Big Smoke Las Vegas 2025: Brunch With Oliva Cigar Co.
Though Halloween concluded the night before, there was still festive air on the morning of November 1, as the second day of the 2025 Las Vegas Big Smoke commenced. Guests, many colorfully dressed, filed through the doors of the Horseshoe Las Vegas Silver Ballroom carrying tote bags eager to be filled with cigars. But before embarking on the seminars scheduled later that afternoon, the guests needed to fuel up for the day, and they did so courtesy of a delicious brunch sponsored by Oliva Cigar Co.
The room was large and spacious, warmly lit by large chandeliers on the ceiling and green stage lights for added contrast. At the tables were baskets of croissants and pain au chocolat, and cups of fresh fruit to begin the meal. Each guest was given an Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Torpedo (95 points, Cigar Aficionado’s No. 6 Cigar of 2024), cigars made with tapered heads and alluringly oily maduro wrappers.
As the pastries, grapes and slices of melon and pineapple vanished from plates, that table space was swiftly reoccupied with heartier fare: braised short ribs served on two toasted crumpets, poached eggs and topped with Béarnaise sauce, essentially an extra-fortified Eggs Benedict. Some charred broccolini added some roughage.
Mounting the podium, executive editor David Savona gave the royal decree: “You may smoke,” prompting cheers. “Now this is my first cigar of the day,” he told the room. “But I know it’s not the first cigar for some of you. I saw some of you hanging out in the bar… or at Casa de Montecristo. Raise your hand if you had a cigar before the Big Smoke.” In response at least half the room raised their hands.
Next Savona called Cory Bappert, Oliva’s chief executive officer, up to the stage. Thanking those in attendance, he told the audience that not only is he celebrating nearly two decades with the company, but Oliva also marked its 30th year in business the previous month. The conversation turned toward the blend of the Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Torpedo (Mexican San Andrés wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler) and Bappert spoke of the added difficulty in fermenting the wrapper leaf to make it the right inky hue by applying more heat. He followed this with a brief video entitled “In the Palm of Hands” with a voiceover narrating a tobacco leaf’s journey from seed to plant to cigar.
After brunch, the crowd moved just down the hall into the seminar conference room, getting ready for a day fueled by even more cigars to be smoked and enjoyed in the presence of some of the cigar worlds’ biggest stars.
The Big Smoke will return to Las Vegas next fall, November 6 and 7, 2026. Save the date.
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