Cigar Aficionado

Every dad that considers himself a cigar aficionado is attuned to the good life in some form or fashion. With Father’s Day coming up on June 20, it’s time to decide on an intriguing present.

These gifts, which range in price from $18 to $6,500, will all tell dad you appreciate him. And if you are a father, we’re sure you’ll find something in this guide you can treat yourself to—because you deserve it. From man-grooming products and gear for the audiophile, to sausage on a spool and game-improving golf equipment and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, this guide covers a variety of interests and hobbies. Should you decide to go all out and buy one of each item from the entire guide, it will run you upwards of $20,000. Have a look, and Happy Father’s Day to all the cigar-loving dads out there.

Truff Hot Sauces With Truffles ($69.99)

Unlike most so-called “truffle oils,” which don’t contain any truffle at all, Truff’s bracingly spicy but infinitely flavorful line of hot sauce is punched up by real white and black truffles, not the synthetic stuff you find in most products, which use 2,4-Dithiapentane as a sad excuse for truffle flavor. Truff uses the true tuber, adding a sense of epicurean elegance to one of America’s most beloved condiments. This variety pack contains three bottles: Original Truff, which is a blend of ripe chile peppers and black truffles; White Truff, which turns to the vaunted white truffle for its flavor, and Truff Hotter sauce, a high-octane formula of black truffle, jalapeño peppers and red habanero powder. truff.com

Sausage on a Spool (36.97 euro or about $45.25)

In the history of dry-cured sausage, there is probably no better dispensing system than Bavaria Shop’s salami cable drum. It’s almost 11.5 feet of German, dry-cured salami on a spool, similar to a garden hose reel but much tastier—and more festive. It’s a fun way to bring a little bit of Oktoberfest to Father’s Day. Just put it on a table, pull out the desired length, snip and eat. Easy enough, although nearly three yards of sausage might go faster than you’d think. bavariashop.de

Serial 1 RUSH/CTY E-Bike ($4,499)

Maybe a full-blown Harley-Davidson motorcycle is out of the question this year, but how about an electric bicycle powered by the legendary American motorcycle maker? Serial 1 has collaborated with Harley-Davidson to create the RUSH/CTY model, an electrically enhanced, motorized e-bike that can go up to 20 mph thanks to its Brose S MAG motor (66 ft-lb. torque), Gates carbon fiber belt drive and fully-enclosed Enviolo hub. Battery operated, the RUSH/CTY will last anywhere from 25 to 115 miles before it needs a charge, depending on mode and terrain. serial1.com

Gage for Men Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner ($18 to $34 each)

With quarantine lifting and the world opening up again, everyone is eager for a night on the town and they should look their best, even your dad. And nothing can ruin your look like dandruff. With this set of shampoo and conditioner, its ingredients are chosen to strengthen and hydrate your scalp, leaving it healthier than ever. It is available in either bottles of 8 or 25 ounces. gageformen.com

Andre Garcia Cigar Cases ($179 and up)

Now that the weather is warmer, dad will probably be traveling around a little more, and bringing his cigars with him. That will undoubtedly require a case that’s both functional and stylish. Andre Garcia has that covered. Drawing from an extensive inventory of high-quality leathers, finishes and textures, this case maker creates handsome holders with capacities as small as three cigars or as large as 16. Here, the St. James models are rendered in a classic-looking Vintage Brown leather (right), and in Woven Brown leather (left, center). Both come capped with a polished piece of ox horn, adding that extra bit of character. andregarciacases.com

El Casco Pencil Sharpener ($325)

those hand-cranked pencil sharpeners that you once used in school? If you don’t, we’re pretty sure that dad does, but the sharpeners from his school days weren’t nearly this cool. Made in Spain by former gun manufacturer El Casco, this steel sharpener will not only keep pencils at a perfect point, but bring an unexpected touch of whimsy to the home office. The suction pad base ensures that the unit stays firmly put while showing off its charming accents like the wood crank handle, black lacquered body and components plated in nickel and chrome. kirbyallison.com

Game Improvement Irons From Wilson ($650 for steel, $750 for graphite)

Sure you want to hit it like Phil, Brooks or DJ, but if you’re like most golfers your swing has more flaws than a cigar rolled by an amateur. Instead of playing what the pros play, consider game improvement irons that are designed to minimize flaws. The new Wilson Staff D9 Irons (4 iron to sand wedge) features a low center of gravity and a beefy sweet spot engineered to turn mishits into manageable shots, thanks to a series of “power holes” in the sole, slots that are filled with urethane to add to the flexibility of the face. These clubs are made to get in the air better, spin less and stop easier, all major problems for high-handicap golfers who don’t have the skills to win a major. wilson.com

Gin & Tonic Glasses (Set of 4, $49.99)

When Riedel, the renowned maker of vessels for every specific wine varietal, makes a Gin & Tonic glass, you know the drink has arrived. Not that it ever really disappeared. It has just been reimagined in a voluminous balloon glass that has room for much more imagination than the usual Collins glass. Riedel’s elegant design promotes the aeration of the spirit as it melds with the tonic and whatever creative garnishes you choose. riedel.com

Lobel’s Steaks Shipment (price varies)

When you buy aged beef from Lobel’s you are not only getting the four to six weeks of dry-curing it takes to let the meat tenderize in its own juices, but you’re getting 175 years of experience. The family, now in its sixth generation, started out raising cattle in Austria, before it became a Manhattan institution. Until this century, you had to visit the Madison Avenue location to take advantage of its selection of top steak cuts, Wagyu, veal, Berkshire pork, lamb, poultry and sausages. Now, you can get them online. lobels.com

Big Green Egg (starting at $399)

Half the appeal of the manly art of outdoor grilling is cooking with fire—not electricity. But that can get tedious when you end up stoking fuel and minding temperatures all day to keep it going low and slow. The Big Green Egg with its inspired air-flow design gives you that burning sensation without much fuss. Vents at the top and the bottom let you dial in the preferred temp on the thermometer. The ceramic construction seals in the heat. And lighting the charcoal is a breeze. biggreenegg.com

McIntosh MTI100 Integrated Turntable ($6,500)

When it comes to buying a high-end turntable, you often need a few more pricey components to it, otherwise the purchase is pretty pointless. But McIntosh has taken all its audio acumen and done something uncommon in the audiophile world: considered convenience as well as high fidelity. The result is the MTI100, an all-in-one turntable package that includes a vacuum tube pre-amplifier, Class D power amp (80 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms or 50 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms), Bluetooth receiver and headphone amp. All one needs to do is add speakers (or plug in headphones) and this belt-driven turntable is ready to fill your ears with the kind of detailed, faithful audio output that vinyl buffs have come to expect from McIntosh Labs. mcintosh.com

Patriotic Sunglasses From Revo ($199)

Revo has been making stylish and high-end sunglasses since 1985, when Dr. Mitch Ruda was working on a satellite project for NASA, and wondered if the high-tech coatings employed in space could help shield human eyes from the sun’s rays. Today Revo’s polarized lenses are industry leaders, and the new Volition America/Revo sunglasses combine great style with a charitable cause, as a portion of all proceeds from this collection go to Folds of Honor, a non-profit that has provided 29,000 scholarships to spouses and children of deceased and disabled American service . revo.com

Made-to-Scale Formula 1 Models ($795)

Built to scale, the Amalgam Collection car models make perfect gifts for car lovers. Take the Ferrari SF1000 2020 Tuscany Grand Prix for example. The Formula 1 vehicle is shrunken to shelf-compatible 1:18 scale model using just 500 quality pieces thanks to a small team of craftsmen who hand-build each automobile with the original CAD designs. If dad can’t get himself into an actual land rocket, one of these cunning models will have to do. amalgramcollection.com

Wooden Chess Set (price varies)

Dating back almost 1,500 years, the game of chess has been a classic choice for fathers and sons to bond and spend time together. With hit shows like “The Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix, chess has never been more popular in recent years with sales increasing over 600 percent. Today, there are all different sorts of chess sets to choose from with different materials, themes where the pieces can resemble characters from movies or figures from history and extra features such as magnets in the pieces and boards. Why not test you and your father’s mettle with this classic game of strategy?

High-End Headphones ($2,990)

For the audiophiles and hi-fi enthusiasts, there is the Stellia by Focal. The stylish, high-class headphones can bring you to another dimension with every sound detail using a frameless 100% copper voice coil and ‘M’-shaped Beryllium dome. Bass articulation and high frequency details allow listeners to get the ultimate experience for music, movies or sounds. We really loved the smooth, full-grain leather that comes in cognac and mocha, fine finishes that give a sophisticated appearance. Pair them up with an all-in-one Uniti Atom audio system for even higher resolution or bring them on the go. focal.com

A Solar-Powered Power Station (699.99)

With remote working becoming part of a new norm for some, the Anker PowerHouse II 800 is a terrific tool. The solar-powered energy station allows you to charge your phone, laptop, tablet or speaker anywhere you go with multiple AC outlets, USB ports and a DC port. And it works incredibly well. For instance, you can get a MacBook Air to a 50% charge in just 40 minutes. It’s an ideal companion for taking your work on the road or in the backyard, or if you’re going camping (it even has a high-powered light on the side for nightly hangouts). The 777 watt-hours also make this powerful charging station useful in the house for any power outages or other emergencies. anker.com

Japanese Barware (prices vary)

The cocktail may be an American invention, but Japan can be credited with reviving—and in some cases improving on—the classic bar tools that accompanied the 19th century Golden Age of cocktails in the United States. Add a mixing glass to the shaker found in most bar sets and you’re on your way to making proper Manhattans and Martinis. Stir them with a trident bar spoon. These and other gadgets for mixing up cultured concoctions can be had through Umami and Cocktail Kingdom. cocktailkingdom.com, umamimart.com

The Portable Boombox That Floats ($94.99)

If you’re lounging in the yard, hitting the beach or camping in the great outdoors, the Soundcore Motion Boom is a durable party piece to get you jamming out. The conveniently sized speaker has a handle for carrying, two bass speakers on either side and titanium drivers that reproduce frequencies up to 40kHz. Plus, it has an IPX7 waterproof rating that’s taken to the next level with its ability to actually float—if anyone knocks it into the pool or hits it off the boat. Last but not least, the sound box plays for 24 full hours on one charge, so you can keep the party going from day ‘till night. soundcore.com

Play Pebble and Learn From A Champion ($2,800)

For golf nuts, it’s hard to beat a trip to Pebble Beach Golf Links, the storied 18 holes on the Monterey Penninsula that has hosted a record six U.S. Opens. The course is notoriously difficult to play. Matercard has created a package--for card only--that includes one round at Pebble, two nights at The Inn at Spanish Bay, dinner and a golf lesson with Mark O’Meara, who won the Masters and British Open in 1998, and came close in that year’s PGA (fourth place) and U.S. Open (third). The Mastercard Champions Series proceeds will the mission of the Priceless Planet Coalition. priceless.com

A Book To Class Up A Coffee Table ($50)

Consider the simple elegance and style of a Ferrari 458 parked in front of La Venaria Reale, in Turin. Or a 1960 Dodge Polara (with tail fins that would make it quite at home in Havana) in a Canyon View Estate home in California. Carchitecture, Houses With Horsepower, by Thijs Demeulemeester (Lanoo publishing, 2020) is an ideal gift for any car enthusiast. amazon.com

Big Smoke Tickets

It’s been over a year since the U.S. went on lockdown, but with vaccines spreading around, some things are going back to normal. Cigar Aficionado is giving cigar fans two events to look forward to in 2021 with the formal announcement of the return of Big Smoke events. First, the inaugural Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest will take place on October 30 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. The event hosted by Cigar Aficionado and sister publication Whisky Advocate will feature an abundance of cigars, whiskies and seminars to learn about both. On November 5 to 6, connoisseurs are invited to us at The Mirage in Las Vegas for a weekend full of cigars, seminars and plenty of fun. thebigsmokes.com

A Fine Cigar (or two)

We firmly believe that no Father’s Day is complete without a fine cigar or two, and every cigar smoking dad is likely to smile when given a great cigar as a gift. The cigar world is filled with fine options. Consider the Trilogy Sampler ($36) from EPC Cigar Co., an artfully presented three-pack containing two No. 1 cigars and one No. 2 cigar, as rated by Cigar Aficionado. If dad likes his cigars strong, consider one of two samplers from La Flor Dominicana, one with tubed cigars, which are ideal for travel, the other lanceros, for the skinny cigar smoker. Looking for a bargain? Consider our list of Best Buys, highly rated cigars that have a suggested retail price of $6 or less.