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From a 5’ver that I won on the FOH Cohiba review weekend a year or two ago. First off, I am NOT a Cohiba-o-phile. They’re good, no doubt. Perhaps their subtlety escapes me? Cold draw is firm. Cinnamon and citrus. The light was perfect, just the way I learned from Ken watching the videos. Well under medium body and flavor. Cinnamon, maybe some holiday spice and a touch of citrus. Whatever Cohiba is, this is spot on. Pleasant. Light/light/medium. Burn and draw are perfect. Damn pleasant. With the exception of the ESPY, I’m still not a Cohiba fan, but I am taking into account the price/enjoyment<2>^ equation. The fault is mine for that, not the cigar. 2nd half builds in classic Cuban style. Not an edge to be found. Full medium cinnamon, holiday spice, a bit of fresh cream and citrus. Thoroughly enjoyable. If I could afford them they would certainly be in my monthly rotation. Will buy 2 extra lottery tickets next week! 93/94 all day.

Finally finished the bathroom demo - thankfully leaving the ceiling so the blown in insulation can stay in place. Only time for a Monte 5. Some chocolate goodness even in my dusty state. Trip to Spain now “paid” for in April since my contractor knew this demo would take some time. 8 windows getting installed tomorrow so after I finished cleanup, I got to move furniture and take down blinds - which cut into my cigar time. At least my wife didn’t say a think when I went down to the Coolidor to grab some minutos - these things have been moving quickly here lately.

I broke into a BRM APR 22 box of PLMC today for the first time. Excellent already! Followed that up with a few more as my Falcons very slim playoff hopes were dashed. Hopefully a new coach is in our future....

2014 Montecristo no4

Here is the photo I referenced in my post above. It shows the blending room at El Laguito and the grand total of 15 or 16 Oak Barrels. They are only about half the size of a whisky barrel and many of them where empty. The employee at the back is looking for a full one to show us some Medio Tiempo.

My Father La Promesa

Weekend smokes 👍

Epi De Luxe RAT DIC ‘19

BRC is a flavour powerhouse

LGC MDO3, dark fruits throughout, I can’t even really describe it. What an absolute treat, box code 2002.

I'll save you the time. The secret is; There is no secret. There are no "Cohiba Farms", no "Cohiba Processing Facilities", no "Cohiba ageing warehouses." The tobacco that goes into Cohibas gets the same treatment, at the same facilities, by the same people as the tobacco that goes into every other top tier, long filler brand. I've toured EL a half dozen times and spoke to two different master blenders and two different Factory managers about all of it. One of my best Cuban friends has (and still does) worked multiple mid level management positions at the factory. The 4th fermentation is just a story, for marketing purposes. I have been told, by several of the people mentioned above that the production manager at EL does get the first phone call when a new batch of tobacco is deemed "ready" by a storage warehouse. So, theoretically, the very best tobacco that Cuba produces goes into cigars rolled at EL. All of the cigars rolled at EL. Whether it's Cohiba, Trinidad, Montecristo or Partagas. One thing everyone seems to completely gloss over is the production process for the 75% of Cohiba that aren't rolled at EL. EL is a TINY factory. Two rolling galleries, neither of which is ever full. They might be able to pump out 10 or 15% of the volume that La Corona does. People tour all the Havana factories on a regular basis, yet not one frame of video or photographic evidence has ever emerged of the mythical Oak Barrels or "4th fermentation" room at any of these factories. Because they don't exist. So, while I agree with many that EL is the premier factory in Cuba, I disagree that the premium level starts and stops at the Cohibas rolled there. I'm not at my desktop now, but I will post up a couple photos later today of the Oak Barrels at El Laguito. They are shoved against the back wall of the blending room and lined with black plastic trash bags. I was told that they use them to "rest" Medio Tiempo Tobacco when they get a batch in. But they are small and there are only a few of them, so there just isn't enough room to store, let alone ferment, all the tobacco that goes through the facility. Tobacco takes months, or years to ferment at high temperatures and high humidities. Temperatures and Humidity levels that would would cause the Oak to break down and start fermenting as well.

“In a world full of fish, smoke the shark” Eye of the shark 2016

Drinking Rum before 10am doesn’t make me an alcoholic, it makes me a pirate. Spada gorda.

There are lots of different flavor profiles in the NC world. Nicaragua,Honduran,Dominican, Mexican, Costa Rican and Brazilian tobaccos all have different characteristics ,as do the various wrappers, Cameroon, Connecticut,etc. I try to have an open mind. Oh and also.... Wait for it..... Ninfas!!

Basically, every brand is 'owned' by one of the big factories. That factory is responsible for selecting the tobacco and generally overseeing the brand. They receive orders for X amount of Y vitola from Tabacuba and then they figure out what do do with it, either make it themselves or outsource it to another factory. Generally, if it's something hard, like as Gizmo said large Cuaba, the mother factory will handle it themselves. There also appear to be some low volume sizes (as in, factory sizes from multiple brands) that are only made at specific factories. Likely this is because that factory has the only set of moulds for the size and it's easier to send them all the orders rather than move the moulds around. Whether there is any benefit in chasing down production from the big factories is a matter of opinion.

Nudies Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There’s no shortage of premium cigars in Playa DelCarmen

2021 N3 this morning with Honduran coffee. Stronger than my usual N1 but a fine cigar. Slow is required which is perfect for a lazy Sunday. Bears travel across the cheddar curtain to whoop up on the Green menace for the first time in 4+ years 🫣

Enjoyed this ultra creamy + fruity sweetness San Juan from 2019. Smoke’em if you got’em. Happy Sunday FOH! Smoked this very young Petite Edmundo. Can definitely taste its youth. However, the baseline is there with tremendous potential.

Once I and Hamlet get back from vacation, we will be working on samplers in each line + singles (to a minimum order amount). Give us until late January. We are also well advanced on a new website for Desnudo/Nudies/MOFOH etal. 2023 was a huge year for us. We have moved from the minors to the mid level tier of manufacturing. 2024 will be bigger as long as we keep true to the core plan. I will post more upon our return

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!... Oh, and send your Newbies, too." Yes, being the answer. Follow the instructions at the start of this thread.

I'm in. The BBC all-stars managed a remote composition

Before cigarmageddon I was smoking 100% CC. Now I am smoking 90% NC. I have yet to find any NC cigars that are remotely comparable to an esplendidos, lancero, lusitanias, ect... with 7 -10 years of age. Still have a decent supply of CC, thanks to our host, but haven't purchased any in 18 months or so.

The last couple months I've been working my way through Illusione's lineup. Out of the 10+ I've tried I have yet to have one that disappoints. Give them a shot.

Lots of great recommendations out there that won't fit that descriptor at all. Keep in mind a single new world brand can have a dozen or more offerings that taste different from each other. Far more when you get into bigger brands.

Couple Partagas burns from the past week: A OCT 2018 P2 from a Seleccion Piramides And a Short of unknown origin and vintage (one of those sticks I didn’t catalog well at all when it hit the humidor). Mysteries aside a great smoke!

Ninfa These truly are something special! Desnudo Canonazo

Woah woah woah So I didn't know what I was in for - New years day normalcy Jan 2, I had the stick lying around for maybe 5 months of so and I was like, "oh well, I think it's aged enough, let's light 'er up" in Chiang Mai, with a beautiful mountain backdrop. Few observations I read on the forum : 1. If you smoke them too fast - they taste different, it's a sipper not a chugger 2. The price, taste, value for money is amazing - simply impressed Onto the tasting notes: First Third are earthy tones such as moss or compost, which are typical of medium-bodied cigars. No spiciness, perhaps hints of cinnamon, setting the stage for a complex flavor profile. The second third, the flavors intertwine. I detected woody notes like cedar accompanied by a nuttiness reminiscent of walnuts. I tasted sweeter elements hints of vanilla or caramel, adding a delightful contrast to the earthy notes. In the final third of the cigar, I found sweetness evolving into a darker profile, hints of molasses. The earthy notes might evolved into a more leathery quality with fruity undertones and hint of citrus, adding a fresh dimension to the experience. I would age further to 1 yr for the rest I have in the stash - my own 2 cents , that's my subjective take to myself , wonder how they taste in 2 or 3 yrs if anyone has experience, let me know.

Like with most factories, and in particular this one, EL is no almacén, no tobacco warehouse. Raw tobacco processing isn’t done there. As such, El Laguito will be the wrong place to physically look for the “fourth fermentation” process. That said, in my opinion, and as far as my understanding goes, said extra step (of variable duration, and only done in Seco and Ligero) is more like an extra period of rest and ‘melding’, a very mild fermentation at best, in barrels (or better put “barrel-like” containers). At some point, tobacco will eventually be “outfermented”. And, I do concur with @Corylax18 this isn’t a step that‘s been exclusive to Cohiba. At least there were times, when it had been done for tobacco that went into other brands as well (quite similar to the infamous Medio Tiempo...🙄). Anyway, @LizardGizmo, it would indeed be nice to get some in-the-know info and update on this!

We weren't expecting the tsunami of demand We have them rolled, rested and ready to ship in the factory. Back in stock last week of the month.

Some inte=resting information here. https://www.moodiedavittreport.com/interview-davidoffs-shopper-centric-vision-for-cigars/ Interview: Davidoff’s shopper-centric vision for cigars by Dermot Davittdermot@moodiedavittreport.comSource: ©The Moodie Davitt Report5 December 2023 “If you miss the cigar shopper you miss the bigger picture – that’s the key message.” So says Oettinger Davidoff Head Partner Markets & Duty Free EMEA and Americas Jean-Christophe Holley, assessing how the premium cigar manufacturer has been moving from a category to a shopper management approach with its travel retail partners. It is doing so with the aid of research and insights into the power of cigar shoppers that can help reinforce the importance of the category in the shopper journey. Over the past two years the brand owner has been communicating these findings to key partners around Cannes. These have underlined how Davidoff sees the potential for cigar sales to double in travel retail, the importance of both self-purchase and gifting, and how retailers can rethink their category strategies to grow their overall sales. “As a pioneer in this channel for many years we want to do more, to go further than just introducing new products regularly,” says Holley. “Cigar shoppers are the most valuable in the industry. They spend money, they contribute to growing basket sizes more than any other shopper group and so there is huge value for footfall and conversion and overall spend. That will continue. The appetite for travel is there, the appetite to spend is there in this category and if you drill down into the cigar shoppers they have a big basket size that goes across categories.” He adds: “We take a higher perspective. You cannot just look at a humidor at an airport to assess the value of the category or the shopper – you have to take a wider view of all the other categories.” Davidoff in attractive central space at Geneva Airport; below, a ‘Davidoff The Difference’ campaign at Frankfurt Airport To do that requires a close understanding of the cigar shopper, who Holley notes is very different from the cigarette shopper. “The cigar shoppers doesn’t need to buy their allowance each time they fly, rather they want to have an experience. And if the experience is right they will buy several items.” The company notes that more than 21% of cigar purchases are for gifting, which represents a powerful finding. In addition, cigar-related cross-category purchases are +63% higher than any other category, Davidoff research shows. “This shows what this niche category can do for other categories,” says Holley. “Cigars are over-performing other categories in the return to travel phase – retailers can see this within their tobacco portfolios.” He says that the conversation is now changing with some partners who are rethinking where they place their humidors – not simply at the back of the store, or close to cigarettes. There are further opportunities beyond the main stores, including in gate and transit stores. That understanding of what the cigar shopper brings is deepening, Holley says. “Going beyond category you need to think in terms of full basket and total store solutions. Where should we put the category in front of consumers? “The retailers are looking for some key elements. One is footfall – we know many cigar shoppers pass through airports. Then there is conversion, which is at a high level in this category. And then there is basket size. We offer footfall and basket size, now we need more retailers to work closely with us on conversion. And that is the key among all of these factors, as we offer the other two through our shoppers.” He adds: “This is all about category and shopper management. We have insights that show the power of cigars, and now our plans resulting from these insights are moving into concrete action. We have a thread we want to follow over the coming years, backed by more insights, more action and more commercial dynamism in our approach. “We are on a journey. We have worked with some retail partners already while some others are only just boarding the train. We are not necessarily going to convince everyone at once but we are a pioneer and we have time. “We are in the tobacco niche but really we are a luxury lifestyle category. And we know that with the strategy around the shopper, there is a wider message and contribution we can make to the industry.” *This feature first appeared in Category Insight, a supplement to The Moodie Davitt Magazine for November. Click here to access that edition.

Totally agree. As a resident of Shanghai and frequent traveler to Beijing, etc., the situation in China is exactly as Rob describes it. When I returned to Italy for the month of October, the depleted stock was as dismal as what I've become accustomed to in China. The issue is as Rob states... totally base supply, not a redirection of CC stock to China and other parts of Asia.

From Davidoff and down, is that a poor selection? Ive tried almost every boutique brand and major brand and literally 99% hot dirt

Drawing this... my list was: Die Hard The Life of Brian Love Actually The Night Before Trading Places No matching entries, so we went to a random draw, where the winners were: @TheFullMontecristo @MickVanWinkle @wjs @gormag38 and @Chibearsv Congrats to all! Please PM your details (name, address, email) to me, and we'll arrange dispatch of your prize. Thanks to all who participated.

The 2-cigar prize is still on offer each week... the winner just needs to DM me their details.

First smoked a Lusi this summer when I ordered a box of 10, which are dated Mar 2023 and a bit young. Will note that I have not tried the DC Punch but have 2 waiting for better weather. I like the Lusi and believe it lives up to the hype. It was a pleasant smoke. Still waiting for these age before really commenting too much on the age. My RAG are dated 2023 and HDM are dated 2022. Will report back once I have better feedback on how these age. From a young flavor and looks POV 1) RAG, 2) Lusi, 3) HDM x) Punch. Nice summer smoke that lasted me a solid 2.25 hours on the beach. If I hadn't run out of rum this could have stretched this to 2.5/3 hours. Pleasant experience.

That is harsh I have said it before and I will say it again. I applaud anyone who puts up quality content regarding our hobby. It may not be to your taste, however, Kudos (if grudging in some cases) should be given.

C&C time. Upmann Mag 54 (2018) from our gracious host.

Nudie splits have arrived!

You might be a Ninfa-maniac 😆

Another Ninfa. I'm a ninfa ninja

UBL MAR 2022

First CC of the year, and it was killer! JL2 - UTL FEB ‘18 Plus a Haut 10

Spada Gorda and a pint of stout

C&C time. PLPC (2017) from our gracious host.

Brunch

Down to Kata beach yesterday. Beautiful again but Surin still my favourite. Back there a little later today. FOH member Webbo (Ashley) touched base and arranged some tickets for Simon Cabaret! What a great night! i managed to have a Mojito and a small cigar pre show. I love the cherry and butterfly on the Mojito 😁 Thanks Ash!

Excellent advice. Have gone down the same path. Hoping to avoid the same mistake. Right now, it's a real zen thing for me and I'm doing my best to preserve that by setting aside having too many goals and not being worried about the inevitable plateau. Just make slow progress and enjoy it for what it is.