Cigar Bar

In the first of what I am calling the "Man Cave" posts, we are bringing you our review of one of our mutual loves, cigars.  I have no shame in admitting just how much I love cigars.  I especially love them in the summer and fall (perfect timing)...sitting outside, having a drink, cooking on the grill.  Perfection. Now we both know that cigars are not for everyone, so we completely understand if you skip this post all together.  But as we want to appeal to both male and female readers, hopefully there are a few of your out there who want to know more...

And now I turn it over to J (and by turn it over to J, I mean that I am still writing and he is answering, because as he put it "I can't just spit out a bunch of words on the spot":

What do you look for in a good cigar?
Handmade (hand rolled, not machine made),  Robusto size (length of cigar), and torpedo tip.  I also like full flavored cigars, and cigars that are typically about 45 minutes- 1 hour smoke, which is what the Robusto is (J then says, "Tell them I have ADD and can't do anything for more than an hour"...good point).

What brands do you recommend for the first time cigar smoker?
You can't go wrong with the name brands, for example Oliva, Macanudo, & Romeo and Juliet. Start with determining what your looking for, mild vs. strong, full flavored, sugar tipped, etc. Look for a price point of $8-$12.   You can generally get a good cigar for $6-$8 though, no need to spend a lot on your first purchases.

Also, J wanted to recommend good cigars for the gold course: Churchill (long and burns well, lasts through the round).  If your looking to smoke for the entire game, you are probably going to need 1 for each of the 9 holes.

What countries do you think make the best cigars?
Dominican Republic and Nicaragua (Cubans are overrated)

What is your favorite memory of smoking a cigar?
Being with friends and you (and he can include me here because as evident in the photos below, I clearly love a good stogie).

(From Top to Bottom: Me in Punta Cana on our Honeymoon; J and Me in Gatlinburg, Jr. year of college, baby days; J on our Honeymoon enjoying the Domincan cigars; Me and one of my best friends Kim at Margot's wedding; Me on the night we got engaged in Florida :); J's current cigar collection; J at the cigar factory in Punta Cana, learning how to roll)

And we will leave you with this quote..."This is either going to be a success or we're going to have a great story to tell." (TFM).

This was written on the humidor that Justin's groomsmen gave him on our wedding night.  Love the quote, love cigars, and love all the memories featured above!