Where’d you go?

You may be wondering why I took a break. Or, maybe you don’t care. Doesn’t matter, you’re getting the low-down anyway. I’ll do my best not to get political but at least some of that can’t be helped. The biggest reason I took a break was simply that I needed one.

I was firing on all cylinders writing for my personal sites, diving back into work, and doing some creative stuff on the side and it all became too much. A lot of my hobbies dwindled down, naturally, because I was investing more time elsewhere and cigars, or really the celebration of smoking cigars, grew less frequent. That’s not to say I haven’t been smoking cigars all this time — of course I have — but it became less of a primary focus.

The world is really fucking weird right now

The break was also spurred on because I decided to step away from social media as much as humanly possible. With the Epstein bullshit, the disenfranchised job market, tech bros ruining life through AI and big data, and the current administration wreaking total havoc on the world, it was long overdue. I also run a tech site called Techigar and spend time writing for various publications in that world. There’s so much noise about it these days.

I mean, I still ask myself constantly “what the actual fuck are we doing?” Pedophiles run the country. Greedy fucks scoop up all the extra. Jobs are disappearing at alarming rates, mostly because companies are increasing profits — and they still have record profits, by the way, so there’s no reason for it whatsover.

Plus, most people are just really fucking stupid about it all. Not in the sense that they don’t have the smarts to think or reason for themselves — although some don’t — but more in the sense that no one is willing to pause, look at where we are, and really dig into why this two-party, them-versus-me bullshit is just not working. The rich get richer and rob from the rest of us. The administration grows bolder every day, whittling away rights and stomping all over civil liberties and the world itself is honestly descending into absolute chaos and everything is super fucking weird.

So, I stepped away. I got tired of people talking about that nonsense on social media, and everyone is so damn blind to what is really happening, and it made it tough to focus on some of the things I love. Maybe you understand where I’m coming from, maybe you don’t, but that’s the best justification I got.

Back with a cleansed palate

At any rate, I’ve restocked my humidor. I’m doing it regularly, too. I’ve tried a bunch of new releases — most of them I didn’t like — and I’m ready to start talking about cigars and tobacco again. Without further ado, welcome back, probably mostly to me if there are any of you that have been out there all along. Let’s get cigar-thirty started, shall we?

The post Break time over, cigar-thirty is on appeared first on The BS Lounge.

The box makes a wonderful gift for cigar lovers you know, whether beginners just getting into the craft or aficionados with a storied history of the leaf. Like anywhere else, Christmas in the Dominican Republic is a season of vibrant, festive traditions.

“From the joyful sounds of Aguinaldos echoing through neighborhoods to the warmth of La Cena Navideña shared among families, this unique season reflects the spirit of togetherness and celebration,” says Iturbides Zaldivar, La Aurora’s Director of Sales and Marketing.

The bundle is uniquely curated “to embody that spirit, offering cigar lovers a taste of Dominican excellence wrapped in the festive soul of the holidays.”

What’s In the La Aurora Holiday Box?

You get 10 cigars total, two each of the following:

• La Aurora Original Blend Connecticut 1987 
• La Aurora Preferido 1903 Cameroon 
• La Aurora Family Creed Fuerte Sol 
• La Aurora 120th Anniversary 
• La Aurora ADN Dominicano

If you do the math, that works out to about $13 per cigar which is a pretty good price. Especially since you’re getting the new Family Creed Fuerte Sol and the delicious La Aurora 120th Anniversary in the mix.

I had a chance to review the Fuerte Sol and I came away with a positive experience, to say the least. Featuring a thick, beautiful Mexican San Andres wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and mixed fillers from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Pennsylvania it’s a notch up, pepper especially, from what La Aurora generally proffers. It’s a delectable treat, with flavors like cedar, wood, cocoa, baking spices, toasted marshmallow, caramel, subtle earth, anise and licorice. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

The post La Aurora gets festive with a holiday bundle appeared first on The BS Lounge.

What I have heard is that it’s a spicy pepper bomb with a lot of mineral and chocolate flavors, and that sounds like it would delight my palate. Looking it up and down, it’s a pretty dark beauty with a toothy Mexican San Andrés wrapper atop an Ecuadorian Habano binder, holding in Nicaraguan long-fillers. I can already taste the spices writing all of that out.

The real character in this cigar, and most of Black Label’s lineup really, is the band. It’s dark, it’s gothic, it’s brooding, and badass. No skulls this time around, bummer, but it does have a signature cross atop a blackened heart with a slightly embossed design. Anyway, enough beating around the wrapper, let’s cut this bad boy and light up, shall we? Make sure you have a cold one set out, of course. Also, I use “fuck” a lot in this review. If you’re sensitive to bad words you should probably stop here.

Storage and burn

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

Yadda yadda, consistency is key, so I will repeat what I always do here. I keep my humidor’s relative humidity (RH) between 64 and 67, and the temps in my house stay around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, I always let my cigars rest. I grabbed a few Super Deluxe when I had the chance, and they sat around in my humidor for quite some time. I always like to pick the right moment to smoke something new, and I’ve been pretty busy typing like Kermit on international pet a typewriter day.

During testing I deployed my usual straight cut, V cut, and punch — but I prefer straight. I know some folks prefer other cuts, but I’ve talked to master blenders who recommend the guillotine method. Plus, I like the draw it provides.

Not quite spongy, not quite stiff, I clipped the back end of the Super Deluxe and it fell away like a charm. No mess, no residues, no flakes. I didn’t even have to nudge or tap the end to make sure loose bits were removed. That could be a testament to my cutting skills, my storage prowess, or just the cigar makers — they roll a tight wad. While puffing, there were no burn issues, no tunneling, no uneven lines, and certainly no need to relight, which I absolutely adore when that happens. No fuss, stress-free smokes, yes, please. To prove it wasn’t a fluke, I smoked several and each time I had the same experience. Take that as you will, there may be duds here and there, but I didn’t encounter one.

Flavors and experience

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

I’ve read comments complaining that cigar reviewers often list generic flavors. If that’s how you feel, frankly, you can fuck right off. It’s win or lose either way. Because then people will bitch that you’re making up shit if you explain nuanced flavors you taste and they didn’t. I’ve said time and time again that most people who can’t taste anything are either smoking too fast or storing their cigars wrong. Bad cigars happen, sure, but there are people out there that just cannot be pleased. I will never understand why someone who can kick back, relax and enjoy a cigar would spend most of their waking hours miserable, but hey, it’s a fucked up world out there, and I digress.

Dark chocolate is the prevailing aroma and flavor here. From the cold draw to the first light all the way down to a nub, that chocolate stays true all the way through. It’s fucking great. It wavers between dark chocolate, cocoa, milk chocolate, and some spaces between, and if you don’t know the difference between those flavors, go buy a bunch of plain chocolate bars with different types of chocolate and start sucking those bad boys like your ex wife’s toes.

More flavor notes

I also tasted baking spices, black pepper, earth notes like subtle hay, dried fruit, which I picked up as cherry, strong wood flavors like oak or cedar, honeyed mead, some musky notes, and cinnamon. Also, gods damn if I didn’t like that cream on the backend. It’s a fantastic blend. While a lot of those notes can be found elsewhere, that’s what makes cigars so interesting. Each one has a distinct profile and works the same experiences in different ways — like two strippers working the same pole, you never know what you’re going to get.

You might have another chocolatey beast like Boneshaker Full Body Cast, pretty much any Padron, or the Oliva Serie V, but again, it won’t be quite the same. And if you’re loudly screaming right now about not tasting any chocolate flavors in the cigars I just called out, you need to go clean your fucking palate with coconut or saltines.

Black Label Trading Company Super Deluxe 2025: Closing statements

The Super Deluxe 2025 is medium to full-bodied, closer to full, with a decent kick of pepper and baking spices. If you don’t like spicy meatballs, you might want to skip this one. The retrohale is incredible and the blend of flavors really tests your ability to pick out distinct notes. The trick is to pinpoint each one — I always like to write down what I’m tasting on a notepad while smoking and then cross-reference them later. Sometimes, you’ll get a flavor you can’t quite name, and then it will click later.

Do I recommend this one? Yes, I do. For whom? Anyone who likes peppery smokes, although if you like to burn your face off early in the morning, like my brother-in-law, you might find this one on the mild side. I enjoyed it, though.

Briley specifics

• Recommended: Yes
• Would I smoke it again? Yes.
• Will I buy more? Yes, I already have.
• My preferred size: Toro (6 by 50)

Super Deluxe specs

• Profile: Medium to Full-bodied
• Approximate smoking time: 1 to 1.5 hours
• Box count: 20
• MSRP: $260 or ~$13 per stick (Toro size)

If you like this, you might also like: Boneshaker Full Body Cast, Oliva Serie V or Melanio series, Aganorsa Rare Leaf Maduro, Black Label Trading Company Lawless, Black Label Trading Company Salvation, Black Works Studio The Hornet, My Father La Promesa, My Father The Judge, Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Dark Knight, Herrera Esteli Norteno, Partagas Black Label, any Padron.

You’ll notice that my format is meant to be short and sweet, like this La Aurora Fuerte Sol review, or the previous Aganorsa Rare Leaf Maduro review. I don’t intend to keep up with the big leagues, I’m one guy. There won’t be any scores. However, I do want these reviews to be a resource for those looking for similar smokes or experiences.

The post Black Label Trading Company Super Deluxe 2025 review appeared first on The BS Lounge.

I’ve said this before in several places, but I’m not a big seltzer guy. I’ll usually drink soda and sweet drinks when I smoke, it helps offset the nicotine. But the Mitra9 beverages are sweet enough that it works well. Moreover, because they’re seltzers and not overloaded with flavor, it helps bring out the flavor notes in the cigars. The trick is pairing things correctly. For example, the kratom seltzers come in a bunch of fruity flavors like black cherry, dragon fruit, raspberry lime, root beer, cream soda and so on. Meanwhile, the kava seltzers have some more inventive flavors like paradise lychee, orange dreamsicle, strawberry watermelon and a couple of others. Root beer and cream soda are easy to pair and go with almost anything, but the fruity flavors, not so much.

Exploring Mitra9’s variety

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

• Profile: Mostly sweet
• Primary Flavors: Miscellaneous
• Best Prepared: Chilled or on the rocks

Both the kava and kratom seltzers from Mitra9 give you a slight buzz. It’s a feel-good buzz, like you’ve had a few beers. If you’ve ever had THC drinks, it’s comparable to that experience. You don’t want to be driving after you’ve had these, and you don’t need to drink a lot to feel the effects. When paired with a cigar, which is already relaxing enough, it’s a fantastic experience overall. In fact, I’ve found that drinking these and smoking enhances the entire event. Maybe it’s my overactive imagination, but I swear I tasted a lot more than I usually do on both accounts.

As mentioned above, kratom beverages come in a wide variety of flavors, while the kava drinks come in a handful. Berry, black cherry, dragon fruit, raspberry lime, tangerine, tropical, watermelon, cream soda, root beer, midnight cola and citrus sun for kratom. Paradise lychee, lemonade, orange dreamsicle, and strawberry watermelon for kava.

You can also buy shots, like energy drinks, and powder packets, which you mix in water. I won’t mention those again as they’re not really anything you’d pair with cigars. But if you’re interested, it adds to the Mitra9 offerings, and they’re also quite good.

Breaking down the pairings

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

I’m an Aganorsa fan, so you already know I paired some tasty sticks like the Rare Leaf Maduro and Corojo. But I also tried a few unique pairings. Montecristo Bardstown Bourbon, Southern Draw Kudzu, Boneshaker Lunatic, Casa 1910 Cavalry, Zino, Casa Carrillo Pledge, AJ Fernandez San Lotano Requiem Habano, Davidoff Escurio.

Here’s what I would recommend:

• Mitra9 Midnight Cola and Root Beer goes with: Anything, but something dark like a maduro is delicious.
• Mitra9 Cream Soda goes with: Habano, Cuban or Connecticut.
• Mitra9 Black Cherry, Raspberry Lime or Dragon Fruit goes with: Oscuro.
• Kava varieties like Orange Dreamsicle and Strawberry Watermelon: Connecticut.

My top pick is the Aganorsa Leaf Arsenio with the Root Beer kratom seltzer. I also had the Aganorsa Supreme Leaf, which is a salty smoke, with the Mitra9 Black Cherry, the latter of which has more of a tart flavor to offset the cigar.

One of the beautiful things about cigar pairings, especially when it comes to drinks like this, is that the experimentation is the best part. Yes, absolutely you can end up with a bad pairing, but it’s fun to taste test and mix and match. Just don’t do it on a day when you’re expecting a particular experience — those days and nights it’s always best to go with what you know.

Mitra9 Kava and Kratom Seltzers: Closing statements

All-in the Mitra9 drinks are an excellent non-alcholic alternative, especially if you still want to feel that relaxed buzz. You could keep drinking to enhance the experience, though I personally wouldn’t as one or two seltzers is enough. They pair well with a cigar, especially when you mix the flavors with the right blends. I’ve left some recommendations above, but really, it’s a lot of fun to experiment and try them out with things you would smoke normally.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can always mix the seltzers with some soda to make them a little sweeter. Root Beer flavor mixes well with root beer or vanilla cream soda, obviously. The cola goes well with cola. Black cherry with a cherry or fruit soda. You can figure out the rest.

I would recommend these to anyone interested. I’m not normally a seltzer guy, but the flavors are enjoyable and just sweet enough to be tasty.

Briley specifics:

• Recommended: Yes
• Would I drink them again? Yes.
• Will I buy more? Yes, I already have.
• My preferred pairing: Aganorsa Leaf Arsenio and Mitra9 Kratom Root Beer

The post Mitra9 Kava and Kratom seltzers: Pairing with a cigar appeared first on The BS Lounge.

All that on the table, it makes sense that a big cigar maker like Aganorsa would want to join forces with a beverage maker. But I’ll be honest, I did not expect that to happen between Aganorsa and MoneyBag soda — a Gene Simmons soda line. While there have been some strong proponents of this partnership, and very vocal, too, it’s still one of the zaniest things to happen in a while.

What is MoneyBag Soda and why is Aganorsa pairing up?

Gene Simmons of legendary KISS fame launched MoneyBag Soda as a craft brand. Purporting to only use the most elite of ingredients, you’ll find several mentions of “soda royalty” plastered all over the site. I don’t know about royalty, I’m just a crazy, cigar-loving Florida Man myself, but Leif Lunatic sure loves the stuff. Not to mention, the flavors sound delicious. Cola, diet cola, root beer, cream soda, ginger ale, blood orange, and options to mix and match, and they’re all made with natural cane sugar.

But as for those pairings, Aganorsa has thrown a few suggestions together. The Aniversario series seems to match up well with the branding and flavors of the colas and the creme variety. Root Beer is always really good to pair with a cigar, in general, so the MoneyBag Soda Root Beer should be divine.

This news has already been called out in a few places, including Cigar Aficionado and PCA. For those about to rock, oh, wait, that’s AC/DC. That was a joke, don’t come after me, I know the difference.

It makes sense, but also doesn’t, but also does

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

Delicious cigars and delicious sodas, yes. It makes sense, but also, I still can’t stop shaking my head at how fucking insane this partnership is. I’m curious if the MoneyBag crew is going to come up with a unique soda just for Aganorsa or, if, alternatively, Aganorsa is going to come up with a unique cigar blend for MoneyBag.

Terence Reilly, VP of Sales and Marketing at Aganorsa, says, “We’re always looking for ways to bring a fresh energy to the premium cigar world.”

“MoneyBag Soda has a bold, authentic character that pairs perfectly with the complexity of Aganorsa cigars. This partnership is about enjoyment, flavor, and creating memorable moments for our customers.”

Aganorsa and MoneyBag Soda will be hosting exclusive pairing events with more information on locations forthcoming.

Either way, we’re the real winners here because it’s going to result in something awesome. I can feel it in my loins.

The post In the weirdest collab in history (that also makes sense) Aganorsa partners with MoneyBag soda appeared first on The BS Lounge.

Iturbides Zaldivar, Director of Sales & Marketing at La Aurora says this re-release is “a very special product for me.”

“It represents our commitment to U.S. retailers and our desire to craft products that not only stay true to our roots in the Dominican Republic but represent the growing and changing palates of U.S. cigar aficionados.”

What is La Aurora Especiales?

Manuel Ynoa, La Aurora’s master blender, considered the input of over 100 cigar retailers before developing the blend for the original Especiales. The retailers involved visited and worked directly with the flavor genius over the course of six years. Six years of experimentation is a long time.

How did it turn out?

Especiales is a medium-bodied experiential smoke with a luscious Ecuadorian Cameroon wrapper, Dominican binder, and fillers from the Dominican Republic and United States. The 2025 cigar is a similar blend to the 2022 release of the cigar. Enthusiasts and aficionados describe the flavor notes as woodsy, with sweet cedar, nuttiness, coffee, spice, and light pepper.

Speaking on his side of the equation, Joshua Habursky, Chief Executive Officer of the Premium Cigar Association, says that he is “proud” of the collaboration.

“This is the second year that we are launching a major collaboration at our fall fundraiser, and we are very proud of the company we are collaborating with and the product itself. Over the past year the PCA team has worked with La Aurora on an Alliance exclusive cigar and they are hosting our pairing as part of the FIU Luxury Marketing Class this November. This is another win-win for both La Aurora, the association, and our retail membership.”

Last year’s fundraiser racked up nearly $40,000 to go towards ongoing advocacy efforts in the industry. It will certainly be interesting to see how things play out this year. Of course, I’m more excited for the launch of the Especiales.

How do I get one?

Anyone attending the PCA Fall Fundraiser on September 11 will have a chance to try the cigar as part of an exclusive pairing event. You can buy tickets for that here.

As mentioned after the fundraiser, La Aurora Especiales will ship out to retailers in October. Additionally, $0.50 from every cigar sold will go towards PCA to support its advocacy mission to protect and ensure the security of tobacco retailers and manufacturers.

La Aurora Especiales will be available in the following formats:

• La Aurora Especiales Robusto (5 x 50) — MSRP: $13.50
• La Aurora Especiales Toro (5 3/4 x 54) — MSRP: $14.50
• La Aurora Especiales Corona Gorda (6 x 47) — MSRP: $14
• La Aurora Especiales Gran Toro (6 x 58) — MSRP: $15

Excited to give this one a try myself!

The post La Aurora Especiales relaunching thanks to partnership with PCA appeared first on The BS Lounge.

But that brings us to our spotlight topic for today and the focus of the Friday Brand Feature: Kafie 1901, its excellent lineup of cigars, and, as always, where you can pick them up to try. If you haven’t yet, light up a stogie with me, pour an ice-cold beverage and let’s dance.

What about the Kafie 1901 cigars lineup?

Starting with its Luxury Core Line and sweeping out to Stiltsville, Liga de La Casa, and Naked Cigars, there are quite a few choices under the Kafie 1901 belt. The Luxury Core Line, for example, has an eponymous variety with Maduro, Connecticut, San Andres, Sumatra, and Natural wrappers. The Kafie 1901 San Andres from the Core Luxury Line is actually made by my guys La Aurora in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Kafie and Manuel Ynoa — La Aurora’s master blender — worked together to create the Serie L Natural, as well.

The Stiltsville line features 5-to-6-year-aged tobacco that was resting in 32-year-old white oak Anejo rum barrels. It comes in a single blend, with a triple-fermented Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper, but two primary sizes, robusto and toro. Crafted and inspired by the iconic spirit of Miami, it’s smooth, complex, and bold in character. The sweet tip gives way to more toasty flavors. The unique aging process elevates those flavors more.

For sweet cigar lovers, the Liga de La Casa line features Maduro, Connecticut, and Natural finished cigars. Meanwhile, the Naked series comes in the same three wrapper blends: Connecticut, Natural, and Maduro. But there are no sweet tips on these bad boys.

It’s family-owned. Iconic. And while most cigars are handcrafted, there’s a small, yet impressive boutique feel. Even more so when you consider Dr. Gaby Kafie is a retired physician. One who is now dedicated to providing formative and encapsulating tobacco and coffee experiences. Speaking of coffee.

Kafie 1901 also makes delicious coffee beans

If you’re looking for premium, artisan coffees from various wordly regions, Kafie 1901 has that covered too. With blends taking inspiration from Honduras, Columbia, Brazil, Sumatra and Ethiopia, you can find your perfect blend of roast, dark or otherwise, brimming with natural flavors.

Imagine pairing Kafie 1901 coffee and cigars for the ultimate experience? That’s pretty much the idea behind the brand’s venture. As Dr. Kafie says, “When purpose meets passion, the result is excellence.”

What else can you tell us about Kafie 1901 cigars?

Founded in 2013 as a family-owned business and by a retired physician after the brand was so named, Kafie 1901 began crafting iconic tobacco-laden premium cigars to commemorate the life of Dr. Gaby Kafie’s father, Don Fernando Kafie. You can read more about the Kafie family on the brand’s site. They’ve undergone incredible socio-cultural transformation and growth, from the early 1900s on. Realistically, that’s true since the family has been around, which is even before that. Each member is described as being “eccentric, talented, motivated, hard working, visionary, and humble.”

“We are comprised of Empresarios (business men/women), Doctors, Lawyers, Architects, Engineers, Artists, Song Writers, Poets, and much more. Some of our cousins here in the United States proudly serve in different branches of the military.“

That very much describes Dr. Gaby Kafie’s own trajectory, from physician, helping others thrive and survive, to today’s cigar founder and connoisseur.

The original blend was the Kafie 1901 Don Fernando (DF) Maduro. From there, it launched the Kafie 1901 Connecticut in 2014, Sumatra in 2015, San Andres in 2016, and the rest is history.

When discussing innovative and inspiring stories, Dr. Gaby Kafie’s surfaces top of mind. After moving all cigar production to the La Aurora Factory in 2021, while still managing to delight customers for many years prior, it’s clear the dedication to the craft and love of the leaf is a priority.

Where can you buy Kafie 1901 cigars to try some?

While based out of Miami, Florida, and available across the state at many small shops and retailers, luckily, Kafie 1901 cigars are easy to find at many other places as well. For example, Best Cigar Prices, Smoke Inn, and Neptune Cigars all carry Kafie 1901 varieties.

Per usual, depending on where you live, they may be a little more difficult to find, especially out west. But I’m sure if you live in those areas you already know some ways to get your hands on boutique or less-accessible brand cigars by now. You can always reach out to me, too. I live in Florida, so. Bangarang.

The post Friday Brand Feature: Kafie 1901 Cigars appeared first on The BS Lounge.

But why are cigars discontinued? What are the determining factors? As someone straddling both sides of the industry, press and retail sides, I’ve learned a few of those reasons and I’m here to share. Sharing is caring, right? Light up a smoke, pour yourself a cold glass of something strong and let’s go.

Why are cigars discontinued?

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

There are a few main reasons why cigars are eventually phased out. While they’re not followed in any particular order, the biggest and most common reason is popularity or sales.

Here are some more reasons why cigars may be discontinued:

1. If a cigar blend, size, or line is not selling well, manufacturers will eventually phase it out.
2. Cigars are all natural, made from plants and varying harvests. If one type of tobacco or a particular leaf is unavailable, manufacturers might discontinue the line.
3. Evolving consumer preferences can affect the popularity and sales of even the most prolific blends.
4. Rising costs, in taxes, fees, or supply chain expenses can sometimes significantly impact profits for a particular blend, in which case, brands may phase it out for better options.
5. In some rare cases, raw materials or supplies can affect the shipping of cigars. For example, if cigars are shipped in authentic ammo boxes, but the materials for those boxes become rare, more expensive or unavailable, well, the line gets phased out.
6. An updated blend or change in the materials and ingredients may cause older blends to be phased out. Like when upgrading a cigar, changing the factory, or something similar.
7. Increasing or emerging production challenges, like cigars rolled a special way, unique sizes, and accoutrements, like raw leaf used for a wrapper, may eventually cause the blend to be phased out. It could be because no one knows how to do the old methods or work with new materials, or they’re just not available.
8. Poor or weakened agricultural yields, especially in certain growing regions.

It happens from time to time; the industry is constantly evolving

It sucks when your favorite cigar goes the way of the ghost. I’ve seen it happen several times, and I have no doubt it will continue to happen in the years ahead. Cornelius & Anthony, for instance, was a brand I loved — I still have a lot of their stuff in my humidor — but they are no longer made.

There are many other changes that happen, too. My Father cigars used to be made by Aganorsa, before it changed its name. Now, the Garcia family makes its own cigars, and the blends are a little different. That tends to happen a lot in the industry when new factories open and the handcrafting changes, well, hands.

The post Why are cigars discontinued by manufacturers? appeared first on The BS Lounge.

On a recent visit to my local store, and while perusing online even, I found myself quite appalled. Great Scott! Indubitably. They carry humidors, both electric and wood types, which is to be expected, really. However, they also carry to-go or travel cases, a ton of pretty cool yet plain ashtrays, like this heavy-duty crystal ashtray, cigar needles, lighters, and a shit ton more.

Some of the items may be contingent on what’s available in your area. So, don’t be angry at me if they have less to choose from where you are.

Why are you sharing this?

Source: NewAir / The Home Depot

I’m honestly just a little flabbergasted by it. But what’s really got me in a tizzy is that somewhere local has this gear. Somewhere I can actually browse that I live near. And it’s somewhere that, most likely, a lot of you have access to, as well. Regardless of where you live or what state you’re in.

Our international brothers and sisters of the leaf might have a tough time finding The Home Depot, but I’m sure there are plenty of alternatives. At least, I hope that’s the case.

What’s so great about plain humidors and accessories?

Source: The Home Depot

What you may or may not have realized is that a lot of the offerings are plain, without logos or branding, which makes them excellent candidates for personalization. If you have stickers, wood burners, 3D printers, or any type of engraving and scoring tool, you can personalize the hell out of these things. Put your catchphrase on them: “Chew on that thang!” Put your name on them. Draw your favorite bike or Harley. Create a logo of your own. Go hog wild.

For example, this leather travel humidor has an embedded digital hygrometer, but the front is completely blank. You could etch your name on there or some kind of badass design like a skull. Hell, I might get one and put The BS Lounge logo on there.

And this cordless precision engraver is only $13 with a diamond-tip bit. You can use it, or something like it, to engrave glass, metal, plastic, ceramic, or hard materials.

Most of the items listed are free to ship to a store nearby, or free to deliver to your house. Can’t beat that.

The post Did you know The Home Depot has cigar accessories and cigar gear? I sure didn’t appeared first on The BS Lounge.

How do you get all the flavors? Aren’t you blowing out your palate? What’s the deal? Well, first, addressing the palate concerns, you build up a tolerance, especially if you retrohale, which I always recommend doing, anyway. You can reset your palate using various methods, like eating some salty crackers or coconut, or having seltzer water or club soda. I don’t usually do that unless I’ve had a crazy strong cigar somewhere in there, but it can definitely help reset your flavor picker.

But also, there’s a relatively straightforward way to set up your multiple cigar session(s).

How do you arrange several smokes?

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

As you likely know by now, so much of what constitutes as a “rule” or advice in the cigar world is really up to a matter of preference. Meaning, whatever I recommend here, ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to follow that guidance or not.

There’s no right or wrong answer, at least in this case. However, I recommend aligning the cigars from mildest to strongest. You start with a weaker cigar, both in terms of nicotine strength and flavor profile. Then, you work your way up from there to end the day or evening on a much stronger blend — a high note.

It also depends on how much time you have between smokes. If you’re smoking them one-after-another then, yes, you want to arrange them weak to strong — mild to full. But if you’re smoking one, then waiting a few hours in between, it doesn’t matter as much. For example, if you have one in the morning with your coffee, then another in the evening after dinner, the gap between the two times is enough that your palate won’t be affected. Especially if you’re eating in between somewhere. For those two separate sessions, smoke whatever the hell you want, in whatever order you want.

What happens if you smoke in the opposite direction?

Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge

If you do the opposite and smoke stronger cigars early and then go to weaker cigars later in the day or evening, it may or may not make it more difficult to pick out the flavors. But it actually depends on your palate and your experiences. I do know some people who smoke in that direction, strong to weak, or full to mild.

Yes, I have tried it, and now and then I’ll swap things up, but I prefer the first recommendation. In my experience, it’s better and easier to appreciate the varying flavors as you elevate the profile with each new cigar.

As I’m saying this, do note that — and this is always the right answer — it all comes down to what you’d rather do. If you try it one way or the other, and find you prefer a particular method over another, great. That can make this guide seem like I’m providing a non-answer, or just gnashing my teeth. Why would I recommend doing it one way when you can do it whichever way you want? Well, because, as long as I’ve been smoking, that’s worked for me, and not just me, I’ve found it works for many others, too.

The wrapper or blend doesn’t matter as long as you’re following the weak/mild to strong/full pattern. Going from a Maduro or Corojo to a Habano, or vice versa, is more about the strength and flavor profile than anything else. Whichever one tends to be stronger, with bolder, spicier flavors, save that for last. And no, contrary to popular belief, a maduro wrapper doesn’t automatically mean a cigar is stronger.

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