One of our favorite places and some newly favorite cigars. (Plus, primerib--something for everyone!)

Phone blogging again, so I can be excused for all grammar and other faux pas. Wahoo!

Welcome! (Also, I have awesome sneakers.)

So here's something super cool: 

 

Havana Cigar Lounge in West Warwick, RI has revamped their bar area. It is freaking gorgeous! (I'd show you a picture, but it's packed with guests. Come see for yourself!)

We love this place anyway, but like many people in the Rhode Island area, any trip requiring more than 25 minutes in the car requires going to bed early the night before and scheduling nothing else that day. Travel is so exhausting. So we don't get here as much as we'd like. 

But we hauled our butts to Havana today because coolness would soon commence!

This is actually happening right this very second. The tobacco hugging is metaphorical.

 

New England's face of La Aurora, Willy Marante, escorted the company's master blender Manuel Inoa to town and rejoicing commenced, as did a prime rib dinner at Havana. (I now request my arrival into any town be feted by a prime rib dinner. Consider yourself notified.)

Willy, our hero, Havana owner Todd LaScola, and Manuel Inoa at Havana.

Now considered the leading cigar factory in the Dominican market, La Aurora "was founded on October 3, 1903 by Eduardo León Jimenes, a hard working man who was son and grandson of tobacco growers... [who] decided to go a step further with the creation of a cigar brand," according to the company's website. 

Speed forward  (math is hard) years, and Valentino is smoking the first (don't be an ass--not the actual cigar; the kind) cigar the company ever created. 

 In fact, Havana has the cigar in a facsimile of the original box:

Havana also has one of the company's most sought-after cigars, 100 Anos, made in a size (vitola) exclusively for them: 

We can't guarantee how long these will last. In addition to be proprietary, they're also limited. (Insert evil laugh here.)

 

The 100 Anos: 

Wrapper: Corojo (Valle del Cibao – República Dominicana).
Binder: Valle del Cibao (República Dominicana).
Filler: Valle del Cibao (República Dominicana).

When he finished that other cigar, he moved on to this: 

 

I know we always say we don't review cigars because you should make your own decisions, but Valentino wants to make an exception. This Puro Vintage Edicion III Anniversario Salomon is "fucking delicious." Boom. Review. 

Stay tuned for more La Aurora updates! Valentino has some serious smoking to do! And I'm pretty sure a lot of it will happen at Havana Cigar Club and Lounge. You should join us here!! (24 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI. www.havana-cigar-club.com)

Willy and our hero! 

For more info about La Aurora, visit www.laaurora.com.do.