Cigar Lounge

Episode 53: A Conversation with GSTN Cigar

I visit Capital Cigar Lounge in Lincoln, Nebraska to sit down and talk with Jeff Gaston. Jeff is the owner and founder of GSTN Cigar, who makes quality wood ashtrays for every budget and every need. Jeff and I discuss how he started his cigar journey and what led him to start GSTN Cigar. We…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 16: CAO Mortal Coil and Cafe Bustelo

James and Tim are at David’s Fine Tobaccos in Clive, Iowa and take the CAO Mortal Coil through its paces while sipping some Cafe Bustelo Coffee. The pair discuss a new show on the Creative Brain Candy Media Cooperative, how we carry our cigar accessories, the cigar industry’s use of social media, and our thoughts…

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Episode 51: Chatting at the Drawing Room QC

I visit the Drawing Room QC and chats with two of the owners, Eric Norton and Shale Sage. The trio discuss the cigar community and rich cigar history in Davenport, Iowa, the cigar industry, how cigar manufacturers sell cigars to B&Ms, and how Eric and Shale started their cigar journeys. They also discuss opening a…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 13: Celebrities, Cigars, and Coffee

James and Tim sit down at David’s Fine Tobaccos in Clive, Iowa and discuss what celebrities they’d like to have a cigar with. We find out who Tim’s hall pass, how disappointed she must be, and how much better Janus Coffee Roasters Peru Capili Medium Roast is compared to Sam’s Club coffee.

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Episode 50: Sitting Down with Sean David of David’s Fine Tobaccos

I sit down with the third generation owner of David’s Fine Tobaccos in Clive, Iowa, Sean David. Sean and I discuss a wide range of topics that both his customers and cigar aficionados and enthusiasts will find interesting. We talk about the 40+ year history of David’s Fine Tobaccos, what’s changed over that time, and…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 11: Villa Casdagli Coffee and Tatuaje Havana IV

James and Tim are back and they’re drinking Villa Casdagli Coffee from Coffee People and Casdagli Cigars while smoking a Tatuaje at David’s Fine Tobaccos in Clive, Iowa. The pair discuss how they choose their coffee and cigars, rave about the new Villa Casdagli Coffee from the Coffee People, and how they choose a cigar….

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Lounge Review: Davenport’s the Drawing Room QC Has a Private Club Feel

Opened at the end of September 2020, the Drawing Room QC is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa in the same building as a distillery. The lounge is cozy and has an old time feel. Humidified cabinets line the walls ending with lockers. The furniture is leather and inviting. The employee is friendly enough. A skylight…

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Episode 47: A Conversation w/the Organizers of the Queen City Cigar Fest

I chat (via Zoom call) with two of the three organizers of the Queen City Cigar Fest, Clinton Douglas and Damon Robinson. Clinton and Damon tell us about the upcoming Queen City Cigar Fest being held in Charlotte, NC from May 19 – May 23, 2021. There will be daily and nightly events held at…

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Lounge Review: Perfect Ash Is a Strip Mall Gem in Twin Cities

I am still surprised each time I visit a lounge in a strip mall, but that seems to be the norm for lounges in the Midwest. Located in a busy area surrounded by businesses in Inver Grove Heights, a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota, Perfect Ash blends in with its surroundings. The storefront is very…

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Cigar Aficionado Misses the Mark With Its Top 25 By Leaving Out Boutique Brands

Every year the cigar industry waits with bated breath to find out which cigars will make Cigar Aficionado’s annual Top 25 list. And every year I become a little bit more disappointed — and a lot more jaded. For years the Top 25 was the “it” list that could make or break a cigar producer;…

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