Red Auerbach rose to prominence as a National Basketball Association’s head coach and executive in the sport of professional basketball. He served as the team’s head coach for the Boston Celtics, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and Washington Capitols.
According to his bio, Auerbach broke NBA records with 938 victories and nine titles as a coach. Following his retirement in 1966, he managed the Celtics as president and executive in the front office, a position he held until his passing in 1976.
His “victory cigar,” primarily a Hoyo de Monterrey, was his coaching signature. He would light one up when he anticipated that the team would win the game or just before the final buzzer. To the dismay of the opposition, this habit became one of his distinguishing characteristics that viewers and broadcasters would pick up on.
These actions were also regarded to as one of Red’s rituals by the Boston fans. According to New World Encyclopedia, even Auerbach’s own athletes have occasionally expressed displeasure because rivals would compete more passionately just by seeing the cigar.
The opposition team, who views it as a show of disrespect, dislikes his behavior just as much as his own team does. But if the sport’s supporters disapproved of it, it wouldn’t become a well-known habit of his. In fact, they perceive it as something that spiced up each game he participated in.
Additionally, there was a time when a commissioner insisted that he wasn’t allowed to smoke a cigar while sitting on the bench but wouldn’t give up the habit because other men were doing it, too.
“The commissioner [Maurice Podoloff] said you can’t smoke the cigars on the bench. But there were guys smoking cigarettes on the bench. I said, ‘What is this, an airplane–you can smoke cigarettes but not cigars?’ No way. I wouldn’t do it,” he said during an interview with Cigar Aficionado.
Red Auerbach smokes Hoyo de Monterrey cigars
Red Auerbach likes the Hoyo de Monterrey brand of cigars. One time, the Cincinnati Royals gave away 5,000 cigars to the audience before a game against the Celtics.
However, knowing how competitive Auerbach is, he said at that time to the same publication, “You talk about motivation. I had the team so sky-high we never let them get in front. We beat the hell out of them.”
Hoyo de Monterrey is a well-known cigar brand in Cuba and was first registered in 1865 by José Gener. The Hoyo de Monterrey cigar is renowned for being one of the most flavorful Honduran cigars you can try.
Hoyo de Monterrey is a complex smoke with a very rich flavor and finish. The cigar has a smooth draw, an even burn, and a constant flavor. One of the specific cigars on the line that Auerback has smoked is the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona.
Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona cigar
The Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona cigar is exceptionally long and features a great thick triple cap. It resembled a box-pressed cigar in appearance. There are a few soft patches, but overall it’s tightly packed, more on the loose side.
Regarding the flavor profile, you’ll get a cedar and coffee flavor coupled with sweetness and creaminess. On the retro-hale, there will also be a small amount of spices, but nothing too intense. It’s not something to smoke frequently; instead, it should only be done on exceptional occasions, just like Auerbach, who would only smoke this kind as a victory cigar.
