Cigar lifestyle: A Cigar with My Dad – By Mike Holmes

It’s June, and that means it is getting close to Father’s Day. This month, Mike Holmes tells his heart warming story of smoking a cigar with his dad.

Since Father’s day is later this month I thought it would be appropriate to share a memorable experience of mine, the time when I had a cigar with my Dad, while I was in Seattle visiting him for Christmas. Before I get into the actual story I wanted to provide some context which leads up to how I convinced my dad to smoke a Cigar.

My dad and I have grown closer the last few years. When I was growing up I felt closer to my mom, but as I have grown up, my dad and I have bonded even more and I am thankful for our relationship. My dad is not a cigar smoker and many of my friends have dad’s they enjoy the cigar lifestyle with. As you may know, smoking a cigar with your dad is the adult version of throwing a baseball in the backyard. Cigars are the Super Bowl of male bonding, which I had not experienced up until this point.

100 Likes Did the Trick

As I made plans to visit my Dad for Christmas I told him that if I get 100 likes on a post about him smoking a cigar with me, then he has to do it! He reluctantly agreed and not only did I get 100 likes but surpassed it, in a very short period of time, so he agreed to share that experience with me as a one time thing. His girlfriend Darla even agreed, she told him “If it makes him happy you should do it”.

Before I left for Seattle, I picked up a few cigars from my home shop Paradise Cigarz  that I thought would suit a father and son bonding time. An Iillusione Epernay” for my dad and a “My Father Cigars Centurion” for me. We were all set to enjoy our bonding moment, which was one of the only things I wanted for Christmas (other than tickets to the great smoke).

The setting

We settled on one of my favorite stomping grounds, when I am in Seattle, a place called ‘Stogies n Hops’, which is a converted gas station turned into a craft beer bar and cigar paradise! To make it even better there is a very small Mexican food place inside the same building that serves up excellent Mexican cuisine.

There was no doubt that we chose the right place to bond. Due to not being able to smoke indoors in the Seattle area, Stogies n Hops has a private covered outdoor smoking area complete with tabletop heaters to keep every patron warm! Once we settled in the back and greeted the guys that hang out there regularly, I began the sacred act of cutting and lighting our cigars. I carefully explained to my dad that all you need to do is cut the cap, and then toast the cigar and ultimately light, which a few regulars and I showed him how to do.

After my dad was squared away I cut and lit my own cigar and we both got to smoking as I continued to show him how to puff on his cigar without inhaling and swishing the smoke around his palate before exhaling, while not smoking too fast. I got my dad the smallest Illusione Epernay, but even in small stature, my dad still nursed his cigar like nobody I have ever seen!

Overall, he said he enjoyed his cigar although he probably won’t become a regular Cigar Aficionado. Towards the end, I finished his cigar for him because you should never let a cigar go to waste! I then realized that the reason why he nursed his cigar so much was because the draw was a little tight. After I loosened the draw the cigar finished off great and my dad and I had a good time hanging out with the regulars.

In conclusion

Don’t let time pass you by. Take the time to make memories with your dad, and be present when you are around him. Live in the now. One day all you will have are memories and you want those memories to be fond and special. Everyday I am thankful that my dad shared a cigar with me. It is by far one of my favorite memories with my dad. This Father’s Day, I encourage you to bring some cigars to your dad and share one with him. Life is meant to be lived and memories are meant to be made. Happy Father’s day to all of the Dads out there who read Stogie Press! Salud!