Distinguished Smoker

Mexican Hot Chocolate

by Cigar Federation

No Band Needed.

What’s that you’re smoking? It looks cheap.

Who made that cigar? Where’s the band?

My answer to these questions would be; why does it matter? I like what I’m smoking and it’s a good cigar.

Many times people only smoke what others say are good cigars and really don’t take the time to learn about what makes the cigar good. A name or a band does not necessarily mean that it is a great or even a good cigar. From what I’ve learned in my brief time smoking cigars is a name or band does not really mean nothing if the quality of the cigar is not good. Cigars are different for everyone. A cigar that someone enjoys may not necessarily be enjoyed by another person. It’s all about preference.

Being a cigar enthusiast, I prefer to smoke several different types of cigars to find out what I truly like and don’t like. I’ve researched just about every cigar I’ve smoked. The brand is not really a big concern to me. I tend to choose the type of tobacco that is used in a particular cigar. In this journey to smoke good tobacco, I’ve learned that some of the best cigars are those that are not the most advertised.

Un-band cigars are some of the best; if not the best cigars that are available. Most of these cigars come from the same factories as the major brands. These cigars consist of the same tobacco as those with bands, but cost much less. I’ve matched and $5 cigar against a $12 cigar. The tobacco blends and gauges are similar and most times the $5 cigar is a best quality. Why is that? Who knows. Maybe the time put into blending the $5 cigar is more committed than the major brand. Most major brands have to be mass produced and the un-band cigars are more dedicated in ensuring the quality of the product is the best.

So don’t be so quick to pass up a cigar just because it’s not a known brand. Look at the quality, construction, and the blend of tobacco. If it looks good, take a chance and smoke it, you might be surprised and truly enjoy it.

Supporting the Culture with

Definition Cigars - Nobility

54 x 6.5 Torpedo

Nicaraguan/Cuban Seed seco & viso

Nicaraguan triple cap Habano Wrapper

I’m a big advocate of supporting small businesses and the boutique companies of the cigar industry. I personally think these businesses are the heart of the industry right now. The passion and attention to detail to make sure only their best quality cigars are produces and sold to consumers.

And I would say that same passion and dedication has been put into one of the newest cigar companies; Definition Cigars.

Back in August I met up with a fellow Distinguished Ruffian TX club member on a visit to Dallas. Now I have known Neo Lindley, Jr through Instagram but we had never met until this day. As we were talking about club business and several other things, he told me briefly about a project that was in the works, but couldn’t go into details about what it really was. But he assured me that when it does come out, I’m going to enjoy it.

So in November, I made another trip to Dallas just for a weekend getaway. As I was relaxing and smoking at Casa de Montecristo with my wife; someone said, “what’s up bro?” When I looked up, it was Neo. It was unexpected for him to be there, but he knew I was in town and wanted to stop by to smoke one with me. As we were talking and smoking, he reached into his travel humidor and hands me a cigar. He says, “this is the project I was telling you about.”

When I saw the cigar, I was amazed and excited at the same time. In a way, I was honored that he gave one to me to enjoy. I was truly appreciative.

Well months have pasted and I finally smoked the cigar; and I was truly impressed with flavors and spice. These gentlemen of Definition Cigars have made a great quality smoke to enjoy with a nice cup of coffee; as I did, or your favorite whiskey.

When I heard of their official launch event that was going to held in the Dallas area, I knew I had to be there. Not only to support my fellow club brother, but to also support the men of this company. The event was a success. Cigars were selling fast and consumers were having a great time smoking them. It was good to see my brother and his partners enjoying the success of all their hard work.

#WhatsYourDefinition

Learn more about this company on Instagram or visit there website:

My First Hand-rolled Cigar Experience

Four Years ago during the Big Smoke Las Vegas event, I took the opportunity to try and roll my own cigar. The cigar rolling was hosted by La Gloria Cubana. Now this was the first year that I started smoking cigars and this was an experience that I had to try.

I had viewed several YouTube videos and watched carefully how the process worked. The filler was already bundled together, and all I had to do was cut the wrapper leaf and roll it. With the help of the instructor guiding us on how to cut just the right amount of leaf and stretch the wrapper just enough as we rolled it; we all had different results to say the least.

Pairing with My Cigar

I’ve heard of many drinks that one can enjoy with a cigar. The liquors most often suggested are Rum or Whiskey. Now there are a lot of different types of rum and whiskey to choose from and you can either drink them “straight no chaser” or as a mixed drink.

Now on a typical day to day basis, I usually drink Sweet Tea with my cigars. For some reason when I’m smoking, I tend to forget about the drink that I have. I’m so focused on enjoying the cigar and trying to taste all the different notes, that I don’t want to have anything disturb my palate. So when I do decide to enjoy some spirits, I need something that’s not going to over power the flavors of the cigar.

Growing up, Cognac was the only liquor I would drink. But since I began smoking cigars, the taste of Cognac doesn’t really pair well for me. I joke a lot and say; maybe I’m getting “bushee”. LMAO! But I think I am growing as I smoke more and more cigars. The first time I paired Whiskey with a cigar was at my local shop. The owner always had a bottle of whiskey behind the counter and would offer some to me. I really was not sure about it because I had never drank Whiskey and I didn’t want to get wasted and have to drive home. The police are always stopping drivers in our city.

So one day, I said, what the hell, I’ll try a little bit today. So the owner poured a nice amount in a small styrofoam cup and add a splash of water. So I began to smoke my cigar and took a few puffs. Then I took a small sip of whiskey, and it was pretty smooth. I thought it would burn my chest, but it did not. And since then, whiskey has been my first choice when pairing liquor with a cigar.

The “Old Fashioned” is the drink of choice when I want to have a smooth drink with a cigar. As I have learned more about cigars and how whiskey and rum can enhance the flavors, the “Old Fashioned” seems to be the best choice for me. The smoothness of the whiskey and the citrus flavor of the orange peel is a great pairing with the choice of cigars I enjoy. I mostly enjoy medium-full flavored cigars, so the mellow flavors of the “Old Fashioned” are great for coating my tongue and capturing the smoke as it lingers in my mouth.

I Am A Distinguished Ruffian!

When I began this journey to learn more about cigars, I wanted to learn from those that are experienced cigar smokers. I searched several social media websites for clubs that focused on cigars. Although there are several clubs out there, I wanted to find a club that I could relate to.

For a few months, I searched and joined several cigar social groups. Learning what people enjoyed smoking and learning about all the different brands was very enlightening. And even though I was learning from these groups, I never felt like I could be a member of their clubs. Then one day while on Instagram, I saw this club called the Distinguished Ruffian.

The name was very interesting and intriguing. After searching a few of the pages related to this club, I was interested to know more about them. First I searched the “ruffian” to understand the meaning. After reading the meaning, I thought to myself, I might be a little bit of a ruffian. So I inquired about how I should join this club. The process was simple and didn’t require a lot like most of these other clubs. So I submitted my request to join.

A few weeks went by and I heard nothing. Then one day boom; I was accepted into the club. I was overjoyed and extremely excited. Of all the clubs I had expressed interest in and got no answer, this was the one club I really felt I could fit into.

I have been a member of the DR for almost 5 years now, and it has been one of the best decisions I have made. I have met so many people on social media and around the states, and have made some great connections and built great friendships. The men and women of our club are more than social media friends, we are like “Family”. I can travel anywhere and meet a member of this club and we build an instant bond in that moment.

Cigars has had a great impact in my life. From meeting new people, building true relations and learning from different experiences, the Distinguished Ruffians are truly the best cigar clubs in the world. And when I say the world, I truly mean the world.

Welcome to my journey as a Distinguished Smoker. I started enjoying cigars about 5 years ago and I have been in the clouds ever since.

Since I began this journey I’ve enjoyed hundreds of cigars. When I started it was just an experience during my wife’s birthday party. We wanted to do something difference and since then, I have been on a continuous journey to smoke the best cigars I can find.

Over time, I’ve learned so much about cigars and about the cigar industry. I’ve enjoyed meeting and learning so much from different people from various backgrounds. And the most important thing I’ve learned is that cigars bring people together.

This blog will be about my life as a cigar enthusiast and how I continue to learn and grow in this industry. I will talk about cigars, brands, and people that have influenced me on my journey.

So I hope you will enjoy my thoughts and experiences that I share with you.