Tommy Zarzecki (aka Tommy Zman)
Hello, my name is Tommy Zman and I am a Cigar Pornographer. What I’m trying to say is that I am deeply addicted to cigars, constantly leering at photos of them and sharing of photos of them – which basically makes me a real sicko, for lack of a better term.
A freshly rolled, un-banded cigar just might be the most beautiful sight in the world to those of us who suffer from this affliction, and I know there are many of you out there who share my tobacco disorder. One look at a shining oily stick can induce uncontrollable cravings, and an unwrapped naked bundle is enough to send the lot of us into therapy. Upon cracking open a new box and taking in that first whiff of aged leaf and cedar goodness, well, like the song goes, “Somebody get me a doctor” because I am in the midst of pure unadulterated wanton lust.
Smoking a cigar is like taking a mini vacation. It’s relaxing & pleasurable especially when shared in the company of good friends. But did you know that 200 sets of hands go into making one hand-rolled cigar?
The Cigar Life is a glorious life, indeed… Sitting outside in the fresh open air, blue sky, birds chirping (better than the wife chirping) a glass of malted grains in your hand, while smoking a great cigar as a warm breeze tells your body and mind that it’s time to relax. BUT WAIT A MINUTE, HERE (as the needle zips across the vinyl record bringing your thoughts to a grinding halt)… This is February where I live in northern New Jersey, and at present time of writing this, it’s 34 degrees outside.
If you are a lover of the leaf, you just may remember a time when all the world actually praised the cigar, smoking stogies was all the rage, and people couldn’t get enough of their premium aged hand-rolled happy sticks. It was the mid-1990′s and this phenomenon was dubbed the "Cigar Boom", a time that brought new cigar smokers into this world at a frantic clip. I myself started smoking fine cigars in 1994 – a relative’s wedding was the occasion, and from that day on I was smitten by the aromatic scent and luscious taste of the Latin American leaf.
There are over 500,000 apps in the iPhone App store. When they say…there’s an app for that, well, there is! And for cigar connoisseurs there are several free apps worth downloading to your smartphone.
That’s right, you heard me and I’ll say it again… It’s the best time EVER to be a cigar smoker! Okay, please know that I just heard a collective "What chu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?!" from about 10,000 of you, and I want you to be assured that I have not lost my proverbial marbles. Yes, I realize what’s going on with Smoke Nazi terrorism, health groups fixing unjustified data, taxes on top of taxes on top of taxes, and now the imminent danger of the FDA sticking their nose directly up our firm white ashes.
You guys have heard of the Good Life, the High Life, and It’s a Wonderful Life, well I am officially here to introduce you to the Cigar Life, my new monthly column here at CigarChronicles.com (please note that the Cigar Life is indeed good, high, and wonderful.). For those of you who know me, well, thanks a ton for following my Polish dupa to this very happening new site. For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been around the cigar biz for a while, now; a feature writer for Cigar Magazine, creator and writer of JR Cigar Blog with the Zman, co-host of JR Cigar Tube with Nathan & the Zman, along with a myriad of other stogie related happiness.
