta no 2, partagas serie p, hoyo de monterrey le hoyo de rio seco, hoyo de monterrey epirucre especial, padron family reserve 40th anniversary, opus x lost city I got several singles of epircure no 2, partagas lusitanias, h uppman sir winstons, padron no 90, blanco 9, aj fernadez new world (caeroon and regular), padron 50th anniversary, plasencia 1865, cuesta rey, davidoff winston churchill, davidoff signature #2, arturo fuente don carlos, plascencia alma del fuego, padron 1964, Don pepin garcia original lancero, davidoff winston churchill late hour and man others that I am currently not remembering. I also purchased a ST Dupont line 2 lighter in black laquer and palladium and a black and silver st dupont cutter. I suspect that I am going to make one more large purchase around christmas when I go to the US. I spend about 5 grand a year on cigars now and that seems to be sufficient for me to smoke what I want and to continue to grow my collection.

Very Catholic, beautiful poetry used to justify something, when you actually look at it, is just a bad idea.

Michael smoking cigars is the single most sexy and attractive thing I’ve quite literally ever seen.

Southern Draw Rose of Sharon is a great stick.

I don't care if cigars kill me, thanks

I smoked cigars, you get addicted to nicotine. The worst part is that smoking becomes an intrusive thought. My work requires my mind to be in my control. Nicotine addiction was a distraction. Months later and I still can't get my mind completely over it.

I started off for alot of my life as a hardcore socialist. But when i started to work and pay taxes. Im on the conservative side now. Work hard and enjoy the benefits. If u are lazy then u dont deserve a hand out. When it comes to cigar's it was my grandfather that got me into it.

I honestly love Black & Mild’s - the Casino plastic tip are swag 🖤

fradd vs fr gergory: the cigarian war of 2023

Soy Cigar tobacco smoker vs Chad Pipe tobacco smoker.

If you smoke $800 Cubans your cigar credibility goes right out the window. A $30 Padronnis better than any Cuban lol. They are about exclusivity and that’s it. Nicaragua is the great cigar country for the last 50 years

Damn, if only cigars did not cause lung cancer...

Alec Bradley coyol

Ignorant on the whisky gents. If you are aware of the subtle nuances that exist in cigars you should also be aware (or at least open to) the reality that it is the same for whisky as well, included Bourbons which you mentioned are all the same...

I can afford expensive cigars but I don't do it because cigars is the ultimate form of burning money. It's taking the ownership of money from the lord when all the money we have or we think we have all come from the lord. The job we have also comes from the lord because he allowed us to have it, and he can take it from us any moment he wants to. So I indulge with budget to mid priced cigars on occasion, because what I have is not mine, but the lord's, and the rest of the money other than essential payments such as bills, food, and necessary clothing, should be used for the purpose of spreading the gospel, glorifying the lord, and helping those in needs. And buying expensive stuff just for the sake of it and the luxury does none of the above.

I think Cubans are good but a bit overrated. I think it’s the “they’re hard to get/illegal” that makes people like them. Classic sales tactic lol just my 2c

Because they increase the risk of stroke?

Guys smoking cigars together to “discuss the deeper topics in life” is so stupid. It’s such a ridiculous way that men try to feel smart and important. Tea party for grown men 😂

Old crow whiskey is awsome.

Why is he condoning something that can literally shorten your life. He even said it in the beginning of the video. This is just cringe to me. "It can open up the windows of your soul" or whatever the hell he said. No, it literally does not. wtf 😳 Also, that statement was one of the most telling signs of someone being high I've ever heard in my life.

That was an enjoyable talk....and fun. hahaha

I love cigars. Does anyone else find Michael to be very pretentious? Nice guy and I love the content. Just interesting.

I’m a dingus

The way they talked about bourbon is insulting. I dare them to compare some ancient age with some george t stagg.

Behikes are not that pricey. Usually $200-450/stick.

Humans historically have always appreciated a peace pipe, a glass of wine etc. Enjoy! Everybody has something they enjoy, the world is definitely a 'good' thing 👍

Your stogie will have a friend one day. Tubie. Thats a cute name for the feeding tube you will need when you get throat or esophageal cancer. Seriously, its not worth it.

Is lying to protect a confidence morally wrong?

No thc no point

I cannot my brother in Christ, there are ABSOLUTELY differences in bourbons.

The focus on looking at pornography as bad even if not as bad as some things and not focusing on the degrading the body through unhealthy lifestyle choices like such as drinking an smoking cigars. As a secular person I can say that enjoyable things that reduce a person's health are worth it.

I usually agree with Knowles' arguments cus it's always logical but this? Just sounds like a cringy, ridiculous, groundless, meaningless justification to me. "Good for the soul"? "Makes you contemplate eternity"? Wtf. It's too stupid to come out of someone's mouth, let alone HIS.

Because they are made with the intention of addicting people into slavery, aka, idolatry?

Knowles is such a poser

I suppose If you are going to try to get throat and lung cancer, then an expensive cigar is the a good way to leave this earth early. Hope you are not a parent because that is obviously narcissistic.

They're really great for cancer of the throat and mouth.

Southern Draw is good but NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING comes close to Drew Estates’ Liga Provada No. 8 If you can get them, try them. You won’t be disappointed.

Cigars are full of tobacco. Tobacco causes cancer and heart disease, as well as being addictive thanks to nicotine content. There are smarter ways to look cool if you care about that. But thanks for keeping us doctors in business. 🙄

All bourbons are the same😂 Shame on you.

I would be a much richer man. I'm glad someone out there who is Catholic is promoting cigars.

Just found out Michael Knowles smokes cigars, I guess. What a red flag. So much for keeping our temple clean...

Do you think you'd ever see an Islamic apologist promoting something like this?

I'm so confused as to why Cigars "are awesome". Please, argue why that's true, because to me, promoting cigars like this on a CATHOLIC channel is immoral.

Cigars are awesome, because Michael knowles likes something big and brown in his mouth.

Oh cool, you had Michael Knowles on again! Oh, wait...nope still just posting clips of a month old video...

Cigars are disgusting.

Long time sub, but Why are you promoting cigars though? They’re not as bad as cigarettes, but probably on par with vaping. Please don’t promote these, especially Cuban ones. Note that I vape personally. But I would never promote them to people or say something like “why vapes are awesome!”.

Who is this Matt guy? What is his last name. Anyone who says Lagavulin is the best scotch is someone I want to follow.

Uh actually all cigars are the same and bourbons are definitely different