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Just got back from Cuba, and while I did not make it to Pinar del Rio this trip I had an hour conversation with Carlos at the Casa del Habano on the corner of 5th Avenue and 16th Street, Miramar, this time with my interpreter! He's such a joy to to talk with and a very funny man. It was interesting to hear that there is another crop growing at the farm (same season) and he told me this has not happened in 124 years. He says the new plants are about waist high at the moment and they are very excited about the 2nd crop due to some fantastic conditions. He also mentioned there are several other farms in the area experiencing the same conditions with a 2nd crop. Carlos also will be going to Vegas this summer with Hiroshi for the Big Smoke for the very first time, as well as visiting America for the first time. He laughed when he was telling me he had his Visa for the last 5 years and has never used it. He said America needs better rum and cigars! I told him I have some 25 Year Santiago I can bring to Vegas, but he said I probably don't have enough for his visit. LoL. The highlight of my visit was Carlos bringing me into the famed vault and pulling out a aged farm rolled cigar from 2011 for me to have. I look forward to seeing him in Vegas.

I recently bought this Upmann 50 PC jar in a Ebay charity auction (so a mention for the fine people at the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield, England) and wondered if any of you good people out there can give me any info on it. I've done a bit of research on FoH and elsewhere and believe that, due to the style of clasp on the lid and the serration on the seal, it may be pre-'62. It's a beautiful thing which I intend to keep and fill with HUPCs (I have enough to do so) once I've replaced the damaged cork seal. What's the deal with the paper wrapping on the central cigar? Tissue or wax paper to remove cigars I assume. Also, any suggestions for reaffixing the torn off section of seal without compromising the paper would be appreciated. I've had it a week and can't help but stare at it and smile - my wife is concerned....

First morning cigar with coffee since...I can't event remember. Wife and daughters out of town last night and today. It's too quiet... Trinidad Robusto T from a kind BOTL via trade.

All out blizzard yesterday... 60 degrees today. Welcome to March in Colorado! Time for a Du Prince. Poor Rioja is looking for his girlfriend Kahlua. Jen took her to a Versatility Ranch Horse clinic. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

Watching the sunrise with a '99 VR Clasico and coffe.

Finally had a pleasant evening outside so I pressed the new accoutrement, henceforth known as "The Big Piece", into service. Thank you CopperHeaD ! The Big Piece will forever be treasured, and your thoughtfulness never forgotten. Perfect example of what being a Brother/Sister of the Leaf is all about.

PC with Macallan 12 Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

RIP to a legend who left us. Avo would say "every cigar you smoke gives you one more day of life". May we all live to smoke as many cigars as he did. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ugliest specimen from an '01 box of LGC MdO#2s. Cracked foot, some plume, and tarry stains on the band. Smokes a dream though. Darkest ash I've seen in a while.

2001 Lanceros. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Johnny Behique 52. Great cigar. Great burn and draw. Medium body..vegetal, earthy and hints of twang. I really should let them rest to see where they go but it's difficult.

Spent the day building a deck with my future father in law. It's too bad he doesn't smoke because I would love to share one of these with him. I love these cigars Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Twelve years - all I can do is smile

SLR Regio Hermosa #4 OMG NOV 15

Some Monte #2's from the Prez.

Pick up from recent trip to Cuba. Dip2 TOS OCT 16 SLR Marquez Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had a feeling this question had been asked before... Some worthwhile info in those threads. As for me, I think the cigars are very different and always have been. In fact, I really don't care at all for the RASS but have always liked the RASCC. I've found pretty much every RASS I've ever had fairly bland, and I've smoked close to 100 of them over 17 years. I used to try them multiple times per year for many years trying to figure out what I was missing, but to no avail. I've since backed off and probably won't try one again for another few years, or until people start screaming from the rooftops about recent production. Probably the most prominent cigar I've never "got". The RASCC, OTOH, has always appealed to me. I find it hearty, medium-full and flavorful, and there is a unique pleasant vegetal character that I don't find in any other cigar. Very herbaceous almost. The period of 06-10 was a golden era for the RASCC. There is a trusted vendor who back then was selling unbanded, unboxed cellophaned bundles of 25 for something like $160/50 sticks back then. I probably bought 1000 sticks from him blind, and maybe 10-20 sticks out of the 1000 were off. RASCC were remarkably consistent and reliable back then. 23 or 24 sticks out of every box were solid. I think consistency dropped a bit in 11-12 but they were still very good overall. Then 13 production was really off, IMO. I bought several boxes of 13s (both ULA code) and for the first time in my life most of the cigars in the box were lousy. Really lousy. It appears RASCC production was suspended for 14 and most of 15, and I finally saw a SEP 15 box and I've also seen a JUN 16 box. But most boxes still kicking around are from 13, and I would not buy RASCC blind right now.

After a long week. My first chance for a cigar was at lunch and took my beloved Party D4 and as usual it didn't disappoint Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

PSD4 and Monte PE, smoke of the night award goes to the Petit Edmundo

80 degrees here in IL today, so I made it a 2 cigar night. PLP first followed by a party short.

Got these today

Three boxes of the SLR España 2016 Teseros, a petit edmundo. All boxes look beautiful but one is especially dark. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Ummm...yes please...I'll have another. This was great! May have to go deep on them.

HUPC TOS NOV 16, with another box on it's way... Thunder & Lightening '75-'15

HUPC MEG JUN 16[emoji41] Thunder & Lightening '75-'15

RASCC much stronger and more concentrated. RASS generally more mellow and complex Not the same cigar.

WHAT A SETUP!!! Lamb done, music on, cigar in hand and just working out whether to indulge in the Shiraz or the Pinot (first) tap tap tap on the door. it's 8pm at night? they will go away. tap tap tap on the door again. Bugger it. Cigar down but they can face me in my tshirt and undies (yes Colt...I like to dress up on these nights). Open the door. Di's mum ......Rena. In comes Rena. Having a few phone problems at home and wanted to see if I can call her technician who fixed her landline Wednesday. Rena doesn't have a mobile. "No problem Rena. make yourself comfortable". She did. There is no chance a phone tech would answer his mobile on Friday night. I tried anyway. No pick up. i sent him a text. he text me back. I played an hour of Text tennis. Bottom line is he wasn't going anywhere until Monday. Rena wasn't going anywhere either It was only when I led her to the door later in the evening that I realised I was still in my undies.

Very helpful for the OP…

Flew into Cancun last night for a week in PDC. Enjoying one of my favorite Mexican rituals - a fine Cuban cigar on the rooftop deck. Waiting on the sun to burn the clouds away. It's supposed to get up to 30°C today. Got caught up in a quick-moving rain shower and had to move to the downstairs deck. First world problems indeed!

HdM du Depute (OMS March 16):

Very nice ’12 Sancho Panza Beli after dinner last night. But the Edmundo I had before dinner was all out sandalwood goodness.

El Principe, TOS SEP 15

Had the chance to enjoy one last weekend in Vegas. The flavor profile reminded me exactly of the HDM Churchills. I fully agree with Prez these will need a good amount of time down. The cigar breathes well, dryboxed the stick for a few days before. With about a third left it was just too harsh to finish. I'll revisit after 10+ months, hopefully the flavor profile settles in and the flavors can emerge through the taste of the wood.

Hi guys. Current status is that the backend database is rebuilt and populated from the cached version. So it should still only be current as of about October last year, but you can search again now. I tried to keep it looking more or less the same, but the technology behind everything is much more modern compared to what it was pre-crash. Should be a better for search engines, should play a bit nicer with mobile devices, and should run quite a bit quicker than it used to. Next step will be to get all the admin stuff back online and bring it up to date. After that will be collection management. Thanks all for your support.

Funny, the Google translate apps thinks this says, "Bushings be kills. Tobacco Smoke your environment."

I will be in the area in June for a family reunion, is it cool if I reach out to some of you locals closer to that time for any new info or meet up? I like my extended family but they are absolutely not cigar folks so an escape would be nice.

Slaying an almost unicorn. RA Gladiator RE Andino. Very HTF and I was gifted this stick by a generous BOTL in Germany. Very nice cigar that starts rather mild but builds in intensity. Wish I had more.

Hoyo gourmet 2005.

Finished the night with 2 of these. My first time trying them, and boy am i glad i have 100. Delicious. My friend swears he tasted seafood and specifically prawns in the first third. And then he said it again on the second one we had I wish i tasted prawns in mine. I love prawns haha. Anyway. Tasty little cigars

For my $.02: Disclaimer: My post count is low; but I've been a member here since '11. I travel frequently for work, so internet ordering of CC's was never really of any interest for me. Recently however my travel has slowed as my current client base is local - great for personal life; eh for cigar purchases =). I simply don't trust 99% of the websites out there who store tons of cigars in warehouses and you get whatever box off of the top of the pile. 24:24 represents a few things for me - #1 the 'best of the menu' picks from someone who is in the biz and knows his shit. #2 graded or better yet hand selected to know your getting what your paying for. #3 the ability to buy some smokes that no one else (whom I would consider buying from anyway) has in stock. While I am fortunate enough to get maybe...30% of what I've shot for - Im assured that what is coming in the mail was worth the wait. I think for those who are butt-hurt about not getting the magical box of x or y needs to take a step back, light one up, and chill. These things are luxury purchases, not something that is going to keep you from surviving. While Im on a rant, want to bring something else up for attention to those who are rude to Diana, etc in emails, flip for profit, etc - do realize this forum is free. It doesn't have advertisements like most of the others. It doesn't ask you for donations to stay ad-free, etc. I think this speaks to the character of the proprietor and the dedication to fellowship and the product. Don't shit where you eat. Love, Steve

It's not Cuban, but it's a good smoke. Glenlivet 12 and AF Classic Hemingway

Nice dark, aged Monte 2. No idea of box code, best guess is it's from late 2000s.

"Watching the kids" by the pool with an RG Perla.

Second try at these. I'm starting to think that I did not give the first one enough rest, this one was sooo much better. Will have another one in a week or two and try to put a review together. Happy weekend FoHs! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

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Haven't posted in awhile. But I had to post this one. This was superb. Full of flavor, like a graham cracker with a sprinkle of white pepper.

Epicure #1. I'm really enjoying these lately. I'd love to get a PSP box and age it. Awesome cigar.

I agree with the reviewer, the French regionals Quai have a different blend, richer and rounder. I woudn't complain if the new entries in the line have this blend… Now, the new gaudy band gives me apprehensions about the price…

I'm not aware of any statement regarding minimum age for a Cuban maduro leaf or cigar, only that it undergoes an additional fermentation and that it is upper tapado leaf. The Cohiba Maduro 5 happens to feature upper tapado, additionally fermented with 5 years of age, but the 5 years of age is simply an additional feature to the CM5 and not necessary for the maduro classification. The LEs are frequently misunderstood to have maduro wrappers when in reality they are simply various levels of tapado leaf that before 2000 were considered unsuitable for export quality and given 2 years of age. As they are tapado they can be very dark, however they are not fermented more than once as the PM1 and CM5 wrappers are and are therefore not maduro as HSA classifies it, although as I've noted I've seen LEs over the years with darker wrappers than the PM1s.

"True" maduro in the making.... (courtesy of RobustoJoe)