CIGAR TALK 1996

1996 is shaping up to be another great year. More and more young men and fashionable young women are discovering the pleasures of moderate cigar smoking. Cigar affairs (dinners, cruises, big smokes) have become commonplace, and the publicity surrounding the industry has been overwhelming.

All of this attention, however, has its drawbacks. We are seeing vast shortages of cigars. Therefore, one must learn about cigars in order to have a backup when your favorite cigar is out of stock. The cigar stores are limited to stock restrictions placed on them by the distributors. The best bet to insure you get the smoke of your choice, is to place a standing order on a systematic basis. Many stores will allow this, although some will not.

This column has been created to help you source out the easiest and most convenient shopping for your favorite cigar. As I canvass the area of cigar stores, it seems each month there is a new shop opening. Some may say that the cigar market is saturated. I see the market as still on an upswing.

What you can expect each month, is the favorite store in which to shop. I will use all my senses when critiquing. Does the store atmosphere feel good, does it smell right, are the displays set up so that you can see all of the choices, is touching permitted, an do the salespeople sound knowledgeable? Lastly, do you get the sense that this is the right place to buy the product?

Making a cigar purchase is more that just a buy. Very often we build relationships with the salespeople because they need to understand our taste to be able to offer alternate selections. Trying new cigars is part of the experience and only a good salesperson can help you with good suggestions.

This is going to be a fun experience, and I welcome any comments and/or questions. I will comment on quality local stores shortly.

See you in the neighborhood cigar store!

Andrew S. Bluestone, CFP
Email: cigars@new-jersey.com