Leaderboard

Not a purchase, just the best FOH comp prize ever! Thanks!

C&C Time. Dip. No.2 [LGR ABR18] - 24:24 Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Post lunch cigar break.

RG Perla GOS MAY 18. These pack a delicious punch. This one didn’t want to stay lit, but I was smoking it in cold and windy conditions. How I wish there was a true Rafael Gonzalez available in a larger size than petit corona. Wouldn’t a corona gorda be great? Or a laguito #2! Even a hermoso #4 would be good. The 88s are such a disappointment. It’s a brilliant vitola but the bland blend has nothing in common with this perla.

'12 Trinidad Coloniales paired with a little Buffalo Trace Bourbon. What a gane last night huh? Sorry SF I know the refs kinda bonned you on alot of 50/50 calls, but Pat Maholmes is something special isn't he. Anyways, take care all. Hope everyone started there week off well. Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Weird day. My first Connie 1 and it just tasted like a cheap Connie A to me. Harsh throughout with minimal flavors. Wasn't underfilled, so I'm not sure why it was harsh. Since the weather was abnormally warm, I decided to pitch it 2/3 through and move to my old reliable in a Party Short. That decided to implode about 10 minutes in. Ended with a pretty good RG Perla. I don't love Perla's, but they've been consistent so I thought it would salvage the day for me. Oh well, they're just cigars!

No victory smoke today...call it a drowning my sorrows smoke...esmeralda tastes very refined for such a young cigar

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just received from FOH. I opened the box for just a minute and I've got people drifting into my office like they're being pulled by the aroma (like the old cartoons). Wow do these smell great!

Last night I enjoyed a LGC Paraiso 2014 at Churchill’s Lounge in downtown Denver during a winter storm advisory ?

Not exactly bought recently .... but just found today in my lockers : Trinidad Fundadores EL NOSU ( El Laguito OCT 1998 ) bought in 2006 in Switzerland. Placed inside my lowest locker and totally forgotten until discovered today while looking for other boxes...

Something I've been wanting to try, couldn’t pass them up for the price.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Montecristo no.2

Mag 46 with thanks to my mate @JVD1230

Mid Afternoon break

Nice change on pace. Thanks @MigsG over medium. Smoke is beyond plentiful. Coffee cream leather small pepper but not nearly as much as i was expecting. Nice stick

A nice little delivery from our host today!

Rafael González North Star 2017 - Edición Regional Nordico-Baltico EPM Dic 2017 I'd like to thank and acknowledge @Thirds for gifting me this cigar to review. You simply have to admire any Regional distributor who has the fortitude to release a Habanos cigar to the market and do so whilst trying something different. For example, releasing the Sancho Panza Eslavo in 50 cabs, releasing a Por Larranaga Coronas in a vitola that has been decimated in the last 20 years by Habanos S.A (i.e 42 ring gauge x 142 mm or 5.6 inches) or simply releasing a Regional Edition cigar in the Rafael Gonzalez marca. You see, there has only been three; the 2013 German Petit Piramides, the 2016 Asia-Pacific Perfecto-sized 88 and this recent 2017 Northern Europe and Baltic States Petit Robusto North Star. The Asia-Pacific Rafael Gonzalez 88 frankly was a critical 'fizzer' for two reasons; one, it came in a Britanicas Extra vitola like the 2009 Ramon Allones Celestiales Finos and two, it was too mild in strength to allow the flavours to 'open up' on the palate. As cigar enthusiasts we are prone to short memories. After 5 to 7 years the RA Celestiales Finos 'opened up', became a winner and garnered much demand. In 2010 it was nigh on unsmokable. I wonder if 5 to 7 years will be kinder to the RG 88? Nevertheless, we are here to discuss the North Star, and alas, let us do so! If you are a distributor for Habanos S.A and wish to bring out a Regional Edition then you are probably best to play it safe and bring it out in a Petit Robusto or Robusto format. Yes folks, 50 ring gauge is the new normal (ring gauge) nowadays, but a Rafael Gonzalez Regional Edition? In a way, I do understand why the distributor for the Scandinavian and Northern Europe market brought this out in a 50 ring gauge x 102 mm (or 4 inches) vitola. Simply put, this petit robusto size sells. Released to the market in October 2018, the Northern Star was presented in June 2018 in Estonia. It was released in a Semi boite nature box of 10 cigars. A total of 6000 were released to the market. From what I understand, they sold quite well. How did this Northern Star compare to the regular production Rafael Gonzalez Petit Coronas and Perlas? Taking into account that the RG Petit Coronas and Perlas are 42 ring gauge and 40 ring gauge respectively, and mild in strength, we need to take into account that the Northern Star is a 50 ring gauge Rafael Gonzalez cigar. It's therefore different in a few ways. Allow me to explain. Firstly, the greater majority of Rafael Gonzalez Petit Coronas and Perlas on the market tend to be semi-aged already because they have a dedicated fan base. Sure, on our Friends of Habanos forum they are a critical favourite, but in the real world I'm sorry to say friends but Rafael Gonzalez doesn't exactly 'fly off the shelves'! Personally speaking, in regards to flavour profile, the RG Petit Coronas and Perlas is like a soft cocoa, floral and honey concoction with scrumptious baking spice added in when it hits 3 to 5 years of age. The Northern Star is not like this. It is a Petit Robusto aimed at connoisseurs who like their cigars a little more potent. This cigar had a strong walnut and oak flavour to it, with cocoa and coffee throughout. There were no floral notes or sweet honey edges that you'd expect in a RGPC or Perlas. Instead, the Northern Star is closer in medium-mild in strength and this had a bite to it, like white pepper. Also, don't let the small size deceive you to think that it's a quick smoke. I've smoked enough San Cristobal de la Habana El Principes over the years to know that its minuto 42 ring guage x 110 mm length provides a consistent 35 minute smoking experience. Believe it or not, this Northern Star Regional release lasted 60! It's a quality cigar aimed at enthusiasts who like a more potent Petit Robusto. In my view, it's not quite a Quai d'Orsay No.50 or Cohiba Medio Siglo in class, but it does hold its own against the Montecristo Petit Edmundo, Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto and Romeo y Julieta Petit Churchill. Then again, I am biased towards milder cigars so please do take my recommendation with a proverbial 'grain of salt'!

?DIC12 Sir Winnie?

La Flor De Cano- Petite Coronas Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Enjoyed this MAE JUL 14 Punch DC during the Super Bowl. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Habanos Festival week is coming up soon. JJFox, in collaboration with FoH, are having a party in Havana on Thursday, February 27th from 4pm - 7pm. ALL FoH members are welcome. There'll be booze, cigars, music, some tastings, some announcements. If you are planning on coming please respond on this thread so we have some idea of numbers, thanks! It'll be a laugh! Swim gear optional. Edit. It's an odd address. Bring the map if you plan on coming. Many taxi drivers just don't believe that there is such an address as 11th Street, between 6 and 41. But it's due to the diagonals. Also, here's a copy of the GPS Coords that can be copied and pasted. 23° 7' 22.51" N 82° 24' 47.04" W

C&C Time. Vigia (2017) - 24:24 Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

How uncanny is the recent thread on H.Upmann Petit Coronas Replacements? Thanks @westg for making this possible! ??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats to KC! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just chose this El Principe LGR DIC 17 offering from a 24:24 PSP box via our host. C&C time.

I wish that you could smell these, along with me. And they look gorgeous. Thanks FOH!

Peanuts came in this week. Anyone cut these young? Good to go after a little rest? Beautiful nose of grass and barnyard.

Trinidad fundadores ARS SEP 19

The ARS 19 Fundadores from the Christmas sampler was fairly brilliant.

Ramon Allones Specially Selected Cab 50 SEP 19 . I wasn't expecting the avalanche / intensity of fruit and light coffee. The best young RASS I have ever had. 96

Good question... I think it was either “Guess Ken’s Shoe Size” or “Best Christmas Cake Cigar Pairing”

I sampled my first N3 this past weekend. I'm suffering through a small cold, so my palate is a little muted at the moment. As many have observed, construction is excellent. The cold, damp and windy day on the lake had no effect on the burn. No touch ups or re lights needed. Perfect The cigar started out buttery, earthy, with a hint of oak and leather. My first inpression was that this stick reminded me of a smooth scotch. As I neared the half way point, the earthiness picked up, as well as the oak. The creamy butter flavor was still there , but the earth (peat perhaps) really took over. The flavor went from glenlivet to Laphroaig. Still very pleasant to me. The last third began to turn a bit tannic for me, so I finished it earlier than I normally would have. Likely from smoking too fast. Overall, pleased by this addition to my humidor. A definite change of pace. 88/100 Note: I went back and read the previous reviews after posting mine. I noticed someone else had referenced pairing this with Laphroaig, so I suppose I wasn't the only one to pick up on this.

It is the thin edge of the wedge. It ends with plain packaging.

Nice Choix Supreme this morning after a few days off smoking. Lovely, classic CX flavours. I saw someone earlier use the phrase ‘wet hay’ which doesn’t sound great but is v accurate, and v pleasant too: a grassy honeyed sweetness, somehow ‘yellow’ in flavour tone. The wrapper is a touch sickly looking, but no ill effects at all. Mild body, lovely retro, very good construction. Highly relaxing. This box OMS SEP 15.

39F north of San Francisco and an '18 RyJ Petit Corona and Glenlivet to keep warm.

Another gorgeous 60F night. Tomorrow 8 inches of snow an 15F... Taking adantage ofva CG before im back to minutos.

N3

A front 9 rio seco and back 9 Connie A at Pelican Hill, Newport Coast today. The only thing that was not ideal about the day was this super angry random that got in our group. Cursing and screaming at every bad shot (lots of them)...terrible etiquette and smashing his club head into the ground. I don’t get it. You pay $300 a round to be angry? Go home you gigantic baby.

My first D4, from a FOH clearance sixer in September. Was killing me to wait... Started off good with that paprika and spiced cream I've read about, turned very good, then just freaking great down to the nub. Accompanied by an Adroit Theory - Black As Your Soul ?

Rare sunny winter day in Michigan '08 PSD4 from the host

15 years of my life i can never get back!

H.upmann no. 1

Great day! Finally was able to pick up PSP 1/4 cab of Lusi’s from 24:24. Received them today and they look and smell amazing. Down to rest they go. This is going to be a hard one to not smoke for awhile!

Esmeralda. Powerful cigar [emoji573]