So here is the topic in question. What kind of atmosphere do you enjoy with your cigars? I bring this topic up because of a recent discussion I had with my friend Mark Jr. regarding a couple of particular bars that recently opened up in Atlanta. One of them was founded by an NFL Pro Football player Cam Newton called Fellaship, and the other was by cigar maker Rocky Patel called Burn; his second cigar bar and lounge.
Both of these bars have drinks, loud music, high top bar stools, and a variety of edible compliments. Let‘s take the first bar Fellaship for example. In his uploaded video of the grand opening you can see a myriad of people smoking cigars, sharing drinks all around, and a sound system that makes you wanna get up and dance. Burn is designed in a similar fashion with a full cocktail bar and a sizable seating area to accommodate all the smoke. In recent years more and more bars like these have been sprouting all over the U.S. There are, however, a few of us who still approach cigar bars and lounges as a place of rest, relaxation, and reflection. A break from the hectic noise of our jobs and even families and seek that solitude of comfort to chill out for a bit. This type of atmosphere falls more towards Davidoff of Gevena bars like the ones in Atlanta, Houston, and Chattanooga. The price for this comfort does not come cheap though.
Some cigar lounges charge as much as 500 dollars per month as a member and some are more exclusive than that. With this membership though you get a private locker to store your cigars, a poker table, tv’s playing your favorite sports, and even 24/7/365 access for those who might work early morning or late at night. I’m not ashamed to admit, I prefer the latter style of relaxation, and my choice is echoed by Mark Jr. as well. This blog is not written to create division among cigar smokers, but awareness of how we as a cigar smoking community have developed and changed over the years.
Looking back in the days of yore, it has been a traditional style of smoking jackets, loafers, tweed sport coats, and petite woman passing around cocktails to important businessmen talking about business and things. Since the recent openings of these newer more modern style of cigar bars such as Fellaship and Burn you can begin to see a paradigm shift in the way cigars are enjoyed these day. It’s less formal and bourgeois and more sneakers, T-shirts, BBQ’s, and dance music. As a newer generation of cigar smokers slowly begin to replace the previous generation, cigars have become more fun and festive rather than business like.
Cigar sizes have changed with the times too. An increase in production of larger ring gauge cigars such as the E.P. Carrillo Inch series are pushing the boundaries of 60, 70, and even 80 ring gauge cigars to meet younger market demands. Although Mark and I are still of that older school generation way of thinking, we prefer to sit and relax with buddies over a campfire or a private lounge without so much sound. Times are changing, however, and the cigar market is getting younger with more vibrant energy to spare. Whichever atmosphere you prefer, remember that cigars are designed to bring us together and exchange our time with one another.
I hope you enjoyed reading this and if you have thoughts on this subject, tell us about it. Leave a comment in the box below, and stay smokey my friends.