One post a week - and today it started at Metro Cigars in Germantown

 Now that I am back on the blog, I have set a reasonable, attainable goal. I will smoke at least one cigar a week, and write one post per week. I feel pretty good about this.

I didn't waste any time. I left home this late Sunday morning and went to one of my favorite places - Metro in Germantown. They open at 11 am on Sunday. There is no more football and the Olympics are over, so this left me with a good quiet Sunday to break the ice.

When I got there, Nicole was tending bar. Although I had not been keeping up with this blog, I have been to Metro, but only during the week. She only works weekends so it's been awhile since we saw each other. She was glad to see me, and I was glad to see her. I will have to swing by on more weekends! She is very warm and fun.

 So today I chose an Alec Bradley Black Market Gordo, and I ordered Jack Daniels on the rocks. I know, I know: it is not my typical bourbon but this cigar lounge just vibes "Jack Daniels" to me. It is only at Metro that a Jack Daniels is my drink of choice. At Shakers I will do bourbon or scotch or port. But Metro is Jack Daniels. Go figure.

The Black Market Gordo lit well with a match, and the initial surge of flavor was creamy rather than that bold maduro kick you sometimes can get with other dark cigars. It is actually fairly mild, like a hot chocolate. Well, more like a dark chocolate, because it is spicy more than sweet. I will definitely try it again. I highly recommend it.  At Metro it is 13 dollars and some change and well worth it.

The crowd looked like a typical Sunday outing. It was mostly men, off work for the day. The clouds of smoke helped the quieter patrons meditate, while the drink and tobacco facilitated philosophical and political discussions with the more talkative ones. But nothing was toxic. It was all thoughtful and intelligent. That is why I like it at Metro. If you have never been there, I suggest you try it!

Okay. That was the first review in three years. I think this blog is now be sustainable. Later in the week, I have an event at Shaker's Cigar Bar. My next blog post will be all out that!  Thanks and it is good to be back.

I am back - and the "trail" is why!

 I launched this blog over three years ago and posted a lot in late 2022 and early 2023! My last post was exactly three years ago today, March 1, 2023, and then life happened, and school happened, and I got so darn busy. And I lost it. I lost the persistence to keep this thing going.

And in the years since then, I still went to cigar bars, and the staff at my favorite haunts commented how they read my blogs, and I felt kind of bad about not keeping up with it. Well now I am back, and let me explain why:

I am retiring from the teaching profession at the end of this school year, in June. And I have one last spring break before my income is reduced and more "fixed." So I wondered about taking a trip. Maybe to Europe? I have never been to Europe and people always tell me how much I would like it. I started shopping around online and saw that I could afford a trip to France, or Croatia, or anywhere really - I looked at places in Latin America, Asia, and Australia, even. However when I got to the airline tickets and saw the time dedicated to flights, I just couldn't do it. For a trip to France, we were looking at 19 hours, 16 hours, 17 hours, and that was only the flight there, and then another long flight to return. I did not want to spend almost two full days just traveling via airports, terminals and in the air. I hate flying anyway. I am not afraid of flying on a plane, but I hate the whole process: arriving at the airport early, going through security, occasionally getting searched, sitting packed like a sardine on an airplane, and dealing with the delays. Nope. Maybe I won't ever go to Europe or anywhere far away and exotic. I think I am really okay with that.

Then I started thinking about this large country I live in, and that despite the political division that dominates the news and social media, I imagine that most people are very decent, and that the Ameican landscape is utterly beautiful. I would love to drive somewhere instead. And that is when it hit me: bourbon and cigars! The Kentucky Bourbon Trail! My hairstylist of all people suggested it to me years ago, since he knows I love bourbon and cigars. So I went online and planned a trip! So at the end of March I am driving to Bardstown, Kentucky and I am touring several distilleries and checking out several cigar bars. I might even fit in a horseback trail ride to boot. Yay!

And then it occurred to me. The blog. Oh yeah. People actually read it. I have to step up my game! I cannot go to the whiskey trail in Kentucky and pair all that amazing booze with cigars and not write about it!  SO I AM BACK! 

Zoom Conferences and a Creamy Cigar!

March 1st was parent-teacher conferences, so we went in to teach for a half-day until an 11:15 am dismissal. Parents signed up online for conference blocks on Zoom, and our principal let us go to do the conferences from home. My first parent to sign up was at 1 pm, so I stopped at Total Wine on the way home and grabbed a big cigar, the CAO 770 Flathead, which was seven inches long with a ring gauge of 70.

CAO Flathead 770 - one of Total Wine's top sellers.

After eating lunch and completing the first conference by 1:15pm, I didn't have another parent signed up until 4:15 pm, so I had three hours to grade papers and chill out at home. I had intended to smoke the CAO 770 at a cigar bar later in the week, but the weather was pretty nice, about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and sunny. So I lit a fire in the fire pit, brewed some coffee, and graded papers and smoked that stick outside. It felt like a day off, almost.

Working virtually from home!

I lit the cigar, and the draw was really nice, and the first word that came to mind when the flavor hit me was "velvet," but I was confused. I didn't know why my mind associated the flavor of the CAO Flathead with velvet, but I knew it must have meant something. It also tasted a little like the fire outside, so there was a smoky wood flavor. When I looked up a review online the first review said that the CAO Flathead  was "creamy," so that made sense. You all know I am not terribly experienced, yet, so I didn't have the word "creamy" in my vocabulary for cigar smoking, but the flavor was new and novel to me, so my brain retrieved the word "velvet," and I wondered maybe it was because I love red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting? It didn't really taste like red velvet cake but the draw and taste was creamy, like cream cheese frosting with smoke flavor. (Strange concept, I know. Warning: do not try to smoke cream cheese in your smoke house!) 

I thought the CAO 770 was velvety, lol!

It was a great smoke. The velvet flavor went great with coffee, and it kept me company for two hours outside as I killed time before my 4:15pm conference. I recommend the CAO Flathead 770 without reservation. However, it is a big one so make sure you have a good block of time to savor it!

CAO Brazilia Gol

 It was a Friday night in March following a really long week at school. I was stressed out and had purchased a new cigar from Total Wine earlier in the week. I was looking for an opportunity to smoke it, but I had evening plans with other (non-cigar) people, so I was on my way home after those plans at about 11 pm. I was inclined to just go home and go to bed, but why? I needed some solitary self-care and I had the perfect fix: a CAO Brasilia Gol, ranked by Total Wine as the month's #4 selling cigar.

I elected to go Shaker's Cigar Bar in the Walker's Point neighborhood. It’s a traditional saloon built in 1894, with a well-known reputation for being haunted. When the owner sees me, he always nods and smiles and says, "Welcome, home." It is not my main go-to for cigars, but I do frequent the place quite a bit.

CAO Brasilia: strokes your palette.

I ordered a Glenfiddich 12 double scotch and lit up the Brasilia. And WOW!  The flavor was intense, but so delicious, and at first it does not overpower your palette. But it really stimulates it! The sweet, spicy, and tangy flavor was accompanied by a nutty taste. It paired well with the scotch, too. As I told my Facebook cigar friends, the Brasilia doesn't hit your palette, but rather strokes it. And it brought me back down to an unwound, healthy state-of-mind, and the stress of the week merely "went up in smoke," as I felt good again.

However, the longer I smoked the CAO Brasilia, the stronger and more powerful it got. Sometimes I can get carried away and smoke a cigar too fast, and as a new connoisseur, I have to work on slowing down. This was not the case with the Brasilia. I had to slow down, as it got stronger and stronger and I found myself taking several breaks. Remember this if you try this cigar. It is tantalizing at first, and while the flavor remains stable and tasty, the initial pop transforms into a volcano. Plan at least 60 to 90 minutes for this one!

This smoke brought me out of my work-week funk.

The cigar is easily a 91-93, and with the scotch and the vintage Victorian setting of Shakers, it was definitely a 95 for the overall experience.

(I will have to dedicate a post to Shaker's at some point too!) 

Metro Cigars Germantown: Theme Night Saturdays

 Well it is far past due that I give my people at Metro Cigars in Germantown a full write-up. This is definitely my number #1 go-to for cigar smoking. I have been here many times: weeknights after school, Sunday afternoons, and Friday and Saturday nights. I have come here alone mostly, but once I brought a colleague, and once I brought my sister and brother-in-law.

Metro Cigars has a lot of space, including a large bar area, two lounge areas, and a conference room. The walk-in humidor has just about everything a cigar connoisseur can dream of. And I have sampled too many cigars here to remember all of them off the top of my head. The owners Paul and Jen seem like such amazing people. The staff who I have met so far, Jarrod, Nicole, and Josh, are warm, friendly, and extremely helpful. I recommend this place - and why not? It’s my main go-to!

Metro Cigars Germantown

Now getting on to the the main topic of this post; the theme nights on Saturday nights. Such great fun! I didn't know about these at first, but I finally observed it because I come here often enough.

Several weeks ago I showed up on a Saturday night, and Nicole, who was working the bar, was dolled up in a flowing dress and sandals. Although I thought it was unusual (it was January or February), the outfit was darn cute. So I told her that I liked her dress, and she explained that it was Dominican night, but she added that the dress-up participation that night was weak, and only a few guys wore Hawaiian shirts.

The next Saturday, I made it there again, and that time Nicole was dressed in the cutest skirt, and I thought, "1950s," and sure enough I overheard her tell some patrons that it was 1950s night.

So weeks later, I gave it a shot. The theme was "Favorite TV personality," and so I attempted to dress like Nina Blackwood, one of the original 1980s hosts on MTV. So I wore an MTV tee shirt, hooded jean jacket, cut-off jean shorts, with nude nylons underneath, and pumps on my feet. I hadn’t dressed like that in decades! This was how girls dressed in the 80s! I frizzed up my blonde hair and did my makeup heavier than usual. And there I was - Nina Blackwood.

As close to Nina Blackwood as I could get!

The incentives of theme night? The costume winner gets a $50 gift card to Metro Cigars, and there is a cigar-and-drink special. That night for $12, I got an old fashion and a Pablo Martin toro cigar. And I have to say it was not bad! The bartender Nicole, who was darn cute again as a cowgirl character from Yellowstone on Paramount, made a damn good bourbon-old-fashion-sweet for me, and the Pablo Martin was actually really good. It was mild with a twist of sweetness, pairing well with my drink. The smoke was an 85 rating, perhaps, as it was enjoyable. A lot of patrons wondered why I had shorts on in early March when it was cold and rainy out. So I got to explain what theme night was and I felt like I was helping Metro plug it! As far as my outfit went, only the older people remembered Nina Blackwood, but it was fun educating the younger people on 80s nostalgia. So with the drink and the very social crowd that night, the experience was easily a 90.

Oh wait - it turns out I won the theme night contest so I got the $50 gift card! So the night was a 96! Lol. I am sorry I don't have more photos of my outfit. I really didn't think I would win! Shucks!

But I love this place!

Pablo Martin Toro with an Old Fashion

Drews Estate in Delafield; like a cat with catnip!

 It was another sunny Sunday in February. After I got my steps in at the mall, I followed the suggestions of a couple of my online cigar contacts and made the trek all the way out to Lake Country Cigars in Delafield, Wisconsin, about forty minutes from my home in Milwaukee. 

Another Sunday cigar stop!

I walked through the door with a Starbucks coffee in my hand. While the counter was immediately to the left of the front door, beyond it the humidor ran along the left side of the shop. Then to the right of the humidor was the spacious front lounge, with a small bar toward the back of it. Almost every seat was taken. However, I tuned everyone out as I entered the humidor, and immediately the name, "Churchill," resonated in my mind. Then a tall, nice-looking gentleman offered to help me, and I asked him to recommend a Churchill that goes good with coffee. He led me through the humidor and described several, but like a cat with catnip, I got very excited inside the walk-in humidor: oh, the aroma of tobacco and cedar! I could barely concentrate on the details he shared, however, one cigar did stand out. He said the Drews Estates Undercrown Shade was middle to bold, and would go great with coffee. SOLD!

Drews Estate Undercrown Shade

Lake Country is a beautiful rustic place! The main lounge area had black leather couches and seats, with antiques and framed cigar prints decorating the walls. A cooler with glass doors rested behind the bar, revealing a generous stock of beers, sodas and other beverages, to which patrons could help themselves and pay for on the way out. Down the center, between the humidor and the lounge ran a back hallway, leading to a coffee bar and an office on the left, and a decently sized back lounge on the right. And that lounge was full of patrons, too!

I sat where I can best describe was the center of the whole place, with my back against the humidor wall, across from the bar, and right where the hallway started. A barrel with an astray on it served as my table, and I had to make sure my crossed legs were not in the way of the heavy traffic of patrons walking back and forth through that hallway. Here I lit my Undercrown Shade and took a sip of coffee, and the flavor was as stimulating as the lounge was. 

 

Barrel for a table!

The dominant crowd was made up of mature men, some playing cards at a big table, while others chatted in seats. Soft music pervaded the calm atmosphere here. Even when the Milwaukee Buck's game on the TV went down to the wire in a nail-biter, the cheering and happiness when the Buck's finally won was sincere but not crazy. It was a calm celebratory energy.

Getting back to my Churchill cigar, the Undercrown Shade was a great smoke, packing a subtle, solid punch, and a nutty flavor that went really well with my coffee. And I like to give two ratings, with my modest experience: the cigar by itself, and the entire smoking experience. So the cigar was easily a 92, but the rustic setting and coffee pairing bumps it up a little. And I have to say, I have rarely seen a place so busy, that was still so unbelievably calming. The cigar stop was a 96!

Most every seat was taken!

Lake Country Cigars

A Good Stiff Cigar - Like my Uncle Used to Smoke

Last week I finally made it out to Downtown Waukesha, to Nice Ash bar, a cigar spot to which my online contacts pointed me. I made the drive out from Milwaukee, on a cold, crisp, and sunny Sunday afternoon. Not bad for February. The pub was spacious on the inside, with a large four-sided bar in the center, and a digital jukebox and several casino-like arcade games surrounding it, with tables off to the sides. A young lady was bartender, alone, and although my go-to drink while smoking is usually a whiskey of some kind, the vibe called for a shot and a beer.

I cannot explain it, but I ran with it and ordered a shot of Jim Beam and a bottle of Pabst. I entered the humidor while the bartender served up the drinks, and since she was working alone, and there were other patrons keeping her busy, there was no one in the humidor to offer any advice. So just I allowed the vibe to guide me to a Macanudo Gordo 1968. I had no idea what to expect. 

(Side note: I mean no complaint here, but I have read about this by reviewers as a weakness to Nice Ash, the lack of a cigar attendant. But I really do not feel that this detracted from the experience. I enjoy advice AND/OR fending for myself. So this day I fended for myself). 

Macanudo Gordo 1968

When I got back to my seat, the Jim Beam and Pabst were waiting for me and I lit up the Macanudo 1968 and wow! I was not expecting it because in my cigar smoking career I was used to all sorts of sweet, nutty and spicy flavors. But this 1968 was ordinary tobacco and STRONG! I don't mean to say it was bad, but it was unexpected! However, downing the shot and sipping the Pabst was a perfect pairing for this strong-man's cigar. And after a few puffs and taking in the rest of the pub, it started to work for me. Patrons continued to sprinkle in, and Nice Ash had a lot of couples there, and the women were smoking too. They were older women like me, in their fifties and sixties, whereas in my observations in other places the female cigar smokers were a bit younger. So the next thing I knew I was loving this strong tobacco-flavored cigar!

Jim Beam and a Pabst - a great pairing!

I engaged in some small talk with the bartender and few other patrons, and that is when it hit me. My uncle! When I was a little kid, my parents would visit my aunt and uncle in Muskego, and my uncle worked for the railroad, second shift, and he would get home close to midnight. My parents would take my sister and me with them for late visits out there, and I remember my uncle drinking Pabst and smoking strong cigars. And I don't know what kind of cigars he actually smoked, but I do remember they were strong. Therefore, I silently dedicated this cigar stop to my late uncle, the hardworking railroad man!

Nice Ash is a great cigar stop! I will be back there again, for sure, to sample what else they have. The atmosphere was warm and friendly and the bartender was very personable and genuine. And while I drank a Pabst, the patrons were enjoying a lot of really tasty looking beers and ales. As for the Macanudo Gordo 1968? I would definitely smoke it again, but I am not sure I would recommend it to my smoking buddies just yet. They tend to gravitate to the sweeter and nuttier smokes like I do. Maybe in due time? 

Nice Ash Cigar Bare

Stranded on a Sunday

 Well I was not really stranded. 

My husband and I were trying to drive my son's 2006 Saturn Ion to the mechanic. My husband was driving the Saturn and I was following him in my car. (I really wanted to make my son follow him, but he is a college student and he does homework on Sundays. So I volunteered to do this for him.) Anyway, the Saturn was running with barely any power, due to a dying alternator. We had already jumped it a couple times, but after a third stall the jumper cables were too hot to jump it again. So my husband heroically volunteered to sit alone in Brown Deer with the car to wait for the next available-on-a-Sunday tow truck.

I was tempted to leave him there and pick up some cigars and smoke on my porch. However, I remembered that there was an Otto's Liquor Store nearby, so instead of ditching hubby I drove to Otto's and bought an Ashton Cordial and a fruity craft beer for me, a Freedom of Peach lager. I also bought a lemonade for my husband.

Ashton cordial

So there we sat waiting for the tow truck. We talked and bonded, as sometimes couples struggle to find that time together with work and life. I sat on a nearby utility box and hubby took a photo of me with my cordial and peach lager. By the way it was October 30th, the day before Halloween, so I was wearing black and heavier makeup than usual.

The mild body of the Asthon cordial's cedar and nutty flavor actually offered a contrast for my palette with the Freedom of Peach beer. It was a tad chilly but this was a fun way to enjoy a smoke and a beer. I guess it was a welcomed change from the usual cigar bar. I generally don't get to smoke with my husband around. (I have mentioned on my blog before, that hubby does not like cigars and does not want to join me at cigar bars.) 

I really should have a spare smoke, a lighter, and a beverage for such emergencies!
  

Catching on: it's not just about the smoking.

One of my first budget cigars, a Baccarat Repeater.

 This past summer I started sampling different cigars, and with my newfound love for this pastime, I have learned that whether you have a higher end pricey cigar, or a less expensive "budget" cigar, it is not just about smoking. While it is true that a good handrolled cigar has certain relaxing and meditative properties all by itself, this green-connoiseur, cigar-lady learned quickly that pairing is an integral part to the cigar smoking experience. Food and drink are essential partners to a good cigar.

It was still summer, and alluding to my first post, I was still shy about going alone into cigar bars. So on a warm, sunny Wisconsin day, I grabbed two cigars "to go," from Total Wine, a great stop in the Milwaukee area for cigars and drinks. My eyes were great big question marks, so I picked up what I remember was a pricier Camacho black cigar, and a more affordable Baccarat Repeater, aka Havanna Twist, according to the Total Wine guy. I also picked up some Maker's Mark bourbon and an Apothic Red bottle of wine.

I got home and got started a little after 2pm. My husband and sons were at work, and being a teacher I had off in the summer. So I lit my charcoal grill, poured myself some bourbon, and lit up the Camacho. (Don't quote me on the Camacho, because at the time I didn't know I was gonna blog about this stuff, so this is my best recollection. If you viewers recognize the cigar as something else let me know in the comments and I will follow up with a correction!) 

To my best memory this was a Camacho cigar. It paired well with bourbon.

While the charcoal fire slowly transformeed the briquettes in the grill from black to grey, I sipped on the bourbon and puffed on the black cigar. Both had very powerful flavors! And while I was no expert yet, all I could say and feel to myself was, "I'm home." So far so good. My conclusion in regard to strong full-bodied cigars with bourbon, before a meal?  A great big yes!

The grill was ready in about 40 minutes, right at the perfect time to be done with the bourbon and black cigar. So I threw on good steaks and played my usual role as barbecue queen. (My husband doesn't smoke cigars and he doesn't take charge of the grill either, so I am the cook both indoors and outdoors!) I served up a medium-rare steak for myself immediately, and quickly stored my sons' medium rares and husband's medium for them to warm up and eat later when they all got home from work.

Steaks go great with cigars!

I poured myself the Apothic Red wine and enjoyed my late afternoon feast in the peace and quiet of my front porch. On the heels of a good cigar and bourbon, filling my stomach with some delicious meat and wine took me to another phase of summer bliss. And then when I was done eating it was time for the Baccarat Repeater and a second glass of wine. (Yes it was a third drink, but by this time, well over an hour passed, and I was not going anywhere anyway). I have not seen the Repeater on social media or other cigar connoiseur programming, probably because it is not "high-end" enough. But I will say this, it really went well with my palette after the steak dinner, and with the red wine. By the time, I was done with this smoke and the second glass of red, it was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and just in time for a nap.

I was on vacation, afterall. And napping works on a cigar blog. It's not just about the smoking.

Pioneering Solo as a Female

Being a female and newcomer to smoking cigars can be a little bit intimidating. Here in the Milwaukee area there are a decent share of cigar bars and lounges to choose from, and I hope to feature each of them in this blog in the near future. The point to this post is that when you are a woman and you walk into one of these places, there are usually only men, and they are enjoying their male bonding with gusto. They are seated at the bar, around tables, or in comfy couches and chairs, inhaling and exhaling bluish clouds of smoke, as they enjoy cigars and sip on whiskeys and beers.

Enjoying an ACID Toast with a Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashion.

Actually, it is adorable. I have a husband and three young adult sons, and to me, there is nothing that makes its way into my heart more than when I see them enjoy food and drink. And this is the energy I see in these cigar places. However, even though I appreciate the pleasure these men are deriving from this experience, it still makes a solo chick a little anxious to enter into this territory alone. (As I said in this blog's introduction, my husband is not a cigar smoker and has no interest in exploring this with me). And the awkward feeling has nothing to do with how I am treated there. So far in the several visits I have made to these places, I have had the men who work there wait on me and kindly answer all my questions about the flavor, body, and strength of their cigar selections, and the mostly male patrons either leave me alone, or make kind comments, like, "It's nice to see a woman cigar smoker for a change." The very few women I have seen are always with their husbands or boyfriends, so I would still feel like an intruder.

Maybe the awkward feeling I have is comparable to the reason a lot of people don't go to movies in the theater alone. It's normal to want family or friends to come along, but I don't have any girlfriends that are interested in cigars, and while my sons are interested, they are a too young, (21, 18 and 18), and under federal law the twins cannot partake anyway. Therefore, I have gone alone so far, and usually bring a journal to record my experiences, but most of the time this past summer I bought cigars carry-out and smoked them on my porch at home.

But the weather is getting colder as we approach November. I will have to get used to smoking as the "lone female" in the cigar bars as winter comes.

Sooner or later, I am sure I will talk to whomever is there, male or female, and make friends. Especially as I said, when winter forces me to!