CigarFox

A weather-beaten Eastwood with chiseled jaws readying his gun at the first knock of door, letting in the nasty old crook to his most coveted province! After the fight that followed which did not even need a shot, Eastwood would walk in slow motion, grab a drink and bite off his cigar’s end, ready to light up, still surveying the crook for life – a classical “Western” moment and some part of it livable in real life!

Let’s face it this time – what could be a better way to wind up the delightful day than relax and set ablaze each sip of our favorite drink (single malt scotch is what I like) with a heavenly cigar! Cigars and whiskey are seriously two of the finest things in life and when working in a group, the two can invoke the most enchanting of experiences. It works for me and I see no reason why it would not for you or anyone else!

It has taken some hundreds of judges, several brain storming (rather “tongue storming”) events and tasting sessions (mostly) in Cuba and Scotland to actually cherish the experience. The partnership between the asserters of two of the finest relaxants on the planet, that is, cigars and whiskey, has avowed this delicate combination as one of the finest, that human civilization could ever conceive. My last visit to Paris for celebrating the anniversary of a world renowned lighter brand provided me with yet another reason to glorify the cause, where I had the opportunity to cherish this paradisiacal combination of Havana and Scotland – cigars and single malt. Ever since, I am easily disposed to battle whoever opposes the heavenly combination of cigars with whiskey, reasoning as wastage of taste.

Refinement on earth for me, of course, is now defined by single malt whiskey, illuminated by the glow of the best rolls. Cultivating on my recently refined tastes owing to the newly developed liking (which, in no time, turned into an obsession); I started pairing these two manifestations of refinement in various combinations conceivable. And to the utter dismay of my contesters, I would be glad to gloat that a variety of cigars complement a variety of whiskeys. However, my favorite amongst all remains no more than mild single malt lighted with a medium/full-bodied cigar (preferably, Cuban).

A lighted Cohiba Siglo IV and a glass of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch make a stunning pair and these are the names that reflexively pop out of my mouth when asked to brand my love for the delicate ecstasy. A Partagas D 4 also does go really well with a Lagavulin Single Malt. However, (high time I stopped being nepotistic) there are certain cigars that just do not go with whiskeys – scotch or not..! I do not need to name any because once one cultivates a taste for it, it is quite easy to decipher an odd pair!

About the Author:

Denis is the author and webmaster for CigarInspector.com, your source for cigar reviews and cigar ratings.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Whiskey and Cigars – the Pair Perfect!

Criss & Marcoe Go to the Cigar Store – Episode 3 – (TRUBADOR TV) [HD VIDEO]

El Titan de Bronze – Cigar Review

where can i find phillies titans 50 count cigars in minnesota?

what the hell?

titan time

For many cigar smokers, the small paper band encircling their stogy is just a piece of trash, to be discarded along with the shrinkwrap around the box. But for others that cigar band is a bit of history – a collectible that adds immeasurably to the romance and mystique of smoking.

What is the cigar band, and how did it become so important? As is so often true when it comes to cigars, the story begins in Cuba – early-19th-century Cuba, to be exact, when that island nation had already come to be recognize as the cigar capital of the world. At that time cigar packaging was minimal – often no more than a wooden barrel or box, with the manufacturer’s name inscribed. The cigars themselves were generally left blank. This situation, not surprisingly, created a cheat’s paradise, in which cheap European cigars were bundled in boxes with “Cuban” markings on them and sold, domestically, to unsuspecting customers who thought they were getting fine imported Cubans.

Gustave Bock, a Dutch immigrant who owned a cigar factory in Cuba in the 1830s, is credited with being the first to place a paper band around his cigars. (Bock’s “cigar band” was just a paper ring with his signature on it.)

Many other makers adopted this practice, to the point where, by 1855, most Cuban cigar exporters were using them. These bands cut down on instances of counterfeiting while giving cigar manufacturers a way to increase name recognition and loyalty.

The practice spread from Cuba to cigar makers everywhere, and its popularity was encouraged by breakthroughs in printing technology, which developed alongside changes in the economy of Europe and the Americas that favored cigar smoking. Specifically, cheap color printing (through chromolithographic processes developed in Germany) was made widely available during the latter part of the century, and paper-embossing followed in the 1880s.

Between the expansion of the cigar industry and the new possibilities developed by the printing industry, a “Golden Age” of cigar advertising was almost guaranteed, and that’s what followed. Cigar makers began working not only to manufacture their cigars, but to differentiate their products from others. The late 19th and early 20th centuries featured elaborate, distinctive cigar box and cigar band artwork, often produced by highly-regarded commercial artists. These well-wrought bands featured images of famous figures of the day, historical figures, nationalistic imagery, nature scenes and animals. As with today’s postage stamps, special bands would be made to commemorate special events.

And, also like stamps, the bands had that combination of ephemerality and workmanship that so often draws collectors. While they were often well-made, they weren’t intended to last – so they gave collectors a challenge, as baseball cards, comic books and cheap children’s toys would later in the 20th century. And they always gave off a whiff of nostalgia, reminding dedicated smokers of good times shared with a cigar and a friend.

Children also found these bands attractive, since they were often left discarded on streets during the height of cigar-smoking’s popularity. Manufacturers even made “albums” with blank pages in which a person’s cigar band collection could be displayed – the forerunner of those plastic display sheets that every sports-card collector knows so well.

Adding to the boom in band collecting, some cigar makers gave premiums to customers who turned in a certain number of bands – everything from a set of children’s silverware (50 bands) to a Scientific American subscription (600 bands) to a baby grand piano (180,000), according to the American Cigar Co. catalog of 1904. (Those of you who used to collect Marlboro Miles during the 1990s should be feeling deja vu right about now.)

After World War I, cigars fell in popularity relative to cigarettes. Cigar makers stopped putting as much energy into the production of attractive cigar bands, as it became more necessary to cut costs. Cigar bands – at least in the US – grew generic, boring. The cost cut wasn’t enough – many thousands of cigar companies closed up shop for good in the US during the ’20s and ’30s.

Band collecting continues in the US among a hardy group mostly consisting of old-timers and nostalgia buffs, but in Europe it remains a thriving hobby, and cigar makers there continue to print colorful but cheap bands, some of which come as part of a series (again like stamps), others of which are created specifically for collectors.

About the Author:

CigarFox
provides you the opportunity to build your own sampler of the finest cigars that include cigar brands like Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, H Upmann, Macanudo, Cohiba, Gurkha and many more. Choose from more than 1000 different brands! Other cigar products include cigar humidors, cigar boxes, and cigar accessories like Zippo Lighters.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The History (And Value) Of Cigar Bands

Cigar Factory in Cuba

A weather-beaten Eastwood with chiseled jaws readying his gun at the first knock of door, letting in the nasty old crook to his most coveted province! After the fight that followed which did not even need a shot, Eastwood would walk in slow motion, grab a drink and bite off his cigar’s end, ready to light up, still surveying the crook for life – a classical “Western” moment and some part of it livable in real life!

Let’s face it this time – what could be a better way to wind up the delightful day than relax and set ablaze each sip of our favorite drink (single malt scotch is what I like) with a heavenly cigar! Cigars and whiskey are seriously two of the finest things in life and when working in a group, the two can invoke the most enchanting of experiences. It works for me and I see no reason why it would not for you or anyone else!

It has taken some hundreds of judges, several brain storming (rather “tongue storming”) events and tasting sessions (mostly) in Cuba and Scotland to actually cherish the experience. The partnership between the asserters of two of the finest relaxants on the planet, that is, cigars and whiskey, has avowed this delicate combination as one of the finest, that human civilization could ever conceive. My last visit to Paris for celebrating the anniversary of a world renowned lighter brand provided me with yet another reason to glorify the cause, where I had the opportunity to cherish this paradisiacal combination of Havana and Scotland – cigars and single malt. Ever since, I am easily disposed to battle whoever opposes the heavenly combination of cigars with whiskey, reasoning as wastage of taste.

Refinement on earth for me, of course, is now defined by single malt whiskey, illuminated by the glow of the best rolls. Cultivating on my recently refined tastes owing to the newly developed liking (which, in no time, turned into an obsession); I started pairing these two manifestations of refinement in various combinations conceivable. And to the utter dismay of my contesters, I would be glad to gloat that a variety of cigars complement a variety of whiskeys. However, my favorite amongst all remains no more than mild single malt lighted with a medium/full-bodied cigar (preferably, Cuban).

A lighted Cohiba Siglo IV and a glass of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch make a stunning pair and these are the names that reflexively pop out of my mouth when asked to brand my love for the delicate ecstasy. A Partagas D 4 also does go really well with a Lagavulin Single Malt. However, (high time I stopped being nepotistic) there are certain cigars that just do not go with whiskeys – scotch or not..! I do not need to name any because once one cultivates a taste for it, it is quite easy to decipher an odd pair!

About the Author:

Denis is the author and webmaster for CigarInspector.com, your source for cigar reviews and cigar ratings.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Whiskey and Cigars – the Pair Perfect!

Meliá Cohiba Hotel – Luxury hotel in Havana, Cuba

El Titan de Bronze Redemption Maduro

Cuban honeymoons provide plenty for newlyweds to see, do and take part in, including great beaches and interesting sight seeing opportunities. However, the island also offers less obvious and much more exotic thrills for those who want them. We count down the top five honeymoons in Cuba to whet your appetite and give couples a few ideas they might not have thought of for that truly memorable honeymoon…

5. Diving Honeymoons

Cuba and the Caribbean have some of the best diving in the world. The clear waters, amazing diversity of sea life and huge range of corals and rock outcrops to explore make it ideal for normal or scuba diving. Honeymoons around Cuba on scuba diving trips are incredible, as they let you experience the wonderful diversity and beauty of the ocean floor with the one you love.

4. Following in Castro’s footsteps

For history buffs and those who like walking holidays, why not spend your Cuban honeymoon following in the footsteps of Cuba’s most famous revolutionaries? You can follow the trail of Fidel Castro’s revolutionary guerrillas from the playa Las Coloradas, into central Cuba and beyond. Walking tours can be organised and you can get a real feel of the adventure and hardship of the freedom fighters on your way through the island’s interior. You can also visit the many monuments and statues to the fighters along the way and in your final stop in the capital of Havana.

3. Cigars, Coffee and Rum

Cuba is synonymous with cigars, coffee and rum, and any trip to the island should include trying some if not all of these to give you a real taste of the island itself. However, you can take it one step further and spend part or your entire honeymoon in Cuba touring the plantations, factories and distilleries of the island, sampling the best brands and the most luxurious hand made verities. Sitting with your loved one sipping the best the island has to offer, or indulging in that luxurious vice of cigar smoking together is enchanting while watching the sun set over the Caribbean.

2. Swimming with dolphins

Swimming with dolphins has routinely been chosen as one of the top experiences to have before you die, and when better to do it than when on your honeymoon? Cuba waters and the surrounding Caribbean are teaming with these friendly mammals, and tours, excursions and swims are organised to give you the best experiences possible while causing no harm or anxiety to the dolphins themselves. A magical moment to have together while on honeymoon in Cuba.

1. Salsa

The passionate island moves to its own unique rhythm, and you and your partner can get swept up on it on a salsa honeymoon in Cuba. There are lessons available for the uninitiated and dances and dance halls ready for those with a real love of salsa. It’s a perfect way to spend your honeymoon in Cuba, as the dance is all about fire, joy and passion, and will start your marriage as you mean to go on…

About the Author:

Emma Lelliott is the general manager of Captivating Cuba, an independent specialist in holidays, breaks and
honeymoons in Cuba
. With offices in Havana and the UK, Captivating Cuba can help you tailor-make the perfect Cuban holiday experience.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Top Five Exotic Honeymoons in Cuba

Cigar Factory in Little Havana

Tampa

Tampa Florida is a busy metro area similar to other cities across the nation. What makes it special is it’s semi-tropical seaside location and the culture, which are considered by many as one and the same. Ybor City located in Tampa’s Latin Quarter, has become the new “South Beach”. Complete with clubs, restaurants and eclectic shops, the region has a strong Cuban flavor complete with merchants selling hand rolled cigars.

Tampa is also home to Busch Gardens, one of the most popular attractions in Florida and for good reason, Beer. But beer is not the only reason to visit Busch Gardens, there are roller coasters like the SheiKra and Gwazi. Busch Gardens is also home to Animal Attractions.

Orlando

Orlando Florida is one of the most popular family vacation destinations in the nation, and for good reason, theme parks. Disney, Universal and Seaworld are the most famous. But there are other attractions close by such as Gatorland, Wet N’ Wild and nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex.

Hotels and Resorts around Central Florida cater to visiting families and International Drive offers a shopping experience you won’t find anyplace else. Restaurants and dinner shows are also popular with the visiting families for any budget.

Miami

Miami is located at the south eastern and that’s what gives it the unique beaches and water quality. Even though the region is a major population area and shipping port, the clear Gulf Stream waters flush Biscayne Bay and the nearby shoreline. The close proximity of the Gulf Stream also makes offshore fishing some of the best anywhere. Fishing for marlin, mahi mahi, wahoo and king mackerel are available year round.

Miami is also home to a large Cuban population giving the area a Latin flavor that impacts the fashion, food and nightclub atmosphere. There are also professional sports teams like the Miami Dolphin.

Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are truly a Caribbean paradise that stretches from Key Largo to Key West. Key Largo is well known divers and snorkelers with clear water it’s the easiest Key to get to. Islamorada is the Gamefish Capital of Florida with both offshore fishing and inshore fishing for bonefish and tarpon. Bahia Honda Key is one of the most natural of the Florida Keys and popular with campers and snorkelers. And Key West is party central with Duval Street and the Annual FantasyFest.

About the Author:

Kirby Collins is a Space Coast Internet Consultant and maintains a Florida Travel Info blog.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Popular Florida Destinations Offer Many Fun Activities

Tony Borhani & Bahia Cigars – Miami Cigar – IPCPR 2008

What would you say about this if I were to just kick back & enjoy this Havana Cuban Cigar ?

Ahhh… sounds great. Got rum?

Norma Fernández Sastre Rolls A Havana Cigar

How is Havana House Cigar Bar (LA) able to allow smoking inside and sell alcohol?

Similar law in Denver, cigar bars are exempt from the regulation as smoking is their primary business.

Interview with Roger Toledo, Joya Cubana Cigars at Havana 1959 Cigars Lounge – Miami Florida