The Slow Burn: Buc-ee’s, Bourdain, and a Shot in the Dark (Part II)

Call it ancestral, call it instinctual, maybe it’s something buried deep in our DNA, but the camaraderie of the leaf draws us in like those who’ve gathered around fire for millennia.

The light flickers.
Smoke dances in the wind.
Time slows.
And for a little while… all feels right.

Whether I’m alone or sitting among a tribe, the ritual is the same. My breathing slows. My thoughts shift from “what’s next” to “what’s now.” Cigars have this rare power; they pull you inward while gently nudging you outward, inviting reflection and connection in the same breath.

In the deep, we connect.

Of course, that wasn’t how it felt when we first walked in.

Despite the warm welcome from the family, kids, wives, the whole crew, I found myself standing there, glassy-eyed and awkward, watching the owners work quietly in their dimly lit HQ like monks at morning prayer.

Did I misread the invite?
Was this one of those “come by” invites that doesn’t actually mean “come by”?
Was I the guy who brought a plus-one to a secret handshake?

Before I could overthink it any further, we were gently pulled into the orbit of hospitality.

“Espresso?”

Now, we’re not talking about whatever comes out of the pod machine in your Airbnb. This wasn’t a countertop appliance you order with one click. No, they had somehow acquired a European, commercial-grade, Italian espresso machine; the kind usually bolted down behind marble counters in a Roman café where the baristas wear ties and judge your order silently.

Apparently, these machines aren’t available to us common folk unless you know someone who knows someone... or unless you're them.

It was beautiful. And terrifying.

Operating one of these machines isn’t just pushing a button; it’s an art. You’re dealing with water pressure, grind consistency, tamp weight, milk frothing angles, boiler temps. There’s no room for error. It’s part engineering, part witchcraft. And, according to the stories they told, they had broken it, multiple times, just learning how to master it.

Eventually, a perfectly pulled doppio was handed to Kaitlyn. Smooth crema. Golden brown. Just the right bitterness.

Like everything else in this place, it wasn’t for show. It was about care. Precision. Craft.

After a bit of small talk, we were offered a tour of the facility.

The owners still hadn’t said much but the silence didn’t feel rude. It felt intentional. Like they were measuring the moment. Listening more than speaking. Letting their work speak for itself.

We walked through shipping and receiving, where the bones of the business are stacked and sorted. Boxes, labels, tape guns…everything you need to keep the hustle moving.

Then came fulfillment, a space filled with finished product and curated details. Efficiency with soul.

Then... the humidor.

Except calling it a “humidor” is like calling a vault a closet.

It was sacred. Quiet. Like a museum of the modern cigar movement.

Every release. Every size. Ever.

Shelves stacked with boxes, accessories, swag, and branded ephemera that made me want to drop my wallet and whisper “take what you need.”

This wasn’t just storage. It was storytelling. History. A timeline of how far they’d come.

It reminded me that great brands aren’t built overnight. They’re built one handshake, one stick, one box, at a time.

As we walked through the final room, I felt the nerves fade and something else take their place.

Respect.
Gratitude.
Drive.

I wasn’t just touring a facility. I was being given a glimpse into what’s possible when you stay true to your craft, your culture, and your calling.

This wasn’t a pitch. It wasn’t an interview.

It was a beginning.

And as always…

The slow burn continues.