Zebra

The person who wrote this email is almost certainly from the north of England. Being from the UK myself, I’m quite certain that unless he’s buying non-Cubans internationally via the internet and hoping the tax man doesn’t find out then he doesn’t stand a cat’s chance in hell of getting a decent cigar for under £5. Such is the sad state of things in Britain in the current year.

Ah shoot… I’m a sucker for merch.

I’m smoking it now… a Por Larrañaga panetella with about 10 years on it. It really should be as good as it is but it’s staggering. I’m quite shocked.

Thanks for your efforts and for keeping us updated Rob.

Give me a full bucket and a fork.

Carts are closed.

Sorry one last thing. A recent official Public Health England (PHE) report has shown CT values were similar between vaccinated and unvaccinated cases. This means that once infected there "is limited difference in viral load" between vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. This backs up what I’ve said earlier so thought I’d share it. 😎

took me a few minutes on google to find all manner scientific evidence and reports to confirm the contrary. studies here involving several hundred thousand (so hardly a small sampling) show transmission is reduced by 40 to 60%. israel has had similar results noting 'huge' and 'significant' reductions. the CDC has reported the same. you can choose not to believe them but that doesn't mean it is not true. plenty of scientific evidence if you don't simply dismiss it because it doesn't suit your view. apparently the moderna vax is even made or being adjusted, with this aim in mind. Seemingly not so with the Delta variant which was apparently responsible for 99% of infections in the UK during the last week of July. I suppose it also boils down to which scientific sources we trust and why. You can choose to believe the CDC and “Israel” but that does not necessarily mean it’s true either. It should be obvious that propaganda from both these sources exists. Google is also notorious for censorship, but that’s another conversation and nothing really hinges upon it. We must all wade through the bullshit to find the truth and that’s no easy task. In fact I believe it’s deliberately very difficult. Anyway, I’ll leave it there I think.

Even if that’s right it doesn’t stop them transmitting it. This is important because as I currently understand it vaccinated staff will protect no one but themselves. The argument that vaccinated staff protect customers is seemingly a shaky one without any real scientific evidence to back it up.

No way should they have that right. People should not be forced to accept a medical procedure in order to work, especially not an experimental and potentially very dangerous one. And it is very much experimental at this stage. The arguments against this point are severely lacking in substance. There are many experts who are against the vaccines. Professor Mike Yeadon, former head of epidemiology at Pfizer is just one extremely qualified example. It’s also worth remembering that the current vaccines do not stop or even apparently reduce transmission of the virus. The Nuremberg code should also protect against any kind of coercion when it comes to these jabs. The fact that it looks like it won’t only further proves something very fishy is happening on a global scale. Employers have not historically had the right to pry into or dictate the medical treatment of their employees. At least not where I live. We live in a raging sea of bought and paid for propaganda surrounding this pandemic and alleged solutions to it. I’m very fearful of what’s happening. Much more so than I am of the virus. Dark days ahead It seems.

I believe it’s mostly subjective but still real. 🤓 Mostly I just know if I like it and to what degree above or below other cigars. I can be easily lead with suggestions of flavour elements, but I think we all can. Objectively they taste of cigars because they’re cigars, but within that ‘reminders’ of other flavours absolutely exist. I don’t know if I’m talking bollocks. I don’t think I am.

Obsession, hobby or addiction? Yes. Very much all 3.

Good review! I have a fresh box from March 21 - I’ve smoked 3 already and really enjoy them. They’ve been perfect ROTT tbh. Another thing I’ve noticed and I don’t know if this is progress across the board or unique to Bolivar or even this box, but the glue on the bands it very user friendly. Comes off in one piece with no damage like pealing off a post-it note. I’ve never had this with Cuban cigars before. Ever.

Only when needed. Probably about 5-10% of the time. But I use it as a nubber for 90% of smokes. I cannot praise this little tool enough. It’s lived up to all the hype.

Since I got myself a PerfecDraw I’ve never had a cigar I couldn’t make work. And I usually smoke them down to a hot little nub. I have abandoned cigars because they were cheap and crap. Never a Habano though.

I was 17 if I remember rightly. I was an apprentice car mechanic at the time and the company I was working for was throwing a Christmas party at a hotel. One could still smoke indoors then. I was already on my way to youthful drunkenness when one of the directors, a twin who dressed like a Kray, offered to buy us all a drink. I stood next to him at the bar as he ordered. He decided to get himself a cigar, a decent one - I remember it costing £9 (this was probably in 2000) although I have no idea what it was other than to say it was Cuban. It was possibly an H. Upmann. I cheekily asked if I could have one as well. He smiled and asked me if I was sure. I was. And he obliged. I smoked it to a nub and think I probably inhaled the whole thing. This was the beginning of a very expensive hobby which I couldn’t really afford and barely can now, but it’s been infinitely worth it.

Completely understandable. Thanks for all you continue to do for us.

Punch Punch picked up in a recent 24:24. I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar. It was a little milder than I expected but overall it was a satisfying smoke. The main characteristics I noticed were a very creamy, almost vanilla element accompanied by a prominent woodiness, a slight nuttiness and a background note of papaya which was very unexpected. A good 2hr smoke for me. I’m glad I have five more.

Sure. I was just making the point that mold doesn’t automatically equal poison or danger. And in fact there is some evidence to suggest that in the vast majority of cases the white mold or fungus we see on cigars is not poisonous or otherwise harmful. I don’t know of a single case of someone being poisoned or harmed by a cigar with “plume”. I agree with everything else you wrote too. I don’t think it’s optimal either and would pick the cigar without it every time. But it really doesn’t bother me if it brushes off, which it always has every time I’ve seen it.

You try hand painting Cohiba bands.

I wanted to add something to this. I see a lot of people, definitely the majority of people posting on places like Reddit who link to this thread (without actually reading it, apparently) advising people to throw out perfectly good cigars because “it’s never plume, it’s always mould”. It’s madness. Habanos themselves make it clear that it’s mould, but the solution is to brush it off: “Prolonged wetness rots tobacco, but you are much more likely to encounter ‘bloom’. This is a white, powdery mould that occurs naturally on a Habano when it is subjected to a sudden increase in humidity. It is a sign that the cigar is alive and well and should simply be removed with a brush.” People have been removing the mould from their cigars and smoking them for hundreds if not thousands of years. It seems to me that a false conclusion has been drawn in the minds of many, specifically that if what has been called plume (or bloom) is in fact mould then this means it’s certainly dangerous, and the ageing cigar with a bit of white on it is in fact trash. Why this assumption? Have these people never seen Brie? The world we live in is alive, we constantly ingest all sorts of bacteria and fungus. It’s honestly everywhere at all times. If a cigar is clearly rotten then that’s something different, but how many of us have even seen that? I really wish people would stop throwing the baby out with the bath water (or the cigar with the mould). Incidentally I received some 2018 Monte 4s in the post today, covered in “plume”. I brushed them off. They look great, I know they’ve been ageing well and are now in the humidor. No hazmat needed. No drama.

Monte 4 (2010 - these are top of my list for a reason) Juan Lopez Petit Corona (2011 I believe - sadly only a few left now) Por Larrañaga Panatelas (2012 - great on a Sunday morning with a coffee) Oliva Serie V Belicoso (2008 - they’re so smooth after all this time and I’m really enjoying them) Villiger Export Maduro (2018 - sorry I can’t help it, I love ‘em and they’re as cheap as chips. These humble little machine made cigars have become a staple. Swiss made with Cuban tobacco)

I work in occupational health and drivers medicals, making everything run the way it needs to. Essentially I spend a large part of my week telling doctors what to do while getting paid a fraction of what they’re on. I arrange medical services for some of the major companies in logistics and public transport here in the UK. I also advise HGV, bus and taxi drivers about obtaining or renewing their licences. I have about 200 cigars at the moment, some more than 20 years old.

I do. I see it beginning already tbh. Skinny and medium ring gauges seem to have a lot of fans posting on the interwebs.

Cohiba Exquisitos from sometime between 2003-2005 to finish the day. It’s OK. Not spectacular but certainly a pleasant smoke. Mild, woody. Creamy with a fair bit of tang. Salty. Slightly metallic. Draw is a little loose. Possibly past it’s best I think.