NYC Cigar Lounge

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Refugio Cigar House: Revolutionizing the Neighborhood Brick and Mortar

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Refugio Cigar House - 635 Lorimer St. Brooklyn, NY

A little over a year after opening, Refugio Cigar House has begun to shift the paradigm on the neighborhood cigar lounge. Located at 635 Lorimer St. in Brooklyn, the shop has quickly gained a reputation for friendly service, great cigars, and an atmosphere of relaxation fitting for the art of smoking. The shop sports a great Cuban vibe and appeals to regulars and the average passer-by. FineTobaccoNYC event subscribers might remember that we hosted Refugio’s Grand Opening event in January of 2011.

The owners, Mike Lopez and Jimmy Brigadino, make a point to hang out at the shop to greet passers-by, customers, and regulars alike. Mike says he envisioned the shop to be “a refuge for cigar smokers in the fast-paced city of New York.” David Alicea, an event coordinator at FineTobaccoNYC says he has enjoyed seeing Refugio create “an experience that is friendly, family oriented, and that introduces others to true cigar culture.”  Another key to the Refugio philosophy is that the shop’s regular events are free, and feature no bottling fee for smokers bringing in drinks to pair with cigars.

On any given week, Refugio hosts cigar events with New York’s Grown & Sexy cigar group, and FineTobaccoNYC. Tuesdays are movie night, Wednesday is the regular Grown & Sexy HERF, Sunday is MOB Wives night, and once a month the shop hosts a poker night.

Although Refugio carries a variety of premium cigars, Mike and Jimmy have made it a point to support high quality boutique brands entering the market, like Reinado Cigars and Hispanola Cigars (both good friends of FineTobaccoNYC – I highly recommend you taste both).  The main attraction at Refugio though are their house blends, which I would easily consider some of the best house blends in the city. Aside from being well constructed and composed of quality tobacco from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Peru, and Brazil, Mike has gone the extra mile to offer customers truly unique smoking experiences.

The Witch’s Broom, for example, is rolled by a veteran cigar roller of the prestigious Davidoff factory. The stick has a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, and Nicaraguan, Dominican, and Peruvian filler. What makes the cigar special, however, is the vitola, with exposed tobacco on the foot, resembling , you guessed it, a broom. Alicea describes the cigar saying, “with the Witch’s Broom you’ll get notes of black pepper, coffee, and an earthy, but very smooth texture. The cigar is a solid medium in terms of body, and a real joy to smoke because of the special vitola.”

Another signature house  blend is the new Boxed Press Torpedo. With an Ecuadorian wrapper and Nicaraguan and Dominican filler, it is the new home run of the shop. The box press was made famous by the Padron family, and Refugio’s version is a fantastic take on the popular shape. Smokers will notice hints of chocolate, leather, and black pepper.

The Box Press - debanded

Aside from cigars, the shop now sports member boxes (membership comes with a complimentary bundle of cigars), renovated lighting, and new fans for air circulation. When the shop first opened, ventilation was a noticeable problem, but the new redesign has really completed the vibe of the shop.

This just about captures the spirit of Refugio Cigar House when it's time to party

In short, Mike and Jimmy have done a fantastic job creating a true refuge for the New York City cigar smoker. If you live in the city or are visiting, forget about your regular Cigar Inn or Club Mac visit and experience something new. If you take my advice, you might find yourself frequenting this New York City gem.

Connect with Refugio Cigar House on Facebook.

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Event Recap: FineTobaccoNYC & Hispanola Cigar at XO Cigar Lounge

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XO Cigar Lounge, Bronx NY

On Saturday, January 28th, the FineTobaccoNYC crew celebrated the grand opening of X.O. Cigar Lounge, a beautiful lounge located in the Bronx. If you haven’t been, be sure to drop by their website for more information and make your way out.  As one cigar aficionado said of the shop owners, “they did this right.” Approximately 50 cigar smokers attended the event, including members of New York’s Grown & Sexy Cigar Group. The event was sponsored by Hispanola Cigars. We were privileged to enjoy the company of President Hugo Melo, as well as Michel Dominguez.

 

Hugo Melo of Hispanola (left) and Matthias Clock of FineTobaccoNYC

The FineTobaccoNYC Team

To see all photos taken at the event, follow this link to our Facebook page!

The event went on late into the night, with great food and great cigars. FineTobaccoNYC is proud to regularly partner with Hispanola Cigars – they are a cigar company to keep your eye on. Their four fantastic blends are creating a lot of buzz in New York City, and selling out at shops around the country.

Below are a few shots of the event. To come to our free events, smoke great cigars, and meet other like-minded individuals, sign up for the event mailing list.

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The Cigar Inn: Two Fantastic NYC Locations

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The counter at the 1st Avenue Location

The Cigar Inn, with two locations in Manhattan, manages to have an atmosphere that is incredibly sophisticated and extremely friendly.

My first stop today was the 1st Ave. location of Cigar Inn, where I spoke with Bill Sakih, the owner.  This smaller store and lounge, which can hold about 15 customers at a time, has been around since the mid-90s.  Soft jazz was playing in the background, as two small groups of men seated on leather couches chatted about sports and current events-the regulars as Billy called them.  “This place is really friendly, a place where people create friendships.  The regulars go out to dinner, take trips, plan golf outings…”

The Cigar Aficionado Lounge

In addition to the large walk-in humidor with an impressive selection, the store sells all sorts of products for men: ties, cufflinks, shaving supplies, money clips and watches.  Additionally, Cigar Inn is a great place to shop for smoking accessories: pipes, ashtrays, lighters and cutters.

If you’re looking to buy a humidor though, your best bet is to head to Cigar Inn’s other location on 2nd Ave. near 54th St., which has been open for about 2 years. The humidor selection is top notch.  They also carry all of those various products for men, with the bonus of having a fully functioning barbershop.  You have to call ahead for an appointment.

Billy was quick to boast that the 2nd Ave location has the only lounge and humidor that is endorsed by Cigar Aficionado magazine.  The lounge is magnificent, with leather couches and armchairs, flat-screen televisions, great natural lighting, and plenty of space.   And the humidor is, or course, fully stocked with one of the best selections in New York.

After chatting for a while, I asked Billy what he was smoking these days, and he handed me a La Aurora, his current favorite.  “On the house,” he said.  I’ll definitely be back to let him know what I thought.

Long story short: both Cigar Inn locations are fantastic spots to smoke a cigar. As soon as you get a few hours free, drop by one of Cigar Inn’s two locations, kick back in a lounge chair, and enjoy a good cigar. You’ll be glad you did!

The Cigar Inn (2nd Ave) Humi

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Update:  I tried that La Aurora.  It was really complex.  It began really solid, and mild.  As I got further in, it became really spicy, with more of a medium flavor.  The last third was a little harsh.  (That might just be my tendency to smoke a cigar down too far.)  But, it was a really interesting smoke.  I’ll definitely try another La Aurora.

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Velvet Cigar Lounge: One of New York City’s Finest Cigar Hangouts

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Velvet Cigar Lounge

Nestled on 7th street in Manhattan’s picturesque Lower East Side is Velvet Cigar, an oasis for the new and experienced cigar smoker. On any given night of the week, a visitor to Velvet Cigar is likely to experience what I have on many occasions. Walking in the door, I am met with the familiar aroma of fine tobacco, the din of friendly conversation, and a welcoming staff. A brief look around reveals exposed brick walls that provide a classic backdrop to dark mahogany wood tones, rustic leather chairs, and dim candles flickering around the room. The lounge could be considered small compared to Manhattan’s larger lounges, but don’t let the lounge’s modest 400 sq. ft. of real estate fool you – Velvet’s relaxed atmosphere is hard to beat.  The lounge and its unique boutique blend cigars has won high praise from media outlets like Yelp, Time Out NY, Affluence, MartiniBoys, and StogieReview.com, to name a few.

Dan Bsharat – Managing Partner at Velvet Cigar

I recently had the opportunity to sit down for a cigar and conversation with Dan Bsharat, Managing Partner of Velvet, and he described for me a bit of the lounge’s history and his business philosophy. I also had a chance to light up a cigar from Velvet’s new line, the Bowery – more on that later.

Dan started by telling me a bit about the history of the lounge. Velvet Cigar Lounge existed by the same name before Dan and his business partners purchased the lounge in 2005. After making Velvet a favorite place to hang out, they were inspired to consider buying the lounge after an employee overheard Dan complimenting the lounge’s natural charm. The employee mentioned that the lounge was on the market, and the seed was planted.  In Velvet, Dan and his partners saw a golden opportunity because the lounge exemplified cigar culture and the perfect hang out. Soon after, they had purchased the lounge that they now own today.

Dan described the philosophy behind Velvet as a “new approach to cigar smoking for a younger generation.” He said that Velvet approaches cigar smoking differently, and that the boutique blends offer paradigms of different cigar tastes by using a variety of wrappers.

Just as inviting as the lounge’s warm environment are the humidors that line the high-seated bar.  Although Velvet does have a small selection of big-brand cigars, Dan said that the main focus is on the boutique blend, which until recently featured three main lines named after famous NYC city areas: the Tomkins, Astor, and Cooper blend. These Dominican blends are made by a family owned farm in the Vila Gonzalez region and rolled in New York.

The most recent addition to the Velvet boutique arsenal is the “Bowery” line, named after the famous lower east side neighborhood that Dan said has recently experienced “a revival.” Although new on the scene, the Bowery is already Dan’s favorite boutique blend (and I must admit the same is true for me after trying each line).

Made in the same Nicaraguan factory that produces quality cigars for Rocky Patel, the Bowery is a real piece of artwork. The Bowery features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos for fillers, all rolled and produced in a classic box-press style. The Bowery comes in four sizes: Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, and Churchill, and is available in packs of 6 and boxes of 20 online and in-store.

 

"The Bowery"

 

As I mentioned, during my interview with Dan, I had the opportunity to enjoy my third Bowery (Churchill), and whenever possible I jotted down a few notes for a quick review. Fortunately, I have realized since the interview that notes on the cigar were not really necessary as it had a distinct flavor profile that provided for a memorable smoke. Below is my review of the cigar:

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Pre-light: There really is no other way to say it: the Bowery is a beautiful cigar. The dark Habano wrapper is complimented perfectly by the dark red and gold label that displays the Velvet logo.   Admittedly, I’ve only had three of these sticks so far, but from what I’ve observed construction has been impeccable – well packed, no serious vein issues, and no visual blemishes. The foot of the cigarsmells of mocha, and a hint of sweetness.

Smoking characteristics: The draw was just about right – a tiny bit tight, but still a great amount of smoke. This stick is a medium-full bodied smoke, though for the most part I found it to be medium.

Flavor: To me, the first two third of this cigar are the most distinct. This cigar opened up with tastes of spice, mocha, and woodiness.  I found that the spice on this particular cigar started off pretty strong, but as I started 2/3 the spiciness faded into the background while the mocha and woodiness started to really stand out.   From there the stick smoked perfectly. During the end of 2/3 and beginning of 3/3 I noticed a bit of leather coming through along with pepper.  Ultimately, the flavor profile on this cigar has really captured me – it is simply a delicious stick.

Overall impression: This cigar is beautiful, well constructed, and packs a great and distinctive taste. I didn’t have any burn issues during the smoke, and enjoyed it all of the way through.  Even though this particular line is more expensive than Velvet’s other blends, this will probably be my standard pick during my visits to Velvet.

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I’ve always enjoyed business and love to see thriving new organizations expand, so after visiting Velvet at least a dozen times in the past two years, one of the biggest questions I had for Dan near the end of the interview was “where does Velvet go from here?” Taking a moment to think, he cracked a smile and said that “expansion is on the table” and that another lounge is a “possible option.” He went on to explain, however, that the owners of Velvet are focusing on expanding their business contacts and looking for ways to network around the city to make their cigars more widely available. As I’m not always near the Lower East Side, I hope he makes it happen!

One Classy Establishment

If you haven’t visited Velvet cigars, then put it high on your priority of night life attractions to see in New York City!  The Bowery can be found for order at Velvet Lounge and online at the Velvet Cigar site.

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