Cigar Queen

Northeast Louisiana’s own, KADEE MALONE, has defied the status symbol and masculine rituals of male dominance in the cigar industry. As the co-owner of Legends Cigar & Vape in Ruston, she’s joined the league of EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN breaking the barriers in the cigar industry.

article by VANELIS RIVERA | photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

A quick Google image search of ‘cigar smoking’ reveals the mainstream image often associated with the gentlemen’s club archetype, one of a well-groomed man sporting a stylishly tailored suit, leaning confidently on a leather armchair, smoking a hand-rolled stogie. Even now, most advertisements and cigar lounges still target men, pushing the narrative that every man should smoke a good cigar at least once in his lifetime. As a status symbol and masculine ritual, women don’t often comprise the majority and are either completely ignored or visually reduced to sex objects in this male dominated industry. The truth is, women have been rolling tobacco alongside men since the birth of cigar factories. Though the minority, they have not been invisible, and in the last couple of years have been occupying important roles in the industry. Joining this league of extraordinary women is northeast Louisiana’s own Kadee Malone, co-owner of Legends Cigar & Vape in Ruston.
As the eldest sibling, Kadee naturally gravitated toward leadership positions. “I used to be in the background then my dad kind of threw me to the wolves,” she says recalling the beginning stages of her dive into the cigar world. Adopting the business acumen of her father, NBA legend Karl Malone, she’s followed in his footsteps and even partnered with him in a few other businesses including car dealerships and Teriyaki Grill. Initially, she was meant to lead construction and design of Legends, but because she built the lounge “from the ground up,” her father couldn’t imagine anyone else running the business. He asked her to go in fifty-fifty, which Kadee jokes is really more like ninety-ten, “because I’m the one that does everything, and he kind of shows up.” Cigars may seem a strange venture for a young woman of twenty-eight, but Kadee’s been intrigued by cigars since she was a kid: “I guess you could blame Looney Tunes.” There was always that one character in the show smoking a cigar, which Kadee found “pretty cool.” As an adult, the allure of all things relaxing and leisurely ultimately drew her to cigars, the first which she tried at eighteen. Like her dad, her first cigar was a Monte Cristo.
Though she has diversified her palate since then, it wasn’t until the family was introduced to the La Aurora family, owners of the original cigar factory in the Dominican Republic, that she began to foster a deep appreciation for cigar making: “You have a newfound appreciation for a cigar or any product, if you go to where it’s made and see the process of how everything is put together.” The tour sparked an interest, particularly in Karl, who wanted to contribute to the niche enterprise. At first, the La Aurora family was skeptical, thinking he was just another celebrity that wanted to “slap a label on a cigar.” But the Malones put forth effort, visiting Dominican Republic when they could in order to stay involved in the process. “It was a respect thing,” says Kadee. “We didn’t go in making demands. We respected them, and we asked questions.”
Under the supervision of Mr. Guillermo Leon, President of La Aurora Cigars, as well as Mr. Gustavo Velayos, Sales and Marketing Director of La Aurora Cigars, Karl started the process by hitting the tobacco fields to get an understanding of the cigar construction process. This led to the blending process spearheaded by Master Blender Mr. Manuel Inoa, who would create about fifty cigar blends, label each, and send them to the Malones. Everyone in the family took part in the tasting process, which helped Kadee venture and diversify her palate. After about three years of developing a respect and bond with one another, the families decided it was time for Karl to create his own cigar, the Barrel Aged. “We all made the label; we all made the box; we designed everything,” says Kadee, admitting that though she’s the only sibling partnered with her dad, it’s been an all-around family effort to build the Legends brand.
Karl’s Barrel Aged cigar comes in four sizes–churchill (7×48), robusto (5×50), belicoso (6 1/4 x 52), and sumo toro (6 x 56). Thanks to its Ecuadorian wrapper, Brazilian binder, and fillers from Peru, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Dominican Republic, the cigar has strong aromatic notes and a deep flavor. Falling into the profile of full and medium-bodied cigars, people often get intimidated to try, but its spicy flavor notes have been described as complex and delicate. “We have women that smoke that cigar and they always say the same thing; they thought it would be super strong,” says Kadee. Her top recommendation will always be her father’s cigar and any of the La Aurora blends: “To me the La Aurora cigars are one of the smoothest cigars you can smoke, even a madura, which is really strong. They don’t hit as hard as other cigar brands do.” For any cigar novice not wanting to start off too strong, Legends carries Tatiana Flavored Cigars from a company based in Miami. Their flavored blends offer a change of pace with smooth and mellow tastes. Kadee likes to ask customers about their palate and the flavors they gravitate toward and try to match them with a cigar that will ease them into a good first smoke. On a personal level, Gurkha cigars have been growing on Kadee, particularly their recently released coffee flavored cigar, sure to indulge any java lover.
“I am a young African American woman in the cigar industry, which is obviously taboo. People automatically think that it’s only for men. For me, that’s kind of like a slap in the face. Women love cigars too,” affirms Kadee. There is no demographic for cigar smokers. People from all walks of life enter Legends seeking a bit of relaxation and leisure. At first entering the cigar landscape was intimidating, and even now, she still has people dismiss her when she’s taking the lead. “I’m young, but at the same time, the way that my parents raised me, because I am a biracial, African American woman, no matter what, as long as I have a voice and someone will listen to me, that’s all that matters,” she says. She’s grateful for the many times her father has advocated for her, shifting the attention toward Kadee’s direction, often saying, “I’m not the boss; she’s the boss. You have to listen to her. She knows what she’s talking about.” Her family has also been a source of support, not just in the cigar business, but her own enterprises. Knowing who she is, what she can do, and what she will continue to do has fueled her motivation. “No one can really stop me, if that’s my mindset,” she says.
It’s that same drive that allowed her to remain positive when, at first, not everyone was a fan of a cigar shop opening. “They were a little skeptical about it,” she says. “We wanted to do this for our community and people that love cigars, but also for ourselves, because we like cigars. We wanted to show people that they don’t have to hide and do something that you love.” Sharing what they love has also taken the form of how the lounge is decorated. Kadee’s vision was to create a rustic lounge with a spacious and cozy atmosphere with enough space for patrons to talk and build relationships. More importantly, she wanted people to feel as if they were stepping into the Malone home. She incorporated sports memorabilia from Karl’s career and family photos. When you walk into Legends you end up in their general area which includes their walk-in humidor, fully stocked with over 200 boxes of the freshest cigars. In addition, they also have a full wall dedicated to the entire line of La Aurora blends, and customers are invited to stay for a while in the Legends Great Room, a perfect gathering place for all “consumers of the leaf.” The only television in the entire lounge is in the boardroom, which seats up to fifteen comfortably and is perfect for hosting business meetings or even any big games, which can also be catered by Teriyaki Grill. The outdoor fire pit and waterfall area also offer an additional element of rustic charm.
Kadee’s not stopping at cigars, though. You can also find her new CBD and CBG products in the store: “I wanted to create these products for the women who are a little different, the ones that are athletic, edgy, super proud of the women they are becoming. Her beauty line is dear to her heart, because she’s struggled finding products to get rid of acne, calm her nervousness, and balance her mood. Her beauty line includes products like CBD facial serum, facial toner, bath bombs, body lotion and lip balm. On the health end, Kadee carries a CBG tincture which is a broad-spectrum cannabinoid extract that includes CBD, CBG, CBDV, CBN, and CBC. Not only is the product seed-to-shelf manufacturing, it is also third party, lab tested for purity and potency.
Since the store’s opening, Legends has grown and swiftly become an exciting venue for private events and parties. Not only housing a wide selection of cigars and vapes, they are also a sole importer and distributor of La Aurora’s signature rum, E. León Jimenes. Karl and Kadee have a few more projects in the works, but at the heart of their successful undertakings is the tight-knit Malone family, their passion for business, and the love and connection to the northeast Louisiana community.
Legends Cigar & Vape is located at 2000 East Kentucky Ave, Ruston, LA 71270. Follow the shop on Instagram and Facebook or visit their website http://legendsvape.com. For more information about Kadee’s collection visit her website https://kadeemalone.com.