CigarDinner

Cigar Expo 2009 Tickets on Sale

Filed under: Cigars

Tickets for Cigar Expo 2009 are now on sale. The event takes place on Saturday, June 27 – starting at 2 PM. If you pony up for a VIP ticket, you'll also get to attend a dinner with the cigar manufacturers the night before. So, if you're in Easton, PA and have $150 to burn ($225 for the VIP level), this is an event to check out.

Famous Smoke Shop, the operation behind the festivities, will celebrate its 70th anniversary this year – as guests are likely to notice. "We're going to give this year's attendees the royal treatment," said Famous Smoke Shop Retail Store manager, Tim Carr ... and he gives some pretty compelling examples. "Not only will every guest receive at least 50 cigars, but we'll have plenty of entertainment, waitress service, a cigar menu, fantastic food, and some amazing raffle prizes."

The list of vendors participating this year is long and distinguished, including Altadis, Avo, CAO, Camacho, Davidoff, Joya De Nicaragua, Rocky Patel and General Cigar – along with many others. There's a good chance you'll find something you'll like.

Tags: altadis, camacho, camacho select, camachoselect, CAO, cigar, cigar accessories, cigar dinner, cigar shop, CigarAccessories, CigarDinner, cigars, CigarShop, davidoff, easton, pennsylvania, rocky patel, RockyPatel, tobacco

Tobacconist Association to Meet at CasaMagna in Cancun

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

The 2009 Tobacconists' Association of America (TAA) Convention kicks off on Sunday, March 8. Tobacconists and manufacturers from around the world will converge on the CasaMagna Marriott for four days of reconnecting, deal-making and of course plenty of cigar smoking. I'm currently at this Cancun resort and am happy to give the attendees – and jealous onlookers – a few insights into the event's host.

Surprisingly, smoking bans have crossed the border, forcing the CasaMagna to be smoke-free. The lobby, restaurants, bars and guestrooms, for the most part, are off-limits for puffing. Fortunately, poolside smoking is fine, and you can light up in the bar that sits alongside the beach.

Igniting your cigar may be a challenge. With airlines frustrating efforts to carry torches, matches may be your only available option (unless you bleed your lighter and find someone to refill it for you in Cancun. The wind off the Caribbean is strong, so look for sheltered corners to use when firing up (there are a handful of them almost everywhere on the property).

A loophole in Mexico's smoking laws allows CasaMagna to welcome TAA's smokers into the Sa Si Thai restaurant, as it is a covered outdoor space. So, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite Avo, Fuente or Davidoff (or anything else) unmolested. The hotel has extended this restaurant's hours of operation to accommodate late-night indulging. After last call, you can retreat to your room's balcony to tie off the night with your preferred stick.

Gallery: CasaMagna Marriott

Infinite horizon at the CasaMagna Marriott

The lobby is open and inviting, but smoking is not permitted

The guestrooms are quite large; you'll have plenty of space

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Avo Cigars Come to New York

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

Planning to be in Manhattan on March 19, 2009? Check out the Avo Companero cigar dinner at De La Concha at 8 PM. The Copmpanero, new this year, is a limited edition product and will be the featured stick of the evening. This and several other cigars will be served with a three-course meal from Manhattan restaurant Rue 57 and an open bar. At $145, this is a pretty good deal (I'm speaking from experience).

The De La Concha in-store cigar dinners began because of New York smoking restrictions. Since restaurants and bars can no longer allow us to light up, this Mid-Town retailer periodically hosts up to 30 guests with a catered meal and a small live band. At each event, a particular brand is featured. Past cigars have included: Ashton, Don Pepin Garcia and Davidoff Millennium.

Tickets are available now at De La Concha.

Any cigar events coming up at your local shop or lounge? Let me know at tom.johansmeyer[at]weblogsinc.com.

[Photo by Steve Zak]

Tags: cigar, cigar dinner, cigar events, CigarDinner, CigarEvents, cigars, manhattan, new york, new york city, NewYork, NewYorkCity, smoking, smoking ban, smoking bans, SmokingBan, SmokingBans