Cigar boxes have been around for hundreds of years. During that time, they have evolved from very utilitarian to resembling works of art. Some smokers covet the beautiful packaging the cigars come in more than the cigars themselves. Demeatria Powell, the owner of Smokin Lashes, LLC and creator of the original Boxbags, saw the opportunity in creating something beautiful and fashionable for sisters of the leaf.
What Happens to Empty Cigar Boxes?
Cigar boxes, which are often made of cedarwood, have a sturdy design. So, cigar boxes have long been good places to store odds and ends of all sorts. That includes paperwork, baseball cards, photos, and just about anything else. For competitive and aesthetic reasons, cigar boxes have grown more ornate. This only increases the desirability to keep them around the house long after the cigars are gone. In fact, some boxes have even risen to the level of collectibles. eBay has thousands of listings for empty cigar boxes for sale, but that’s not all. Cigar boxes have also been repurposed into completely different items, including guitars and now handbags.
Meet Demeatria Powell, Owner of Smokin’ Lashes LLC
One Sister of the Leaf from Atlanta, Demeatria Powell, has taken cigar boxes to a whole new level. She repurposes them as “Boxbags” or fashion accessories that might replace a purse or handbag. Demeatria has turned Boxbags into a business and developed quite a following. So, Cigar Life Guy caught up with her in the following interview.
Cigar Life Guy: What is a Boxbag?
Demeatria Powell: A Boxbag is a sophisticated version of a woman’s purse made from an authentic cigar box. Like many women’s handbags, Boxbags come in different sizes, styles, and designs. I also designed an Ashbox. It’s basically the male version of Boxbags, but it’s tailored to BOTL.
CLG: How did you start Smokin Lashes? Is there a story behind it?
DP: I started Smokin Lashes LLC in February 2018. It originally focused on makeup and eyelash installation. However, once COVID-19 hit, I had to reinvent my business. I wanted to find a way to capture the growing presence of women in the cigar industry, which has become such an integral part of my life.
I have to give special thanks to my Leaflife Network family, especially two of the owners of Leaflife Lounge (Ellenwood GA) Kelvin Robinson Sr and Calvin Robinson. They encouraged me to use my creative talents and allowed me to utilize the increasing number of cigar boxes on hand at the lounge. That’s how the Boxbag started!
Smokers Like Boxbags from Favorite Brands
CLG: Have certain styles proved to be more popular? What makes a good Boxbag?
DP: I’ve found most of my customers, which are predominately Sisters of the Leaf, like a Boxbag with additional accessories. That might be a scarf, sparkling stones, sequence, beads, or jewelry that makes it stand out. The Boxbag carries a unique design from the handle or strap chosen to the clasp used to open and close it. It also includes custom lining and various decorative flare inside.
The cigar box itself is important. It should be sturdy and eye-catching. The brand of the box is very important to many customers wanting to represent the brand they are loyal to. I’ve started the hashtag #️carrywhatyousmoke on social in response to the desire ladies have to carry their brand as a bag. Simply put, the Boxbag is beautiful inside and out. It’s definitely a conversation starter and compliments the inner “Boss Lady” in all of us.
CLG: How many Boxbags are custom requests vs. premade from inventory? How long do custom orders typically take?
DP: Seventy-five percent of sales come from premade Boxbags. I use my creative talents to ensure each Boxbag is desirable. It typically takes 7-10 days to complete and ship a custom Boxbag.
BoxBags on Social Media
CLG: How do you market your business or how do your customers find you?
DP: With social media at everyone’s fingertips, that is the main source of my marketing. Additionally, I receive customer referrals, which is at least 30% of my new customer orders. It is exciting is to see Boxbags are attracting ladies across age groups. That includes women who do not regularly smoke cigars.
CLG: Where do you get the empty cigar boxes you use as your raw materials?
DP: The popularity of cigar lounges in the Atlanta area has left no shortages of cigar boxes. I travel near and far to collect potential boxes for my creations.
Want to learn more about Smokin Lashes LLC? Reach out through social messaging:
Disclosure: From time-to-time, Cigar Life Guy will highlight innovative businesses in the cigar community. This is not an advertisement. Cigar Life Guy is not affiliated with Smoking Lashes LLC. It receives no compensation for any products sold or referred by this article, nor is it responsible for any purchases made.
Few things in the cigar world evoke such disparate reactions more than “infused” or flavored cigars. Retail shops and cigar lounges relegate infused cigars to separate humidors from “traditional” cigars. Additionally, purists often scoff at them and consider them as inferior in quality and taste. But make no mistake, infused cigars have crept into the premium space largely due to the pioneers at Drew Estate.
The Rebirth of Drew Estate Cigars
Twenty-five years ago, Pulp Fiction burst upon the movie screens and Drew Estate made a similar garish debut shortly thereafter. Flavored cigars were nothing new. In fact, cigars have been dipped in rum or other spirits for as long as they have existed. Unlike mass-produced, cheaply flavored cigars with cut-rate tobacco, the brand set out to launch the “Rebirth of Cigars,” by creating premium infused cigars with its Acid line.
A Recipe as Secret as the Colonel’s
The original Acid Kuba Kuba is a heady, medium-bodied, and exotically flavored cigar, not for the faint of heart. It’s definitely not something you want in your humidor next to your prized Cubans, since cigars readily absorb flavors. The Acid line was an immediate blockbuster and became the backbone of Drew Estate. It has several variations of infusions that take on different nuances in the various sizes, ranging from cigarillo to torpedo.
Twentieth Anniversary Benchmark
To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the line, Drew Estate created a special blend of ultra-premium tobaccos and gave them a subtle infusion. Then, the boutique brand box-pressed its anniversary cigars to represent the pinnacle of the brand. The finished product resulted in a lush, full-bodied smoke. If this is any indication of what’s in store for the upcoming twenty-fifth-anniversary release, aficionados of infused cigars should start rejoicing.
The Rebirth of Cigars Continues
Drew Estate expanded beyond infused cigars and into the traditional premium space with the Liga Privada and Undercrown lines. The Liga Privada Number 9 remains one of the most coveted and difficult cigars to acquire in the United States. The careful attention to the construction and blending of the Liga or Acid lines is why other top producers added their own infused lines. Imitation, after all, is the most sincere form of flattery.
Swisher Sweets and Drew Estate
When Swisher International acquired Drew Estate in 2014, the acquisition created two, unique smoking experiences. Swisher, the home of the mass-produced, omnipresent flavored Swisher Sweets cigars remained in every deli and gas station across the country. They became the upscale boutique side of the business with its premium, infused cigars. This formed the perfect match. Swisher International’s size allowed Drew Estate to grow its capital while scaling economies across many functions. Additionally, the union also granted better access to distribution as well as advanced cigar-making technology.
A Word from the Founder
Jonathan Drew, the founder of Drew Estate, is an icon among the “new wave” of cigar makers. He remains firmly involved in the day-to-day operations of all the Drew Estate lines. When asked about his vision for the future and his favorite smokes, he responded, “We set out to create the ‘rebirth of cigars,’ which we did in our own fashion. I have the luxury of lighting up an ultra-premium Liga Privada ‘Year of the Rat,’ or my current obsession, which is the Pappy Van Winkle Barrel infused line. Drew Estate makes everything with the same attention to quality or detail. We wanted to make sure that the true aficionados relaxing in cigar lounges would have options that satisfied all palates.”
Jonathan Drew remarks, via Jack Heyer, Drew Estate Director of Social Media December 2020
David Bowie’s nickname was the “Thin White Duke” for a reason. Like David Bowie, Lancero cigars are also thin and noble in stature and deserve the recognition of every serious cigar smoker. The trend towards large, brawny ring gauges continues to be embraced by cigar makers. However, Lanceros remain the distinguished smoker’s cigar of choice.
What is a Lancero?
The Spanish word “Lanceros” translates to “lancers,” and is evocative of the lances that horse-mounted knights used. Long and slender, the official Cuban cigar factory dimensions are a ring gauge of 38 and 7 ½ inches long. Cigarillos are small but not thin cigars. Panatelas, according to classification, encompass ALL thin cigars, which include Lanceros. However, only a gran (long) panatela is considered a Lancero.
When Did Lancero Cigars Become Popular?
Lancero cigars are somewhat similar in proportions to a cigarette. However, they have not been around as long. Lanceros are relatively new and were a creation specifically made for Fidel Castro in 1960. In fact, these El Laguito Number 1 cigars came into being shortly after the Cohiba brand became established. Such was their demand that Castro commissioned the Cohiba Trinidad. The Lanceros then became a much sought-after trophy cigar only used for diplomatic gifting.
Imitation is the Most Sincere Form of Flattery.
Cigar giant Davidoff was the first major producer to follow in Cohiba’s footsteps and continue to make Lanceros after moving from Cuba to the Dominican Republic. For decades, they were the only non-Cuban producer to continue with Lanceros in their portfolio. Today, as tastes continue to favor the larger ring gauges of big smokes, only a few elite brands offer the traditional Lancero.
How Do Lancero Cigars Smoke?
Size does make the difference, and Lanceros are the polar opposites of their big gauged brethren such as Torpedoes and Churchills. With the larger cigars, the flavor is produced by a significant amount of filler. Therefore, producers must pay careful attention to the tobacco blend. With Lanceros, the wrapper is the most important component, since there is little filler to overpower it.
You Get What You Pay For
The one complaint with Lanceros is they often become “plugged” or hard to draw because of their construction. This is why most lounges or retail outlets only carry the best producers who pay careful attention to build and proper storage. It also means that Lanceros can be expensive.
Taste Says it All
True connoisseurs want to taste the tobacco and know about the farm or Finca from where it came. And, that’s who you’ll find enjoying the Lanceros most often. The wrapper’s taste is the tobacco leaf in its purest form. Some of the newer, top producers like Alec Bradley and Oliva have offered Lanceros as an expression of the quality and purity of their tobacco and wrapper combinations. Carlos Fuente Jr. says the Lanceros offers the best size of cigars that Fuente makes. Additionally, he favors the Opus X Lancero, primarily due to the purity of its flavor.
True Aficionados Love Lancero Cigars
For many cigar makers and smokers with distinguished palates, the Lancero is the cigar of choice. Some feel the size tends toward “effeminate”– they have been the occasional cigar of choice by Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. However, you can also spot country singer Brad Paisley with them, and claiming their size doesn’t affect his singing as much. Even though celebrities may make certain cigars seem trendy, one thing is certain – the classics are here to stay, and Lanceros are true classics.
Famous comedian and cigar lover Groucho Marx once said, “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.” Yet, with the complete benefits packages offered by either a public or private cigar lounge membership for the avid smoker, Groucho might have reconsidered.
Cigar Lounge Membership Benefits
For an annual fee, the best cigar lounges offer a relaxing environment for you to smoke in style. A key feature of most memberships is not paying “cutting fees” to smoke cigars (you can bring your own vs. buying from the humidor). Memberships solve the dilemma for retailers that need revenue but also understand many cigar smokers like to enjoy sticks purchased elsewhere. Climate-controlled private lockers allow you to safely store your daily cigars or the rare trophies saved for a special occasion. Lounges have a way of becoming a home away from home. Excellent ventilation systems make them an ideal place when it’s too cold to smoke in your backyard.
How to Enjoy the Cigar Lounge Lifestyle
True aficionados already have a home humidor to store their favorite smokes safely. A membership with a cigar locker means you can pop in and listen to some killer new music or watch a game without leaving a lingering stench in your improperly ventilated home. Ideally, stored cigars mean lighting up is easy, with no concern about dried-out or exploded tips. The lounge vibe is essential; you need to feel comfortable if you are the only person smoking or when the place is packed.
Cigar Lounge Membership Privileges
In addition to perfect storage, most lounges offer significant discounts on retail products, including hard-to-find cigars and new releases. Some clubs allow you to store a bottle of cognac or your spirit of choice for sipping or purchase a bottle of liquor at a discounted rate, depending on local regulations. Exclusive invitations to sold-out, cigar-friendly events always go to members first.
Cigar Lounge Friendships
One of the most significant reasons for membership is the ability to interact with other cigar lovers. There is no better way to broaden your smoking palate than by trading and sharing cigars with other members. Cigar smoking is a very social enterprise. Dying to try that new box-pressed cigar? Curious about that trendy European cigarillo? Share what’s in your locker.
What’s in it for the lounge?
Cigar lounge owners work hard to keep their members happy. Loyal members typically take advantage of retail discounts, which means the opportunity to expand product offerings to a target-rich audience. Membership fees also create a regular recurring revenue stream for owners and, at launch, can provide an owner with a nice short-term cash flow bump. Happy members invite new members. Nothing begets success like a packed club, and celebrity sightings are common. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, among others, have lockers in the high-end Grand Havana Room in Los Angeles.
Cigar Lounge Membership Cost
Much like a gym membership, you typically pay monthly. Most memberships are less than a thousand dollars yearly, with many under five hundred per year, but elite clubs may charge ten times that amount. The cost varies considerably based on local market demand and geography. Like the gym, it only makes sense if you use it. So, location is a crucial factor.
Is It Worth the Cost?
Deciding if a membership is worth the cost is an individual decision. For many, regular membership pays for itself in a few months, mainly when you visit regularly. If you want to bring your cigars (avoiding cut fees) or the establishment allows you to buy liquor at discounted rates, the savings represent one of the best deals a cigar smoker can find. Conversely, it might not be a good deal if you don’t think you’ll often go to the place, even if it is relatively inexpensive. You’d be financially ahead by paying full price when you visit. The best advice is to visit a few times and determine if you like the place and whether you could make it a second home before shelling out the membership fee. If you do, then visit often and enjoy!
Editors note: Membership features will vary significantly at every establishment, as will the costs and billing practices. In addition, some features, including alcohol, are unavailable in some areas due to local laws. This is meant to provide an overview of what typical memberships entail. Before joining, ensure you understand a cigar lounge membership’s costs, features, and rules.
Longevity in Hollywood is a novel idea reserved for a rarefied few. Nevertheless, some actors like Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, and Sylvester Stallone have managed to be box office staples for decades. Add to that list of long-time screen stars and cigar lovers Kurt Russell. Russell has entered his sixth decade on the big screen and shows no signs of stopping.
The Tarantino Effect
Twenty-five years ago, Quentin Tarantino made Pulp Fiction and reinvigorated the careers of John Travolta and Bruce Willis. It also solidified cigar lover Samuel L. Jackson as one lousy mother! In Tarantino’s recent release, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, Kurt Russell reunited with Quentin Tarantino. He gave a tour de force performance that garnered more attention than his lead role in Tarantino’s Hateful Eight less than a decade earlier.
In the Beginning, There Was Kurt Russell
Russell’s first movie role at age 12 was kicking Elvis Presley in the shins in It Happened at the World’s Fair. At 13, he played the lead in The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, his first (in an eventual string of Westerns.) Kurt Russel has enjoyed a star turn in every decade of his career, portraying a steady flow of well-known, rugged leading man roles.
Action Figures
Some actors quickly point out their wall of Oscars and other awards. However, Russell is proud that he now has nine action figures based on characters from his roles. The most recent was from his role as “Ego” in the Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. More than any Oscar, these action figures show how much his audiences love him!
Smokes On and Off-Screen
In Escape From L.A., there is a joke that he has no choice but to smoke cigarillos because he can’t find cigarettes. In Tombstone, he deftly lights a cigar while running a poker game. Then, in The Hateful Eight, he enjoys a pipe throughout the movie, despite being chained to a prisoner. Tobacco, in some form, always makes its way on-screen for Russell. He believes that sometimes the cigar, or pipe, is essential to the character. He should know; he’s played over 100 characters!
What Does Kurt Russell Smoke Off Screen?
Russell admits he is not a daily smoker but proudly boasts he has never turned down a cigar. He loves the relaxed time and Zen-like experience that comes with smoking one. The ability to have a civilized conversation in a cushy lounge while enjoying a well-made, mild Cuban cigar is an absolute treat that he relishes.
Where Does Russell Go From Here?
Kurt Russell has been the savior of New York and Los Angeles, a rugged sheriff bringing law and order to Tombstone, a fire captain, Santa Claus, and even a space god. Yet, with a career spanning sixty years and every possible leading man role, he is STILL excited about going to work. He has long been lauded for his tireless work effort, something he got from his father, who said, “Show up and do the work.” Since then, Russell has been doing precisely that for sixty years and is looking forward to his next role, which he hopes will inspire a new action figure for his collection.
When you think of a cigarillo, often the image that comes to mind is Clint Eastwood chewing on a tiny cheroot. Or a distinguished cigar slightly bigger than a cigarette carried in an exquisite silver case, a la James Bond. Whatever you envisage, there is more to cigarillos than meets the eye!
Where Did Cigarillos Originate?
The literal Spanish translation of “cigarillo” is “little cigar.” Given Spain’s early domination of the cigar market, it is assumed that cigarillos were a Spanish invention. The first recorded mention of a cigarillo was in the 1830s. Their real popularity didn’t catch on until almost a century later. Then, rules were enforced to ensure they were hand-rolled and maintained specific size and shape ratios.
The Golden Age of Cigarillos
The influx of European blockbusters hit American cinemas in the 1950s. Then, the American cigar-smoking public fell in love with the jaunty, quick little smokes featured on screen. They enjoyed tremendous popularity in Europe, particularly among the working class who smoked one during a lunch break. Their popularity waned in the 1960s through the 1980s, though. This was mostly due to aggressive American cigarette industry marketing campaigns.
Are Cigarillos Made Different From Cigars?
Today, cigarillo makers create these little smokes, most often using machines. The cigars of many leading brands feature an all-tobacco wrapper. However, these same cigars may also contain up to 25% cellulose in their homogenized binder. Although purists often scoff at the homogenized binder, it provides a more even burn when lit. It also is what makes cigarillos a very cost-effective smoke! While there are no specifics for the size and shape, typical cigarillos are between three and four inches long. They also offer a slight taper, not to be confused with torpedoes.
Can You Taste the Difference?
Because of their small size, cigarillos offer a perfect, quick smoke. In fact, they are often flavored and used as an after-dinner “snack” in lieu of dessert. Henri Winterman’s Café Crème cigarillo is one of the top-selling brands in the world. Duty-free airport shops often feature it. In the United States, Swisher Sweets have been a longtime favorite. They are often featured in TV Westerns and on the big screen as the smoke of choice by gruff leading men.
The Renaissance of Little Smokes
High-end smoking lounges are embracing these little trophy cigars. Many cigar smokers enjoy the ability to smoke several little treats for the same time it would take to smoke a massive Churchill! Better production from smaller, independent cigar makers has been at the forefront of the cigarillos’ popularity in the States. Europe, however, remains the top-selling market, with almost 45% of cigars sold in Belgium alone being cigarillos.
Cigarillos Are Growing in Popularity
Cigarillos have captured a fast-growing segment of the cigar-smoking population: female smokers. With pop superstars like Rihanna and Shakira seen smoking them, it’s not hard to see why. The advent of flavored cigarillos has become quite popular as options at bachelorette parties and weddings. They offer a sort of his and her option for those who want a lighter, flavored smoke. The quality and consistency continue to improve, carving out more space and certainty for these little smokes. Cigarillos will continue to occupy a prominent niche in the cigar market for cigar lovers wanting a quick, easy smoke.
Very few actors have so embedded themselves in the cultural zeitgeist that the mere mention of the character’s name can describe a person in a situation. Rocky will forever be every scrappy underdog. Rambo will always be the wronged person taking justice into their own hands. Both of these characters belong to one of Hollywood’s living legends. He is a brother of the leaf and a man who goes by the nickname “Sly:” Cigar lover Sylvester Stallone.
The Underdog Endures
Never contented with being a background player or an extra, Stallone busted out in 1976 with the Oscar-winningRocky, which he wrote. Rather than sell the rights and let someone else play the eponymous role, he stuck to his guns and got his way. After a few sequels, Stallone was a household name. Five decades later, the Rocky saga continues to breathe new life into the franchise, with Stallone passing the torch to Michael B. Jordan.
Action Heroes of the ’80s
The 1980s was a golden decade for brawny action movies. Careers of action heroes like Stallone, good friend, and cigar enthusiast Arnold Schwarzeneggerlaunched into orbit. First, Stallone’s portrayal of the PTSD-suffering soldier cum vigilante John Rambo in the Rambo series became a fixture on the big screen. Then, four decades later, they cashed in with The Expendables franchise poking fun at the aging action heroes.
A New Brother of the Leaf is Born
Stallone was no stranger to cigarettes. That’s particularly true when he struggled with his acting career in the 70s. Sylvester Stallone’s smoking habit dates back to when he was 12. Time, however, has a funny way of changing and transforming our habits. In Stallone’s case, you might even call it an epiphany.
When he filmed FIST, he discovered a love for cigars that would stretch across time and maybe even the cosmos. But, more importantly, he also found a transformation effect the cigars had on him and his different roles. Then, this brother of the leaf fell in love with fine cigars and the cigar lifestyle. What’s notable to remember, though, is that his role in FIST offers a rare glimpse of Stallone pictured on-screen with one of the cigars he has become known for.
Quiet on the Set!
Like many other fine actors, Stallone is known for mingling with fellow actors and cigar aficionados on the set. Carl Weathers, best known for his role as Apollo Creed in Rocky, credits Stallone for introducing him to cigars. Another well-known actor and cigar lover, Arnold Schwarzenegger, appeared with Stallone in The Expendables. Off-screen, however, the two are rumored to have had cigar-smoking sessions that were nothing less than renowned. Finally, during the filming of Copland, Stallone also enjoyed some great smokes with another well-known cigar aficionado – Robert DeNiro.
What Does a Legendary Brother of the Leaf Smoke?
Stallone’s love of cigars runs coast to coast deep, literally. He keeps several well-stocked humidors in both his homes – on the East Coast and the West Coast. Like any well-supplied humidor, all contain a broad range of trophy cigars. However, his favorite cigar remains the rare Fuente Opus X. He prefers to smoke at night. During the day, Stallone smokes a different kind of cigar, with his preferences tending toward a minor smoke similar in size to a Robusto. Yet, if you ask him which cigar is his favorite during the day, he’ll likely name the Partagas Series D Number 4.
No Rest for the Weary
Sylvester Stallone has spent five decades in his acting career, but don’t worry. He’s certainly not showing any signs that he’s ready to slow down anytime soon. However, you’ll often find him relaxing with a fine cognac and a cigar at the end of the day. He picked up the game of golf late in life and loved its philosophical aspects. Plus, it’s a perfect time for this brother of the leaf to smoke a few of his favorites. Even though he struggled at golf initially, like everything else in his life, he refused to quit. He continues to live by his mantra to keep pursuing and being what he calls a “positive pest.” That work ethic shows no sign of wavering!
Try to name a Hollywood blockbuster in which Samuel L. Jackson hasn’t appeared! It’s an impossible task. When you talk about the hardest-working men in showbiz, several names come to mind. However, very few can match Jackson’s work since bursting onto the scene in his first film, Together for Days, in 1972. Fifty years later, he’s showing no signs of stopping, and he’s still smoking his favorite full-bodied cigars, among others.
Samuel L. Jackson Dominates the Big Screen
Samuel L. Jackson has become a fixture on small and big screens. Whether doing Capital One commercials or in any variation of comic book movie, he’s out there! But, like in real life, the odds are pretty good when it comes to the big screen; you will find him smoking something. Jackson has been smoking cigars religiously for years, having transitioned from cigarettes. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that many of his co-stars have also been avid cigar smokers!
Full-Bodied Cigars on the Big Screen?
You know, the times have changed when Jackson plays a scientist in Jurassic Park who smokes a cigarette while working. Less than three years later, he played a boxing promoter (loosely based on cigar aficionado Don King) with a cigar as a fixture. Likewise, he enjoys a cigar and cognac in Django Unchained. However, a trophy cigar is not a prop for the man who is the highest-grossing actor of all time at almost $6 Billion in Box Office receipts.
Full-Bodied Cigars or Big Ring Gauge?
When you reach that level of success, you can afford to have more than a few trophy cigars in your humidor. Like Jackson’s wild fashion choices, he is not afraid to make a splash with a big ring gauge cigar. Cuban trophy cigars like Cohiba Behikes and Romeo and Julieta Gran Churchills have been favorites. However, he is not married to any single brand, having been photographed smoking Montecristos, Davidoffs, and Rocky Patels. He is neither shy about full-bodied cigars, often favoring rich, oily Maduros.
Samuel L. Jackson has Some Great Friends
Cigar lovers tend to travel in packs. It doesn’t hurt when your fellow cigar lovers are work colleagues. Playing Nick Fury in the Avengers movies means being on set with cigar lovers Chris Pratt, Robert Downey Jr., and Don Cheadle, among others. There are stories about legendary smoke-outs after shooting and trying to steal each other’s trophy cigars during busy filming. On the golf course, he sometimes plays and smokes Cuban cigars through rounds with none other than Michael Jordan. It’s good to be friends with Samuel L. Jackson.
You Can’t Stop Nick Fury
As he enters his fifth decade of acting, Jackson shows no signs of slowing down. The Nick Fury origin story is in the works, and there is talk of doing a sequel to the cult classic Snakes on a Plane. He also always remains a favored muse for Quentin Tarantino. His role in Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction got him his only Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor. Thankful for the financial rewards, he has made no bones about his desire for recognition for his work’s quality. Hopefully, he has the proper victory cigar set aside for his Oscar acceptance speech.
There is a relevant quote from the cult classic “The Princess Bride” when it comes to Torpedo cigars; “You keep using that word… I don’t think it means what you think it means.” Retail stores and cigar lounges often refer to cigars as Torpedoes when they are something else. In fact, one of the most beloved Torpedoes and best-selling Cuban cigars, the Montecristo Number 2, is NOT a Torpedo. It’s a Piramide.
What are Torpedo cigars?
Most smokers see a cigar with a tapered end and assume it is a Torpedo cigar. More often than not, it is a Belicoso or a Piramide. According to technical specifications, a true Torpedo should have a closed foot, a slight bulge in the middle, and taper to a rounded point at the head. The length should be 6 1/8” with a gauge of 52. Because of these specifications, true Torpedo cigars are hard to find, even in some of the best-stocked cigar lounges.
But How Do They Smoke?
The genius behind the Torpedo’s shape is the channel that concentrates the cigar’s flavor towards the narrow tip. The typically larger ring gauge allows the blender to experiment with a more broad range of tobaccos. The result? A trophy cigar that packs the flavor of a large cigar, but smokes like a much smaller one. True aficionados will notice that the unique draw can result in a different smoking experience, even among cigars from the same line.
Measure twice; cut once.
The point which draws all the flavor requires a very delicate cut. Some folks cut too deeply, essentially destroying the purpose of the cigar’s design. A guillotine cut taking off the very tip is the most preferred method for a proper smoking experience. A punch cut, the preferred method for box-pressed cigars, can be very tricky and runs the risk of damaging the cap and causing excessive peeling. One popular method is a guillotine cut done at a 45 degree, downward angle. The idea is to take the already concentrated draw and channel it downward towards the palate.
Torpedo Cigars Rate Highly
Cigar critics love Torpedoes. The 2019 Cigar Aficionado Cigar of the Year was the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro, a box-pressed Torpedo. In 2017, half of the Top fifteen cigars were Torpedoes. Ratings aside, they still don’t always find their way into humidors. Because of the difficulty in properly rolling, boxing, and transporting Torpedoes, they tend to be more expensive. The selling point of having the flavor concentrated in a longer smoke often leads to the quandary of too much of a good thing is exactly that!
Torpedoes Are Starting to Surface
While they have been slow to be embraced within Cuban factories, distinguished brands like Oliva, Rocky Patel, and My Father’s Cigars have created Torpedo cigars with a significant appeal. LeBron James has posted numerous Instagram images of him smoking Torpedoes, favoring the Yaxel Ortiz Y.O. Robert Downey Jr. has been photographed enjoying a My Father’s Le Bijou 1922 while filming on the Avengers set. Cigar lover Rihanna provided the seed capital for her brother’s cigar company Legado, which prominently features both a traditional and a box-pressed Torpedo. There is no denying the link between celebrity enjoyment of Torpedo cigars, and their inevitable inclusion in home collections.
It takes a special kind of athlete not just to win the game but to view the sport and the entire industry as brimming with career-altering opportunities. Winning athletes come and go, and some fade over time. The rare few aspire to something greater, take charge of their dreams, and leap far from the playing field to the small screen or beyond. Of these, fewer yet can claim their fame to both worlds while enjoying the immortalization that follows in the recurring skits found on Saturday Night Live. Coach Mike Ditka accomplished this feat with a cigar in hand the whole way through.
Mike Ditka on the Field
As a Pro Bowl, hall of fame tight end, Mike Ditka is a throwback to the days when football was what famed coach Vince Lombardi called “a collision sport.” He set a receiving record for tight ends that lasted nearly twenty years. His grit and attitude on the field provided a natural transition to the sidelines as a coach, eventually winning the Super Bowl with the 1986 Chicago Bears. He evaluated players the way he did cigars; he knew if they were a fit right out of the gate.
Work Ethic is a Top Priority
Excellence in a job well done is everything. And that’s precisely what Coach Mike Ditka demanded of his team. He understood that winning went beyond the individual and depended on the effort of all 53 players working together. Work ethic more than mattered; it was a top priority. Excellence was getting out on the field and playing a good game. It meant putting your best foot forward. It was also about striking the other guy faster and far more often than they hit you. This same work ethic is what Ditka’s father instilled in him as a child growing up in Pennsylvania’s mining country. His father summed it up succinctly. “You get out of life what you put into it,” he said. In other words, your effort and discipline are the keys to your success.
Mike Ditka’s Leap to NFL and Cigars
The work ethic and discipline instilled in him landed Ditka an all-American football player for the University of Pittsburgh. He was drafted in the first round by Chicago. He hadn’t given much thought to the NFL. Instead, he focused on a potential career as a dentist. Yet, life has a funny way of changing plans. Mike Ditka celebrated his signing with the Chicago Bears with his first cigar, a White Owl.
Mike Ditka’s Love Affair With Cigars is Born
In those early days, Ditka loved smoking. Still, finances left him constrained to the cheapest, mass-produced cigars like White Owl, Tiparrilo, and Phillies. Over time, his palate became more refined, and his financial situation improved. So he was able to upgrade his cigar preferences. He later became the head coach of the Bears after several Super Bowl-winning seasons as a receiver coach with the Dallas Cowboys. Yet, Ditka was rarely without his trademark Churchill cigar.
Mike Ditka and Trophy Cigars
As the Bears’ head coach, he celebrated winning the Super Bowl by handing out prized trophy cigars from his collection and bottles of champagne in the locker room. He loved the camaraderie of smoking with his players. His love affair with cigars continued well after retiring from football. Many of his former players credit their love of cigars to being introduced to them through Coach Ditka.
The Winning Tradition Continues
After several forays into restaurants and cigar lounges, Mike Ditka partnered with Camacho Cigars to launch a line of sticks as an homage. True to form, Ditka took part in the process. He helped select the various blends, producing a robust, full-bodied smoke worthy of his persona. Although a heart attack two years ago ended his smoking days, Ditka swore he would light a victory cigar should the Bears win the Super Bowl again.
Photo credit: Heilemann (Interior Staff), T. (2008). [Assignment: 48-DPA-02_01_02_08_K_NFL_Peo] Activities at the National Football League’s [pre-Super Bowl XLII interactive theme park,] The NFL Experience, in Glendale, Arizona, where Department of the Interior and other federal agency staff [joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka and other football luminaries for outdoor recreation promotions] [48-DPA-02_01_02_08_K_NFL_Peo_DOI_9540.JPG]. National Archives Catalog. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7916970
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