Sunday, July 01 2007
By Gary Korb
As if the perfect weather wasn't enough to put the 300-plus throng of avid cigar smokers in a good mood, it was the great food, music and premium cigars on Saturday, June 30th, that really put the
Famous Smoke Shop B-B-Q Bash over the top. Everything meshed neatly into place as scheduled, providing a sea of happy faces floating in a fog of savory cigar smoke, while just about everyone on the Famous Smoke Shop staff pitched-in to help.
Twenty-three premium cigar manufacturers were in attendance to hand out their cigars. The cigar companies represented were Alec Bradley, Altadis U.S.A. (Royal Jamaica Gold, Las Cabrillas), Camacho, CAO, Carlos Toraño, Avo, Cusano, Drew Estate (ACID, Chateau Real), General Cigar (Macanudo, Helix), Plasencia, Troya, Miami Cigar (La Aurora, Leon Jimenes), Oliva, Padilla, Padron, Rocky Patel, SMG Imports (Fonseca), Perdomo, Puros Indios, Tamboril, John Hay, Bahia, and Graycliff. Also on the list were XiKAR Products, makers of fine cigar cutters, lighters, and other cigar accessories. Additionally, all of the guests received over 40 cigars, a cigar cutter, a travel humidor, a Famous Smoke Shop carry-all bag, and more, plus up to 10% off on any purchase they made in the Famous Smoke Shop Retail Store.
One of the most interesting aspects about an event like this is you have all these wonderful cigar makers in one place, all of whom are essentially competitors vying for a piece of a relatively small marketplace. Yet, all of that is eclipsed by a collective love for imported handmade cigars. Regardless of who's the biggest and who's the smallest, every manufacturer can take pride in the fact that they make the best cigars they can possibly make. Truth be told, there wasn't a "dog rocket" in the house. Every B-B-Q Bash attendee not only walked away with a sizeable cache of great cigars, but when a "face" can also be put to the cigar, it makes the cigar that much more special.
The Bash also featured an appearance by the gorgeous CAO Flavorettes who were on-hand to meet, greet and take pictures with the guests. Also at the event was Joe Gannascoli, who is better known to most TV viewers as "Vito Spatafore" from the HBO hit series, The Sopranos. Not too long ago, Joe began doing cigar events with Rocky Patel, and despite all the fame, he's really just a "regular guy" from Brooklyn. Mr. Gannascoli signed photographs as guests picked up their Rocky Patel cigars, and later in the day he took center stage for a Sopranos Q&A session. (Don’t be surprised if you see a cigar with his name on it in the not too distant future.)
Hog Hollow of Phillipsburg, NJ provided freshly-smoked pulled pork and baby back ribs as the main course, accompanied by coleslaw, potato salad, barbecued corn in the husk, and watermelon, while the Allentown Beverage Company presented an array of micro-brew beers and kegs of birch beer. Music was provided by DJ Frank Pulli, who laid the blues on heavily. Cigars and the blues just seem to be made for each other.
There were also raffle prizes galore; way too many to mention here. Some of the highlights were a Rocky Patel Limited Edition humidor which Rocky also autographed for the winner, a CAO The Sopranos humidor, an Excalibur cigars knight in shining armor, an S.T. Dupont lighter, a unique carbon-made humidor from Alec Bradley Cigars, a framed, hand-painted Drew Estates sign, a Diamond Crown humidor, a Trinidad cigars clock humidor, Troya wine, a Fuente Fuente OpusX Forbidden X sampler, and the grand prize, a 42" flat screen HDTV.
By 5:00 P.M. just about everybody was stuffed - in more ways than one - and the crowd headed back to their homes, some having come from as far away as Canada. So what's on tap for next year?
"Right now I'm still trying to process everything from Saturday's event," said Jeff Brown, Famous Smoke Shop Retail Store manager. "So far, this has been the best herf yet. All I can add to that is wait 'til 2008. Just one more thing. I'm putting out a bounty for whoever took-off with one of our Camacho umbrellas." £
To see photos from the B-B-Q Bash, you can view them at photo Group 1, and photo Group 2.
