Stogie Commentary: Discover Hometown Treasures

Since almost everyone who inhabits DC is from someplace else, the nation’s capital is a virtual ghost town over the holidays. And like most Washingtonians, I packed up and headed home for Thanksgiving this weekend.

My trip to Chicago not only provided me with opportunities to catch up with friends and loved ones. It also gave me a chance to visit a hometown treasure: Oakbrook Tobacco.

With so many legendary cigar stores in Chicago – like Iwan Ries & Company, Up Down Tobacco, and Rubovits Cigars, just to name a few – it’s easy to overlook a great stogie shop like Oakbrook Tobacco, a suburban B&M with a unique house blend any large premium cigar manufacturer would love to call its own.

The sticks aren’t pretty, but with a delicious, yet mild, flavor and a pleasing aftertaste, who cares about looks? In fact, I’d highly recommend purchasing a few of Oakbrook Tobacco’s F-1s or F-2s.

The shop was established in 1976 under the guidance of Meyer Patur, a late cigar legend whose knowledge of the leaf and blending are rarely equaled. At 85 years old, the Russian-Jewish immigrant rolled 100 cigars each day on site.

His craftsmanship, attention to detail, and customer appreciation – three characteristics not lost on Oakbrook’s current staff – did not go unnoticed. Over the years, Patur established an impressive clientele, including George Burns, Tip O’Neil, Milton Berle, and James Smithson (founder of the Smithsonian Institute).

Today, Oakbrook Tobacco has a new location with a large walk-in humidor and an impressive members only smoking lounge. “Club Fumare,” as it is called, will serve as a refuge from nagging wives, holiday shopping, and pesky smoking bans when it opens in the near future.

But if your travels don’t take you to Chicago, worry not. You can purchase cigars from Oakbrook Tobacco, including their renowned house blends, online.

Also, if there’s an uncovered cigar treasure in your hometown, be sure to contact us. StogieGuys.com is always on the lookout for new smokes to buy and new places to visit.

–Patrick A