✅ SMOKE A CIGAR

I have never understood cigars, the love people have with them that drives an industry to smuggle them out of Cuba simply to light it, puff and not inhale, but maybe that the (ex)smoker in me talking.

To tick this off this simple bucket list idea, I wanted to have a cigar, a really good cigar, a really good and expensive cigar, at the end of a really good and expensive lunch with someone who loves them and can explain it to me.

A visit to the a cigar specialist in Sydney and a long conversation about cigar brands, their origins, the size and shape, and I was convinced to buy a Cuaba Distinguidos a totally hand made cigar from the Vuelta Abajo zone in Pinar del Rio region of Cuba 🤷‍♂️ for $80 each.

Troy Parry has been in the restaurant and bar game for decades, including a long stint in New York City in the old school cigar bars so if someone would enjoy a cigar, and be able to explain it all to me it was going to be Troy. And he loves them

Anthony Tam the General Manager of Ocean Room in the Oversea Passenger Terminal opposite the Opera House heard I was doing this and insisted we come for lunch then sit outside with the perfect Sydney view and over a second bottle of red, light the cigar 🚬

The first thing that got me was the size and weight of the cigar, it left like someone had morphed an entire packet of cigarettes into a one single thing and gave it to me. Then I was explained the fascinating ceremony of lighting a cigar, flame to the end, waving it back and forth to ensure it lit evenly and burned correctly, then finally your first buff.

Yep... I inhaled and coughed, a lot 💨 The art of smoking a cigar, for an ex-smoker, is completely bizarre! Puff away, but don't inhale, roll the smoke around in your mouth, and blow it out. Try as I will, I simply couldn't connect with the theatrics of the cigar smoking, holding it, relighting it - who knew that was a thing.

We sat smoking cigars for an entire bottle of red and it was still going, it felt like an eternity, I was in a cigar smoke daze and was just thinking dear god make it stop. Lunch turned into sunset, a third bottle was delivered to assist.

By the time we finally got to the end I was done, putting it out was the best part, but the residing memories of the lunch are wonderful, but don't include teh cigar, great good, wine and conversation.