Everyone likes a good deal. No matter how many resources you have at your disposal, you
don't want to pay more than you need to. The price is always better if you can get a discount and this is why most people shop around before deciding to spend their money. No matter what you are in search of, waiting and looking for a bargain can pay off with big savings. The same goes for
cigars and cigar accessories but you won't find savings at every single smoke shop. You have to know where to look and where to shop if you want to get good deals on cigars.
Fortunately, getting discounts on
cigars has never been easier since online stores started offering their wares on the Internet. Instead of fighting traffic to find a brick and mortar establishment, all you have to do is turn on the computer, go online, and head to the
Thompson Cigars website. You will see the deal of the day and a chance to save on items that include everything from high-rated smokes to lighters and ashtrays. Take it one step further though and click on the
cigar deals page and you won't believe how much you can save by living the good life.
Save on cigars and hundreds of other tobacco-related items at Thompson Cigars today.
DrMoose from Cheyenne, WY reviewed the PADRON LONDRES WITH ASHTRAY MADURO CORONA
This was perhaps the most perfect cigar I have ever smoked. Not one cigar in the entire box was anything less than perfect. And for all of that, the price was still reasonable.This was a smooth, mild cigar that drew consistently well, burned evenly, and lasted as long as most Churchills. I can find absolutely nothing bad to say about these cigars.
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating: 
Pros: Flawless Wrapper, Good draw, No harshness, Smooth Mild Flavor
Cons: none
Best Uses: Special events
Padrón "#1 Best Selling Brand In America" Cigar Insider Magazine Poll. Padrón; one of the most respected names in the business, the yardstick by which other brands are measured, and the reigning king of Nicaraguan cigars! Padrón is a perfectly drawing, medium bodied smoke blended from Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long fillers and finished in your choice of Natural or Maduro wrappers. Padrón has an earthy aroma and pleases your palate with notes of dark roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Buy any size box of Padrón and receive a FREE Padrón ashtray (a $25 value)!
Ignatz from Johnstown, Ohio reviewed the PADRON LONDRES WITH ASHTRAY MADURO CORONA
A consistently good flavor as always with Padron. It is a good quick smoke (about 25 minumtes). A bit harsh on the first draw but soon mellows. Medium strength. Well constructed but the occasional flawed wrapper. Good price at less than [$] a stick.
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating: 
Pros: Easy To Light, Good Draw, Great Flavor
Cons: Wrapper Imperfections
Best Uses: Events
Describe Yourself: Cigar Aficionado
Padrón "#1 Best Selling Brand In America" Cigar Insider Magazine Poll. Padrón; one of the most respected names in the business, the yardstick by which other brands are measured, and the reigning king of Nicaraguan cigars! Padrón is a perfectly drawing, medium bodied smoke blended from Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long fillers and finished in your choice of Natural or Maduro wrappers. Padrón has an earthy aroma and pleases your palate with notes of dark roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Buy any size box of Padrón and receive a FREE Padrón ashtray (a $25 value)!
sockobot from Concord NC reviewed the PADRON 3000 WITH ASHTRAY COMBO MADURO ROBUSTO
I really am enjoying these
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating:
Padrón "#1 Best Selling Brand In America" Cigar Insider Magazine Poll. Padrón; one of the most respected names in the business, the yardstick by which other brands are measured, and the reigning king of Nicaraguan cigars! Padrón is a perfectly drawing, medium bodied smoke blended from Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long fillers and finished in your choice of Natural or Maduro wrappers. Padrón has an earthy aroma and pleases your palate with notes of dark roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Buy any size box of Padrón and receive a FREE Padrón ashtray (a $25 value)!
Dan from Norman, OK reviewed the PADRON 3000 WITH ASHTRAY COMBO MADURO ROBUSTO
tasty delicious chocolately smoke... a lot lower on the Padron pricing scale, but not on the quality meter. Good stick for the price.
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating:
Pros: Tasty affordable smoke
Describe Yourself: Aspiring Aficionado
Padrón "#1 Best Selling Brand In America" Cigar Insider Magazine Poll. Padrón; one of the most respected names in the business, the yardstick by which other brands are measured, and the reigning king of Nicaraguan cigars! Padrón is a perfectly drawing, medium bodied smoke blended from Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long fillers and finished in your choice of Natural or Maduro wrappers. Padrón has an earthy aroma and pleases your palate with notes of dark roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Buy any size box of Padrón and receive a FREE Padrón ashtray (a $25 value)!
Cigars should never be placed in the same category as cigarettes. This would be like lumping a bottle of vintage, single malt scotch with boxed wine. The two are clearly very different and this extends to factors that go beyond their taste. While any ashtray will do for
cigarettes, cigars deserve something a bit more refined. They require ashtrays designed to hold them because they last much, much longer than any cigarette. The ashtray should be capable of catching and storing the ashes generated by a quality smoke, and its appearance should match the prestige of cigar smoking. Here are three ideas for quality ashtrays engineered for the cigar smoking experience:
- Xicar Portable Stainless Steel Ash Can: This small ashtray is perfect for the car, boat, or carrying around the house. Sturdy and svelte in appearance, it also has an internal cigar holder.
- Davidoff White Ashtray: This is an ashtray with a large dose of elegance. The simple, square design and fine, gleaming white porcelain make it one of the classiest ashtrays around. The two cigar holding grooves also make it perfect for sharing a smoke with a friend.
- Rosewood Guillotine Cutter Ashtray: This beautiful ashtray includes a guillotine cutter for providing the perfect, full draw slice.
Find these and other fine ashtrays and cigar accessories in
online cigar stores.
Vic from Miami, FL reviewed the PADRON LONDRES WITH ASHTRAY NATURAL CORONA
Great taste,smooth, burns even
Bottomline: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Rating:
Pros: EXCELLANT, Soft
Cons: none
Best Uses: Any time
Padrón "#1 Best Selling Brand In America" Cigar Insider Magazine Poll. Padrón; one of the most respected names in the business, the yardstick by which other brands are measured, and the reigning king of Nicaraguan cigars! Padrón is a perfectly drawing, medium bodied smoke blended from Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long fillers and finished in your choice of Natural or Maduro wrappers. Padrón has an earthy aroma and pleases your palate with notes of dark roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate. Buy any size box of Padrón and receive a FREE Padrón ashtray (a $25 value)!
As the weather gets colder, those of us who mostly smoke
cigars outside find that it takes a little more dedication, and a lot more clothing, to take the habit outside. That's especially true for those of us who find their general indoor smoking areas co-opted by kids seeking play space. My man cave in the basement suddenly finds itself filled with toys and games instead of
humidors.
Fortunately, it's rarely too cold where I live for me to go outside and smoke
cigars. I don't mind the frigid temperatures, as long as there's no wet weather to go with it. If it's really bad, I'll stand outside and rely on the overhang around my front door to protect me from the elements, or hang out in the garage.
Of course, where I live there isn't much of a choice. I can't smoke in restaurants or most bars because of the local laws. We have cigar bars and lounges, both of which are great places to hang out, but they get a lot more crowded this time of year for obvious reasons. A friend tricks out part of his garage with a space heater, and we'll play poker there with the garage door open and the
cigar ashtrays out. Others spend more time in their cars, or carve out spaces outside by a grill or a firepit.
Anyone out there have strategies that are particularly useful? I'm open to any ideas.
My house seems to have a front yard that draws migrating leaves from around the neighborhood. We have just one tree that sheds in the fall, but for some reason the wind seems to carry everything from our neighborhood, and possibly from Canada, onto my property for me to rake.
Raking leaves is not my favorite thing in the world, but I do it because I don't want to pay someone else to do yard work and my son isn't old enough to take over yet. But I can only do so with my iPod and my
cigars, to make the time go faster and seem slightly more enjoyable.
And oh, one more thing. I need my
cigar ashtray close at hand as well.
That's because I'm always afraid that a stray spark and some bits of dried leaves will combine to start a fire and burn everything down. It seems like an unlikely scenario, but a passing firefighter warned me about it once and that has stuck in my head ever since.
I use a
cigar lighter for the flame, so there's no worries about matches. But because I don't have an outdoor ashtray near my garage, I put my
Xikar Havana black ceramic ashtray there instead and use it every time I pass by. That makes everyone feel safer, and I am proud to report that I have not yet burned my house down. Though, in fairness, I do still have a lot of leaves on the ground that I'll have to deal with at some point.
One reason that a cutter and ashtray cigar set may be a great holiday gift is because it is impervious to being ruined because of weather and travel delays.
I'm addicted to those stories on the news about major winter storms (and most of you probably are too, which is why the networks air those stories so often), and I thought about that when those record snowfalls were reported in Minnesota. I bet on several front stoops there were holiday packages that were perishable -- fruit, candy, perhaps even something from
Thompson Cigar -- now buried under three feet of snow and in unknown condition.
OK, that may be melodramatic. That was a once in a generation blizzard. But it's also good for folks who I know smoke cigars, but don't know well enough to have a good sense of their taste. I may not know whether they prefer Maduro wrappers or Connecticut Shade, but I have a pretty good idea that the
Golden Ebony Ashtray with Guillotine Cutter combination will be appreciated.
The great thing about that combination is that it combines a double-cigar ashtray and dual-size table cutter, so it's got a lot of practicality. When you're having a casual drink and smoke with a friend, this can be used for both of your
cigars, saving the mess of two separate ashtrays and the necessity of passing the same cigar cutter back and forth. Of course, it also looks cool, which is a requirement of any of my gifts.
And now, I can also rest easier when I give these, because I figure even being caught in a blizzard won't make this any less effective.
Cigar ashtrays may be the most underrated of the
cigar accessories. They aren't as cool or portable as
cigar cutters or
cigar lighters, and they won't keep your cigars fresh like
humidors will. But somehow, I always find myself searching in vain for these when I have guests over.
I think that's because when I first started smoking
cigars, I didn't think much about ashtrays. Generally, I used a plastic cup half-filled with stale beer to do the trick at the end of the night, because that's just the kind of classy guy I was. And don't snicker -- I'm betting you've done that yourself once upon a time.
Then I reached an age where I realized that just looked silly. You get out of college and grad school, you start having to wear ties at work, and the plastic cup starts to look ridiculous. And then you start playing catch-up to try and get enough
cigar ashtrays to not look unsophisticated when company comes over, and odds are that you just start picking up random ones that don't do the job well or break too easily.
One quick way of making up the gap: One of the
cigars plus ashtray combos for sale at
Thompson Cigar. There are a lot of options, but if your cigar preferences are like mine you can't go wrong with the
H Upmann Magnum with Ashtray combo. It's five excellent cigars plus a stylish ashtray, so you get both the smokes and something practical for you and your guests to put them out in. Because really, aren't we all too old to go back to that plastic cup thing?
I tend to stay up late, so a lot of my
cigars are smoked alone after the wife and children have turned in for the night. Lately I've been lighting up in the home office, sitting in a comfortable chair, watching TV, and enjoying the peace and quiet.
Because that's becoming "My Time," I treated myself to the
Folding Rosewood Ashtray with Cutter. Yes, as my wife points out constantly, I did not really need another
cigar ashtray. I already have plenty. But that's not really the point.
The Folding Rosewood Ashtray is a quick one-stop cigar shop when I want to smoke at the end of the day and don't want to fish around for everything I need. It features a single-blade guillotine cutter and a bullet-style punch cutter, as well as just enough space for me to dispose of the ashes from a single cigar. And at the end of the night, it folds up into a tiny space that I can stash in my desk drawer if I need to.
I went with the Rosewood because it matches the color of the desk. You may find the
Folding Golden Ebony Ashtray is a better style fit. Either will ensure that your nightly cigar can be conveniently cut and managed with minimal fuss, which is all I'm looking for after a long day of chasing around clients all afternoon and small children all night.
There's a re
ason that
Xikar accessories are among the most popular. The combination of style, practicality and convenience make these cigar accessories great to have around the house, and perfect gifts as well.
But in addition to the usual lighters, ashtrays and
cigar cases, there's one Xikar product that's perfect for anyone wh
o loves gadgets and treasures their Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman tool. I'm referring, of course, to the
Xikar Multi Tool.
This takes the concept of a scissors cigar cutter and expands it to an all-in-one tool that's perfect for you when you're on the go. The scissors themselves are strong enough to cut a 54-gauge cigar, but in addition it features a cigar poker, a box opener, a screwdriver and a bottle opener. Plus it comes with a key ring attachment, so it's easy to keep track of.
Just bring this and a
cigar lighter, and you have everything you need to enjoy your cigar in one lightweight and compact package. You may never break out the Swiss Army Knife again.
When I started smoking cigars, I didn't have a lot of role models to show me the proper procedures, so I naturally wasn't the smooth and genteel smoker you see today. One breach of cigar etiquette that I committed all through college came as I was finished smoking a particular stick. I'd usually treat it like a cigarette and grind it out into the
cigar ashtray (or just drop it in someone's warm, half-empty glass of beer, which was always a joy to clean up the next morning).
Once I started smoking with older folks, I learned that I was committing a terrible sin in doing so. Crushing out a cigar causes it to smolder, and the resulting smell isn't pleasant for most people. It also means you can't pick it up later and smoke it again, so doing that to a half-finished cigar simply because it was my turn at the ping-pong table was a big waste. Instead, they told me to just leave the
cigar and wait a couple of minutes to let it burn out on its own. Short, sweet, and classy.
I'm guessing most of you already knew that, but if you're a beginning smoker or know someone who is, don't forget to tell them what to do with their
cigars when they want to finish for the night, or simply take a break for awhile. I know I would have appreciated learning that sooner, and most likely those around me at the time would have benefited from that as well.
If you really like the taste of a good
Maduro cigar, there's one smoke you absolutely have to try -- the
Camacho Triple Maduro.
The Triple Maduro is all maduro leaf, all the time. It's in the filler, the binder, and the wrapper, and the result is a smooth and flavorful
cigar that's Nirvana for those who cherish the maduro.
This isn't the only triple maduro on the market, but it definitely is the best. It's a special experience from the
cutting to the final resting place in the ashtray. Indeed, this cigar's flavor lasts throughout the entire smoke, with strong hints of espresso and chocolate and some earthiness that makes this a cigar to savor.
One note: the
Camacho Triple Maduro isn't the kind of
cigar you'd offer a novice smoker. It's a heavier smoke that will be a lot for someone not expecting the type of finish a Triple Maduro offers. But it's a great and luxurious cigar for anyone who wants to experience this level of craftsmanship in a well-put-together stick.
I recently hosted a fantasy football draft for 10 of my closest friends (or worst enemies, depending on how their team is performing against mine this week) that coincided with the opening game of the NFL season. It was a great time, but here are some lessons learned that I pass along in case you plan on taking on this challenge in the future.
First of all: Break out all of your
cigar ashtrays. Everyone was concentrating on either the game or their draft lists, which meant nobody was paying any mind to the ash hanging dangerously from their
cigars. Having a ton of ashtrays handy helped preserve the furniture, though I still need to get the carpet cleaned because of some overenthusiastic fans who flung their cigars hard enough that the ash flew off.
Second: People will smoke whatever you have, so this isn't the time to break out those super high-end models that you're saving for a special occasion. Get a
cigar sampler or two and you'll be fine. Everyone will appreciate having a
cigar, but nobody is going to be fixated on the quality of the smoke when they are trying to determine which of the loser options available is the best choice to draft as the backup quarterback.
Third: Don't have so much fun that you forget to do a diligent clean up. Trust me on this one. Let's just say that my wife was less than happy when she came downstairs in the basement the following day and found some evidence of what had been done the night before. I'll have to work on her hard over the next 11 months if I hope to host a similar event next September.
In this day and age where everything seems to be captured on film, you sometimes have to be careful when and where you light up. Particularly if you're a sports team coming off a game which caused your fans to shout, curse, and throw things at the wall in frustration.
That's what happened to the English soccer team at this year's World Cup. After being defeated by Germany in the Knockout Round, several players unwound by smoking
cigars in the hotel, as well as drinking beer and generally seeming to have a good time. If you're not a soccer fan, consoling yourself with a
top-shelf cigar might seem like an acceptable way to commemorate the end of the campaign.
Unfortunately for them, English soccer fans are not that forgiving. Many would have rather seen them cleaning
cigar ashtrays with their tongues rather than enjoying them, so when a picture snapped on a cellphone got out, the players got lambasted.
In hindsight, that may be understandable. Most of us associate cigars with celebration, and for England, nothing less than a World Cup championship would be worth something like the
Padron Serie 1926-9 Natural Toro.
I spend a lot of time grilling, and like many folks I know I enjoy drinking a beer and puffing on a cigar while I do so. When it's just me and the family, I don't spend a lot of time worrying about the
ashtray -- I'll dump the ashes in whatever is handy. But if I'm cooking for others, especially non-smokers, I want to keep an ashtray ostentatiously on hand to allay fears that I'm inadvertently flavoring their meat with smoked tobacco.
You can buy outdoor ashtrays, but I don't like how those look and don't need them often enough to have to stare at them out my window. Instead, I move one of my
Xikar Havana Collection Black Ceramic Ashtrays right by the grill, and place it on the side table that's opposite of where the meat is.
Here's why that works: It's a beautiful ashtray, so it looks snazzy out there. It's dark, so it hides the
cigar and the ashes for those who are a bit squeamish about my smoking around the grill. And it easily holds all the ashes, so none come close to the food. Although, to be frank, I'm sure I could learn a lot about flavoring my steaks by taking a lesson from the care that
cigar manufacturers take in constructing their
top-shelf cigars.
I enjoy buying gifts for friends and colleagues who are new converts to the
cigar smoking realm. Not only are they usually eager to
try new cigars, I'm also less worried about giving them something they already have or don't need. It takes away some of the pressure that comes from
trying to find a gift for the cigar smoker who has everything.
For example, I like the Top Leaf Humidor Gift set. For about $60, the lucky recipient gets a humidor, an ashtray, a leather cigar case and a cigar cutter. That's a one-stop shopping trip that offers everything a new smoker needs to care for and enjoy their cigars. Of course, I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't get them something to put in the humidor, would I? That's where a
cigar sampler comes in. Something like the
10 Most Wanted Sampler, or the
12 for the Road Sampler offer hours of enjoyment and are big hits with everyone I've given them to. The combination has always been appreciated, and it's a low-stress and low cost way of taking care of my cigar-loving friends.
When we think of cigar accessories, we think of items like humidors, ashtrays, cigar lighters and cigar cutters. But actually, the cigar itself plays an important role for many smokers as an accessory to their conversation.
Maybe it's just me, since I'm an animated talker, but I sometimes use my cigar as a prop as much as I use it for the sheer enjoyment of the smoke. I use it as an extension of my hand when I'm demonstrating a point, pause to grip it thoughtfully when I'm considering the merits of an opposing argument, and occasionally even jab it at someone when I get a little carried away.
Fortunately, I haven't yet done damage to anyone's clothing or person with the business end of the cigar, although knowing me that's just a matter of time and I should probably tone it down. But it's no accident that so many comics, from Groucho Marx to the present, have brought cigars onstage to accentuate their stage performance. Sometimes, a cigar can be a lot more than a cigar.
