Leaderboard

Absolutely wonderful Jonny O Siglo VI.

N3 with some tea.

Strong Connie 1 Wrapper is actually darker than photo.

Past few nights' smokes...QDO 54 (2018), Mag 54 (2017), Mag 50 (2018), BPC (2017), CORO (2017) & now smoking PSE2 (2018) All of them from our gracious host!

RP Edge Sumatra from 2009. Only have 7 more left from the box, have loved these over the years.

Monday night cigars 98' POW Prince of Wales Black Licorice, Dark Cherry, Burnt Sugar 23' Saint Luis Rey Regios/B] Freash Baked Bread, Cocoa, Cake 1/2 Blah Ok Good Tasty Heavenly

Esmeralda ESM ABR 22 NC

I like these. Reminds me to go to confession.

San Cristóbal de la Habana Oficios (FIN DIC05).

From the Xmas sampler - just a couple months down and already humming 👌

HdM Le Hoyo des Dieux 2003 Beautiful light color. Perfect draw. Very elegant and refined smoke.

My first of these: Denudos 2023 Lancero. Impeccably constructed and plenty of flavor. While I haven't had the pleasure of many lanceros, I can say this compares favorably to the Oliva Series V Lanceros, either Natural or Maduro. Sorry for the blur, but I still haven't mastered control over depth of field using my cellphone camera.

Again, not a purchase, but a gift from colleague. I am blessed.

Sancho Panza Belicosos - UTL May 2018

The City of Jacksonville Beach voted unanimously last night to ban smoking and vaping on the sand at Jax Beach in Florida. But, in a bizarre twist, the smoking ban "does not include the use of unfiltered cigars." The unfiltered cigar exception has led some opponents on social media to accuse the city of protecting the freedoms of "fat cat boomers, making things only comfortable for them." Any person found guilty of violating the anti-smoking/vaping rule "shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by being charged a fine not to exceed $50," according to the city's new ordinance.

Agreed about the Lancero, very good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cuaba Divinos

2021 Connie 1 from our host! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

PLPC it was.

RGPE. Purchased as a cheap cigar just to hand out to buddies. Turned into the easiest cigar to grab, given any sort of time or weather restraints.

If I could summarise my week in emoji speak...... 🛫🫂 🫂 🛬 What a great week! George (LizardGizmo) picked me up from JFK. 18hr Flight was good and I managed to get enough rest to punt me through the week with not too much jetlag. I sincerely appreciate the advice given on the long haul thread about abstinence from alcohol on planes. It was duly ignored. Qantas may be the safest airline on earth but it certainly isn't the best, let alone in the top 10. Between the lack of wifi and old planes, it struggles to compete these days with the best of the Middle East and Asian carriers. Still, their drinks menu is excellent and they have an enviable reputation of ignoring "responsible service of alcohol" laws once Australian airspace has been left. You might as well play to your strengths. Where was I? ......yes George! I managed to clear immigration and collect my luggage through JFK International ....on a 4pm Friday afternoon.... in just under 25 minutes. There was literally no one there. Straight out to the pick up bay to be met by George and his pick up. God damn I love American cars. The second I saw it, I thought of the Canyonero song from the Simpsons. Can you name the truck with four wheel drive, smells like a steak and seats thirty-five. Canyonero! 12 yards long, 2 lanes wide, 65 tons of American Pride! Canyonero! Top of the line in utility sports, Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts! Canyonero! George was beaming and handed me a MOFOH Robusto Trinity for the trip to Hawthorn. There was no one at the airport because it was now obvious that they were all on the road. George proudly told me that his Canyonero was his smoking truck and that due to the hard internal surfaces, it retained minimal cigar aroma. Good people, the aroma was like walking in to a fully packed cigar lounge at 11PM on a Friday night. I loved it!!!! Arrived at hotel (Hyatt Place Fair Lawn), dropped bags and George and I walked across to Prime steakhouse where Rob Fox was waiting for us smoking a Monte 2 and downing a beer. Mucho hugging and watery eyes. Hamlet joins us 30 minutes later. More hugging. George meets both for the first time. Off to dinner at Prime. Dinner was great, vibrant discussions, laughter, arguments, Hamlet ended up finishing his dinner at another table with some husband and wife. George will never be the same again. George picks us up 10am. Coffee. Off to Ten 85 cigar club where George has arranged 24/7 fob access. lounge was obviously quiet and I get to meet Dan (great guy). The tasting over the three days involved Hamlet, Rob Fox, Myself, George + at different times the LoungeLizard crew of Rooster, Senator, Pagoda, Grinder, Bam Bam and other Ten 86 members. Effectively the hours of work were 10:30am - 3am. One fine restaurant meal was enjoyed daily. No one was hurt. Tasting Cigar One : MOFOH Sovereign Son "Half Corona" 44 x 4 Exactly what I wanted in a Half Corona. H. Upmann half Corona meets Montecristo Medio Corona in a Half Corona members can afford. Bloody brilliant. To be released in May 2025. final price point not determined (need to assess the Tariff of that week). However affordable. Result: ✅ Tasting Cigar Two: Bond Roberts Mareva Surprise packet of the three days for me as this is the first time I had tried it. Fast forward, when I passed this around for a tasting (at different times over the weekend), my standard for all tasters was that this Mareva needed to be as good if not better than a Montecristo 4 and Por Larranaga Petit Corona. Unanimous feedback from all....it was superior. The Mareva will go into production next month. Result: ✅ Tasting Cigar Three: Bond Roberts Robusto So God damn close. Very different Robusto to the MOFOH Robusto Trinity. Far more nuanced and complex but the consensus was that while it was 85% there, it need a touch more mid palate spine. Back for final reblending but this is expected to be a brilliant cigar when we take it out for another tasting circuit run. Result: further Tasting Cigar Four: Bond Roberts Dalia The Dalia fought with the 109 and Fenomenos for the title of cigar of the tasting. Bloody stunning. Amazingly complex. Unanimously lauded. Straight into production now. Result: ✅ Tasting Cigar Five: Reblend MOFOH Spada Gorda I wanted to reblend the Spada Gorda to give an incremental increase in richness. Hamlet nailed the brief. Result: ✅ Tasting Cigar Six through 10 : MOFO Robusto Trinity Maduro. MOFOH Spada Gorda Maduro DESNUDO Queen Corona Maduro DESNUDO Lancero Maduro MOFOH Fat Fundy Maduro I will lump all these together. It quickly became apparent that this Maduro wrapper did not work with the existing blends at all. It was a long shot as we wanted to have a play with a good looking Maduro wrapper but it just wasn't ready or just wasn't right. This is why you do tastings Result: ❌ Tasting Cigar 11: Bond Roberts 109 While not a new blend, we brought these along so that the Ten 86/Lizard team would have the chance to smoke them before release later this month. Consensus is that what we have here is a world class cigar. We are in Winston territory. Result: ✅ Tasting Cigar 12: Fenomenos Surprise packet of the weekend for me. This is a big cigar, 54 x 7 +. It was blended by Hamlet 8 months ago as a gift for Foxy, Rav's and myself. The blend was so good I knew we needed to bring it into production. I still don't know where it will fit but it will be in production this year. The level of complexity of this cigar (agreed by all) was sensational. Fights with the Dalia and the 109 as cigar of the tasting weekend. Result: ✅ Tasting Cigar 13: Flying Pig This one split the tasting group down the middle. Half loved it where it is now but I was in the other half that believed a reblending for its opening was required. Hamlet and I argued. In the end I won. Back for a reblend. Result: further We wrapped up on the Monday Night with Hamlet and I doing an onsight Lounge Lizard Podcast with the team. May the lord help George edit that gibberish. I can't hank George enough for his time, friendship and generosity. I extend that to the rest of the Ten 86 crew. You have something very special going on. And so, George dropped me back Tuesday at 1:30am for a 3:30 am driver pickup for a 6am flight to LAX. I caught up with Larry (x2), Rob, Don, Jose at Redondo that night for a great laugh and fine cigars. Another great crew in the world of cigars. Wednesday was my final day in the US and it culminated in a long lunch with Mike (BigGuns), or 2024 FOH Man of The year. Off to Avra Beverly Hills we went which is becoming a tradition for our meetups. What a lunch! What post lunch fun at the local cigar lounge where we bumped into several members whom I joined later for drinks. Why don't I ever go home at a reasonable hour Thank you all for a superb week. ....Loved the truck George!

Now a care home, the Hotel Elton used to have the kind of cigar collection you would build you whole holiday around.

Mag 54 and a warm spring sunset 👌

Also, never throw one at a lady in the heat of anger, because hell hath no fury like a woman sconed.

...It gave me a laugh

Q: What's the fastest cake in the world? A: Scone.

Easily 2 of my least favorite CC cigars. PLPC wins this battle, but this is because the competition isn’t good. I’ve heard PLPC delivers caramel. I don’t want to shop at that candy store if that’s what caramel tastes like there. 😁

Fatty Fundy (can we say this these days...?). Performed well. Couple of touch ups.

Cigar & Wine Masterclass with Ken Gargett. USA Friday 6th June, Saturday 7th June Local This month we will start with a regional Riesling that you can pick up locally. You can pick up any Riesling and you can match it with any cigar that you love. Ken will take you through the enchanted world of Riesling. Don't worry, he is across the board on global Riesling wines and trends I chose Riesling this month as I believe it is a perfect match with cigars. Call me wrong....debate on the day We will record the session for other members to enjoy. I will announce the time a touch closer to the event but likely 8PM/9PM NY time, 10 or 11 am local. Let us know if you are a starter and I will arrange a link on zoom a few days prior. These are always fun

So, I’m a pretty big fan of the BBF. Maybe a part from smoking it first thing in the morning, I can pretty much slot this cigar in at any other time of the day. It’s such a great blend. One thing I have been noticing, though, is that the wrappers have gradually become lighter and lighter throughout the years. Has anyone else noticed this? I’m currently smoking through a 2018 box with fairly dark wrappers, a shade that I’ve become accustomed to associating with Bolivar. As I move on to other boxes, what can I expect, in terms of the flavor experience, with these lighter shaded ones? The picture shows a sample of sticks from 2018, 19, 20, and 24 (left to right).

Brilliant. They probably figured anyone who can afford to smoke cigars these days wouldn’t much mind a $50 fine. You have to pay one to Habanos to light up half their portfolio now.

We all know which cigar we'd choose first🤣

Fat cat boomer is a great name for a cigar brand, btw lol. Whiny coddled hipster cigars just doesn't have the same ring to it. 🤪 😚💨

Don’t get me started on light wrappers🙄 Back when you could ask for wrapper shade, I would always ask for Colorado leaning towards that reddish color. I am a firm believer that with a darker wrapper comes richer flavor. Now, if you’re looking for your cigars to be more along the smooth and creamy side, I would pick the lighter wrapper on R&J and maybe Trinidad. Besides that I want my Bolivars, RASS, Partagas, etc. it seems to be what is going on right now with most things I’m seeing being produced. I have had some exceptions some JL2. I got had dark oily wrappers and were the best JL2s I have had in a long time.

Sweet I never win anything 😳 and what makes this better is I am a Nudies virgin

Great round of reviews for the Reverse Blind theme... well done, folks! The random draw winner is @Havanaaddict!! Congrats!! Please PM your details (name, address, and email) to me, and we'll arrange dispatch of your prize. Thanks again to all participants. Next comp details up soon - stay tuned!

Always enjoyed this cigar, it's been too long since I’ve had one.

CIGAR 1 The aroma emanating off this cigar is truly alluring. Reminiscent of my favourite Cubans, which makes an objective verdict all the more challenging. The cold draw is an enjoyable one, not giving itself away too much but a strong sense of quality. The first third lives up to its promise, it is already a magnificent cigar. Medium-full characteristics, a slightly sweet choco-espresso nuanced with cashew. Its certainly Cuban but its finish is somewhat shorter than expected. Given the size of the cigar, I am already jumping to conclusion far too early, too eager and above all, too curious. Is it a PL Galanes or is it a RASS? Or is it a cheeky FDC Elegidos in its primest form? As the second third approach however, the ash holds firm, leading me to think that its not an Elegidos. The cigar continues to impress, thoroughly enjoyable, a relaxing smoke without hassle maintaining a medium and perhaps only slightly, fuller strength. The last third has more bitterness as if signalling a degree of youthfulness. The RASS that I have come to know tends to be silkier than this, with a more monotonous progression but its profile continue to strike similarities. Could it in fact be a Short de Punch? As I approach the end of CIGAR 1, I reflect upon what has been such a wonderful blind tasting experience. I send my condolences to dear @LordAnubis for having a near plugged specimen of CIGAR 1 as I on the other hand, certainly had a splendid evening smoke 😋. Thank you so much FOH for allowing me to take part in this contest. All through the experience, an intriguing cigar that I feel is a strong start to an exciting contest in 2025.

Well, with that attitude…

In keeping with this theme, I'm fairly sure that drinking Riesling and smoking cigars in a classroom with eight and nine year-olds would be frowned upon also!

next week's video? Russian hookers optional.

An article from our friend, Nick Hammond at Cigar Journal... Cigar Ladies Lunch at Leisure May 5, 2025 -Nick Hammond A new, informal group in the UK celebrates a communal love of the leaf. A glorious day in London Docklands was the reward for a pioneering gathering of women who demonstrated that they can enjoy their cigars every bit as much as men. The UK Ladies Aficionadas marked this year’s International Women’s Day with a long, lazy lunch and reception on the terrace at Boisdale of Canary Wharf. Starting with bubbles and Zino Davidoff cigars, the team enjoyed lunch and more smokes supplied by Davidoff, paired with whisky supplied by Ian Macleod Distillers. “It was a wonderful afternoon with some wonderful ladies,” says Rosalie Barber, one of the founders of the group who helped organize the event. “It was really just a chance for us to get together – and for those women who sometimes feel uncomfortable or intimidated by mainly male cigar gatherings to join us in a fun and friendly atmosphere.” Among the attendees was Sarah Saunders of the Women’s International Cigar Club, who spoke about her experiences in the cigar world and how she set up her group for like-minded women some 15 years ago. “We will definitely be doing some more events,” Rosalie says. “Everyone had a great time. We’d like to thank Roy Sommer of Davidoff for his continued support – many of us met for the first time at a dinner party Roy threw for cigar-loving ladies.” Info: @uk_aficionadas Source: https://www.cigarjournal.com/cigar-ladies-lunch-at-leisure/

Picked up some singles from London. Prices were almost double the going rates but some good stuff could be found.

‘01 SLR Churchills Cab - why do I smoke fresh cigars? More often than not I’m disappointed. When I smoke aged stuff almost always fantastic. This dwindling cab I’ve been savoring for twenty some odd years has delivered every single time. Wonderful first puff to last. Near two hours of bliss. Thank you Habanos for cutting damn near every cigar from one of my favorite marcas. These along with the DC, Lonsdales, Coronas & PC were among my favorites for years. Only about a dozen left from my last cab. Hindsight is a f&^%#$fg bitch.