Tobacco, Drinks & More: The bon vivant with style - but a small expense account
Tobacco, Drinks & More - that sounds like style, enjoyment and a pinch of luxury. But what happens behind the scenes of a magazine that balances cigar aroma, whisky barrel and PR? Is it more difficult to describe a smoky single malt - or to rewrite a press release so that it doesn't sound like an advertising brochure? I took a closer look at the man behind the magazine, François Güntensperger.
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François Güntensperger in his element.
What is more difficult: describing a good whisky or saving a press release from an importer so that it sounds like real content?
Haha, maybe you're comparing apples and oranges. A good whisky has to do with pure enjoyment - and I really don't find it difficult to describe that. Breathing life into a dry press release, on the other hand, has less to do with enjoyment. But the nice thing about it is that you can talk to producers or importers - and this exchange is often really exciting and valuable.
You publish pleasure topics in a country that mixes white wine or red wine with sparkling water. How do you cope with that mentally?
As far as I'm concerned, live and let live. If someone wants to water down their white wine on a hot day - go ahead. I prefer to drink water first and then enjoy the undiluted taste. But basically I'm pretty painless when it comes to other people's approaches.
Nevertheless, no pearls should be cast before swine. For example, if someone doesn't like a strong cigar or wants to drink a long-matured whisky "on the rocks", I think you should pay tribute to the product. And perhaps also say honestly: "That's too much for me - I'd rather enjoy something lighter." That's better for everyone.
The pleasure is written all over his face, isn't it?
How many times have you discussed a cigar that you haven't even finished smoking in secret?
So - that's not how I do it. Of course you can also talk about things that you haven't analyzed down to the last detail. You can still have a say - simply within the scope of your own experience. And if you listen and ask questions, it always leads to an exciting conversation. And let's be honest - isn't that what it's all about?
Have you ever published an article that you didn't understand even when proofreading it - but it sounded noble?
The nice thing is: I am not solely responsible for the content at Tobacco, Drinks & More responsible. I work with great colleagues - in editing, layout and proofreading. We exchange ideas, give each other feedback, edit, fine-tune and add to each other's work. And if a text sounds "classy" but I don't get it right the first time, then at the latest on the second pass. And if not: then I ask.
How many of your readers actually read - and how many only scroll to the picture with the champagne glass?
Haha, I really can't say that in figures. I'm not sitting in the lounge looking over someone's shoulder. But I'm sure there are both. And I know that about myself too. Whether I read an article in its entirety, just skim through it or just look at the pictures first - for me, it depends a lot on how much time I have and whether a topic grabs me straight away. I often browse through it first and get stuck on an article later. Then, when I have time and feel like it again, I continue reading. And that's exactly how it should be.
Are there any topics that you would never bring up because otherwise you wouldn't get any more invitations to events?
To be honest, I'm not worried about the events. People in the industry have known each other for a long time - and even though it's a business, of course, friendly relationships often develop with importers, producers, retailers, etc. What we do at TDM but we deliberately don't do articles or advertising for vapes or cigarettes. That simply doesn't fit in with our magazine.
Hand on the cigar and the glass: are there any luxury products where you think to yourself: "This is just complete bullshit - but well packaged"?
Does wine have to be bottled in bottles with ten-millimeter-thick glass walls or wrapped in an aluminum net for me to like it? Does the cigar have to be in an overcomplicated box to be good? No - but I understand the idea. Packaging prolongs the moment of anticipation and often says something about the pride of the producer. Of course, marketing plays a part in this - but that's not automatically a bad thing. If the packaging and the product go together, it works for me.
But you want a concrete example, don't you? I once had a wine dispensing aid with a metal rod that you were supposed to freeze. The aim: to cool the wine directly when pouring. But if you put the thing in a full bottle, the wine spills over. And the cooling effect lasts for what feels like three seconds. Nice, but totally impractical. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
When Tobacco, Drinks & More a person - would they be more of a gentleman, a dazzler or a bon vivant with an expense account?
Tobacco, Drinks & More is created by an entire team - eachr contributes something of their own. Our readersare just as diverse, so we don't just want to appeal to one type of person.
But if I had to choose a character, it would probably be the bon vivant, but with a small expense account and good manners. We want to inspire, not show off.
What we don't want is to give the impression that you have to live a glamorous lifestyle in order to experience real moments of pleasure. Because what is so often said really is true: it's the little things in life that make it worth living.
Honestly: Is your magazine a medium for enjoyment - or just a glossy platform for advertisers with a cigar romanticism?
Thank you for this question because my answer ties in with the previous one 🙂 Because, as I said, it's often the little things in life that really count. And that's exactly where I see the place of our magazine. I would like our readers to Tobacco, Drinks & More as a kind of anchor point. To pause for a moment, to take your time - be it with a fine cigar or a glass of red wine.
I am not claiming that our magazine is enjoyment in itself. But we support the moment of enjoyment. Because reading a print magazine is different from the hectic, frantic scrolling through news feeds. With articles that last longer than 30 seconds, it slows you down and that is often what makes enjoyment possible in the first place. And that is why we see ourselves as a medium for enjoyment and not as a glossy platform.
Let's be honest: What really annoys you about cigars, drinks or joie de vivre? Something that makes you boil?
What really annoys me is the over-staging. When every advertisement pretends that a product alone creates the perfect moment. And then, of course, with a yacht, sunset and model. That's so far removed from real life. The moment is created by us. Whether alone or together: you make a conscious decision to enjoy a moment - then the rest comes.
The cigar, the drink, the good food - that's the icing on the cake. But the enjoyment begins before that - in the attitude and the decision to surrender to the moment.
Picture credits
- François Güntensperger
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