Bear Bones

1. Before clipping the end of a cigar, prior to smoking it - place it in your mouth and moisten it first then cut it. The end being clipped don't seem to crumble as much.
2. Use the cutter to just lightly cut off the rounded tip instead of taking a chunk out of it. Then slightly squeeze it to open of the air draw.
3. If you are just starting out - For the majority of men, I usually had them start with Dominican cigars. If they didn't smoke at all, I would have them try Macanudo as one of the first. It has a tight draw / low smoke output, to not overwhelm them.
4. If you find that you've purchased more cigars than your humidor can handle, store them in your freezer in a plastic bag or container with a lid. Two to three days before the planned smoke move them to your refrigerator's crisper bin.
5. To insure your cigars are kept fresh...keep a corner of a sponge moist with distilled water in the bag with the cigars, but not touching the cigars.

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This week, I had the opportunity to sit down with DJ Reed of Maximus. 

DJ runs Maximus with his partner Joe Smith.  MAXIMUS organizes quarterly socials and periodic smokers for Real Men and butch boys — not the nelly or faint of heart — who know, crave and indulge in the macho appeal and libido-stoking lure of cigar-smoking, pipe-smoking, and the he-man camaraderie and male bonding they stir up.

Where there's smoke, there's fire — and you'll find both at MAXIMUS gatherings.

Read the Interview

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We asked, you told us . . .

What Five Cigars Should Everyone Try?

If you were asked by a novice cigar smoker this question, what five cigars would you tell them to try? What reasons would you choose those cigars?

Howdy, Brawny!

You ask a very good question.

I was 10 years old when I started a tobacco habit. I picked up chewin. At 11, I started pipe smokin, an 13 with cigars. Back then (early 70's) I was limited to what I could get at the PX, and later at the local drug or grocery store, when Pop retired from the Marines. I Chewed Levi Garrett (still do) smoked Borkum Riff Whiskey pipe tobacco, and Garcia Vega English Corona cigars.

At 15, I visited my first honest-to-god tobacco shop. I was treated like an adult, which impressed me. I later found out that the guys there were impressed that a high school freshman (In 1976) was interested in pipes, an NOT to smoke weed in them, as well as a good cigar or two.

I went to work there as a senior in high school. The most important thing they taught me was to ask the customer some general questions regarding their taste in food an drink, activity and current smoking habits. From these answers, you could base some recommendations, for either cigars, pipes, or both.

From there, I worked in tobacco shops off an on up to my mid thirties. That don't make me an expert, but I am strongly experienced.

For the majority of men, I usually had them start with Dominican cigars. If they didn't smoke at all, I would have them try Macanudo as one of the first. It has a tight draw / low smoke output, to not overwhelm them. Typically, nothing smaller than a 44 ring, nor shorter than 6 inches, to give them as much smoke color an coolness as possible. Others would be Partegas, Upmann, Arturo Fuente an perhaps a mild Honduran like Santa Rosa. The trick being to keep the sizes an shapes the same, to eliminate that variable.

So...

Classic Churchill sizes in standard run, not premium (unless requested) from

Macanudo
Partegas
Upmann
Arturo Fuente
Santa Rosa

From this selection, when the customer returns, find out which he enjoyed the most, and go from there.

Since the cigar boom, and my bein out of the biz for nearly ten years now, there are a myriad of new cigars that I'm not privy to.

BEAR

Cigar M4M

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 Cigars and flasks

"After a truly good meal, an outstanding cigar is still the most satisfying after-dinner activity that doesn't involve two human beings."-- Brad Shaw, Radio Announcer

Check out our full line of cigar accessories and gift for the distinguished gentleman.

There is something unique and different here no matter your taste - casual, cool, or woofy. Whatever it takes to complete the bear.

Shop Today

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