Magpie

Can I suggest we do an FOH cooking segment, Rob can show us all how to make his infamous paella, and match that with some libations and a cigar matching review.

Hi one and all, back home from Fiji now, had a great time. I appreciate all of the comments just goes to show that cigars like many things are a personal appreciation. I'm still very much open minded and happy to discover what the world of cigars has to offer, CC or NC. Im not going to get into storage et al but all are stored exactly the same. sometimes it like playing golf, and I'm crap, but you have that few good shots during a round and you keep coming back. I'll never give up on CC but I'm happy to play the field a bit. in fact on Saturday I had 2 Cubans from my depleting stash. Another Monte Petit 2 and a Behike 52 ( only one left now) , the Monte was very good and the Behike absolutely sublime. Now if they were all like that. It's my 60th in a few weeks , I've got a Monte 520 lined up for me and Cohiba pyramids extra for my sons in law, should be good. Will take a few NC for back up. enjoy our mutual appreciated hobby, CC or NC I don't care. cheers Tony

Well I'm in Fiji on holiday from Melbourne. Staying at the Radisson Blu resort on Denerau Island close to Nadi. Weather has been magnificent and have had a wonderful break with the wife. My first time here but will be back. Now mostly it's a non smoking resort but you can smoke on your balcony. I brought 7 cigars with me to get me through the week, 6 Cuban and 1 NC. 2 BBF 2 Punch Coronation 2 Monte Petite No 2 1 Oliva serie V torpedo so we have the CC outnumbering the NC 6/1 should be an easy game for the CC, sadly not, my experience of CC over the last 12 months has been mediocre at best,there is absolutely no consistency in quality of construction , out the the 6 CC only 2 of them came even close the Oliva, one of the Punch and one of the Monte, both of the BBF were so tight getting a draw was nigh on impossible. Now, all were stored identically and smoked in the same conditions, the Oliva won hands down. This is not a one off of late but rather the norm, for the near future I'll be spending what money I have on NC, Oliva, Padron and Fuente. I'm not giving up CC hopefully what's left in my humidor back home will bring we round again. im open minded on cigars and don't have a one eyed view of CC being the best, yes some are brilliant but many are not. A good cigar CC or NC works for me I'm not bias. Now that said from a one eyed Collingwood supporter ( the Aussies will understand ). back home tomorrow.

Time for you to man up Ken and take one for the boys! Enough of the Pol Roger and Sir Winnie's. The way prices are going in Oz these might be all you can afford very soon. Ha ha

Well it might not only be hugely entertaining, but a video review comparing and ranking the best of the Cheap and Cheerfuls might be quite eye opening. Match them with cheap rums and that would be something truly worth watching.

I'm with polar bear on this, and I'd say I'm a 50/50 guy. Currently I'm tending to favour Padron, I've had no issues with construction or burn and quality is second to non CC or NC.

Like all referendums there is always a losing side, but that doesn't mean the outcome is necessarily bad just leaves a period of uncertainty. The EU is a screwed up project that year after year leaves national governments with less say in how to run their countries. 20 years ago I would have called myself European first and then British, but once the Scots got back into being anti establishment and loving ABE ( any one but England) I saw myself as English. Now thankfully I'm Australian. In all my years as an expat before settling in Australia, it's clear to me that Britain is a well respected economic and political power in today's ever shrinking world. I think Britain can still have that respect , to the benefit of all the home nations, even after leaving the EU political integration experiment. Why can't Britain continue to prosper whilst politically outside the EU? I don't think things willchange too much, I'm sure the remaining EU members would still love to have Britain as an ally, and at the same time the UK can explore the globe for new areas of growth. It will be interesting to see what happens next, perhaps all the Scots will move back to Scotland to remain in the EU with the SNP after devolution, I somewhat doubt that though.By the way a Scottish vote to remain doesn't necessarily translate into a vote to leave the UK if another referendum on independence is held, though today that probability may be higher than previously. Australia survives perfectly well in this competitive world, why can't the UK, with or without Scotland. lets forget scare mongering and see what come out positive for all involved,the entire UK, the EU and the rest of the world. If the English prove to have screwed it up for everyone then so be it, but I believe Britain as a whole is still an extremely enviable example to democracy, freedom of speech and will continue to welcome migrants and workers from all countries as it did before joining the EU. enough waffling from me

RE are usually in 10 count boxes, so I'd go for something with a bit of substance , in that I mean a large format. So for what it's worth suggest Sancho Panza Taipan 58 x 144 Taipan is a term well known throughout Asia as the big kahuna, I think it would suit in this respect. Cheers Tony

communism doesn't work long term and Cuba will have to loosen the purse strings. to start to do that it needs a strong stream of investment, and tourism combined with a softening of US embargo will be a catalyst for change. China is Nothing like it was in the mid eighties, now more billionaires than any where else. I think this is the start of huge change in Cuba that hopefully economically benefits its people.

Actually the PDFs have quite a good feel about them, for me I'd drop the FOH initials and just go with the one line of Friends of Habanos as in the PDFs would look a bit more classy in my opinion.

Always visit Casa Fuente and Davidoff at the Venetian to buy a few sticks whilst in Vegas. Not cheap but what the heck that's Vegas. Never stayed at Casa for a drink but when I'm there in June I'll be having a Mojito. We stayed at Aria last time, super cigar friendly place. Also went to Andre's at Monte Carlo, kinda cool, leather chairs and a good range of whisky.

Only had one, which I got from LCDH in Chester UK last summer. Very enjoyable, but I love everything Partagas.

I second both of you on this topic. Any publication that promotes cigars both CC and NC is good for this hobby we all enjoy.

A couple I would suggest.... Cuaba Distinguidos ( recently reviewed by Rob ) definitely worth a crack R&J Wide Churchill are excellent. Both come in 10 box so not a huge outlay

Quality control at Habanos must be non existent. Can only be that demand for D4 is higher than a production level at which they can maintain consistent quality. I love CC, but they are way off the leading NC brands in terms of consistency in quality and construction.