Chill Life

To introduce the afternoon, I reached for one of my go-to cigars — the beautiful AVO Synchro. The day was gorgeous, the breeze perfect, and the temperature at that just-right sweet spot. Lighting up an AVO Synchro felt like the perfect way to complement this perfect weather.

I cut the cigar, put the flame to it, and took a welcomed puff. To my surprise, I got the door slammed in my face with a tight draw. As you’d expect, I took another puff — still tough. In all the times I’ve had this cigar, it had never let me down. For the next fifteen minutes I wrestled with it, hoping it would open up and welcome me as it always had before. I sat in despair, poked it, rolled it between my fingers, and with the added assistance — to my disappointment, it never opened up.

I looked around at this beautiful day and thought, How am I going to let a bad cigar ruin it? Instead of heading inside and cutting my afternoon short, I opened my humidor and grabbed a flagship cigar — the wonderful and gorgeous Liga Privada No. 9.

This time the cigar delivered exactly what I needed: perfect draw, rich flavor, and a flawless burn. It reminded me why it’s a staple in my collection and why it has never left me unsatisfied.

While puffing on this cigar and enjoying every moment of it, I came to a realization: in life, no matter your situation or background, you will face small and large road bumps every day. You can settle for less and cut the afternoon short — or, like I did, you can grab a new friggin cigar.