Meeting the Maduro people at Cigar Inn, 8/7/09

Ade, Sandi, Herbie and I were fortunate enough to meet some of the wonderful folks from the Maduro club - Kirk, Denise and Vanessa - on Friday, August 7th at Cigar Inn in Manhattan. Other people who joined us included Dan aka NYCStogie, Ron (a friend of Herbie's) and some friends of Sandi's whose names I regret I can't remember.

The backdrop for our evening was that incredible 15-inning nailbiter between the Yankees and the RedSox, which began before I even arrived at Cigar Inn, and lasted till around midnight when the Yankees finally won in dramatic fashion. After the game was over, we kept talking and smoking and drinking and having just a wonderful time together, until we finally broke up around 2am.

To lubricate the proceedings ever so slightly, Kirk had brought some whiskey, and Sandi disappeared at one point to buy a bottle of rum from a neighborhood store. I only drank the rum. Denise demonstrated how much she enjoys dipping her cigars when she smokes. I was skeptical. Denise has promised that at some point she will give me a tutorial on the benefits of dipping your cigar in liquor.

During the course of the evening, I smoked a Padilla which Ade gave me, then a Macanudo 1968 Gigante, one of my new favorites. Then to finish the evening off I bought a couple of Nub Habano torpedos and gave one to Denise and we smoked those right then and there.

Denise brought a travel humidor filled with the lines of cigars that the members of Maduro make themselves: the Fleming, Makis and Cadiz. Ade smoked one of the Makis V5s, a corona-sized maduro, and Denise gave me one of those too, which I smoked this past Tuesday night. Very nice cigar, my friends. One to savour. Kirk smoked a box-pressed perfecto called the Joint that had a wrapper with a purplish hue that looked amazing.

It was also great having a chance to talk to Dan. I had met him previously at Velvet Cigar Lounge in the East Village. Very nice guy, and extremely knowledgeable about cigars.

With Ade around, of course at one point in the evening the subject of boxing came up, and Denise mentioned that the Maduro has parties whever there are major boxing matches. She assured me that we would be invited the next time there is a boxing party, and I promised her I would make my famous cookies. I can't wait! It was more than delightful meeting and sharing an evening with these wonderful people, and it will be my great pleasure to do so again very soon!