Chicago cigar tasting

Joined Jan 2006
402 Posts | 0+
Saint Louis, MO
My local smoke shop (well, one of them... there are three around here if you include the liquor store w/ the walk-in humi) is having thier monthly cigar "tasting" tomorrow. (Friday 2/3) The last Friday of every month Blue Havana (856 W Belmont Ave) gives away free sticks + refreshments and fills the place with a cloud of smoke. I've only been to one so far, but last time they had a raffle as well. A Perdomo rep was there with free sticks and raffle prizes (mostly a few sticks) for some of the people who bought Perdomo cigars.
Just be careful buying a lot of sticks there. Thanks to local & state taxes they're a lot more expensive than buying online. The local liquor store always seems to cost less despite similar or slightly higher posted prices. I suspect the liquor store includes the excise taxes in posted prices and only adds sales tax at the register. Still, it's a good time. Just don't go nuts in their humi. I do still buy cigars there, but I order most of my smokes online or get them at the liquor store. I just like to support my local smoke shop a bit.
 
zandor said:
I just like to support my local smoke shop a bit.

The Internet rocks!

But supporting your local retailer does great things for the industry too.
I am fortunate having a great retailer close to my home. They have given me much more than I ever could have imagined....and I just started as regular old customer.
 
I can't go to Blue Havana. Its advertised on Q101 and I always hear wannabe cigar smokers talk about going there. I prefer my guy who knows tobacco, has contacts, and knows me by name.
 
Blue Havana's sort of funny. It's part of a complex of assorted shops, incliding a lingerie/sex shop, a jewelry store, and "The Alley", which is some sort of clothing store I don't understand.
Some of the guys there know tobacco, some don't. I value the place more as a place go smoke than a place to talk tobacco. One guy there knows a good bit, another one's decent, and the third one's clueless.
Unfortunately, none of them can keep up with some of our regulars. Vince for example. At any rate, even if you don't like the shop you might like the tastings. Quite a few people show up, and it's easy to find someone to talk with who doesn't mind if you chain smoke cigars.
 
Quag: which cigar shop do you frequent?

Zandor: what are some of the other ones you visit in the area?
 
There's another shop down the street from Blue Havana. Around the World Tobacco I think. Nice selection, but seemed a bit unfriendly. I walked in and the owner was sitting there staring at an excessively loud TV watching sports commentary. I'll give it another try sometime. Other than that I've bought quite a few sticks at the big liquor store a bit over a block away. Binny's has a walk-in humidor and carries a lot of stuff I haven't seen elsewhere, most notably a wilde selection of Oliva products.
I've been meaning to check out the UpDown downtown on Wells St. It's supposed to be a very nice shop. It's just a hassle to get to as parking stinks in that area and taking the train turns it into a much longer trip. I'll get there eventually if I can resist the urge to just sit here and shop online instead.
 
When I did smoke Perdomo cigars I found they smoked best at a very low RH, like 60% - used to drive me nutz - I'd have to take them out of the humidor the day before and let them sit out over night.
I can't say if they are still that way, but would like to hear what the rep says to that question if you get a chance to ask him.

A gathering of Cigar smokers is always a good thing!
 
I go to House of Tobacco in Algonquin. I live about an hour NW of Chicago and this place is about 25 minutes south of me. Kenny, the owner, is good friends with the Patels so he gets good deals which are passed onto me which being the Patel whore that I am, really benefit me.
 
hmmm....I'll have to hit up that one in Algonquin, quag. The one I go to the most is 8 to 8 Cigars in Villa Park. I absolutely loooove that place....the guys over there really know how to treat their customers.

zandor: I've been to UpDown once....it was alright...it was kinda small but they had some nice stuff over there.
 
It's a good thing to support your local shop.

I know what you mean about taxes Sandor, my local sells a lot of Cubans, but his prices on anything he sells are at least 3 times what I pay online. Its kind of a drag, because he is a nice guy, and is always willing to talk about cigars when I go in there. I just cannot afford his prices.