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September 17, 2008 Cigar Blog

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Well back again and another weekend fades into the past with another on the horizon. As stated last week we went to the County Fair and brought along our H. Upmann Magnum 50's.

Now this event is a bit of an Autumn Fair, and in keeping with the turning of the leaves we chose the H Upmann Magnum 50.

For anyone and I believe everyone that has taken in a Fall Fair the bounty of the summer is a marvel to behold. The traditional fares are all there. Pies, Quilting, Livestock, Crafts, Cheeses, Fruit, the best of the best (from the County of course). This is a great venue to see "how" the neighbours are doing, where their successes and concerns were from the summer past and their plans for next year.It is an honest moment, I spent as much time looking at the folks as I did reviewing their wares.

This Fall Fair spoke of a good year despite the rain, and the promise of a great year to follow. It's at these simplistic and wholesome event's that you can really gauge what the economy is going to do. If the people are any indication as to the prospects of next year with the way the beamed with pride, we can be hopeful with 2009.

But I digress,the H Upmann Magnum 50 has a fine oily and consistent coloration throughout the entire box, uniform in nearly every respect. This color so matched the mood of the fair, rich, lively, consistent, a pleasure just to look at.

Now these larger Cigars are near perfectly rolled and carry a medium strength, rich and complex flavor that is readily enjoyable through the easy and even draw. I was pleased at the complexities the smoke delivered and this enhanced my mood to a point I thought I was beaming. I selected this Cigar for the very reason of its size and color. It was a perfect fit for myself to gad-about and take in the bounties of the Fall Fair. I believe that you can truthfully have a Cigar to match and enhance a moment, here was one that fit so very very well.

The 50 despite its size is a smoke I could enjoy 2 or 3 times in a day (in truth only twice at the Fair) and being at a primarily outdoor event it was quite simple to take in the full enjoyment both of the Cigar and of the Fair. I am amazed at how various people still react to someone smoking a Cigar. One little girl I heard say "ewww, that man's smoking" (for anyone who doubt's the power of the anti-smoking campaign, here is a prime example of what the future may hold) and conversely I had a rather edlerly Lady approach and strike up a conversation. "My Father used to smoke Cigars" she said "he only smoked in the evening and always went in to his room". "Was it a smoking room, a parlour?" I asked. "No it was just his room, off from the dining room, he only took his friends in there, never us kid's and never Mom or any other women". She told me that she had always enjoyed the smell of smoke, either her Father's or Uncle's Cigar (and apparently one quite Liberal Aunt) as well as the few other Gentleman who came by that smoked Pipe.

Connie had a warm smile and I appreciated her sharing a bit of time and her history with me. I asked her how she thought next year would be, and she said "Always better, most folks forget that more is not the same as better" she thought for a moment and then said "You can buy 3 jars of jam at the Grocery store for what it cost for 1 of these, more....better"

Again I thank you for this shared moment and I am hoping to do a wee bit of Fishing and maybe try on of the Romeo and Juliet's....not sure yet which one so come back if you would and we'll find out together.

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August 1, 2008 Cigar Blog

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Recently, with the pattern of Summer storms that are going thriugh, I have been party to several conversations regarding "where can I smoke in bad weather"?

I do not smoke at all in my home. When it rains I am less tempted to be out of doors to have one.

On a good day I luxuriate in a fine Cohiba Esplendido, or a Partagas D2. I have worked out my own bad weather smoking areas for myself. I can take a drive, stand under the overhang of the southwest corner of my house or move into my workshop.

Other folks have garages and some have gone to some lengths to revell in comfort. Such as Dave who works and temporarily resides in Edmonton Alberta Canada. Dave is a Lover of Romeo Y Julieta Churchills. No meesing around for Dave. For those familiar with Alberta winters they would agree that Dave has a unique solution for an outdoor smoking area.

You see Dave built himself a Greenhouse, not large, no glass excepting the aluminum framed summer door he placed as an entrance. Dave spent "more on my Humidor" than on his Greenhouse. Its is framed with PVC pipe, and enshrouded with 4 mil construction film. "It lets in the light so when its -30C (-40 with windchill) it can get up to a bearable -4 to -7C. To add to the comfort Dave has one of those folding Camp chairs and has laid out patio stones as a floor, painted the stones a dark brown. "I take it apart in the spring" says Dave "Tends to get worn some, not from wind cause its sheltered, but from the snow I have to take off the top, simpl reallt I just go in and push against the plastic from the inside".

Dave has recently bought a box of H Upmann Sir Winston from Cigar Chief and is "looking forward to smoking them this winter, I bought an all weather extension cord to plug a seat warmer into for the greenhouse!"

The Cigar Chief

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July 23, 2008 Cigar Blog

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One of the true pleasures of this time of year is being able to wander outside and enjoy a fine Cuban Cigar. Don't get me wrong, I smoke year-round. It is in the summer that I feel I get the most pleasure from a rich and creamy Cohiba. I assume it is in part of the ritual. First having deliberated over whether a Montecristo 2 or a Cohiba Esplendido and the amount of time I could take to enjoy the cigar. This was follwed by what drink to accompany the event. With these selections in hand I don my straw hat (from Honduras) and make my way out to the back deck.

Here it is quiet and I can focus my thoughts or let them drift as I choose. My dog Hunter dozes beside me. On this fine day with an Esplendido in hand my thoughts drift, clearing away all the mental clutter from the week prior, just like that commercial with the Aussie in the car espousing "the perfect moment".

At about this point I spy a spider web, nothing unusual in that. However, the spider itself is only the size of the head of a wooden match. Nothing remarkable in that either. It was the web that really caught my focus.

You see the night before we had one of those summer thunderstorms blast through, and somehow despite the wind and the rain this wee spider had spun a magnificent web. Where this web was located is slightly above the rail of my back deck, about 4 inches up.

The web was your spider standard spiral, and about 3 inches across for the main part and quite well done. The web however was suspended on 2 upper sides and the bottom, the bottom by a thread only an inch long, the other 2 guides where AMAZING.

One came from the eaves on the back of my house out on a diagonal 7 feet to the main web. The other guide was affixed to a tree 8 feet off the back of my deck. Somehow in all that wind and rain the spider managed to go from the roof to the deck to the tree and make this web, or maybe from the trre to the roof to the deck? Regardless I am unsure but was and am thoroughly amazed. Looking back I guess I shall never know how this was done.

The ash on my fine Cuban Cohiba has grown long and the time I have for this moment is passing by. I wanted to share this moment while it is still fresh. Thanks.

The Cigar Chief

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June 26, 2008 Cigar Blog

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There is a certainty in Cigar Blogs for the writers to speak of the many celebrities that enjoy a fine Cigar. There are famous (and infamous) personalities that have placed a good Cuban Cigar to their face and smiled for the cameras. Some of these people are associated so closely to Cigars that we in our mind's eye cannot imagine them without one. Each and every one of these actor, politicians, comedians etc... are well-deserved of their fame.

Does the Cigar make the celebrity? Both No and Yes.

Cigars in no way had anything to do with the famous phrases "we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender" (Winston Churchill) or "I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members"(Groucho Marx). In the instance of Winston Churchill he is seldom shown to be without his trusty Cigar, more often than not photos of Winston Churchill capture him in a personification of steely resolve, yet somehow looking to the future, a man of concentrating toward better day. The Cigar (Cuban Cigar I believe) was an accessory to the man, a symbol of sorts, denoting normalcy in the "Finest Hour". Groucho Marx however made this part of his Character, not the whole but a goodly part that made up the sum. If I drew a set of Bushy eyebrows, glasses, a tux, and a Cigar most people would recognize Grouch at once.

Does the Cigar make the celebrity? No and Yes. In some cases the celebrity makes the Cigar.

To illustrate this final point I quote Mr Marx himself, it went something like this: "A cigar organization once said that I was the world's most famous cigar smoker. I don't know if that's true. Although once while visiting Havana, I went to a cigar factory. There were four hundred people there rolling cigars, and when they saw me, they all stood up and applauded".

I would not suggest that Cigar Smokers are a breed, but there is a breed that Smoke's Cigars.

The Cigar Chief

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June 19, 2008 Cigar Blog

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Cigar Smokers will speak volumes of the pleasure derived from a good Smoke. There are tales about the finest Cuban Cigar they have had, the taste, the texture, the draw. Almost every Cigar Smoker has a favourite for their own reason's. A Cigar is a great leveller, bringing people of all stripes together for that one common joy. Cigars are part of great personal moments and memories.

We wish to relay two events to you that tell how a Cigar can be a fond memory long after the ash is cold.

The first is about Matthew who after savouring a fine box of Cuban Cohiba Esplendido's happened across a gentleman named Lenny from Daddy Mojo Cigar Box Guitars. In the course of their conversation Matthew sent along the Cuban Cigar Box from Cohiba to Daddy Mojo in Montreal. Lenny performed his "Mojo" and the finished product is a one of a kind, hand-crafted Cuban Cigar Box Guitar. These are artistically made and brilliantly fun to play. This instrument is now being displayed online and can be viewed at daddy-mojo.com take a moment if you would and view this truly stunning piece of work. Daddy Mojo does a unique job of combining two truly human passions: Smoke and Music. More specifically Cigars and Guitars! Daddy Mojo will be featured in the August Issue of Playboy.

The second telling I have for you is of a conversation I witnessed between two friends over the merit and value of a Cuban Cigar."I don't understand how you can spend $13.25 on a Cigar" the sceptic said, "Wouldn't you rather see a movie'". "Not really, I don't think so" said his friend. "What was the last movie you saw'" " I don't remember" replied the sceptic. "Well what was it about'" asked his friend. "Damned if I can remember, some comedy I think, no wait, nope, sorry I don't remember" came the reply. "Well I DO remember the last Cuban Cigar I had, where I had it, who was there, and most of the conversation from that night. Going to a $12 movie I won't remember by the time I walk out of the theatre will never have the value of a great Cuban Cigar. I'll take the Cigar."

"I still remember" is often part of any Cigar Aficionado's vocabulary, we at www.CigarChief.com hope it is part of your's as well.

The Cigar Chief