I'm the owner of a nice little smoke shop in Boca Raton, FL. Called Bennington Tobacco. We do a lot of cigar and pipe events throughout the year. I ride a Harley with a bunch of guys who also ride Harleys. As people always ask me about pipes and cigars I decided to create this blogg page.
With the Tri-Pump table lighter from Vector, you look forward to lighting your cigar almost as much as you look forward to smoking it. Solid metal table lighter is the perfect tool to light your cigars! The Tri Pump has the same body design as the original Mega Pump, but more powerful and better stability Rear view logo is the same for all colors, see second image. Dimensions: Width: 3.25" X Length: 5" X Height: 5.25" Manufacturer provides a five year warranty.
An aromatic blend of golden Virginia's, light brown Burleys and the Black Cavendish. Upon lighting up you will be greeted by the sweet and light taste with a foundation of Vanilla and notes of rich Chocolate.
Enjoy a truly velvety soft tobacco blend with a solid foundation.
We have tasted and decided its an excellent blend. Especially tailored for the American Smoker, the regular 7 Seas smokes a little wet, but it can be adjusted by leaving the can or pouch open for 30 minutes. Although there those who will enjoy it as is. So hot smokers be wear to control the puffing pace. If your tobacco is already on the wet side, puffing a lot will create a lot of water in your pipe. But it is a blend perfect for a sea captain... till next week.
Jim
It seems that tobacco smoking has not been very sought after by women on their own except for cigarettes. Today when women smoke most will make use of cigarettes and unless they work in the pipe and cigar industry or have a companion who’s an aficionado we will never see them pick-up a pipe or a cigar. The minority is diverse in thought and culture, not dependent on the approval of the great majority.
As a few women find their way towards a pipe, their choice will be of Aromatic tobaccos mostly. It will be even rarer for women to like the hearty English blends of Orientals, Latakias, Perique and so on.
From the Chinese and Japanese prints, they have been known to enjoy the pipe for over 2 to 3 thousand years. Of course the dark to tan colored leaves known today as tobacco only appeared when Columbus, the English and the Spaniards brought back the heady leaves smoked by the Indians (mostly in religious ceremonies) in North and Central America until then they would smoke different blends of herbs.
The pipe used in Japan then and still today in some cases is the “KISERU”, with a metal thimble size bowl and shank, a bamboo extension and a metallic or ivory mouthpiece. Today they are using it with a short piece of cigarette or pipe tobacco. You only get a couple of puffs from it. The pipes were also made of clay or ceramic.
As the American tobacco appears center stage in Europe in the mid 16th Century, the first pipe the ladies enjoy is the clay pipe. Introduced by the Dutch at 3 to 4 inches long at first, becoming longer and more feminine as the time goes by it is fragile and breaks easily. Initially it is expensive and only the aristocrats and upper classes are able to enjoy a few puffs. 
Gaining a larger audience in the 17th to 18th Century at the time of Madam de Pompadour 1726ish, King Louis XV’s mistress was an avid smoker, having in her collection over 200 hundred clay pipes.
Like everything the upper classes did, the middle and lower classes followed suit and smoked in public with no restrictions until the start of the 18th century, when it began to become associated with the working class, drinking and brawling, turning into a bad habit and uncouth for a lady. At this point the ladies would then smoke behind closed doors.
Like Mrs. Rachel Jackson, wife of Andrew Jackson; President during 1829–1837.
Rachel Jackson had accompanied General Jackson to Washington in 1824-25 when the Presidency was decided in the House of Representatives. Rumors about Rachel preceded her arrival in Washington, and the question arose as to whether the other ladies would accept her. Ultimately, they did call upon her. But she did not want to go to Washington in 1828, fearing that her inelegance at conversation, her pipe smoking, and general lack of refinement would reflect poorly on her husband, the new President. However, she did acquiesce to the urging of her friends and made plans to go. She went on a shopping trip and bought clothes appropriate for the occasion only to become ill and die on
December 22, 1828.
In places like, Northern Scotland, Ireland, the Hebrides (Scottish Isles to west of Scotland) and the Appalachians in the US, women smoked unhindered well into the 1930's due to cultural isolation. In South and Central America they still smoke pipes, straw cigarettes and cigars to their hearts content.
Today a woman smoking a pipe or a cigar certainly draws attention because It’s so uncommon and diverse. There are those that only do it because they wish to impress their mates and there are those that do it because they enjoy the taste and the relaxation it promotes.
In the US there is only one well known ladies pipe smoking club; The Ladies of the Briar. So well know that they have members from Europe, South America, Canada and Asia.
A note from a lady to boot… “
I am a casual pipe smoker but find both a cup of tea and a drink of tobacco from a clay pipe most relaxing. I am a re-enactor and collect antique pipes as a hobby. I do like Briars and Meerschaums but still find the clay pipe the best for a cool smoke. The bowls are just the right size for a lady. A 1964 study once showed that pipe smokers on average lived longer than the general population, but that study failed to control for social factors and did not include an adequate representation of pipe smokers to be considered sound. However, it should be noted that there are no studies that show how dangerous pipe smoking may be. I advocate moderation in all things.
-Beth Maxwell Boyle
Re-enactment actress, in 18th century costume.
Ladies Meerschaum pipe. Made in 2009 for the female market
By Christina de Barros
Known in Spanish as the “Republica Domincana”. The second largest island in the Caribbean. Cuba is the largest. Dominica, as its tenderly nicknamed by its citizens, sits between the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean to the southeast. It occupies approximately 2/3 of the island of “Hispaniola” (Haiti occupies the western third) and was “discovered” by Christopher Columbus in 1492. It was actually found and occupied by the “Taino” Indians long before his arrival.
In1990, 27,011 hectares, or 2.7% of arable land, were used for growing tobacco. From 1990 to 1992, an average of 19,000 tons of tobacco were produced annually, equivalent to 0.3% of the world total. In each of these 3 years Dominica produced an average of 4,500 million cigarettes, close to 0.1% of worlds consumption. Exporting 50 million annually. Cigar production was 206 tons, of which 195 tons were for export. In 1993, export earnings from tobacco was US$19.5 million. Imports of raw tobacco totaled US$9 million, valued at 0.4% of all import costs. Tobacco production generally produces a positive balance of trade for the Dominican Republic. In 1990, revenue from tobacco was 2.3% of the GNP.
Today Dominica is one of the worlds leading tobacco growers. This was not the case 35 years ago when they grew a very small percentage used around the worlds. The reason is it’s ideal climate year round and it’s soil. Almost identical to Cuba, nestled among mountains, the Cibao River Valley is the ideal area for growing and producing tobacco. This area is home to many factories, Davidoff, A. Fuente, Montecristo, etc. And Santiago it’s largest city.
Piloto Cubano and Olor are the two main filler tobaccos. The seed were smuggled out of Cuba during the revolution. These leaves are the closest
to its Cuban counterparts, or descendents. Again because of climate and soil.
The cigar boom in the early 90’s propelled the growth of the Dominican Republic dramatically. With the popularity of cigars rising dramatically, it revitalized an important business segment in one of the oldest countries in the New World. It helped elevate international prestige of the island nation along with providing new markets for its premium cigars.
With its wide variety of resources, pristine beaches on two oceans to rugged mountains, tropical forests, fertile valley, a diverse culture and history dating back to Christopher Columbus, Dominica is a treasure trove.
Today we talk of 250 million cigars being exported in 1997, generating more than US$200 million for an industry employing some 10,000 growers and cultivate & process and transport the tobacco leaf, as well as providing additional services.
With America’s premium-cigar smoking “boom” of the mid-1990 now gone, and overall consumption cut in half, Dominican producers must ensure more than ever not to lose market leadership to it’s fierce rivals in Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico. The focus on quality is the legacy of the boom in quantity.
Despite all the aftershocks, the 1990’s cigar madness left the Dominican Republic cigar makers yearn for the good old 90’s, they are also happy with today’s premium market, albeit diminished, is still almost triple of what it was before the boom.
Dominicans claim their cigars are better than Cuba’s, but Cuba has the renown – and that is what has them nervous. In Europe Cuba sells 100 million cigars against Dominica’s 25 million. The Dominicans, who fled Cuba with seeds & their brand names, protected their position in the U.S. by registering such fabled names as Montecristo & Partagas. Making a legal battle necessary if Cuba wants to enter the U.S. market. Some believe that Cuba would avoid the issue by simple creating new brands. Others say that the novelty of Cuban cigars would pique Americans’ interest in cigars in general.
The future of cigars, Dominican or otherwise, is unsure and unwritten. Only time will tell if the industry will bear up under the world economy and the loosening restrictions on international trade.
Royal
Enjoy the beautiful color match of Golden Virginias, light brown Burleys and just a touch of Black Cavendish.
Easy to fill into your pipe and upon lighting up you will be met by a gentle sweetness, a base of Vanilla and notes of mild and sweet Honey along with a faint Fruit overtone.
ZINO PLATIMUM Z-CLASS
