Les is an avid cigar smoker and a significant part of our day was exploration of the area (Paradise Valley, Mesa, Camelback, etc) tobacconists, an exploration that both Les and I had done some research for.

It had been almost a decade since I’d been in the Phoenix area, and I remembered only one (1) shop - Churchill’s (www.churchillsaz.com). Well, they have grown to a group of five (5) tobacco emporiums, pretty much blanketing the area.

Our impetus being to experience as many places as possible we elected the Scottsdale (10300 N. Scottsdale Road – 480.922.9300) store and dropped in one afternoon around 3:00 PM. I remembered that Bart was the owner, but we were advised that Bart was at the Phoenix store. Be that as it may, Les and I settled into the comfortable little lounge area, where the young lady ‘in charge’ and another customer were chatting.

Les and I both selected something to smoke – which could easily have included a Davidoff, were I inclined to a mild, passive smoke, as they are Authorized Davidoff Merchants. Instead we selected something more likely to give our palates what Emeril Legasse always refers to as “Bam!” Les had a La Flor Dominicana while I indulged in a My Father.

The conversation picked up as we were joined by other clients and the coming and goings of still more. As in every such establishment, the ease of chatting with a total stranger is always aided by the simple question, “What are you smoking.”

We enjoyed the cigars, the conversation and the over all ambiance of this well stocked, nicely laid out shop and lounge and subsequently took our leave to head back to the De Asis hacienda to relax, check e-mails and get ready for dinner. As we drove back to Les’ we were reviewing our options for the next day. This was Thursday, the day of my arrival. Friday was to prove extraordinarily interesting thanks to a tip from my friend Jose Ortega, Vice President of Sales, at Reyes Family Cigars (né Puros Indios).

Friday, after a couple of hours in the pool – as the ambient temperature rose to 102° - but, not to worry, there’s no humidity! I have developed a theory that it is the humidity that keeps our skin from being burned off – we drove over to a very interesting, almost turn-of-the-century (the last century) looking place called Big Sticks (1017 North Dobson Road, #106, Mesa, AZ 85201 – 480.668.6099 – www.SmokeMoreCigars.com).

With this ‘old fashioned’ look to it, this shop had all the amenities including a pool table, lockers, a walk-in humidor replete with everything you could thing of, from A to Z - and, by the way, that’s how it was arranged on the shelves – from Avo to Zino! The lounge area was very comfortable and the place had its, obvious, fans as it was well stocked with regular customers when Les and I arrived. The walls were replete with classic old enamelled metal signs and above the lockers were some fabulous cigar quotations that I, alas, did not make note of!

We sat for a couple of hours – smoking, of course – and chatting with one of the clients who had settled into the same lounge area we had chosen (There are a few distinct areas in which to congregate) before we rose and departed.

A quick stop at Cigar King (7830 East Gelding Drive, Scottsdale, AZ – 480.214.0238 – www.cigarking.com), found us in a small, well stocked refuge with comfortable seating, amenities (plasmas wherever you looked) and accommodating people such as Mitch, the owner.

We chatted briefly, enjoyed the conviviality of other patrons and smoked a couple of Espinosa y Ortega’s 601 Oscuro (Green label) Corona, and beat a path to our next stop.

Little did we know that our next and last stop on Friday afternoon would take us to the piece de resistance of tobacconists in the greater Phoenix area, and perhaps in a much wider geographic area!

I say, “Friday afternoon” because that is when we arrived at Ambassador Fine Cigars (4912 East Shea Boulevard, #108, Scottsdale, AZ 85254 – 408.905.100 – www.ambassadorfinecigars.com), but it was not until about 9:30 PM when we finally departed – determined to make a return visit on Saturday.

With a lounge area in front, for all their clients, and a private, membership club in the back…separated by a substantial walk-in humidor, displays of lighters, cases, humidors, cutters and various other accessories – plus, the finest selection of pipes I have seen anywhere in decades; Ambassador Fine Cigars reminded me of London.

All that, and the fact that proprietor, Vartan Seferian and his associate, Dell Cohen were both dressed in suit and tie!

Vartan, clearly of the ‘old school’ is part of that extensive coterie of Armenians that have infused the cigar industry with elegance and culture. Think Avo Uvezian, Edward Sahakian (Davidoff London), Raffik Aboulian (Raffi’s in Geneva, Switzerland), Gerard, père et fils, (Geneva, Switzerland), Anto Kamarian (Cigars by Chivas, Pasadena, CA), Dr. Garo Bouldoukian, whose Garo cigars are found in California and Europe. He’s too busy with his medical practice to really devote himself to commerce!

We greeted each other, I introduced Les and Vartan and I entered the humidor, where I quickly picked up a My Father toro. At that point, Vartan said, “I want you to try something.” And showed me a box of Vartan cigars…there were natural boxes and dark boxes. I made the correct assumption that the box colour related to the wrapper, and selected a Vartan “Zoravar” Belicoso.

Yes, this was Ambassador’s ‘house blend.’ The only similarity it bears to other tobacconists’ ‘house blends’ or ‘house brands’ is the nomenclature. In most instances, such cigars are acquired for buck and sold for five bucks! Not so here. I don’t know what Vartan pays for them, but at $17.00 this was no stick from an old Cuban roller on ‘Calle Ocho.’ I was later informed, after I raved about the rich, complex, full bodied smoke, that Vartan had blended this with the über blender and cigar maker, Hendrik “Henke” Kelner!

The cigar I chose had filler that included three (3) Dominican ligero leaves with an Ecuador sun grown binder and an Ecuador wrapper, and a Nicaraguan grown Cuban seed Corojo.

By way of explanation about the “Zoravar” under label, Vartan Zoravar was an Armenian military commander, and hero. “The strong man,” as he was known protected Christian Armenia from the Zoroastrians, and he and his men were later canonized.

So much for history…back to the joy of cigars and Ambassador Fine cigars. The private club, The Embassy Club, is equipped with lockers, a few poker tables, and comfortable chairs, plenty of ashtrays and the requisite flat screens as well as a kitchen that members avail themselves of, as if in their own homes.

The table games of poker and pitch take place in private, away from the eyes and ears of other customers, unlike some shops I know that think everybody should be exposed to these activities. As a matter of fact, there is a regular Friday evening game that takes place at 7:00 PM – after Vartan has locked the front door!

Vartan played, but being an educated, astute gent, he kept up a conversation with Les and me…ably multi-tasking to keep everyone happy and involved.

The clientele we met were, like all fine cigar aficionados, of diverse backgrounds, occupations and professions. The one thing they had in common was good conversation, interesting lives and a pleasant, convivial manner.

Les and I enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, and when we left at 9:30 PM, we were determined to return Saturday; which we did for a couple of hours. Les has been back several times since I left Scottsdale!

Shame on me! I wrote about three (3) of the oldest tobacconists in America and neglected to mention one that I have enjoyed all my adult life: Demuth’s in Lancaster, PA (114 East King Street – 717.397.6613 – www.demuthtobaccoshop.com). I first visited Demuth in 1964 when visiting a friend in nearby Neffsville, PA.

Founded in 1770…yes, six years before our Republic was founded! Talk about staying power!

It remained in the family’s hands for five generations, until Dorothea Demuth, wife of Christopher, who died in 1976, inherited the shop. She continued to run it, but in 1986 – to assure its continued existence, she sold it to the Demuth Foundation.

Like any shop with such a pedigree, it has catered to its share of celebrities, not limited to, but including President James Buchanan.

Cigars, pipes, accessories all purveyed to a very satisfied clientele for two hundred and thirty-nine (239) years now! What a ride.

A promise by Pete Johnson (Tatuaje, La Riqueza), to Tim Carr, Manager of Famous Smoke Shop (1100 Conroy Place, Easton, PA 18040 – 800.564.2486 – www.famous-smoke.com), to attend Famous’ Cigar Expo in June has, apparently been reneged on by Pete. This has now led to a challenge to a boxing match! I’d have to think there is more behind this than just a ‘change of plans’ by Pete.

Be that as it may, it has garnered a great deal of attention, and, if it is at all possible, and my schedule allows it – I’ll be heading for Easton, PA to attend the Expo and witness the fisticuffs. Of course, I’m not going to make any promise about this to Tim, least I be faced with the prospect of having to step into the ring with him!

Stogie’s (London Square), in a part of Miami, Fl (1305 S.W. 137^th Avenue, Miami, FL 33186 – 305.233.8585) that is like a foreign country to me – but, then, what part of Miami isn’t a foreign country, was opened not so long ago by my friend, Mario Sirulnik, founder/owner of Stogie’s in Kendall, FL (11612 S.W. 88^th Street, Miami, FL 33176 – 305.598.9820 – www.stogiesfinecigars.com)

I visited the new store, finally, having missed the Grand Opening out of sheer laziness, with my friend Jim Pendergast a couple of weeks ago. Mario was there and we settled into the lounge for a conversation, a good cigar and some great cortadito (coffee with sweet - condensed – milk, a Cuban confection). Conversation with Mario is always interesting and stimulating. Like me, you are never in doubt of where Mario is ‘coming from.’

The store is bright and airy with a nicely laid out and well appointed lounge in the rear. Mario was quick to inform me that he had just succeeded in obtaining his full liquor license – no easy task in Miami-Dade County. Hell, a beer and wine license can be difficult enough. Just ask Alejandro Alcorta of Puros Fine Cigars!

Mario also pointed out some of his plans for additions to the lounge area, while talking humidification and smoke extraction with Jim. This is the area of Jim’s expertise – he is, perhaps, the foremost expert on the subject, and has done design and/or systems installation at tobacconists across the globe.

Like Stogie’s in Kendall. The shop has a complete and impressive inventory. And still, he’ll have those odd balls that will walk through the shop; look at 600+ open boxes on the shelves – and leave without buying a stick! Every tobacconist experiences it; but, I seem to be the only person it baffles and annoys!

Henry “Kiki” Berger, perhaps, better known now for his Cuban Crafters humidors and cutters, etc, is one of the finest tobacco growers and cigar makers in Nicaragua. He makes cigars for his own company and a plethora of brands for others. Not only that, but Kiki, who had problems with his kidneys, and was given one by his wife; has built a dialysis clinic in Nicaragua, because he’s a very decent man who understands one has to ‘give back to the community.’

The other day, I spent about five (5) hours at his huge emporium (3604 N.W. 7^th Street, Miami, FL 33125 – 305.573.0222 – www.cubancrafters.com) chatting with Kiki, his Vice President, Albert Nogara and a few of his other associates.

I also had the pleasure smoking one, no; make that several of his fuller bodied J. L. Salazar cigars. I enjoyed it tremendously and was extremely grateful for the box Alberto gave me when I departed at 11:15 PM after a couple of hours in the lounge drinking a terrific Malbec! Thank you Kiki, Albert and José.

Every now and then, a bizarre piece of advertising copy pique’s my curiosity. Explain this to me “CEO of cigars.”

Who is Don Gonzalez, and what does “From our family to yours,” mean? Who is his family? Has he concocted a history of four (4) or five (5) generations of tobacco growing, vega owning in Cuba, to support his mediocre cigar?

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