Charlie Minato

I’ve spent the past two years attempting to leave my mark in this industry through various print and online publications, but realized that there was more work that could be done. I believe in halfwheel because I know from the experiences I had for a year and a half at TheCigarFeed and working with the SmokingStogie team, that the work we are putting out now is drastically improved from the work we put out before. As an editor for halfwheel, I know that we will have a unique edge and style to our content that will prove halfwheel to be different, day in, day out. When not behind a computer or on the phone for halfwheel, I split my time between the Camel City (Winston-Salem, NC) and California’s wine country, although after spending twelve years in Dallas, I now embrace my inner Texan. I enjoy (amongst other things) boxing, headphones, Le Mans racing, hip-hop, wearing sweatshirts year round and gyros.

You can follow Charlie Minato on Twitter here or e-mail him here.

Photo of Charlie Minato was taken by Lauren Martinez.

Brooks Whittington

Brooks Whittington has been smoking cigars for over 8 years. A documentary wedding photographer by trade, Brooks spent seven years as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He started the cigar blog SmokingStogie in 2008 after realizing that there was a need for a cigar blog with better photographs and more in depth information about each release. SmokingStogie quickly became one of the most influential cigar blogs on the web, known for reviewing preproduction, prerelease, rare, extremely hard to find and expensive cigars. Brooks was a cofounder of halfwheel and now serves as an editor for halfwheel.

You can follow Brooks Whittington on Twitter here or e-mail him here.

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m an editor for Cigar Snob Magazine; public address announcer for Goodyear Ballpark, spring training home of the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds; baseball writer and podcaster and I cover the Phoenix cigar scene for Examiner.com.

You can follow Patrick Lagreid on Twitter at PHXCigarGuy, like him on Facebook or e-mail him here.

Brian Burt

Brian has been smoking cigars since 2005 and reviewing them as a hobby since 2010. He initially started out small with a 50 count humidor and smoking one or two cigars a month. Not knowing anybody else that smoked cigars it was only an occasional hobby he took part in. In March of 2010 he joined Nublive and Cigar Asylum, connecting him with many people who also shared an interest in cigars. Reading what they had to say about brands he had never heard of, Brian quickly immersed himself in the boutique brands of the industry and it was then that cigars transformed from a hobby into a passion. Besides his cigar hobby and job in the IT industry, Brian loves spending time with his wife Melissa and their two dogs Belle (a yorkie) and Coco (a chocolate lab).

You can follow Brian Burt on Twitter here or e-mail him here.