3 minute read
‘ROUND THE WORLD
The Cigar Silo boasts a rare and limited spirits bar where the finest whiskey can be had in a refined atmosphere with panoramic views.
Anderson Reserve’s Signature Cigar Lounge
By Kyley Jolna
Although they’re relatively new to the game, Anderson Reserve is already well-known within the region for their first rate butcher shop, fine dining restaurant, and now, a cigar and whiskey lounge for the masses. But it didn’t just materialize. Together, Samantha Schneller Anderson and Paul Anderson worked to build something great.
In 2017, Samantha was visiting her twin sister living in Hagerman, Idaho. On that trip, she met Paul, who was in the process of building a bistro butcher shop (which eventually became a fine dining restaurant). When Anderson Reserve was finished and the Andersons took up an interest in smoking cigars, they, like many Idahoans, got tired of the cold.
On the property, there were two existing silos, and it occurred to the couple that they might utilize them to make a cigar and whiskey bar. The Andersons purchased a few more, poured concrete, and began.
Paul asked a builder if they might be able to create a humidor in one. “We wanted it to follow the shape of the silo, but they said it couldn’t be done,” Samantha explained. “[They claimed that] you can’t make a round humidor.”
So, she and Paul decided to prove them wrong. “We tried to keep the materials as local as possible,” she said. Through Coeur d’Alene Cedar, they outsourced tongue and groove cedar. “It plays a big part—the cigars really begin to bring in the flavors of what’s around them,” Samantha said.
Sweet Lumber, an old style sawmill right across the road from Anderson Reserve, supplied the flooring and shelving for the new project with wood from Hyde Valley. Look for this local lumbar in the main structure too—the roughs inside the restaurant were also made by Sweet Lumber’s owner.
“Watching [the owner] make the wine tree for us by drilling holes and sawing into an actual log was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen,” Samantha said.
Finally, as they assembled the pieces of the humidor silo, the wood had just enough bend and fit together perfectly, thanks to Samantha’s background as a skew fitter and journeyman which allowed her to build and keep the look of the humidor silo ceiling. The final build was such a hit that they wanted to similarly transform the rest of the silos and hired a crew to finish the job.
But the humidor silo is truly one of a kind. To ensure proper storage and aging, it is on its own mini system and humidifier, separate from the HVAC and kept at 65-70% humidity, which protects the small boutique cigars from around the world.
With next season quickly approaching, Anderson Reserve hopes to repeat the car show they hosted at their grand opening, as well as introduce the community to their innovative cigar lounge. The silo, available as a spectacular venue for public parties and corporate events, is already drawing visitors like the owner of Cavalier Cigars, who recently visited from Honduras. Come visit!
