Nevada, like so many other states, has a smoking ban for establishments that serve food. This changed life for a lot of cigar smokers, a fact realized by Susan and Jeff Melvin. So, they opened Jimmy G's Cigar Bar in downtown Carson City last month, bringing a new alternative to those of us who enjoy a good cigar every now and then. Though Jimmy G's doesn't serve food, guests can order meals from Garibaldi's or Kim Lee Sushi, which are nearby and deliver.

In addition to serving a wide variety of spirits, the new cigar bar has 4,000 cigars available, representing a wide range of prices. So, there should be something on hand or just about every taste and budget. Televisions have been installed, along with wireless internet access, all at the request of customers. Hell, the proprietors even cut martini prices based on feedback from guests, so you can be confident that your opinions will be taken seriously at this lounge.

This is the second Jimmy G's Cigar Bar, with the first in Minden, Nevada, which switched from restaurant to cigar bar in 2006.

As I learned on my last two trips to the United Kingdom, there aren't many places where you can light up a cigar. Had I known about The Montague on the Gardens, I probably would have altered my travel plans a bit. The hotel bar has a dedicated outdoor cigar terrace, which for puffers, amounts to a bit of tranquility in an otherwise hostile world.

Toward the back of the hotel, like-minded guests can gather in the bar for a drink before stepping outside to a blissful smoking location with a great view of the Bedford Estate's private gardens. I tend to bring my own cigars when I travel, but sometimes like to sample the locally available fare and The Montague on the Gardens offers plenty of incentive. The bar has more than 20 brands on hand, including the coveted Cohiba Siglo VI. Smoke it gently while sipping a glass of Remy Martin Louis XIII, and you'll struggle to find a more enjoyable situation.

The hotel itself is designed to impress. It's a Georgian townhouse hotel with 101 rooms and suites – not to mention a two-bedroom apartment. This four-star establishment is within walking distance of the West End and The British Museum, and the "Type A" crowd will be happy to know it isn't far from London's Financial District.

Whatever the day's distraction is, though, return to The Montague on the Gardens and settle down for the evening with the cigar of your choice. Savor each draw, and punctuate it with your preferred spirit. Perfect.

Conquering the unknown is not easy. When it comes to spirits, restaurants, cities ... and cigars ... we all have our favorites, and trying something new is an unnecessary risk. I know what I like, after all, why would I stray from it?

Well, there are plenty of reasons to try something new, the best being that your next favorite may not be on your radar yet. I'm about as guilty as can be in the cigar shop. I have my favorites, and I tend to stick to them. But, on the rare occasions when I break out and try something new, I'm happy I did.

The hard part is deciding what to try. You may not realize it, but you're surrounded by a wealth of information at home and in the cigar shop. All you have to do is use it.

1. Talk to your tobacconist
This is the easiest and most effective way to get advice. Just ask the professional that you are bound to see when you go to buy a cigar. Most tobacconists – employees at larger, established specialty shops – know the product they carry well. Tell him what your tastes are, and you'll be surprised at the recommendations you receive.

For a certain type of man and woman, one of summer's greatest pleasures is puffing on a cigar on a steamy evening, gazing at the stars, reflecting (or not) on a day well spent at leisure. Now you can have that pleasure with some added panache. Cuban-born artist and illustrator Ruben Toledo -- perhaps you've seen his work in Vogue or Visionaire, or on the walls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Momu in Antwerp -- has created a limited edition cigar box (only 2,000 were made) featuring La Flor Dominicana cigars from the Dominican Republic described as having a "full-bodied smoke" with "sweetness" and "complexity." The box is white lacquer featuring a Toledo illustration of a woman; another illustration, also of a woman, is featured on the wrappers.

These are some beautiful cigars, and for a beautiful cause, too: all profits of the project will be donated to El Museo del Barrio, the New York museum devoted to Latin American and Caribbean art. Toledo and his wife, Isabel Toledo -- who designed First Lady Michelle Obama's inauguration day outfit and is the subject of an exhibit at Fashion Institute of Technology on view now -- are major fans and supporters of the museum, and are responsible for turning the museum's annual gala into one of the most festive benefits in Manhattan. "This is a project with so much meaning for both my wife and I. El Museo is a symbol of pride for Latinos, and cigars are such a potent symbol of our heritage," Toledo said. The price is $782.10 a box (including tax). To purchase, call 646-243-2675.

Cigar Aficionado readers know that there are some great lounges in Manhattan, though I hope they didn't suffer through that absurd video shot to accompany the article. The article did hit the major attractions, but there are some other hidden gems that only the devout locals know about. If you're looking to sit down and enjoy a cigar in the city, you have plenty of choices – take advantage of them!

Even with the smoking ban, there are more cigar shops and lounges than even most New Yorkers realize. In addition to the major stores like De La Concha and Davidoff Madison Avenue, boutique hand-rollers dot the city, and they are worth a visit from time to time.

So, the next time you set out for the quintessential Manhattan smoke, mix it up. Hit the major shops, but also stop by the places that are off the beaten path. You'll enjoy the experience.

Cigar shops are a lot like any social environment. There are regulars and new guys, people new to the reason for gathering and seasoned veterans. In any situation like this, there are basic norms that should be respected in order to make the experience more enjoyable for you. I know I've covered this topic before, but the latest round of advice is new. Trust me, there's no shortage of breaches of etiquette in this world (just like the subway, the sidewalk and your local bar).

Some of these may seem obvious. They are. There's nothing in the list that should have to be said. Yet, life at the cigar shop has shown me that the simplest of courtesies tend to be overlooked.

Many thanks to the regulars at De La Concha in Manhattan for these tips. They've seen the worst of the worst and were only too happy to share their experiences. If you don't need these tips, forward them to someone who does: we all know somebody who could use a little bit of help.

Alec Bradley Cigars has brought a new experience to market. The makers of the Tempus and Maxx cigars have released its Select Cabinet Reserve series. It should be on cigar shop shelves this month and promises to be quite a treat. The series consists of Corona, Robusto, Churchill, Torpedo and Gran Robusto cigars with Honduran Trojes wrappers. The sticks will be released in boxes of 20.

This line of cigars was born from a conversation that Alec Bradley president Alan Rubin had while back on the family farm in Trojes. Over the past five years, the Rubin family had accumulated a large amount of aged, mid-priming Trojes wrapper.

"We talked about the natural sweetness of the wrapper and the chance to develop a blend around its unique flavor profile," Rubin says. "When we got back to the factory, we went to where we store all the wrapper tobacco and opened a few bales for inspection. I grabbed a hand of tobacco containing 25 leaves, plucked two of them, de-stemmed them, and rolled a sample. These caramel colored leaves were glorious to the touch and looked fantastic. Even better, they smoked every bit as good as I expected."

A year later, Alec Bradley's latest creation has been completed and is missing only a cutter, a lighter and someone to enjoy it. Expectations are high, particularly given Rubin's assessment of the product. "The SCR line is built around a mid-priming Trojes wrapper that allowed us to focus on the natural sweetness of the leaf," says Alec Bradley president, Alan Rubin. "The blend is buttery smooth, and possesses an abundance of complex flavors and aromas that will hold your attention from start to finish."

The creator of Miami Cigar & Co. has decided that this coming Friday, June 12, 2009, is National Nestor Miranda Day. In exchange for claiming this particular day of the week, Miranda's Miami Cigar will be shipping free samples of the Nestor Miranda Special Selection 20 Aniversario Danno to 500 cigar retailers around the country. The only catch is that you have to buy a cigar from the retailer – any cigar, not even one from Miranda.

Each shop will be given 40 cigars, and 20 cigar retailers will be set up for much larger parties, which will be attended by key team members from Miami Cigar. Miranda will be at Sabor Havana in Doral Florida.

This promotion is the latest in a yearlong celebration of Miami Cigar's 20th anniversary.

To look at this small Manhattan eatery, you'd never make the connection. Tucked in the atrium of the IBM building on the corner of Madison Avenue and E 56th Street, Obika seems like just another dine-and-dash joint to service the suited masses within a three-block radius. To judge this shop on a glance alone, however, would be a grievous error. In reality, its clientele consists of a mix of ardent regulars and tourists (mostly from Europe) who are committed to the magic made at this mozzarella bar. The customers' zeal was evident by their presence alone on May 21, 2009, when Obika catered the latest De La Concha cigar dinner.

Anthony Fauci, a partner in the restaurant, represented Obika at the cigar event, held in the store where he and his brother, James, have been regulars for as long as anyone can remember. In a new twist on what has become a regular occurrence for the Manhattan tobacconist, Obika provided a mozzarella and pasta tasting menu designed to complement the Camacho cigars featured.

The event was standing room only, as Obika took over the shop – lining the counters for food preparation and consumption. Instead of opting for traditional sit-down meals, store general manager Ron Melendi opted for a more fluid approach, in which guests could stand, sit at a boardroom style table at the front of the store or eat on available counters.

When I fire up a cigar, I'm relegated to the front stoop or the benches over on Central Park West. Many people with basements wind up converting them to makeshift home cigar lounges ... with varying degrees of effort. As a result, what should be an incredibly relaxed, enjoyable experience is tainted by a substandard environment. So, Partagas has decided to raise the bar for cigar smokers across the country.

The Dominican cigar manufacturer will award $10,000 to the cigar smoker who needs it most – to create the "ultimate Partagas Cigar Cave. Do you have ideas? Put them together. If you can demonstrate that you need a pimped out cigar space most, Partagas will deliver.

Implied, of course, is that you need to have somewhere to put it. That leaves me out of the running before it gets started, but I wish all who enter the best of luck.

Remember when you'd walk into a restaurant and be asked, "Smoking or non?" If you answered the former, you'd be escorted to a dedicated portion of the floor where you could light up before, during or after your meal. This ritual is disappearing in the physical world, but it's springing up online, where a "virtual smoking section" is taking form, connecting cigar smokers from around the world.

Obviously, there are plenty of resources on the web for the cigar community. The major industry publications, such as Smoke and Cigar Aficionado publish to the web, even with some exclusive content. Retailers – both brick-and-mortar and online pure-play – are numerous, and there are too many cigar blogs to count. The growth of social media has taken the online cigar community to a new level, though. The same utilities that enable 140-character conversations and elaborate digital friendship interconnections have emerged around the "fellowship of the leaf."

It may look as though the real world banishment imposed on smokers – first to smoking sections and then to cigar shops only ... or not at all – may be moving onto the internet. After all, everyone on Twitter can smell @DylanAustin's Camacho Select, right? Well, nobody wants to see or hear cigar chatter, even if it is self-selecting.

But, I wouldn't rush to celebrate or lament an online smokers' quarantine. Instead, we're contributing to venues that focus exclusively on our interests. We're opting in, not being forced out.

Two sites are particularly interesting: Social Cigar and CigarShout.

Maybe, society has had enough. In Spokane, Washington, even non-smokers came to the defense of the cigar community when public golf courses tried to implement a ban. Other places are relying on creativity, such as tobacconist De La Concha's cigar dinners. In New Hampshire, the legislature is getting involved – a bill may legalize the sale of liquor in cigar bars.

In most places, it's tough to find a social setting where you can enjoy a cocktail and a cigar at the same time. The "live free or die" folks are looking to change that. If tobacconists are able to receive liquor licenses, the resulting store traffic could offset much of the damage being done by the financial crisis.

For Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, New Hampshire – where I used to go when I lived in northern Massachusetts – sales have fallen since the state banned smoking in restaurants two years ago, with particular effect in the winter. The ability to sell drinks would make the venue more enticing to customers, keep them in seats longer and likely result in an increase in sales.

There aren't many cigar venues left in New England or elsewhere in the country where you can smoke and drink at the same time. In Manhattan, we have a few spots, and Boston has Cigar Masters. Many cities have their hidden gems, but you have to find them. For the cigar smokers of New Hampshire, however, this could change. And, if you believe that Dixville Notch chooses the president every four years, expect to see similar laws pop up in other states.

The weather is getting warmer, and restaurants in cities across the United States are stretching out onto sidewalks. Why not bring a touch of Europe across the Atlantic and enjoy the fresh air? Well, for some, fresh air is what's at issue. Smokers, after spending a winter enduring the elements, are happy to enjoy a bit of comfort. With most cities passing smoking bans, outside has become the last option for a lot of us, and outdoor dining almost always leads to ill will.

I was out on my front stoop a few nights ago, cigar in hand – as I've done for the past two years at this location. Customers at Bistro Cassis, a few doors down, complained loudly and in shrill voices, "You can't do that! It's blowing right at us!" Well, I reminded her, it's a public place, and I can do what I want. I continued to enjoy my cigar, though I moved back a little bit, so the building would provide some cover. Routinely, staff at the restaurant has been unnecessarily rude, perhaps in an attempt to show some advocacy for guests. Routinely, the staff fails.

Had she asked nicely, of course, I would have gladly relocated to the benches on Central Park West, a block away. Most cigar smokers seem to share this attitude. Ask nicely, and we'll accommodate the best we can. Demands and rude tones tend not to yield the desired results.

Smoking bans are an easy target for cigar smokers (and, for that matter cigarette smokers), and I admit, our community gripes about them a bit too much. We're past the point of being productive, and dwelling on the injustice feels like a waste of time. The fight for outdoor spaces, however, is a very real outcome of the prohibition on indoor smoking. Without locations where we can partake of our chosen luxury, we're forced outside. Though the laws vary, most do not prohibit smoking on sidewalks. So, that's where we go, disrupting dining experiences as a result.

Mexico's Cuban cigar distributor, Importadora y Exportadora de Puros y Tabacos (IEPT), has taken new steps to prevent the spread of counterfeit Cuban cigars. The company has put together a new certification system that will validate cigar retailers across the country as legitimate sellers.

IEPT is licensed by Habanos S.A., which is the global distributor of Cuban cigars. Habanos has been struggling with counterfeiting for years, with problems in tourist-infested parts of Mexico being particularly severe.

The new campaign is designed to support retailers that sell the real deal, which hopefully will resonate with cigar consumers.

But, let's be realistic. The problem that has to be solved first is the love of "smoking the label." When customers stop wanting people to see that Cohiba label, they'll begin to make better choices.

You know I have a soft spot for this issue ... I will do everything I can to put cigars between the fingers of soldiers who want them. So, when I saw this latest announcement, I was hooked.

"Cigars to the Troops" is hosting its First Annual Poker Run and Fundraiser. On Saturday, May 23, 2009, participants will stop at various locations in the Denver, Colorado area that celebrate those who have served: Fort Logan, American Legion, VFW and Armed Forces Tribute Garden (among others). The event will also include raffles, a sidewalk barbequeue and other entertainment ... including the Palma Posse Cigar Girls.

And, as you may have guessed, there will be some poker played. The best and worst hands will score a stay in Vail.

If you enter solo, the cost is $25, with couples paying $35. In addition to participating and eating, you'll get a t-shirt, cigar and raffle ticket. It's a small price to pay to have a bit of fun and support Cigars to the Troops.

Any soldier knows the importance of the small comforts that make a difficult situation easier. If you haven't served, just trust me on this one. Every cigar that winds up in the hand of a soldier who wants one will definitely appreciate it.