foursite12

2017 Partagas 8-9-8 was outstanding.

QdO Coronas edging out Connie A by the slightest of margins.

Not easy to do. Congratulations

C'mon, how else would we know not to take their product if we are allergic to it?

This "cheapness" label persists, and I need help in understanding. The days of George Halas "throwing nickels around like they were manhole covers", passed long ago with the advent of the salary cap and minimum player salary spend. We have large sums committed to future stadium endeavors. The Lake Forest HQ and facilities are first-rate. There is a residual cheapness aroma that could be attributed to some of the HC choices aside from Lovie, but other than that I am curious what thoughts y'all may have as to what the McCaskeys should have done (or should now be doing) in terms of spending money in ways that would help the team win on the field.

Yep. Great review of a terrific cigar.

I agree with most of this. The old Italian expression that "the fish stinks from the head" comes to mind here. While the owners seem to have gotten out of the way on the hire of the new coach (and agreed to write some big checks as part of that), they have historically been hindrances to the team's ultimate performance on the field. Sometimes that has simply been clumsiness; other times the meddling has been more active. I think the addition of Kevin Warren as President two years ago was a significant step in the right direction. By all appearances, Warren and the GM (Ryan Poles) teamed together well to execute the HC replacement process and closure quickly and efficiently while maintaining solid due diligence. I am, nonetheless, covered with psychological and emotional scars from decades of their abuse. No team can match the Bears' ability to get fans excited in the off-season and then disappoint when the time comes to prove it--not even the Cubs. So yes, I am definitely in the "wait and see mode" mentioned by @Chibearsv. I don't feel bad about the Caleb pick versus JD. Caleb suffered through 3 OCs and 2 HCs in his rookie season. He handled it well and proved to be physically and mentally tough, smart, a team player and driven to succeed. He is hardly the diva he was painted to be in the months leading up to the draft. I expect he will grow exponentially moving into the new season. The off-season will be all about Poles doing his GM thing and bringing in some free agents and draftees who can fill some of the obvious holes in the roster.

Not sure if this is what you meant, but offering a guaranteed right of first refusal on an upcoming hard to get item might be a great prize.

He doesn't need to be one of those guys with these players and that system. The Lions' offense is so multi-faceted; that plus a dominant OL and Johnson's play-calling are why they are so dangerous. This will be especially effective if Montgomery is able to contribute in a meaningful way. Commanders are 28th in the league in rushing defense. Wouldn't shock me to see the Lions put 40 on the board. Not a Lions fan but I have a hard time seeing this not going their way in a convincing win.

These results seem to spotlight the bet Cuba had to make a couple of years ago and provide some insight into the success of that shift. Rob, maybe you've commented on this before, but do you feel that this sort of a poll from FOH members reflects what you would expect the rest of the world's cigar consumer population's responses to be?

Quirkiness and challenging stereotypes seem the antithesis of Jaguar; a re-branding indeed. Still, I don't feel boldness here; instead, faint odors of desperation and empty mimicry linger. Marketing is a dark science but at some point one would think that a photo of a Jaguar on the road would be part of the campaign. Or would that violate UK truth-in-advertising law?

Consistent winner in the last few years. One of the few CCs I still order from time to time.

I agree, Phil. Few, if any, other cigars give the rustic, punchy profile of young Cazadores. It's a wonderful change of pace. Plan on it being your last cigar of the day.

2021 N1 Lanceros is clear top dog. Going through PCs like popcorn.

Concur. 2010 Winter Olympics site with nice (albeit planned) town area and a breathtaking gondola. Build at least 2 days of Vancouver into your plans.

The writer sat down with a stats book and picked out what he wanted. He almost certainly never saw the 85 Bears play.

Maybe what the blender had in mind; much beyond that, you start getting subjective or evaluative, which is risky for both buyer and merchant.

I've had two now. The first on Sept 19, within hours of arrival; the second last night--so two weeks apart. Same profile each time, with the second one being somewhat more harmonious. While definitely not what I would call in any way mature now, one can at least tell things are moving that way. Aroma at cold was all barnyard; perhaps I should just say, "organic". Somewhat surprised this hasn't breathed off much since arrival. Not unpleasant, but pronounced. Wrappers are simply superb. Color is gorgeous, with some sheen. The aesthetics are top drawer. Draw was nice and easy. Not a wind tunnel at all but no straining to get the smoke volume you want. Flawless construction on both sticks. Consistent with what we have seen from Rob and Hamlet to date across the lines. Initial inch was a real wake-up call with both sticks. An attention-getter opening with a spicy, mongrel, retrohale. Given the relatively light draw, it's not hard to over-smoke. Go easy. After an inch or so, the cigar transitions rather suddenly. A much more nuanced flavor profile replaces the mongrel. Some elegance appears here. Nice but quite a pronounced change in direction. I would say this gentler approach continues through to the final quarter, where things return to a bit more body, with some pleasant evolution along the journey. Again, this is a cigar where taking time in your smoking yields big benefits. I liked the first one ROTT and I enjoyed this second one equally. I expect these to mature into becoming more "of a one" with a bit of time. That's all that is missing. This is a solid effort and offers a nice change of pace alternative within the Nudies/MOFOH lines.

I happen to love this cigar and heartily wish I had bought more. Sorry the OP’s experience was not great.

Robo T Boli 1 Tubo was a good smoke Des Dieux

Coloniales and Reyes. They're the ones I shed tears over.

Among my most treasured memories are the many two-martini sand dabs/Rex sole/petrale lunches with my dad at Sam’s in San Francisco.

120 F on the ThermoPen; let it rest for 5 mins. Usually ends up between the two photos above. Flaky is awful; gelatinous is not any better. There's a sweet spot in the middle.

Agree on the Cazzie--a rustic cigar bearing no similarity to anything else RyJ. Also for RyJ is the instantly recognizable Belicoso. Just has a unique flavor streak in there.

For beef cuts, I prefer NY Strip for full flavor. The Tri Tip we see here in SoCal, with decent marinating and cooked properly, is sensational. They don’t call it “California Crack” for no reason. A crown pork roast can be awesome if skillfully spiced and not overdone. Loin lamb chops are maybe my favorite but sorry Aussies, I find lamb sourced from Australia and NZ too often a bit gamey (at least what we get here in the States) for my tastes. Elk does indeed have excellent flavor but as others have said it is almost completely fat free, which can mean dry, non-juicy results. As Cory indicated, ground elk augmented with pure pig back fat, makes for superb burgers.