lafabrica

appreciate you doing this Yotti, order placed.

i have to say i'm jealous. i've visited anchorage only once and could spend a year there. i went during may and remember the darkness only from 11pm to 4am. funny that you're moving from DC, that's my 2nd favorite city. i know your route up to des moines, then from spokane to the border. cost wise, maybe consider buying remaining everyday items in bellingham before you cross over? the canadian part of the drive looks awesome. when you get to anchorage, restock at northern knives. great shop. maybe check out reflections lake and the scenic drive to portage? i live nowhere near your path, but safe travels and best of luck!

FoH got a nice shout-out from yesterday's aricle on Day 1 from halfwheel https://halfwheel.com/festival-del-habano-xx-day-1/254401

great adventures for the unemployed! were you getting a full draw/smoke from that shallow a cut? or was that a punch??

my thoughts go out to the family. his life story was filled with ups and downs, but his perseverence in the cigar industry will have a lasting impression.

those savages! reading up, i stand corrected

not a silly question, i think there are several reasons - above posters have most of it covered: cello is semi-permeable. temp and rH changes happen, but my personal experience is this occurs a bit slower. single stick resale at a b&m - applying a price/upc sticker on the band doesn't always fit/work. sometimes it sticks to the wrapper if clumsily applied. similar idea, but allows the manufacturers to add sku information, allowing reference to factory, date, etc. reduces contamination in the b&m as people pick them up. physically protects the cigars from nicks, tears, and drops. if by chance any beetle was living within, cello likely isolates that to the specific cigar. it is certainly more labor intensive to add. i won't get into the question of it's preferred... that's been covered.

nice! i have wanted to try this blend since it was released, but the effort it takes (for a cigar) is a lot. roma is a brand that i stock all the blends, which says something. i wonder how similar the wunderlust is to the ouroboros? the material looks to be similar outside of the filler. i appreciate that sweetness from mata fina leaf.

the news reports so far have stated dire circumstances for saint-martin. irma certainly isn't holding her punches. add the location of the la casa with the marina at the rear and just the cemetery in front, storm surges/flooding was an odds-on fate. good to hear the family is safe, hopeful for the future.

ditto here in fll. like me, you probably live west of Federal as broward county has issued manadatory evacuation for the coastline/east of Federal. right now projections have the eye closest to us for sunday around noon. not a shill, but this site i found looks great for monitoring: https://www.windy.com/

interesting how different locations/environments are. of all the wrapper types in my rotation, cameroon is the one i don't wet down. trial & error for me...

adding my experiences, i will wet down the wrapper for a couple of reasons: - cap/wrapper seams are not tight - i can feel a knot somewhere of course, i remove the band before anything. that should come off easily. while wetting down under the faucet, i also work the wrapper in the rolled direction to tighten the seams with my fingertips (think using a screwdriver). wetting the cigar will allow any glue to rehydrate and help the bond. and since faulty construction/knots occur, i'll also wet down the wrapper when i know i have to use a draw tool. this allows the leaf to be workable and lessen any cracking. after the wetting down and a pat dry (i prefer a clean lint-free cloth), i'll use the draw tool then while its damp. i don't immediately smoke the cigar after wetting down, i wait for the wrapper to completely dry - 30 minutes at the most (indoor climate controlled). they are smokeable then or even further out. sometimes its specifically my morning cigar and i dry box it overnight. my results are always a great draw when the seams were loose or when dealing with a knot. burn line is what my ideal would be and the performance is on par to a well constructed one.

greetings and welcome! how was the trip & how did you make out?

a big reason why i fly delta. FLL to ATL seems weekly for me and i take advantage of the smoking areas in ATL when time allows. thanks, good to know this one in MIA too.

although my post count doesn't allow my viewing of our trading section, it looks to be an option for you? congrats on your milestone - i would believe there are brothers of the leaf that would help in your search from their stock. perhaps post specific cigars that you would trade for? and keep things clear that you're looking to celebrate vs. procure/collect? i think in another 15+ years, some specific stock of mine will then be classic - and i would like to be able to pay it forward...

both! what's another $40 when buying the XO?

that BAM Mar 16 box does raise an alarm in my mind. nothing like what i have seen before with regards to font style. BAM is a valid code though, as mentioned above. interesting that you taste these to be better... question is how much better

if her mind is set on a sportsbike on her own dime, perhaps ensure she has the best gear? there are brands of excellent quality (dainese, alpinestars) that have purpose AND are stylish. that last part is important - if she feels that it looks stupid, she might not wear the gear all the time. same for lids - arai, shoei. make sure the fit is correct. cage drivers that are not paying attention is not the problem - a riders awareness level is. as you ride yourself, you probably learned anticipation & leaving yourself "outs" in street riding. that will teach someone to be a better driver in any situation. have her practice/learn countersteering. my MSF had no idea of what that was. ride with her.

ahh, the old jw marriott. actually, no great public spots to enjoy a cigar at that hotel, but the balconies work well.

agree on the advice to bring your own CC. however, purchasing a few NC cigars while there won't break the bank, but they do have the 50% tax rate. still less than canada the weather is nice this time of year. you are definitely staying in honolulu. so, the closest lounge is tobaccos of hawaii. they don't stay open too late, but have a fair selection. the lounge is on the right. christopher (owner) knows his arturo fuentes. most hotels have an outdoor area to have a smoke, and if you have a balcony... enjoy the coffee & have a great time.

a few months back, i was passing through montreal and inquired about a box of coro from that LCDH. ~1500 CAD. the storefront is 3 blocks away from the loews, but you might as well fly her to cuba and back. costs could be similar? if your wife is habanos savvy to purchase EL or RE boxes, perhaps go for it. i personally don't see that value when we have our host...

that is quite the split - happened after you took the 2 bands off? epi #1 do have delicate wrappers...

that's a deep line, jeremy. i'll remember to take that one with me...

i use this exact same method, some differences being boveda 62%, 65%, and 69%, and waiting closer to 3 months. in my examples, the 69% RH was too high. taste/flavors is subjective, the main issue was multiple relights/burn performance. i have removed the 69% entirely and added the 58% in its place.