In the early 1970’s probably 90% of the handmade cigars sold in America were sold in New York, Chicago, Miami, and L.A. The rest of the nation was what I called “Roi Tan Country” … and although I’m best known for my career dealing with imported handmade cigars, I had …

Sunday evening, August 2nd. My birthday was only a few days away, and the South Florida heat had finally surrendered to a tolerable late-evening breeze. The pool lights cast their familiar glow across the water, creating ripples of blue and silver that danced across the lanai ceiling. The neighborhood was …

I imagine everyone is getting bored with Trumps’ on and off war and peace with Iran, and is at least somewhat familiar with many of the historic wars like The War of The Roses, The Napoleonic Wars, the two World Wars, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, etc.., etc.… or …

One of the privileges of home ownership is the constant battle against maintenance. There is always something that needs attention, something that needs fixing, cleaning, trimming, or improving. On Monday, July 27th, that responsibility belonged to the pool. The South Florida sun was already making its presence known as I …

I was looking at something on a cigar site and the question was raised as to who invented the Excalibur brand and the answer that Google gave the poster was Dan Blumenthal and the Hoyo de Monterrey Team. So, apparently Google doesn’t know shit about any subject, it just copies …

There are evenings that ask for conversation, and there are evenings that ask for silence. This was one of those nights. The South Florida heat had finally surrendered to a gentle breeze as darkness settled over the backyard. The pool had transformed into a mirror of deep blue glass, illuminated …

No, it’s not a new stupidly named cigar brand. There are already more than enough stupidly named cigar brands, cigar sizes, and “limited” edition cigars that seem to be made in a never-ending salute to truly trivial events in the imaginary history of some of today’s cigar vendors. No, the …

An early morning aboard The Reel Paws, where the Atlantic, Cuban coffee, and the El Mago James Avenue Habano reminded me that the best journeys begin before the rest of the world wakes up. There is something almost sacred about launching a boat before sunrise. The world hasn’t found its voice …

There are some great stories that have gone untold in the cigar industry and I guess it’s up to me to write about them at some point, but each of them deserves more than just a passing mention. No one else seems to be interested in the real guys in …

Some days aren’t about escaping life. They’re about reconnecting with it. The Monday after the Fourth of July weekend felt exactly like that. The celebrations were over. The fireworks had faded into memory, and the crowds had returned to work. I needed something quieter. Something that belonged only to me. …