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Monday night cigars 21' H. Upmann Connossieur No.2 - Custard, Shortbread, Graham Cracker 97' Bolivar Inmensas - Dark Chocolate, Toasted Marshmallow, Malt 98' Punch Petit Coronas del punch - Baking Spice, Juicy Fruit, Cocoa 1/2 Blah Ok Good Tasty Heavenly

Partagas Culebras (SEP 18)

Sept 23 Juan Lopez Seleccion #2. Came into it with no expectations and this is (for my taste) an extremely good cigar. Salted nuts and cream, smooth retrohale. And look at that construction!

Ramón Allones Phoenicio 35 Edición Regional Líbano 2015.

Wonderful smoke.

Galanes GER Jun 22

UAO Edmundo

BRC TUA JUN 2020. One of those orange dot boxes.

MAR E2 Delicious😋

I felt left out so I sat in my car for pictures to, had to do it quick before the wife spots me though 😜

No. 2 (2108) from our gracious host.

May 13 PLM 😊

Excellent meet up tonight. Company as always. Got to try a 60s upmann crystales from a 50 jar thanks to one of the crew. Then a fatty Fundy - no pic! Then the north star. All great cigars in their own way. And scored 3 Grandes thanks to Leif. Washed down with beer and, also new to me, Aberfeldy 12 that tasted great after all those cigars 😜

Totally missed today's memo 😥 Soothing my FOMO with a Turquinos 😋

It's been hot this week. The aroma when this newly delivered box was opened was intense.

Fonseca No 1

Por Larrañaga Petit Coronas EML May 2014 Let me tell you something about the Por Larranaga Petit Coronas. It's fabled for its potential caramel-laden qualities with age and it's known for having 'bite' (or was is known on our forum colloquially as 'mongrel') when young. But these are generalisations. Not all aged Por Larranaga Petit Coronas are full of caramel, nor are all young versions of this cigar fulsome in body. Having said this thus far, it's when you experience a simply marvellous aged, sweet caramel PLPC that you are 'hooked' with expectation, even anticipation for the next one. The trouble is, the next one may not be as abundant in caramel as you'd like. This is the third cigar from this 50-count box. (Obviously as Por Larranaga Petit Coronas only come in 50-count packaging, paradoxically. They were once available in a 25-count option, but this was discontinued around 2002.) It began with a little caramel and honey in the first third, like the second one from the box that I had six weeks ago. Unlike my first PLPC, this one did have some notes of coffee and wood, alongside light toasted tobacco, in the first and second thirds. From the middle third onwards it was quite 'woody', like oak and had periods of some spice on the edges. Whereas my second PLPC was quite 'toasty' in its texture on the palate, very easy to smoke and with plenty of smoke per puff, this third PLPC was heavier on the tongue; and especially so in the back half. The construction was faultless though. Ash rings and ash-lengths were at their consistent best. I took seventy to seventy-five minutes to finish this cigar today. In summary, I would say that this Por Larranaga Petit Coronas was not as exemplary as my first one from the box but it was okay. Now, if it was full of caramel from beginning to end I might have had a different opinion of it, most definitely!

Vegas Robaina Unicos EPO Mar 2022 Vegas Robaina is a marca that admittedly doesn't enjoy a notable profile, is unlikely to be in your 'go-to' rotation and like the other brands ironically re-classified in the last few years by Habanos S.A. as "other brands", and has had a few regular production vitolas deleted since its inception as a brand in 1997. It was named after the famous Cuban tobacco grower, Alejandro Robaina, whom the Cuban Government decided to honour as the pre-eminent tobacco grower in Cuba in the 90's by naming a marca after him. A little over 25 years later there is only the Piramides-shaped vitola, the Unicos (52 ring gauge x 156 mm or 6.1 inches) and the Hermosos No.4, the Famosos (48 ring gauge x 127 mm or 5 inches) left. Like many other Lonsdales, Coronas and Double Coronas in the last 15 to 20 years, the Clásicos, the Familiar and the Don Alejandro have since been discontinued. In terms of special releases, Vegas Robaina hasn't had one since 2014, but in the seven years prior it did see eight Regional Editions released. There were also five unique special releases in the ensuing years since the advent of the marca, including a Cuba-only 83rd Anniversary Humidor to commemorate Alejandro Robaina's birthday and an ornate 5th Anniversary Humidor of 100 cigars consisting of 20 x Clasicos (42 rg x 165 mm or 6½ inches in length Lonsdales), 20 x Don Alejandro (49 rg x 194 mm or 7⅝ inches in length Double Coronas), 20 x Famosos (48 rg x 127 mm or 5 inches in length Hermosos No.4s), 20 x Maestros (50 rg x 141 mm or 5½ inches in length Gorditos) and 20 x Unicos (52 rg x 156 mm or 6⅛ inches in length Piramides). This Vegas Robaina 5th Anniversary Humidor was universally lauded upon release in 2003 as containing the very best Vegas Robaina cigars ever produced. After smoking a 20 year-old example of the Vegas Robaina Unicos from this special release humidor around twelve months ago, I can attest that this is not an understatement. Today's Vegas Robaina Unicos was the first one I had from a EPO Mar 2022 10-count singles acquisition I made due to the fact that my Vegas Robaina stock was starting to get a little low in my humidor. Then again, with only two regular production cigars left; the VR Famosos and VR Unicos, and given that I haven't had any Unicos stock in my humidor before, that's no surprise really. In fact, I can't recall the last time I had a Vegas Robaina Unicos. It was certainly before Cuban Cigar website had an inventory system in the mid-2010s. So, with no background information to go from, apart from the numerous Vegas Robaina Famosos I've smoked, I approached this VR Unicos with an open mind. The cold draw revealed a deep-scented barnyard aroma which serenaded the senses. Put simply, it made you want to light up the cigar and smoke it, which I preceded to do, of course. The first third revealed an expected chocolate and coffee core flavour. I wouldn't say that the chocolate was luscious or sweet, nor would I say that the coffee was bitter and bold. Rather, they were more in the background, as there was a vegetal or grassy component to this cigar which started to come to the fore by the end of the first third and the beginning of the middle third. By the middle third, this grassiness was easily evident; the other flavours ceded to it, but alongside the aforementioned chocolate and coffee I did get some oak and dates or prunes. I know, it doesn't sound like a combination of flavours one expects in a Habanos cigar or even amongst the other Habanos piramides releases such as the Diplomaticos No.2, the H.Upmann No.2 and the Montecristo No.2, but these flavours are very much characteristic of the Vegas Robaina marca, trust me. In the final third, that 'oakiness' dominated the palate more. The grass notes were there but after two hours of smoking this VR Unicos I deduced that I had consumed its best moments long ago and so I didn't nub it, like I would have if I really connected with the cigar. Having said this, I've had Vegas Robaina cigars in the past that have been full of luscious, deep and resonant flavours, so I know that the next Vegas Robaina Unicos I have from this box code could well be superlative. So what can we conclude, then? In essence, Vegas Robaina is a marca that can shine brightly, whilst also having its dimmer moments. Then again, could we say the same about a greater number of Montecristo vitolas? Perhaps we can, and furthermore, maybe we can surmise that these Habanos marcas that have core cocoa, coffee and/or chocolate flavours really need to be balanced to be at their best. Hmmm...yes, indeed.

Trinidad Robusto Extra. MKO OCT 03.

There's a coincidence. I signed contracts on Monday with the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture to export single-origin coffee from Pinar del Rio, where coffee was first grown in Cuba. This will be the first single-origin coffee in Cuba's history. 100% shade grown Arabica. I got UN approval for inclusion of the project in their "17 Sustainable Development Goals" program. Soon, Cuban cigar smokers in some parts of the world will get to taste the same coffee that Pinar del Rio tobacco farmers drink. Much to do yet but initial negotiations and documentation completed. An interesting process. All lovely people. More news to come. The packaging is a work in progress. Work well in progress on the D.O.P.

Monte Esp No 2. MUA JUN 09.

Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales LGR Jun 2018 It's somewhat ironic to admit that when I wanted to acquire some more Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales recently, I ended up getting some that were older than any of the stock that I have on-hand in my humidor. Prior to this purchase of a 10-count of mid-2018 RyJ Petit Royales, I had four box codes in various tallies ranging in age from mid-2019 to mid-to-late 2020. This all suggests that the Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales is not a huge seller. It's an assumption that could well be justified. In regard to the reputation of this 47 ring gauge x 95 millimetres (or 3¾ inches) in length Caprichos, the Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales on our forum does not generally fare well. One does not see many members discussing it, posting it in the popular Daily Smoking thread or acquiring it and posting it in the similarly popular Cuban Cigar Purchase thread. Maybe that has something to do with the popularity of Romeo y Julieta as a marca in general, which is not great. In summary, it's a marca that has been labelled bland or muddled by our members. Some members have said in addition that the infamous 'cherry' notes in these cigars are mythical. Despite that, for me personally, the Romeo y Julieta Petit Royales represents one of the marca's better vitolas, in my view. This particular RyJ Petit Royales did not dominant in cocoa, it wasn't a bland tobacco mess, and it didn't reflect that much in the way of berry fruits. Quite simply, it was a fine mix of mild cocoa, baking spice, some anise and some subtle toasted tobacco. It was all quite inoffensive but it was fine. Sure, I've had better...but I've also had worse! I smoked this small cigar over an incredible seventy-five minutes. There was a point whereby the cigar increased in intensity in its spice, in the middle, but this soon dissipated. While I was smoking it I genuinely surmised that I was smoking a Romeo y Julieta Churchills; only this Petit Royales was 83 millimetres or around 3¼ inches shorter. Both the RyJ Churchills and Petit Royales share a 47 ring gauge but the Churchills has been around prior to the Cuban Revolution in the late-50s. The RyJ Petit Royales was only released to market in December 2017. No, one cannot call the RyJ Petit Royales a 'mini-Churchills!' Still, this cigar was fine. I'm happy I acquired it.

H. Upmann Half Corona BRT Nov 2022 I recently acquired these BRT Nov 2022 H.Upmann Half Coronas because my number of early-2015 H.Upmann Half Coronas that I've been smoking in the last few years have dwindled down to just over a handful in number. Furthermore, I figured that I'd like to give some younger samples of this cigar a try; after all, it's been some time since I've done so (i.e. smoke younger H.Upmann Half Coronas). So what do I remember about smoking this cigar younger, rather than aged as I have been doing of recent times? Well, I distinctly recall smoking cigars that tended to be replete in espresso coffee, toasted tobacco and white pepper. Sometimes it was one of these flavours that dominated, other times it was a combination of all three. This initial cigar, with its interesting colorado maduro wrapper shade, did not dominate in espresso coffee, toasted tobacco or white pepper. Rather, it simply had a delightful mix of cedar, coffee...perhaps some toasted tobacco but there was nothing to suggest flavours that would overwhelm the palate. Sure, I would have to say the strength here was different to my recent early-2015 H.Upmann Half Coronas I've been smoking, but that's to be expected. The construction was on-point; there was some nice dime-stacked ash rings throughout the cigar and the smoke output and draw was fine. The cigar took me a barely believable sixty minutes to finish. So do I prefer smoking this H.Upmann Half Coronas at eighteen months rather than nine years of age (or so)? Truthfully, I don't mind one way or the other. I know that sounds like a compromise but that's the way it is. This young cigar smoked fine...as have my older ones in the last few years. I'm happy (and fortunate) to have the option of smoking both.

Bolívar Petit Coronas ETP Mar 2017 I opened this box around three-and-a-half years ago, have gone through two-thirds of the box, yet this is just the fourth Bolivar Petit Coronas I've had in the last two-and-a-half years! It's not because they haven't appealed to me; rather, I think my box of mid-2015 Bolivar Tubos No.1 caught my attention in the meantime and have distracted me, especially in last twelve months or so! This box is now seven years old and they've now entered a new stage of their development, in my opinion. My last two Bolivar Petit Coronas, smoked over the last eighteen months, were the first from this box to start off with a caramel marshmallow texture. This BPC had some nice notes of it too. In the first third, this caramel marshmallow was supplemented by some malt. The last time I got some dried berries in the first third, but not so on this occasion. In the middle third I found more traditional Bolivar flavours of Earth and forest floor flavours, which dominated the cigar into the final third. Nevertheless, the cigar was no less desirable to smoke, which is what I did to the nub. I was a little concerned that I finished the cigar in just under fifty minutes. However, it was quite light-bodied for a Bolivar Petit Coronas and it took next to no effort to draw down (the smoke). I didn't mind really. I'd take a cigar like this any day, trust me!

Romeo y Julieta Exhibición No.4 ABO Ago 2018 This is just the fourth Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion No.4 I've smoked in the last two-and-a-half years and the first in 2024. I guess the changes induced by Habanos S.A.'s pricing re-structure in mid-2022 has made me more wary, even more reticent, to smoke regular production cigars like this because smoking the next cigar from the box represents an opportunity cost. Whereas before I would console myself with the thought of a re-acquisition in the immediate future, the possibility of that for a vitola such as the Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion No.4 is a lot less likely than doing so for a cigar such as the San Cristobal de la Habana El Principe for me, for example (which I incidentally acquired more of, just this very week). I guess you can relate to this predicament, as we are colloquially all in the same boat, so-to-speak, and purchasing Habanos cigars from hereon in will require more prudence. It is what it is, as we say. When it comes to the Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion No.4, what I typically look for is a tart 'fruitiness' that is a defined characteristic of this marca. The key to the 'fruity' flavours, I believe, is to ensure one gets a box of these with rosado-hued wrappers. It makes all the world of difference to the a RyJ Ex4 cigar, in my opinion. This RyJ Ex4, at around the six-year mark, started off with a beautiful light cocoa, baking spice and marshmallow texture that was effortless to smoke and highly enticing. Frankly, I couldn't keep my hands off from drawing on this cigar in the first third! From the middle third onwards, the cigar picked up some intensity. There was some oat biscuit and anise again, which I've come to enjoy in this cigar as this box ages. I got an undesirable vegetal or herbal flavour that unbalanced the cigar one of the last times I smoked this cigar, but thankfully there was no evidence of that here today at all. The last Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion No.4 I smoked (almost twelve months ago) had some spice in the final third but it was all quite mild. The very same thing occurred in the last third with this RyJ Ex4 today. Again, it did not deter me from my appreciation for the cigar at all. Like last time, I nubbed this RyJ Exhibicion No.4 down to its conclusion. With eight cigars left in this box now, I think I will re-visit it some time down-the-track, even though I really enjoyed this cigar today. That's what 'cigarmageddon' does for you. Otherwise, I would smoke another RyJ Exhibicion No.4 in the next month or so, wouldn't I? 'C'est la vie, non ?'

El Rey del Mundo Choix Suprême MOE Oct 2014 El Rey del Mundo, which means 'The King of the World' in Spanish, was once considered the premium marca of Habanos cigars in the mid-20th century, much like Cohiba is considered the premium Habanos marca today. Indeed, in the 1940's and 1950's, El Rey del Mundo had gained a reputation for prestige, excellence and a higher price tag. After the Revolution, the brand was still considered 'high-end', even into the 1970's. In the 1980's and 1990's trends changed, favouring stronger cigars and sadly lowering the opinion of El Rey del Mundo cigars as being 'too mild', even (incorrectly, in my opinion) more suitable for beginners. Incidentally, another similarly mild marca; Rafael Gonzalez also enjoyed an 'elevated class' reputation alongside the El Rey del Mundo marca in the 'forties' and 'fifties'. Together, the brands are considered 'sister brands' to this day by Habanos S.A. This El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme (and please do kindly pronounce choix like the French - shwa and not choy!) was acquired in 2015 and I have patiently waited until the box had aged into its tenth year before having my first cigar from the box. I did that last month. This is now my second cigar from the box. Amongst cigar enthusiasts, the ERdM Choix Supreme is in fact, polarising. Some laud its subtlety and complexity, whereas others lament its fine balance which can lead to the cigar being bland, or its blend considered 'muddy'. One thing I can assert about this cigar; you want these with thinner, supple and lighter-shaded wrappers. I can't say I've had luck with ERdM Choix Supremes that had darker, thick wrappers. They invariably were either muddled in their flavour delivery, or had difficulty staying lit. Having said this, a 24:24 listing from April 2019 offered quality El Rey del Mundo Choix Supremes in both light-wrappered and dark-wrappered options. The dark-wrappered ERdM CS cigars were slightly more popular at that time. Of course, that was all well before the current crisis engulfing the Cuban tobacco industry caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ian amongst other things, which made current-day 24:24 listings a very different venture to what it once was. This El Rey Del Mundo Choix Supreme thankfully once again had a wonderful thin, colorado-shaded wrapper. This Hermosos No.4-sized cigar (48 ring gauge x 127 mm or 5 inches in length) had an understated aroma, started off mild and sweet but ended up savoury and spicy, paradoxically. Unlike my first cigar from the box, which was subtle all the way, this second ERdM CS had some notes of almond nut and shortbread in the first third, but it soon gave way to more herbal, leather, tobacco and spice or white pepper in the back-half of the cigar. At nine-and-a-half years of age, I was again not surprised as to how approachable this was for an ERdM cigar in the way it started out. However, this second cigar from this box was not as well-balanced in its flavours as the first one was, and in my opinion, this is the type of cigar that requires that to truly 'shine'. Otherwise, it's not hard for things to go 'awry'. I would opine that this is one of the major reasons why the brand is reputed for benefiting from long-term aging and perhaps this was a major factor in its decline in popularity. After finishing this cigar at around the seventy-five minute mark today, I think I will re-visit it again when it does reach its ten-year mark; which is about five months away.

Partagás Presidentes SUL Jul 2023 I've mentioned in my last few reviews this year on the Partagas Presidentes that prior to acquiring a 10-count of RSG Mar 2023 singles and this SUL Jul 2023 25-count box, the last time I smoked a Partagas Presidentes was from the 2018 Friends of Habanos Xmas Sampler. Do you remember them? Ah yes, the good old days when our forum host could actually access a guaranteed supply of Habanos cigars and subsequently could provide Sampler packs around the end of each year to try the best cigars of that year. What memories, folks! That particular Partagas Presidentes from the 2018 Xmas Sampler had a pleasant mix of Partagas sourdough and coffee with a Fonseca-type marshmallow sweetness. By contrast, I remember my previous forays into sampling the Partagas Presidentes revealed a more typical 'old school' blend of Partagas Earth and Forest Floor and perhaps even leather and I remember at that point of my journey within this hobby that it didn't really connect with me. My previous early-2023 Partagas Presidentes reminded me of recent Partagas Serie D No.4, the one cigar that I would have to nominate as being the best in its flavour delivery and construction since the advent of the Covid era in early 2020. The varieties that I've had of the PSD4 have been simple concoctions of Partagas sourdough, coffee and leather, intertwined in a seemingly perfect balance. Unbelievably, that Partagas Presidentes was much like that. Yes, I couldn't fathom it. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. So how was this mid-2023 Partagas Presidentes, the third one smoked from the box, acquired as a box purchase in the meantime on account of good that one RSG Mar 2023 Presidentes was? Well, it smoked around 75 minutes and had more strength and body, much like my last Presidentes from this SUL Jul 2023 box. There was typical coffee and sourdough to start off with, but in general the cigar settled with some Earthy, Forest floor flavours and spice on the edges. Yes, I would maintain that the early-2023 Presidentes was better. It also had a flaky ash that held well for half an inch at a time, instead of the usual three-quarters to an inch ash one expects when smoking Habanos cigars. This explains why the ash is absent in the image above. It was there as I was about to take its 'portrait' but the ash separated itself from the rest of the cigar just as I was about to rest it on my well-worn FoH stand. 'C'est la vie', as they say! By comparison, this particular Partagas Presidentes was again more typical of the type I had in the distant past that were much stronger in body and strength, with old school flavours of Earth, Forest floor and leather. Still, despite stating this reminiscent connection to the distant past, this cigar won't seem as strong in flavour and body if you are an experienced cigar smoker. One can adjust and enjoy it all the same, just like I did today!

50 days down and 50 to go in my no drinking + fitness regime. I have now found the perfect way to celebrate upon completion. Just one mind you Negroni Pudding fluffy orange and almond cake on top and a zesty cocktail sauce lying beneath, this decadent self-saucing pudding is the ultimate adult-only dessert.

All smoked great. Esmeralda was one of the better examples I’ve had. Patina was surprisingly good. The ace of heart was good as well

Just got my copy and didn’t really know what to expect (especially given the price) but can honestly say this behemoth is worth every penny. What a coffee table book this will be! Thing probably weighs about 20lbs.

Canonazo again. These are just getting better. Not sure when first run was shipped but in the tupperdor since then at 72%RH. A bit high for my preference but this marca burning perfect. Excellente @Elpresidente I look forward to revisiting the Desnudo N1 First release again after this.

After a bbq, Montecristo Open Eagle 😋

Short. TUE SEP 21

or you could just have a drink. or better still, not start that nonsense in the first place.

Psh. Clearly that's an M

Was taking about this last night. I don't have a rotation. I have, whatever I can be arsed to get to in the perpetually overfilled cabinet. Digging through looking for boxes or trying to find something stuffed into a made up box. First world nightmare. So for me it's simply what I can easily reach is game. Which you get a view of in the daily smoke thread!

Didn't you get the memo? The car pic cigar for today is the BRC. 😂

Jasim to Kirby on finding out he stole the last extra freebie baggie at an event.

2014/2015 ULA, pretty much anything was great, wasn't it?

The Obsequios are quite rare so I had to look for any other examples. These two boxes sold at an MO auction and do have the bands pictured in CCW. https://www.onlinecigarauctions.com/sold_lot_info.php?products_id=4608 https://www.onlinecigarauctions.com/sold_lot_info.php?products_id=14247 This other box from our favorite site has bands similar to the OP box: I can't find any more examples without doing some deep digging so it looks like these four boxes represent all the boxes that have ever surfaced. Two with standard band B and two with the special bands.

Yeah, it works well but I find the cut to lack precision tbh. Before all the hype they used to sell Le Grand: Hard to see from the picture but it's bigger and there's a complete hole for the head of your cigar (up to 60 RG) which allows a much more precise cut. It's a gem of a cutter according to those who were lucky to grab one before they stopped production (it was sold three times the price of a Le Petit). Les Fines Lames provide a lifetime warranty on both (sharpness included), I have a Le Petit since 2021 and it's still as sharp as day one, but I don't use it as much as my Dupont tbh.

And since we’re on the topic, the current idea of taxing unrealized gains is 100% preposterous and anyone who is pushing for it either is truly idiotic or it’s just a talking point / rallying cry.

Would love to see an intact box in this style. Glorious artwork. "la Reina de Saba" translates to "The Queen of Sheba"

Maybe it reduces the initial contact surface area when piercing the cap thereby lessening the chances of splitting the cap whilst cutting.🤷‍♂️

Asado de tira. Not the most tasty, needed plenty salt. But a nice cut! Medium rare 😋

Latest premium release by Meerapfel. Just wanted to see what that gives. Not more than an ok-smoke (for me).

Ramón Allones Specially Selected Robusto Corto Edición Regional Países Bajos 2013. Such a great little cigar.

Back in Australia again! Taking on some Siglo II with a mate