Interview with
“Cigar Czar” Richard
Carleton Hacker
Luxe
Exclu Beat
sive
By Kimberly Fisher
His book, The Ultimate Cigar Book
4th Edition, was first published in
1993, recently republished and sold
worldwide. The book is touted as
the most comprehensive, factual
and up-to-date book for the cigar
smoker, but it’s also perfect for
those who just want to learn more
about the fascinating and popular
world of cigar smoking. We sat down
with Richard and chatted about the
life of a cigar aficionado.
Kimberly Fisher: How did you get into
cigars? When was the first time?
Richard Carleton Hacker: I started
smoking cigars during my senior year
in college. I had smoked a pipe (I have
never smoked cigarettes), but found
cigars a whole new experience. They
felt comfortable in the hand and
they looked good. Plus, like pipe
tobacco, they were made of pure
tobacco and nothing else — no
additives. And they were easy to
clip and light. I started off with
inexpensive stogies, but once I lit up
a hand-rolled premium cigar, I never
looked back. That’s when I formed
my philosophy that I would rather
smoke one good cigar a month than
seven mediocre cigars a week.
KF: For someone just starting off
in cigars, what do you recommend?
RCH: Start with a mild cigar, like a
Macanudo or a Davidoff Anniversario.
Experiment with different brands
and different sizes. Don’t buy a
whole box. Instead, buy single cigars
of individual brands and experiment.
It’s like going to a wine bar and
sampling different varietals. Ask a
tobacconist for his recommendations
as well. As for sizes, one of the most
popular is the robusto, which
provides plenty of flavor and will last
40
about 30 to 45 minutes. And
remember, with cigars, you don’t
inhale – you get all the flavor from
the smoke, which you then exhale.
KF: You have traveled the world
exploring the making and history
of cigars. Where have you been
and what are some of your
favorite places?
RCH: I’ve been to every major
cigar-making country, including
Cuba, the Dominican Republic,
Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and
the U.S, of course — although we
don’t make nearly a fraction of the
cigars we did during the late 19th
and early 20th centuries because of
labor costs.
I find it interesting that today the
most elegant premium cigars are
made in third word countries, where
labor is cheap. Of all the places I’ve
visited, among my favorites is Cuba,
because of its great cigar-making
tradition and — politics aside — its
people (who are as curious about us
as we are about them), and the
Dominican Republic, as they supply
most of the world’s non-Cuban
cigars. Plus, I am a big fan of
Dominican food and rum.
KF: What do you think spawned the
cigar craze in America?
RCH: It was caused by individuals
who literally had money to burn —
that is, they had no qualms about
lighting up a ten-dollar cigar — and
were looking for a new lifestyle
experience that was complementary
to other aspects in their lives, such
as fine dining (cigars are a great
digestif after a meal) as well as
whiskies and cognacs, which pair
well with cigars. In addition, cigar
smoking is a very social endeavor.
They invite conversation, especially
with fellow cigar smokers. It’s a very
social thing that breaks down all
sociological, ethnic and even
political barriers. Plus, cigars have
always retained an aura of success.
And, they are relaxing to smoke,
an important aspect in today’s
hectic world.
KF: What is your favorite cigar?
RCH: Whichever one I happen to
be smoking.
KF: In your book you list several
types of cigar pairings. What is
your typical pairing?
RCH: It depends on my mood, but
invariably it involves a stronger
spirit rather than a lighter one.
A single malt whiskey, such as a
Macallan 18 Year Old and a Padron
Family Reserve or a Fuente OpusX
is nothing short of perfection.
I also like pairing certain complex
bourbons, like Blanton’s, with
Honduran cigars, and LBV ports
with medium-strength cigars like
the Dominican Cohiba or the Cuban
H. Upmann.
To learn more about cigars or
Richard, please see:
richardcarletonhacker.com
CIGAR IMAGE COURTESY OF FREEIMAGES.COM,
ALL OTHER PHOTOS KIMBERLY FISHER
I
f there is one person who knows
a lot about cigars and cigarettes,
it’s Richard Carleton Hacker.
Known as one of the world’s
foremost authorities on the
subjects of cigars and cigar smoking,
he was given the nickname “the cigar
czar” by several media outlets. He
has written more than five hundred
articles on the topic for publications
such as The Robb Report, RobbVices,
Collection Magazine, The Tasting
Panel, Somm Journal and cigarworld.
com. In 1994, he was knighted by the
Internationales Tabakskoliegium in
Germany for his numerous writings
on the subject of tobacco.