Leaderboard

Very good run of cigars the last few days.

This is a fine cigar for sure. I’m glad I have a few boxes resting in the humidor.

Very sad to hear @yadegari6 about your expreience tonight, and feeling a little bad about the fact that I literally just lit a favorite of yours -- one you highlighted to me -- ...though good news is you'll soon be receiving a similar batch. RGCE 2003 from @Colt45

H. Upmann Connossieur A (SOM SEP15).

Excellent psp grade BBF, burning just perfect!

2019 QdO No 50. Didn't think I'd like these but they've been great.

2 today. P Short. And now Selectos while I watch the closing of the games.

Trinidad Vigía.

Partagas Serie D4 JLS2

Recents on vacation All very good but Mag50 was outstanding. Peaches and latte, transitioned to nut and leather. Best I’ve had for 2023 so far. Cheers all!

Entreacto and a coffee 👌

Last of these

Bandolero Serie A. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I honestly had no idea. Those cedar sheets that seperate your Cuban cigar boxes? They all come from Guatemala. We will be using them in the BR rollout late this year early next. I always wondered. I had a fantastic box meeting last week. Many of the questions I had re Cuban box production became clear. I will expand a little later this week once I have had a chance to catch up.

Happy Sunday Morning everyone. 21 Cohiba Siglo VI

I did not love the Padrón Presidente… lit up a Siglo IV. Now good soon great.

Media Luna

My humidors are open. No matter what the outcome. Same in life. Good or bad. It is what it is. I'm not leaving here with them.

Another overdressed box of fine looking cigars

On my way home with a Corona De Lonsdale courtesy of @SMELTZ. Another new release that's smoking lights out 🔥

That was a very productive 9 days by any standards Highlights. Fat Fundy 44 x 192 mm (7.5) is going to be something special. There was one stand out blend that we paired with a Cafe claro wrapper. Queen Corona 42 x 155mm (6.1) is in effect a Monte 3 extra in profile. Again a Cafe claro wrapper. Spada Gorda 46 x 150 (5.9) finished production. It is knock out of the part good. Trini Coloniales good. hat's off to the FOH tasting panel for polishing this cigar for us. Should be on FOH end of this month/easily next. 109 50 x 7 1/4 Blend and wrapper finalised. Production commencing end of August. Petit 109 50 x 6 Blend and wrapper finalised. Production commencing end of August. Ninfa 33 x 178 (7) Blend finalised. Stunning. Moulds called for. Thinking to sell in 50's. Production to commence September. Run away no brainer success story. Robusto (5 x 50) Robusto with a twist. Off to the FOH tasting Panel shortly. Churchill: Off to the FOH tasting panel next month. Piramide: Moulds called for. To tasting panel later this year. Flying Pig Pushed back to next year as we can't currently get a slot at the mould maker in 2023. That and the fact that Hamlet and I are still arguing/ discussing the final shape/size. We spent a half day with the box factory and a half day with a brilliant box designer who will take over our BR design and roll out. The big hearts of the Honduran people we met. The professionalism and passion of our 16 member team. We will grow slowly under Hamlet's, Sergio and Nahun's guidance. Lowlights The rivers of immigration coming through Danli. Literally 100's if not 1000's a day orchestrated by cartels heading to to the USA. It was a heartbreaking sight. the undercurrent (and sometimes not so covert) of violence. Cost of living for locals. Inflation. I love this little enterprise of ours and look forward to getting back there

Sancho Panza Non Plus.

‘21 Epi 2 - started off a bit dodgy but pulled itself together

Few over the past month or so. Cut back on my smoking big time with the recent price increases. Throw in the odd NC every once in a while……..

Life's too short to tolerate a poorly performing cigar. If it's easily fixable, I'll give a small effort to fix it, otherwise into the trash and try for another one.

Felina No 2. Unless we are talking about ways of life related to cigars, then my code is just to be generous and not judgmental. Share with others you think might be interested and let them enjoy their own journey.

Friday was a brilliant evening - we had Didier Mariotti, the chef de cave from Veuve Clicquot, an old mate, and a former presenter on our very own Spitbucket where he joined us for a cigar, in town to present a very special dinner. a vertical tasting of magnums of Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame back to 1993. at this stage, my apols for any photos that are on their side or upside down. i do my best. the following day, as has become traditional, some friends have a few of us up to their place at Maleny, which overlooks Melbourne to PNG, for a champagne lunch. we all bring something but our hosts are always above and beyond. if i tell you that the car to return us to Brisbane from lunch was booked for 7,30pm, that will give you an idea of the day. some of the champers from the day. kicked off with the sensational pierre peters les chetillons 2012. next up, the other great pierre peters single site. les Montjolys 2012. at this stage a bit of a pierre peters festival with a wine from before he started offering the single vineyards. the 1998. the Taittinger comtes 2002 in magnum. if i could drink a wine this good once a year, i'd be a happy man. salon 1995 in magnum. if i could drink something this good once a decade, even happier. a magnum of Moet 1964. this was not just the champagne of the day, not just the champagne of the year but so far, the wine of the year. it was extraordinary. a little rose. the Taittinger comtes rose 1999. in magnum. next up, a pair of Bollys, both from 1985. the Grand Annee and the RD. amazing to see them together. the RD won the day. brilliant. sadly, this Henriot Enchanteurs 1988 was the only cork failure of the day (so sad, my fave vintage). on the other hand, Philipponnat's Clos des Goisses, this the 1998, never fails to thrill. one of the all time great - the 1996 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill. an ogly-ouriet 1998. part of the view. what day is not complete without a magnum of Dom Perignon, here the 1992. the final wine before we left, the 1995 Louis Roederer Cristal in magnum. sadly, no photo of the roadie for the tri[p home - a magnum of Dom Perignon 2008 (another of the all time greats). it would be fair to say that i was rather slow on Sunday. sensational day and what incredible generosity from everyone. all up, nine bottles and seven magnums for the day (although some troops went off to drink a bundle of grand cru burgs when they got back to brizzy - i, of course, was my abstemious self. and before anyone thinks that we overindulged, may i point out that there were nine of us. this is Didier. some of the troops. my apologies - quite a few extra photos have been included at the end. no idea how/why. apols.

Worst cigar of 2023 for me so far, taste like dirt and pepper

Yesterday evening...

Finally first Eagle landed.

Partagás Lusitania (OBM JUL16).

A glorious original release Mag 50 from a JUN 08 50 cab. Paired up with one of my favorite spirits- an El Jolgorio Tepeztate Mezcal. These guys are making small batch mezcal from wild agave varietals and it’s amazing just how varied the flavor profiles can be from one varietal to the next. These are so much more interesting and distinctive than 99% of tequilas IMO. Give them a try.

......of course Di, I will buy them in S-M. L was the default.

Don’t restrain yourself, tell us how you really feel.

my apologies - quite a few extra photos have been included at the end. no idea how/why. apols. and as usual, many thanks to the tech angel who has kindly fixed the pics.

Getting my cheap and cheerful on! Never had either.

Party 898 LEM ENE 2012 This thing kicked my ass but still was delicious😋

8-9-8 post siesta. Have a great day y'all!

Punch DC Have a great one all 🥂

Surprise at the estanco...

Not a purchase but a gift from Switzerland. Smells intoxicating👍🏼

Just received two impeccable boxes of Ramón Allones Specially Selected.

Beautiful cab!

Which do you think has had more real life sightings in 2023? Aliens : The Defense Department is now investigating 650 cases of unknown aerial incursions to date in 2023. Big Foot: To May 31 in 2023, over 211 sightings have been recorded in the USA alone. Partagas 898 Zero recorded sigtings in 2023.

Busted into them. 1st half. Going in was pleasant. Coffee cream and leather hint of citrus left on the palate. Tight draw, but not too bad. I usually take large rips anyways to have a sizable retrohale. Toothy wrapper. The roll on this is exquisite, perfectly symmetrical. I was expecting something similar to the smoking time of a monte E2, but this thing burns slooowwww. 2nd half: Kicked up a notch. More flavorful for sure. Coffee and leather stayed, cream vanished and replaced with chocolate and nutmeg, and a peppery finish. Smoking time was a little over 2 hours.

Best of the month was enjoyed last Sunday. MUR MAR 13. LGC MDO2