Page 25 - Indulge December/January 2016
P. 25
W DAZESorry, Old Man Winter, but I need a for his man cave
By Patrick O’Donnell
What’s the best thing about winter? steps to make a cigar; that tobacco leaves have grades
Hibernating in your man cave. depending on where they grow on the plant; that the finest
The next person who tells me winter is fun can shove leaves are used for the wrapper, and that, all told, it takes
their skis up their Aspen. I’m done with so-called winter about three years from plant to final product.
sports — and that includes shoveling snow, clearing the
driveway and sprinkling salt. Three years? No wonder some of them — like the Arturo
What? You don’t think those count as sports? I assure Fuente Opus X “A” — can cost upward of $79 a stick.
you, if you ever saw me tackle my hilly driveway after a
snowstorm, you would. I spend half the time trying to stay That’s right. One cigar for $79.
warm and the other half trying to stay upright. Drifts of While it’s said to be a fantastic smoke, I was assured
snow become my moguls; ice my skating rink. When I’m by the experts that someone with a lighter wallet can enjoy
not slapping my hands together to restore blood flow, I’m a fine cigar for around $5 apiece — like something in the
doing a delicate dance to keep myself behind and in control Oliva Connecticut Reserve or Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserve
of — instead of underneath and being swallowed by — my Maduro series.
snowblower. My slope-side antics look like a perverse cross Of course, if you’re investing in cigars — even if they
between ski ballet and synchronized slipping. don’t cost $79 each — you need to store them in a good
This winter, you’ll find me in my leather recliner, thank humidor. My favorite is the Pompeii Glass Top, $99.99. It
you very much, warming myself with a glass of Social Still holds about 100 cigars (depending on size); is made of rich
Whiskey in one hand and a cigar in the other, watching the cherry and walnut; has a Spanish cedar lining; features a
snow pile up while I sink ever deeper into my chair. brass hygrometer to ensure optimum humidity, and — best
On my end table I’m going to have a stack of books I’ve of all — you can look at your collection through the smoke
always meant to finish: “War and Peace”; “On the Road”; rings you blow.
“The Brothers Karamazov”; “Men Are From Mars, Women A proper cigar cutter is also essential. Korb praised the
Are From Venus.” XiKAR series as being among the best, and now I have my
OK — I’ll admit I’m kidding about that last one. It eye on the Xi3 Exotic Wood cutter (made from Tamarind,
wouldn’t get past my cave door. $84.99) and The Fossil Mammoth Ivory Cigar Cutter (made
I’ll also admit that, when it comes to cigars, I’m a newbie. with 10,000-year-old mammoth tusk, $404.99).
By and large, my experience has been limited to ones that Detore pointed out that many men are forced (shudder!)
come with “It’s a Boy!” printed on the wrapper. Not exactly to enjoy their cigars outside the cave — somewhat of a
top-shelf stuff. problem if, like me, you’re determined to stay warm. In that
So I enlisted the help of The Famous Smoke Shop in case, you may want to consider the Rabbit Air model
Easton. The experts from their magazine, Cigar Advisor, 780 Air Purifier, $549 to $569. That, and
sat me down, handed me a stogie and a cigar cutter, and a silk smoking jacket — Korb says
watched in amusement as I tried to figure out how not to smoke doesn’t cling to silk.
amputate a finger. Which got me thinking,
John Pullo, the magazine’s managing editor, and writers why limit myself to just the
Gary Korb and Jonathan Detore then filled me in on a bit of jacket? Silk pajamas have
cigar lore. I learned, for instance, that it takes about 300 certainly served Hugh
Heffner well — and I’ll
be all set for a long
winter’s nap.
By Patrick O’Donnell
What’s the best thing about winter? steps to make a cigar; that tobacco leaves have grades
Hibernating in your man cave. depending on where they grow on the plant; that the finest
The next person who tells me winter is fun can shove leaves are used for the wrapper, and that, all told, it takes
their skis up their Aspen. I’m done with so-called winter about three years from plant to final product.
sports — and that includes shoveling snow, clearing the
driveway and sprinkling salt. Three years? No wonder some of them — like the Arturo
What? You don’t think those count as sports? I assure Fuente Opus X “A” — can cost upward of $79 a stick.
you, if you ever saw me tackle my hilly driveway after a
snowstorm, you would. I spend half the time trying to stay That’s right. One cigar for $79.
warm and the other half trying to stay upright. Drifts of While it’s said to be a fantastic smoke, I was assured
snow become my moguls; ice my skating rink. When I’m by the experts that someone with a lighter wallet can enjoy
not slapping my hands together to restore blood flow, I’m a fine cigar for around $5 apiece — like something in the
doing a delicate dance to keep myself behind and in control Oliva Connecticut Reserve or Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserve
of — instead of underneath and being swallowed by — my Maduro series.
snowblower. My slope-side antics look like a perverse cross Of course, if you’re investing in cigars — even if they
between ski ballet and synchronized slipping. don’t cost $79 each — you need to store them in a good
This winter, you’ll find me in my leather recliner, thank humidor. My favorite is the Pompeii Glass Top, $99.99. It
you very much, warming myself with a glass of Social Still holds about 100 cigars (depending on size); is made of rich
Whiskey in one hand and a cigar in the other, watching the cherry and walnut; has a Spanish cedar lining; features a
snow pile up while I sink ever deeper into my chair. brass hygrometer to ensure optimum humidity, and — best
On my end table I’m going to have a stack of books I’ve of all — you can look at your collection through the smoke
always meant to finish: “War and Peace”; “On the Road”; rings you blow.
“The Brothers Karamazov”; “Men Are From Mars, Women A proper cigar cutter is also essential. Korb praised the
Are From Venus.” XiKAR series as being among the best, and now I have my
OK — I’ll admit I’m kidding about that last one. It eye on the Xi3 Exotic Wood cutter (made from Tamarind,
wouldn’t get past my cave door. $84.99) and The Fossil Mammoth Ivory Cigar Cutter (made
I’ll also admit that, when it comes to cigars, I’m a newbie. with 10,000-year-old mammoth tusk, $404.99).
By and large, my experience has been limited to ones that Detore pointed out that many men are forced (shudder!)
come with “It’s a Boy!” printed on the wrapper. Not exactly to enjoy their cigars outside the cave — somewhat of a
top-shelf stuff. problem if, like me, you’re determined to stay warm. In that
So I enlisted the help of The Famous Smoke Shop in case, you may want to consider the Rabbit Air model
Easton. The experts from their magazine, Cigar Advisor, 780 Air Purifier, $549 to $569. That, and
sat me down, handed me a stogie and a cigar cutter, and a silk smoking jacket — Korb says
watched in amusement as I tried to figure out how not to smoke doesn’t cling to silk.
amputate a finger. Which got me thinking,
John Pullo, the magazine’s managing editor, and writers why limit myself to just the
Gary Korb and Jonathan Detore then filled me in on a bit of jacket? Silk pajamas have
cigar lore. I learned, for instance, that it takes about 300 certainly served Hugh
Heffner well — and I’ll
be all set for a long
winter’s nap.
