2019-03-01T00:00:00+00:00 - ThinkCigar | Cigar Lifestyle & Culture

Why do we smoke cigars ?

March 28, 2019Tony Heywood

Indeed, why do we do it;

So many ways to address this question…to give an answer that might satisfy, may prove to be difficult; because the person asking the question most likely has never indulged in occasional cigar smoking, and therefore my have difficulty coming to terms with the answers given.

I imagine it might be helpful to lend some historical value to the subject at hand before we start waxing all nostalgic about our grandfathers and great uncles sucking on some retro sticks at family gatherings.

Our good friend Wikipedia states:

A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco leaves made to be smoked. They are produced in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made up of three distinct components: the filler, the binder leaf which holds the filler together, and a wrapper leaf, which is often the best leaf used. Often the cigar will have a band printed with the cigar manufacturer’s logo. Modern cigars often come with 2 bands, especially Cuban Cigar bands, showing Limited Edition (Edicion Limitada) bands displaying the year of production.

Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities primarily in Central America and the islands of the Caribbean, including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, and Puerto Rico; it is also produced in the Eastern United States, the Mediterranean countries of Italy and Spain (in the Canary Islands), and in Indonesia and the Philippines of Southeast Asia.

The origins of cigar smoking are still unknown. A Guatemalan ceramic pot dating back to the tenth century features Mayan smoking tobacco leaves tied together with a string.

We could also talk about how Columbus brought back tobacco products to Europe; but we’ll let you handle that bit of research…the real point, it’s been going on for a long-ass-time.

Lets get personnel

It’s time to point the barrel of this question right at my head…let’s get singular, why do I smoke cigars, me, this kid, this guy…”because I freakin love em” lol. Ok seriously, I have my reasons and justifications: (1) a decent cigar takes me from 45 minutes to an hour to finish which in-turn guarantees me an hour for myself (2) it’s ritualistic in it’s preparation…the way you cut your cigar, the way you light your cigar pretty much remain consistent (3) your smoking environment is for the most part of your choosing. These are things that very much appeal to me, and most of the enthusiasts that I know.

In the beginning it’s about developing your palette and figuring out your tolerances, learning the differences of mild, medium, and bold, the differences of smoking before or after a meal…do you like scotch, rum or wine with your smoke; or just pounding some beer with it. Depending on what I’m smoking , and when i’m smoking will influence what I’m choosing to drink (if at all).

Having a cigar for me is like being on a short vacation, some of my most clear and lucid thinking has been achieved, while I’ve been on holiday; in and out of the country, and for the short respites’ I enjoy while enjoying my favorite cigars. Because of the cigar I enjoy the friendship of people that I would have never met, relationships that have enriched my life. Different politics, religion, races, gender, economic backgrounds are all transcended for that hour…while I’ve given you a lot to digest for my reasons; it barely scratches the surface.

If you’ve noticed, I haven’t mentioned anything about taste and flavor…this thing is so much more than that. It’s a lifestyle.

Habanos On The Hill

March 9, 2019March 18, 2019Tony Heywood

Habanos cigar lounge Atlanta, GA (Castleberry Hill)

In one of Atlanta’s hot and creative areas you’ll find one of it’s anchors…Habanos cigar lounge, located in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood.

Google describes the area “Castleberry Hill is an industrial area turned trendy, with residential lofts and indie art galleries in old warehouses. The neighborhood is also a popular filming location, and walking tours take in sites like The Gulch, a derelict space often used in major TV shows and movies. The casual, eclectic dining scene encompasses everything from Southern soul food and hearty Mexican to creative sushi”

Habanos cigar lounge is classic and industrial just like the neighborhood that it reps; exposed brick and ceilings of extreme height, hardwood planks under your feet and a beautiful bar that’s long and encompassing, texture, check, atmosphere, check, sensations and libations, double check…you want it they got it !

Dona Mathews, and her husband Michael Paul, along with business partner Karl Booker are the owners of Habanos cigar lounge. They have been open since November 2016 and have worked their way into most cigar conversations here in the ATL. I first visited this spot about a year and a half ago for the first time and liked it right away, Micheal made my wife and I feel right at home, and ditto for the friends I would bring on following visits.

Most recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time at the shop with Dona…not only is she part owner, budding tobacconist and equal manager; but she’s also the resident marketer. The social media presence the lounge enjoys is a direct result of her hard work, she gets it done in a male dominated industry. Also the heavily influenced Bombay decor is something she is really proud of.

The cigar smoking here is given the respect it deserves, the staff is trained to clip and light your cigar, and the leather couches call for you to sit and enjoy. There’s room for a decent amount of people, and when busy, you can still communicate with friends without yelling. The humidor while not super expansive, still offers-up some pretty nice sticks…on my most recent visit i tried one of their house cigars, it was a medium-bodied Nicaraguan creation that could hold it’s own with most $10.00 sticks, well done ! As a cigar smoker I’m usually most interested in the cigar variety and smoking environment available; but this place enjoys a well deserved reputation for it’s drinks, libations, cocktails, lot’s of people walk in and place their drink order first, and then their favorite stick (i’m the exact opposite…lol). All things considered, this place is really what’s missing from most up-and-coming trendy areas…it’s not overdone, it’s not pretentious, it’s not lacking in the many ways one might think when considering a spot like this, it checks the boxes and crosses the T’s.

So the next time you venture up or down from the burbs’ check out Habanos cigar lounge…look up Michael and Dona, grab a stick and have one of their hot drink concoctions ; and maybe bring Michael a “Rocky Patel Vintage 1999” , I hear it’s one of his favorites.

Happy smoking

Let’s Smoke Some Gold…Cigars ?

March 5, 2019Tony Heywood

Who is Daniel Marshall ?

Some enter into a business with intent. Others are surprised to discover that a talent, product or skill set coupled with a personal passion turned out to be something that they can make a living from. That was the case for Daniel Marshall, a renowned humidor maker who also has his own cigar lines.

Marshall’s desire to build things by hand came from his dream to build a sailboat that would allow him to sail around the world—a dream he’s had since he was 10 years old. He entered into the world of cigars unintentionally, after setting out to make a thank-you gift for his girlfriend’s grandfather. Marshall wanted to make her grandfather something he could store his favorite cigars—Dunhill Monte Cruz 280 Panatelas—inside. He ended up creating a cigar case made of teak wood and presenting it as a gift. Impressed with the quality of the case, his girlfriend’s grandfather told him that he was sure that Dunhill would buy the case and that Marshall would be able to use the money he earned to build his dream sailboat. This launched Marshall into the humidor business and world of cigars full time. Tobacco Business recently sat down with Marshall to discuss how he built his brand and get his take on how you can build your own impressive following and notoriety.

Tobacco Business: Tell us about the first humidor you built.
Daniel Marshall: It was an Alfred Dunhill humidor with a bottle of Dunhill Whisky inside. Dunhill said if I could replicate it, they would give me an order. I did that, and in two weeks, I had a purchase order for $250,000 from Dunhill for more humidors. Next, I set up a humidor factory in Santa Ana, California. That was back in 1982, more than three and a half decades ago.

Your humidors and your cigars have an impressive following that includes celebrities, politicians and other affluent figures. How can other accessory and cigar makers go about building a following for their brands?
Three words: quality, commitment and trust. Do exceptional work with heart, and those who appreciate the best of the best and can afford the top quality will know about you and seek you out. There is a saying: “Build it and they will come.” This is how it works.

You’ve done a few collaborations with other brands and celebrities. How do you choose who to collaborate with so that it’s beneficial to your brand?
I choose to collaborate with anyone by identifying shared common values and loves. I am excited to do charitable work for the environment and to help children become all that they can be.

It was a great honor and privilege to be chosen by Universal Studios to make a humidor to commemorate the Blu-ray release of one of its most well-known films, Scarface; to be chosen by Hennessy to make 800 humidors for their XO product; and to work with Bally of Switzerland on 500 humidor/presentation boxes for their bespoke shoe collection called the Scribe [collection]. All of us share the same commitment to quality, luxury and creating the benchmark of quality.

In addition to humidors, you have your own branded cigars: the Red Label and the 24kt Golden Torpedo. What made you decide to expand your brand by launching your own cigars?
Twenty-one years ago, customers and store owners would ask me, “Marshall, you make the best humidors in the world—where are your cigars? We trust you for making humidors, and we would trust you to be as fanatical with a cigar blend and creating one as you are with your humidors.”

So again, trust was essential and the reason for making a cigar. The challenge was to make a cigar with one of the world’s top cigar makers during the height of the cigar boom in 1996. It was something that could only happen with a strong friendship in place. Manuel Quesada created a cigar for our brand because of our friendship and because of trust.

What part of your job do you enjoy the most and why?
I have learned that to have a successful business and life, you have to enjoy and love it all. I enjoy all aspects of it—from the administrative aspects of our company, to working with my wonderful team in the factory getting covered in dust, designing humidors and creating all kinds of new humidor and cigar collections, to answering these thought-provoking questions that take me back through the past 35 years of my life, to enjoying cigars with our global family around the world.

– Story by Antoine Reid

This story first appeared in the November/December 2017 issue of Tobacco Business magazine. Members of the tobacco industry are eligible for a complimentary subscription to our magazine. Click here for details.