Big Smoke Las Vegas

[Rod]

Just got back from Vegas, went for the Big Smoke. It was my first time going, and I had a great time! Definitely planning on going again next year. Met Carlos Fuente, Rockey Patel, Torano and a few others. Got a nice selection of cigars. Lots of great food and drinks. I'll post photo's of the event later on. My only two complaints are: 1.) They let way too many people in. 2.) The show was too short, instead of 3 hours it should be 6 hours in length. Other than that, I had a great time.

Also saw O. While it was a very good show, I don't think it was worth $150/ticket. IMO, Mystere was a better show.

 

[KeyserSoze]

Glad you had a great time Rod. I've always wanted to meet the makers. I planned my vegas trip a few weeks late. Plan on going next weekend to visit friends and fam. Oh well, there's always casa fuente

 

[Rod]

Tried going to Casa Fuente three separate times on this trip, and every time it was jam packed, no tables available, no seats at the bar open. Most likely the crowd was due to the BS weekend. I really wanted to try a tangerine mojito too. Oh well, there's always next time.

 

[Herfin Bigdog]

... My only two complaints are: 1.) They let way too many people in. 2.) The show was too short, instead of 3 hours it should be 6 hours in length. Other than that, I had a great time.

Also saw O. While it was a very good show, I don't think it was worth $150/ticket. IMO, Mystere was a better show.

Rod,

Your complaints are the very reasons I will never attend a Big Smoke. Too many people for too short a time for WAY too much money.

The majority of people that I have had discussions with concern Big Smokes have said the same thing. So you can eat and drink as much as you want. That's no big deal if there are so many people attempting to do the same thing.

It's a cattle call.

I really enjoy the Cigars International Cigar Fest. This past spring it cost $75 bucks. It ran for 5 hours. I received almost 50 cigars and there was ample food and drink. It's also held on a weekend. The Big Smokes are predominantly held during the week.

The downside is that this is not a road show. They have it once a year in one location. :thumbs:

 

[dbperea]

I agree on the Big Smoke in general. I went to the one out here in Chicago last year. Got there early and still had to wait in line to get into the place. It wasn't very grand in any sense of the word, nore elegant. It was chockful of rude, careless cigar smokers running around puffing up a frenzy. The room was so full of smoke in an hour that you had to exit the main building to get any air that you could see through in your lungs. I got some good cigars, and even must admit that a few of the sticks I liked, I would have never picked up before the show.

There was one highlight to the evening: The booth that was doling out Henessy XO and ten cane rum had a really nice blonde working the booth that I purposefully made friends with. She gave me something like 6 of those mini botles of the rum and every time I would walk by her she would ask if I was good, she searched me out, and would fill my snifter to the top!!! I think I drank about $70 worth of cognac so that did make up for some of the inconveniences! Hahahaha!

Will I ever go again? Probably not, but I think its something every cigar smoker should do once to experience.

 

[Matt R]

Thanks for calling me, bunghole... LMAO!!! You should have come earlier.. I sat at the Casa virtually by myself sipping mojitos, smoking fine cigars and talking with the beautiful, young, thong wearing babes waiting on me. :sign:

We saw "O" also and I gotta say I was blown away. I thought it was GREAT! Everyone told me that it would be bad to have the front row seats, but I thought they were perfect. I bet you didn't know you could see right through those costumes, did you? :thumbs: Seriously though, I was quite impressed and it takes a lot to impress me as far as shows like that go, since we see quite a few throughout the year, with my sis-in-law being a ballet mistress.

As far as the Big Smoke, it varies as to the opinions on whether or not it's worth the money. If you have $150 to spend without taking it away from something else, it's worth it just to be there with some of the big wigs and the company of other smokers. If you have to scrape up the money to go, spend it elsewhere, as you'll just be kicking yourself for spending money you could have spent on something else.

 

[Azoetia]

Thanks for the report on the Vegas Big Smoke. I had every intention of going but by the time I got off my ass and started looking for hotels, all of the affordable rooms were taken. I have been to the Chicago Big Smokes and this past year's was too crowded (over 2,000 people). I can't even begin to imagine how jammed the Vegas one was. Really makes you question Cigar Afficionado's marketing scheme of "better get your ticket now before they sell out." As mentioned, I have heard really good things about the CI Herf as well.

 

[Shooter]

Maybe one year I will make it out there...

 

[Rod]

Matt,

If you think O's good, you should see Mystere next time. I'd say Mystere is a bit better. Also, I would have called you, however I left late Thursday night to head up to Vegas, so I had a one night reservation at Jean, NV. Stayed at Nevada Landing. WHAT A COMPLETE SHIT HOLE! I'm going to try and get my money back. I took pictures of the dump and will post them soon...

Too bad Casa Fuente was so crowded. I'll bet more than half the people I saw in there didn't know a damn thing about cigars.

I'm heading back up in a few weeks, around Dec 15. Going friday - sunday. If anyone wants to herf, let me know!

 

[alexgtp]

Rod,

I will be missing you by a week. I will be in Dec 19th-23rd.

I have a stool woth my name on it waiting for me at Casa Fuente!!