I visited a full-fledged tobacconist only once last year, and that was to buy a gift for someone else, but yesterday Ms. K and I went to the tobacconist (La Casa De La Habana) after work to shop for ourselves. The pipe tobacco selection is fairly small, but the most popular bulk blends of aromatics are represented (the vanilla and cherry cavendishes, for instance). The pipe selection is tiny (unless they are in a room I missed — I’ll report later if I’m mistaken). The cigarette selection consists of the major Nat Sherman and American Spirit lines plus a few others. The main feature of the shop, however, is the cigar humidor and the lounge. In other words, it is more of a cigar shop and smokers’ club than a traditional all-purpose tobacco shop. As a cigar shop, it is superlative. As soon as one enters the large, well-stocked humidor, the boxes of Padrón Anniversario cigars are immediately to the left (and they are the first brand I look for in any humidor). Most of the brands were familiar to me, but there were several I had never tried. I was planning to buy a small tin of cigars, one or two handmade bulk cigars, and a Padrón Anniversario. I settled on a tin of Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Miniatures, I couldn’t locate the individual handmade bulk cigars, and as I was pondering the prices of the Padróns, one of the proprietors recommended Oliva as an excellent and more affordable substitute, so I bought a Serie G churchill and a Serie O torpedo. Like Padrón, Olivas are made in Nicaragua with Nicaraguan long filler. I have high hopes for two excellent smokes. The Excaliburs, meanwhile, are even better than I remember. Overall, ’twas a very good after work outing, and I shall be returning to La Casa as soon and as often as I can (at least for the cigars, if not the pipe tobacco).
Cigar: Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Miniature