Hecho a mano

It starts as a seed planted in a pot of soil. Raised to a seedling and placed in the earth. Here it will bask in the sunlight absorbing the nutrients it needs from the ground. Leaves are carefully harvested at different times. They are dried, cured, then aged before they make it to the rolling table. Then, by skilled hands, they are carefully crafted into the fine cigars. From the rolling table they are sorted by color, inspected for quality, labeled and boxed before their journey to your local tobacconist shop begins. Hecho a mano means more than just hand rolled. It's about tradition and every time you light a cigar you become a part of that tradition.

For me it started 25 years ago in the streets of the Bronx. I was 19 years old when I lit my first cigar, it was a celebratory cigar, after engaging in a street fight. I remember sitting on someone's stoop, adrenaline still coursing through my veins, sweat dripping from my brow, I lit that cigar. With each puff I felt a surge of unbridled manliness. Little did I know how impactful this moment in time would be. Five years later I would say goodbye to the unforgiving streets of New York for the warm sandy beaches of South Florida. My move coincided with the tail end of the cigar boom. But for me it was just starting. Here I did less fighting and more cigar smoking. First I would smoke on special occasions but soon I was seduced by the tropical breeze and the sounds of the Caribbean reverberating through the night air. I started smoking more frequently but at this point the cigar lounge was still uncharted territory. That changed one night as I drove home from work and noticed a cigar store close to my home. On a whim I decided to stop in, I smoked, played dominoes and hung out with the guys till two in the morning. I quickly became friends with the owner and patrons alike. Within months I began working at the shop part time. I flourished in this environment. There was a wealth of knowledge and I was eager to take it all in. My circle of friends began to change and expand. I went from hanging out it nightclubs and bars to lounges and swanky restaurants. I had matured a great deal in these years and by the time I stopped working in the shop I found two new cigar lounges that would become my new home. During the day I would frequent one store close to work and at night I would go to Aromas of Havana in North Miami owned by a very dear friend. We smoked, drank and celebrated life together. Although both stores have long since closed we all still remain close friends. Smoking cigars is not a habit. It's a lifestyle and finding the right people to share that with is unmeasurable.