SMOKE SIGNALS: BOURBON STEAK AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WASHINGTON, DC NOW HAS A CERTIFIED TOBACONNIST DIRECTING GUESTS TO THE PERFECT PUFF

(Source: Four Seasons Hotels)

BOURBON STEAK at Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC is favoured for fine dining, its stellar cellar and craft-centric cocktail offerings. But there is a new dimension to the entire captivating experience: cigars. Taking smoking service to a whole new level, BOURBON STEAK now boasts its own Certified Tobacconist – making it the first restaurant to have an on-staff tobacco specialist within the nation's capital.

Mason Foster, a longtime server at BOURBON STEAK, is the restaurant's new Cigar Sommelier. He achieved this by passing the certification exam administered by Tobacconist University of Princeton, New Jersey, an independent research and educational organisation of the luxury tobacco industry. Foster has always taken pride in his ability to provide guests with the smoke they're looking for; now he has the papers that make his expertise official.

Since its opening in 2008, BOURBON STEAK has offered a fine selection of hand-rolled cigars from the ample custom humidor built in to the elegant cabinetry of its lounge. The cigar menu is found within the cocktail menu, as those two pleasures naturally go hand-in-hand; it also makes good geographical sense, as the bar and lounge open up onto the handsome Four Seasons courtyard, where guests are welcome to enjoy a cigar in open-air comfort.

Here, Foster shares three of his favourites on the current menu:

Avo Classic No.9 - The smooth silk of Strangers in the Night meets the luxury of Davidoff in this creamy robusto. The Avo Classic No. 9 was composed hand in hand between Avo Uvezian and Hendrik Kelner, the Master Blender for Davidoff. At first glance, the Connecticut shade wrapper appears delicate and seamless. When in hand, the robusto feels firm, yet has a slight give and spring, as any good adventure companion should. Once lit, smooth, creamy smoke is the primary focus, propelled forward by the Dominican binder and filler. Light nut flavours develop into a dominant pistachio profile paired with mild tobacco as the cigar progresses. To the finish, smooth, soft, and silky. Forty minutes is all that is required for this smoke.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story - Dedicated to The Old Man and the Sea himself, the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Series Short Story satisfies in a similar fashion: short, sweet, and to the point. An incredibly well constructed cigar, free of imperfections and visual seams. The golden Cameroon wrapper surrounding Dominican binder and filler seems bigger in body than it actually smokes, setting up with light black pepper and subtle sweetness through the first third of the cigar. While the sweetness develops into an undertone, the pepper builds in the second third. In the last segment, wood flavours, pine and cedar are introduced as the pepper slowly subsides. A short, thirty-minute rollercoaster from start to finish.

My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo - Jaime Pepin pays homage to his father, Don “Pepin” Garcia, with this Habano oscuro wrapped Nicaraguan chocolate speedboat. The smoke starts with bright spice, charred black pepper, all at full power. As the tobacco moistens at the head, sweet chocolate covered raisins pull through as the spice mellows out. As the cigar concludes, used leather, salted caramel, and white pepper are left on the palate. One hour and twenty minutes for this full bodied experience.