Zen and the Art of the E4P Cannagar: Questions For Brandon Cruz

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I was fortunate recently to be the recipient of several E4P Cannagars, from the blunt size (quite small- just enough for two persons) to the Cannagar size, handsomely packaged in a glass tube, rolled from cured sugar leaf, and deliciously aged craft quality cannabis.

It takes a lot to impress me, but please let me share a little secret with you. E4P is not just a fancy wrapper with cast-off shake in it. Far from. This is pure luxury in every puff. I’ve been writing about cannagars for some time and please allow me the pleasure of sharing with you one of the finest in the lexicon of brands. Everyone who saw me smoking the cannagars wanted to know more, as in what is that!!!???

Smoking a cannagar to the uninitiated is overwhelming to the senses if you don’t pace yourself. That’s why it’s really important to take your time and use common sense when smoking this hand-crafted work of art. First of all, you’ll want to clip the tip of the cannagar because there will be a small hole in the end, but I get better results if I make the opening just a bit larger. Suit yourself, though… It’s quite personal how you prepare a cannagar, take your time and do it right the first time.

Light a small hand-torch. You cannot light a cannagar with a simple lighter. You need focused heat to get a good even burn. Twirl the cigar while you light it with your torch so that you get an even burn. Inhale lightly, then deeper. Hold the hit in your lungs and exhale, repeat, then repeat again, deeper each time. A good-sized ash will form. Do not, under any circumstance, ash your cannagar.

It’s really bad form to do this, especially if the cannagar in question belongs to someone else. They will be disappointed in you deeply, and you won’t know why. Now you do so please, do not ash your cannagar. There is a form of creative expression that comes from a long ash lasting for a long time on a cannagar. Trust me on this. It’s just something you know…or don’t know.

Brandon Cruz holds Cannagar — Cannagar via E4P Cigars

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Why cannabis? Who taught you the craft?

Brandon Cruz: My name is Brandon Cruz. Born in The Bronx and raised in central New Jersey. I’m the owner of E4P Cigars, a Cannabis Cigar Brand, and E4P Smoke Shop, an American Glass Art Gallery. I fell in love with the plant from day one of smoking it with some friends. My childhood friend by the nickname Chino was always ahead of the game and putting me on to the craziest strains from California, which gave me the idea to move there and take a dive into the cannabis world. I packed up six suitcases and headed to Southern California, and from there, I took my blunt rolling more seriously.

I would always roll a few pipe blunts, twax joints and post them on Instagram. As I got better and wanted a bigger challenge, I started rolling cannagars. While cannagar making has been around for some time, no one was creating them in the masses.

In 2015 E4P Cigars was launched along with a delivery service catching buzz in the Orange County and LA Area. Cannagar making gets better with time, from picking the right leaves to roll with down to the size of the cigar itself. I realized early on how difficult it would be to manufacture cannagars, but I knew it wasn’t going to stop me from finding a solution. It’s something you really have to enjoy making.

Warren Bobrow: What are your six and twelve-month goals? What obstacles do you face? How do you anticipate removing them?

Brandon Cruz: In the next 6 to 12 months, I plan on expanding our manufacturing to include my home state of New Jersey and also adding Hemp Cigars to our product line.

Our biggest obstacle with our next plan is NJ licensing. It’s an expensive and time-consuming challenge for small brands like us. There is no simple solution to this, but my advice is to build brand visibility which will allow more opportunities and leverage at the business table. Licensing varies by state, and so do the challenges. One thing in common is the very long wait for licensing approvals.

Adding E4P Hemp cigars will allow us to ship directly to most consumers, which was also a big issue for us with the THC Cigars. Previously if you didn’t live in Southern California and visit a dispensary, then you couldn’t get our cigars. Since our new cigars contain 0.3%THC or less, we can expand outside of dispensaries. Our initial problem with Hemp versions was finding quality Delta-8 Flower, which we spent months sampling from various hemp suppliers until we found only the best. Not only will they be available online directly from us, but you can also expect to see E4P Cigar Hemp versions in smoke shops in early 2023.

Warren Bobrow: Who is your greatest inspiration? Why? Who is your mentor? When did you become aware of cannabis?

Brandon Cruz: My greatest inspiration would have to be my mom; she put the hustle in me and always pushes me to try new things. It’s really a blessing having her on my side to push me through when things get rocky!

As far as cannabis goes, there is an entire network of handcrafted rollers that always keep us on our toes. Instagram has many professional rollers, but artists like Roll BMC and Tony Greenhand always inspired me to get just a little more creative. Social media, in general, has allowed artists of all kinds to express themselves, and cannabis is no different. I think it’s important to watch new trends and try different things while still staying true to your craft.

Warren Bobrow: What is your favorite get-stoned food? Do you cook? Favorite restaurant? Where?

Brandon Cruz: My favorite get-stoned food is a Sicilian slice of pizza; hands down one of the best foods. All you need is one slice to fill you up! Sprinkle a little oregano, and you are good to go.

My favorite restaurant would, hands-down, has to be Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar in Las Vegas. Every menu item is impressive, not to mention the great cocktails. The dark setting also adds a chill vibe which I’m a big fan of.