It’s always been a pleasure to kick back with a cigar in a comfortable bar. But with smoking laws tightening across America, it’s becoming a rare experience.

In recent years however, cigar lovers have found a way to preserve the luxury of indoor smoking, and it’s come in the form of cigar lounges.  While many of these havens have been running since the early 90s, they’re now one of the few places smokers can still enjoy the bar experience without having to ditch their sticks. From cosy, comfortable cigar houses to sophisticated cocktail lounges, there are a range of places across you can still enjoy a cigar indoors...

Excalibur Cigar and Wine Lounge

Want to try a cigar you can’t get your hands on anywhere else? California’s Excalibur Cigar Lounge has developed its own private blend for cigar lovers to enjoy within its specially designed smokers sanctuary. With a dark, slightly oily wrap, and notes of leather, black pepper and dark chocolate, La Espada epitomises Excalibur’s dark, luxurious decor. The big, black leather chairs and perfectly-aligned wooden cigar lockers all exude relaxation and refinement. Boasting the largest walk-in humidor in San Diego, there’s a wide range of brands to be enjoyed from Fuente Fuente Opus X and Rocky Patel to Macanudo and Davidoff. Rows of pine shelves hold small wooden boxes bearing the crests of the world’s finest cigars, and the lounge also serves up a selection of beers, wines and micro brews for the complete sip and smoke experience.

For sports fans, the lounge shows all the big games on its wall-to-wall plasma and flat-screens - so it’s one of the few places you can still enjoy a smoke while you’re watching that all-important match. It’s a non-pretentious place where you can let the world go by, play a bit of poker and hang-out with friends. If you’re pushed for time they’ll even let you bring your lunch and use the Wi-Fi - a great way to liven up the average lunch break!

The Occidental Cigar Club
Brandishing the slogan, ‘This is not a health club’, the Occidental Cigar Club was set up by a dry-humoured bunch who promise to provide a place where you can smoke without being, and I quote, imprisoned or stoned. Serving cigars since 2001, this San Francisco smokers haunt offers premium brand stogies and personal humidors to rent. It’s a no-nonsense social spot with a large choice of wine and spirits where you’re sure to be surrounded by good banter and great characters.

Velvet Cigar Lounge

This New York lounge is home of boutique brand Velvet - and the cosy bar lives up to its warm, eclectic expectations. Welcoming both connoisseurs and novices with open arms, the bijou little building is draped in thick, orange fabric and drenched in pools of golden light. It’s a sociable place totally devoted to cigar smoking, though you can bring your own booze for an $8 dollar fee. Serving up a range of both boutique and internationally renowned cigars, it also sells the entire collection of hand-rolled Velvets, inspired by the creative, laid-back life of New Yorkers.

And, if you’re planning on hosting a ridiculously suave party, the Velvet Lounge is available for rent and is fast becoming home to some of the most unique, cigar-filled affairs in the Big Apple.