Stogie Commentary: Go Slow

I was reading the other day about a new movement in travel: “slow travel .” Like the earlier “slow food” approach, the aim is to savor and enjoy your experience, not just get to the end. Rather than rush through a trip with a lengthy list of places to see and things to do, slow travel advocates tend to focus on less rapid movement, no checklists, and getting off the beaten path.

I wonder how many people who are exploring a slower lifestyle enjoy cigars? It may be the ultimate slow experience. So much so that it doesn’t need another name. “Slow cigar smoking” would be redundant.

Of course, it’s possible to do all sorts of things while you’re smoking a cigar. But it’s difficult to multi-task and truly enjoy a cigar. Activities that complement the pleasure of the smoking experience include reading, good company, music, nice drinks, daydreaming, etc. Most wouldn’t enojy running, especially a marathon.

You might rush to your local shop to pick up a new release, but it’s a cinch you won’t rush through the stick just so you can move to another one. I can’t imagine a great cigar experience while fiddling with a Blackberry.

Without waxing too poetic, cigars offer an amazing opportunity to enjoy something that results from a rare combination of hard labor, artistic flair, ancient craft, modern commerce, and international cooperation.

Why, you could even spend a half-hour or so mulling all that over as you carefully consider the wafting smoke you’re creating with that lovely cigar.

-George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys