Aficionado Cigar Where To Smoke The Preserve Club, Richmond, Rhode Island.
The Preserve Club, Richmond, Rhode Island. Cigar Aficionado: Good Life Guide
In the fast evolving private-club model of the American vacation industry–the one that’s veering from single focus to a you-can-have-it-all esthetic–few measure up to the 3,500-acre Preserve, half an hour from Providence, less than 90 minutes from Boston and under three hours from New York City.
There you can play the award-winning 18-hole par-3 golf course, fly-fish in stocked ponds, explore endless mountain biking and hiking trails, play tennis, horseback ride, zip-line, canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard, practice archery and shoot firearms. But unique among the offerings is the club’s most inactive activity: the “Safari Tent Scotch & Cigar Tasting Experience.”
Located just below the main Hilltop Lodge is a large wooden platform with two luxury African bush camp-style safari tents, one cigar themed, the other Scottish and full of clan tartans. The platform also has outdoor furniture and firepits and is usually bookable for just a single private group two-hour experience for up to 16 people, including both tents. The Preserve has partnered with the Islay Scotch distillery Laphroaig and Dominican cigar brand Cohiba for a cigar and single-malt menu, which includes five whiskies (10-year, 25-year, Select, Lore and Quarter Cask) and four stogies (Connecticut Toro, Red Dot Toro, Black Gigante and Royale Toro). Food options skew towards heavy appetizers, with charcuterie boards of cheese, meats and accompaniments.
The private experience can be booked almost any time (minimum spend $995), but for overnight resort guests, on Thursdays and Sundays, the tents operate like a cigar lounge, open to anyone who wants to drop in, with a la carte ordering and no minimum, so you can just enjoy a single cigar, with or without whiskey, and snacks after a day of outdoor fun.
The Preserve’s wide range of residential ownership opportunities run from condos to luxury homes that run from $549,000 to $6 million to buy. While its overnight accommodations (starting at $500) welcome anyone seeking a quick escape vacation, be forewarned, it may be hard to leave without some newly acquired real estate.
SOURCE: Cigar Aficionado – By Larry Olmsted | From Joe Rogan, September/October 2021
About Safari Tent Scotch & Cigar Tasting Experience
Nestled in the scenic Preserve landscape is the Safari Tent Scotch and Cigar Tasting Experience, our latest imaginative pop-up.
The first luxury pop-up destination of its kind in North America, this two hour, private scotch and cigar tasting experience allows guests to gather and relax in two finely-appointed luxury tents, each with comfortable seating, rich wood floors, oriental rugs, wood plank ceilings and other rustic touches.
Guests will enjoy a curated assortment of Laphroaig scotches, ranging from Laphroaig 10 Year to Laphroaig 25 Year and a selection of Cohiba cigars, among the finest handcrafted cigars available today, including the highly-rated Cohiba Royale and the Cohiba Black Gigante.
Accompanying the scotch and cigars is a delicious assortment culinary delights, including charcuterie, chocolate and roasted nuts and an inviting outdoor seating area features Adirondack chairs and fire pit area for added ambiance.
Hours & Pricing
Bookable for two hours for up to 16 people:
Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays: 1:00 p.m, 4:00 p.m, 7:00 p.m.
Thursdays and Sundays: 1:00 p.m.
Pricing:
There is a $995.00* food, beverage and cigar minimum, to be consumed on premises only, charged at the time of booking.
*Plus 22% service charge and 8% tax.
The Safari Tent Experience is available to The Preserve Members, overnight guests and the public. You may cancel your booking for a full refund up to 72 hours prior to your reservation.
More information: click here