‘Big Smoke’ returns to Las Vegas

Friday, Nov. 10, 2000 | 10:26 a.m.

What: Cigar Aficionado's Big Smoke Las Vegas

When: Seminars 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday; 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday. Big Smoke Evenings 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Where: Paris Las Vegas.

Ticket: $395 for Saturday and Sunday seminars, Saturday lunch and one "Big Smoke" evening of your choice. To attend a second evening, the price is an additional $125. $150 for one "Big Smoke" evening.

Information: Call 212-684-4224 or 946-7000.

The late comedian George Burns, one of the world's most famous cigar smokers (along with Winston Churchill, Ulysses S. Grant and Demi Moore), once was asked to define happiness.

"Happiness?" he said. "A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman -- or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle."

Cigar Aficionado magazine will supply good cigars and good meals at its fifth "Big Smoke Las Vegas" tonight and Saturday at the Paris Las Vegas ballroom. Men will have to decide for themselves how much happiness they can handle and bring their own women.

Magazine spokesman Terrence Meck says Las Vegas is one of the favorite locations for "Big Smoke" events, which are held every couple of months in major cities across the nation to promote the publication and to spread information about cigars.

"There are a lot of cigar-friendly restaurants and bars in Vegas," Meck said. "It's a huge success."

By day, on Saturday and Sunday, there will be seminars for those in the cigar trade or for people who are fanatics about cigars -- such as the late author Rudyard Kipling, who noted that, "A woman is just a woman, but a good cigar is a SMOKE."

Among panelists slated to attend the daytime seminars is actor George Hamilton, who has his own cigar company, Hamilton Cigars.

The two "Big Smoke" evenings will include samples from more than 35 premium cigar producers who will have exhibits. Among the companies that will be represented are Arturo Fuente, Baccarat Havana Selection, Bahia, Bahiba by Graycliff, Cuesta-Rey and Don Diego Reserve.

Also included in the ticket price are samples of liquors, wines, beer and other beverages and food provided by a dozen cigar-friendly restaurants from Las Vegas.

"Big Smoke' seminars will be conducted by experts in several fields of the cigar industry. Sessions will include blind taste testing, tips on how to buy cigars, rolling your own cigars and exploring the relationship between great bourbons and great cigars.

From noon until 3 p.m. there will be a buffet lunch for those attending the seminar. Executives from each of the cigar manufacturers with exhibits will be available at the luncheon to answer questions.

While the cigar boom that exploded around the nation five or six years ago has tapered off, Meck said the activity still is popular.

"The boom slowed down, but cigar interest is still huge and always will be," he said.

Cigar Aficionado, founded in 1992 by Marvin Shanken, helped ignite the boom in 1996 when it ran a cover photograph of Moore smoking a cigar.

When the magazine began only about 25 restaurants nationwide allowed cigar smoking, Shanken once noted. Today, he estimates there may be as many as 5,000 smokers conducted each year.

Among those in Las Vegas that are cigar-friendly are Morton's of Chicago; Ruth's Chris Steak House; Sfuzzi; Spago; Tillerman; Tommy Rocker's Cantina & Grill and Charlie Palmer Steakhouse.

Several lounges also are cigar-friendly, including the Lounge at New York-New York; Jack's Velvet Lounge at the Venetian and Napoleon's at the Paris.

There has been speculation that the Cuban trade embargo will be lifted in the near future, which could cause another boom, according to some observers.

Cuban cigars have been banned from the United States since 1959, when Fidel Castro became dictator. Shanken pointed out that it isn't illegal to possess Cuban cigars, you just can't smuggle them into the country.

"Cuban cigars certainly have a mystique," Shanken said.

A portion of the net proceeds from the "Big Smoke" will benefit CaP Cure, a research organization seeking a cure for prostate cancer.

Jerry Fink

is an Accent feature writer. Reach him at 259-4058 or jerry@lasvegassun.com.