What makes smoking a Cigar so special?

Smoking a cigar is a very special thing.

It’s stimulating, relaxing and invigorating. There’s more going on than the rush of chemicals that hit your brain when you smoke a fantastic cigar – there’s a performance involved.

That sense of ritual is evident from the moment you choose the cigar you want to smoke and the kind of drink you want to pair it with. Are you going to combine a maduro leaf cigar with a dark spirit? A rum or a bourbon? Or maybe a hoppy beer? Have you just had desert? Or have you just had breakfast? Your palate plays a huge role as well.

Once you’ve made those decisions, you can finally settle in and start the process. For me, music is integral. If I’m not working and smoking, I will schedule in a real session – 2 to 3 hours of drinking, smoking and listening to music. My music of choice is always Jazz. Especially traditional Jazz. I’ve even made sure to create a cigar smoking mix on YouTube.

Now that the tunes are selected, I’ll cut the cigar, light it up and start to relax. Where possible, this will be a no Social Media zone. I want to settle in with the cigar, the music and the drink. I don’t want my phone buzzing, or to be continually checking Reddit. This is all about the experience of enjoying an amazing cigar.

But I still haven’t answered my question: what makes this process so special?

I think it has a lot to do with how special cigar smoking is. There’s nothing like it. It’s such an old tradition, that’s pure in it’s simplicity.  As Michael Douglas said: “Cigar smoking by it’s very nature is much more reflective than interactive.”

And he’s right.

Cigar smoking creates this wonderful sense of calm and reflection in me. Whatever stresses and problems I may have, I watch them whirl away in think charming smoke. All I want to think about is the quality of the cigar I’m smoking, the taste of the drink I’m paring it with and the notes that Frank Sinatra is hitting. That’s all.

I can burn 2 or three hours like this easily. There’s something so pure in this, something so clean about the whole process. Again, that sense of ritual is throughout. There’s nothing to chase, or achieve, except for that next great cigar.

So, do you have a cigar smoking ritual? How do you go about your Cigar smoking sessions?

 

Interview: Joshua Metcalfe-Parsons from Devlin’s Cigar Divan

I was able to finally get a chance to interview the manager of Devlin’s Cigar Divan: Joshua Metcalfe-Parsons. For those of you who don’t know, Devlin’s  is one of the most revered luxury cigar stores in the country, and a powerhouse here in Western Australia.

I’ve been buying cigars from Devlin’s for well over a decade, so I thought it was due time we had a inside look into one of the country’s premier cigar sellers.

Vitola: What are some of the challenges of having a brick and mortar cigar store in this day and age? (And especially in Australia).

Being a B’n’M has both its challenges and its benefits and the two often go hand in hand.
For example, having a physical location means that people can come in to our store and talk with us about cigars, which is great.

Cigars are confusing; there’s so many of them available, they’re all so different. Hell, week to week even the same cigar can be different depending on the year, the colour, the oil content etc. So, it’s great that a person who doesn’t know about cigars can come in and we can help them out.

But that has its challenges as well because it’s then up to us to make sure they can do that – we spend a LOT of time on every new team member we hire. In fact, they’ll spend 2 full weeks in training before they’re able to be on the floor talking to customers at all.

Vitola: How do you see the relationship between the US, Australia and Cuba changing Cigar pricing?

Honestly I don’t think it’s going to have nearly the impact on the market that people seem to think it will, especially not price. Cuban cigars aren’t a product prone to dramatic price increases due to availability. They just stop being available.

As a bigger picture answer I don’t think it’s going to impact the market at all. The thing that effects cigars is availability of quality tobacco and how that relates to demand: Cuba is currently saying they intend to capture 25% – 30% of the American cigar market (http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/Habanos-SA-Predicts-Big-US-Sales-Shows-2015-Cigars-18012) which would be a 15% increase in production. But those numbers don’t account for the cigars already being smoked by Americans.

In contrast to something like a devastating hurricane or bad harvest year (like 2014) I don’t see that increase in production having a negative impact on Cuban cigars.

Certainly lots of positive benefits though!

Vitola: What’s your favourite Cigar?

There’s a few I would consider “go to” cigars. I’m a big fan of the Sencillo Black series out of Nicaragua, particularly the Short Churchill. And I was incredibly surprised by the My Father Connecticut cigars. I could smoke those every day and be a happy man.
In terms of Cuban cigars I’d say pretty much anything by H. Upmann. It was the Magnum 50 that was the first cigar I really enjoyed so I have a soft spot for that brand.

Vitola: What do you like to drink with your Cigars?

I love experimenting with drink pairings. Scotch and cigars, wine and cigars. Everyone knows those. What about stout with a cigar? A really oaky white wine? Some of the things you think are least suited offer some of the best pairings.

My favourite weird pairing: Coke with a really dark Maduro cigar. The sweet, caramel flavours are excellent together.

Vitola: What’s it like Managing Devlin’s?

It’s rewarding I think is the best word, both internally and externally. It gives me a chance to engage with people every day I wouldn’t normally get to, and make real connections with them through cigars. And it’s great that I’m able to talk directly with the man whose name is on the door. We’re always looking to try new things and I get to see those things become reality (Keep an eye out for Pipes 101 this year!)

Vitola: What does Devlin’s pride itself on?

We really try and take customer service to the next level. Most people don’t come in and just grab a cigar off the shelf and buy it, we engage with them and help them make a proper decision. This usually means spending a decent time with each person finding out what the situation is, who’s going to be smoking the cigars, when they’ll be smoking them etc.

It’d be really easy for a person to buy the wrong cigar and so I take a lot of pride in someone leaving the store and me knowing they’ve left with the right cigar.

Vitola: Do you listen to Jazz? Any favourite artists?

Jazz isn’t something I’ve had a chance to really get in to. I enjoy it when I listen to it but I couldn’t tell you what artists I prefer.

So, if you’re in the neighbourhood and need a stogie you know where to go. You can also buy all kinda of great cigar related stuff at Devlin’s Official Wesbite: https://devlinsonline.com.au/

 

 

 

How to Cut and Light a Cigar (Video)

We just released our first little video on our Official YouTube page.

In the video, I show you how to cut, treat and light a cigar. It was great fun to make this little video. I put it together in about an hour, and you can see it’s pretty rough.

However, as you watch the video – here’s a brief breakdown:

1.  I initially show off the tail of the cigar, before prepping and starting the cut. This is to highlight how much of the tip of the cigar I remove.
2. I try to be as exact and slow as possible. Take your time cutting a cigar! It’s an art unto itself.
3. I use a weird little trick when I smoke cigars. I use a tiny bit of water to clean off or tamper down any tiny flakes of tobacco. I hate getting bits of tobacco in my mouth. Give it a try!
4. I give the head of the cigar a really big even burn as I light it. I turn the cigar ever so slowly as I light it. I want it to be nice and hot and very even charred.
5. And voila! Your cigar is now ready to enjoy. It’s pretty easy once you’ve had some experience doing it.

What are some Cigar lighting tips you’d like to share? Be sure to hit me up below.

Come say hi to me on Twitter @WadeKSavage and Instagram Wade.K.Savage 

 

Happy 2017 from Vitola!

You know what surprised me? I’ve had this tiny little hobby blog for about two years and it’s already over had 5000 views. I wrote four articles or so last year. This means, I really want to produce more content – but it also means I need to produce higher quality content.

I’ve got a couple of #Cigar reviews in the pipeline, and I really want to write some pieces on La La Land, Born to be Blue and Miles Ahead. In fact, it’s been a very exciting few years for cinema and Jazz. However, I want to write better content (and just a little more of it!).

If you’ve been checking in on this blog from time to time – thanks. I really appreciate you taking a look. If you don’t follow me on other Social Media platforms, feel free to follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Also, what Cigars have you been smoking of late? I’ve been smoking heaps of non Cuban cigars, and I was gifted an amazing bottle of 12 year old Dimple for my birthday. It’s a blended whiskey, and is very tasty. It’s not too smokey, but really exhibits some nice cinnamon and fruit flavours. The backend of the taste is quite strong, and I love it over ice.

What Jazz have you been listening to? I listened to heaps of Trad Jazz #Christmas stuff over the holidays (primarily Sinatra and Bing Crosby). A favourite of mine has to be Nat King Cole’s beautiful Christmas album. In fact, I should really write an article on one of his best songs – “What Is There More to Say?” – so look forward to that in the future.

Thanks again for your interest in my content – I wish you a really excellent 2017.

WKS

 

 

Interview: Krys Bielski from Krystof’s Cigars

I got the the chance to chat with the sole operator of Krystof’s Cigars, Krys Bielski. As well as providing a sophisticated exploration of cigars, Jazz and great drinks – I always take pride in getting to chat with people who live cigars.

Krys’ company provides premium cigars in Perth and he was good enough to chat with Vitola Magazine.

Could you tell us a little about yourself and your company? How and why you got into Cigar Sales?

I am the sole owner/operator of Krystof’s cigars, that started off in Feb 2015, to fill the void predominantly in the Perth market. Until I started operating, Perth only had 1 cigar retailer. I saw an opportunity to offer high quality products at a competitive price. Our No.1 priority is customer satisfaction. We will do everything in our power to satisfy our customers. We also recognize that not everyone is a cigar aficionado, so we are more than happy to spend time with our customers and help them choose what suits their style and appeals to their taste buds.

What are your thoughts on the tobacco industry in Australia?

In a sad state, I think there is too much regulation. Discouragement of consumption by the way of taxes has reached levels of absurdity. As a result, the selection of tobacconists that specialize in cigars has reduced to levels that can be counted on your fingers and toes. If taxes and import duties keep increasing it will drive most businesses to the wall and customers to shop overseas (which is already occurring). Unfortunately it’s no longer socially acceptable to be a smoker and we are easy targets. Won’t be long before those who drink spirits are the next victims. I get a little bit bitter and passionate when it comes to this topic as I don’t believe it’s up to the powers to be to choose what I do with my body, nor do they have the right to punish me for it.

What are your thoughts on the plain packaging laws?  

This is a bit of a crossover from the previous question. It has greatly impacted local business.  I understand that there is a need to curb the take up of cigarette smoking, but Cigars are in a whole separate category, only associated by the word “tobacco”. While I agree smoking should be discouraged to those who are underage, those (of legal age) who choose to partake should not be treated as criminals; nor give the government an excuse to treat smokers as their surrogate purses. It’s a shame the nobility of enjoying a cigar among peers and like minded aficionados,  in specialized bars/lounges, is prohibited. If it’s based on health reasons, why is social drinking an acceptable past time (which is costing the health system more than tobacco smokers). Additionally I’d highly doubt you’d see a non-smoker in a facility specifically designed for that purpose.

Are you seeing changes in terms of the kinds of people that smoke cigars? 

Cigar smoking has always been somewhat of a gentleman’s game, or at least it has been perceived that way, but I’m noticing a trend among the 20-45 year old demographic. Quite surprised to see the younger generation show interest. My clientele varies from the one off smoker to those who pair cigars with their favorite drink. Whatever the reason I often get overexcited discussing what cigar to choose, or what blend of cigar is best suited to their choice of alcohol. So far I’ve received very good feedback 🙂

Have you seen any changes in your business now that the US has softened their relationship with Cuba?

Not at this stage as they are limited to how much can be imported, but should those limits be removed I can foresee either a hike in prices from Habanos SA or a reduction in quality. Fingers crossed neither will happen and we can all enjoy what Cuba has on offer.

Do you have a favorite cigar? What do you like to drink when you smoke cigars? 

There are quite a few to be honest. They consist of:

Montecristo Double Edmundo

RyJ Wide Churchill

Illusione Fume D’Amour

Kristoff Brittania Reserva

Liga Privada No.9

Cohiba Robustos Supremos LE 2014

 

I’m a massive fan of scotch single malt, but do enjoy a nice quality rum too (i.e. Ron Zacapa). My favourite scotch at the moment is the Glengoyne cask strength.

As we also cover Jazz – are you a fan? Do you listen to any particular artists? What do you like about them?

That’s one genre I’ve not been able to get into unfortunately. I’m a man of symmetry and Jazz (to me) is the total opposite. The closest I’ve come to liking any sort of Jazz related music is Michael Buble, but even then I haven’t exactly gone out and bought any of his music.

We wanted to thank Krys  for talking with us, and we’d recommend any of our readers visiting his site here.  Be sure to ‘like’ his company on Facebook.

 

Cigars in Video Games: Fallout

The Fallout series of video games has always had a very close place in my heart. Since the first game debuted in 1997, I’ve loved it’s exceptionally atmospheric mix of post apocalyptic roleplaying meets 50’s kitsch world building. I’ve really valued it’s presentation of a morally grey universe that is sprinkled with dark humor and wit. Post Apocalyptic storytelling isn’t something new, but the wonderful texture and density of the Fallout games goes unparalleled.

It’s also one of the few major gaming IP’s that combines those three wonderful things I love: Jazz, Drinking and Cigars. Throughout the wasteland you can to listen to a lot of amazing trad Jazz and Pop. The first two games used tracks from both The Ink Spots and Louis Armstrong to intro the games. Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas have entire selections of Golden Era music to listen to. Like the BioShock series of games, the music licensing is really amazing stuff. Also like the BioShock games, the Fallout series uses plenty of alcohol to further establish a realistic adult universe.

But what about cigars? Both cigars and cigarettes can be found throughout the wasteland in Fallout, but are mainly atmospheric pieces rather than usable items. Unlike the BioShock series, cigars don’t have much of a branding or associated identity. I do love the atmosphere they create when you do come across a smoky bar somewhere and you spot the cigars wafting pale smoke around the room. It’s funny how something so simple can really produce an instant connection to a space.

The Fallout games act more as a combination of these great pastimes, whilst also making us yearn for a more free (albeit very scary) world. I guess if there if there is anything we can really be thankful for, is that narrator Ron Perlman is an avid cigar smoker. Combining the voice of Fallout with cigars is as good a connection as you can get.

Devlin’s Cigar Education Evening – Knowledge at a Fair Price

Last night I was able to take part in my first ever Devlin’s Cigar Educational Evening. I’d been meaning to check it out for years, but a mutual friend of a friend was going so we thought it best to all tag along. The Educational was being held at the Canton Lounge Bar, an Asian themed bar in the city. A group of 15 or so gents had booked for the evening, and we were all cramped outside on a small outdoor area that was dwarfed by office buildings all around.

The group of “students” per se were a professional lot, and I was pleased when I found out that Simon Devlin himself would be running the evening. I’d never got the chance to meet Simon, but I was really impressed with his easy going nature and extensive knowledge of the cigar industry. We were in for a very informative evening.

For the next 2 plus hours, Simon took us through 27 different factors in how one can review or rate a cigar. Everything from the texture and aroma of the unlit cigar, to the finish, strength and ash condition of the lit cigar. I learned a great deal of things I’d never learned before, so all in all I found the night very informative. One of Simon’s key themes was smoking a cigar for enjoyment. Not for status, or because your friends or favorite movie star does it – but for you. I found this pretty refreshing.

As apart of the event, we were given a unnamed cigar (what I would find out, would be a pretty good Montecristo Edmundo Petite) and a exceptionally small amount of a premium rum. Now this is where my primary and only real criticism of the night came in – the paired drink. I normally drink 2 or 3 large glasses of liquor with a really good cigar, so it was disappointing to have so little to work with on the night. I’d imagine there is only so much the $50 entry fee can cover, but more’s the better when it comes to a good drink and a great cigar.

Overall, I would recommend the evening to both connoisseurs and entry level cigar smokers. I found Simon and his team pleasant and good to deal with and most of the issues with the venue itself – not so much the fantastic evening they provided. For more info, be sure to drop by Devlin’s Official Website.

WHAT: Devlin’s Cigar Education Evening
WHERE: Canton Lounge Bar
COST: $50
CONS: Limited space, too little paired liquor
PROS: Good service, excellent knowledge, nice atmosphere and a great cigar!

The Game has Changed

It’s fascinating to see how the Cigar market may be changing with US President Obama opening up both diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba. The embargo has been in place since 1960, when then president John F. Kennedy put the blockade in place in response to Castro’s Communist rule of the country. Since then, Cuban cigars have always had an amplified reverence. But could we finally seeing the end of that era?

More importantly, could we finally be seeing price drops? As early as December last year, CNBC was commenting that is what we could be seeing. However, it looks like it could be a slower process than initially thought. From their piece:

“It will be fantastic, obviously,” said Rob Norris, CEO of cigar retailer and direct marketer JR Cigar. “Who knows what the news will be or how long it will take to take place, but that would be very exciting.”

Whilst there’s been plenty of market speculation, the move to allow travellers to bring back $100 USD worth of cigars from Cuba could mean an influx of cheaper cigar stocks into the country. It’ll be interesting to see how they will affect other suppliers and distributors – or if it will at all.

Another great caveat from this piece is one truth we’ve all known for years:

“In fact, that trade never really ceased. Despite the sale of Cuban cigars being illegal, the United States has remained the world’s biggest consumer of Cuban cigars, said Greg Zimmerman, secretary of the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retail Association, and the proprietor of The Tobacco Company, a retailer in Pennsylvania.”

But it’s never really been about access, as it has been about price point. The US still gets Cuban cigars are a better price point in comparison to Australia, which has huge tobacco taxes in place. Here’s hoping that President Obama’s measure of good will starts to see things get better for Australian Cigar fans too.

WKS

Cigars in Video Games: BioShock

It’s been an interesting thing growing up with video games. The artform has moved in such a way, that both the content and themes now represent the appropriate age group of Gamers. Where once games were designed only for young people, the last 10 years especially has proven to showcase real content by and for adults.

One such game that played a big role in this (and has had a tremendous impact on me) is Bioshock (2007). This First Person Shooter based in an Ayd Rand inspired science fiction dystopia, produces a wonderful and rich look at people and their relationships with culture, politics and products. It was also responsible for introducing me to a lot of Classic Jazz Artists (something which I will write about in the future).

Most interestingly, as BioShock is set in a time locked 40s/50s aesthetic, smoking is still a very much relevant cultural pastime. In fact, smoking is quite prevalent in games sets in these time periods (both the Fallout and latest X-Com game come to mind). As the underwater city of Rapture is shut away from the rest of the world (based on the objectivist views of the visionary Andrew Ryan), the citizens of Rapture produce their cigarettes using things like sea shells and fish eggs. Luckily it’s thought that cigars are smuggled in. Frankly, aren’t all the best cigars?

There’s even a range of different Tobacconists across the city, all with varying brands and products. As the city has fallen into ruin due to civil war, none of these establishments are open. Our top image shows an open store from the following sequel to Bioshock, Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea Part 2. The designers put a great sense of reality into the packages of the cigars in the game. There’s even an abundance of advertising for cigars throughout Rapture.

It’s things like this that create an immediate connection to games like this for me. BioShock explores the relationships between people and advertising a lot, so it’s understandable they’d include tobacco products. There’s also a section where the player can fight his way through a tobacconist, even finding one of the insane Splicers trying to break into the locked humidore.

BioShock remains one of my favourite games for a myriad of reasons, but it’s attention to detail and depiction of a time gone by are what stands out for me. It’s tinged with a beautiful melancholy that I really enjoy, and I have to say – there’s apart of me that would of love to smoke a cuban, watching the city lights shimmer through the ocean gloom.

Video by borissaurus
Images from the BioShock Wikia

 

 

Interview: Graham Wood – The Ellington Jazz Club

I got the chance to  interview Graham Wood. His club, The Ellington Jazz Club is one of the hottest Jazz clubs in the world and a huge trendsetter in Perth. Graham is also Associate Head of School and Director of Music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He took time out of his busy schedule to quickly chat to me about Jazz and The Ellington Jazz Club.

Perth isn’t always looked at as a sophisticated town. What made you want to start a Jazz Club here?   

There is a great Jazz scene in Perth and heaps of fantastic players thanks to WAAPA, PJS and WAYJO. The natural extension of that talent was to put it on a stage in a space where it would be respected.

 How has the Jazz scene changed in Australia since The Ellington got started? 

There are more touring opportunities now with clubs willing to present in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. This makes a big difference for visitors. No place to play = no tour.

Who are some of your favourite Classic Jazz Artists? What do you like most about them? 

Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington would be my personal favourites. I like them because they all have a really strong personal identity that can be difficult for pianists to achieve.

The Ellington caters to a wide range of different audiences in the Jazz spectrum. What are the most popular events you have? 

The most popular acts are the big name American touring acts, especially from New York. The best players in the world live and play in New York but they always pack the house when they’re touring through.

Do you smoke cigars? Do you have a favourite if you do? 

I used to smoke cigars but I can’t anymore because I’m a cancer survivor. I used to smoke a Montecristo #2. I smoked quite a few great cigars when I was in Havana – $1 each (and I probably got ripped off).

What are your thoughts on how Jazz changed from “pop music” per se, to a more “serious” experimental art form with the birth of Bebop?

It was a revolution by the African American artists who felt their identity was stolen by white band leaders in the 30’s who cleaned up and made all the serious money. The music changed to reflect the African American culture. Rock & Roll was then a revolution against the complex harmonies, rhythms and melodies of post 1945 Jazz and used much simpler musical materials to get the desired affect. Dancing to music fundamentally restricts the artists creativity as the need to keep a constant danceable beat means that your musical options are restricted.

What’s your favourite Cocktail/Drink? Do you have a favourite drink that goes with a particular peice of music?

Once again, I can’t drink anymore due to a previous cancer episode. When I used to drink I would enjoy a Grey Goose Martini.

Thanks again for your time, Graham.

To learn more about The Ellington Jazz Club, please hit the link. You can also follow them on Twitter here.

Images courtesy of  VJzoo from the Flickr Album The Ellington.