Pipe Weenies

The Teenie Weenies by

William H. Donahey

Yesterday for the first time I heard the term "Pipe Weenies"... It caught me by total surprise... Pipe Weenies?

Oh, yes said Frank Blews... I'm one of them and with great pride... He commented with a huge grin from ear to ear.

And what are "Pipe Weenies"? I asked...

Frank: You will find us at most of the pipe shows, buying, swapping and talking to our pipe heroes...

These shows are considered professional, but unlike the old RTDA, today known as IPCP (International Premium Cigars and Pipes), practically anything and anyone goes. If you can afford the table fee one can be part of the Chicago (or Richmond or Kansas) Pipe Show. The IPCP is a different story. You have to be a member and in business either as a manufacturer or retailer. The "Weenies" don't have access to the IPCP. But they will not make much of an effort to go either. Its mostly cigar and its accessories. So it doesn't matter. And not a lot of fun for the "Weenies". I also just found out why I can't get Samuel Gawith tobacco... Its a 4 man show! and they prefer to take their summer vacations than blend tobacco! Unheard of for an American pipe smoker or business man...lol So we will have to put up with the back-orders and wait till they return form vacation... We had a great time last night! Memorable! Frank Blews is a wealth of information, no wonder he considers himself a weenie himself. The man has his nose in everything pipe...lol Next week we will have a video to show regarding the meeting with Frank Blews.

Till next week everyone....

Jim

Cigar Etiquette

There are a few quite important and "common sense" cigar etiquette sets of rules. Its all to do with the respect of others and the value of oneself. If you're a regular person...lol

Cigar etiquette is polite behaviour when smoking cigars. For example, in 19th century Havana, it was considered an insult to give another smoker a light from your cigar without first knocking off the ash from the cigar. Another breach of etiquette was to pass on a cigar to a third-party for them to light up too - loaned cigars should instead be returned with a polite flourish. (wikkipedia)

The Swiss tobacconist and creator of the Davidoff cigar, Zino Davidoff devised the "Zino Davidoff Guide to Cigar Etiquette". The essay calls for cigar aficionados to smoke the cigar only halfway, let it burn out on its own, while it sits in the ashtray. Never ask another smoker for a light, refrain from smoking while walking, and so on. Davidoff dismisses the elaborate rituals of lighting, says that removing or leaving the band are equally correct, and insists that a gentlemen never relights a cigar that is more than two-thirds smoked.

So lets see....

The Dos

• LIght the foot of the cigar slightly before starting to puff on it.
• Remove the band carefully after lighting the cigar (or not).
• Take your time in smoking it; a puff a minute is about right.
• Hold the cigar between your index finger and thumb.
• Let the cigar die a dignified death. After it's smoked half way, it will go out on its own while sitting in the ashtray.
• Dispose of the dead cigar discreetly.
• Wait at least fifteen minutes between cigars; anything less indicates obsessive behavior

The Don'ts

• Use a penknife to cut or a lance to pierce the end of the cigar.
• Touch the flame directly to the foot of the cigar: Instead, simply rotate it around the edge till it starts to burn, then puff lightly.
• Ask someone else for a light (the lighting of a cigar should be a personal affair).
• Light your cigar too quickly or too slowly.
• Indulge in exhibitionism in lighting or any other aspect of smoking.
• Relight your cigar if less than one quarter of it is leaf.
• Put the cigar in your mouth to relight it. Just scrape off the ash and turn it in the flame for several seconds till it relights.
• Clench it between your teeth. Likewise do not get the end of the cigar wet, chew it, or slobber on it.
• Smoke too quickly.
• Use a cigar holder, or worse, stick a toothpick or matchstick in the end of the cigar to help hold it in your mouth.
• Dunk your cigar in port or brandy, a habit attributed to Winston Churchill.
• Smoke while working.
• Hold a cigar between your index and middle finger.
• Smoke when you're walking.
• Smoke more than half the cigar.
• Put the cigar out by squashing it in an ashtray.
• Chain-smoke cigars.

Cigar Aficionado

Cigar Aficionado's book "Cigar Companion" suggests two sets of rules: one when among non-smokers, and another when among cigar smokers. One should never smoke except where smoking is appreciated, and care should be taken to minimize criticism from non-smokers from the smell of smoke in one's home or on one's clothes. Among other cigar smokers, it suggests rules governing sharing, cutting, lighting, humidors, women cigar smokers, and gifts. It concludes with one ironclad rule: never give a prank exploding cigars, and do not associate with anyone who does.

Believe me its worth knowing and practicing these rules. People will appreciate your care and tact. And will give us cigar and pipe smokers a feather in our caps.

Long ashes.....

Jim

Coffee, Cigars & Pipe Tobacco

As far as I know there are two different and very distinct types of coffee: Arabica (Coffea Arabica), which is the Jamaican, Brazilian, Hawaiian, Columbian and so on. It has a vanilla, caramel, nutty round taste to it. Planted in a semi- tropical or temperate environment, purple soil and closer to mid mountain level. It is smooth and mellow. It has a rich round flavor, with delicate complex notes. It is originally from the Ethiopian Highlands.

Because the Arabica fruit or cherries fall to the ground and spoil, the trees must be carefully monitored and picked at different intervals, making its production more expensive.

The second type is the Robusta (Coffea Canifera) exclusively grown in the eastern part of the world. It likes equatorial and low altitudes. It’s fruit remains on the tree, producing a less expensive bean. The Robusta has twice the caffeine of the Arabica and is very acidic, bitter. Its what most restaurants offer. A kick in the proverbial pants…lol

How does one make a good cup of coffee? The first thing to consider is if you like your coffee bitter or smooth. Arabica or Robusta. The second is how do like your roast? Dark like the French? Or medium like Brazilians? I prefer mine Arabica with a medium roast ground medium to fine, brewed in a French Press. A Hawaiian Kona, Jamaican Blue Mountain or a Brazilian Café do Ponto. Then comes which way to make it?

Brazilians still use a cloth filter. They grind their coffee fine and give it a medium roast. 1 tblsp of coffee per cup (a demitasse) of water. Also called a cafezinho.

The French like their coffee brewed in a “French Press”, espresso machine (makes a very strong brew) or the Italian volcano; it’s like an espresso but stovetop. They roast their coffee dark. The Italians are the same

But if you just like a good cup of java, American style, then go for a medium grind, use a drip coffee machine or automatic coffee maker. Oh, and get your coffee with a medium roast.

A good cup of coffee, a great bowl of tobacco or cigar is sometimes a better pairing than alcohol. A good smoke doesn’t always call for liquor. And the idea is to compliment the cigar or tobacco, not over power it.

If you like a Sumatra or Java wrapper, like a Zino Classic, an Avo XO or an English Pipe Tobacco blend, a Bennington #5; a dark roasted coffee made in a volcano or espresso machine would be a great combination.

If you prefer an Arturo Fuente Short Story cigar or Partagas Regular (they both carry a Cameroon wrapper, sweet and medium) and a mild to medium non-aromatic pipe tobacco like a Bennington #23; a medium roasted Arabica would be your best bet. Made in a French press or automatic machine.

Camacho Bourbon Steak Liberty 2011

Zino Davidoff once said: "Smoke less, but smoke the best". An advice which can be used in every aspect of life; food, drink, diversion, etc. In honor of this philosophy Camacho cigars created the Bourbon Steak Limited Series 2011. Infused with hints of caramel and spices. A 18/11 perfecto shape. which has been released every year since 2002 as the Camacho Liberty of the year.

Sporting a 54 ring gauge at it's largest and 48 ring gauge at both the head and the foot, the cigars are elegantly packed in individual slide-top boxes; the same color as the big box they come in.

The blend is a Honduran mix with just a bit of Dominican in the filler. $16.70 each. $300.60 for a box of 20.

Wrapper: Honduran Habano

Binder: Honduran

Filler: Honduran Dominican

Shape 11/18 Perfecto

Size 6 X 54 (6 X 48/54)

Name: Camacho Bourbon Steak Liberty 2011

Peterson Pipes Around The World

Bennington's has the pleasure to announce the Peterson Pipes Around the World. But before you go running to the store to check them out below is a short description of what Peterson Pipes did.... You might also like to check out our video of the collection at the link at the bottom... Just an idea... Enjoy!

The image to the left depicts pipes representing six different countries. Each one has a design representing a chosen country etched on a beautiful nickel band.
China was chosen because of Emperor's Qin Shi Huang. The first unifier of China. The chosen design was the depiction of one of the terracotta warriors from Emperor's Mausoleum. A work of art, as each soldier is different. And determination, as the construction took well over 30 years.
The second pipe depicts the Eiffel Tower, created by Mr. Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World's Fair. Which still stands today as a monument to creativity, tenacity and ingenuity.
After that comes the Italian pipe with its leaning tower of Pisa. An amazing oddity of nature, a happy "accidente" as the Italians would say. Its construction was done in 3 stages, started in 1173. A free standing bell tower situated next to Pisa's Cathedral. A monument to Italian vision of beauty.
Next we have the German pipe. A design of neo-classic proportions. Beautiful lines and perfect balance. German engineering and design has always been on the cutting edge, and Peterson pipes has been pursuing the same perfection for over 140 years.
United Kingdom comes with the tower of the Big Ben, a clock tower and its bell created for the Westminster palace. Over 150 years old, it is the largest four face chiming clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world. British precision and Irish daring created the UK pipe.
United States carries the Empire State Building. Elegance and perfection. Precision and balance.
A solid pipe for a solid edifice.
Peterson Pipes Around the World video

Puros and Politicos

By
Scott Miller

Henry Clay: (1777 - 1852) this is a familiar name in the cigar industry. This guy not only has his own cigar, he also has a place in American History. Henry Clay was born in Virginia 1777. He served in the Senate, the House of Representative (including a stint as the Speaker of the House) and is best known (at least to historians) for his persuading Congress to declare war on Great Britain in 1812, his architecture of the great compromise of 1850 which averted the Civil War for ten years and his famous words, “I’d rather be right than President!” This sounds like a fulfilling life to me. There’s only one problem, there is not a single thing about cigars in any bio on Henry Clay. Nothing, nix, nada, niet. Heck, it doesn’t even say if the man smoked cigars. I must admit it’s disappointing. I liken this situation to the phenomenon surrounding the cigar shape called the Churchill. Named after Winston Churchill, it is an eternal reminder of the great British statesman (as if his deeds weren’t enough). And it may come as a shock to know that Churchill had no preference regarding his cigars. When asked what was his favorite cigar, his answer was, ‘whatever is free”. Way to go Winston!!

John Fitzgerald Kennedy: (1917 – 1963) Born in Brookline, Massachusetts on May 29^th, 1917, the 35^th president of the United States made a name for himself in world politics AND Cigars. And why not? This was a bright boy. Graduated from Harvard in 1940, he made the very politically correct move of enlisting in the Navy, in 1943, he became a hero when the Japanese destroyed his boat, the PT 109. He led his men to safety

Despite some pretty serious injuries. After the war he became a Congressman. In 1953, he made it to the Senate. He even managed to pull in a Pulitzer prize for his book, Profiles in History. Tired yet? Well JFK was not! In 1960, he took the center seat as our 35^th President.

“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” Nice words. Good words. JFK’s words. Kennedy attacked the equal rights issues and called for new civil rights legislation. He formed the peace Corps and the Alliance for Progress, hoping to make the world a better place. And during all this, he always made time for Upmanns. H-Upmanns that is, a delightful full bodied Cuban cigar.

His one downfall came from the same place he got his cigars. Cuba.

Communism was a political hot plate. Let’s not forget South Vietnam, where Kennedy had committed 17,000 U.S.military advisers on behalf of an unstable regime beset by corruption and a growing Communist insurgency. The United States was the ”de facto”

Archenemy. In Kennedy’s defense, he inherited this war from his predecessor. Still in the space of three years, Kennedy choked an exile-sponsored invasion of Cuba (The Bay of Pigs) and almost got us embroiled in a nuclear war (Cuban missile crisis) Oh yeah, he also put an embargo on the home of the best cigars in the world. He didn’t let that stop his cigar smoking though. In fact, clandestine sources revealed to me that JFK actually sent our Central Intelligence Agency to funnel some 10,000 Cuban cigars out of Cuba before the hammer fell on his new foreign policy.

We’ve dealt with JFK’s political career, but we’ve only touched on his love of cigars. I mean there been stories of JFK, there have been stories of JFK, the man – not the President, thoughtfully munching on an Upmann, while enjoying the company of his wife, Durie Malcolm…oh, uh, no…I mean Jacqueline Bouvier, or his girlfriend, Judith Campbell Exner or…oops! Shouldn’t have said that. Especially since she was a former girlfriend of Sam Giancana, a Florida mob favorite in the sixties. Oops! I did it again. Well, come on. It’s not unforgivable is it? It’s not as if JFK was gallivanting around and having indiscretions with oh, say, Marilyn Monroe and a host of others at the Hotel Carlyle in New York City around 1962…uh…I think I’ll just stop here before I get sued. For what it’s worth, JFK wasn’t perfect. Not by a long shot

William Jefferson Clinton (1946- ) Born in Arkansas in 1946, this Rhodes scholar actually met President Kennedy at the Whitehouse in the Rose Garden. Presumably, through some weird form of osmosis, JFK distilled all his eccentricities into our young and impressionable William. After Georgetown University and a law degree at Yale, Billy-boy took his shot at the really big show, politics. He made governor of Arkansas in 1978, skipped a term and then held the job again until 1992. In 1993, William Clinton became president, our forty-second. After the “Cigar Coitus Chronicles”, it pretty much

Pigeon holed our proud president. As a felicitous philanderer in the order of Caligula. (If you haven’t seen the movie, see it today.

Make no mistake our president did some good for our country too. He got approval of a massive deficit-reduction plan, a groundbreaking trade agreement with Mexico, aid to Russia and tax cuts for the lazy. I give the man respect though. Clinton has held tightly to the reigns of leadership and has weathered every challenge…somehow. He has avoided jail, divorce and general disgrace only by virtue of the fact that in 200, he was the only choice of leadership.

What have we all learned here today? Not a hell of a lot. Just the fact that powerful me who smoke cigars are often unfaithful lotharios and men who do n’t really care about cigars get them named after them. Interesting? No. Amusing? I hope so. I’m hoping the clarity and clean, concise prose with which I have brought this bulletin will more than make up for it. Woo Hoo

Vector Tri-Pump Cigar Lighter

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.