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Today exactly one year ago our good friend Mark Murace ( Bow Tie ) decided to take that fateful climb up Mt Tibrogargan in the Glass House Mountains just north of us. He never returned and we miss him to this day. Tonight I will smoke one of his cigars in tribute to a true gentleman and a friend. Rest well Mark we miss you.

I thought this gallery might be of interest to a few of the members here: Watches of current leaders around the world

A box of PLMC: A box of 2014 Connie A: And one last (gorgeous) box of Mag56... just to be on the safe side:

Montecristo 80 Anniversario

Been a little while since I've smoked a cigar so thought I'd do it up right. Starting off with PL Magnifico.

Have been out of town for the last week and a half and have been unable to make any progress on the conversion. Today, however, I did find a nice old hygrometer for this unit.

Not mixing things up. Just commenting on the aggregation of comments about BPC and BCJ. Yes, the OP commented on flavor (or lack thereof). Others commented on tight draw. You just need to catch up to the speed of how my mind works.

Sweet lord...I for sure don't want one now if I can't even 'accidentally' leave my phone at the office to escape emails and texts!!! This is what I'm after

Prefer the BCJ over the BPC.

Funny, this somehow skewed perspective of the 'premium cigar' smoker . Folks, like it or not - Cuban cigars had always been a luxury product, from the get-go. Look back in history, look how they were marketed, look at historic pricing, look into literature and arts. Since the days they were made in Cuba they had been a comparatively costly product. People had always had cheaper tobacco alternatives (for nicotin intake), such as snuff, snus, "Dutch"-type cigars, MMs and pipe smoking, later also cigarettes. Times and pricing changing, but Cuban handmade longfillers had always been a luxury import. It seems it has been overly carried to new extremes lately with certain special editions - but even that is not a recent invention.

Most vendors store with humidity above that of my liking. The percent moisture content can very well be a plan, as dry cigars that are poorly handled can suffer fines. A wet cigar is one thing, a broken cigar is another. I never smoke fresh cigars. It is not the term fresh that bothers me, it is the moisture content. Smoking dryer cigars is a preference, and just about any part of the cigar that is saturated beyond my taste will ruin the cigar for me. I just don't like the taste of 'damp' tobacco! With that in mind then, I don't rest cigars as much as simply dry them to the climate that I prefer. I have noting agains the term 'rest' but resting means little, and drying means specifically what I am talking about. I typically won't smoke a cigar within a year of buying it. Cigars bought today are not for consumption today. With the quality of the cigars varying from cigar to cigar, box to box, I don't believe in the 'same box code' same results theory that many of you believe in. I have bought cigars back to back, or even at the same time, finding that even if the box codes are the same, the cigars are still different. Rest or dehydrate, I trust my settings and the conditions shipped with others' cigars. The advice is good! -Piggy

Posted a while back about finding this icebox and thinking it would make a nifty storage unit. I'll be replacing an end table cab that houses overflow from a "The Redford" temp controlled unit (yes, I have too many boxes...). I really don't believe there is going to be a lot to do with this. Entire interior is porcelain, with the ice box itself in galvanized metal. Spent the afternoon knocking off the leg braces which I believe were additions some point after manufacture. The casters are going too. These neither rolled nor spun, but I'll be swapping out for easy slider glides in the replacement red oak leg braces I plan to make tomorrow. Visited Fry's electronics and found an 80mm CPU fan that moves 20cfm to help circulate humid air. Should be more than enough in a 10cf cabinet.

My missus bought me a Gen 2 Galaxy watch a while back I found it to be a fun toy for a while but never really found the seamless functionality that a lot of people get when they use one Thanks to the fact that all Aus Smart Watches need to be paired to a phone in order to fully function I found it offered me nothing that pulling my phone out of my pocket wouldn't also achieve Plus, it was one more thing I had to put on charge every night, so that was a pain Personally, I'd rather wear an Oris and just pull my phone out of my pocket if it makes a noise

First of all, you don't make a distinction between plugged and tight draw. Probably most of theses are just tight/over-filled. Too many bad suggestions here...don't pitch 'em, don't chop them up, don't start poking at them with a draw tool. Just let them sit where they are for six months. Then try the draw again. By then, I bet you'll find many have opened up and are smokable. The ones that didn't open up, give them another six months in your penalty box. Then repeat the process. After 1-2 years, most should open up. But even the ones that are still tight after 2 years, don't throw them away. I still have H. Upmann Monarchs from 2002 that are only just now opening up, and boy, am I glad I didn't toss them.

got any of those 'friends' that always seem to forget their cigars and always borrowing from you....we all have a few friends like that, LOL. Well next time, I'd let them have one of these..and see if they come back for more

06 Gran Corona with a mango saison

This is why I won't pay a premium for "pretty" cigars. Some of the best cigars I have ever had were ugly sticks. Go figure.

Sorry for your loss guys! If there is one consolation, it would be that he was doing something that chose to do and loved in the end. -Piggy

After a couple of impossible weeks, enjoying what's probably the last warm day of the week with a superb 2014 Connie A:

Been a while, 65 pages on tapatalk, since i last looked in... Party Short in the English winter sun. Last of the box... Cheers!

Rest in peace Mark. He gave me a vegas robaina maestros at one of the havanthons. just about the best smoke ive ever had. Only spoke to him a few times but always interested in what you were up to. Humble. Generous. Strong. Great bloke. Always in our thoughts. Sent from my SM-N910G using Tapatalk

Recent box of ETP SEP 15 BPC was lackluster to say the least. Not one cigar over a 90 for me. Just finished up a box of EML SEP 14 PLMC yesterday and they were all better than the BPCs. Most were 90+ for me. So I'm right there with you.

JL #2 (AME ABR 14) Originally bought a cab of these as a golf cigar with lower expectations. I was wrong, and completely overlooked this brand. Each one I smoke is better than the last. Sometimes a blind squirrel finds a nut.. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just amazing being able to completely enjoy a couple cigars with impunity. Smoked a Royal Corona and a Regio. Embarrassed to say I was up $1100 at one point but didn't have the sense to get out. Ended up $400 for the night. VIVA LAS VEGAS!!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A bit of work and a nice Monte 2 on a cool day in the SouthEast. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kicking back with a 14 CoRo at the end of the long holiday weekend

Haha...we forgot to open it the other week, @Fuzz! I should send some over to @Drguano to compliment his Christmas Cake and Ramon Allones Superiores! Yes, so many positive reviews from members here! (Forgive me, as Ray @PigFish would say, I'm out of likes for the day!)

Yesterday I started a PLMC (EML JUN 15) while working on my pool, and I was really enjoying it. A little past half way I had to put it down as I got busy doing something inside. Then the football games started, so I went back out and finished the PLMC , and then immediately lit a PSP ranked BPC (ETP ENE 16). Boy, what a disappointment. The PLMC was ripe and tasty, packed with rich tobacco flavor. The BPC seemed like air and didn't build much at all, it was like someone stole the flavor from it. WTF? I recall BPCs being significantly stronger and more flavorful. What happened?

Just wondering what your favourite cigars for herfs are specifically? They may not be your favourite overall. For me it's a large flavourful stick but nothing too complex so I can concentrate on conversation with mates and maybe the inevitable drinks (or 6) we have also. I like the h upmann 50 or the bolivar royal Corona. Medium to medium full. Larger ring guage is a bit more forgiving. Tasty but don't have to concentrate too much. Anyway just a couple of examples. What are your favourites for a herf? Do you agree with my assessment for a good herf stick? Cheers Dicko Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

Love the PLMC. Cheap and Cheerful at its best. One of my favorite smokes, especially on weekend mornings with a Bloody Mary.

Sean, I'm a die hard Detroit fan, born and raised in Toledo. Lions, Wings, Pistons, Tigers, love them all dearly. That being said, I'm used to some really shitty seasons. This season was painful to watch the ending, but the whole team didn't suck as you think. What you really seen was a playoff team that was ravished by injuries. Sure all teams are banged up this time of year, but this team had to go out each week and hire Players off the street to play. And they did, and won. They overachieved under these types of situations in my eyes. I can see you are one of the fans crying out to fire the entire staff and front office. Maybe pump the breaks a tad and think about some of the 1-4 win seasons we endured in the past. This staff and front office are making a team able to contend. Lions did make the playoffs 2 out of the last 3 years. Probably a ton of fans out there that would give anything for that...? #onePride Eric Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Found the other thread I was referring to: But anyway. As already mentioned, I don't see that huge an influence of the old Corojo on overall cigar qualities that some attribute to it. That is because, first, in the enduring debate on the proportional sensoric contribution of the wrapper, put me in the camp of those who ascribe comparatively little significance to it with regard to the actual aromatic/flavour contribution (yes, I am aware of experiments of switching wrappers...). That being said, in my opinion, the wrapper quality is indeed very important - but mainly with regard to its burn performance (in unit with the binder). Sure, it may well be capable of adding certain notes and can round off a blend, may even add character at times. But never will it be able to contribute a strong dominating component to the overall sensoric experience, imho. Second - and this is my main argument here - we mostly forget in this debate that at the same time when the switch in the wrapper variety happened (1994/95 campaign), there also occurred a basic change in the Criollo strain. While Corojo had been replaced by Havana 2000, Criollo had been replaced by Havana 92 in 1995. Therefore, in the finished product, it will be very difficult to tell those two apart in their respective effects on a smoke. The extent of what is attributed to which is really impossible to tell, debatable at the very least. If we look a bit closer, there seems to be even a bit more indication, that - if any - there might have been a stronger influence by the filler's changing: That is, because due to its longer processing time span, Habana 92 (Criollo) had only been kicking in a bit later in the finished product. While Havana 2000 (Corojo) would have been found in almost the entire production with boxing dates starting end 1995, through 1996 latest, from my understanding of the historic dates, the majority of new filler and binder leaf, in contrast, were to be found earliest about one to two years later in the boxed cigars. If at all, is it possible that exactly this circumstance will have been the reason for so many people considering the time around 1998 as a turning point in tobacco qualities? What I want to say by this is, I am not dismissing that there may indeed be basic sensoric differences to be detected in the main around that time. But it is extremely difficult, if not impossible to ascribe that to the use of new wrapper leaf, or to its use alone.

2010 RA Gordito. Very nice. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't know the year--@zeedubbya might know. Milk coffee, cocoa (ever so slightly sweetened) and citrus on the retro. Roasted almonds in the aroma. The coffee bounced between milk and cream a few times. Not too much variation but elegantly presented. Very similar to how an Espy presents flavors. Smooth and elegant. Loved it! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

Ok, question I've been wondering. For me and my palate, more often than not, the experience a cigar provides changes fundamentally upon relight. I'm highly sensitive to the ammonia/acrid flavors many develop after a relight. Once a cigar dies out, I dread relighting as I'm anticipating disappointment. Is it just me?

Romeo & Julieta Wide Churchills smoking off the charts. The ore from our host, date 2014. I like to rotate thru my boxes to see what's hitting it's stride. Monte PE from 14 kicking ass too.

Bolivar Royal Corona. Almost embarrassingly so. Seldom disappointed and I still enjoy them "young" at a year or 18 months.

BRC is what I've had the most luck with. Even when young. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Comment from Left-field: I love a forum where you can resurrect decade-old threads. Sometimes the members who contributed have passed out of this world but their discussion lives on [i think Fidel Castro himself commented on this at the beginning under one of his pseudonyms lol]. Long may it continue. Anecdotally I'm currently smoking one of Rob's fresh picks - box of LGC no4 only a few months old - and its great. (thanks for the tip Pres). Tastes like the last third of my now deceased boxes of LGC no1s from circa 2000-02. I'd need to smoke hundreds more cigars per year to make a statistically-relevant comment on this. My mileage has always varied. But i do enjoy reading the Rafael Gonzalez dress box blurb along the lines of: "smoke it within 6 months or wait a couple years". With Habanos using so much more aged tobacco these days one year old boxes seem so much more approachable than they were 10+ years ago - when this thread was started (!!!). Feliz ano nuevo, amigos!

Now, rest. Cannot continue w/o a welder. Will have to stop by the shop Wednesday afternoon. I'll get the little bits 'o rust bead blasted off, lighly coat the new piece with lacquer and get it installed this week, but until then... I'll smoke.

Fancy there, Piggy! Mine Will be a bit more crude. It will, however, get the job done. These old ice boxes were built to promote circulation over the ice block and through the box, in this case in a clockwise direction. Cold air down through a 2x14" gap under and off to the side of the ice block, across the bottom, up the left side, through another 2X14" gap back to the right side and then back down over the ice block. In my case I think I'll reverse the direction and blow air in under the old ice block "grid". I'll document air flow with a goPro and some tissue paper to see if i was successful once it's all buttoned up. Just need to TIG a small block on the edge as you can see, and I think it'll be about ready. Metal edges will be getting a rubber weatherstriping of one kind or another around thr porcelain perimeter; whatever I have laying about from prior projects here at the house ought to do it.

A bit more progress this morning. When I bought the cabinet the valance that covered the water drip tray was (probably swelled) not closing properly. My son and I addressed the issue this morning. Simply dado'd the back space a bit deeper into the board. Could have also relocated the hinge screw holes, but that's not as fun as using power tools!! It's nice having my son at home. He's having to endure all the learning of tips and tricks and tool useage etc. that my dad "imposed" upon me. Had a "light bulb" moment today when I taught him how to fix stripped wood screw holes. For this job I simply slipped in some toothpick material. But I also mentioned that if it were a more precision job or something that might have any visibility at all we could have drilled and doweled the original holes and started fresh ("oh, that's what dowels are for!"). Now, we are off to visit my pals Justin and Jarrod DelPrado at DP Custom motorcycles (check 'em out at http://dpcustomcycles.com/home.html for you motorcycle nuts). They have a break and some scrap sheet steel I can use to bend a perfect plenum for my air circulation scheme.

Electrical is done. Just need to add a receptacle inside once the cab is upright and I can actually see...

FWIW, I also have 2 boxes. They both have a code on the cardboard: SOM Dec15.

New "legs" installed. Off to hunt up electrical.

This nipple and valve were used to control drain water from ice drippings. There was quite a bit of gelled goop in addition to an absurd amount of rust. Valve wouldn't even open. I'll be using the exit underneath for power into the cab, but not sure how I'd incorporate the valve again. I'll clearcoat it and set it aside in case I come up with something.... Planning to turn a new nipple as I really don't need the giant I.D. of this one and want to close as much of this hole as possible. May just go wih a new steel one I'll make from 1.250" stock and drill a 1/4" hole in the center for some jacketed 12 or 14AWG leads. I'll wire it underneath in a nice j-box and put a good sturdy cord on it. A single receptacle inside should cover the fan and LED lighting, and my humidification system is run from an exterior control panel and ribbon cable to the cab interior reservoir. New leg braces ought to be done this am and installed in time for the Tatuaje "rare and exclusive" event this afternoon.

... I will be going to the toilet in about 20 minutes! -tP

its not just you. I just had to stop my Party no 4 early to get into the office. It wont be the same in 2 hours when I light it up at lunch.