Simply Stogies

Top 5 Cigars to Look Forward to After the PCA Trade Show 2021

Our first PCA (Premium Cigar Association) Trade Show has come and gone, and it has been a lot to digest. Tim and I had a lot of fun going from booth to booth and talking with those in and around the premium cigar industry. Of course, some of the exhibitors were happy to share with…

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Samuel Gawith Skiff Mixture

English pipe tobacco has an incredible depth and breadth. There are smoky Latakia-driven monsters like Esoterica’s legendary Penzance, C&D Star of the East Flake, and Hearth & Home  10 to Midnight. There are tamer, more balanced blends like Presbyterian, Peterson 965, Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader, and Peter Stokkebye’s Proper English. The spicy English is a…

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PCA Trade Show 2021: A Hit or a Miss?

It has been a week since this year’s PCA Trade Show officially ended. I have had to time to look back and reflect on what was good and bad at the year’s premiere industry event. This year was our first year attending the PCA’s (Premium Cigar Association) annual trade show. To be honest, we had…

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Cigar Review: The “Nick” Toro, by LH Cigars, Masterfully Blends a Unique Cigar Experience

Spurred by suggestions from his retailers, Master Blender Nick Syris came out with the “Nick” Toro .The  Toro is very similar to his “Nick and Jim” blend that he did with “Island” Jim Robinson. It uses the same wrapper, which happens to be Nick’s favorite, a  Ecuadorian Vuelta Abajo Seed and just different proportions of…

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Lounge Review: Veteran Owned Screaming Eagles Cigar Lounge is a “Must Stop” Cigar Destination

Tucked away in a strip mall that is just down the road from Fort Campbell, in Clarksville, TN, sits a large cigar shop. This isn’t just any cigar shop, either. With almost 5,000 sq. ft. Screaming Eagle Cigars is one of the largest cigar lounges in the Southern United States. With their proximity to Fort…

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Cigar Review: The Alec & Bradley Kintsugi Robusto is a Work of Art

The Kintsugi was announced by second generation cigar makers Alec and Bradley Rubin, back in March of 2020. The global pandemic changed those plans and their third full-scale production line had to be put on hold until December of 2020. The name of the line, “Kintsugi,” has a special meaning to Alec & Bradley. For…

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Pipe Tobacco Review: Wessex Brigade Original Scores High for Malty, Salty Sweetness

Every spring and every autumn I get a yen for apple-flavored tobaccos. Something about the crisp fruity taste matches the mood and weather just right. However I’ve yet to find an apple-flavored tobacco  that doesn’t taste synthetic. But so far I’ve liked every Wessex I’ve had. Wessex is a small subbrand from Kohlhase and Kopp…

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Cigar Review: LH Premium Cigars Claro Toro

Nick Syris, Master Blender and owner of LH Premium Cigars, sees his cigars as “Cuban bridges.” Coming from anyone else that statement might shock, but Nick has the bona fides to back that up. He has made countless trips to Cuba, learned how to blend tobacco in Cuba, and the Claro does very well in…

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Cigar Review: Deep South Cigars 770 BBC is More than Pun

Sometimes, you just have go along with the joke. That was the case for Jeremy Besecker of Deep South Cigars. When someone at the lounge dared him  to make a very large cigar and call it a “BBC,” Jeremy went along with the joke. Thus was born, the 770 BBC. A 7″x70 cigar that sports…

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Lounge Review: Franklin Cigar is the Perfect Mix of Boutique and Mainstream

Located in an upscale suburb of Nashville, Franklin Cigar sits unassumingly in a strip mall. However, you quickly realize how special Franklin Cigar is once you walk inside. From the impressive selection of cigars that sit in their walk-in humidor, to their local beers on tap, to their friendly and knowledgeable staff, everything about Franklin…

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