Air purifiers were on overdrive last Wednesday night at
Island Girl Cigar Bar in Ponte Vedra. The air was thick with tobacco smoke as
cigar aficionados were treated to a special meet and greet with cigar master
Rocky Patel. Island Girl Cigar Bar is one of the few public places in
Jacksonville where cigar smokers can gather, enjoy a drink, have a smoke and
relax in a cozy, lounge atmosphere. Tucked away in an office park off
A1A near the Sawgrass Marriott, Island Girl boasts a comprehensive full bar,
comfortable varied seating, and the best selection of cigars in Northeast
Florida.
Our party settled in at one of the tables near the private humidors
and was promptly served one of the evening specials – Fat Tire Belgium Ale in
a beer bomber. Finally having rolled into Florida, this medium bodied beer accompanied
by a special commemorative pint glass was the perfect way to start the evening. Adding to the event was a complimentary tasting of Jameson
and Powers Irish Whiskeys whose robust flavors make them quite apropos with
a premium cigar.
The event began at 5:00 p.m. and within the
hour Island Girl was brimming with an assortment of characters, mostly male,
talking to Mr. Patel, partaking of his cigars and posing for pictures with him.
A well-positioned table outside of the walk-in humidor showcased Mr. Patel’s
premium cigars. Boxes of Decade, Private Cellar, 15th Anniversary,
Vintage Connecticut, Vintage 1990, Vintage 1992 and his seasonal blend Winter
Collection 2012 (to name a few) all available for purchase, to enjoy that evening
or take home for later pleasure. I chose
a Private Cellar to experience the amazing sweet spice, dark chocolate,
espresso bean and hint of earthiness promised by the on-hand tobacconist.
After mingling with guests, Mr. Patel took to the mike to
talk about his cigars and the painstaking process of production. As a boutique
cigar manufacturer, his brand has reached popularity not only through name
recognition and reputation, an absolute must in this industry, but mainly
because of the quality and integrity of each cigar he produces. Mr. Patel
educated the crowd on his process of growing, fermentation, aging, rolling and punching
of his cigars and further explained the uniqueness of his method in that each stick is touched
by 300 hands and put to an extensive four draw test ensuring a most thoroughly
inspected and highest caliber product for the discerning pallet. He finished
his talk by thanking Island Girl owners, Rick and Joyce, for having him and
inviting all to a trip of a lifetime: his cigar factory in Honduras, “you take
care of the airfare and we take care of everything else.”
The event capped off with fantastic raffle prizes and Mr.
Patel mingled and visited with guests long after it was officially over. Cigar
aficionados were not disappointed and Island Girl Cigar Bar put out all the
stops for an enjoyable, educational and truly exciting event.
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