TOB Magazine

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[ 18 ] TOBACCO BUSINESS [ JULY / AUGUST | 17 ]
While many cities are cracking down on cigar bars and
lounges, there are still plenty of places to smoke throughout
Las Vegas. With so many smoker-friendly trade shows and
conventions occurring in Vegas each year—from the Tobacco
Plus Expo in the winter to the International Premium Cigar
& Pipe Retailers Association show (IPCPR) in the summer—
knowing where exactly you can go to not only purchase a
great cigar, but also to smoke it without many restrictions
is important. Here are a few places throughout Las Vegas
where you can enjoy your stogie.
In Caesars Palace, the Montecristo Cigar Bar is one of
Vegas’ newest cigar bars. Barely a year old, the Montecristo
Cigar Bar is a 100-seat bar, lounge and gaming area that
offers visitors a place to enjoy a selection of libations and small
bites in a 4,000-square-foot space. In addition to offering
plenty of seating in its lounge areas where you can enjoy a
cigar, smaller gatherings can be held in the bar’s Vault Room.
The walk-in humidor is stocked with a selection of familiar
brands, including Romeo y Julieta, Ashton, Montecristo
and Rocky Patel, among many others. With more than 135
different bourbons and whiskeys, Montecristo Cigar Bar has
a lot of offer for any person or group of people looking for a
place to relax and spend their leisure time.
“Here you can game, you can drink, you can smoke, and
you can eat. In most places, you can only do a few of those,”
says Chelsea Ryder, public relations manager at Caesars
Entertainment Corporation. “People can camp out here. It’s
a nice, secluded space.”
If you want to get away from the gaming aspect of Vegas
but still want to be in the middle of the action, there’s Casa
Fuente, also located within Caesars Palace. Casa Fuente
has been a destination for many cigar enthusiasts since it
opened in 2005. Though it only carries Fuente products, its
spirits selection is worth stopping in for as well—we definitely
recommend trying a mojito while you’re here. According
to Michael Fayerverger, Casa Fuente’s general manager,
100,000 people from around the world pass by this Vegas
cigar destination on any given day.
“We’re in the most expensive mall in the country. We get
all types of people: male, female, young, old. They walk in,
they relax, have a nice drink and will have a cigar. We’ve
become a destination spot,” says Fayerverger. “There are
plenty of machines out on the strip. You don’t have to worry
about gambling here just come in and relax.”
If you are looking for a place to enjoy a cigar and a drink
that comes with a view, head to the Davidoff of Geneva
Cigar Bar at Fashion Show shopping mall. Located
alongside the famed Las Vegas Strip, the Davidoff of Geneva
Cigar Bar isn’t like many of the cigar bars you’ll find in
Vegas. Encased in glass with a fully stocked bar as the center
focus of the lounge area, a walk-in humidor modeled after a
curing barn and an outside lounge area, this business caters
to those who are looking for hard-to-find cigars that are a bit
more high-end.
“When we did our initial market research after being
open for 60 days, we saw that cigars over $40 and the high-
end cigars were what we sold most,” reveals Rich Wilson,
assistant general manager and cigar ambassador at the cigar
bar. “We already had a tremendous amount of high-end
stuff, but as soon as we saw that was the trend we started
pushing to find even more and make sure that we had it,
because if you could get the stuff in along these margins, then
why wouldn’t you want to do that?”
In planning the launch of the bar, those at Davidoff want-
ed to align it with the company’s overall brand and motto,
which is “time beautifully filled.” When thinking of what
kind of clientele they wanted the cigar bar to attract, they
decided it was those who wanted the highest echelon of not
only cigars but spirits as well. Since its opening over a year
ago, Davidoff has attracted those patrons and also seen many
of them become repeat customers.
Finally, where do the Vegas locals like to smoke? Ed Munn,
owner of Dig This Las Vegas, recommended En Fuego
Cigars & Lounge. Reviewers of En Fuego have described it
as comfortable, relaxing and welcoming. Noted as having a
knowledgeable and friendly staff and great customer service,
En Fuego is another great lounge for cigar enthusiasts to visit
during any trip to Las Vegas. TB
Davidoff of
Geneva Cigar Bar
3200 S. Las Vegas
Blvd. #1245
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 473-5001
Vegas Cigar Lounges
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