Seoul’s Cigar Culture; The man that’s changing everything

For the past year Maska’s Cigars, in the Marriott Hotel at Express Bus Terminal, has been helmed by a man named Vince Lee and his wife Jinny; and they have a plan.

The Steves paid a visit to Maska’s recently, where we sat down with Vince for a smoke.

“Cigars are my life; When you have a passion, you’re going to do it well.”

If it’s your first time visiting Maska’s, you might have a hard time finding it. Navigating the Express Bus Terminal area is difficult itself, but if you can follow signs to the second floor of Shinsaegae Department store, then follow the signs to the Marriott, you will make it to the hotel lobby.

After that, head to the check-in desks. Just to the left of the check-in desks, tucked away in the farthest southwest corner of the lobby, you’ll find the entrance to Maska’s. Alternatively, if you go out the main entrance and turn right, you can enter Maska’s directly from the outside.

There’s a good chance that when you enter the shop, you’ll be greeted by Vince himself. Vince is quick to engage customers in conversation, and will answer any and all questions you might have.

Vince, a native of the United States and a veteran of its armed forces, personally guided Spicy and I through the whole process of cigar selection, lighting and smoking. He gave us personalized recommendations based on what we said we have enjoyed in the past. After that, we sat down, ordered a few glasses of fine whiskey from the hotel bar, and lit up.


Tip: If you want a great atmosphere for enjoying a fine cigar, you can buy your cigars in Maska’s, and then take them downstairs to the hip, but very laid-back, Bar Rouge. If you want to enjoy some conversation and free etiquette lessons from Vince, you can order drinks and food from the hotel served to you right in the shop as you smoke your cigar.


Our conversation with Vince naturally progressed over a wide range of topics, as tends to happen when cigars and fine whiskey are paired together. Aside from pontificating on politics and our first experiences with cigars, we learned that Vince eventually plans to open Seoul’s first genuine tobacconist shop; essentially a fine gift shop. He and Jinny (who operates most of the merchandising-side of the business) are making steps towards this goal by already offering luxury cultural gifts, jewelry handmade by Jinny herself, as well as a range of high-quality Xikar brand cigar accessories. In the near future, he will carry very affordably priced humidors.

Vince views Korea’s cigar culture as being on a similar path as its wine culture, if a bit less mature. Always looking for opportunities to educate people about the pleasures of cigar smoking, he writes a regular column on cigar etiquette in Korea’s Harley Davidson magazine (Korean language only). He also heads the Seoul Cigar Aficionado Society, a non-profit group that celebrates the community of cigar smokers through hosting monthly “smokers” at locations around Seoul. For a very reasonable price you can enjoy fine food and wine. Purchasing the month’s featured cigar is entirely optional, and you’re welcome to bring your own cigars. Back in July, Vince brought a professional roller from Cuba to make fresh hand-rolled cigars at one of the smoker events. Someday in the near future you may be able to pay a yearly fee for a ‘cigar of the month’ club that will have a featured cigar delivered to your doorstep.

We also discussed the general misconception that cigars are somehow ‘healthier’ than smoking cigarettes. Make no mistake about it; cigars are packed with significantly more tobacco and nicotine than cigarettes. The reason some people consider them ‘safer’ is that cigar smoke is not generally inhaled and usually smoked in moderation compared to cigarettes. Cigars can be a very pleasurable experience, mostly for the social bonding they seem to facilitate, but nobody should partake in the hobby under the impression that it is, in any way, ‘healthy.’

Another reason Vince wants Korea’s cigar culture to follow in the footsteps of the wine culture, is that the two can be enjoyed together. Generally cigars are thought to go best with a fine cognac, scotch or bourbon, but Vince has found that certain red wines can compliment a cigar well (Tip:Try a port). Since Korea’s wine culture is dominated by women, and cigars have generally appealed more to men, educating people on how they are similar pursuits could help boost Korea’s wine scene as much as the cigar scene.

Most of all, cigars are about enjoying life and all of the different flavors and experiences that come with it. In the middle of a hectic week, stopping by for a smoke with Vince was a great way to unwind so I could face the rest of the week with a renewed vigor. We’re looking forward to future visits with Vince, and you’ll definitely see us at the next SCAS Smoker on the 8th.

Maska’s Cigar Company offers a 10% discount for military and can be reached at:

Maska’s Cigar Company
J.W. Marriott Hotel, Lobby FL
19-3 Seocho-gu, Banpo-dong
Seoul 137-040, South Korea

Tel: 02-6282-2922
Email: Maska.inc@gmail.com

Information about The Seoul Cigar Aficionado Society can be found by emailing SeoulCigarAficionadoSociety@gmail.com. SCAS will be hosting smokers on September 8th, at USMANIA in Itaewon, and October 20th, location TBA.