Kids these days and their newfangled terms that muddy the waters and make things so daggum confusing. You might have heard about a vHerf before, especially if you’re part of a virtual or online cigar club. vHerfs, depending on the participants, can be a lot of fun and an interesting way to connect remotely with others who love cigars as much as you.
But, as is the spirit of modern times, these terms are sometimes thrown around willy-nilly and there’s no way in blue hell to understand what is actually going on. So, I’m going to sit down with you, light up a stogie of my choosing and get to talkin’ about this sweet, completely digital experience that’s sure to change the way you experience cigars.
Alright, don’t worry, I’m done putsin’ around with those silly words. You know what a video call is, right? In a video call, you chat face-to-face with other people on video platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, and FaceTime. That’s precisely what a vHerf is, except you’re also smoking. Basically, you, and whoever else is on the call, have some great conversations virtually, smoke some cigars and then call it a day when everyone’s done being social.
I’ve had a few formal vHerfs where I smoked with larger groups of people, including a master blender or two. I’ve also had smaller, more intimate vHerfs where it’s just me, family, or a couple of friends and we’re all shootin’ the shit.
A vHerf is a video call where you smoke. That’s it. It’s really that simple.
The obvious reason for having a vHerf is that a great distance separates you and the people you want to socialize with. Maybe they’re in a different state, or even a different country entirely. You hop on a video call, share some laughs and smokes and that’s all she wrote.
But a lot of cigar clubs, social media communities, and even brands host vHerfs in larger groups, as well. For example, some of the virtual cigar tasting events hosted by large brands, like Drew Estate, are nothing more than one super massive video call — a mega vHerf.
It’s also fun to join a call with people you don’t know well. Such as other cigar smokers that are part of a community you engage with. You don’t have to travel to them or to a strange place. Instead, you can meet up with everyone virtually in the comfort of your own home. It’s also a lot cheaper if you don’t have the money to visit a lounge. You can drink and smoke your own stuff. Plus, you can invite people that don’t like to smoke, too, because they’re isolated and can still participate in the call. They’re at home, away from everyone smoking.
Hell, when there’s an organized group vHerf, sometimes everyone in the group gets the same bundle of cigars to smoke together. That’s a lot of fun, especially when you have a mix of inexperienced to seasoned smokers. You end up having all sorts of discussions and, every time I’ve been a part of one, I’ve always come away learning something new.
The great news is that you probably already have all the equipment you need to vHerf. Most of the video platforms are free, on phone or desktop. You can use a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer — though laptops are better because you probably want to smoke outside.
The trick is to pick a service that everyone has access to. If not everyone has an iPhone, for example, then you want to use something other than FaceTime. Facebook Live and Google Meet are excellent alternatives.
Of course, you also need some quality cigars, the tools to smoke ’em — like a lighter and cutter — and a nice cold beverage of choice.
Briley has over 16 years in the publishing and content marketing business. He's been writing about cigars for nearly half that in various forms. What makes him a tour de force is he also smokes them.
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