Much like whiskey wanderers, cigar cruisers never have to be alone. There’s a certain camaraderie among cigar aficionados that makes every city feel like home. So whenever I travel I like to check out the local cigar scene in order to get a feel for the differences in offerings between cigar shops as well as to find that one special spot where I want to hang out.

Michael, Rosemary, and I (and half of Kentucky if you’re keeping track) recently went to New Orleans for the first annual New Orleans Bourbon Festival. We were constantly on the lookout for cigar shops, taking recommendations both from locals and from people we already know who have been there before. One thing is for sure- there’s a booming cigar scene in New Orleans. This is the order in which we visited:

1. Smoke On The Water – 510 Conti St – French Quarter…