Leaderboard

The long awaited Ninfas are here The Punch Ninfas was one of my all time favourite cigars. It was a 178mm (7 inch) x 33 ring gauge hand rolled masterpiece discontinued in 2002. My last cabinet of 50 has long gone and the project was conceived back in January of 2023 for Hamlet and I to develop the ultimate Ninfas cigar. We put the concept cigar into the hands of our Friends of Habanos tasting panel just after mid year. It is fair to say that all were blown away but they can speak for themselves. Mid bodied and rich. There is a purveying raisin/fruity sweetness that melds well with other nuances of tart cooking chocolate, sourdough and just a touch of spice on the retrohale. The cigar builds progressively but never loses it’s composure. The aroma is indeed something special and reflects the flavour profile. Only two sets of rollers/bunchers from our Fabrica 5 team are permitted to roll the Ninfas. They have been hand picked as the best of the best from our high performance Fabrica 5 unit. The construction quality reflects this. The blend is 100% Honduran and includes a special leaf that has enthralled us but until now we were at a loss as to how best to use. We found the right cigar for it to shine. When I was doing the final blend tastings in Danli back in May of this year, all the Ninfas Hamlet blended were superb, but this one was truly the standout. They will be available in the carts in the next few days. I will advise the forum when launched. Made By: Fab05OV Factory Location: Honduras Dimensions: 7 X 33 Filler: Honduras Binder: Honduras Wrapper: Honduras Strength: Medium Price $370 USD Number of Cigars 50

BBF SOR Sept 20, smoking beautifully from our gracious host 👍 Robust coffee, licorice, leather notes and an occasional sweetness.

Plpc and a wonderful rum

Neglected to grab a “before” pic, but this little nub started life as a ~2020 (or older - origin unknown since it came in a sampler) RyJ Churchill enjoyed on a FaceTime with @wathabanos. And yes, you better believe I got my money’s worth. Easily a 96-97 point smoke. Went NC tonight. Surprisingly smooth flavors from this one!

Excited about these

VR Famosos (BSM Feb 2021)

Favorite Moments…

This ‘22 M2 and a couple stout with pals

Twang galore.

Loving the Turquinos

agree to disagree The left fear him. You can tell by the level of angst

Bolivar CG PUR NOV15. Absolutely fantastic - 2.5 hour smoke One of the unfortunate discontinued / dying brand that is no longer made. Was fortunate to get a couple of boxes following the announcement of their demise.

Buddy sent me a couple of these, gave it a short rest and 72 hour dry box. Stellar cigar. Hoping our host will get these sometime, I'd definitely buy a box.

At the cigar house of Puerto Rico, this is one of the best non Cubans I’ve had.

At the end of the day, in this stillness of the night, I can go back calmly with a cigar.

Not sure what prompted me to smoke this but man. 98 points!!

You have to start off with a hormone panel at a minimum and see where your values are before a recommendation can be made. Also checking arteries, cholesterol, etc. If you are a candidate for hormone replacement therapy, Testopel is the best therapy offered. Otherwise it would be weekly injections or daily pills. Pills don't have as high an adsorption rate and need to be taken religiously on time. Shots are shots and can spike your testosterone levels and can lead to back acne. Testopel is also an injection of pellets, every 10-12 weeks and provides a smooth release of testosterone. Keep in mind a men's health specialist in TRT are aiming to get all your blood values in a healthy range, not make you Dorian Yates.

I keep fit (run 30-50km and lift 3x p/w) but have never considered TRT. Always figured that there are other aspects of my life that I should sort before I’d see the true risk / benefit play out (better diet, less booze, more sleep, etc). Take vitamin D tabs, drink lots of black coffee and have a high protein / high meat content diet. That’s about it for now. p.s. I once read on a sign that Guinness is good for your iron levels, so that gets a pass - right?

LUB MAR 14 Monte DE. Usual Monte cocoa and coffee flavours but with exceptional depth and richness. Have nubbed every one from this box. Past its peak now I suspect, but to me still a great cigar. 94-95 pts. Take that number with a grain of salt, I don’t normally score cigars. Rich, delicious, great smoke and flavour output.

1954 ASTON MARTIN DB2/4 COUPE BY BERTONE

Apologies for the poor pic, didn't want to take them out of the sampler cello. I'd say I'm in the NC big leagues now. 😛 4x OX Angel's Share 2x OX 888

I am a lover of quality tinned sardines on toast. It is one of the great flavour sensations. I sprinkle mine with some super fine cut hot chillies....not too many....just enough. Tinned Fish From Spain And Portugal ($88)

Surely it isn't worse than: Love island, Bachelor/Bachelorette/The Masked Singer/ anything Kardashian/ Housewives of Bogota etc etc etc God forbid. Sunday Night Football is NPR by comparison. The new 60 minutes.

Cohiba Siglo VI, RME MAR 12. I didn’t take a picture when I smoked it, here’s what remains of the tenner I bought long ago. There was a time when Siglo VI ten count SLBs could be had for 200$ USA. Vendors would put them on special and I suspect customers would add a box on to an order because, after all, it’s a Siglo VI and they do not suck. Any vendors reading this may want to take the hint. BTW, it was a stunning cigar. 5 stars, 98 points, fantastic from the first draw right to the nub.

My trainer started on TRT once he hit 40 and swears by it. My Physio recommended I go on it if I want to maintain (he politely means slow down) muscle loss into my 60's. I am not quite there yet Mind you, the bastard said it was the first thing he was going to do once he reached 35. I know many on FOH exercise seriously and are in their 40's through 70's. It crossed my mind to ask the question. Those who are on TDT, have you found it to have made a positive difference to your training regimen/life? Would love members input on actual outcomes.

‘23 N1 👌 Had to hide these guys for a while, but the dog needed a decent walk this evening, so I braved the cold. Feel like they’ve come on even further in the last two months - the first inch or so is one of the sweetest openings I’ve found in any NC. Very enjoyable.

In which direction? 😆

If it's over 50% you cannot ride the Tour de France 😃

I've stumbled across this, early 50s here. Overweight (95kg@175cm). Still matching PRs in my 1RM lifts from 5-6 years ago at the moment. My running has gone downhill. But then I barely run these days! 1m15s down on my 1 mile time 😭🤣 I quickly convinced myself TRT was snakeoil. Measured my levels last blood test which were 'normal for age' Left it at that..... am i missing out on a miracle!? I've now given up on supplements altogether. Am pain and medicine free though, so maybe im doing something right...?

I don't disagree with much of what you are saying .........but putting Tate and Peterson in the same class is a stretch

Keeping the D4 train going here This UAO D4 was so good that I totally nubbed it.

Sancho Panza Eslavo that was generously gifted by a fellow FOHer. Smoked this one while getting the smoker and its location prepared for Thanksgiving and shortly after getting the pavilion wrapped for the winter. It was a delightful smoke and my first Sancho Panza. Much appreciated!

Siglo V (SOP MAR 21). Creamy vanilla with bits of grass, citrus and chocolate - 94

Last night with Clive and Tony (Miner and Joker). 2011 siglo Vl, the three of us smoked one each.

Best cigar in November has to be this ERDM PCC 20th. What a beautiful smoke. Sweet floral perfume like scent, even noticeable outdoor. In fact, got two different tables coming over to compliment the smell of this cigar. The conversation over the cigar was priceless. Close to two hours of memorable experience. 99 points😋

Once in a while I can remember a cigar, Esplendido LBT OCT09. As good as a cigar can be for me, 99-100.

My best cigar of the last 30 days was an AUM Jul 2014 Cohiba Coronas Especiales. This nine-year old Cohiba Coronas Especiales had delicious, yet light and subtle flavours of milk coffee, light hay, baking spice and honey and vanilla notes and stayed that way over 80 minutes of smoking time. It had very little in the way of mocha flavour, was crisp on the palate and was quite herbaceous in its hay qualities. It was quite simply brilliant. Score it? Easily 95 points!

I love this flavor the most, and my cat seems to be the same.😂

My friend went into a men's health clinic thinking he had low T. Had all the symptoms and ran tests. He came back with normal T levels and they said he was in depression. Wasn't the low T causing his depression, just bitchy girlfriend that he dumped and is loving life now. Importance of getting tested to know what in your life needs the focus.

Diplomáticos No.2 TOS Dic 2015 POU Jun 2013 Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion No.4s, LUB May 2014 H.Upmann No.2s, EML Feb 2015 San Cristobal de la Habana El Principes, LGR Ago 2017 Por Larranaga Montecarlos. In and of itself, these cited vitolas may not mean anything in particular, but as a collective they represent examples of vitolas that have had premium value for how exceptional they've been in comparison to their peers. To that end then, one could easily add the TOS Dic 2015 Diplomaticos No.2, of which I am grateful for sampling one for this review. Within this blog series I have been smoking from an impressive EML Ago 2014 Diplomaticos No.2 box. This TOS Dic 2015 Diplomaticos No.2, therefore, has waited patiently for nearly eight years to be 'cracked open'. The TOS series of Dipomaticos No.2 in the second half of 2015 and 2016 were well-noted and highly popular with our forum members when they were been produced and available. Within the first twelve to twenty-four months they were known for their simple combinations of flavours; yet, there was a general consensus pertaining to their higher quality. I was eager to discover for myself exactly how complex (or simple) and flavoursome they were with this box, after almost eight years rest, today. I find that, in general, Diplomaticos cigars can vary markedly between flavours that are savoury (such as capsicum or bell pepper, paprika spice) and flavours that are sweet (cinnamon, nutmeg). My Dip 2s from my EML Ago 2014 box were more on the savoury side. How was this initial cigar from this TOS Dic 2015 box? It was evident, from the very first puffs, that this Dip 2 was more on the savoury side, with notes of wood, capsicum or bell pepper and sourdough. The cigar had a fair amount of smoke per puff and packed a heap of flavour. This is important to highlight; after eight years, this cigar has not lost its efficacy in how flavoursome it was. The ash was consistent and the burn and draw were both fine. Furthermore, there were notes of 'toastiness' and the cigar did have a core sourdough flavour, unlike my last few Dip 2s from my EML Ago 2014 box. In terms of any paprika spice I can say that there really wasn't that much evidence on hand here, throughout the smoke, of it. So, all-in-all, this Diplomaticos No.2 continues to support the adage that a quality cigar has the potential to develop and age well, given that it has been reputable within its early stages of that development. In addition, there is a common predisposition to compare the Diplomaticos No.2 to the Montecristo No.2 among cigar enthusiasts. With this TOS Dic 2015 Diplomaticos No.2 today, that point is definitely 'moot' and does not bear expanding upon at all.

Partagás Serie D No.4 PMS Nov 2013 I have had enough reviews, within this blog series, of the Partagas Serie D No.4 in the last two years to not have to 'wax lyrical' about its virtues, its history, even its popularity. Yes, the Partagas Serie D No.4 is the leading Habanos cigar in the world currently, ahead of the Montecristo No.4 and Montecristo No.2. It is a 50 ring gauge x 124 millimetres (or 4⅞ inches) robustos-sized cigar and it was around pre-Revolution. In other words, pre-1960, when robustos-sized cigars weren't popular in comparison to thinner ring-gauged cigars. I believe this is the twelfth Partagas Serie D No.4 that I've smoked since the beginning of 2022. This compromises five in 2022 and seven in 2023, across a few box codes; mainly a superlative 10-count box of ROP Feb 2020 PSD4s. If you aren't aware, post-2020 Partagas Serie D No.4 have been consistently very good. For a time I had 'waned' off this popular cigar. In fact, I had none in 2021 but their virtuous smoking performance lured me back. And yes, I'm glad I have smoked a number (of them) since 2022. This late-2013 box of Partagas Serie D No.4 was rested ten years prior to opening it. How did the first PSD4 from the box fare? In a word, magnificently! I was expecting it to be more milder in strength and body than what it was, but what factored the most in its smoking, in my view, was the magnificent rosado-shade wrappers, in general, on these cigars from this 25-count box. Yes, trust me, they made a huge difference. This ten-year old Partagas Serie D No.4 was mild-medium in strength, simple in its flavour profile, yet medium-full in its body. The flavours were a simple combination of sourdough, coffee, leather...perhaps a touch of honey sweetness. In comparison to my more recent PSD4s, I guess I can say that those had more coffee to them. This 2013 example certainly had more sourdough and leather. It was very much still flavoursome. There was no reason to suggest that the box has 'peaked' and the strength and body have now started to deteriorate. That is not the case at all! I envisage that I will smoke the second PSD4 from the box in little time. If that is as good as this one today, you can expect that I will have another six or seven of these to smoke through and enjoy in 2024!

I’m in my late thirties and have been on TRT for almost 4 years now. We started off with a lifestyle assessment and got multiple blood panels done. First to see what my total and free testosterone & estrogen levels were, also to see if anything else was effecting my levels internally, and LASTLY to make sure I’d be a good candidate for TRT. We found that I was especially low for my age and a viable candidate so I started with injections. i inject twice a week because we found that doing a weekly injection was thickening (laymen term) my blood too fast (a side effect of TRT for some). My hemocrit levels still get high, but not as fast. And the remedy for that is just donating blood every three months - which is a win win. For me, the benefits out weigh the side effects by far, and has really changed my life for the better. I am an advocate of TRT for anyone who asks me about it, but I always urge them to do their own research and to consult professionals.

i have no idea about these people at all. sometimes, it is bliss to live in staggering ignorance.

AF DC. I tried my first retrohales and I am a believer! Towards the middle I was getting lot of leather then I retrohaled and got a world of flavors! Cinnamon was the most outstanding. Another interesting affect was that the leather taste dissipated with each retrohale. I will say that I got a little aggressive on the retrohale and got whacked with the biggest wasabi like head rush I ever had .

In San Francisco? They "delivered" the first handful of "production" models to "customers" at an event earlier this week, just a couple days ago. Those drivers would have had to High Tail it from the event in Austin, Texas. Are you sure you aren't confusing them with Rivian's R1T? They've been actually available for the last year +. They wont be available in any real quantity until the 2nd half of next year, at the very earliest. At least 3 years later than the stated delivery dates at release and more than 50% more expensive than the stated release prices from 2019. Tesla has completely missed the boat on this. Ford, GM and Rivian have all released superior products in the years the Tesla has floundered. And those superior products are far inferior to gas/diesel trucks at this point, keep in mind that none of these electric "trucks" can actually be used as trucks. As soon as you start hauling real weight, or god forbid, tow something, the ranges fall off a cliff. That "250 mile range might be 75 or 80 when towing at the stated capacity. Ford will be on their 2nd generation lightning by the time Tesla says they are going to release their rear wheel drive model. Ford is estimating a range nearly double the Tesla's range by 2025. The Tesla Semi has already been exposed as a complete Fraud, just like the Nikola Semi. By the time you account for the 60-65,000 LB Cab and all its battery weight, the usable load is around 15,0000 Lbs, or less than half what a Diesel powered Rig can haul. There is absolutely ZERO business case for them today. Will all new vehicles be electrified in the next 25-30 years? Almost Certainly. But the battery technology of today simply doesn't allow for them to be consistently better than ICE powered vehicles.

Old news! Movie, music, Letterman interviews. Where the groupies at?

Buy a bunch of hydroponics gear and start growing the Devil's Lettuce.