About

About Me

Gainesville, Florida, resident Cory Carnley developed his extraordinary passion for cigars and tobacco products immediately after turning 18 and marking the occasion with celebratory cigars. The initial interest quickly transitioned to expertise and has eventually led to advocacy work for cigar rights at the state and national levels.

With his focus, drive, and an assortment of certifications in the hospitality arena, he is a young man with a bright future.

Current Projects

Cory Carnley is a travel enthusiast and has chronicled his adventures in a travel blog focused on domestic destinations in the United States. In these travels, he has furthered his love for all things tobacco and, in his downtime, pursued higher education in the field. As a cigar enthusiast, he has earned certifications as a tobacconist to lend additional expertise to personal selections and share his enjoyment of tobacco with others.

Background with Tobacco

After his first birthday cigar, Carnley threw himself into the advanced research of tobacco and experimented with a vast assortment of tobacco products and accouterments. This self-education provided a solid background in tobacco, but he still wanted to know more about the larger tobacco industry and the preferred products of consumers. His research and transactional experience include premium cigars and cigarillos, so-called "gas station" cigarillos, cigarettes, pipes, pipe tobacco, hookahs, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, and nasal snuff. However, his primary passion is for premium cigars.

Professional Skills and Experiences

In addition to managing a consistently updated website focused on travels and personal interests, Carnley maintained his educational pursuits and obtained certification as a tobacconist.

Tobacconist certifications help the holder foster a deeper appreciation for tobacco and cigars, particularly luxury cigars, and also provide the recipient with the tools needed to improve customer service and sales at fine retailers and service establishments. Certification holders like Cory Carnley bring additional insight into blends, storage, and selection to the table, and a true expert is able to shepherd cigar novices as they make first choices and develop their own unique tastes.

A true certified tobacconist like Carnley is able to go above and beyond due to their specialized knowledge of tobacco products and the sales, manufacturing, and marketing process for tobacco. Recommendations also extend to all accessories, such as travel humidors, commercial-grade humidors, cutters, lighters, and more.

He also holds additional certifications related to service and hospitality, including bartending and responsible vending. All of these combined are a perfect combination for a career with tobacco or at premium establishments serving alcohol and offering a high-quality cigar experience.

Advocacy for Tobacco and Cigars

After zeroing in on tobacco from a consumer and professional point of view, Cory Carnley took his research a step further and became the youngest member ever of Cigar Rights of America, the primary lobbying organization of the premium cigar industry.

Cigar Rights of America is dedicated to leveraging the power of a group to help spearhead change and protect the rights of individuals to enjoy access to high-quality or premium, hand-rolled cigars. From an advocacy perspective, this can include following legislative matters in states where there are pending bills that could impact smoking establishments and retailers. With the participation of more young professionals like Cory Carnley, there is an increased opportunity for reaching out to legislators and the public to advocate for cigar smokers and the industry overall.

Through the organization, cigar enthusiasts also connect with contemporaries who enjoy a shared passion and gain access to new products and exclusive events. Enjoying truly premium cigars can be a niche expertise, making organizations like Cigar Rights of America essential for furthering the appreciation and discussing the best the market has to offer with others.