Leaderboard

1997 Hoyo du Roi.

Diplomaticos Bushido.

17 Petit Ed. One is never enough!

2007 Punch Punch. Real swell! Only got a few more of these though. And I can't believe I'm burning the only thing thats worth any money in my life these days!

Partagas short

100 degrees and a 2015 Monte 2 light wrapper. Perfect hot weather cigar. Hits the spot. Tilly’s laying on an ac vent somewhere in the house. Can’t say I blame her 🥵

Best smoke of the year, just incredible... on a friend's deck with a '99 Bordeaux.

Not the first. And several years too late. The Don 7x70 14 Oct 2015. Gifted by that mofo @ChanceSchmerr I don’t talk to him anymore.

19 PLPC. Not leaving this spot to go find a code but damn! It gets better with a few more years? 92* right now. RL Seales rum and this. If this is torture, just chain me to the wall! I'm not leaving.

Wife likes to take a few puffs when I'm smoking ... She found a new favorite

A very old sealed Box from the 80s found. 10x 5er Cardboard inside.

Have a nice evening everyone ... SC El Principe RAT ENE 20.

Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro Dianas - GRM FEB 21 Juan Lopez Selección Especial - MTS OCT 21. Sorry, @Heels82 had to see for myself how terrible they are

SAR SEP 11. Magical box that subsequent boxes have not lived up to.

Enjoyed a Partagás Serie C No. 3 Edición Limitada 2012.

Siglo VI

San Cristóbal de la Habana Oficios LCDH (FIN DIC 05).

Does it, you know, vibrate?

C&C time. JL No. 1 & Ramon Allones Superiores.

I picked up a 10-count of singles of SMA Oct 2018 Montecristo Petit Edmundos prior to the announced price changes from Habanos S.A coming through...

We really need the fed to jack rates higher than expected. Rip off the band aid, go into a recession, crush inflation and things should recover well. Keep pussy footing around it and it could get ugly. Mortgage rates just jumped well over a percent the last few days. They’re in the high 6’s now. Housing prices need to come down 10-15% to keep things moving. However I expect there to be up to 50% less homes sold this year as last year. Brutal to try to get someone who has a 3% interest rate to move when rates are at 7%. I don’t think there’s ever been a point in history where the federal government has made worse fiscal policy decisions in one year as they did in 2021. Absolutely brutal.

Now is as good a time as any if your not in a rush. I started buying about 29 years ago and I have been putting money in at the same time every month ever since. The dollar amount has increased as my income has increased over time. I usually put in any unexpected windfalls in lump sums. Never have tried to time the market and I never will. I guess it all depends on your timetable and when you need the funds. I will admit I took some profits at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022 but I just reinvested those. I enjoy looking at the 'lifetime' charts instead of the 'daily' charts. Always makes me smile and never makes me worry. If I was retiring today or needed the cash in the short term, not sure I would be putting any money in at the moment though I agree with Cory...it may be a bit bumpy.

A handful of customs. Dipping my feet slowly into this game.

West.....am I wrong or is that the happiest we have ever seen him? 😁

Oh Lord, that is one ugly watch! The dial looks like a bicycle being mounted by a penny-farthing. 🤣

I encourage everybody to ignore that request

H. Upmann Half Corona OPG Feb 2015 I opened this box in 2020 and I've now gone through half a box of it (including gifting three for others to sample). The cigars came with glorious rosado-shade wrappers but I must say that the H.Upmann Half Corona flavour blend is not to my choosing when it comes to H.Upmann as a marca. After all, there's plenty of choice elsewhere within this brand. When it comes to H.Upmann I have a stronger preference for the milder shortbread-intensive vitolas such as the Connoisseur No.1 and Connossieur A. This one was just under medium-strength, but unlike most of the sticks I've had thus far this had a pleasant licorice sweetness combined with a core espresso coffee, some toasted tobacco and more definitive shortbread, believe it or not. It lasted around 30 to 35 minutes. So, in essence, this H.Upmann Half Corona turned out to be the very much like the last one I enjoyed around nine months ago, from this box. It's taken them hitting the seven-year mark to start to 'turn' for my liking I suppose, and I must admit that I was probably 'churning' through them prior to that. Still, I envisage that I will explore other minutos and perlas options prior to returning to this (box), in the meantime.

Vegas Robaina Famosos ARS Ene 2019 I've really enjoyed an AEM May 2015 aged box of Vegas Robaina Famosos since I opened it in mid-2019 and I've come down to my last three sticks so I figured I'd acquire some more fresh singles to compare and 'tide me over' before the upcoming price rises. Vegas Robaina is a marca that is easily overlooked but when you get a fantastic box of this marca, it really can be like nothing else. Today's cigar was as great but it was very different in comparison to my seven year-old AEM May 2015 Vegas Robaina Famosos box. These aged sticks tended to have quality lush tobacco and grass, dates, baking spice, bitter or rich milk chocolate and floral notes here and there. This youthful VR Famosos emphasised more of that dark or bitter chocolate today that really appeals to the palate. It also had sweet dates or raisin and leather. Unlike my aged examples of late, this Famosos didn't really have nuanced floral notes or baking spice but you wouldn't expect that for its age. Nevertheless, it was still a fine and satisfying cigar. This was the first of ten single sticks I acquired of this box code and normally a Hermosos No.4 of this size (i.e. 48 ring gauge x 127 mm or 5 inches in length) would take me around 70 minutes to finish. This VR Famosos had a slight tight and resistant draw but the smoke output wasn't affected so it didn't prove to be a setback to enjoying the flavours. It took me a whopping 100 minutes to smoke through it! I'm thoroughly satisfied to have acquired more sticks at this present time of VR Famosos. I think I will savour every single one I have left!

Montecristo Edmundos circa 2020/21 The Montecristo Linea Edmundo series is quite popular amongst enthusiasts on our forum. It must be similarly popular worldwide, as a recent Halfwheel article intimated that the price of these cigars (the Double Edmundos, Edmundos and Petit Edmundos) were going up in price by more than the percentage increase of other regular production Montecristo cigars in Germany. Therefore, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank @Luca for providing me the opportunity to sample this cigar. The Montecristo Edmundo is akin to a big Robusto with its 52 ring gauge and 135 mm (or 5⅜ inches) length. No, it's not my favourite-sized cigar in the least, but still, it is the Montecristo marca and I admit I have a more general tolerance, an exaggerated leniency if you will, towards Montecristo cigars. This cigar started off great in that it had a defined citrus twang from the start, balanced with nice soft cocoa, milk coffee and some almond nuttiness before it picked up in intensity in the last third, becoming a little spicy and having more wood and toasted tobacco flavour. The construction was ideal, ash-length was fine, as was the burn and there were no touch-ups or re-lights. Perhaps there was too much contrast between the beginning and end thirds of this Monte Edmundos as, quite frankly, I've had better. Then again, those were of a very high standard and this Monte Edmundos was quite fine today as it was.

Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo des Dieux MER Abr 2013 I have a confession to make. Then again, I think I've mentioned it before, but I used to believe that the greater majority of Hoyo de Monterrey des Dieux were the pinnacle of creaminess in a cigar. This came about because the greater majority of des Dieuxs I smoked, at first, came from a 2003 box code. With time, I've come to understand that those '03 des Dieuxs were a 'class above' and other HdM Le Hoyo de Dieux (up to when they were discontinued in 2014) were subject to normal development over time like other Le Hoyo cigars. When I mention the aging development of Le Hoyo line cigars I am naturally not including the recent additions to the line, the 2018 Rio de Seco and the 2014 de San Juan. Like Cohiba in the past five years or so, these two Le Hoyo additions seem to develop their peak flavours much younger than in the past. In the case of the Rio de Seco and de San Juan, this means the advent of creaminess in the cigar, with the Rio de Seco being noteworthy for creaminess even sooner than the de San Juan. So what have traditional Le Hoyo cigars been like, in general? In a word, they have been characterised by their woodiness when young. The aim of resting them long-term is to let them become more creamy. As mentioned, like traditional Cohiba, developing those peak flavours can take five to ten years. This early to mid-2013 HdM Le Hoyo des Dieux was amongst the last des Dieux to be produced prior to their sad deletion. I'd like to thank @baragh for gifting it to me. At around eight years rested the woodiness has definitely receded to become a quality cedar. When Le Hoyo cigars are under five years they can have a mushroom/forest floor-type flavour to them that can dominate the cigar. This des Dieux had a forest floor flavour that intermingled very nicely with a consistent sweet vanilla, but this only developed into the second half of the cigar. The first half was much more creamy. I It's been around eighteen months since I last had a 2013/14 Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo des Dieux and this cigar exhibited even more creaminess now than what these have done in the past. It also had no clove spice elements to it either, which is another characteristic of Le Hoyo cigars. In my mind, when the last third start to develop more creaminess and the flavours have melded from beginning to end, then that's the time when the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo des Dieux has peaked. We may be a few more years away in the case of the batch of the last run of the HdM Le Hoyo des Dieux from 2013/14.

Cohiba A 2003 - Serie A Humidor circa 2003 In 2001, Habanos S.A commemorated the 35th anniversary of the Cohiba brand by released a special humidor, in a run of 500. The original press release is reproduced below: To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Cohiba, which is probably the most emblematic brand of cigar in the world, Habanos S.A. launches a special production of 500 numbered humidors. Cohiba was created in 1966 and is likely the most renowned tobacco product on the planet. That distinction was earned, among other reasons, by being the gift of Cuban leaders to other world leaders here and abroad. The unmatched quality that these Habanos posses, likewise the fact that they were Fidel Castro’s favorite brand, contributed to creating the conditions to present this brand in society in the Ritz Hotel in Madrid in 1982. This made it possible to bring the myth of this cigar to the demanding cigar world. Cohiba, whose name is the first denomination the indigenous gave the cigar, has become an example of how to maintain the tradition of Cuban cigar know-how with the modernity of being a vanguard brand. It maintains exquisite care in the selection of its tobacco, likewise the elaboration process in the “El Laguito” factory. The humidor included the following cigars; there were six different sizes included in each humidor. They were: 20 Cohiba 35 Aniversario Gran Coronas (47rg x 235mm or 9¼ inches), 20 Cohiba 35 Aniversario Espléndidos (47rg x 178mm or 7 inches), 20 Cohiba 35 Aniversario Siglo V (43rg x 170mm or 6¾ inches), 20 Cohiba 35 Aniversario Robustos (50rg x 124mm or 4⅞ inches), 20 Cohiba 35 Aniversario Pirámides (52rg x 156mm or 6⅛ inches) and 35 Cohiba 35 Aniversario Lanceros (38rg x 192mm or 7½ inches). They were very much sought after upon release and expensive. Time has only enhanced both these characteristics of this release even further. I had an 35 Aniversario Cohiba Esplendido four years ago and my short mini-review was effusive, to say the least! I've reproduced it below: Wow...what a flavour punch this was! It's remarkable that this is 16 years old. It had a combined mocha coffee and spice spine throughout, with the intensity building up in the second half. A little Cohiba grass/hay and some honey was there, with cinnamon at times in the aftertaste. 5 out of 5 cigar! I'd like to thank Trevor Leask ( @Trevor2118 ) for gifting me this cigar. I've been meaning to save it for a special occasion and what's more special than one's 50th birthday? Well, I can think of a few things but life is short and as @Habana Mike (Mike Lindsay - our dear friend who many of us sorely miss) aptly said, "there's no time like the present!" At around the twenty year mark this 35 Aniversario Gran Coronas had very much 'smoothed out' into a simple cigar replete in mocha coffee, citrus and honey and it stayed this was from the first puff until the end. The cigar lasted a massive two-and-three-quarter hours. What I feel distinguished it, in terms of its development, was the fact that it entered that phase of its life whereby the cigar was fairly the same strength throughout, its flavours had melded well and the last third did not become more intense at all. In fact, it was quite easy to nub. It goes without saying that I consider myself both lucky to have smoked this cigar and lucky to have the opportunity to write a review about it.

Ramón Allones La Palmera 2016 - Edición Regional Emiratos Arabes Unidos SOM Dic 2016 The Ramon Allones La Palmera is a 2016 U.A.E Regional Edition which was released to market in early 2018. According to Cuban Cigar Website, this cigar made first use of a new regional band for the United Arab Emirates with the text Emiratos Arabes. Previous releases wore a band with E.A.U. With a 54 ring gauge x 164mm length (or 6½ inches) the RA La Palmera is a Sublimes vitola, the same size as the 2004 Cohiba Sublimes and 2008 Montecristo Sublimes Limited Editions and LCDH Bolivar Libertador. It comes packaged in a 10-count semi boite nature box. This cigar has become somewhat of a 'guilty pleasure' for as I have quite enjoyed every one I've had, even if their construction has been inconsistent. They've tended to be more a touch under mild-medium to mild, so nothing like a youthful Ramon Allones Specially Selected in strength or body, more like an aged Ramon Allones Superiores. I've mentioned in previous reviews that I've tended to find the flavours are unique to this marca, something similar to the 2017 Montesco-sized Asia Pacifico Regional Edition Silver Jubilee. Again, there was no cocoa here whatsoever but it did have a delightful combination of baked bread, walnut and apple and pear citrus. The wood notes have dissipated as this cigar has aged and it has built a more definable citrus note as it's got older, in my opinion. This was a long cigar to smoke, around two hours and twenty minutes. Again the ash was flaky but this time it only occurred in the second half of the cigar. In the first half, the ash held together really well. So, in summary, I wouldn't call this a complex cigar but its simple concoction of flavours resonated well with my palate. I have one more in my humidor which I intend to smoke soon!

Vintage Partial Box available now!

No way I could watch a guy try to smoke that. My jokes would be legendary. At their expense of course. 🤣

Esmeralda Epi 2

First time with this one. It’s very good! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting box. One giveaway is the seal number. The numbers are sequential starting at 0 in 2010. From the first two digits you can approximately date the box. A box that begins with 000010 like this one would be from approximately mid-2011. A box with the factory date DIC 2019 should have a seal number beginning something like 000047. So in order to have it match in the HSA website, it looks at though the fakers simply copied the serial number from an old legitimate box. Very good fake in general that would fool many buyers.

@BillClinton...thoughts?

All about your time horizon and capital needs. If you’re retiring in the very near term or have some major expenses coming, cash looks best right now. If you have a mid to long term perspective, I’d start dollar cost averaging in now. If a recession does bubble up late this year or early next year there could be another 15-20% downside on the table. More for tech. But in that scenario the rate cuts and stimulus just start pumping again. Historically speaking, multiples are looking pretty solid right now and any more pull backs would be a strong buy for high quality stocks. The only real unique part of the current market is how much more downside risk there is in bonds. High inflation, rising rates, you’re better off in dividend stocks or real estate than fixed income for the foreseeable future.

Nope, not for me. I have seen guys smoking these things and they look like #$%&@!

A year ago, I would have never considered selling a box on BR unless it was a partial of something that just didn’t click with me. If the price of CORO and Trini actually settles in at the new rates and there are people willing to pay it, sorry but good bye CORO, so long Trini. Not that I don’t enjoy both, but I cannot justify smoking a $65 Robusto or a $34 pc. I’d be much happier with 5 JL2’s vs. 1 CORO. My heart would be cracked letting go of the remaining 15 Fundadores I have left, but at $70+/stick, C ya bye! That’s just me...

I'd buckle up, the fun hasn't even started yet. I'm still dumping my bi monthly paycheck matches into my 401k and the companies profit share program, but only because I dont get my company match if I stop. I pulled all my discretionary investments almost 2 months ago, haven't jumped back in and have absolutely no desire to do so. I dont see anything on the horizon that gives me optimism. This fall is years over due, we haven't even lost the 40% we gained during the pandemic yet. The 40% gain that was propped up be free money as profits plummeted. We still have a ways to go before we hit fair value and when was the last recession that stopped at fair value?

I got a cigar out (qdo 50) for tonight and just gave up on the idea. I need to install one of those big porch fans or something. This air is THICK. Ginger (the pup) keeps running out to the porch and then wanting to go back to the AC within 10 minutes.

"Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" were not entertainment. They were documentaries.

Congrats 👏👏👏

Not going to lie, I've never seen the movie, but I couldn't make it through that trailer. Too cringe... And I was born in 1983, so I've seen my share of 80s movies, some of which I liked. I'll trust that the movie is less painful.

I only have connoisserur no2

Not a new arrival but they have sat around long enough to acclimate. A little Ebony and Ivory.

ROTT from our overlords. GEM ENE 22