Discount Cigar Store & More

For those who do a lot of entertaining, it’s hard to come up with new party themes. But the recent popularity of cigars offers a great creative party idea for stressed-out would-be party hosts.

Putting together a good party is hard – and gets harder as you grow older. In college, it’s easy enough to satisfy your guests with, say, a bowlful of pretzels and a keg of beer, but friends burdened with adult responsibilities – a job to get up for, a child to raise – may not want to drive out to your place just for some stale salt-heavy snacks and a can or two of average quality beer. So you’ve got to come up with fun new ideas. But this gets stressful, complex, and sometimes expensive as well. After you’ve tried out your first two or three great inspirations, you may begin to burn out on entertaining all together.

But there’s hope. Try throwing a cigar-sampler party.

Cigars aren’t just your grandfather’s chosen indulgence anymore – they’ve grown increasingly popular during the past fifteen years or so. After bottoming out during the 1980s, cigars became the break of choice for a well-educated, younger demographic, even as other forms of smoking went into decline. They’re just luxurious enough to feel like the break you deserve, but, since they’re designed to be smoked slowly, one at a time, and in moderation (unlike cigarettes), they won’t break the bank. Their infinite differences in taste offer the pleasures of connoisseurship as well: experienced smokers learn to enjoy the differences between double claro cigars (light and generally dry-tasting, with very tan outer wrappers) and maduros (dark brown in color and sweetish), between the great cigars of Nicaragua and those of the Dominican Republic or Turkey. A cigar-themed party makes sense if your friends are smokers, and it also makes sense for those who aren’t (as long as, you make sure not to invite anybody who’s passionately anti-smoking or allergic to tobacco).

Here are some tips on throwing a cigar-themed party:

1) Buy a sampler or two of premium cigars, until you have enough to cover the number of planned guests. (Keep the guest list small – you’ll have better-quality interactions, and you’ll keep the party affordable.)

2) Cigar samplers are easy to buy online, but be careful. Some cigar stores “lead off” with a too-good-to-be-true deal – an inexpensive sampler labeled “premium.” Usually these cheap “premium” platters actually contain only a few top cigars, and are then rounded out with cigar pawns – cheaply-made knockoff cigars. Make sure that your sampler comes from a high-quality cigar shop or online store, and that you know what you’re getting.

3) Once you have your premium-cigar sampler, assign one cigar to each guest.

4) On the night of the party, serve simple snacks before you serve the cigars. (Cigars tend not to go well with ultra-creamy or rich foods.) Hard cheeses, dark chocolates, fruit, coffee, and fine red wines or beers are recommended. Remember – avoid anything too rich!

5) After folks have eaten and had a few drinks, bring out the cigars. Have everyone head outside with his or her assigned cigar and a drink; light everyone’s cigar, and tell them to smoke up. You’ll have given all your guests something new to talk about.

6) If desired, encourage your guests to bring their own cigars, which can be collected and served as part of a “second round” later. Guests could compare the tastes of their two assigned cigars. You could even encourage one of your guests to bring some non-premium cigars, even off-brand gas-station cigars, as a gaga – though only if you’re going for a second round of smoking!

Experienced cigar smokers will enjoy the chance to share their enthusiasm with others. New smokers and nonsmokers will be trying and enjoying something new.

Remember when lighting to cut the cap of the cigar, then, using a wooden match or a zippo lighter or other full flame (not a paper match), turn the end of the cigar in the flame a full 360 degrees until every part of it is lit. Remind your guests who haven’t smoked cigars before that they shouldn’t inhale – this isn’t a cigarette! Pull the smoke into your mouth and taste it thoroughly without allowing it into your lungs. Remember, it’s about the taste.

The many frightening tragedies that can plague homeowners are often enough motivation to select an appropriate Home Insurance policy.  There is a tremendous amount of liability associated with owning a home, but adequate coverage can help alleviate the potential stress.

The thought of losing the actual house and its contents due to fire or disaster is also not something that many consumers wish to think about.  Home Insurance is obviously very important, but there are multiple ways to save hundreds of dollars and have more money left over for other needs and desires.

Smokers often are aware of how much money they would save on the cost of cigarettes if they were to stop smoking, but few realize that their homeowner’s insurance premiums may decrease as well.  A substantial portion of house fires are started by cigarettes and cigars, so insurance companies will often charge smokers a higher premium.

Home insurance companies are very interested in encouraging the use of security devices that will minimize their exposure to loss claims deriving from theft or burglary.  Many alarm systems are very inexpensive to purchase, and yet they can drastically decrease the cost of coverage.

Many insurance companies appreciate customer loyalty and are willing to provide discounts to individuals that utilize their company for more than one type of insurance.  For example, maintaining both auto insurance and home insurance with the same company will often yield a lower cost on both policies.

Homeowners that file multiple claims pose a substantial risk to home insurers, so there are often lower premiums offered to consumers that have never filed any type of claim.  As a result, many individuals realize that it is better to pay out of pocket for small and insignificant losses and save the home insurance for major catastrophes and disasters.

All of the discounts available to consumers should definitely be taken advantage of, but the best way to save on home insurance is to properly compare multiple quotes and options.  Although comparison shopping typically involves a great deal of homework, there are methods that may actually make it quite simple and brief.  Insurance comparison sites are an excellent way to line up various companies and compare quotes, and all that is required is a small amount of information.  The results will be from a variety of different insurance providers and you are virtually guaranteed to find the most affordable and yet most appropriate Home Insurance.

Many people find that what starts with a cigar offered by a friend after a dinner party or passed out in celebration of an event, can turn into a lifelong hobby. Cigars have nothing to do with cigarettes, so let’s get that out of the way immediately. Enjoying a good cigar is not about fulfilling a nicotine addiction; it’s about savoring the craftsmanship and flavors associated with a good cigar. Think of it as the difference between enjoying a vintage bottle of wine in the evening over a good meal, versus someone who pounds back a six-pack of discount beers every night. And, like the vintage bottle of wine, there’s a knack to choosing a good cigar, especially for beginners. The aim of this article is to point out four surefire choices for a quality cigar within various five-pack price ranges.

Under $25: Puros Heurfanos 681 Robusto
If you’re on a budget, the 681 Robusto from Puros Heurfanos is tough to beat. While you can pick up a five-pack of these Honduran/Nicaraguan blends up for just under our $25.00 ceiling online, it’s hard to find them at less than $33 through most stores.

Under $50: Griffin’s Rubusto
At just over nine dollars each, or $28.99 online for a four pack, the Griffin Robusto by Davidoff of Geneva is a sure bet without breaking the bank. Cuban-seed tobacco is combined with US Connecticut wrappers for a rich smoke with notable cedar undertones.

Under $100: Griffin’s Cigarillo
Griffin comes up again in this category, dominating the casual cigar categories. The Cigarillo, priced individually at $13.50, or $67.50 for a pack of five ($53.99 through some online retailers), is a high quality, up-market cigar from the Dominican Republic. The Griffin Cigarillo is hand rolled in a Maduro wrapper. Its mild flavor includes hints of cedar and nuts.

$100-$150: Graycliff Black Label Espresso President
If you have the money to spare ($107.99 online for a 5-pack, or $125.00 in stores), you won’t regret buying the Graycliff Espresso President. Featuring a blend of Nicaraguan, Brazillian and Dominican tobaccos, perfectly aged then rolled in an Indonesian wrapper, these are heaven.

If you still can’t make up your mind, or you’d like to try a selection of different brands without investing a whole lot of money, you’re covered. Any good online cigar retailer will offer samplers so you can try a variety of different brands with a minimal investment.

Also, humidors and accessories?