Countywide : Cigar Lovers Puff to Hearts’ Content

About 75 cigar aficionados in tuxedos celebrated their political incorrectness this week at the 7th Annual Gentlemen’s Smoker at the Ritz-Carlton hotel.

Women in black evening gowns circulated among the guests carrying silver trays heaped with hand-rolled cigars. The seven-course dinner, at which some participants puffed as they dined, featured petite torte of squab, mushroom and oxtail consomme, venison chop, braised vegetables with huckleberry sauce and citrus peppered goat cheese.

Dessert was a crunchy chocolate cigar with lemon cream.

After the meal came snifters of 25-year-old Scotch whisky served at a cigar buffet featuring stogies from around the world.

For the guests, who paid $350 each for the event Thursday, the evening was an opportunity to sample some of the best in drink, dining and cigars--and thumb their noses at a society that is becoming virulently anti-smoking.

“Everybody hates cigars,” said Alan Copeland of Santa Ana. “I love them. This is my chance to smoke without thought of offending. It’s OK here.”

The persona of the gentleman smoker, refined yet rebellious, is consistent with the image of the Ritz-Carlton, which also offers British-style high tea and annual food and wine festivals.

“The cigar smoker is making a statement: ‘I enjoy a good cigar,’ ” said General Manager John Dravinski. “And it’s a statement he has to defend constantly.”

Dravinski said about 3,000 cigars were distributed during the evening.

Richard Hacker, an author who has written on the art of cigar smoking, said of the event, “This is the mother of all smokers. . . . The mix of surroundings, camaraderie, foods, spirit and smoke--this is what cigar smoking is all about.”