Good Life Diaries

So yesterday the Columbus Circle store was closed for the day to perform our annual Physical Inventory. (We were closed for an entire weekend at the Madison Avenue store earlier in the month for the same thing). It was a long long day of counting and recounting, organizing, stressing... but finally when it was all over everything came out ok. As is tradition for us... after a big day, we all stick around to enjoy a celebratory cigar and beverage. Last night was no exception! I had a bottle of Chivas Regal 12 year old that I had received as a gift upon my original appointment to GM of the CC store back in May of 2006. We ran down to Whole Foods market for some Bubbly Waters and Crostini to munch on. I left the cigar selection to Kevin Threat , our Assistant Manager. "I got a taste for a Small Batch", Kevin said. Now, the Litto Gomez Small Batch is a monstrous cigar. This was the first "Small Batch", using only tobaccos from 2002. Currently on our shelves is the

On Monday, March 16, 2009, over sixty cigar enthusiasts joined us at the Madison Avenue store to celebrate Avo Uvezian's 83rd Birthday. In his signature white Brioni Suit and straw hat, Avo was his gracious enthusiastic self, signing boxes of his brand new Avo Companeros and posing for pictures. An incredible dinner was prepared and served by our dear friends and neighbors at Rothmann's Steakhouse and paired with wines selected by Andrew Bell , President of the American Sommelier Association. This was the very first time the Avo Uvezian 2009 Limited Edition Companeros had been smoked by the general public. More details on the cigar are below! Here are a few pics from the night: The Tables are set... Avo spending time with guests... Eddy Simon ( Avo Brand Manager), Avo Uvezian , Michael Herklots (General Manager, Davidoff New York City) Joseph Bollo , Avo Uvezian , Ruth Bollo Avo Uvezian and Paul Chapman Ibrahim Amer ( Davidoff @ Madison) and Elena Baenninge

I received these babies in several months ago... right around the holidays to be exact but I'm sorry to say I never smoked one. I've looked at them everyday, but just couldn't dedicate the time and attention I thought one of these La Flor Dominicana Salomon's deserved. Well, today was the day. I walked into the Madison Avenue store, and straight into the humidor to grab one. It was dark, oily, and hefty! I took off my coat, sat down at my desk and clipped the cap. It was packed with tobacco but drew with ease. The pre-light flavor indicated some seriously strong tobaccos. I was questioning my judgement for a moment. Perhaps this was not the best choice for my 9:00am cigar. But, I went for it any way. The first couple puffs were a bit tight, no surprise for this particular shape. The filler tobacco was expanding with the heat. But, a few more puffs opened the cigar up into its full format, and plumes of smoke were spilling out of my mouth. The cigar began with some very

5 January 2009 The Perfect Holiday Smoke… You know, it seems every year I’m faced with the same problem. I go through my humidors looking for the perfect cigars to accompany me on my Christmas excursion. Carefully taking into consideration size and time commitment, as well as my cigar-smoking cousins who’ve never turned down a smoke from me since I’ve been in the business. The first part of the trek was to the northeast corner of Connecticut, “The Quiet Corner” as it’s referred to. It’s where I grew up… and is about a three hour drive from New York City. Usually I love enjoying a cigar on the drive, but this time just wasn’t in the mood. It was bad weather, bad traffic, and I knew I’d just end up chomping on it to release my frustrations rather than actually enjoying it. We (my girlfriend Tiffany, and I) spent the next 3 days in Connecticut with my family. I don’t think I ever appreciated the wrap around porch of our Victorian home until I began enjoying cigars. It’s perfect. However,

20 May 2008 I’ve been inundated with questions regarding the cigar business in today’s economy. Of course, cigars are one of those things that are considered an “extra” in many of our lifestyles; they’re not on the list of essentials like food, water and shelter (although for me, they’re somewhere between food and water). I’ve heard people are “cutting back”, “tightening their belts” and waiting for things to “settle down”. I saw a customer last week that I haven’t seen in quite some time. When I asked where he’d been, he replied, “Ugh, I haven’t gotten out of office before 9pm for weeks.” Now, I am a believer in working hard, putting in the extra hours, and even burning the candle at both ends. But, I’m NOT a believer in not rewarding yourself for your hard work. It’s times like these that make your “cigar time” even more important! A cigar demands time. It demands attention and relaxation. I’m not suggesting that you blow off a conference call and fire up a 2-hour double coro

28 March 2008 So often when you think of cigar-men, you think of stocky guys in guyaberas standing in a field smelling tobacco leaves, their shirt pockets stuffed with freshly rolled puros for them to smoke all day. But there is a man who is quite different. Tall in stature and always impeccably dressed, Jose Seijas is a soft spoken gentlemen whose passion for making some of the most popular premium cigars on the market is incredibly evident, yet his demeanor is as subtle as the cocoa notes on the cigar that bears his name. I recently had a chance to chat with Jose Seijas upon my return from the first annual ProCigar Festival about some of the newest offerings coming out of his factory- ALTADIS’ Dominican Facility, Tabacalera de Garcia in La Romana. MH: JOSE, THE PRO CIGAR FESTIVAL WAS SUCH A GREAT SUCCESS. WHAT DO YOU THINK NOW THAT THE FIRST ONE IS OVER WITH? JS: I certainly appreciate your comments about the Festival. I think we owe a lot to Henke Kelner and Catherine Llibre and

19 February 2008 I just returned from a quick trip to the Dominican Republic. Within hours of my feet touching Dominican soil, I felt like I never left. I get to the Dominican Republic about four times a year, and every time is unique and special. This year I brought my girlfriend and two friends along with me- making it extra special. Thursday, we spent the day at MATASA. Best known for making the Fonseca brand, MATASA makes some of my favorite cigars to smoke. From the airport, we went straight to one of MATASA’s storage facilities. Bails upon bails and Tercios upon Tercios were stacked- filled with tobaccos from years past that ensure MATASA’s ability to make incredible, consistent cigars, year after year. We proceeded to the factory in Santiago,where we walked through the factory looking at the various stages of making a premium cigar. From sorting, to stripping, to sorting some more… then making the bunch, applying the wrapper, forming the cap, and then aging. But of cour

2 January 2008 The celebration of a New Year is always filled for me with reflections over the past year and thoughts of the upcoming year. 2007 was a wonderful year for me. I traveled quite a bit- from the Tobacco Harvest in the Dominican Republic in February to the Grape Harvest in Napa Valley in September. Great cigars, wine, food and friendship were what helped make 2007 so special. And what better way to finish up a year than by embracing all of those great things together. At 17 people strong, we held court at Rothmann’s Steakhouse in Midtown Manhattan for the ringing in of the new year. The food was outstanding as always! I brought along a few bottles of Vieux-OS 2005 Old Vine Charbono by Shrader Cellers (one of my favorite producers) to help wash down the Crab Cakes, Lobster Ravioli, and Porterhouse. Once the countdown was over and there were more streamers than vino in my wine glass, it was time to change venues. A remaining 6 of us, with a couple bottles of bubbly in

2 January 2008 The celebration of a New Year is always filled for me with reflections over the past year and thoughts of the upcoming year. 2007 was a wonderful year for me. I traveled quite a bit- from the Tobacco Harvest in the Dominican Republic in February to the Grape Harvest in Napa Valley in September. Great cigars, wine, food and friendship were what helped make 2007 so special. And what better way to finish up a year than by embracing all of those great things together. At 17 people strong, we held court at Rothmann’s Steakhouse in Midtown Manhattan for the ringing in of the new year. The food was outstanding as always! I brought along a few bottles of Vieux-OS 2005 Old Vine Charbono by Shrader Cellers (one of my favorite producers) to help wash down the Crab Cakes, Lobster Ravioli, and Porterhouse. Once the countdown was over and there were more streamers than vino in my wine glass, it was time to change venues. A remaining 6 of us, with a couple bottles of bubbly in

3 December 2007 There’re tricks in every trade- but one thing cannot be faked, and that’s age. Whether it’s a good bottle of wine, a classic car or a great cigar, they all demand proper care, patience and a true love for them. Today I smoked a Dunhill Estupendos (7X47 tubos) from the mid 1980’s. Made entirely of Cuban tobacco, it has been among the most sought after cigars for collectors at auctions. I never had the opportunity to taste what a Dunhill Estupendos tasted like when it was new, but having smoked this one with over 20 years of age… why turn back the hands of time? This cigar began slightly vegetal in character, with an herbal and tea-like quality. It slowly built in all aspects- strength, flavor, and aroma. By the mid-point of this cigar a toasty, caramel-like flavor began to work its way into the profile. Hints of cedar and honey also became more apparent as I smoked more and more, but impressively the cigar never became hot or harsh. The finish was long, and lingere

26 November 2007 Jose Blanco, marketing director for La Aurora, popped in to see me recently. I love this guy, I really do. He’s balls to the wall cigars. We smoked some La Aurora Excepcionales and drank espresso as we caught up on what was new. La Aurora recently moved their facility from Santiago to a much larger one in Guazumal, Dominican Republic. Just before he left, he reached into his pocket and pulled out two cigars and said, “smoke these when you have a minute.” Well, it just so happened that I had a minute (and nothing to smoke), so I cut the beautiful little corona shaped cigar and dry smoked it for a bit. The draw was effortless. The earthy undertones and the wrapper’s spiciness were apparent without the use of flame. It lit easily and the flavorful smoke filled my mouth with each puff. A small blister began to form around the base of the ash. This is typically an indication of youth- and although common to see among many of today’s popular strong cigars, it’s rar

2 November 2007 I woke up this morning earlier than normal and opted to drive into work rather than taking the subway. I dimpled my tie and walked over to the humidors to make my morning selection, but found myself at a loss. Not at a loss of cigars… but which cigar to smoke. As I moved cigars and boxes left and right, I saw a a box of Juan Lopez petit coronas from 2001- gifted to me from a good friend in Switzerland a couple years ago. It’s a trophy little stick with loads of flavor. I was conflicted whether to sacrifice one to my morning commute when it me. I’ve got lots of cigars… many of which I hold on to for “a special occasion”. But, I’ve had countless special occasions since I’ve received these cigars and never once had I gone for one since I’d received them. So I decided to make my commute that special occasion. I cut the cigar and lit it in my apartment, just to enjoy the aroma for a moment. Then I was off. As I neared the foot of the bridge, I found myself less agi