Smoke to infinity and beyond! Gigantic Cigar Sold for $185K

Do you and your groomsmen like cigars? I mean, really, really like cigars? If so, you may have just missed out on aquiring the granddaddy of all smokes – the Gran Habano #5 “El Gigante cigar.” It’s hard to believe that this 19-foot bad boy with a 3-foot circumference is really rolled fermented tobacco because it looks strikingly similar to a timbered tree trunk being hauled out of the woods.

So how did this record-breaking cigar get discovered? Juan Panesso, owner of CigarsDirect.com, based in Westchase, FL was approached by a private collector wanting to find a showpiece for his cigar collection. Panesso had heard stories of a super-sized stogie created to be a crowd-drawer at trade shows, but wasn’t sure if all the chatter was legit. At first, everyone he talked to thought he was crazy or the deal was fraudulent.

As he made phone inquiries and worked his network about the existence of this rumored cigar of mythical proportions, he found out it was the real deal and put the wheels into motion to broker the deal. In the end, the cigar sold for a bit under its estimated selling price of $200k, bringing in $185K from an undisclosed international buyer. Pasanno says the buyer preferred to remain anonymous but that it’s a name most people would recognize.

The cigar weighs 1,600 pounds, is packed with enough tobacco to fill 25,000 regular cigars, and is expected to cost $15,000 to ship overseas. Included in the price tag was a custom-designed wooden case for storage and travel.

Now, you may not be able to splurge on such an extravagance for the cigar afficianados in your wedding party. But don’t let your plans for awesome groomsmen gifts go up in smoke. Groomstand.com has a wide selection of cigar accessories that will impress even the most discerning gentlemen in your group. Here are some ideas for cigar gifts for groomsemn that will make a great impression:

Cigar Humidors: A specially-purposed box to hold his cigars makes a fantastic choice in groomsmen gifts. Humidors help protect precious smokes by keeping them in the ideal humidity levels. Most serious humidors have hygrometers that allow the user to adjust humidity levels. This helps keep the tobacco fresh regardless of the outside conditions in the environment. Also, the cedar linings offer another level of protection and deliver a delicious scent of cedar mingling with tobacco every time the lid is lifted.

Cigar Accessories: Cutters and cases and lighters, oh my! Any guy who enjoys a smoke now and then (or all the time) will appreciate a quality piece of cigar gear to make the experience even better. Groomstand.com has a robust selection of practical yet quite luxurious cigar stuff from endless-flame lighters, hard-shell cigar cases meant to be stowed in a jacket pocket, and cigar cutters to effortlessly snip the end off a stogie. And, if your friends like to combine poker-night with cigars, we even have a poker set in a personalized poker design case – perfect groomsmen gifts to give at the game-night bachelor party.

Cigar-inspired Décor: Help your groomsmen claim a little spot of cigar smoking in their own home with a customized cigar sign. These personalized pub signs can be hung in a home office, library or game room to create a relaxed, lounge-like ambiance for your friends. Given as groomsmen gifts to friends and family on your wedding day, your thoughtfulness will be remembered for years to come.