George Burns once said, “What is happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, and a good woman – or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle.” And he lived to be a hundred.
Loudoun’s own Alec Rubiera knows a thing or two about a good cigar. Despite his cherub-like appearance, Alec has been working in the cigar industry for years, beginning with a part time job in a shop with a college friend and including serving as a brand rep for Ashton Cigars. A few years ago, he opened Route 7 Cigars in Leesburg and has since expanded to a second location in Sterling.
Visiting Route 7 is less like entering a storefront retail establishment and more like stepping into a high-end club. In addition to the expected humidor and displays, there is a tastefully decorated cigar lounge that is open to the public. There is also a private club lounge in the back where members can reserve their own temperature- and humidity-controlled lockers and enjoy selections from their private collection on plush leather couches where they may take in a ballgame on the big screen TV. Some of his clients enjoy the lounge so much, Alec says, that they use it like a second office!
Route 7 stocks more than 5,000 different cigars to cater to every possible taste, and every possible situation. Whether you’re trying a cigar for the first time, enjoying one after a big steak dinner, or sitting on the deck sipping champagne (as one does), there is a perfect cigar for that specific situation. According to Alec, “The right cigar should enhance the experience.”
So, for grins and giggles, I decided to quiz him. “Ok, let’s say I just got home from a long day at the office and I pour myself a glass of bourbon,” I asked. Alec responded, “Is this a mild bourbon like a Woodford Reserve, something spicey and rich like Basil Hayden or something with a smoother, caramel flavor like George Remus?” He’s deadly serious. What he means by the query is that a particular cigar would be most appropriate for each style of bourbon.
Even his associates agree. You won’t find any clueless, indifferent part-timers manning the register at Route 7. It is important to Alec that customers have a great experience every time. And, while many customers have one or two go-to favorites, many others are more experimental. Whichever category fits your tastes, there will be a knowledgeable associate with the expertise necessary to help you make an informed selection.
For the record, I told him that the bourbon in my hypothetical was Larceny and his answer was “Go with a Davidoff Grand Cru.” Later that day, I confirmed that his advice was spot on.
Route 7 Cigars can be found in Leesburg in Suite F, 521 East Market Street, (in Community Plaza), phone: 703.777.5233, and in Sterling in Suite 103, 46950 Community Plaza; phone: 703-826-8991.