Well, it had to happen. In order for Humiblog to remain cutting edge, I had to break new ground and get into video editing a bit. For this first and introductory clip, I decided to pick up a drugstore cigar and do a “Cigar Basics” for those starting to get interested in the art of cigar smoking as well as new aficionados. I mean its one thing to see a picture of a cigar and its another thing to see how the smoke progresses from cut to nub.

Now, why a drugstore cigar? Ha ha… I just had to see how the video would turn out; plus I was inspired by our friend Tom Olson over at Keepers of the Flame. It was pretty hard to find a true drugstore cigar here in Spain, so for this first video I found a one Euro Hondurian robusto named KIOWA. Alright, now here’s how it turned out:

I must say it was a lot of fun doing this, and I hope to bring a few of my favorite cigars to this format. As always, I appreciate all comments. Who knows, we may be sitting on a hot new trend here…

Cheers!

Well, I’ve got to show you my newest toy. Once again, you’ll notice the effects of visiting our friends at Lighters Direct; namely, that it’s hard to browse around and not get the urge to buy something new. You probably know that no matter how many lighters I have, I always have room for more.

So, this time it’s the new Xikar Genesis lighter. Over time I’ve come to appreciate lighters with a solid feel and all metal construction, and the Genesis definitely belongs in that category. The casing on this is all metal with a high gloss, high durability enamel. A slim fuel gauge shows how much gas is left in it, without looking tacky (a big plus for me).

Now, for the coolest feature… an extra large, metal, flame control dial. I don’t know what you guys are all used to, but I just hate it when a perfectly nice lighter is shipped with a flimsy plastic dial. I mean, it’s the component with the highest wear and tear. Not only that, but I love to be able to control the flame without having to dig into a tool box for a screwdriver! I was totally pleased with the oversized dial, which is easily turned by hand and is fully detailed with the polished silver finish.

Of course the Genesis boasts a jet flame. I’d be very hard pressed to buy a classic flame lighter for my cigars. I have to say that it isn’t the most wind resistant flame I have seen, but then again, I never smoke my precious cigars anywhere but my cigar lounge at home, or at cigar friendly restaurants.

Overall, I think this Xikar lighter is excellent value and extremely comfortable, proving that sometimes the best form of elegance is simplicity and common sense.

This is one of those things that make me wish I was back in America. Next month our buddies at Thompson Cigar are having a major cigar event that makes my mouth water. Well… I can’t be there, but here’s the press release for you:

TAMPA, FL – Tampa’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will host the cigar event of the year on September 30, when cigar lovers can meet the top 20 cigar makers and brand owners of the world and walk away with free samples of their work.

The event, Cigar Artisans 2006, sponsored by Thompson Cigar of Tampa, brings together the most prestigious names in the cigar industry, such as Arturo Fuente, Padron, CAO, Torano, General Cigar, Altadis USA, La Gloria, Rocky Patel, JC Newman, Camacho, Gurkha, La Perla, Acid, Cusano, Oliva and more.

“It’s a rare opportunity to meet the people behind the major cigar brands and to meet them all at once is exceptional,” said Joe Silvestro, Senior Buyer, Thompson Cigar. “We really loaded the ticket holders with enough freebies and prizes to fill their humidors and enjoy the experience long after the event is over.” The event consists of two sessions with identical prizes and giveaways including custom painted Harley Davidson Motorcycles, poker tables, golf bags and sets of Razor golf clubs.

Ticket holders will receive 25 premium handmade cigars with a value of $150, plus other prizes worth more than $125: including an embroidered travel bag, polar fleece jacket, backpack, ball cap, cigar cutter, lighter, drawpoker and another 8 Cigar sampler. There will be food and an open bar during the event.

Tickets are $110 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or by visiting this website: www.cigarartisans.com.

Thompson Cigar was founded in 1915 and is the oldest mail order cigar company in the country. Today, Thompson Cigar is part of Thompson & Co. of Tampa, Inc, a multi-channel merchant that includes Linensource, Casual Living and Café Belmondo.

Take a computer guru, introduce him to the art of smoking and what to do get? — How about Personal Cigar Management Software… Here’s one for those of us who have huge humidors and can’t even remember exactly what’s in there anymore without pulling everything out. Cigar Register is a nice little piece of software to help manage our voluptuous cigar collections. I downloaded the 30MG application and, at a glance, I have to say that it has a lot of potential.

Basically, you can add multiple humidors, designating all the individual specs for each one, and stuff them with cigars from the cigar database. When it’s time to light up, it will automatically subtract the stick from the humidor. You can also monitor the temperature and humidity of all the sticks and see how it has fluctuated over time. After lighting up, keep track of your favorites with detailed cigar reviews or smoking notes.

It’s pretty nifty indeed. Cigar Register is free to download and use. For more info, check out their Q/A at http://www.cigarregister.com