Here is where our community reports and comments on all of the cigar news that’s fit to publish. We have staff editors that will contribute but our community will also sound off so that all points of view are represented which allows us to cover cigar happenings wherever they occur across the globe in real time. Sign up if you wish to become a cigar reporter and be a part of our team!
Bay Harbor Islands, FL - Mike's Cigars, a major retailer and distributor of
cigars and cigar accessories is holding their first We're Smokin' at Mike's
Cigars on Saturday November 1st, outside the store at 1030 Kane
Concourse, Bay Harbor Islands, FL.
The event, running from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM will include a gift bag, food, drink,
music and no less that twenty-five premium cigar manufacturers who will be
providing cigars to the attendees.
Metropolitan Cigars on 7th
Avenue, in the historic Ybor City section of Tampa, Florida features one of the
world's largest walk-in humidors with a history dating back to the turn of the
20th century. Two wonderful discoveries in cigars were made on the
recommendation of owner Sam Capitano.
On
Thursday, 29 May, at 6:00 PM, a noticeable crowd was gathering at Jazziz
at the Paradise Shops adjacent to the Seminole Hard Rock hotel.
The crowd
was made up of cigar smokers, some cigar makers and many cigar retailers,
coming together to celebrate the introduction of Alec Bradley's exquisite
new cigar line, Tempus. I say "...celebrate the introduction..." very
deliberately, because this was not a 'product launch' or a 'promotional
event.' This was pure hospitality by Alan Rubin, Ralph Montero, George
Sosa and all the Alec Bradley people...and, as such, they proved to be
excellent hosts; just as they are excellent cigar makers.
There were no speeches, no pitches, no slide shows...just conviviality and
fun. A true celebration, of a cigar, or a company, of cigar smokers.
I saw and spoke with many old friends and, speaking for myself...had a
great evening.
The evening was beautiful and the venue, a jazz club was very
accommodating, even though we could only smoke outside. Nonetheless, the
exterior was comfortable, with tables and chairs, high tables and stools,
and no one paid any attention to the usual inconvenience created by
Florida Law.
Arrival at Jazziz required the usual procedural matters: present your
ticket or pay for it there; get your "goodie bag," (which contained a
beautiful Alec Bradley tee shirt, copies of Wine Spectator and Cigar
Aficionado as well as Jazziz, the club's eponymous magazine, the requisite
baseball cap and a CD - Alec Bradley Mix and your fluorescent 'hospital'
wristband and move to another table to pick up your real gifts. A leather
two (2) stick case filled with excellent Tempus cigars and a paperboard
case filled with various Alec Bradley products including the Maxx,
Trilogy
and including their fabulous Tradition...a smoke I truly enjoy.
Olindo Zecca of Alec Bradley handing out leather cigar cases with
cigars included.
The goodies in the goodie bag
The formalities attended to, the fun began. We enjoyed drinks from Remy
Martin, excellent coffees from Nespresso and the fellowship of other
friends and fans of Alec Bradley.
The Remy Martin Serving Girls
Those of us who wished to, could have dinner, on our own dime - well, not
quite a dime - while enjoying Jessy J, a beautiful young lady, who
extraordinarily plays the jazz saxophone. And she played it superbly!
The guest mix was superb, embracing as it did other cigar makers - I spoke
with Nick Perdomo, looking dapper as ever, and accompanied by his tailor.
Nick and his lovely wife Janine were leaving the next day for their first
vacation in twelve (12) years. When I got home that evening, I fulfilled
Nick's request: sending him an e-mail with the names of some excellent
restaurants in Paris, Madrid, Rome, and the French Riviera. Also present
were Eddie Ortega and Erik Espinosa of the eponymous Espinosa y Ortega (EO Brands),
and Jose Oliva.{mosimage}
The cigar industry is much like the wine industry, in that these people
are competitors; but, at the same time they are friends and maintain
cordial relationships. Thus, the turn out for an evening like this is
always composed of other cigar makers.
A very appetizing variety of hors d'oeuvres and 'finger foods' were
purveyed by the wait staff all throughout the evening. Having missed
lunch, I indulged enthusiastically and frequently while not missing the
victuals ordered by Erik Espinosa who I sat with along with Eddie Ortega
and Raul Cruz, EO's Operations Manager. Their other associate, Alan Kaye,
spent some time with us and then rushed off to the casino, succumbing to
one of his many addictions!
Many well known and highly regarded South Florida retailers were there.
Abe Dababneh of Smoke Inn(s), with what looked like about fifteen (15) or
so of his customers and friends! I took the opportunity to look at a few
photos of Brandy and Abe's adorable new baby girl. She looks a lot like
Abe, but, on balance she resembles Brandy more. Lucky girl! Oded Ben Ari
of Mike's Cigars, George Valdes of Sabor Havana, Elena Artemendi of
Aficonados, all attended and enjoyed the evening. At events like these,
the ambience is something akin to a class reunion for people in the
industry.
I have to tell you that the much anticipated Tempus line lives up to its
pre-launch publicity. These are all beautiful, elegant sticks in a superb
wrapper grown 'somewhere' near the Honduran/Nicaraguan border...Alan Rubin
was not very specific! The cigars afford the smoker enchanting moments as
the complexity of the blend becomes apparent.
And...there's a vitola for
everyone: Corona (5.5 x 42), Robusto (5 x 50), Churchill (7 x 49), Torpedo
(6-1/8 x 52) and my favorite, the Lancero (7.5 x 41) - a little bigger
than the traditional 38 ring gauge. And what an elegant Lancero it
is...but then, that's what the Lancero is about!
On Friday, June 6th, House of Cigar in Columbus OH will be
hosting a fun-filled event to promote Altadis U.S.A.'s two Playboy cigar brands:
the original Playboy by Don Diego and the new Playboy cigar.
Highlighting the festivities will be a personal appearance by former
Playboy Playmate Sandra Hubby (Playboy Playmate of the Month March 2004),
who will greet customers and sign autographs. In addition, customers can take
advantage of special deals on the cigars. During event hours, from 4:00 to 8:00
PM, customers who purchase any three Playboy cigars will receive their choice of
one Playboy by Don Diego or one new Playboy cigar free. Featuring a
hand-selected Connecticut Shade wrapper, the elegant Playboy by Don Diego is a
richly aromatic, medium-bodied cigar. The stylish new Playboy is beautifully
constructed with a rare Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. It is a luxuriously
full-bodied smoke. Both cigars are handmade at the famed Tabacalera de García in
the Dominican Republic. Sandra Hubby Playboy Playmate March 2004
House of Cigar is located at 7099 Huntley Rd, #105, Columbus, Ohio 43229.
(614)848-6764.
------------------------
On Friday, June 13th, House of Cigar in Villa Park IL will be
hosting the Playboy Cigars event as well.
Highlighting the festivities will be a personal appearance by Playboy
Playmate A.J. Alexander, Miss May 2008, who will greet customers and sign
autographs. In addition, customers can take advantage of special deals on the
new smoke. During event hours, from 2:00 to 6:00 PM, customers will receive a
free Playboy cigar with the purchase of three.
Playboy Playmate A.J. Alexander, Miss May 2008
House of Cigar is located at 300 E. St. Charles Rd., Villa Park, IL 60181.
(630) 993-1234.
There
are probably more casual places you could go to light up than the Fumare Cigar
Lounge in Los Gatos - in fact, if laid-back is what you're looking for, try
Rocco's (81 E. San Fernando St. in downtown San Jose) - but you're not likely to
find a more elegantly clubby atmosphere in which to pass the time it takes to
burn through your seven-inch La Gloria Cubana. The cigar store has a good
selection of smokes and the accessories that cigar fans fuss over obsessively.
The real revelation is the smoking lounge, which is all burnished wood and
comfortable club chairs. Fumare's slightly wacky Web site suggests you might
"peruse the vintage book collection and retire to an intimate corner or take on
a challenger for a game of chess perchance." And if, perchance, it is thy wish
to torch a 'gar outside on a warm summer evening, there's a private patio
through a set of French doors.
There's a catch, and it's a big one: To get around local ordinances intended to
prevent smoking, Fumare turned itself into a private club, with memberships that
start at $10 per day, or $30 a month. But the club pays attention to details:
When you receive a box of wooden matches with your purchase, they're long enough
to get lit up after the sulfur head has burned away, so that noxious flavor
doesn't become part of the smoke.
There
are probably more casual places you could go to light up than the Fumare Cigar
Lounge in Los Gatos - in fact, if laid-back is what you're looking for, try
Rocco's (81 E. San Fernando St. in downtown San Jose) - but you're not likely to
find a more elegantly clubby atmosphere in which to pass the time it takes to
burn through your seven-inch La Gloria Cubana. The cigar store has a good
selection of smokes and the accessories that cigar fans fuss over obsessively.