Well, I made it back safely from the Vegas Big Smoke and thought I'd post a bit of a review here for those that are thinking about attending one in the future.
Overall, it was a great event. I went for just the Saturday evening Big Smoke event. Not sure that I'll make it an annual trek, but it was definitely a worthwhile endeavor. The cost was $175 and it was from 6:30 to 9:30. What do you get for $175? Turns out, quite a bit.
The evening started with a line at Mandalay Bay that began at about 5 and by 6:30 was about 3500 strong (or so I'm told). The crowd was generally filled with a mix of suits and silk shirts. Despite my thought that the presence of ladies would be non-existant, there was a decent mix. Ladies probably accounted for 15 to 20% -- not including the exhibitors.
There was really no need to get there early, as there were plenty of cigars to go around. And, once they started letting folks in, it was a short wait. Upon entering, you receive a CA tote bag and a coupon book that you take to the booth in order to get a cigar sample. In total, there were 21 cigar exhibitors. In addition, there are probably 25-30 additional booths with various beverages and food. The center of the hall floor had probably a dozen different cars from the likes of Chrysler, Ford, Ford (er, Jag), Hummer, Chevy, and Honda.
All in all, I think I picked up about 25 cigars (some booths gave a pack of two). I haven't had a chance to go through the goods entirely, but some highlights are: LGC, CAO Maduro, Griffin, LFD, Cuesta-Ray, La Aroma de Cuba, PI, AF, Zino, etc.
It was a great event. I can't recall the last time I saw such a large gathering filled with so many polite folks. Just good people. There was quite a range of people from the old and bald to the young sporting mohawks. But, everyone I met was friendly and cordial. The highlight of the evening was getting to meet both Carlos Sr. and Jr. and have them sign my Promethius Opus X collector set w/ DVD (which could be had for a $60 donation or two for $100). Very humble guys.
We drove into Vegas from Sacramento, so in total over the weekend, I think I smoked almost an entire box of cigars myself. Feels like I've been sucking on the exhaust pipe of a car all weekend.
So, if you're thinking of making the trip next year, I would highly recommend the experience. Good people, good cigars, and a fun town. Doesn't get much better.
Mojo
Overall, it was a great event. I went for just the Saturday evening Big Smoke event. Not sure that I'll make it an annual trek, but it was definitely a worthwhile endeavor. The cost was $175 and it was from 6:30 to 9:30. What do you get for $175? Turns out, quite a bit.
The evening started with a line at Mandalay Bay that began at about 5 and by 6:30 was about 3500 strong (or so I'm told). The crowd was generally filled with a mix of suits and silk shirts. Despite my thought that the presence of ladies would be non-existant, there was a decent mix. Ladies probably accounted for 15 to 20% -- not including the exhibitors.
There was really no need to get there early, as there were plenty of cigars to go around. And, once they started letting folks in, it was a short wait. Upon entering, you receive a CA tote bag and a coupon book that you take to the booth in order to get a cigar sample. In total, there were 21 cigar exhibitors. In addition, there are probably 25-30 additional booths with various beverages and food. The center of the hall floor had probably a dozen different cars from the likes of Chrysler, Ford, Ford (er, Jag), Hummer, Chevy, and Honda.
All in all, I think I picked up about 25 cigars (some booths gave a pack of two). I haven't had a chance to go through the goods entirely, but some highlights are: LGC, CAO Maduro, Griffin, LFD, Cuesta-Ray, La Aroma de Cuba, PI, AF, Zino, etc.
It was a great event. I can't recall the last time I saw such a large gathering filled with so many polite folks. Just good people. There was quite a range of people from the old and bald to the young sporting mohawks. But, everyone I met was friendly and cordial. The highlight of the evening was getting to meet both Carlos Sr. and Jr. and have them sign my Promethius Opus X collector set w/ DVD (which could be had for a $60 donation or two for $100). Very humble guys.
We drove into Vegas from Sacramento, so in total over the weekend, I think I smoked almost an entire box of cigars myself. Feels like I've been sucking on the exhaust pipe of a car all weekend.
So, if you're thinking of making the trip next year, I would highly recommend the experience. Good people, good cigars, and a fun town. Doesn't get much better.Mojo