Staff, Author at Cigar Life Guy

7 Reasons Why Cigars are Better Than Cigarettes

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Staff

There are many reasons why cigars are better than cigarettes, at least, in our opinion. Coming way out in front of pipes, cigar and cigarette smoking are the two most common ways that people “consume” tobacco. Cigarette smoking has declined dramatically over the past seven decades and today is at an all-time low. Cigar, smoking, on the other hand, remains quite popular. The reason being that most cigar smokers, something like 75%, smoke less than one cigar per day.

For the enthusiast, a cigar every day is not necessary; it can be reserved for special occasions or smoked only semi-regularly. Cigarettes, on the other, become a habit and, the longer someone smokes, the most likely they are to climb from one or two cigarettes per-day to over twenty or more.

But the nature of their use is not the only thing cigars have over cigarettes, here are some of the other reasons’ cigars are better than cigarettes.

Cigar Smoking is An Experience

A good cigar can smoke for an hour or more. You can light one up, sit alone on your balcony, and be alone with your thoughts as the smoke billows and whirs around you. Or you can smoke cigars socially. There are few things more closely associated with masculinity and bonding with your male friends than a bunch of cigars complimented by stiff drinks and a good time.

Cigarettes, on the other hand, come and go quickly. Rather than enjoying a cigarette, most long-time smokers seem to need them. These people need to take smoke breaks every hour to satisfy their cravings. It doesn’t matter to them if it is freezing cold out or if they are on a tight deadline. When cigarettes call, smokers answer. Cigars are a relaxing and enjoyable experience for most people, while cigarettes are a jittery habit.

Natural Cigars are Better Than Cigarettes

Just about every product under the sun these days wants to claim they are “natural.” Premium, hand-rolled cigars, though, truly are.

Cigars are, perhaps, the original “single-ingredient” product: Tabaco. Everything from what is inside the cigar to the leaf that keeps it all held together is tobacco. No chemicals, dyes, or flavorings are used in premium cigars. What this means is you get the benefit of truly tasting the subtle flavors and differences between cigars that are from different places.

When you smoke a real Cuban, you are not just tasting a Cuban “flavor,” what you are experiencing is tobacco that was grown on a Cuban farm, harvested by Cuban farmers, rolled by Cuban artisans, and sold by the Cuban government. You, in other words, have something completely natural and totally authentic. One of the only processes that premium tobacco undergoes is fermentation. Nothing is produced during tobacco fermentation, but it is said to improve the flavor.

Cigarettes are the opposite. They can load harmful chemicals, flavors, and other substances; they drive out the unique flavors of the tobacco and replaces it with something artificial.

Cigars are Artisanal

Some tobacco leaves are stronger than others, some have unique tastes, and some are simply of higher quality. A true cigar artisan who specializes in hand-rolled cigars knows all of this and more. Not only can he spot the best, most relevant leaves, but he can blend them together using the wisdom and hands only available to a select few. When you get a premium, hand-rolled cigar, you are getting something special.

The same can not be said of cigarettes, which are spat out of manufacturing plants like uniform widgets. Like at McDonald’s, the primary concern of cigarette manufacturers is consistency. Forget about the quality of natural ingredients; all that matters is turning out a uniform product time and time again.

The saying goes that every premium cigar you smoke has been touched by 200 hands. This number may be accurate, and it may even be higher. The point is that making premium cigars is not easy. It’s as much an art as it is a manufacturing process and requires skill and attention every step of the way—from the selection of the tobacco seeds to the rolling of the leaf.

Unique Cigars are Better Than Cigarettes

Cigars come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavor profiles. For those with discerning taste, cigars offer an experience far superior to that of smoking cigarettes. Why? Because cigarettes come only in one size and style. Yes, cigarettes can have different flavors, but, as mentioned, most if not all of that comes from artificial additives and not from the tobacco leaf itself.

Cigar Smoking is Not as Bad for You as Cigarettes

Because most smokers inhale cigarettes but do not inhale cigars, the results are that cigarette smoking often ends up being worse for you than smoking cigars. You don’t need to inhale cigars to make smoking them enjoyable—with cigarettes, you generally do.

Even insurance companies look at cigarette smoking as worse for you than cigar smoking, making it more difficult to get insured if you smoke cigarettes.

Aged Cigars Only Get Better

Like wine, cigars often get better with age. While their shelf-life depends, cigars are distinct from cigarettes in that their flavor profiles and overall quality can change and improve over time (assuming they are properly stored). Cigarettes, though, merely get stale. An “aged” cigarette is one that belongs in the garbage.

Smoking a Cigar Looks Cool

Describing what is and isn’t cool can be hard to put your finger on. One thing is for sure, though, and that is that smoking a cigar makes you look and feel cool. Whether you are smoking one to celebrate, to relax, or as you socialize with friends, a cigar is the ultimate status symbol, and it exudes cool.

On the contrary, cigarette smoking is something you do in back alleys and outside of the party as everyone else has fun without you. Cigar smoking is social and fun, while cigarette smoking is isolated and anxiety-inducing.

There you have it, some of the reasons that cigar smoking is superior to cigarette smoking. Now put that cigarette down and light up a cigar instead!

photo credit: Pixabay

Babe Ruth and a Roaring Cigar Lifestyle

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Staff

The Great Bambino. The Sultan of Swat. The King of Swing enjoyed a roaring cigar lifestyle. I speak, of course, of legendary baseball player Babe Ruth.

Born in 1895, Ruth played for 22 seasons. Between the years 1919 to 1935, he hit over 700 home runs and became a baseball icon—more than that, a legend.

The King of Swing: Babe Ruth

There is something about baseball that goes deep into the American psyche. No other professional sports have lasted as long in this country. But, of course, no other sports have inspired so many movies, TV shows, and books. When you look at a baseball game today, you can see the game’s depth. The players wear uniforms that look nothing like those of other athletes. The stadiums bounce with old-fashioned carols. And it’s all surrounded by more than a century of history. A history which, for many, began with Babe Ruth.

Ruth was the perfect candidate during the ideal time. He became so famous he actually propelled the sport. Mischievous and hard-living, Ruth got most of his home runs during the “roaring” 20s. It was a time that some deemed “excessive,” but it was perfect for Ruth.

Unlike most star players today, health and fitness were always far from Ruth’s mind. In-between innings or waiting to get up to bat, Ruth would eat hot dogs, sip on beer, and smoke cigars. At night he would stay out late having fun with women. Yet, he still would manage to be up the next day, cracking balls down left field.

When Ruth played for the Yankees, managers discovered they had to have the Great Bambino room with rookies or unimportant players. Why? Because Ruth would stay up so late and make so much raucous that he’d keep up with whoever was rooming with him. So, it was better for the team if rookies had to deal with that than other star players to keep the team playing its best.

The Good Life

Babe Ruth’s fame grew, and it eclipsed the likes of other star athletes like Jack Dempsey. So, too, did Ruth’s enjoyment of luxuries like good whiskey and great cigars. In New York, he often stayed at the opulent Ansonia Hotel. He’d show up waving to photographers in his giant 12-cylinder Packard with a cigar in his mouth and a girl on his arm.

His reputation and love of cigars were renowned. So, while in Boston playing for the Red Sox, he received an opportunity to invest in a small, local cigar company. Ruth enthusiastically agreed. The company capitalized on the player’s likeness by putting a picture of him on each of their cigars. Sales went through the roof.

If only a hot dog vendor had approached Ruth, he likely would have been happy to endorse that product, too. Instead, he was famous for eating six or more hot dogs during a single game. Back then, this was a lot. How our diets relate to our health was less evident in the 1920s. Considering Ruth’s devil-may-care attitude, it’s possible that knowledge wouldn’t have made a difference. Ruth liked what he liked. And, he was performing better than any baseball player while indulging his “vices,” or, as he would call them, the joys of life.

Teammate Jimmy Reese described Ruth’s eating by saying, “He’d eat two ham steaks at breakfast, have a snack before the game, and then ask for the ‘bi.’ If he struck out three times, he’d say, ‘I’ll get even tomorrow; don’t worry about that.’ “

A “bi” was a bicarbonate soda, something people used to drink for indigestion. Ruth, as it turns out, was human after all. A fact which, for many adoring fans, would first come to light when he died of cancer in 1948.

Babe Ruth’s Cigars

Babe Ruth enjoyed smoking his own cigars. He, in his own words, smoked them until he was “blue in the face.” Still, the Bambino seemed to enjoy that they were his more than anything. Ruth preferred larger, more expensive cigars like Cubans.

Ruth had reportedly traveled to Havana on more than one occasion to bring stockpiles of the famous cigars back to the U.S.

He was almost always smoking. Whether it was cigars, cigarettes, or even pipes. Usually, though, in public, he would stick to cigars as he preferred the image. He would put on a red dressing gown and slippers for parties, most of which he hosted in expansive hotel rooms before lighting up large 60-cent cigars. That was very expensive at the time. His teammate, the pitcher Waite Hoyt, said Ruth looked like “the Admiration Cigar trademark.”

All this large living came to a head during the 1922 season when Ruth played less than stellar. The Yankees failed, and Ruth was devastated for the first time in his career. Although not bad, Ruth’s season was unacceptable by his own standards. And it was such a big public ordeal that New York City’s mayor, Jimmy Walker, weighed in on the matter. He said Ruth had let down all the great city’s “dirty-faced kids.” While that might seem harsh, it lit a fire under the Bambino’s iconic butt.

Ruth practiced harder than ever. He was going to hit balls and exercise. Ruth even made significant cuts to his eating and late-night partying. According to records, though, he never stopped smoking cigars. Those were not merely a part of his image; they were also a part of his life.

Ruth returned more potent than ever and had some of the most productive years of his career. He was hitting an average of over 50 home runs per season every year from 1926 through 1931.

Robert Kahn described Ruth best. He said Ruth was “Somebody who wanted to drink up all the ale in New York and not let a cocktail waitress pass by untouched. He was a huge, excessive, barely believable fellow.”

Photo credit: “Babe Ruth cph.3b14910” cropped from “Babe Ruth and Tommy Gibbons Before the Start of the Yankee-Athletic Game at the Polo Grounds,” Public Domain, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-67435

Conor McGregor: Do Fighters Smoke Cigars?

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Staff

There is at least one modern fighter who seems the perfect fit for the cigar-smoking lifestyle: Conor McGregor, among several others. Of course, cigars and cigar smoking were long associated with professional fighting. Not so much inside the ring as outside it. Still, there have been many great fighters who also enjoyed the occasional cigar. Today, though, seeing a boxer or UFC fighter smoking a cigar anywhere outside of a post-fight victory celebration seems like an oddity.

Conor McGregor

If you don’t know who Conor McGregor is, you must have been hiding for the past few years. Conor McGregor, also called the “Notorious” Conor McGregor, is just that: Famous for breaking the rules and breaking noses.

Starting his career in the UFC, McGregor grew up and trained in Ireland before coming onto the scene. It’s no secret that the Irish love fighting—boxing or otherwise. So Irish people in the UK and the United States were thrilled to have a fellow Irishman in the ring getting wins.

McGregor’s most famous fight came when he faced one of the greatest boxers of all time, Floyd Mayweather. There were long discussions about an epic showdown between an MMA fighter and a traditional Western boxer. That dream came to life in 2017 when McGregor and Mayweather faced off. In the end, Mayweather won by decision. However, according to reports, McGregor celebrated anyway by publicly smoking a massive cigar.

The answer, then, is that, like many athletes, Conor McGregor does indulge in the occasional cigar. But, unlike some of the following fighters, he is far from an aficionado.

Cigar-Smoking Fighters Like Conor McGregor

John L. Sullivan

Like Conor McGregor, John L. Sullivan is a boxer of Irish descent. Born in Massachusetts in 1858, Sullivan, known as “The Boston Strong Boy,” stood 5′ 10″ and weighed over 210 pounds.

Sullivan was known for many things, including having only one loss in his 44 fights. He was an athlete and first left school to pursue baseball. Then, Sullivan started boxing when he realized he was more suited to what we now call “combat” sports.

Sullivan had a legendary cigar habit. Some reports suggest he smoked dozens of sticks daily. While the exact amount remains unclear, Sullivan advocated for cigars, among other things. He stated, “My whole life is guided by nature … I believe there is such a thing as a man overworking himself and becoming stale.” That is why Sullivan advocated everything from drinking to playing late-night cards, pool, and, of course, smoking cigars. Sullivan always said he didn’t need more than 8 to 10 weeks to train for a prizefight. But, then, that was it. He’d step into the ring and destroy his opponents.

“Gentleman” Jim Corbett

“Gentleman” Jim Corbett was another tremendous American boxer from the late 19th Century. He was the first boxer to defeat John L. Sullivan in 1892. Some say Corbett had an advantage in the match because of the new, adopted “Queensberry” rules. Yet, no one who saw the first match left disappointed.

The Queensberry rules concern the ring’s size and how professional fighters should conduct themselves. For example, under the Queensberry rules, fighters cannot “wrap up” in the way they are often used to.

The match between Corbett and Sulivan went an astonishing 21 rounds. That was when fights continued until someone got knocked out or gave up. The fight between Corbett and Sullivan was an extravaganza, and some 3,500 people attended it. Most newspapers across the country reported on it as well.

When out of the ring, gentleman Jim Corbett smoked so many cigars that he had some named after him. Today, cigars have gone away from the ring, but they remain popular outside of it.

Joe Frazier

Joe Frazier is an exciting fighter like Conor McGregor. But, although Frazier defeated Ali, the pantheon of great fighters overlooked him. Of course, this isn’t true of those who follow the sport of fighting. But, among the public, his name registers far lower than, say, Ali.

Many considered Frazier an undersized heavyweight champion. Standing at just under six feet, Joe was both short and light. But he made up for his stature with incredible skill and tenacity in the ring. That, plus, he was one of the best-conditioned fighters to ever step into the ring. Often Frazier would wear his opponents down round after round, waiting for his time to strike. Back then, his nickname was “Smokin’ Joe.”

Today, Joe Frazier has become quite the cigar aficionado, and you’ll often see him holding a Ghurka cigar.

Jake LaMotta

Jake LaMotta gained fame in the movie “Raging Bull,” in which Robert DiNero plays LaMotta. As the film title suggests, LaMotta’s nickname was the “Raging Bull.” Although, some people called him the “Bronx Bull” because he fought like a bull. LaMotta chased his opponents around the ring and ate punch after punch to get on the inside and inflict bodily damage. As a result, LaMotta won many of his fights with vicious body shots.

Outside of the ring, LaMotta was to New York Italians what Sullivan was to Irish Bostonians. Both men liked smoking cigars and rarely went without one in hand at public events.

Jack Johnson

The first significant black boxer in American history was Jack Johnson. He fought an incredible 91 times during his career, with only 11 losses to his 35 wins by knockout. Johnson had a massive 74-inch reach that he used to keep opponents outside until he was ready to strike.

Fans came to know him as the Galveston Giant, and he was definitely fond of giant cigars. Although his favorite brand varied, one thing is sure: the “Giant” loved his cigars.

Rocky Marciano

Finally, we arrive at the famed Italian-American boxer known today as the real “Italian Stallion.” He was considered a fighter on whom the “Rocky” movies were based. But that’s not true, although Marciano certainly inspired Sylvester Stallone on some level. The fact is that during his time in the ring, Marciano was known as “The Brockton Blockbuster” because he fought out of Brockton, Massachusetts. Anyway, Rocky Marciano, Conor McGregor, and other fighters on this list loved the occasional cigar as well as they did a good fight.

Photo credit: “Conor McGregor 2019,” by BMF BMF, Wikimedia Commons license CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best Cigar Movie Scenes of All Time

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Staff

Cigars are on one side of the movie screen almost as often as popcorn is on the other. And why not? They are a useful dramatic tool for heroes and villains in countless great films. Here are some of the best cigar movie scenes of all time.

Best Cigar Movie Scenes

1. “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.”

Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western masterpiece, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” features several cigar-smoking characters. The most famous is the “Man with no Name,” played by Clint Eastwood. Many people who’ve seen “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” assume that Eastwood’s character must have a name. They think, “I must have just missed it,” but on second viewing, they notice that he does not.

The decision not to give Eastwood’s iconic character a name was a conscious one by Director Leone. Instead, the director sought to make “the man with no name” represent a Western archetype: the stoic, laconic anti-hero. It was the perfect part for Eastwood. And it was perfect in the movie’s famous scene where the three main characters (the “good” guy, the “bad” guy, and the “ugly” guy) stare each other down. While the others may appear nervous, Eastwood merely chews on his skinny cigar. Then, he stares down at his opponents until … Draw!

Eastwood also smokes a cigar in another of Leone’s famous Westerns, “A Few Dollars More.” While that is a great movie, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” will forever remain our favorite, and that is why we chose it as one of the best cigar movie scenes.

2. “Scarface”

Al Pacino’s “Scarface” doesn’t have a single dramatic scene accentuating his cigar-smoking. Instead, throughout the film, he is chewing on a very large (presumably Cuban) cigar. Perhaps the most poignant scene featuring a cigar is when Tony Montana (Pacino’s character) is sitting in a gigantic, opulent bubble bath, chewing on a cigar while arguing with his wife, who, like him, is spiraling out of control.

Originally rated “X” and written by a young Oliver Stone, “Scarface” had to battle its way into theaters. In the end, the controversy over the film helped it. Audiences lined up to hear Al Pacino deliver yet another of his famous lines: “Say hello to my little friend!”

One little-known fact about “Scarface” is that Robert Di Nero first tapped the role. It’s unclear what happened, but the deal fell through, and the part went to Pacino. If anyone other than Pacino could have played Tony Montana, it would’ve been Di Nero. We can all be thankful that, in the end, it was Pacino who played the notorious part.

3. “Predator”

The 1987 movie Predator was a box office smash starring an A-team of cigar-smoking actors. Among them is the aficionado himself: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Few things are more remarkable than Arnold chomping on a cigar while wielding a giant machine gun and hunting an invisible alien sporting dreadlocks. Audiences agreed.

Aside from Arnold, former NFL player, and Apollo Creed actor Carl Weathers was on set. He joked that he would wait for other actors to leave before using the on-set gym to act like his physique was “all-natural.”

4. “Spiderman”

J.K. Simmons played newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson in the “Spiderman” movie starring Tobey Maguire. While history has not been kind to the Maguire, “Spiderman” remains unscathed. The cigar-munching actor, played by J.K. Simmons, was the perfect fast-talking editor. Simmons is the epitome of an old-fashion newsman who goes about his business with wit and aggression. Yet, in the end, he also proves he has the integrity to back it up. Moreover, he does all this without leaving the reach of one of his beloved cigars and a tumbler of whiskey.

5. “Wall Street.”

Not all sunshine and rainbows, and not every character on our list can be an excellent guy. Gordon Gekko is the god of the ‘Yuppies’ who first emerged in the 1987 movie “Wall Street.” Gekko, the antagonist in Charlie Sheen’s Bud Fox, delivered the famous line, “Greed is good.” That phrase encapsulated an entire generation of wealth seekers and status climbers.

Gekko has taste, connections, women, money, and more. In other words, he has everything the young Bud Fox desires. The movie centers on why Gekko, the “villain,” wants more. Sheen’s character, Fox, can’t understand why Gekko continues to make sleazy, cut-throat decisions. After all, Gekko already has more money than he knows what to do with. Fox doesn’t understand Gekko, and Gekko certainly does not understand Fox. It’s a cat-and-mouse tale with shoulder pads, dollar signs, and those gigantic 1980s cell phones.

6. “American Psycho.”

Our next cigar-loving villain is Christian Bale’s character, Patrick Bateman. Bateman, like Gekko, represented much of what some thought was wrong with the 1980s. Wealth-seeking was particularly potent on Wall Street and in other financial centers. The Bateman character exaggerates to insane extremes. Meanwhile, he goes on a murderous tear throughout the city while smiling, laughing, and enjoying an expensive cigar.

7. “Independence Day.”

Although “Independence Day” dishes up a nice helping of cheese, there’s no denying the movie is enjoyable and contains one of the best cigar movie scenes. It also features one of the best cigar moments in cinematic history.

Will Smith’s character and Jeff Goldblum are on a mission to destroy an alien ship. Smith’s cigar-loving character turns to Goldblum and shares a victory cigar saying they will smoke together after completing their task and landing safely back on Earth. However, during their mission, things worsen (gasp). The two characters end up lighting their cigars in space! In the history of cigars, that was certainly a first.

Photo credit: “Eli Wallach and Antonio Casale in ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,’” by Produzioni Europee Associate, Wikimedia Commons Public Doman CC0 1.0

How to Spot a Fake Cuban Cigar

Posted on February 23, 2020 by Staff

For decades, there has been a market for counterfeit Cuban cigars. People can easily get duped as, on the outside, many of these Cubans look quite convincing. Some of them even smoke okay—although, if you know what you are doing, you can certainly tell the difference. Thankfully, there are ways to tell if your Cuban is legit. Here’s our guide to how to spot a fake Cuban cigar.

The Fake Cuban Cigar

One of the easiest ways to tell if you are dealing with a fake Cuban cigar is if it’s unbanded. If your Cuban doesn’t have a band on it, odds are, it’s a fake. Un-banded cigars are often sold on street corners in Cuba to unsuspecting tourists. These, obviously fake, Cubans are hardly the main problem, as some fake Cubans come with counterfeit bands and even in counterfeit boxes. That is when it gets a bit more difficult to tell what you’re dealing with before you buy.

Signs of a Fake Cuban Cigar

The first thing to realize is that you are always more at risk for buying a fake Cuban if the cigar you are buying is expensive, and not actually purchased in Cuba. That’s not to say you can’t buy a legitimate Cuban cigar in the U.S. or online, you simply need to be more careful.

Habanos Seal

All real Cuban cigars are packed in boxes with what is called the Habanos Seal.

The Habanos Seal should always be present on the upper left-hand side of your cigar box, approximately 3 to 6 mm from the edge. It should also usually bend up to the front right over the center of the Cote d´Arms. The only time the seal won’t bend up like this and go over the Cote d’Arms is on very large cigar boxes.

Source: http://www.habanos.com/en/verificacion-de-autenticidad/

Size, Shape, and Symmetry

This is a common-sense tip that says your cigar box should look and feel sturdy and official. Also, inside the box, the Cubans should all be the same length and color. If the box looks flimsy or the cigars inside are different sizes or colors, you are probably dealing with a fake Cuban cigar.

The ‘Made in Cuba’ Stamp

All Cuban cigar boxes should have a ‘Made in Cuba’ stamp on their left. As of 2010 all of these stamps include a hologram. The hologram is an important thing to check for because they are hard and expensive to copy. Do not buy Cubans that are in a box without a hologram.

Source: http://www.habanos.com/en/el-mundo-del-habano/signos-de-distincion/

Bottom of the Cigar Box

Starting in the 60s, another change was made to distinguish real Habano Cuban cigars from imitators. To ensure authenticity, all you need to do is check the bottom of the Habano Cuban cigar box. Each box of legit sticks contains the hot-stamped words: Hecho en Cuba.

Then, in 1994, another stamp made its way to the cigar boxes. This new stamp read: Habanos s. a. Of course, the name of the cigar company was stamped after this. Before this, namely between 1985 and 1994, the name was simply Cubatabaco. Today, however, you’ll see the boxes marked as Totalmente a Mano.

Source: http://www.habanos.com/en/el-mundo-del-habano/signos-de-distincion/

Finally, the stamp on the bottom of the cigar box should also include two ink marks. Think of it as a kind of secret code. These marks tell industry-insiders which of the country’s factories made the cigars. And the other number shows is the month and the year when the cigars were boxed (see below).

Source: http://www.habanos.com/en/el-mundo-del-habano/signos-de-distincion/

Beware of ‘Barber Pole’ Cigars

Some counterfeit sellers will try to sell cigars with more multiple multi-colored bands. This is a clear indicator the person you are dealing with is selling you a fake, as no real Cubans come with more than one band.

Beware of Edición Limitada

If you are going to buy one of the highly priced and rare Edición Limitada cigars, be careful! They are among the most counterfeited cigars. Keep in mind that Edición Limitada cigars are exceedingly rare. The Cuban government only allows three of them to be made and issued every year. So, unless you are dealing with a legitimate vendor, odds are, the person if not selling you a legit Edición Limitada.

Aside from the specific Edición Limitada cigar, you should be wary of any kind of special edition cigar that is not sold to be a legitimate vendor. And, remember, the only way you can really tell if you are dealing with a legitimate vendor is if all of his Cuban cigars have all the already described markings! Don’t assume simply because a vendor has a nice shop or looks the part the Cubans he is selling you are authentic.

Know What a Real Cuban Costs

Fake cigars sometimes trick people by being too expensive or too cheap. In the latter case, sellers tell people they got a great deal for “X” reason and that is why their prices are so low. With overpriced Cuban cigars, potential buyers will basically sell themselves on the fake cigars by thinking that “well, it’s so expensive. How can it be a fake?”

You can do online research or talk to an expert to find out roughly what the different real Cuban cigars should cost. If, for example, you see a Montecristo No. 2 going for way less or way more than you know they should go for — don’t buy.

Know-How a Real Cuban Ashes

Unfortunately, you can’t do the ash test while your Cuban is still in the box, but if you can light and try at least one cigar before buying you should pay careful attention to how the cigar ashes. A true Cuban cigar should have grey or salt-and-pepper ash. If the cigar burns white ash, that’s a bad sign.

Do Not Buy Cubans in a Glass or Plastic Box

Cuban cigars should come in an all-wood box. If you see Cuban cigars sold in a partial glass or plastic box, they are probably fake.

Final Word of Advice: Try Doing a Taste Test

The final difficulty with fake Cuban cigars is that some of the better counterfeits come in authentic boxes but are not actual Cuban cigars. Therefore, it’s always better to smoke at least one cigar before you buy. This is especially true if you decide to buy from an unknown seller. Sometimes unknown sellers can sell perfectly real, great Cuban cigars. You just have to know what a real Cuban cigar looks and tastes like in order to tell. If you don’t have that kind of experience, then you are far better off staying away from the back alleys and buying from a main-street seller who you know, and can prove, is legit.

How Churchill Cigars Became Churchills

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Staff

Churchills, or Churchill cigars, are almost as well-known as Cubans. Naturally, the Churchills are named after famed WW2 Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. But it wasn’t always this way. It used to be that old Winston smoked ‘Clemenceaus’. So, when did that change, and why?

What are the Churchill Cigars?

Churchills are large cigars measuring between 6.75 and 7 inches long and have a 48-50 ring gauge. Over the past few decades, some cigar makers have introduced short, wide, and petite varieties of the famed cigar. But, these are not true Churchills.

Winston Churchill’s Smoking

Winston Churchill visited Cuba for a few months in 1895, shortly after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. While there, he fell in love with one of the country’s most popular products: cigars.

Sometimes, he smoked other brands. Yet, there were two, distinct Cuban brands that Churchill fancied. One was Romeo y Julieta. The other was the La Aroma de Cuba cigars. For the remainder of his life, Churchill received shipments of his prized Cuban cigars. Some came from his family while others came from his friends and associates. Many dealers from Havana also shipped him some of his prized smokes. This helped ensure Churchill was well-supplied with premium sticks at all times, even if those times included a crisis or war. This arrangement was especially appreciated during WW2 when they were very hard for him to come by.

It’s no secret that Churchill was a voracious cigar smoker. Rumor suggests that his average consumption was roughly 10 cigars daily. In fact, James J. Fox, the famed London cigar shop, has records of Churchill’s purchases, which tally hundreds of thousands of sticks. One record revealed Churchill bought over 1,300 cigars during a six-month period. That was back in 1964, the year before he died.

Fox, by the way, was not the only store selling him cigars. It goes without saying that Churchill spent an exceptional amount of money on cigars. One of his private secretaries once remarked that he got used to the idea that Churchill’s weekly cigar habit often amounted to more money than his monthly salary.

Churchill’s love of smoking soared to new heights when he requested the Royal Air force construct a special mask for him. The mask enabled him to smoke at 15,000 feet above the ground. He claimed that he couldn’t fly without it. The Royal Navy was happy to construct the device, which worked. And, Churchill used it on more than one occasion.

Although Churchill had his clear favorites, he often considered his budget, to a degree, before buying his cigars. He bought many brands at a time and stored them all in a storage room at his Kent estate. The room held up to 4,000 sticks, all meticulously labeled and categorized. In spite of this, he did not leave many of his beloved cigars behind when he died. He did, however, leave a silver ashtray, his favorite, in fact.

Churchill’s Image

During WW2, photographs of Churchill wearing a bowler hat with a cigar tucked between his lips began circulating. It didn’t take long for this photograph to reach the levels of fame. In fact, once the photographic image popularized Churchill’s signature appearance, it was hard to separate the man from the trademark image. This continued throughout the ebb and flow of his political career.

At one point during his career, Churchill was depicted in a political cartoon. The depiction showed him attacking his opponents with a Tommy gun. The British political cartoonist dubbed him as “Cigarface” after a Hollywood movie with a similar title. The people, however, loved the idea of Churchill as a rebel who stood up to Hitler. The reality of the fictitious idea wasn’t too far off, either.

Churchill was certainly hard-smoking and his drinking habits almost matched those of his smoking. Perhaps, the most remarkable thing about this was that he almost never appeared drunk. When asked how he managed to stay sober in spite of drinking enough alcohol to put other men on the floor, Churchill wry replied, “Practice.” Many world leaders of that time and afterward were able to get away with, and even benefited from, such public images. FDR was no exception. Neither was John F. Kennedy.

Churchill and his cigars remain indelibly connected today, more than 50 years after his death. Several companies manufacture and market these branded cigars and their accessories. In fact, Churchill memorabilia also offer profitable market opportunities. In fact, a collector in Palm Beach, Florida paid a whopping $12,000 in 2017 — for a partially smoked cigar that belonged to Winston Churchill.

When Churchill Cigars Became Churchills

But the question remains: When did Churchills become Churchills? The history here is somewhat murky. There are stories that Winston Churchill visited the Romeo y Julieta company while in Cuba, but little evidence for this exists. Odds are, Churchill actually had little to do with his favorite cigars taking on his namesake. Although, he would have been delighted by it.

What appears to have happened is this. Soon after, Churchill’s three businessmen: David Knight, John Croley, and Robert approached the Churchill family. They ask if they could use his name on a Romeo y Julieta cigar. When this took place is uncertain. But it was most likely while Churchill himself was still alive. This comes as a surprise to those who know Churchill. That’s because he was always protective over potential exploitation of his name for commercial reasons. When it came to his favorite cigars, though, he was willing to make an exception.

The Romeo y Julieta company soon renamed their Clemenceaus cigars as Churchills in honor of their favorite customer.

Why Churchill Smoked

Although renowned for his steadfast leadership, Churchill suffered periods of uncertainty throughout his life. This included severe depressions he called his black dog moods.

Churchill often turned to his cigars to ease the mounting pressure that weighed on his shoulders. In his book “Thoughts and Adventures,” Churchill recalled his parent’s early attempt to curb his smoking habit.

“How can I tell that the soothing influence of tobacco upon my nervous system may not have enabled me to comfort myself with calm and courtesy in some awkward personal encounter or negotiation, or carried me serenely through some critical hours of anxious waiting? How can I tell that my temper would have been as sweet or my companionship as agreeable if I had abjured from my youth the goddess nicotine?”

— Winston Churchill, on why he was unable or unwilling to quit smoking

It’s hard to argue with that logic. In the end, Churchill died in 1965 still relative, mentally sharp at the ripe old age of 90.

Photo credit: Romeo y Julieta Cigars

Celebrity Cigar Smoker: Denzel Washington

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Staff

Celebrity cigar smoker Denzel Washington is one of only a few names in Hollywood that command attention. Throughout his career, he has become one of the highest-grossing actors. That’s besides directing a few pictures of his own. He was known for being calm, courteous, and utterly unshakable during this time. These are all characteristics that no one should find surprising in an avid cigar smoker. He doesn’t consider himself an expert. Yet, in a 1998 interview with Cigar Aficionado, Washington made it clear that he has a firm grip on the spiritual core of cigar smoking.

“The other day, I was driving around in the heat. Going around and around. Running my errands. Everybody was beeping their horns and going nuts, so I decided to fire up a Cohiba. I cranked up the stereo, and within moments, man, I was so mellow. I was just gone. I was like, ‘I’m not in a hurry; I don’t know why these other 19 million people are in a hurry. I don’t know what’s wrong with them, but I’m fine.”

— Denzel Washington, in a 1998 interview with Cigar Aficionado

It comes as no surprise that Washington also enjoys a good stogie now and then. A good smoke always fits the bill when taking a break from shooting. But, a smaller cigar better suits the full schedule of the working father. He even mentioned that he is not the kind of man to ‘wave around a Churchill,’ primarily because of the required time commitment. But, with a net worth of over $200 million, he might be onto something.

Celebrity Cigar Smoker: Denzel’s Stogies on Screen

Washington has also portrayed many characters on the silver screen that shares his appreciation for a good cigar.

In the 2007 crime thriller, “American Gangster,” Washington worked under the direction of Ridley Scott to portray the famous 1960s drug trafficker Frank Lucas. The real Frank Lucas was working as an advisor on set. So, he could teach Denzel a thing or two about how he did something, right down to how he held his cigar.

More than a decade before that, Denzel shared the screen with Gene Hackman in “Crimson Tide” (1995). It was the story of a young first officer who incites mutiny aboard a nuclear missile sub. Early in their mission, two men light up what appears to be Montecristo #2s. Though it’s unconfirmed, Hackman’s Captain Ramsey remarks the cigars were “more expensive than drugs.” That suggests that they were likely Cuban-made as opposed to Dominican-made.

(Spoiler alert: they should have saved the victory cigars for after the victory).

Conclusion

Being a celebrity cigar smoker is about far more than the kind of smoke you can afford. It’s more than the brand imprinted on the front of your wrapper. The most refined cigar smokers are not interested in the branding or imagery associated with the cigar lifestyle. Instead, the commitment to the ritual of the cigar elevates the thoughtful smoker to higher planes of peace and relaxation.

He gets it:

“I like the fresh air. I love to smoke in the sea or by the water. I like the quiet that it’s about. I like to take a nice mile walk up and down the beach, take a nice, toasty, single malt with no ice, and a good cigar. … It’s odd because the first time I really smoked a cigar was back before you knew you were supposed to have a good time with them.”

— Denzel Washington

Photo credit: “Denzel Washington after a performance of the Broadway play Julius Caesar in New York City,” by Paul Rudman at https://www.flickr.com/photos/thecanonrattman/, Wikimedia Commons license CC BY-SA 3.0

The Cigar Smoking World Championship

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Staff

“The Cigar Smoking World Championship was born out of the true passion of cigars combined with the beauty of the moments spent sharing this passion with like-minded people from all over the World.”

— CSWCWorld.com

The cigar-smoking competition has been ongoing for nine years now and counting. You’ll find the best talent in the industry there. The goal? Smoke your cigar as slowly as possible, as this turns out; the slower, the better. Most recently, more than 250 of the world’s best cigar enthusiasts attended the event. Talk about a lot of smoke! You might think this event was going to be one where anger and competitiveness bring out the worst in people. The opposite is true.

The true gentleman and the camaraderie of the sport radiate from everyone. Win or lose, contenders and fellow cigar aficionados laugh and have a jolly ol’ time. The prizes consist of loser cigars, which are no losing matter, to the grand prize! A trophy and the title of Grand Champion serve as the awards. Also, the champion receives a custom Cueryo y Sobrinos Swiss watch. The winner also gets a 24-hour cruise aboard a mega yacht. By itself, the cruise value climbs over $80,000 per day. And there is much, much more.

How Smoking Competitions Work

The competition is like any sport but compared to the Olympics. People from across the world come together as one collective group with a passion for cigar smoking! The competition is real. It’s fierce. It’s truly a sport of competition. Despite the competition, it’s easy to root for one another, hoping people succeed (but not as much as you hope to win.) Training is standard as well. As fellow cigar smokers know, it’s challenging to make a cigar last and have the physical stamina to keep from letting the smoke get to us. The world record is 3 hours, 52 minutes, and 55 seconds for a single cigar. The community comes closer together by training together, traveling, and having a smoke with a friend.

The Passion for Cigar Smoking

As cigar smokers, we often overlook the passion behind what we do when we light up. We must share our love. Young people are smoking more cigars and need mentorship on the correct way to light up, which cigars to smoke, and smoking etiquette. Let’s pass our knowledge on to them so we can keep the tradition of cigar smoking going.

“The more I smoke cigars, the more experienced I become with the Leaf. The more I realize that cigar smoking is as much (and perhaps more) about the people with whom you experience these cigars than it is the flavors you connote.”

— Tony from Vice Lounge Online.

Let’s keep the camaraderie of smoking cigars going, but make sure to bring extra smokes to share with the ones we love!

Photo credit: Pixabay | Ben_Kerckx

Tobacco Plus Expo 2020: Our Thoughts

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Staff

Had a chance to visit Tobacco Plus Expo 2020 in Las Vegas last week. It was a great time! I spent the better part of three days smoking cigars, sharing the Cigar Life Guy brand story, and learning about other businesses in the cigar space. I’ll keep this focused on some high-level thoughts and keep it from delving into a bunch of product reviews.

Thank You!

First, a big thank you to all the brands, reps, shop owners, and cigar smokers I spoke to or enjoyed a smoke with last week! The response to the core Cigar Life Guy concept has been incredibly positive and humbling. Cigar Life Guy is a media brand that engages cigar smokers. It’s also a life insurance brokerage that offers cigar smokers life insurance at non-smoker rates. I’m very grateful and appreciate the support.

Tobacco Plus Expo: Show Mix, Attendees, and Exhibitors

The cigar participation in Tobacco Plus Expo was way up this year. Spoke to many brands – big and small – where this was their first time at the expo. Perdomo was here for the first time. Many of the small folks I spoke to seemed pleased with their results. On Thursday morning, (the start of the second day), they said they were at a positive ROI based on day 1 alone. How, exactly, they measure ROI will vary, but that’s their phrase, not mine. I also heard manufacturers and reps talking about taking the focus beyond cigars. It was an idea to attract different buyers by exposing them to new opportunities.

For perspective, cigars or cigar-related items filled about 20-25% of the floor space in the exhibit hall. The balance was other tobacco, CBD, cannabis, vape, and alternatives. The big tent approach wasn’t a hit with everyone, though. One well-respected, long-time tobacconist said, “This just wasn’t my crowd.” Then, he mentioned that he wouldn’t be back.

Educational Workshops at the Tobacco Plus Expo

My schedule allowed me to catch two educational sessions. Both were very high quality.

Sisters of the Leaf: Selling, Marketing, and Promoting

There were a couple of key takeaways, here. Make women feel welcome. Don’t make assumptions about experiences or preferences based on gender. It’s worth noting that about two-thirds of the audience were men. It’s encouraging for a male-dominated industry to see the importance of female consumers. Special events and social media engagement are important. Again, make people feel welcome.

Fun fact: Women perform 60% of cigar production (e.g. rollers).

Here’s my take on the whole thing. It was great stuff and very well done. It was right to highlight female consumers, but most of the strategies presented were good marketing and retailing … period. These are tactics that can be more broadly applied. Cigar shops that have a woman problem likely also have a male problem or a new smoker problem. Make everyone feel welcome! Make everyone feel comfortable! I can’t tell you the number of shops in the Atlanta area I visited in the last year that didn’t make me feel welcome or valued. But, I left never to return. Good retailing is good retailing.

Jumpstart and Rejuvenate Your Retail Operation

There are a few key takeaways for this. You are only as good as your people. There was a huge emphasis on getting the right employees in the door and constant training. Engaging in events outside your retail space (e.g. golf outings, wine festivals, charity events) offers huge marketing opportunities to entice high-value customers. You need to view this as a marketing investment, not sales opportunities at the event. Focusing promotions on price (buy three get one free, etc.) lessens the value of your brand/experience. It’s also disrespectful to the brands you sell. Retire swag giveaways (buy this or that and get a lighter/cutter/shirt, etc. free). Focus on bigger, higher impact promotions. Manufacturers are open to partnering on larger promotions.

This is great stuff with a successful panel and great knowledge dropped. That said, it was almost too successful of a panel. Two were guys in the business for 30+ years. One was an employee of a billion+ dollar conglomerate. The other had the backing of a country music superstar. I would have liked to hear about how someone with a more limited marketing budget is winning in the marketplace. Most of the shops I visit don’t have their resources. It’s not that some of the stuff they shared doesn’t have applicability, though. But, I’ll suggest their reality is very different than the marketing reality of most in the room. I would have loved to hear from someone who’s been in the business as an owner for less than five years with severely limited resources but has won in the marketplace. Food for thought for next year.

Check out the complete list of the educational sessions and participants of Tobacco Plus Expo 2020.

The Final Thought

It was a great show for me. I am blessed to make some new friends and see some old ones….until next time!

Note: written by Dave Arlinghaus on 2/2/2020, the photo is with Karl Malone

photo credit: Cigar Life Guy

History of Cigars: Central America to Cigar City

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Staff

Can you imagine what it was like to smoke the first stick in the history of cigars? Not one of the crude creations of rolled tobacco burned by ancient Mayans in Central America. The first actual cigar. A cigar brimming with rich Cuban tobacco. A cigar meticulously cultivated and wrapped with care in fragrant tobacco leaves.

The first actual cigar ever smoked may well have been on the bow of a ship heading back to Europe after a trip to the New World. Then, with one spark of a match came the first puff of one of life’s greatest pleasures. Sit back in your chair and put your legs up. Then, fire up your next stick and take a moment to appreciate where those delicate, packed leaves came from. Consider also how many years it took to craft the ideal cigar.

A Brief History of Cigars

It was October 12, 1492. Two men who sailed with Christopher Columbus came upon Cubans smoking tobacco wrapped in plantain leaves. Columbus returned to Europe with his discovery. Thankfully, the Europeans devised a much better idea: use tobacco leaves as the wrapper.

Spain then commissioned many cigar factories in Cuba, and the cigar industry was born. This refinement of the cigar wrapper was the turning point preceding the cigars we know and love today. But the world would still have to wait for the creation of the finest sticks.

Around 1640, the first U.S. high-quality tobacco for cigars was grown in Windsor, Connecticut. But America had to wait another 122 years for the finest tobacco seeds to arrive from Cuba. Finally, thanks to the never-ending conflicts between Spain and England, an English officer found himself in Havana during a siege.

When the siege ended, the first Cuban cigar smuggler brought home roughly 30,000 cigars. That was enough seed to start growing in a new climate. Tobacco’s popularity soared throughout Europe and the colonies. They all demanded one thing: Havanas.

In 1804, Cuba imported over a million pounds of American leaf for use as a wrapper, much of it from Connecticut. Next, the United States began importing Cuban tobacco. Then, production ramped up as iconic brands like Montecristo, Hoyo de Monterrey, and Partagas came into existence. Finally, as Spanish conflicts continued to rage across Cuba, cigar operations started to shift.

In 1868 during the Ten Year’s War, operations moved from Havana to Key West. And in 1885, operations moved again, this time to the Tampa area. As others followed the migration, Tampa gained the name “Cigar City.” By 1890, there were an estimated 3,500 cigar factories in the U.S. In 1920, an estimated eight billion cigars were packed, rolled, and enjoyed.

Castro and the Embargo

Fast forward to 1959. Fidel Castro nationalized the cigar industry in Cuba. By 1961, the Cohiba brand was born, a cigar meant only for Castro and VIPs. But an American embargo on Cuban products shook the industry. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the new cigar boom took place. Cigar Aficionado launched in 1992, and the cigar lifestyle was reborn.

Today, standards have never been higher, and the quality of cigars is more robust than ever. It’s wistful to imagine smoking the first cigar on the bow of a great ship. But there has never been a better time than the present to fire up the latest creation in the history of cigars.

Photo credit: Pixabay | 16692474