Perfect Ash Cigars

Perfect Ash Cigars has the feel of a corner bar for cigar folks, the kind of spot in Independence, Ohio where the regulars nod hello and a first-timer walks out feeling like they've been coming for years. One traveler who wandered in on a business trip said Angie, the owner, sized up his budget and preferred profile and pointed him to the right stick, then waved him out back to smoke with her and a couple of regulars. That's the vibe here. Angie (some folks call her Annie) knows her cigars cold, and the welcome is genuine.

The selection is what keeps people talking. Everything is kept humidified well, so the cigars smoke easy, and the lineup runs deep: Rocky Patel, Padron, Arturo Fuente, My Father Cigars, Don Pepin, Perdomo, Oliva, Drew Estates, Alec Bradley, Camacho, Punch, Monte Cristo, Brickhouse, Nub, Jaime Garcia, E.P. Carillo, Leaf by Oscar, Macanudo, and Caldwell, which one regular singled out as a favorite. Ask anyone who shops here and they'll tell you the prices are fair.

Cutters and lighters are on hand if you want to light up right there. The lounge is a big part of the draw. There are two indoor areas plus outdoor seating with a fire pit, ringed by trees and pebble underfoot, where people say you can catch turkeys and deer wandering by. A private secondary garage rounds it out, and yes, you can play the Ohio lottery while you enjoy your smoke.

It's tucked a bit off the beaten path, close to the area hotels, but folks say it's well worth the search. With well over four and a half stars across a good number of visits, Perfect Ash has earned a strong reputation as a laid-back, welcoming cigar shop. A rare visitor has felt rushed, but the overwhelming word around town is that the owners and regulars make everyone feel right at home.