My Favorite Cigar
Joe Bonamassa • Blues Rock Guitarist • Vegas Robaina Unico
At 48, Joe Bonamassa has been playing blues rock guitar professionally for a full three-quarters of his life, starting by opening for B.B. King at just 12 years old. Since then, he’s released many albums and was voted Guitar World’s Best Blues Guitarist of 2019.
Despite the hustle and bustle of touring, cigars remain a part of his daily ritual, an average of four a day. “To me, it’s all about zoning out and taking a break from the world.” Before a show, Bonamassa smokes half a cigar and finishes after the show. When performing outdoors, he keeps a cigar and ashtray on his amplifier.
Bonamassa’s all-time favorite is the Vegas Robaina Unico but his daily smoke is the Romeo y Julieta No. 2.
While known for collecting vintage guitars, Bonamassa doesn’t do the same with vintage cigars. “The more cigars I have around the house, the more I smoke. An aged Cuban for me is months old,” he says. That doesn’t mean his humidor isn’t well-stocked. “I get nervous when I get down to my last 300.”
His album B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100, a tribute to celebrate King’s 100th birthday, hits stores in January.
