On Wednesday of last week, I woke up on the other side of the country. Completely confused, not knowing how I got there, what I was doing there or how I was going to crash Obama's charity dinner featuring Bruce Springsteen & Billy Joel, I immediately attempted to regain my composure. The only way I know how to do that, of course, is to visit a couple cigar stores in New York City that I hadn't been to before (which leaves a lot because I've only been to Barclay-Rex in the past) and treat myself to some great smokes.

First up was Davidoff on Madison where Scottw talked me through a very difficult episode wherein I had felt like a nightmare had come true and I actually lived in NYC (no offense - I could do it for about 3 months, I figure). Scottw was instrumental in recommending some great cigars for me. I picked up a Padron 2000, 2 Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robustos & 3 Oliva Special S Tubos (papajohn had introduced me to that great cigar).

Then I headed over to JR's on 5th Ave, the world's largest cigar store. WOW. That place is huge and spans two floors. I picked up a Camacho Triple Maduro Torpedo, a Montecristo Serie C Toro (which I smoked on my hotel balcony - delicious), a Cohiba Extra Vigoroso Toro, a Partagas 1845 Toro, a Fonseca Cubano Viso Fuerte Toro and a sweet H. Upmann ashtray to use on my hotel balcony when I had clients over.

JR's (they didn't allow pictures to be taken inside): Image

The haul:
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Out on my hotel balcony:

Image

Image
[Reply]

Nice photos! I have never been to that store, even after spending quite a bit of time in NYC.

JR in NC gets WAY too many visits from me, though.
[Reply]

very very nice, I need to visit NYC one of these days

I like the ashtray
[Reply]

Looks like a great time. Some day I will make it out to NY. I have a great friend out there.

Thanks for sharing:-)
[Reply]

Great photos, glad you had fun!
[Reply]

Hey buddy, it was great talking to you.Hope you enjoy those tasty treats. Call me up with some notice next time you are in town and we can try to get a herf going. I appreciate you reaching out to me. Can't wait to hang out.
[Reply]

Was that Padron in your pic from JR's?? I go to the ones in North Carolina every once and a while and didn't think they carried Padrons there...I may check tomorrow on the drive by.


Edit: Crap, just read your post and saw you picked it up at another store. Oh well.
[Reply]

That sounds like a great trip. Nice smokes, I love the Oliva S and the Tiple Maduros. I hope I can make it to NY some day.
[Reply]

Good job.
[Reply]

Thanks for the photos bro, makes me feel like I was there with you. :-)
[Reply]

Looks like you had fun. I love going to that JR's, did you get a chance to check out the mix grab bag cigars that have damaged wrappers etc?
[Reply]

Wow... that is my kind of side trip!! Thanks for sharing and for the photos.
[Reply]

Thanks for sharing the pics! I definitely need to make a road trip to NYC soon now!

I have always gone to Nat Sherman's -- old habit and I just like the place. I'm definitely going to give Davidoff and JR's a try now... thank you!
[Reply]

Very cool! I was surprised how reasonable the prices were at Davidoff... :-)
[Reply]

Nice selection --thats some view you had there
[Reply]

Thanks fellas, definitely good times.

No, you know, I was so overwhelmed by the massive quantities of cigars, singles, boxes, 5'ers, humidors, the damn impressive humidification system and also confused by the guy I apologized to for bringing my Davidoff bag into their store (who, when I asked what he'd recommend, said and I quote, "Oh, I've never smoked a cigar in my life.")

Why the heck would they hire a guy to work in a cigar store who's never had a cigar? :-)

Adding Nat Sherman's to my list for next time! Never heard of it, thank you!

Great talking with you too Scott; absolutely going to herf with you on the next trip out.

You know, me too! Especially on the Oliva Special S which I believe is a discontinued line. If I recall, I nabbed 'em for $10 a stick. I was so excited I forgot to look to see if they charge tax in NY or not....

On a sidenote, I took out my Camacho Triple Maduro over this past weekend to smoke and put it and a 2nd cigar in my case should a buddy want or need. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to smoke it (but I did get to smoke the Fonseca this weekend - I really enjoyed it) but we were at a British bar/restaurant in Santa Monica on Saturday to wish a friend who is leaving town to go back home to New Orleans well and we were chatting with the bar/restaurant manager who happened to be British. Nice chap and it turns out he used to be in the cigar business.

I thought I'd show him the two sticks I had in my case (to see what he thought of them) and was freaking appalled at what he did next. He proceeded to shove one and then the next up into his nostril to 'smell the ammonia', whereby he was able to tell that my Fonseca Cubano Viso Fuerte Toro and my Gurkha G5 Avenger Toro were cheap (and therefore bad) cigars. WTF!!!

Now I have the boogered cigars still in the case and I'm considering throwing out the whole lot, case & all. Have you brothers & sisters ever heard of anybody doing this to somebody else's cigars? Talk about no freaking class.
[Reply]

I did this same B&M (Davidoff vs JR cigar) run in NYC in early Sept. I too was completely overwhelmed with JRs selection of smokes.

As far as the clerk who "never smoked a cigar". I noticed in the half hour I spent there, they like to mess with the customers a bit. Its our east coast sick sense of humor.

For example, I asked the clerk ringing me up if I could buy some of the 5 finger bags that they pack your cigars in. He said that he absolutely could not sell me those bags, rang me up and then said, naww, im just f-ing with ya... and gave me about a dozen for free.
[Reply]

That's unbeleivable about the nostil guy. I would have beat the ever loving s*%t out of him.
[Reply]

Thats just how the Brits say hello!:-)
[Reply]

what hotel did you stay at?
[Reply]