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New Cigar Dinner Lets You Pay IRS Again!

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Let's face it: even the best accountant in the world leaves the high net worth community paying more taxes than you would like. You drop all kinds of cash to the IRS every year, and it sucks. It really does. So, do you want to send that government body more?

That's the question Orlando banker Jeff Ramsey is asking.

He has organized a cigar dinner at Foxwoods in Connecticut to help rescue the house currently (and perhaps temporarily) owned by Jim Thorpe and his wife, Carol. Thorpe, once a pro golfer, won't be able to join you at the dinner ... because he's in prison after "losing a two-year legal battle with the IRS."

The dinner will include silent and traditional auctions to fill the financial void left in Thorpe's life by the IRS.

For $200, you can head up to Foxwoods on June 21, 2010, smoke a few cigars and dine with other civic-minded aficionados who are eager to give Thorpe a hand. For another $1,500, you can play in the ProAm golf course the next day.

Note: This is indirect IRS support. Your money will not go directly to the government agency.

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New Cigar Dinner Lets You Pay IRS Again! originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Art Market: Russian Billionaires Are Back

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The numbers may not have big, but it felt like 2007 all over again during "Russian Week" in London. Russian billionaires descended on the art auction houses and fought fiercely for prized lots. Compared to last year, auction sales nearly doubled, with the Russians spending $86 million to repatriate icons, paintings, porcelain and Faberge items. This follows $18.5 million in Russian art sales by Sotheby's and Christie's in New York back in April.

The most popular pieces were early 20th century modernist works, with the top lot Alexander Yakovlev's "Titi and Naranghe, Daughters of Chief Eki Bondo." It was good for £2.5 million, almost tripling its high-end presale estimate of £900,000.

Sotheby's was the top auction house of London's Russian Week, generating £22.3 million by selling approximately 70 percent of its 615 lots. The result falls within the presale range of £19.3 million to £28 million.

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Art Market: Russian Billionaires Are Back originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wine-Inspired Cigar Released

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Hendrik "Henke" Kelner has been busy this year. The blending guru not only released the Puro d'Oro and the new De La Concha house cigar, but he's also created Second Growth, a brand inspired by wine for importer Eric Hanson. It was launched on May 26, 2010 at Club Macanudo in Manhattan.

The Second Growth sticks tend to be on the mild side, writes David Savona of Cigar Aficonado, and they were made specifically to pair with fine wines. The boxes are built from used wine barrels. Said Hanson, "I purchased 50 barrels from a second-growth Bordeaux chateau."

The cigar comes in one size: 7 ¼ by 54. It sells for $32.50 a stick, and only 1,000 boxes were made.

Interested in more from Henke Kelner? Check out his thoughts on the Davidoff Puro d'Oro.

[photo via Cigar Aficionado]

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Wine-Inspired Cigar Released originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five Cigar Recommendations for Father's Day

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I'm about to celebrate my first Father's Day, so when I heard that the Beverly Hills Cigar Club had a few cigar suggestions for the occasion, I opened the e-mail immediately. In past years, I would have written the blog post for everyone else ... this year, I have something at stake!

Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club, has put together an interesting menu of cigars for Father's Day this year. From this list, I'd go with the Oliva Serie V, though my personal favorite these days is the 601 Trabuco (hint, hint).

Let's take a look at the five cigars Lee offers up as Father's Day suggestions:

1. CAO America Monument Pinstripe Torpedo
The wrapper on this cigar consists of two leaves arranged to deliver a pinstriping effect. One is a golden brown Connecticut Shade, and the other is a chocolate brown Connecticut Broadleaf. The filler comes from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and the United States. Notes Lee, "Warm summer nights this Father's Day, heat up the Kalamazoo 900 Grill and let Dad light up America while he slow grills his special burgers. No, he still won't tell you what's in the sauce though."

Continue reading Five Cigar Recommendations for Father's Day

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Five Cigar Recommendations for Father's Day originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Art Basel Attracts Abramovich, Kilmer, Millions

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roman abramovichThe exclusive opening of Art Basel - for the most serious buyers - had the desired effect. The most famous art show in the world attracted the likes of art collector Roman Abramovich (however much it may be at the behest of his squeeze) and fetched some major sales, including $15 million for a sculpture by Pablo Picasso.

So, who joined Abramovich in scratching the art itch ... one that's been hard to scratch since the art market collapsed in 2008? Well, Val Kilmer, Peter Brant and Laurence Graff were among the elite.

Prices haven't returned to 2007 levels, noted art dealer Nicholas Maclean to Bloomberg News, but he added that the top stuff is selling well. This doesn't exactly defy common sense, of course. There are 303 galleries at Art Basel this year, and they're all hoping to ride this wave.

A Christie's International auction in Paris the day before Art Basel started set the tone for the affair. A sculpture by Amedeo Modigliani moved for $53 million, setting a record for the French auction market.

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Art Basel Attracts Abramovich, Kilmer, Millions originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Cigar Smoker Invades Rick's Cabaret ... and Brings Davidoff Surprise

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Last week, cigar smokers took over the roof of upscale gentlemen's club Rick's Cabaret in Manhattan. With a view of the Empire State Building, not to mention the impeccable local talent, dozens came to cut, light puff and imbibe.

The event, organized by Barry Stein the man behind the cigar blog "A Cigar Smoker," attracted a large and varied group of cigar smokers, making the Rick's roof feel like your local cigar shop (though with the obvious differences). As hors d'oeuvres were passed and drinks sipped, on-the-spot back rubs were delivered expertly by roving masseuses, and cigars were abundant. Conversation flowed freely and easily, especially with my new blogging buddy the Social Vixen.



Continue reading A Cigar Smoker Invades Rick's Cabaret ... and Brings Davidoff Surprise

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A Cigar Smoker Invades Rick's Cabaret ... and Brings Davidoff Surprise originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Learning Lobster at Hotel Christopher

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Growing up in New England, I've cracked into more than a few lobsters, ranging from the downright puny to a mighty 7 pounds. This continued experience with creatures (formerly, by the time they reached my table) dwelling off the costs of Nova Scotia and Maine, ingrained in me a baseline for lobster that has guided my expectations ever since.

So, as the waiter at the Hotel Christopher on St. Barths explained the evening's specials last week, the langouste, which he translated for us as "lobster," caught my attention. Recalling my travails with French in high school and college, I vaguely remembered that Jean-Paul Sartre writing of a hallucination in which he fled an "homard." The different word for lobster led to the obvious question: "What's the difference?"

Christian Langlade, who owns Hotel Christopher with his wife, Sandrine, explained that homard" refers to the tasty resident of northern waters, the creature I cracked open throughout my childhood - and which tormented the French existentialist. "Langouste," however, is the lobster found in the Caribbean, sans claws yet certainly delightful to chomp.



Disclosure: Hotel Christopher picked up the tab for this trip. Nonetheless, my opinions are my own - they're certainly not for sale at any price.

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Learning Lobster at Hotel Christopher originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apocalypse Now? Spend It on St Barths

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There worse places to wait out the end of the world ...

Over the 2007/8 Christmas holiday season, artist Richard Prince developed and expected a vision of post-apocalyptic society. The world as we know it met its untimely demise as the protagonist, his family and crew sailed to St. Barthelemy, discovering the changed state of affairs only when landing on the island. Far from the decadent setting one would expect to find, the resort haven became the setting for a struggle for survival.

I came to St. Barths under far different circumstances, of course. A small plane, with room for only six passengers, deposited me on the tarmac at a tiny airport, offering stunning and alarming views of the sea during our approach. The runway, sans fence or other barrier at the end, stretches right to the beach, with only a splash of sand separating it from the lapping waves of the Caribbean Sea. The customs agent inside the small, Spartan terminal served little purpose aside from a friendly greeting and a stamp and wave with a flick of the wrist.

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Apocalypse Now? Spend It on St Barths originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fewer Cigar Smokers Want Cubans, Production Drops

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The Cuban cigar industry is struggling under the dual pressures of smoking bans and economic malaise. Consumers around the world aren't buying as many sticks, and Cuba is cutting production. In Pinar del Rio, only 22.4 million leaves were harvested this year, off 14 percent from 26 million last year. Local media reports: "There was a reduction in planting due to limitations in resources caused by the economic crisis," according to the Financial Times.

With 70 percent of the market - not including the United States - the Cuban cigar business is a global force. So, its financial performance has broad implications, and the data doesn't look good:
According to the most recent report released by the government's statistics office, the industry has fallen on hard times in recent years, with production of cigars for export down from 217m in 2006, to 123m in 2007 and 73m last year as the business drew on its inventory.
Export cigar sales plunged to $218 million last year from $243 million in 2008 ... but keep in mind that the effects of the late 2008 financial crisis didn't really come to bear until 2009.

Of course, consumption in the United States is unchanged, because you can't go below zero. Nobody smokes Cuban cigars in the United States because they're illegal ... right?


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Fewer Cigar Smokers Want Cubans, Production Drops originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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La Casa del Habano: The Top Cigar Shop in St Barths

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It didn't take me long to feel like I was at home in La Casa del Habano. Every inveterate cigar smoker knows the importance of having a great cigar shop to call home, and one of the travails of traveling is that you leave yours behind, not knowing where (or with whom) you'll smoke on the road.

If St. Barths is in your future, there is no better place than La Casa del Habano. Look for the traditional wooden Indian out front; you should be able to see it as you're entering Village Creole in St. Jean, where the tobacconist is located.

Inside, put yourself in the expert hands of Sandrine, the store's owner and managing director. Many Americans are familiar with only the major Cuban cigar brands; it's tough for us to keep pace with the new products being released from the "island south of Miami." Sandrine will acquaint you with the old and new of what we aren't permitted to have here in the United States.



Continue reading La Casa del Habano: The Top Cigar Shop in St Barths

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La Casa del Habano: The Top Cigar Shop in St Barths originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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St Barth Commuter: Small plane, Short Flight and a Hell of a View

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There aren't many ways to get to St. Barthelemy, and your range of options shrinks with season and income. So, if you're heading out to this Caribbean island for a few days or more in the warmer months, you have only a handful of choices that don't include private aviation or yachts. On my recent trip to St. Barths, I flew St. Barth Commuter, an experience I won't soon forget.

I stepped out on the tarmac in St. Martin, fully expecting to find a small plane waiting for me, but I wasn't prepared for the tiny six-passenger contraption into which I would climb (note: it is safe). The pilot smiled comfortably, putting me and the other passengers at ease as we pulled ourselves into the plane for a flight that would last only 10 minutes or so. He was an old pro: during busy season, he'll make this run up to 17 times a day.

Continue reading St Barth Commuter: Small plane, Short Flight and a Hell of a View

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St Barth Commuter: Small plane, Short Flight and a Hell of a View originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A St Barths Hotelier does Manhattan

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I sipped a glass of rum as the plates were cleared. To my left was Christian Langlade, half the husband-and-wife team that owns and runs Hotel Christopher on St. Barthelemy and my host for dinner. After talking about his property, the conversation turned to my hometown, and I was amazed to learn his regular hotel on jaunts up to Manhattan: On the Ave.

I spent several months at On the Ave in 2004, first on consulting assignments during my white collar travel days and then to facilitate my move to New York from Boston. Just the mention of this hotel brought a flood of memories so powerful that I had to put my glass down for a moment.

On the Ave isn't glamorous, but is far better than sufficient - frankly, it was a business traveler's dream. Tucked away on W. 77th St. between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, it's rarely the first choice of visitors looking for access to Times Square or Wall Street. Nonetheless, I fell in love with the property quickly. It offered easy subway access, simple accommodations that I found comfortable for late-night work and, best of all, a sixteenth-floor terrace with a north-facing view.

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A St Barths Hotelier does Manhattan originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eden Rock Villa Nina Art Gallery Tour

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You can't experience the Eden Rock resort in St Barths without running into art. In addition to an on-property art gallery with an exciting artist-in-residence program, there is carefully selected artwork throughout the resort. When you get into the villas, however, a new level of care and attention is attained. One of Eden Rock's premier accommodations, Villa Nina comes with a five-figure a night price tag and is adorned appropriately. In this video, gallery director Natalie Clifford takes us on a tour of the unique Villa Nina art holdings.





Disclosure: Eden Rock picked up the tab for this trip, and it didn't influence my coverage.

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Eden Rock Villa Nina Art Gallery Tour originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spicy Cigar Fundraiser Scrapped

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Republican gubernatorial candidate John Stephen almost had a brilliant fundraiser. Running in New Hampshire, he was set to benefit from a July 11, 2010 fundraiser hosted by cigar distributor Victor Vitale, who planned a bikini contest for the event. And, let's face it: there's nothing like a handful of hotties to get guys to pry open their wallets (just visit any strip club if you need proof of that!

According to Vitale, the bikini contest portion of the barbecue fundraiser was his idea alone, and Stephen didn't know it was coming. The fundraiser is still going to be held, but without this particular aspect. I'm sure it will still be fun ... but it's a shame about the contest.

I had the chance to catch up with Vitale in Easton, Pennsylvania, at Cigar Expo, and he told me about plans for the Ortsac brand ("Castro" backward), particularly in the run-up to the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers show this summer.

[video via Cigar Reader]

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Spicy Cigar Fundraiser Scrapped originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Absinthe in Manhattan: An Illicit Delight Comes Home

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There is no shortage of choices when you step up to the bar. An endless array of gins, vodkas, rums and other spirits can almost be intimidating ... yet disturbingly similar. If you want to stand out while sipping and socializing, skip the norm and ask for an absinthe. Edward III, a new product on the market, distinguishes itself in many ways. A clear absinthe - so technically you aren't dancing with la fee verte - it's produced locally, with organic ingredients. And rather than prepare it traditionally, with sugar and water, it can be used as the foundation for a number of unique cocktails, as co-founder Mark Maurice explains.

There's a new spirit in town ... and it's spirited, to say the least.

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Absinthe in Manhattan: An Illicit Delight Comes Home originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cigar and Beer Pairings in Beverly Hills

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Cigar Reader Summer Cigar Cheatsheet
When you crack open a cold one this summer, what are you going to cut and light to go with it? Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club, has put together a list of cigar and beer pairing recommendations for your Fourth of July festivities, with eight ways to celebrate the birth of our nation. My favorite is the My Father #1, but I've always been a fan of Pepin Garcia's work. What's your choice for the best barbecue weekend of the year? Leave a comment, and let us know.

[spreadsheet courtesy of John Biggs]

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Cigar and Beer Pairings in Beverly Hills originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Prince in the Bathroom: Art at Eden Rock's Villa Rockstar

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If nothing else, you can expect a $20,000-a-night villa to deliver a few surprises. Eden Rock's Villa Rockstar, among the most ostentatious of the accommodations on St. Barths, does not disappoint. The resort demonstrates a clear commitment to art, with an on-property gallery that has hosted some impressive artists, but you have to dig a little deeper to find the truly unusual.

Works of art are littered across the resort, from the in-villa gallery at Villa Nina on one end of the property to the top-of-the-rock lobby on the other. Villa Rockstar, the largest and newest spot in Eden Rock, has a seemingly endless supply of canvases hanging, visible from the moment you pass through the front door.

The biggest name, however, is tucked away, far from common view.

Descend into the villa's basement, en route to the recording studio that house the deck used to record John Lennon's "Imagine," and step into the bathroom. As soon as you open the door, you're face-to-face with a small piece by Richard Prince.

And let's face it: nothing screams decadence like being able to keep a piece by Prince in the bathroom. It's a sign that you've come too far in life to care.




Eden Rock picked up the tab for this trip, as it would have been unaffordable otherwise. My opinions are my own.

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Richard Prince in the Bathroom: Art at Eden Rock's Villa Rockstar originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Six Cigar Celebs Tease Their Secrets for IPCPR

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The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers annual show is right around the corner, and you can expect some new product to be unveiled in New Orleans, this year, as usual. The plans for the year run the spectrum. EO Brands unveiled its new cigar labels, the first visible change following the company's merger with Rocky Patel, and Drew Estate will reveal that it has something big coming out this year. But, why listen to me talk about it? I've had the chance to catch up with a number of cigar industry personalities recently. So, watch the videos below to hear it straight from the source.

Drew Estate

There's always something interesting brewing at the Drew Estate factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, and this summer is no different. Marvin Samel, co-founder of the company, hints that something interesting is coming his year.


Continue reading Six Cigar Celebs Tease Their Secrets for IPCPR

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Six Cigar Celebs Tease Their Secrets for IPCPR originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Louisxs Cigars and Moet Champagne: Winning World Cup Pairing

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What are you going to light up for the World Cup festivities tomorrow? I'll be on the road, unfortunately, but I know many of my friends will be gathering at our local cigar shop and digging into their usual favorites. If you want to do something a little different, follow the advice of Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club. He has a decadent pairing that will help turn the game into a memorable occasion, regardless of who comes out on top.

Start with the club's Louisxs cigar. At $50, it's truly an investment in happiness. You'll plunk down a fistful of dough, but at least you'll get a lot of time out of it, thanks to the cigar's slow burn. You'll taste the rare Rosoda leaves from start to finish and enjoy the "pure magic [that] is meant to linger all evening." What could you possibly pair with a cigar of this caliber? Only Moet, of course.

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Louisxs Cigars and Moet Champagne: Winning World Cup Pairing originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Louis XIII Holds Court at New York Strip Club

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A white hummer pulled up in front of the club, and armed guards were on hand to meet it and escort the passengers. A welcoming committee, of sorts, waited on the red carpet, flanked by me and people like me. The passengers, of course, were a pair of Louis XIII Rare Cask de Remy Martin cognac bottles, and their destination club was the Rick's Cabaret gentleman's club in Manhattan.

Rick's may seem like a strange venue for such a rare spirit. According to Louis XIII senior brand ambassador Remi Brabant, only 786 bottles of the Louis XIII Rare Cask were made, and most will go to private buyers. This is also the case with the 30 bottles allocated to the U.S. market: most will not be featured in clubs. Yet despite these constraints, three bottles were made available to Rick's Cabaret - with the third going to the company's Tootsie's club in Miami.

Frankly, I was a bit surprised that a gentlemen's club would get such a high allocation. Make no mistake: Rick's Cabaret is an upscale establishment, and it provides a luxury service that can get as pricey as you'd like. But, it's just not what you'd expect ... it's not what I'd expect, and I tend to be rather open-minded on these matters. I used to cover Rick's Cabaret and had the pleasure of interviewing the company's CEO, Eric Langan, on several occasions.



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Louis XIII Holds Court at New York Strip Club originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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