A Shamlux kind of day

There are all types of cigar haunts.  Posh, upscale establishments where suit and tie reigns. Places which are not really cigar lounges but add ons such as vaping stores.  So when you find a lounge which is really a cigar joint, it's important to let the public know. Shamlux Lounge in Granada Hills, Ca. is a great blend of cigars, good ownership and a very pleasant place to smoke.
My dealings with Shamlux revolves around them being the vendor for cigar events at Porter Valley County Club. They have supplied the cigars for PVCC when they have a cigar bash for members and their guests.  Irish Mike Peyton just so happens to be a member at PVCC but my dealings have been with Rick , the General Manager of Shamlux. His demeanor, knowledge of cigars have all been right on. He also gives us a great deal on the cigars we get for the events.
However, Shamlux lounge itself is a great place to sit your butt, pick a cigar from their very impressive humidor and smoke away.  Prices are more than likely in your wheelhouse, with a vast array of product for any taste. They also have lighters, cutters and other cigar toys to purchase.  The lounge has a very homey feel with overstuffed chairs,  TV's for your viewing pleasure and good talk about any topic. This is a gem of a place and you really should be taking a trip to Shamlux in the near future.  This part of the valley is very fortunate to have a cool place to smoke.

LACigarblogtheurbanfishingpole.com

Shamlux: A cigar lounge for all tastes 

Great choice for a Saturday afternoon

Hot day in LA with temps about 90 . Most of the country would be drooling over this. Spent the afternoon with a couple of the cigar crew enjoying the fine day with a fine cigar, check it out.

Cigars and implements

When you smoke a cigar there is a whole world of toys that can be used to cut it, light it and maintain it.  You can just flick your Bic and get the show started. Others try for a more showy or civilized approach.
Cutters run from punches,  v cuts and guillotines to name a couple.  Each cutter has it's own merits, designs and costs.  Some of them can run into hundreds of dollars or more.
As for me I have several different cutters and it depends more on mood for me which one I will use. If I am traveling I will bring a cheaper cutter as not to lose it. They do not as a rule give your cigar an attractive or accurate cut but most of the time they do the job.
My favorite company for cutters and lighters however is Xikar a very good quality outfit. I use their cutters and lighters almost exclusively on my better, higher priced cigars.  Presently I own two of their cutters and three lighters.  They are well crafted and are easy to maintain and use. What I truly like about their products is their policy of 100% guaranteed, no questions asked if the product fails to operate.  This has happened several times to me with both lighters and cutters. Not sure if this was a quality control issue or not but they were true to their word. I sent the products in question back to their headquarters and in about a week, received a brand new product.  One time they could not duplicate the lighter as it was a special model but they delivered something very close to the original.
I could not complain at all . In effect, there are companies that back their wares up. Xikar is great about that and overall enjoy their products too.

Disappointed but not defeated

I was looking forward to spending some quality time with a Quai D'Osay  Habano corona this past Sunday. The cigar in question had a great looking wrapper and color, was very pleasant in appearance.  i used an Xixar cutter and their stratosphere lighter.  Right away we had problems as it started to tunnel. The smoke itself was of medium strength, with a pleasing aroma. However, the burn got worse and I tried to correct the unevenness of it several times. 

The failure of the burn marred what was probably a good smoke. The battle was not worth the end result. I have several more of these cigars as part of a large Cuban sampler I acquired. Will try again down the road. Overall would rate this a generous 6 out of 10.

Every one is a critic

This past Saturday I went to a birthday party to celebrate a 30 something age group birthday. I am sure I was the oldest person present but that was cool as they were nice folks.
People were smoking cigarettes outside and it appeared that was not a problem.  At least no one said anything.  I was prepared for the event and had a short corona Hoya Cubana with me. I lit up staying  away from the cigarette smokers and enjoying the smoke. No complaints , no hassle.
However a new batch of people came to the party and as they arrived a woman commented how the cigar smelled. Mind you I was the only cigar smoker yet there were 5 or so cigarette smokers puffing away at the same time.  Of course there was nary a remark about the cigarette smoke.  I said nothing , smiled and finished my hand crafted cigar. The moral of this story? Not really sure but I guess just enjoy your cigar despite what people think.

About time to get off my ash

Wow, it's been more than a year since I last put any thoughts or pictures here. Not sure anyone really noticed but plan to get back on board right away. Got a couple of cigars that have been recently taste, so let's talk about them. See you shortly.