Simply Stogies

Boswell’s Northwood

In the heyday of pipe smoking, around 1830-1970, pipe smoking was a local experience, dominated not by large national or international tobacco conglomerates, but by your local tobacconist. These stores would source single component tobaccos which would be blended in house to serve the customer’s needs. As smoking a pipe became less and less fashionable,…

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Tip Your Tobacconist – Here’s Why!

We have all received some sort of service at cigar lounges – excellent or otherwise. The below list provides some reasons why tipping your tobacconist is a trick you should try! 1. You Relied On Their Expertise Did your tobacconist help you find a great smoke today? Tip them! Did your tobacconist check in on…

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The Breed of Dog You Are Based On Cigar Choice

Many cigar aficionados are dog lovers. What’s not to love? But have you ever wondered what type of dog breed you might be based on your cigar preference? Look no further! This piece is all about human’s best friend-the dog and what we think you’d be like if you picked your animal based on your…

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Leaf Brothers Lounge Review

A great cigar stop on your way into or out of Des Moines proper! Fight any hesitation and chat with the regulars – they are an amazing group of individuals and quite frankly many of the people who introduced me to cigars many moons ago. While these aficionados are close in friendship with one another,…

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Cigar Review: The Partagas Cortado is a Different Kind of Connecticut

The Evil 3mpire Cigar 5ociety is also apart of another cigar review program with Cigar Worlds “Testing Lab” We figured why not knock out 2 birds with one… review? Whatever the case, the premise of the program is to be able to try new blends that brands will be putting out soon or looking to…

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Cigar Review: Stolen Throne’s War Council

When I heard that Stolen Throne Cigars was coming out with another LE/Cigar Federation Exclusive, I was a bit hesitant. Cigar Federation has, in the past, not been the greatest to place to order from. In fact, when Stolen Throne’s last LE/Cigar Federation exclusive came out and didn’t break into the 9’s, I laid the…

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Quick Review: Hamlet 2020 by Rocky Patel

Previous Next Cigar Notes Construction Average Flavor Chocolate/Earth Strength Medium-full to Full Enjoyment Average Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Binder: Honduras Filler: Honduras and Nicaragua Length: 5-1/2″ Ring Guage: 52 Vitola: Robusto MSRP: $10.50 Hamlet Paredes is probably most well-known for his time blending and rolling Cuban cigars. Now though . . . This content and more…

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Product Review: Les Fines Lames Punch Bracelet® is a Hit and a Miss

The cigar industry sees little innovation when it comes to the actual cigar. It is, after all, nothing more than the rolling of dead leaves. Yes, that is a very simplistic way of looking at what cigars are, but it is essentially the truth. However, the accoutrement that cigar enthusiasts and aficionados use while enjoying…

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Cigar Review: Cigar Culture’s Hawk by Blackbird Cigar Co. Crash Lands

The Cigar Culture’s Hawk by Blackbird Cigar Co. is, I believe, the first collaborative cigar put out by Blackbird Cigar Co. Released in November of 2021, the Hawk is a box pressed toro that features a Brazilian cubra wrapper over a Mexican San Andrés binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. It’s a very limited run…

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Pipe Tobacco Review: Dan Bill Bailey’s Balkan Can’t Be Beat

Though I became a pipe smoker in 2014, it wasn’t until two years later I found myself in a real pipe store, Iwan Ries in the midst of Downtown Chicago. It’s a beautiful store, full of warm wood and delightful aromas. I was served by a dapper gentleman who was a devoted smoker himself. He…

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