Posted: 12:37 PM ET, 03/31/08My friend Chuck, the proud owner of a new Audi R8, planted the thought a few weeks ago. “There’s this cigar lounge up the Hudson Valley. Let’s take the cars one Saturday, drive up and have a cigar.” I said sure. This past week, I realized I had a chunk of free time on Saturday. Read more
Posted: 11:25 AM ET, 03/27/08I have noticed some conversation in CA’s online forums, as well as other places, about the quality of wrapper recently in Cuba, and I am not sure whether they are talking about the past, present or future. All I can tell you is that I am always concerned about the leaf. Read more
Posted: 12:16 PM ET, 03/26/08I spent last week on the island of Saint Barth’s, which is also known as Saint Bart’s and officially called Saint Barthélemy. Whatever name you use, it’s a gorgeous, hilly eight-square mile island in the French West Indies with superb beaches, wonderful cuisine, balmy weather and Cuban cigars. Read more
Posted: 12:26 PM ET, 03/24/08In the universe of Big Ideas some succeed famously, some shuffle along, and others miss the mark. A package arrived at Cigar Aficionado the other day that seemed to bestride that spectrum.
The Big Idea is Beer Chips, or potato chips made with beer. Read more
Posted: 03:55 PM ET, 03/19/08The half moon disappeared and reappeared behind the low passing clouds, and the slow waving palm frond above me kept blocking my view of the pearly white orb. The pool at the Hotel Biltmore was softly lit, creating an almost luminescent aquamarine surface, and the arcade running down one side was filled with people talking and drinking. Read more
Posted: 03:17 PM ET, 03/12/08My buddy and I were dying for a smoke. And I was empty handed. We had just finished dinner at Father’s Office in Santa Monica and we were full of burgers, sweet potato fries, and various other delicacies, besides sharing a bottle of 2001 Cote Rotie Rene Rostang and 1979 Ridge Petite Sirah. Read more
Posted: 11:31 AM ET, 03/11/08The first ProCigar Festival is in the books, and it went pretty well. About 120 people had a chance to spend time with cigarmakers in their factories and fields, they smoked up a storm and they got a nice taste of Dominican culture. A few even did the extended stay and spent this weekend in La Romana, home to Tabacalera de Garcia, and played in a golf tournament. Read more
Posted: 12:45 PM ET, 03/10/08Every night of the ProCigar Festival ended with a party. And they were pretty darn good ones, too.
I’ve been to the Dominican Republic dozens of times since joining Cigar Aficionado magazine in 1995, but I rarely see any more of the city than tobacco fields, cigar factories or restaurants. Read more
Posted: 05:18 PM ET, 03/07/08Yesterday I headed out with the tour group to embark on ProCigar’s version of Cigar 101—trips to cigar factories and tobacco fields where the tour guides are some of the leading men in the cigar world. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and people were in a fine mood. Read more
Posted: 02:33 PM ET, 03/06/08I walked into the lobby at the Gran Almirante last night and ran smack into Avo Uvezian, creator of the Avo brand. He was holding court, surrounded by six cigar fans that were tapping his brain about making cigars. I said hello to Avo and smiled.
This is why people had come to Santiago this week, for the first annual ProCigar festival: to get close to a big name in cigars. Read more
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