ode to the R&J Tubos Number 3

[El Presidente]

Hard to believe I know but after the first long day in the warehouse on Tuesday I headed back to check in to my apartment at a hotel I hadn't stayed in before in the Annam Apartments on Wade Avenue Potts Point (Kings Cross).

I do like this area as it is a mix of blokes in suits, drunks, backpackers, prostitutes, hundreds of women with dogs, lycra, tattoos, wannabees, characters/reprobates, good cheap eats, 100's of bars and no one appears to give a rat's as to what you do.

The apartment was great and to my surprise had a balcony. I dumped my bags and reached for a cigar....none. Hard to believe I know....but nada. Not a problem i thought, there is a tobacconist around the corner. And so I headed off and popped into a bar or two along the way before reaching "The World" tobacconists. they had a great counter top humidor stocked with three cigars (Plain packaged in Govt issue drab green tubes). The selection was immense....R&J No 1...No 2...and No 3 in tubes. I asked if there was anything else "below the counter". The lovely lass looked at me and said "Yes"....she bent down and lifted an array of Henry Wintermans.

.....I left with a R&J No 3. There is something about lack of expectation. The pressure is off. It is likely to be crap, I can't remember the last one I had, I can always ditch it.

And so I returned to my apartment after a brief stop at the biggest Tequila bar I have seen outside of Mexico.

Back on my Apartment balcony overlooking the local roundabout (great fun watching cars, cyclists, runners, vespa's, pizza delivery drivers all just missing each other and hurling abuse) I poured a glass of Shiraz (Thorpe Shiraz from Margaret River Western Australia...great value quaffer) and lit the little well rolled PC.

I have to say that I had an excellent 50 minutes. It was medium bodied, slightly sweet solid tobacco flavour, little complexity but satisfying. They have either very much improved since I last had one.... or I had one too many Tequila's at the bar...or I was just in one of those moods where I was relaxed, exhausted and just completely in the zone.

Thank you R&J No 3 Tubos. I owe you an apology for being a tosser. You delivered perfectly to the best of your ability

[Smallclub]

Well, I'm not surprised, I've always found it (and the No.2 as well) very decent when well kept…

[Scdalak]

Great stuff Prez.

Hard to belive but the No.3 was the first CC i tried over 6 years ago on a Carribean Vacation, I have been hooked on Cubans ever since. I always keep a box of No3 tubos on hand for sentimental reasons. (and guests)

[Geo17pip]

Sweet! Sounded like a good time. I have to agree because I smoked two Tubos No. 1's and they were pretty damn good.

[investandprosper]

Funny, it was a RyJ No. 3 Tubo that got me back into cigars three years ago. Found it when helping a friend move and he said to keep it. Smoked it that night and the rest is history.

[Vitulla]

Sometimes it's not even the cigar, it's the mindset

[CanuckSARTech]

I always stock the Romeo No. 2 tubos. One of my first cigars from back in the 90's, when they were machine made back then I think (changed to all handmade just after the millenium, I think?) Something so simple and unheralded about them. Stewed, unsweetened cherries with cedar and dark forest floor mossy richness. Nice stuff.

[Jnaube]

I guess I have to give these another chance. My perception was a lot like yours Prez...

[polarbear]

Great story

The RyJ tubos get a bad rap for being a 7/11 cigar but I find they can be quite decent if treated with a little care

[Edwhatever]

I always stock the Romeo No. 2 tubos. One of my first cigars from back in the 90's, when they were machine made back then I think (changed to all handmade just after the millenium, I think?) Something so simple and unheralded about them. Stewed, unsweetened cherries with cedar and dark forest floor mossy richness. Nice stuff.

R&J No.2 Tubos was the first ever cigar for me to purchase here in Canada. They were inexpensive, and delivers time after time. Its a great introductory cigar to my friends as well. Selling for less than $10 a stick including Canadian taxes, its really a great deal.

I was just so surprised when I first arrived at this forum when no one has every mentioned it, I thought its just cause no one thought it was a real CC.

Just so we Canadians know, The R&Y Tubos are inexpensive for a reason. The leaves are from Cuba, but it's rolled locally here. At least that's what I heard.

R&J No.2 Tubos, old friend, sorry for these tossers

[CanuckSARTech]

R&J No.2 Tubos was the first ever cigar for me to purchase here in Canada. They were inexpensive, and delivers time after time. Its a great introductory cigar to my friends as well. Selling for less than $10 a stick including Canadian taxes, its really a great deal.

I was just so surprised when I first arrived at this forum when no one has every mentioned it, I thought its just cause no one thought it was a real CC.

Just so we Canadians know, The R&Y Tubos are inexpensive for a reason. The leaves are from Cuba, but it's rolled locally here. At least that's what I heard.

R&J No.2 Tubos, old friend, sorry for these tossers

No, not rolled locally in Canada. As the box says, these are Cuban handmade. There's no H S.A. Habanos / cigars made out of country.

That said, there are some small Canadian companies who make cigars locally from imported Cuban leaf, I believe. Frank, what was the name of that one in Toronto that you guys visited that one weekend I was away?

[Lotusguy]

Correnti.

And Canuck is right, the RyJ tubo is inexpensive because it is a small cigar, not because it is rolled in Canada.

Obviously! - We all know everything is more expensive in Canada

[Edwhatever]

Thanks for confirming. The tabaconist I visited told me that piece of information.

I thought it was weird as well.

[Smallclub]

The tabaconist I visited told me that piece of information.

An other super informed professionnal

[Scdalak]

Obviously! - We all know everything is more expensive in Canada

Almost as bad as Germany....

[CanuckSARTech]

Thanks, Shlomo - yes, Correnti's, that was it.

[vitruvius]

I always keep a box of No3 tubos on hand for sentimental reasons. (and guests)

LOL. A good mix of feelings and common sense !

[mk05]

He rolls it himself and bands it at the store. It's like your own little Partagas factory in your neighborhood.

[Rushman]

They can be decent change of pace sticks. The number 1 and 2 are by far the biggest sellers in our PDC shop. Probably because I never smoked them.

[scradley]

RyJ #2 tubo's were what got me into Cubans, my first box my father brought for me I still have a few left.. I have a few 3's in the humidor aswell.

[amosnaim]

Good stuff.

But you were coming back from the warehouse and your pockets were empty...?