Nothing beats a great cigar lounge to enjoy a fine cigar. I travel quite a bit for work and Justin suggested that I start to write about them, so here we go this is my first ever blog entry. My name is Sean and you have seen me in a few of the videos around here. I hope whoever is reading this will enjoy it.

Anyway, I find myself in Lincoln Nebraska to visit my father in-law who is in the hospital. We get to the the hospital and what do I see? A cigar shop! Ted’s Tobacco on 111 S. 66th street. My sanity is saved! Unfortunately I am not able to visit until Monday. Monday arrives and I head to the shop, anxious to see what I can find. I walk in and I am pleasantly surprised, it is a nice size shop with a large walk in humidor with an excellent selection and really good prices.

I pick myself out a Tatuje, one of my current favorite sticks, and strike up a conversation with the owner Ted. He tells me about the state wide smoking ban and the city of Lincoln is taking it one step too far. No smoking in cigar shops! I had to go out front to smoke. He then tells me that the city has passed an ordinance to be able to smoke in cigar bars, but regular cigar shops are still out of luck. That is about the dumbest thing I have heard in a long time.

I head back on Tuesday for another sanity break but unfortunately Ted is not there. I get my cigar and the shop is pretty quiet. The gentlman running the shop is busy in the humidor. I head back outside, thanks to the smoking ban, to enjoy my cigar before I head back to the hospital.

If you live in Lincoln, or happen to find yourself in Lincoln, go check out Ted’s. He is very knowledgable about cigars and a really nice guy. It was the first time I was ever in his shop and he treated me like a local. That is always nice to be made to feel welcome at a cigar, after all that is why we go!

Stay tuned for my next shop visit. I will be in Philadelphia next week and San Diego after that. If anyone would like to meet for a smoke, send me an email to Sean@LasVegASHTV.com and I will try to make it out, work schedule permitting of course. Maybe I will also start blogging about some local Vegas shops so when you come here you don’t have to pay casino prices. I have to go inside now I’m freezing my butt off sitting out here in York Nebraska!!! Oh and thankfully my father in-law is doing much better.

Sean joins Justin and JC on our 14th episode. This episode features cigars from Los Blancos and wine from Cakebread.

We are back! Jerry came to Vegas for his last vacation before his new baby arrives and he joined JC and Justin at the Las Vegas Cigar Lounge for our 13th epispode. We talk about the cigar tax, a new golf tool and much more. Sadly this was the last video we recorded at the Las Vegas Cigar Lounge, a few weeks later they closed.

I wanted to take a minute and give an update on the site. We are still going strong, just been slammed at the day job. I have a few videos to get posted and will returning to posting in the next week or so. There are some great things planned and I hope every one enjoys them.

Gene Arganese and our rep Rob came into town for a few events. During one of them, Gene showed off his newest creation, tentavily titled, “SCHIP This”. I was able to take a picture of it, but had to keep it under wraps until now.

What Gene has done is take two of his cigars and connected them with an additional wrapper. Nothing has changed in the blends and I did see one that had connecticut shade wrappers on them as well. The consumer will pay for 5 cigars, but really gets 10. All you have to do is cut the cigars apart and light them up. He says this way they only pay the tax on 5 cigars, but the consumer and shop make out in the end.

He did not have any plans to produce any fancy packaging for them. He plans to sell them as seen in the above photo. Pricing information was not available at the time, but I would suspect that it will be cheaper than buy 10 cigars. I would think the retail price would be closer to buying 6 cigars.

Is he crazy or is an ingenious way to work around the system? Will any other manufacturers copy this idea? Only consumers will decide if they like this idea. Will you SCHIP This?

The El Baton Double Torpedo is made by the J.C. Newman Cigar Company in Nicaragua. This purchase came from one of the finer tobacconists here in central New Hampshire. Here are some stats on this cigar:

ring: 56 length: 6.26
wrapper: Nicaraguan
filler: Nicaraguan binder: Nicaraguan

This cigar was easy to light and draw. From start to finish it was a good smoke. It had a good even burn and a medium to heavy taste. Watching the ash it held for about an inch or so before it fell off. The ash itself was flakier than expected. The taste was consistent throughout,but kind of harsh. I kept waiting to be impressed by the complex notes of flavor…but it didn’t happen.

When all was said and done, this was a decent smoke for the cost. The price paid was just under $6. I would put this in the category of a good starter cigar for those less experienced.  It’s also a good pick if you are in a financial pinch and can’t fork out $10+ per cigar (like some people I know).

From my rating system of “meh” to “stellar,”I’d put this at “good.” While I enjoyed the draw and steady burn, I was left with gruff aftertaste you just don’t get in the premium cigars.

–Brimey

Tags: El Baton Torpedo, Review

What would the world be like if there weren’t fine cigars to puff on?  I hesitate to think on that for long.  Cigar smoking, for those who take the time to appreciate it, is not a distraction, it’s an art.  To appreciate the love, time, and skill that goes into a premium hand-crafted cigar is to appreciate the finer things in life.

My love of the cigar goes back over 20 years.  All long the way it’s been a great journey as my tastes mature and change.  It makes the destination unimportant; What you’re enjoying along the way is worth the longest detour.

Along my travels I came across this kid.  I found him in a dorm room when I decided to head back to college and finish my education.  As hard as I tried to be a good role model and lead him towards the light…. At some point I pulled him into the world of stogies.  What I didn’t know then is this escape from reality would become Justin’s reality.

Now, he resides in Vegas and comes across the finest, most expensive cigars that he enjoys on a daily basis sitting in front of a camera, sharing his thoughts with the world… While I, choosing what seemed to be a noble path in pedagogy, live a simpler life.  A life of occasional mediocre cigars, but nothing too uppity.

So, it occurred to me— If the once mentor (now student) could provide a review here or there… perhaps Justin could “throw me a bone” occasionally?  This would take form of a humble brown package sent by UPS to my humble grotto here in New Hampshire?  What would a considerably older Yoda observe, compared to Master Skywalker on the same cigar?  I thought it would be worth a try.

So, unless there is a massive email campaign to take me off of LasVegASH TV, you might hear from me from time to time.   Right Master Justin?

“Smoke a cigar or do not smoke a cigar.  There is no try.” –Yoda

Justin attend the official unveiling of the new custom bike from CAO Cigars, Lady Liberty. Justin talks to Jon Huber about the bike, CAO, Twitter and more.

UPDATE: I have a new version of the video that does not have the extra stuff at the end.

On Thursday, June 11 we had a Cigar VIP herf at the Chicago Brewing Company on Ft. Apache. This was a great event. We had quite a few people turn out for it. I would guess we had over 30 people enjoy cigars, drinks and company. For $5 you were given two cigars and a raffle ticket. The cigars where Romeo Y Julietta Habana Reserver and a H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon. Not a bad deal.

The raffle prizes were 6 packs of cigars, 4 packs of cigars, $25 gift certificate to many local shops and the grand prize was an autographed baseball by Yogi Berra. It was a great event and I look forward to the next one.

I took a few photos from the event.

Thanks to Bob McDuffe, host of DogWatch Social Club, via twitter @CigarRadio, there is news that the smoking ban for conventions in Vegas is being amended. This new bill, marked as AB309, will allow conventions to allow smoking again. This is great news for the annual industry trade show IPCPR as well at the Big Smoke, put on by Cigar Aficionado.

The IPCPR show is in talks to return to Vegas in 2011. This is great news for our local tourism and economy. The IPCPR show brings in thousands of cigar smokers and their spouses who not only spend money at the show, but also hotels, shows, food and other attractions. Allow this and other shows like it to be held in Vegas.

For more information, go here

Tags: las vegas, smoking ban