I just want to recommend you visit two places if you are ever in the neighborhood
Cigar Castle in Tampa is a first class place, huge well maintained humidor, friendly people, comfortable smoking area, nice bar and damn good Cafe Leche. Wife and I spend mid morning there last Friday and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
The Island Smoke Shop in Key West was also a nice visit. Walking distance from the Hampton Inn the proprietor is a class act and we had a great conversation about just about everything. Really nice humidor and their shop rolls where some of the best I have tasted.
When I walked into Le Fe Cigars in Marathon I though I walked into someone's office but the owner opened the door to his rolling room and showed me his home rolls. I'm looking forward to trying them but the place is worth a visit for it's uniqueness!
The majority of shops in Key West cater to tourists and cruise passengers so I would keep that in mind when you visit. They do have a place that is highly recommended "Rodriquez" cigars but we where so burned up from walking around Duval Street in the morning heat that I missed it and was to tired to try to find it.
Other things to remember is that Papa Pilar has a distillery in Key West but was closed when I passed by, American Freedom Distillery (Horse Soldier) is opening a new visitor center in Tampa. We where about a week to early but I did take a peek inside and I think it's going to be a nice.
JC Newman Cigars is renovating their visitor center and there again we where a couple of weeks early. Tampa Sweethearts was open for pickup only and I didn't knock on the door to try and get inside.
It was easy to find a great meal in the Keys, the Yelp and Trip Advisor recommendations seem to be pretty spot on with their recommendations!
If it hadn't been so damn hot I would have more to say.
Cigar Castle in Tampa is a first class place, huge well maintained humidor, friendly people, comfortable smoking area, nice bar and damn good Cafe Leche. Wife and I spend mid morning there last Friday and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
The Island Smoke Shop in Key West was also a nice visit. Walking distance from the Hampton Inn the proprietor is a class act and we had a great conversation about just about everything. Really nice humidor and their shop rolls where some of the best I have tasted.
When I walked into Le Fe Cigars in Marathon I though I walked into someone's office but the owner opened the door to his rolling room and showed me his home rolls. I'm looking forward to trying them but the place is worth a visit for it's uniqueness!
The majority of shops in Key West cater to tourists and cruise passengers so I would keep that in mind when you visit. They do have a place that is highly recommended "Rodriquez" cigars but we where so burned up from walking around Duval Street in the morning heat that I missed it and was to tired to try to find it.
Other things to remember is that Papa Pilar has a distillery in Key West but was closed when I passed by, American Freedom Distillery (Horse Soldier) is opening a new visitor center in Tampa. We where about a week to early but I did take a peek inside and I think it's going to be a nice.
JC Newman Cigars is renovating their visitor center and there again we where a couple of weeks early. Tampa Sweethearts was open for pickup only and I didn't knock on the door to try and get inside.
It was easy to find a great meal in the Keys, the Yelp and Trip Advisor recommendations seem to be pretty spot on with their recommendations!
If it hadn't been so damn hot I would have more to say.
