Cigars and Spirits: A Winter Pairing Guide
Whether it is the chilly weather, the limited sunlight, or the visiting in-laws, the holiday season is a time when we all could use a little extra cheer. For the cigar smoker, adding a thoughtfully-paired beverage to your next smoke is a sure-fire way to increase your jolliness factor while also elevating the sensory experience. […]
Tobacco Plant Anatomy: A Crash Course
Three Different Leaves Create the Perfect Cigar We might as well come right out and say it. You really don’t need to know anything about the tobacco plant to enjoy smoking a well-made cigar. But some of us can’t help but admire the layered craftsmanship of a good stogie. For us, cigar knowledge, knowing more […]
Tough Conversations Over Holiday Cigars
This holiday season will be full of lots of cigars and for most of us also a great deal of family time. Unless you’re related to cousin Eddie, family time is usually a positive thing. It means quality time with loved ones. It’s a great time to finally have those tough conversations you’ve been putting […]
The Top Four Cigar Rituals and Traditions
There are many good reasons to fire up a stogie in the yard. Yet, folks like me would argue that a real enthusiast doesn’t need a reason at all. Why can’t the cigar be the reason? Still, there are some occasions that demand a good smoke. Take cigar rituals and traditions, for example. They have carried […]
Cigar Lounge Etiquette: 5 Pointers For Newbies
If you’re like me, then you are more likely to enjoy that fine cigar sitting outside or perched atop a lawnmower than in the plush leather chairs in an upscale smoking lounge. But even the most introverted smokers enjoy occasional socialization. More so, when it involves gathering around a shared passion for a well-crafted cigar […]
How to Choose the Right Cigar Shapes and Sizes
Have you ever perused the humidor at your local cigar lounge? The experience can be overwhelming. The number of cigars to choose from is in all their different shapes, sizes, and colors create a dizzying effect. These factors tie into the experience you get when you select the right cigar for your smoking pleasure. But, […]
The Alabama Cigar Tradition: Rules Be Damned
The third Saturday in October means Tennessee vs. Alabama football…and the Alabama cigar tradition. Until Tennessee’s program slipped below mediocrity, this was among the best rivalries in college football. Then, two programs, rich in history, often rose to the top of the Southeastern Conference. A conference game holds specific title implications: the winner gets to light […]
Great Cigars Enhance the Moment
We all remember our first cigar. It may have been at a swanky cigar lounge with some coworkers, in front of a backyard campfire, or on the ninth hole of your favorite golf course. In any case, the first cigar is a memorable experience. Since that time, we’ve had plenty of great cigars, some of […]
My Best Advice for New Cigar Smokers
Ask any cigar enthusiast what their best advice is and you’ll likely get a slurry of answers. Yet, the best advice always answers your initial questions. It also places you on the right path to a cigar lifestyle. There’s one question I get more than any other, or some variation on it. “I’m interested in […]
Cigars and Football: Tailgating and a Good Stick
There’s nothing better than pairing cigars and football for that pregame anticipation, or any other part of your tailgating party. When fall is here, that means football is here. And when football is here, tailgates drop all across the nation and parking lots explode into a fury of backyard games, lawn chairs, and some elaborate […]