There’s nothing like smoking a fine, hand-rolled cigar. Mr Romance talks about his experiences and gives tips and advice on cigars. It’s all things cigars from what to buy, to smoking etiquette.
Cuba’s cigars, along with cool ‘50s cars, amazing music and tantalising architecture, are an icon of the nation. But there’s more to the often elaborately patterned, brightly coloured bands that ring each cigar than just decoration… Cuba has been heralded as making the finest cigars in the world for centuries. Its rich, dark volcanic soil, … Read more
Knowing whether you have a mouldy cigar or if it’s just bloom is so important. If you spot a bit of mould on your cigar, all may not be lost. Here are some tips on what to do if you think your cigar is mouldy. As I sat at the bar nearest my gate at … Read more
Choosing a cigar is NOT like choosing a packet of cigarettes or a bag of chips. It’s more like… choosing fresh bread. Here are some essential points to guarantee a good cigar purchase: How to choose a cigar 1. The environment Is the cigar in a closed humidor? If it’s open to the elements, the … Read more
San Diego – in the whole of the US – has the best tobacco laws. In California, it’s still legal to smoke inside, but only places like tobacco stores. You can’t eat or drink in there. San D takes it one step further. Providing the main product you sell is tobacco, you can get a special licence … Read more
I first heard of Partagas from my boss, who had lived for a long time in Spain. He had been given a box of Partagas by a doctor he had become friends with while teaching him technical English. Until recently, I couldn’t go past a Montecristo No.2, which is very similar to the Partagas Serie … Read more
Whilst in the States this year, I had to help myself to the wide array of unusual and exotic sounding cigars they sell there. One brand in particular has caught my eye with their prolific presence on social media. So I hunted out a couple of their sticks. La Flor Dominicana – or LFD to … Read more
Chicago isn’t like San Diego. Of course it’s not! What a stupid thing to say! However, I did notice there were a few places in the Windy City that valued an individual’s right to enjoy a good cigar. While Mrs Romance was busy learning at the 2013 BlogHer Conference, I decided to have some fun … Read more
We popped into this little cigar house while on the waterfront tourist trail in San Fran. The shopkeeper pointed out the Stogies Inc. own range from the cigars lining 3 ½ of the four small walls. Instantly intrigued I picked the maduro robusto – mostly because it was the only one left. Popular for a … Read more
Day 18 of our 30 Cocktails in 30 Days Challenge: the Almond Cigar As you may have noticed, I like the occasional cigar. I also like almonds. So when I first discovered this cocktail in a book Mrs Romance gave me, I was understandably excited about trying it. I wasn’t disappointed. I even had a … Read more
Hands up who wants a big wet, soggy cigar? No one? Who wants a crispy fragile crust of a cigar? Still no hands? That’s why getting your humidor to that sought-after 65-75% relative humidity is essential. However, there are so many tips, tricks, techniques and cheats out there, it can be very confusing. Let me … Read more