Road Trip Relaxation: Cigars, Coffee, and Good Company

My wife had an appointment in Winchester, VA, recently and asked if I’d make the two-hour drive with her. Since there’s a cigar lounge in town that I follow on social media, I had an extra incentive to play chauffeur for the day. (Of course, her asking was already reason enough.) After the drop off, I headed over to Long Ridge Cigars.

Long Ridge Cigars is a stand-alone building with the traditional wooden Indian stands tall by the front door. After parking in the back, I was greeted by another morning patron, a regular at the shop. We chatted for a bit before the door was unlocked.

I took a quick tour of the walk-in humidor before settling on the Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario Maduro in the Toro vitola. I was familiar with the cigar by name but had never smoked it. When the shop attendant mentioned they had recently received a few boxes of this limited release, my decision was easy. I grabbed one to smoke now and another “to go.”

The Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario Maduro is a Nicaraguan puro featuring a Nicaraguan Shade Grown Maduro wrapper, along with a Nicaraguan binder and fillers. In addition to its striking black and silver bands, the cigar comes wrapped in decorative tissue paper that covers most of the 6 x 54 stick. After sliding off the sleeve, I cut the cap and wasted no time lighting up. I anticipated the cigar would provide a solid two-hour smoke — about the time I had before meeting back up with my wife.

From the start, the Aniversario Maduro delivers a bold pepper spice note. After a few puffs, flavors of rich dark chocolate, coffee, and a toffee-like sweetness come into play. The overall profile is flavorful, bold, and well-balanced. Despite being a full-bodied smoke, it never overwhelmed, even as a morning cigar. The burn was flawless, producing copious, thick smoke throughout.

Before arriving at the lounge, I had picked up a cup of chain-store coffee. I finished that quickly and was pleased to discover the lounge had a large urn of fresh, delicious coffee available. I refilled my cup and continued my enjoyment of the bold coffee and cigar pairing.

While I smoked, I struck up friendly conversation with another patron and the proprietor. One of the great things about cigar lounges is how easy and enjoyable it is to meet fellow enthusiasts. Time passed too quickly, and soon I received a text from my wife that she was ready to be picked up. I replied that I needed “another 5–10 minutes” and enjoyed a few more puffs of the cigar. At about the 90-minute mark, I estimated there were at least another 20 minutes left when I finally set the cigar down.

Before heading home, we met a local friend for a delicious lunch at a German restaurant — a perfect way to cap off the morning smoke.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Long Ridge Cigars. The shop boasts a wide selection of cigars and a spacious, comfortable lounge. Outside, the backyard features tables and a fire pit, which seems to be a popular gathering spot. In fact, I’ve already told my wife I’d be more than happy to chauffeur her to any future appointments in Winchester.

Cheers!