James Giehm

Lounge Review: Cedar Room Fine Cigars & Lounge in Scottsdale, AZ is the Gold Standard of Lounges

Located in a neighborhood center in the DC Ranch area of North Scottsdale, Arizona, sits Cedar Room Fine Cigars & Lounge. Cedar Room is one of the nicest cigar lounges that I have visited. This should come as no surprise and Andy Sweis and his brother, owners of Cedar Room, watched their father own and…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 28: Joya de Nicaragua Antaño CT and Jintotega Isabelia

James fights the elements and the crickets to review the Joya De Nicaragua Antaño CT and Nicaragua Jintotega Isabelia blend from Janus Coffee Roasters. The JDN Antaño CT is rich medium to medium-full cigar with notes of earth, wood, baking spices, citrus, and leather while the Nicaragua Jintotega Isabelia is a well-blended coffee that helps…

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Cigar Review: Lithium from Jake Wyatt Cigar Co. Will Take You on a Journey

Jake Wyatt Cigar Co. is a brand that I’m only familiar with from watching Mardo Cigars’ Instagram videos. And that makes more sense when you realize that one of the guys behind Jake Wyatt is none other than Gerard Abajian. I had the pleasure of briefly chatting with Gerard at the PCA Trade Show 2021,…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 27: Casdagli Daughters of the Wind Robusto and Scooter’s Americano

Tim reviews the Americano from Casdagli Daughters of the Wind Robusto (Pony) and Scooter’s Americano coffee. The Casdagli “Pony” is a smooth cigar that Tim sings the praises of, while the Americano from Scooter’s may not be to his taste.Tim reviews the Americano from Scooter’s Coffee and Casdagli Cigars’ Daughters of the Wind Robusto (Pony)….

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Lounge Review: Fox Cigar Bar (Scottsdale, AZ) has Something for Everyone

If you have even a passing familiarity with online cigar spaces, you’ve probably heard of r/cigars: the cigar-centric subreddit of the “front page of the internet.” It was there, early in my cigar journey, that I was introduced to Fox Cigars. There were so many posts by reddit users that featured purchases from Fox Cigars,…

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Episode 63: Smoking with the Evil 3mpire Cigar 5ociety

I sit down with Joe from Evil 3mpire Cigar 5ociety at Prime Cigars in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Joe and I have a great conversation that covers a wide array of topics. We get to know Joe and how he started his cigar journey before getting to know what the Evil 3mpire Cigar 5ociety is all about….

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 26: Zino Nicaragua and Volado Blend by Janus Coffee Roasters

James visits Habano Cigars in Davenport, Iowa to review the Zino Nicaragua Robusto and the Volado Blend from Janus Coffee Roasters. The Zino Nicaragua is a medium to medium+ cigar with notes of cream, avocado oil, nuts, and earth. The Volado Blend coffee is a medium/dark roast with notes of barley and nuts. The pairing…

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Cigar Review: LH Cigars Colorado Toro

Initially shown off the 2015 Trade Show, the LH Premium Cigars Colorado has grown from having just three vitolas to now seven. Rolled at Tobacos de Costa Rica, the LH Cigars Colorado uses an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, over a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan, Ecuadorian, and Peruvian filler, to bridge the gap between their Claro and…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 25: CAO America Potomac and Cafe Bustelo

Tim kicks off our new weekly Cigars & Coffee format where we focus on the reviewing the cigar and the coffee we’re drinking. The inaugural episode in this format sees Tim reviewing the CAO America Potomac and Cafe Bustelo. Tim walks you through his CAO America cigar experience and drinks some Cafe Bustelo. If you…

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Cigar Review: The CHC Serie E 5150 from Crowned Heads Really Got Me

The Serie E was, according to Jon Huber, “sonically inspired by the guitar solo ‘Eruption’ from Eddie Van Halen in 1978 [on] the original Van Halen album.” Jon goes on to describe how the cutting, toasting and toasting of the cigar are a metaphor for the bass guitar and drums at the beginning; the majority…

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