Cigar Blog

Happiness is a good cigar

Sofia Airport A Haven For Cigar Lovers

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You may be thinking, “Where in the world is Sofia Airport?” For what it’s worth, it is a nice name for an airport, isn’t it? Anyway, Sofia Airport is the major airport in the country of Bulgaria in Europe. If you do not know your geography, just check it out on Google Earth.

So why am I writing about this airport which may be unknown to a lot of people? Simply because it is a place that is quite friendly to cigar lovers. Novinite reports:

Sofia Airport has become the third place in the capital, where cigar lovers are to enjoy the quality and variety of products offered by the luxury La Casa del Habano boutiques.

Bulgaria education minister Daniel Vulchev, who is known for his passion for nice cigars was one of the guests at Tuesday’s official opening of the cigar shop.

“The opening of La Casa del Habano contributes to the airport’s comfort and style and gives the opportunity to people to get in touch with the Cuban culture,” Habanos S.A. commercial vice president Manuel Garcia said at the event.

Habanos is one of the main partners of Bulgarian company Kaliman Caribe, which owns and manages the chain of luxurious smoke boutiques Premium and La Casa Del Habano.

Despite the distance of Bulgaria to Cuba, it is apparent that the reach of the culture (cigars mainly!) is far. More than the cigars, however, Bulgaria is fast becoming a popular destination for tourists from all over Europe. If you find yourself looking for a European vacation, then you might want to drop by Bulgaria and enjoy a smoke while you are at the airport.

Originally posted on September 16, 2008 @ 6:22 pm

Is Your Cuban Real?

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smoking a cuban
Earlier in this month, I posted an entry on why Cubans are considered illegal in the United States. Though many of us know that they are illegal, it does not mean that no one can get their hands on some. Indeed, there are ways and means by which one can acquire some Cuban cigars. However, the fact that Cubans are rare and hard to get your hands on (at least in the United States) also means that there are a lot of unscrupulous and enterprising groups that take advantage of this. That is, there are a lot of cigars circulating out there – cigars which are purported to be Cubans but in fact are fake.

So how do you know if your Cuban cigar is the real deal? The most important thing would be to know who you are dealing with. If you ever get the chance to get your hands on Cuban cigars, at least look into the background of the seller. The seller should be a legitimate dealer. Outside of the U.S., you can find a lot of legitimate dealer that sells Cubans.

If you have the chance to buy a box, make sure that you examine the box carefully. Paul Penafiel suggests:

The most important thing to examine is the box. On the bottom of the box of cigars, you should find a heat stamp with the words ‘Habanos.’ The heat stamp should be impressed onto the bottom of the box. Fake Cuban cigar boxes often find other ways to imprint this label, such as using rubber stamps or paper labels. You should also find a factory code stamp at the bottom that is stamped in green, blue or black ink. This stamp will tell you when and where the cigars were rolled.

(to be continued)

Originally posted on May 24, 2008 @ 10:00 pm

Best Cigar Tips Continued

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We took a look at three tips that you should bear in mind when smoking a cigar. I think my favorite of the three is to find a good drink to go with the cigar. Well, let’s take a look at some things that you can consider and which will help you enjoy your cigar better.

Expand your horizons.
What do I mean by this? As a new cigar smoker, do not try just one brand or flavor. After all, you do not have much experience with the different kinds of cigars out there. Though you may start with something that a trusted friend has recommended, I suggest that you do yourself a favor and try many different kinds. You can actually buy sampler packs, which contain many different cigars in one container. This way, you can find out for yourself which kind you really prefer and at the same time, you do not spend too much money buying a bundle of each kind. This also actually applies to the more experienced smokers as well. Sampler packs are a great way to discover new kinds of cigars without weighing heavily on the pocket.

Never put a partially smoked cigar back in your humidor.
Seasoned smokers know better than to do this but a lot of newbies have made this mistake. If you do not finish smoking a cigar, either put it in a cigar savor or just throw it away.

Originally posted on July 20, 2008 @ 6:49 pm