Birds of a feather flock together (except in cold weather)

If you're like me, you have a group of co-herfers. When there's an impromptu herf to be had, you can count on this core group to be there with cigars and libations in tow.

Problem is my co-herfers are grizzly bears.

Okay, maybe not, but they DO hibernate from cigars in the winter. Even given the relative comfort of a garage, they are perfectly content to go literally weeks on end without enjoying so much as a small panatela.

Hitting up the local B&M is fine, but to be perfectly honest, I just prefer smoking outside. If that means I need to put on a layer or two and wear a hat & gloves, then so be it. A petite corona like the Rocky Patel Junior cigars or a Buenos Madurito takes about 20 minutes to smoke, just enough time to walk around the block (exercise I could use anyway).

Fortunately, I'm allowed to smoke cigars at work. So it's usually not an issue, unless I'm looking to punctuate a nice dinner with an equally nice after-dinner smoke.

How about you? Do you abstain in cold weather, or do you brave it? Do you spend more time in your local smoke shop? Share your winter strategy with a comment.

- Hayward Tenney

Comments

Anonymous said…
I do a combination of all of them. I won't walk around the block when it's below 40ish, but I will throw on a sweater and smog the garage up. Most of the time since the B&M is a small deviation from my way home I stop in there and watch a movie on their plasmas. I wish I could smoke at my desk. Lucky *&@(&$*&%!!!11!!!1eleven!!!

I'm the only one of my group that smokes cigars. :( Don't have a herf group yet.
Anonymous said…
I layer up, grab an extension chord, sit outside and brave the cold. It was 24 degrees outside the other night and spent about 2 hours freezing my nuts off and it was worth every puff.
BCL said…
I have a heater outside on the front porch that keeps me warm when it is not windy. I can smoke outside without gloves or hat all the way down to about 20.
Cigar_Ben said…
I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We don't get winter here. LOL
Anonymous said…
I brave the cold by putting on a sweater when I smoke at my desk in the Manastery. I wouldn't have to even do that if my wife didn't insist on me puffing near an open window with a fan. It's a rough life, I assure you.

To further rub salt in Calestus' wounds, we are NEVER without the environment or people to herf with down here in Hotlanta. More shops around than you could shake a stick at and enough patronage to boot. Again, life is rough down here in the dirty south. LOL
Anonymous said…
We have a cigar club locally where we have some kind of herf every week. These are usually indoors in the winter. If it gets 50 or higher, I am good sitting outside. I spend a lot of time in the garage during the colder months than sitting outside to smoke though.
Unknown said…
Up here in Michigan, I have an addition on the back of the house where I can close it off and use the fireplace for heat. This has become the "guys" smoking room during the winter. We use a decent sized room filter to keep the smoke level reasonable and use a smokers candle while we're enjoying our cigars. When done, we open the outside door and let the room air out before opening the other door back into the house. What little smoke smell remains is generally gone by the next day. As soon as it's back in the 40's though I fire up the patio propane heater and we sit out on our deck.
Marcos El Malo said…
I'm fortunate enough to live in Southern California, so our cold weather is relatively bearable. At worst (on the rare occasions we have rain), I'll open a window in my bedroom with a fan to exhaust the smoke. Most of the time I smoke my cigars while playing with the dogs on the lawn or during our walks.

The other advantage to the weather in Southern California is that I've give up driving vehicles with four wheels and rely completely on my motorcycle.
Anonymous said…
When we designed our house in the mountains where we live full time now, my smoking, humidor, cigar, card room was the first on the list! Out take fan to help the smoke not build up when needed and a 5000 cigar humidor! and walls and ceiling made from cedar with a humidity, temperature controlled system. That's whats it's all about! one big humidor type 18x24 room no problems with the wife and complete bliss on my part! It don't get any better than this! Not bragging but thankful for what i have...
Anonymous said…
like BCL i have a patio heater out back. irish winters are a lot milder than north american ones so it seldom gets too cold. i do tend to smoke smaller cigars during the winter months, however
during the week i usually have lunch with a colleague and we migrate towards the somking area for a post lunch corona!
Bluti said…
I got creative and bought a patio heater which I set up with a table and some comfortable wicker chairs. I spend the early evening reading (by lantern light in mid winter), enjoying my favorites and feeling warm and comfortable.

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