CAO Cigars-getting some cigar therapy at Outmans

    Outman Cigar and Martini Bar

Today I had an unexpected surprise when I decided to revisit Outman’s Cigar and Martini Bar at 26 Orchard Park Dr., Greenville, SC 29615, where I was introduced to a new stick from CAO Cigars and a unique group of people and found out about cigar therapy.

Outmans is the only Rocky Patel Lounge in South Carolina.

Just Another Cigar Bar?

So I decided to revisit Outman’s , however I had my reservations because the last time I was in there I got run out…

OK, I wasn’t really run out but what happened was, it was a hot day and I decided to check this place out. I went in and introduced myself as some one of great importance not really, but I did tell them that I am a blogger and was looking for places to write about.

I was led into the humidor where I met Kevin who assisted me in finding some nice cigars, and they do have an impressive selection! We exited the humidor and was checked out, and I told him that I was going to the bar to order some cool refreshment when he told me that I couldn’t stay because my shirt didn’t have any sleeves.

Now I didn’t have a problem with them having a dress code, but I did take exception to the fact that he let me purchase about $40 in cigars before that information was disseminated!

Maybe More Than Just Another Cigar Bar

So, with a bit of trepidation I returned to Outman’s, with sleeves I might add! I was wearing my “That’s What I Do, I Smoke Cigars, And I Know Things” t-shirt.

I went in, and guess who was there to greet me? That’s right, Kevin, the kid who bounced me the first time! I said “Do you remember me?” and he said “Yes”. I then asked him if I could smoke in the bar this time and he said sure, cause I had sleeves.

Standing just a few feet away was Chris Tsangarides the owner of Outman’s. I introduced myself to him and told him what I was doing and the story about the first time I was there. Chris told me that sleeveless shirts are one of his pet peaves, but he did agree that I should have been told before I purchased cigars.

Phil

Chris and I talked for a good while about the cigar industry and the new federal regulations. I guess they have to be really careful now because big brother is always watching.

After a while I went to the humidor to find something good to smoke, and he went back to work.

Kevin assisted me, and he put me on a very nice stick by CAO Cigars called the Fuma Em Corda. The Fuma Em Corda is the second in CAO’s Amazon Basin series.

The Fuma Em Corda is bound by tightly wound ropes and left to ferment, a technique native to the tobacco farmers of Brazil. The Braganca tobacco inside undergoes a different process — compressed and fermented for six months into tightly wound tubes. Add a Honduran Oscuro wrapper and Cameroon binder and you’ll find a woody flavor, with spiciness and an incredibly long finish.

buy now!

The draw on this cigar was a little tighter than I would have liked, but I caught that woody flavor immediately, which was quite prominent at first but as I smoked the boldness dissipated some, however it was there the whole way through.

One of the interesting things about this stick is that in place of a band, it has a ring of twisted tobacco leaf wrapped around it One of the guys I was smoking with called it a point of no return ring. The cool thing is that you can just smoke right through it.

You can read about it at: https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/cao-fuma-em-corda-ventures-into-the-amazon-19435

Could This Be an Adventure

I was sitting there enjoying my cigar and making notes trying to see if I could find enough information to get a full post, or if they would just end up in my “Places Along the Way” page, and had pretty much decided that I just didn’t have enough.

I had been watching as this large assemblage of tables in the middle of the room was filling up and meant to ask someone about that.

I got up and went to thank Chris for his time and pay my complements. I mentioned that I just didn’t think I had enough for a story at this time and he said, Wait a minute and walked over and moved his TV to reveal a sign that read “Cigar Therapy, meets here Thursdays at 4 PM”. (uh-oh, could this be a Cigar Adventure?)

Cigar Therapy

He then proceeds to call over this guy named Phil, and introduces us. Turns out that Phil and I come from the same neck of the woods in Pennsylvania and tells me about Cigar Therapy.

Phil

These guys have been meeting every Thursday since May, 2008. They met at two other venues before landing here.

Cigar Therapy

The table is open to all and Phil invited me to join them and sat me beside a guy named Brent who had brought two guests, Fey and Rod, who are from the Dominican Republic and are up here for a wedding. Phil thought that I would enjoy meeting them and was right. I am thinking that Y’all might be seeing a story about my trip to the Dominican before the years out.

(L-R) Brent, Fey, Rod

We all sat around chatting and smoking. Of course most had alcoholic beverages they were partaking of.  From what Barry, who sat to my right tells me, these guys are big movie buffs and they spend a lot of time dissecting various movies.

Barry

At 5:00, Phill gets everyone’s attention and mentions the Question! Apparently Phil texts or emails them all with a question for everyone to ponder and discuss at the Therapy session.

Today’s question was: If you could have any celebrity endorse any product, who and what would it be?

Then we go around the table and everyone introduces themselves by their first name and tells what they are smoking and drinking and then answers the question. Some of the answers were quite creative and I could tell that these guys have been playing this game for quite a while.

Several of these guys were smoking CAO Cigars on Brent’s recommendation.

After this Phil, has Brent present his visitors with this coin and Phil presents one to me. There is a secret hand shake used to present this coin (ok, it’s probably not a secret).

cigar therapy coin

These guys were a lot of fun and really welcoming. They asked questions about me and my blog and treated me like one of their own.

 

So, What Did We Learn-Or Relearn

Once again, I came close to leaving and out running my adventure.

By the way, they have a fully stocked bar with a lot of top shelf liquor, and you can meet Anna the bartender.

Anna

I highly recommend Outman’s (just make sure you have sleeves, and Chris doesn’t care for ball caps turned backwards either). They have a great selection of premium cigars. I particularly endorse the Fuma Em Corda, by CAO Cigars.

Try to stop in on Thursday at 4:00 PM, and getcha some Cigar Therapy! Don’t forget to tell ’em Chuck from Cigar Pals sent you.

 

 

 

 

22 Comments

  1. Bibian

    this is really a nice adventure.
    it’s really funny and interested.
    how can the guy behind you, give such name to it ‘a point of no return ring’. it’s funny.
    maybe he has a reason for that. lol
    it’s really a remarkable experience Dear. they welcomed you!
    And thanks for sharing it with us here.

    • admin

      Thanks for checking out the site Bibian. I try to mix my weird sense of humor with education and adventure. Most of my stories hit on the fact that cigar people tend to be very warm and friendly. You might find a CEO talking to a plumber, or an investment banker sharing a stick with a forest ranger. Its a very unique community.

  2. Dave McQuaid

    Nice story, I love stories as you know and meeting people- again not a secret, Lol. Cigar Therapy? Sounds like a good time… and I have had, and offered some therapy over a cigar myself. Thanks Chuck, love ya and ride safe.

  3. Kelly Bickford

    You had better luck with the fuma em corda than I did. my one attempt at it found it to be so tightly rolled it was absolutely unsmokable. I tried using my trusted sharpened coat hanger on it and even that didn’t work.
    I really enjoy just about every stick that CAO produces but not this one.
    Kelly

    • I found it to be rather tight myself Kelly, but was able to smoke it and some of the others were smoking them. I will find another one and try it out and report back on my findings. Thanks for the comment Kelly

  4. Joseph Keith Vickery

    Chuck,
    This was a well-written report on a unique cigar experience. I’m sure, that if it weren’t for the fact that a lit cigar burns way too quick riding a Harley, that you would have one fired up as you ride along the Great American Trails. I would probably enjoy a more laid back time smoking around a campfire, after a ride or hunt, with a good bottle of port.

  5. Sheila

    I enjoy the adventures Chuck. Perhaps this establishment should sell t-shirts with fun cigar things on them…then you could have the option to stay. ?

    • Yeah Sheila, then they could sell me one so I could meet the dress code? It really wasn’t a big deal, and I respect their right to have a dress code. Thanks for checking out my blog and commenting Sheila!

    • Absolutely Ruth Anne, cigars come in all sizes and tastes. They have infused cigars with every thing from vanilla to bourbon. I plan to start doing some educational posts and videos to share the cigar experience with those who are new to cigars or just curious. Will let everyone know through FB as we go along. Thanks for checking us out and commenting?

  6. Mike

    I had no idea there was such a thing as cigar therapy!

    It makes perfect sense though so I can see why people would be into that!

    How do you find going to cigar bars? Do you find it tends to be the same people or will new people be welcomed in too?

    Thanks for sharing

    Mike

    • admin

      Hi Mike: Yes perfect sense, I am in the area this week and anticipating Cigar Therapy on Thursday at 4:00 pm. For the biggest part, most cigar bars are welcoming and if you check out some of my other posts, you will see that I talk a lot about the comeraderie I experience and that other smokers usually talk with me about. Cigar smokers tend to be quite friendly and quite frequently will turn me on to a stick.

      There are exceptions and sometimes the welcome is not real warm, but that is the exception, not the rule and even then if I go in a few times they tend to lighten up.

      Thanks for checking out the blog Mike! I have a new video review of a cigar that I just posted and am going to announce on FB tonight.

    • Sorry Cliff: I have not been to Albuquerque, however here is how I find cigar adventures. I go to Google and search “cigar bars”. Some will probably come up with pictures and the below them you will probably find the links to the actual web sites. The pics will probably be about any cigar bars or stores in the area and if you click on them, you will see their phone number, address and a link to the web site. I usually look for the ones with a lounge, because that is where the adventures are most likely to take place, however since you are just looking for a cigar, you can check out the cigar shops. You may see adds from yellow pages, and I don’t recommend paying any attention to these, since they may be advertising anything any where. I hope this has helped Cliff. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have about cigars.

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