Meet a true gentleman, a gifted raconteur, and a passionate student of history – someone who can speak about it for hours without ever losing your attention. “Catherine the Great Would Cut Your Balls Off” – Jeremy Casdagli Unfiltered.
What a night that was! One of those rare evenings that stays with you for a long time. And all because of an extraordinary gentleman who agreed to speak with Polski Aficionado. These just so happen to be Jeremy Casdagli’s very first words directed specifically at Polish cigar smokers. And it’s Polski Aficionado that proudly serves as the channel through which his voice now reaches them.
The title might sound a bit bold, even cheeky – but I chose it because I think it captures the spirit of our conversation perfectly. There’s something about Jeremy’s charm, his sharp wit, and his deep love of history that makes it all work together beautifully. I truly enjoyed every moment of that evening – and I’m pretty sure others who were there would say the same.
While I haven’t even begun to unpack all the emotions this meeting left me with, this post isn’t about me. So without further delay – because I know you didn’t come here for my thoughts – let me introduce you to Jeremy Casdagli.
“Catherine the Great Would Cut Your Balls Off” – Jeremy Casdagli Unfiltered
Mateusz Krzywiecki: Yes, let’s get to the things. I’m super happy that you’re here. That’s your first time here in Kraków. Really good to have you here. I know that’s not your first time in Poland, but I’m really glad and grateful that you’re here and found some time to do this interview with me. This will be for the whole Polish community of cigar smokers who read Polski Aficionado. I’m really excited.
When Tomek told me you’ll be here, I thought, “Wow, do you think he’ll find some time to do this interview?” He said, “You can always ask.” And when we met, you said, “No worries, we’ll do it,” and I was like, “Wow, that’s really cool.” So yeah, I’m here with Jeremy Casdagli, the head of the Casdagli Cigars brand, and I prepared some questions. Let me get to the first one.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: What was the key moment that made you decide to create your own cigar brand?
Jeremy Casdagli: That happened in 1997 when I was in Havana and I had a damaged box of Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas. The great Carlos Valdez Mosquera, known as El Pichero, one of the great torcedores in Cuba, replicated the box for me so I could smoke them while scuba diving in Maria la Gorda. I was so blown away by the blend he created- which was the original Hoyo de Monterrey blend from the 1950s – that I asked Carlos to make some other vitolas for me with that blend. And that’s how it all started. I thought, “Oh my God, I’m going to make more of this.” Thank you, Carlos.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: Casdagli is known for its craftsmanship and unique blends. What does the process of creating a new cigar look like – from idea to finished product?
Jeremy Casdagli: That’s a good question. I’m fortunate enough to be working with some of the great master blenders – Hendrik Kelner Jr., Don Olman Guzman, and the factories in Costa Rica. I get to select some of the great tobaccos that they have. Personally, I’m like an amateur chef being given the best ingredients.
When developing a new line, I need to come up with the format and characteristics. We often start with a control – say a Robusto from our traditional line – and then modify it: make it sweeter, stronger, or more complex. For example, for the Basilica line, I needed tartness and freshness for the Saudi market. Hendrik would then create four or five cigars for blind tasting. He doesn’t tell me what’s in them to avoid placebo effects. It’s a very collaborative process, and it requires a deep understanding between us.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: You work closely with the Kelner Boutique Factory in the Dominican Republic. What does that collaboration look like?
Jeremy Casdagli: We have small production but an amazing variety of tobaccos, thanks to the Kelner family. It’s a playground. We also help distribute Hendrik’s Smoking Jacket line globally, except France and Switzerland. Our collaboration spans over 13 years and is deeply personal. Hendrik’s been to my home, I’ve been to his. We trust each other completely. It’s a true partnership.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: What makes Casdagli Cigars stand out among other premium boutique cigars? And what is the core philosophy behind the brand?
Jeremy Casdagli: Our tagline is: Luxury, Elegance, and Tradition. For a luxury brand, you need three things:
- Provenance – We use top-grade tobacco from respected factories like Kelner’s and Costa Rica. We don’t own the factories, but we proudly name them.
- Backstory – Every luxury brand needs one. Cartier has its Tank watch; we have a rich family history tied to the Belle Époque and the golden age of cigars.
- It has to work – Awards from Cigar Journal and international presence in 40+ countries prove that our cigars resonate.
Every cigar we make, I personally enjoy. That’s my filter.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: We know that you’re a fan of the Lancero vitola – so is my co-host Piotr Siwiński, with whom I co-run Spotkanie z Dymem and write for Polski Aficionado. Which Lancero is your personal favorite and what is it about this format that speaks to you?
Jeremy Casdagli: I’m going to cheat – two favorites: Grand Café and Cremello. Cremello was originally for myself, but fans demanded it.
Lancero has everything: elegance, tradition, complexity. It was the size of Che, Fidel, John Wayne. The hardest to roll, so it’s often avoided, but so rewarding.
People say it’s a cigar for women. Never. Catherine the Great would cut your balls off for saying that! I imagine myself in the 1940s, Panama hat, linen suit, pencil mustache, outside the Graf Spee in Montevideo – smoking a Lancero. It’s just the most elegant cigar.
It was also my father’s favorite. I used to smoke them with him. It carries sentiment and history.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: Looking back at your journey with Casdagli Cigars, what has been the most rewarding moment so far?
Jeremy Casdagli: Delivering the Cigar Journal Award to the factory in Costa Rica – seeing the rollers feel recognized, that was beautiful. Also, donating proceeds from our Cypher Series to the Estonian Red Cross, which honored my grandfather’s WWII story. They even issued a press release. Very emotional.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: How do you see the cigar culture developing in Europe, especially in Poland? Are there differences between Polish and American cigar smokers?
Jeremy Casdagli: It’s growing despite the legislation. Poland stands out – many young smokers without direct family tradition, because that history was lost. Your intelligentsia was wiped out.
Kraków, Gdańsk, Warsaw – these places surely had vibrant cigar scenes in the Belle Époque. It’s a slow revival, but led by young people. You’re reclaiming something lost. That’s powerful.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: If you had to describe the Casdagli brand in just one sentence, what would it be?
Jeremy Casdagli: Luxury, Elegance, and Tradition.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: Is there anything you’d like to say directly to Polish cigar lovers and Polski Aficionado readers?
Jeremy Casdagli: Poland has a grand, tragic, and beautiful history. I hope to see more Poles smoking cigars. I’ll be walking around Warsaw with friends from the Warsaw Cigar Club. I want our cigars to be part of the cultural revival – helping people reconnect with their past.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: I think our readers will love this. Thank you so much. It means a lot – I’ve seen you online and now we’re here, smoking your cigar, side by side.
Jeremy Casdagli: No, thank you. I haven’t been here in three years – after a bad accident. But Majka represented me, and my distributor Christoph – I miss drinking vodka with him! He doesn’t speak English, I don’t speak Polish, but when we meet, we drink vodka. It works. It doesn’t matter. It’s perfect.
Thank you all for your enthusiasm. I know our cigars are in the mid-to-high price range, but I hope you’ll find the provenance and story behind them worth it.
Mateusz Krzywiecki: Thank you again. Hope to have you back soon.
Jeremy Casdagli: I will. It’s a pleasure. Truly.
A few words to close
After the interview, we sat for a good while longer, still deep in conversation. At some point, I half-joked that I couldn’t keep the star of the evening to myself forever – and we returned to the lounge. But even there, the discussion continued. Honestly, if we had wanted to say everything we had to say, the night wouldn’t have been enough.
Jeremy is a fantastic interlocutor with a rare gift for storytelling. I have a strong sense that history is what excites him the most – and that’s a good thing, because it gives his stories real depth and flavor.
The full story from the meeting can be found here.
I leave you now with the words of this remarkable man, who promised he’d return – and I intend to hold him to that.
This interview was made possible thanks to the kind support of Iguana Cigars and Tomasz Żołądkiewicz.
If you enjoyed reading this, let me know! Drop a comment or share the post – every bit of support helps others discover my cigar reviews and smoking tips. If you prefer to listen, I co-host a podcast with Piotr Siwiński called „Spotkanie z Dymem” („A Meeting with Smoke”) – currently in Polish, though who knows what the future holds? You can also find me on Instagram, where I share a slice of my cigar life – and a bit more. I always welcome a good conversation. That’s how great connections start – and they often go far beyond just cigars.
Stay smoky!
Mateusz Krzywiecki, @mateusz.krzywiecki, Polski Aficionado, @polskiaficionado
