I typically smoke one, sometimes two a day, on Monday through Thursday. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I smoke typically 3 – 5 a day. My conservative estimate was 13 a week, which comes to 56 a month. My average cigar purchases are usually $11.00 a stick. After some basic math, it wouldn’t take a 5^th grader long to figure this out.

My dilemma is that I really enjoy cigars, and the cigar culture that goes with it. Hell, I am the president of the cigar club, so that should say something about how much I love cigars.

This estimate doesn’t even include the trips, accessories, gas and time I commit to this lifestyle. This also doesn’t include the cigars I give away, or the one’s I purchased and they are still resting comfortably in their make shift apartment in my home.

I had a cigar rep from General Cigar tell me once, that the “average” cigar smoker smokes 2 cigars a week. I can finally say that I am above average in that category.

I’m not sharing this to sway anyone from smoking cigars, nor is this my “dear John” letter to the herfing lifestyle. I’m just venting a little, and now trying to find a way to finance my cigar hobby, if that’s what it is. I am not addicted, and I can stop at any time. I just don’t wish to quite yet.

Also, be sure to meet our new officers, including Frank, our new vice president. I think you will be happy with all of the new changes and events.

If you’re new to cigars, or have ever wanted to try one, then you should sign up today. There is always someone who is ready to assist you, and we are not a commercial smoke shop, so no one is going to try to sell you anything.

The new website is going through a lot of changes, so stay tuned for more updates. We are Nashville’s original cigar smoker’s club and growing fast.

You can see the Nashville Cigar Club NUB Live podcast on youtube, and hear the entire thing on the NCC web site. Be sure to leave a comment to let us know how you liked it.

So, follow the Nashville Cigar Club Twitter.

travel cigar bar and humidor

I was looking for a leather travel bar to carry with me to cigar events, and ran across the most beautiful portable bars I have ever seen. These are made by Max Benjamin and come in several styles, colors and leather choices. They are not the cheap style travel humidors you find at Target.

Pricing is pretty good for the quality, and they are designed for the cigar smoker, which includes a leather cigar humidor lined with spanish cedar. So show up to your next herf in style with one of these elegant travel bars. Your smoking buddies will be blown away!

Now,  if I could just get rid of all the darn spam comments on here, without turning off comments. Either way, I will be updating this blog daily now, so check back often. I have a lot of new cigar events coming up and the Nashville Cigar Club podcast needs to be updated next.

Doing some background research for the review I found that these were blended by Frank Llaneza for Altadis cigars. I was surprised they were from Altadis, as the band looked like a cheap knockoff of the Cuban Cohibas, but we all know the long going lawsuits, so I won’t bore you with the details. I will say that the name makes me think it was a jab at the Cuban line.

Looking at the cigar it seems to be well constructed with no blemishes or soft spots. After removing the celophane and band, it did have a nice aroma at the foot and the wrapper. I am not sure what to expect, as I guess I am still hung up on the band and name, but lets light it up and check it out. The cigar does have a nice draw and doesn’t taste bad. I would say it’s a medium to full body cigar so far. I am getting a peppery flavor with some hints of leather and woodiness. Not too bad.

The ash is tight and holding well. Burning even, due to being well constructed. So, far the ash has grown to about 4″ and holding. I am picking up a flavor I am unfamiliar with, so I am waiting to see if the flavor profile changes. It’s like a mild licorice flavor, but not harsh. Overall, a nice flavor, but not knowing what I am picking up is bothering me, but not to the point I don’t enjoy the cigar.

As I am getting past the half way point, it is starting to grow mildly bitter, but still tolerable. I am going to rest in in the ash tray, as I have had enough. I think maybe this cigar could get better with some more age on it, as it is a new line, so it may turn out to be a really good cigar.

Overall impression is that I am not sure I would purchase them if I seen them sold locally. I do have another and may try it again with some more age. My opinion of it may change then. It’s not that it’s a horrible cigar, but I believe Altadis is a large enough company to come up with a name on it’s own. You can find these cigars at your local tobacconist and online at MikesCigars.com, and they are available in 10 sizes.

One good thing is that I am staying busy. I have been doing a lot of social networking and have picked up a lot of web development projects, and a lot of them are cigar related. I will post soon what I am doing next.

For now, you can see my most recent website that I designed for Old Havana Smoke Shop at http://www.oldhavanasmokeshop.com and let me know what you think.

 

We are having our first big cigar event this Saturday August 16th. at the new 3800 square foot Uptown’s Cigar Club in Nashville TN. Club members and those interested in joining our Nashville based cigar club are invited, and it is free to join and the event is free. The address is 4001 Hillsboro Pike and it is in the Green Hills area. The event starts at 12:00 p.m. and runs until 5:00 p.m. The cigar podcast will start at 2:00 p.m. and we will be reviewing the new CAO LX2 cigar that isn’t available yet.

Uptown’s and CAO will be providing cigars to club member who attend and there will be free drinks available. Uptown’s is excited to show off their new location that just opened this past Tuesday. There will be discounts and specials available during the event. We will also be giving away free prizes and gifts, so you better get there early, so you don’t miss any of the drawings or contests. Guests will be included in the Nashville Cigar Club podcast with Tom and Joe. The podcasts are always fun, and funny, and available to download from their website and now featured on itunes.

I stopped by the new cigar shop this past Wed. and spoke with Scott and Aaron, and got to go on a tour of this new shop. It is beautiful from the moment you walk through the 10 foot double wooden doors and make your way to the back wall that has been beautifully painted to look like a tobacco field. Leather chairs, wood cabinetry and big lcd tv’s on the walls. I was blown away by their selection and their humidor is well stocked and smells wonderful. This is Nashville’s crown jewel of cigar shops by far. You have got to come see this place and hang out with the members of the Nashville Cigar Club this weekend!

So far we have done 3 podcasts with the last one being in Clarksville, TN at the Bean and Briar Cigar Crib. We got to do the poscast with some of the local military guys and had a great time. We also go to review several A.Pontillo cigars, that you can’t fine everywhere.

I also picked up a Comacho Scorpion and that is a really great cigar! I will have to do a review on it this month.

So, go listen to our podcast on itunes, or on our website at http://www.nashvillecigarclub.com/cigar-podcast.htm today.