Cigar Aficionado

Cigar Aficionado’s first Big Smoke of the year is only two months away, and it’s being held at a new venue. The Florida Big Smoke will take place on Saturday, March 23 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. 

Unlike the Big Smoke Miami, you won’t have to go out to a patio to smoke. The entire venue for the new Big Smoke Florida is cigar friendly. 

A host of premium, handmade cigar brands have confirmed for the event, including Aging Room, Alec Bradley, Archetype by Ventura, Arturo Fuente, Balmoral Añejo XO, CAO, El Centurion from My Father Cigars, E.P. Carrillo, Diamond Crown, H. Upmann, Hamlet Parades, Joya de Nicaragua, Illusione Fume d’Amour, La Aroma de Cuba, La Flor Dominicana, Micallef, Montecristo, Nat Cicco, Nub, Oliva, Padrón, Plasencia, PDR, Rocky Patel, Tatuaje, The Wise Man, Timeless Prestige, Undercrown and Vegas Cubanas from My Father Cigars. 

More cigar brands are expected to be named later.

The Big Smoke combines cigars, top-shelf drinks (which will be named later) and a light buffet. Cigar smoking is welcome throughout the event, and many of the cigars are handed out by the people who make them. Cigarmakers expected to be in attendance at the Big Smoke Florida include Carlos Fuente Jr., Liana Fuente, Jorge and Orlando Padrón, Litto Gomez, Rocky and Nish Patel, Ernesto and Lissette Perez-Carrillo, Eric Newman, Pete Johnson, Rick Rodriguez, Javier Estades, Rafael Nodal, Juan Martinez, Nick Melillo, Abe Flores, Alan Rubin, Pepin, Janny and Jaime Garcia and Nestor Andrés Plasencia.

The Hard Rock is located in Hollywood, Florida, roughly 20 minutes away from the Fort Lauderdale Airport and a half hour from Miami International. The resort offers gambling with slot machines, table games and poker, fine and casual dining, a four-and-a-half acre lagoon-style pool, spa and more. Temperatures for that time of year average a low of 64 degrees and a high of 79.

To buy tickets, or for more information about the Big Smoke, visit www.bigsmokeflorida.com