Simply Stogies

How to Make Your Cigar Shop More Women Friendly

Let’s Hear It For The Girls! About 2 percent of U.S. women say they smoke cigars, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, but that’s about 3.2 million women. (In the 1990s, Cigar Aficionado reported, market research showed that women comprised only one-tenth of one percent of the total U.S. cigar market.)  …

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Cigar Review: Black Label Trading Co.: Last Rites

The Black Label Trading Company was established in early 2013 by a couple who have dedicated their brand to premium cigars of supreme quality in small batch, highly limited quantities and maintained a philosophy of focus on “less is more”. They recently began to garner quite the buzz in the cigar industry while ambitiously launching…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 41: Alma del Campo and Dirty Dozen Coffee Company’s Engine 10 Blend

James smokes and reviews the Alma del Campo from Plasencia Cigars and the Engine 10 Blend from Dirty Dozen Coffee Company. James shares his thoughts, tasting notes, and rating while enjoying both of these at David’s Fine Tobaccos in Clive, Iowa. Try the Engine 10 Blend from Dirty Dozen Coffee Company here.  

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Cuban Cigar Review: Cohiba Siglo VI

Cohiba is a premium cigar dual-brand – one is produce in Cuba by the Cuban state-owned tobacco company, Habanos S.A., and the other is produced in the Dominican Republic for United States-based General Cigar Company.  The Cuban-produced brand is filled with tobacco that comes from the Vuelta Abajo region of Cuba and as undergone an…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 40: Blackbird Unkind and Black Rifle Just Black

Join Tim in this episode of Cigars & Coffee for a journey of “umms” as he smokes the Blackbird Cigar Company Unkind while sipping on some Black Rifle Coffee Company Just Black.

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Cigar Review: The Jornal from Oxford Cigar Company is an Exceptional House Blend

House blends can be a weird area for cigar smokers. House blends are usually priced lower than “name brand” cigars, but are sold by B&Ms as “just as good as.” The problem that I have with most house blends is that they are rarely as good as advertised. There are a few exceptions to the…

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Episode 72: 3 Year Anniversary, Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Problem, and PCA News

Thank you all so much for your support these past three years!! This is now the longest running podcast and most successful podcast that I’ve ever done. None of this would be possible without you, the listener. THANK YOU!! I break down Cigar Aficionado’s 2021 Top 25 and why it’s still problematic. I also cover…

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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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Cigars and Coffee Episode 39: La Careme Cosacos and Disturbed’s Get Up Coffee

James returns to David’s Fine Tobaccos in Clive, Iowa to smoke and review the La Careme Cosacos from Crowned Heads and drinks Disturbed’s Get Up Coffee from Dead Sled Coffee.

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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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