JohnS

If you live in Colorado, or plan to visit the Rocky Mountains, check out the Durango smoke Shop in Durango... DURANGO SMOKE SHOP - DURANGO, COLORADO April 19, 2024 - Bruce Busch Do yourself a favor when in Colorado and take the Million Dollar Highway south to the utopian village known as Durango. This stretch of road is like nothing you have ever seen. It winds through the mountain tops of the Rockies at 10,000 feet of altitude and gives you a breathtaking perspective on how beautiful this part of the world is to the eye. When you reach Durango, you will experience an incredibly well put together town that has as much beauty in its people as it does the surrounding nature. Right in the middle of Durango lies Durango Smoke Shop, which beyond being a great tobacco shop, is just an overall fun place to be. The centerpiece of Durango Smoke Shop is the owner Courtney Callahan. She will keep you in stitches as you find the smoke of your choice and relax outside on the patio and enjoy the gorgeous surroundings with great company from the regulars. Courtney has a cigar lounge that mimics her cool personality and spontaneous behavior. It is impossible not to have a good time here. After your day on the mountain doing whichever activity you prefer, come down the Million Bucks Highway and visit Durango Smoke Shop. Go in the humidor and grab a stick and let Courtney show you the eclectically designed shop. Find a hidden passageway, pet Charlie the house dog, and retire to the patio and hoot it up with the people. If you do or say something particularly epic, you will wind up in Courtney’s deck journal, immortalized for all time! Source: https://www.cigarjournal.com/durango-smoke-shop-durango-colorado/

VERTIGO OMNI TWIN CUTTER ON THE WAY TO STORES APRIL 19, 2024 - BROOKS WHITTINGTON NEWS, PCA 2024 The Lotus Group is now shipping an all-in-one cutter under its Vertigo brand. Called the Vertigo Omni Twin Cutter, the new accessory is designed with four different cutting options: the first blade is a double guillotine cutter that will cut cigars up to 64-ring gauge, while the second option is an “extra deep” v-cutter that is also able to cut 64-ring gauge cigars. Both of those stainless steel blades are attached to a spring-loaded tray that also locks into place inside of the metal housing of the cutter. The Omni also features two different-sized punch blades that fold out of the ends of the cutter: an 8mm punch is located on the top of the cutter’s body, while a smaller 6mm punch blade extends from the bottom of the cutter. According to Lotus, there are five different exterior color options, all with the same MSRP of $99.95: black, chrome, gunmetal, orange and red. In an email, Rosemary Sharp, president of the Lotus Group, told halfwheel that all five versions of the Omni began shipping to retailers yesterday. April 18. Source: https://halfwheel.com/vertigo-omni-twin-cutter-on-the-way-to-stores/438021/

Certain image formats aren't compatible with our forum, unfortunately. These include AVIF and Apple's HEIC. Ken, upload those images and I'll download and convert them to JPG for you. I'll fix the thread and then delete this post. All good. 👍

Welcome back, Anthony! I believe El Pres had a thread recently where he mentioned the best sellers of the current lot of Nudies/MOFOH/Fabrica 5 cigars. Amongst them were the Ninfas, Queen Corona, MOFOH Trinity, N6 Cananazo Amante, N8 Churchill I believe, from memory.

The season is a long one, full of peaks and troughs (or valleys). Let's see where the Red Sox are around the mid-point...which is traditionally around the All-Star Game in July. I'm excited for Tanner Houck. What a fine pitcher he has become. That 'Maddux' he threw the other day was sensational! Losing the first 5 games of the season, with practically one hit from going down 0-6 and to come back to win the next 10 in 13 games? It's only been done five times in the history of baseball. Yes, the Mets are on a roll. Alongside the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers, who collectively are the 'hottest' teams in MLB at the moment. Let's see how they go on this upcoming West Coast trip against the LA Dodgers and SF Giants. One thing I can't explain...has leaving the NY Yankees allowed Harrison Bader to play 'out of his skin', especially in clutch-hitting, or is it the fact he can now grow facial hair on this team? 🤔

I was actually thinking about that last week. It depends on @El Presidente 's schedule whilst he's away in the United States. If he has time, he'd announce it on the forum and on the day's 24:24 listing. They're always a good catch-up. Let's schedule one for this week coming. This Sunday evening 8 pm NY time or Monday morning 10 am Sydney/Brisbane time (Yes, it's a little earlier but I'll stay for awhile so we'll start early and go until late). Look forward to whomever can make it. We'll make another announcement for it on the day.

Bolívar Coronas Junior MSU Jul 2019 The Bolivar Coronas Junior is another minutos (42 ring gauge x 110 mm or 4⅜ inches in length) which, like the Ramon Allones Small Club Coronas, I have found to be very dependable; even more so than the Montecristo No.5 and San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe. In relative comparison within the Bolivar marca, of the four Bolivar vitolas I have sampled in the last three years or so including the Bolivar Tubos No.1, Bolivar Belicosos Finos, Bolivar Petit Corona, I would rate the Bolivar Coronas Junior as perhaps the best (but maybe only just a little better than the others) for how consistent they've been for me. I've not found my recent BCJs smoked as particularly 'Earthy'. This one certainly did have some Earthiness to it. Along with that were those other core Bolivar flavours that I've consistently found in these: light cocoa, leather, espresso coffee and cedar. This cigar was around medium-full in body which once again, had plenty of flavour. This particular Bolivar Coronas Junior took me an sixty-five minutes to smoke. In summary, this Bolivar Coronas Junior smoked as reliably as my last one smoked from this box. It was a decent 91 to 92-point cigar.

Ramón Allones Small Club Coronas ETP Mar 2017 The Ramon Allones Small Club Corona is a reputable (42 ring gauge x 110 mm or 4⅜ inches in length) minutos. I think I had around six or seven RASCCs mainly in the second half of 2022, and overall I rated them quite well for their flavours and smoking time. In fact, although I would opine that cigar enthusiasts favour the Montecristo No.5 or San Cristobal de La Habana El Principe more, I find the Ramon Allones Small Club Coronas is quite dependable and varies less in its quality, both construction-wise and flavour-wise. Despite the fact that I had a number of RASCCs in that aforementioned timeframe a year ago, this is only me second one since, for no peculiar reason other than I've had a whole lot of other cigars to peruse in the meantime. When it comes to the RASCC you are really looking for its typical and distinctive dried fruit flavour, something akin to raisins. When that is present they're ideal. When they are not, I tend to still find them a decent option to smoke when I need a shorter smoke due to time. This RASCC started off quite woody alongside with some characteristic light cocoa flavour. About one-third of the way into the smoke, the cigar ramped up in spice, which I found somewhat atypical. After this, the cigar settled down and exhibited leather and that 'raisin-type' sweetness we all know and love. Again, the construction was spot-on here; both the burn and draw. Despite this Ramon Allones Small Club Corona having more strength in comparison to my last few, I still found it fine to smoke. I still continue to maintain that in my view overall, they represent decent value for a minutos-sized cigar.

Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa Is the Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa the 'cigar of our times'? The cigar we need right now, amidst the struggles Habanos S.A. has been experiencing for some time to maintain a quality and regular production of their unique, luxury tobacco-based product? It may well seem to be so. For me, it may be the cigar we deserve when smoking Habanos cigars represents such a big opportunity cost, both in terms of the retail price and the efficacy of replacing one's stock, which isn't always that easy because it's difficult to know if one's favourite Habanos cigar is in hiatus or not. Now, it's a rare thing that I smoke a cigar, indeed any cigar, back-to-back. But when this particular Nudies product sells out in its 50-count packaging not once, but twice and then proceeds to sell out once it becomes available in a 5-count pack...well, I can't help but wonder that there must be a reason for this unprecedented outcome within the Nudies program. In my view, quite simply, the size of the cigar itself, being a Ninfas with a 33 ring gauge x 178 millimetres (or 7 inches) length is an homage to the times when long-and-skinnies were more widely available than they are now. Furthermore, this is a cigar that is by no means complex, and in my opinion this makes it the perfect choice of cigar within one's rotation when you need something more regular and available than a Habanos cigar. This particular Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa was fairly similar to my last one in terms of flavours; 'graham cracker', a bit of nut, baking spice and molasses in the first half to two-thirds and a transition in strength and spice in the last third. The whole thing took me eighty minutes to smoke and honestly, I could easily smoke another one right now as I write this. Then again, so could you and maybe that is why they are currently 'sold out' at the time of writing this review.

Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa I wonder if it's an exaggeration to state that the Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa represents the current peak of the Nudies program. In other words, starting with the initial Nudies Lanceros and Carlotas in 2019/20, then moving forward to the second release 2021 versions that came out in Rosado and Maduro wrappers, I wonder if I could safely say that the Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa is the best cigar that this program has produced thus far? Perhaps we could subjectively argue that the Desnudo Canonazo Amante VI, or Desnudo N5 Queen Corona or even the MOFOH Robusto Trinity have climbed the apex of excellence in this program for us? Ultimately, we need to consider that the Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa had sold out not once, but twice since its release a little over two months ago. Now, that's saying something! The Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa came about because El Pres himself lamented the discontinuation of the Punch Ninfa in 2002 and his 50-count box had long gone. Sure, one could say the Quai d'Orsay Panetelas lasted until 2010, or even the Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Gourmet until 2013 (although this cigar was one-third of an inch shorter in length the the traditional Ninfa size), but did anyone care about these cigars in the same way as the Punch Ninfas? I'd say no, mainly because the Punch Ninfas was an 'everyday' smoking-type cigar, a potential regular in one's rotation and that is what the Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfa has been designed to be. In El Pres' words, the cigar was blended to be "mid bodied and rich. There is a purveying raisin/fruity sweetness that melds well with other nuances of tart cooking chocolate, sourdough and just a touch of spice on the retrohale. The cigar builds progressively but never loses it’s composure. The aroma is indeed something special and reflects the flavour profile. Only two sets of rollers/bunchers from our Fabrica 5 team are permitted to roll the Ninfas. They have been hand picked as the best of the best from our high performance Fabrica 5 unit. The construction quality reflects this. The blend is 100% Honduran and includes a special leaf that has enthralled us but until now we were at a loss as to how best to use. We found the right cigar for it to shine." I smoked my first one today in a split with some other Sydney FoH members. So, that makes for a 25-count. It wouldn't surprise you to know that I thought it was excellent. Sixty-five to seventy minutes of smoking joy. The type of cigar I could light up again immediately after finishing the previous one. I think I may need a few more to ascertain a general flavour profile. I can state that I thought it was somewhat 'graham cracker' in nature, a bit of nut, baking spice and molasses. I mean, the leaf is all Honduran but its not bad in how wholesome it is on the palate, like a Cuban cigar. So there you go. I think I've said my piece. I may as well stop the review here and smoke another one. I hope to see you in a little while!

DesNudos N3 Colorado Maduro Carlota Having sampled the DesNudos N3 Colorado Rosado Carlota recently, I felt it's only natural to want to smoke its fraternal twin, the DesNudos N3 Colorado Maduro Carlota as that is what I tend to do. If you aren't aware, the term 'Colorado Rosado' refers to what we know as a 'Natural shade wrapper' in Habanos cigars. 'Colorado Rosado' is the term used for Non-Cuban cigars. The difference in wrapper shades, therefore, between these two releases is in fact the only point of variation between the cigars. In other words, the leaves inside contain the exact same blend. Keep that in mind the next time you smoke a DesNudos N3 Colorado Rosado Carlota and a DesNudos N3 Colorado Maduro Carlota or Lanceros 'back-to-back' (or one after the other). This DesNudos N3 Colorado Maduro Carlota certainly did have a core sourdough, leather and citrus twang blend, similar to the DesNudos N3 Colorado Rosado Carlota, but the maduro wrapper on this cigar imparted a completely different flavour upon the cigar because that aforementioned flavour profile was much more muted in comparison to the Colorado Rosado Carlota I smoked previous to this Colorado Maduro Carlota. The maduro shade wrapper made this cigar more sweeter in its cocoa, but unlike the last time I smoked this cigar fifteen months ago, I can't say that it had anywhere near the same amount of anise or licorice. It was, however, quite easy to smoke, with full wafts of smoke per draw. It was effortless for an experienced cigar smoker to smoke. I had the opportunity to sample a pre-release DesNudos N3 Colorado Maduro Carlota three years ago. At the time I summarised that cigar as follows: "In summary, think of some of the finest darker-wrappered Romeo y Julieta Exhibicion No.4's you've smoked being combined with a Partagas Serie du Connaisseur No.3, but not as 'toasty'. Now that would be a fine cigar indeed. And indeed this was!" I can't help but think that the sweetness that the wrapper on this cigar imparted upon it was not too dissimilar. Trust me, I enjoyed it just the same!

DesNudos N3 Colorado Rosado Carlota In 2019, the original Nudies N1 Lancero and N3 Carlota were released. The N1 Lancero aimed to replicate the blend of the long-discontinued Partagas Serie du Connaisseur No.1 and No.2. The N3 Carlota replicated the Partagas Serie du Connaisseur No.3. They were well-received by our members, with the consensus opinion been that they were remarkably 'Cubanesque' for cigars utilising Non-Cuban tobacco. Construction on these cigars were consistently sound, the small team of rollers responsible for the rollout no doubt contributed to this consistency. The DesNudos second version of Nudies had an additional Maduro-wrappered release for each vitola. I acquired a Colorado Maduro and Colorado Rosado version of both the N1 Lancero and N3 Carlota in March 2022 and left these cigars to rest for around eight months prior to smoking my first DesNudos N3 Colorado Rosado Carlota, a 38 ring gauge by 152 mm (or 6 inches) in length vitola. This therefore, is my next one from the 15-count package I acquired, smoked fifteen months later! The cold draw was in no way as 'grassy' in feel as the 2019 version. The very first puff revealed a wonderful sourdough, leather and citrus twang which was the core flavour of the cigar from beginning to end. There was no spice, there was no grassiness. The ash held together well and the cigar was medium-mild in strength. Unlike the original Partagas Serie du Connaisseur No.3, the overall texture or mouthfeel of this cigar was not 'toasty' in the least; rather it was more like a traditional Cuban cigar, more 'rounder'. In comparison to the last time I smoked this cigar, I would add that the flavours have obviously melded more. In summary, this DesNudos N3 Colorado Rosado Carlota, at almost two years of age, is a pleasant, simple and 'rounded' smoke from beginning to end. It remains very simple to smoke.

Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill Oliva famously gained credibility and publicity via its win for the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado with Cigar Aficionado in 2014. The Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill was Cigar Aficionado’s No.8 cigar of the year in 2018 and 2020, with scores of 93 and 95 respectively. I was quite impressed with the Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill cigars I smoked since the Habanos price changes in mid-2022 that I decided to acquire a 10-count box by the end of that year. The Churchill size is a vitola I quite like for when I feel like a long smoke and as we know, we aren't exactly 'flush with options' when it comes to Habanos Churchill-sized cigars. The Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill is box-pressed but has a normal straight foot and a slightly curved head with a 178 mm (or 7 inches) length and 50 ring gauge, which is a little bigger than the traditional Habanos girth for a Churchill-sized cigar that is usually 47 rg. It comes with the now accustomed, yet impressive, Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper but it is the binder and filler which makes a difference to the Melanio line. Both the binder and the filler use Nicaraguan Jalapa tobacco which is said to impart more flavour and less strength. As usual, on the cold draw I was impressed with the exquisiteness of this cigar's aroma, the sheen on its wrapper and frankly, how well these are made. The cigar opened with some luscious chocolate and cedar and developed in the first third with the addition of milk coffee. In the middle third, I noted some leather, whilst in the last third the cigar was a tad more 'woody', but honestly not that much, the flavour blend stayed much the same. Throughout the cigar there was a nutty texture akin to almonds or walnuts and the strength of the cigar was mild. It was effortless to smoke and retrohale through the nose. As I alluded to earlier in this review, Habanos S.A. have very few Churchill-sized cigars left; in fact, just three in regular production (Cohiba Esplendidos, H.Upmann Sir Winston and Romeo y Julieta Churchill). These all enjoy a ‘lofty’ reputation within the Habanos catalogue, Although, this wasn't brilliant as potentially those Habanos cigars, it was still a pleasure to smoke over two-and-three-quarter hours (yes, it was indeed fifteen minutes short of three hours). I very much enjoyed it and I'm glad I acquired a box. In my opinion, I feel the Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill is a quality addition to my collection of other Habanos Churchills in my humidor. At least it's easier to replace than those other aforementioned Habanos cigars currently!

RGB Jul 2022 Montecristo Petit Edmundos...

Put it this way, there's already been eleven (11) auctions on Bond Roberts for the calendar year-to-date (which I believe is more than normal in comparison to other Habanos cigars), and there's been no issue reaching $US100 a stick, for starters, for stock aged five years or less.