SMOKE 06/97 - The Circle Island Tour

Summer 97
Volume II
Issue 3

Hot on the trail of the tanned one - George Hamilton - SMOKE takes a short happy tour of the cigar stores of Honolulu and the island of Oahu.

The following information is a summary of Oahu's Cigar Scene from SMOKE's original article. For the full text of this article, see the Summer '97 issue of SMOKE magazine - available at a tobacconist near you.

Also, check out the Internet Cigar Group's Hawaii Regional Guide for more information on cigar-friendly establishments in Hawaii.

Name: THE CIGAR ROOM
Two "F" words for this place: friendly and funky. The chairs are not Cordovan leather; they are rattan. The owner/tobacconists are not in Armani suits, but aloha shirts and baggy surf shorts. Mike Jorstad and John Bagby provide a wealth of guidance for novice or pro, as well as complimentary sodas. And some of the regulars are allowed to stash "byob" supplies. One of the best features here is the home-made, but roomy, walk-in humidor: no glistening mahogany, just some two-by-fours and a little paint. Top of the line cigars though, as well as many choices in the affordable bundles and seconds price ranges.

Name: TOBACCO & GIFT SHOP

This venue, now the oldest cigar store in Honolulu, is located on the second level of the Diamond Head Tower in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. Recent renovations have added a 200 square foot walk-in humidor and a smoking room in which you can buy coffees, wines, and cognacs to accompany your on-site puffing.

Name: ALFRED DUNHILL (NORTH AMERICA), LTD.
Located in the town-side carriage entrance of the historic Moana Surfider Hotel, this store has everything you would expect from a Dunhill outlet: Superb cigar and pipe accessories, plus hand-carved pipes from their London workshops and some of the most highly-rated humidors in the world. Inside the humidors is a top-of-the-line selection of cigars at some of the best prices on the island. Supply is not a problem here. Tobacconist Frank Orr says that their warehouse humidor, just a few blocks away, keeps 20 to 25 thousand cigars on hand for quick in-store restocking.

Name: LA FLOR DE CUBA
This is the only licensed cigar factory in Hawaii. Located in Waikiki between the Hilton complex and the Ilikai hotel, the shop features their own Flor De Cuba line in nine sizes. These tasty smokes are blended and hand-rolled by Cuban native Angela Gonzales, who learned her craft at the Partagas factory in Havana. After a year of experimentation with wrapper and fill combinations, Ms. Gonzales and owner Armando Chacon have achieved some excellent cigars in the mild to full-bodied range. Maduros in any size can also be ordered in addition to the standard Connecticut shades. The shop also supplies mainland stores and other retailers in the islands.

Continued on next page...

For the full text of this article, see the current issue of SMOKE magazine -
available at a tobacconist near you.