Lounge Lizards This Week: Kelner LE 80 with Writers' Tears Copper Pot Still Blended Irish Whiskey/Cigar Aficionado's 2025 Top 25/ Bam selling his (or Rooster's?) Trinidad Fundadores/Klaas Kelner cigar created for his father's 80th birthday

[El Presidente]

 This week the Lizards pair the Kelner LE 80 with Writers' Tears Copper Pot Still Blended Irish Whiskey. The guys discuss Cigar Aficionado's 2025 Top 25, chaos erupts when Gizmo provides a major update on Bam selling his (or Rooster's?) Trinidad Fundadores and the guys smoke a Klaas Kelner cigar created for his father's 80th birthday. PLUS: Nicaragua's Effect on Cuba and Cuban Cigars, Bam's New Buzzer, More Blind Rating Episodes?, Davidoff Diademas Finas Inspiration & More

[GP012]

Here are a few photos of the Davidoff 100th Anniversary release in 2006 for reference.  Halfwheel has a great review of Diademas Finas & additional details for anyone interested.

[TomsRibs210]

Seasoned listeners will recognize that the saga of Rooster’s Fundadores transcends “inside joke” status and now exists as our modern Homeric epic. Not since Odysseus clawed his way back to Ithaca has there been such a treacherous journey in the single funniest segment in Lounge Lizards history.

Centuries from now, scholars will regard this episode as at least ten times more culturally significant than anything Homer ever scribbled down.

What makes this triumph of the human spirit even richer is the long arc. The seeds were planted over 15 months ago in Episode 154, when the boys first discussed how Fundadores had fallen out of favor. Fast forward to Episode 176 (March 25, 2025), when Gizmo raises the etiquette of selling to friends and whether one should apply a markup to those closest to you.

At that moment, Bam Bam stood at the crossroads: silence… or truth. One path preserves peace. The other detonates a Watergate-level conspiracy. Thankfully, for the sake of Lizard Nation, Bam chose chaos.

Bam: “My only experience in buying among us was honestly from you, Giz.”
Rooster: “Hello!”
Bam asks: “I bought a box through you?”
Rooster responds: “I sold you a box of the Fundies—”
Senator chimes in: “—that then he re-sold at a profit! How f****d up is that?”

Consider the entertainment we nearly lost had Bam stayed mum.

A tremendous episode. On behalf of the listeners, thank you, Bam, for once again being a one-man gang in service of elite content for Lizard Nation.

[TommySnark]

11 hours ago, TomsRibs210 said:

Seasoned listeners will recognize that the saga of Rooster’s Fundadores transcends “inside joke” status and now exists as our modern Homeric epic. Not since Odysseus clawed his way back to Ithaca has there been such a treacherous journey in the single funniest segment in Lounge Lizards history.

Centuries from now, scholars will regard this episode as at least ten times more culturally significant than anything Homer ever scribbled down.

What makes this triumph of the human spirit even richer is the long arc. The seeds were planted over 15 months ago in Episode 154, when the boys first discussed how Fundadores had fallen out of favor. Fast forward to Episode 176 (March 25, 2025), when Gizmo raises the etiquette of selling to friends and whether one should apply a markup to those closest to you.

At that moment, Bam Bam stood at the crossroads: silence… or truth. One path preserves peace. The other detonates a Watergate-level conspiracy. Thankfully, for the sake of Lizard Nation, Bam chose chaos.

Bam: “My only experience in buying among us was honestly from you, Giz.”
Rooster: “Hello!”
Bam asks: “I bought a box through you?”
Rooster responds: “I sold you a box of the Fundies—”
Senator chimes in: “—that then he re-sold at a profit! How f****d up is that?”

Consider the entertainment we nearly lost had Bam stayed mum.

A tremendous episode. On behalf of the listeners, thank you, Bam, for once again being a one-man gang in service of elite content for Lizard Nation.

All jokes aside, the ethical dilemma posed here is an interesting one - was Bam in the wrong for not first offering the box to Rooster (at the price he originally paid)? Does the passage of time negate any such obligation (if one ever existed)? And, not that a substantial financial gain has been made, is there a new obligation on Bam to share some with Rooster (and, if so, how much)? Future philosophers and their students could study these questions ad nauseum, lol. 

[NYGuido]

After talking to @LizardGizmo on the FOH Discord and knowing that they'd be doing Act III of The Ballad of Bam and his Fundies, I was beyond excited. Full disclosure, I usually listen to the podcast while working out on a Tuesday morning, and -- gentlemen -- I set about 5 personal records on my lifts this week thanks to the incredible endorphin rush this episode prompted. As said so eloquently by @TomsRibs210, it had everything: drama, suspense, intrigue, long story arc, and a clear villain. But unlike many manufactured dramas, this time the villain won!

Ah, to be a fly on the wall when Bam, after hearing of his profit and surely catching shade from Rooster, then offered a STEAK DINNER as compensation! Why not include a bottle of Pappy van Winkle, as long as we're going with things Rooster can't have? I can presume only that Rooster's self restraint in not launching himself across the room at our principal antagonist is based on his knowledge that, having already survived since the dawn of time, he will outlive Bam and smoke one of the mythic Opus Dubai he looted from his one-time-friend's stash while eulogizing the "old boy." Throw in Rooster's possibly having evidence that this is, in fact, "his" box, and we have the makings of a special episode: The Trial. I think Senator and Grinder each should represent one of the parties and Lizard Nation can be the jury. Hell, I'd even volunteer to find us a courtroom in which to stage this once-in-a-lifetime proceeding!

But, among the hilarity and mayhem, there was the Kelner 80th and your stellar review. As I wait for 2 boxes to arrive this Friday, I will be hard pressed to wait before smoking one after listening to you wax poetic on its virtues in a way I rarely have heard you speak before. Klaas Kelner seems truly to have inherited his father's gift and continues to put out incredible blends that stand on their own such that he absolutely should have his name on each and every one. Smoking an Avowed Higher Calling as I write this, I honestly can say I would take this $20 new world cigar over many Cubans that have climbed to double the price. It is as if he is performing his own interpretation of an H. Upmann, with baking spice, cream, and elegant wood singing in perfect harmony and without any of the logistical, moral, or QC issues faced when reaching for Habanos products.

Thank you--each and every one of you--for bringing entertainment and education to my week every time you release a new episode. I listen so frequently to the back catalog that even my wife can tell your voices apart. And, as always, Long Live Lizard Nation!

-Lizard Chris  

[NYGuido]

5 minutes ago, TommySnark said:

All jokes aside, the ethical dilemma posed here is an interesting one - was Bam in the wrong for not first offering the box to Rooster (at the price he originally paid)? Does the passage of time negate any such obligation (if one ever existed)? And, not that a substantial financial gain has been made, is there a new obligation on Bam to share some with Rooster (and, if so, how much)? 
Future philosophers and their students could study these questions ad nauseum, lol. 

My view is that he should split the profits with Rooster. It would be equally problematic if Bam would have sold them back to Rooster at the original price for Rooster then to sell them on BR at a huge profit, too. 

[LizardGizmo]

16 minutes ago, TommySnark said:

All jokes aside, the ethical dilemma posed here is an interesting one - was Bam in the wrong for not first offering the box to Rooster (at the price he originally paid)? Does the passage of time negate any such obligation (if one ever existed)? And, not that a substantial financial gain has been made, is there a new obligation on Bam to share some with Rooster (and, if so, how much)? 
Future philosophers and their students could study these questions ad nauseum, lol. 

The ethical questions that have been posed are valid and remain polarizing...though as I've said, if I was in Rooster's position I truly wouldn't care after all this time. If I sold him the box a month ago, sure, but we're talking 3 years or so. With that being said, I truly don't believe this is a box Rooster procured. He and Senator seem to think so, but I think I'm the one who got this box for him at cost when I ordered my own box in late '21.

I sold my box long ago, so unfortunately I don't have box code details to compare. We will never know.

I'm so glad you all enjoyed this lunacy as much as I did!

[NYGuido]

5 minutes ago, LizardGizmo said:

With that being said, I truly don't believe this is a box Rooster procured. He and Senator seem to think so, but I think I'm the one who got this box for him at cost when I ordered my own box in late '21.

I sold my box long ago, so unfortunately I don't have box code details to compare. We will never know.

Time to convene a Kangaroo Court! 

[SonicStag]

Rooster needs to get over this now. Even if it was the box he sold to Bam, once you sell something it’s no longer yours. The new buyer / owner has the right to do whatever they want. It’s sour grapes on Rooster's part, that he’s not benefiting from the increase in value. 

[TommySnark]

On 1/14/2026 at 11:40 AM, LizardGizmo said:

The ethical questions that have been posed are valid and remain polarizing...though as I've said, if I was in Rooster's position I truly wouldn't care after all this time. If I sold him the box a month ago, sure, but we're talking 3 years or so. With that being said, I truly don't believe this is a box Rooster procured. He and Senator seem to think so, but I think I'm the one who got this box for him at cost when I ordered my own box in late '21.

I sold my box long ago, so unfortunately I don't have box code details to compare. We will never know.

I'm so glad you all enjoyed this lunacy as much as I did!

And, Giz, I’d like to recognize and re-emphasize this point you’ve (repeatedly) made on the issue, ie, the passage of time. Senator seems to disregard the two-plus years between purchase and sale as irrelevant, but it’s clearly not - especially with large stores of cigars, was Bam supposed to remember where and when he bought every single cigar in his collection? Is he required to keep a log of all transactions? And to do so forever? Just to avoid the appearance of impropriety on any later day sale? Personally, I think that’s a silly proposition. I’m happy to give Bam the benefit of the doubt (again, assuming it’s Rooster’s box at issue) that he truly forgot where he procured it and simply wanted to sell off a box he was no longer interested in. 

[pohlmad]

I want to emphasize how wonderful the reviews of the cigar and spirit were in this episode!  My mouth was salivating and I was dreaming that I could have the experience the Lizards were having. I fear that may have been lost in the Fundadores Saga detailed in comments above. I immediately purchased a box of the cigars and then went to the local liquor store for the Writer’s Tears. Last evening I poured a glass and the spirit is as good as they say!  Only $35 in Ohio!  What a find and thanks to the Lizards for an incredible episode!