Wine, Drink, Cigars etc…

#1
Found myself in Total Wines today in Westbury

They have been around for a bit so I’m a little behind the 8 ball, but .. wow.. For a wine drinker, or for that matter anyone who is looking for something different in the form of alcohol, the place
has aisles and aisle.. Tens of thousands of bottles. Orgasmic for the drinker

Mission was to find a few pairings for the backyard cigar

Smoke mostly Ashton, Drew Estate and a new add, Perdomo

Drink of choice, a smooth Brandy or enjoying Port lately..

Would welcome thoughts and favorites
 
#3
Found myself in Total Wines today in Westbury

They have been around for a bit so I’m a little behind the 8 ball, but .. wow.. For a wine drinker, or for that matter anyone who is looking for something different in the form of alcohol, the place
has aisles and aisle.. Tens of thousands of bottles. Orgasmic for the drinker

Mission was to find a few pairings for the backyard cigar

Smoke mostly Ashton, Drew Estate and a new add, Perdomo

Drink of choice, a smooth Brandy or enjoying Port lately..

Would welcome thoughts and favorites
I discovered Total Wine 3(?) years ago. I now stop in on my way back from Flushing, maybe once a month. It is the only place around that has Famous Grouse Scotch (my regular "everyday" scotch when I don't want something special (usually a single malt). I (and usually everyone else I see there) leave with $300-400 purchase.

Very large selection of Cognacs and high end brandies and Bourbons which I enjoy from time to time.

Prices are much lower than my local booze store (Bottles & Values in Old Bethpage ) and has gigantic selection of everything.

Staff is knowledgeable and helpful (used to have samples thru out the store but COVID ended that for now).

Also a beer store next door, New York Marketplace & Brewery District, must have a thousand different brands of beer and also a large walk in humidor. prices lower than everywhere else.

Both stores hard large selection of accessories.

They are knocking the crap out of local liquor stores/chains.
 
#4
I discovered Total Wine 3(?) years ago. I now stop in on my way back from Flushing, maybe once a month. It is the only place around that has Famous Grouse Scotch (my regular "everyday" scotch when I don't want something special (usually a single malt). I (and usually everyone else I see there) leave with $300-400 purchase.

Very large selection of Cognacs and high end brandies and Bourbons which I enjoy from time to time.

Prices are much lower than my local booze store (Bottles & Values in Old Bethpage ) and has gigantic selection of everything.

Staff is knowledgeable and helpful (used to have samples thru out the store but COVID ended that for now).

Also a beer store next door, New York Marketplace & Brewery District, must have a thousand different brands of beer and also a large walk in humidor. prices lower than everywhere else.

Both stores hard large selection of accessories.

They are knocking the crap out of local liquor stores/chains.
They were offering samples of various wines…

The humidor is well stocked, but I was a little surprised at some of their prices. My go to was $18.00 a stick- Plenty of on line distributors offering the same for 9-10.. A sign apologizing for increased prices which was due to NYS raising the tax on certain tobacco products.

Bottle Values is a great store too. A very nice selection -

i often wonder as well, how the small strip mall liquor stores stay in business
 
#5
They were offering samples of various wines…

The humidor is well stocked, but I was a little surprised at some of their prices. My go to was $18.00 a stick- Plenty of on line distributors offering the same for 9-10.. A sign apologizing for increased prices which was due to NYS raising the tax on certain tobacco products.

Bottle Values is a great store too. A very nice selection -

i often wonder as well, how the small strip mall liquor stores stay in business
They were offering samples of various wines…

The humidor is well stocked, but I was a little surprised at some of their prices. My go to was $18.00 a stick- Plenty of on line distributors offering the same for 9-10.. A sign apologizing for increased prices which was due to NYS raising the tax on certain tobacco products.

Bottle Values is a great store too. A very nice selection -

i often wonder as well, how the small strip mall liquor stores stay in business
Maybe the ones next to supermarket will survive as peolpe doing their food shopping may stop in.
That said, there is on next to Guintas Meat Market in Farmingdale that whenever I get fresh food (3x a week) I never recall seeing a customer in there.

Total Wine has maybe 4X size of B&V. That said I am on B&V email list and I only go when they send a big discount (25%) coupon. They too used to (preCovid) have a sampling station (as opposed to several at TW.
 
#6
I think one needs to look more into demographics on this matter.
Strip mall Liquor stores in poverty, crime ridden hoods will ALWAYS be in business. For very obvious reasons. Doesn’t matter if its here on LI or a broken down midwest town with 4 stores total left in it. You will find a dollar store, pawn shop, bodega, a sketchy gas station and a liquor store.

A lot of strip mall liquor stores seem to be owned these days by indian or chinese immigrants. Alot of them would be great places for money embezzlement.
Do not understate how many alcoholics are out there who drink everywhere. Their cars,
Offices, job sites, while practicing law, teaching your kids… performing medical procedures. Ive heard it all.
A place like total wines has eyes or a bigger/sleeker chain. The little one tucked in a small commack shopping plaza they can go in grab a little sized vodka, pour in their soda, throw the bottle in the parking lot and drive away.
Observe next time your in a seemingly ‘nice town’ and are in a strip mall liquor store of how many empty small size liquor bottles litter the lot.
 
#7
I enjoy my bourbon, whiskey, congnac, tequila, wine and beer only on days that end in y. If looking for best prices on any of the above try using winesearcher.com. Their pro version is well worth the cost if you spend a decent amount on booze. Love me a good cigar from time to time. Ashton virgin sungroves- Romeo series R big and bold.
We need a cigar/booze/ladies night
 
#9
Total wine cigar prices did go way up from when it first opened. I know NYS raised their cigar tax after lowering it. NYS is 75% for each stick. And that doesn't include the normal retail sales tax.
And if you like a bold cigar Punch Diablo is my favorite.
 
#10
Total wine cigar prices did go way up from when it first opened. I know NYS raised their cigar tax after lowering it. NYS is 75% for each stick. And that doesn't include the normal retail sales tax.
And if you like a bold cigar Punch Diablo is my favorite.
Define Bold.. Peppery?
Not a fan..
Found a new one yesterday
Perdomo.. 10 year Champagne
Smooth, nice draw, no hint of pepper.
Dominican wrap..
 
#11
Define Bold.. Peppery?
Not a fan..
Found a new one yesterday
Perdomo.. 10 year Champagne
Smooth, nice draw, no hint of pepper.
Dominican wrap..
Peppery to a degree. I only smoke Maduro and the stronger the better but that's personal preference. Perdomo makes a lot of good cigars as well. Padron is excellent but out of my price range. They're over 25-30 each and I'm just a clock puncher. If I were rich I'd probably smoke those regularly.
 
#12
I think one needs to look more into demographics on this matter.
Strip mall Liquor stores in poverty, crime ridden hoods will ALWAYS be in business. For very obvious reasons. Doesn’t matter if its here on LI or a broken down midwest town with 4 stores total left in it. You will find a dollar store, pawn shop, bodega, a sketchy gas station and a liquor store.

A lot of strip mall liquor stores seem to be owned these days by indian or chinese immigrants. Alot of them would be great places for money embezzlement.
Do not understate how many alcoholics are out there who drink everywhere. Their cars,
Offices, job sites, while practicing law, teaching your kids… performing medical procedures. Ive heard it all.
A place like total wines has eyes or a bigger/sleeker chain. The little one tucked in a small commack shopping plaza they can go in grab a little sized vodka, pour in their soda, throw the bottle in the parking lot and drive away.
Observe next time your in a seemingly ‘nice town’ and are in a strip mall liquor store of how many empty small size liquor bottles litter the lot.
Notice many more pocket bottles everywhere cars park after Covid.
 
#13
Peppery to a degree. I only smoke Maduro and the stronger the better but that's personal preference. Perdomo makes a lot of good cigars as well. Padron is excellent but out of my price range. They're over 25-30 each and I'm just a clock puncher. If I were rich I'd probably smoke those regularly.
Used to smoke cigars. Got tired of smell on everything. Taste afterwards and the shortness of breath was no joke. Don’t know if you inhale but the amount of smoke is incredible.
 
#14
Peppery to a degree. I only smoke Maduro and the stronger the better but that's personal preference. Perdomo makes a lot of good cigars as well. Padron is excellent but out of my price range. They're over 25-30 each and I'm just a clock puncher. If I were rich I'd probably smoke those regularly.
Used to smoke cigars. Got tired of smell on everything. Taste afterwards and the shortness of breath was no joke. Don’t know if you inhale but the amount of smoke is incredible.
 
#16
Remember watching the old guys making them in key west freaked me out by the amount of spit and saliva they used to roll them. Thanks
Just curious, what practice to you think is more of a sanitary problem: smoking a cigar with the spit and saliva used to make them being incinerated as you smoke it or doing DATY or DFK'ing?

MOD: this is not an STD question but of a sanitary one much like if you drop a piece of food on the sidewalk while walking do you throw it away or just brush off any visible debris and continue eating it.
 
#17
Peppery to a degree. I only smoke Maduro and the stronger the better but that's personal preference. Perdomo makes a lot of good cigars as well. Padron is excellent but out of my price range. They're over 25-30 each and I'm just a clock puncher. If I were rich I'd probably smoke those regularly.
Can’t say I’ve had Padron..I’ve read good reviews though

There is definitely some savings if you go on line to the bulk out of state sellers.

Reluctant to try an expensive ($20 plus stick)… I’ve often discarded after a few minutes if the taste is not to my liking.
 
#19
Used to smoke cigars. Got tired of smell on everything. Taste afterwards and the shortness of breath was no joke. Don’t know if you inhale but the amount of smoke is incredible.
Never inhaled a cigar. I was a big cigarette smoker (3 packs a day) 30 years ago. Cigars helped get off cigarettes. And yeah cigars can cause cancer but you gotta die from something.
 
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