Virginia Blues: Cigars, Spirits, and Winter’s Chill

Talk of the weather, especially when cold, often finds its way into these Musings—usually as an observation, though sometimes a gripe. Unfortunately when the cold turns extreme, many activities are curtailed, and there’s less musing to be done.

Looking at the upcoming week’s forecast, it doesn’t appear ideal for enjoying a smoke on the deck. Even with the two portable heaters at my feet and the infrared table lamp overhead, my tolerance for the cold wanes. Not entirely, just somewhat. If I’m honest, it’s often the thought of venturing into the chill that deters me more than the cold itself. Once settled, no matter the thermometer’s reading, it’s rarely unpleasant.

That does look cozy

“What about cigar lounges?” you might ask. Before my retirement, I frequented the Hogshead Cigar Lounge near my office, balancing work visits with a smoke nearby. These days, the idea of a 30-minute drive when I feel like lighting up holds less appeal.

The Olde Towne Tobacconist lounge at nearby 1781 Brewery was another favorite haunt, but it closed abruptly in May. While the brewery and winery remain cigar-friendly, the lack of a dedicated, heated lounge means my deck with heaters is often the more comfortable option. Still, I miss the camaraderie of fellow cigar enthusiasts who frequented the lounge.

Speaking of cigar lounges, Virginia isn’t particularly accommodating toward “cigar bars”—much like its restrictions on alcohol sales. Smoking a cigar inside a well-ventilated restaurant while enjoying a good drink or meal remains more of a dream than a reality. Under current Virginia law, establishments serving alcohol must derive at least 45% of their revenue from food sales. Maybe that will change some day. Technically, there are no “bars” in Virginia, only restaurants with alcohol on the menu. 

The situation becomes even more prohibitive for businesses seeking to allow indoor smoking while serving alcohol. Adding to the complexity, smoking sections in food establishments must be entirely separated from non-smoking areas, with dedicated rooms, separate entrances, and unconnected ventilation systems. Moreover, also providing a non-smoking section is mandatory, effectively barring a cigar-friendly restaurant catering exclusively to smokers. Non-smokers must have a choice, while smokers do not—a disparity that feels inequitable. A tobacconist once lamented to me that they'd love to open a proper cigar bar, but they did not want to manage a full (non-smoking) restaurant in order to do so. 

In short, to serve alcohol, you must serve food. If you serve food, you cannot allow smoking without prohibitive restrictions. Ergo, no cigar bars. A loss particularly felt during the winter months.

A restaurant may choose to allow smoking in outdoor seating areas, but only "at such times when such outdoor area is not enclosed in whole or in part by any screened walls, roll-up doors, windows or other seasonal or temporary enclosures." (Code of Virginia § 15.2-2825)

Of course, I still enjoy fine whiskeys and beers indoors during the colder months, and musings on those pairings will occasionally appear. However, my focus tends to center on the interplay between the smoke and the sip, so those lone pours don't often get mentioned.

Lastly, there’s been a lamentable lack of range time this year—none, to be exact. Structural anomalies in my spine have kept me sidelined. I am still hoping that by the spring shooting season, those "barrel" stories might make a reemergence here. At least now that it’s winter, I wouldn’t be shooting outdoors anyway — a minor condolence. 

So there's the situation. All that said, it's time to fire up the heaters.

Cheers!