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Zurich LCDH at the best of times had a so so selection and awful service.

Night of-- nuun tablet and 20 oz of water before bed

Very good article shining a light on some of the current shenanigans going on. https://www.finews.asia/high-end/41282-switzerland-havana-cohiba-habanos-intertabak-heinrich-villiger-hong-kong HIGH-ENDThursday, 25 April 2024 10:48 Is Switzerland's Havana Paradise Vanishing? Written by Florian Schwab | Publishing Director To date, Switzerland is the third largest market for Cuban cigars in the world. However, this status quo is currently changing, as the Cuban export monopoly «Habanos» is now cutting off supplies to Switzerland due to the priorities of the new owners in Asia. Hard times are approaching for Swiss «aficionados». When it comes to offering handmade premium cigars from Cuba, Switzerland has so far been a kind of island of bliss. The availability of Cuban cigars has been insufficient in this country in recent years. The background to this is production bottlenecks as a result of the Covid pandemic, coupled with storms in Cuba and economic challenges within the country. In recent years, around two million Cubans (up from 11 million in 2019) have left the island, including many cigar industry employees. Production capacities for hand-rolled Havanas are currently around 60 million pieces, around a quarter lower than in 2019. Cohiba, Trinidad, Partagas Despite the scarcity on retailer’s shelves, Switzerland, so far, has received a comparatively generous allocation of the sought-after Cuban cigars from Cohiba, Trinidad, Partagas, etc. The Cuban cigar industry has always held Switzerland in high regard due to their high purchasing power and the strong cigar culture with numerous lounges. That's changing now. «Delivery cuts» The Swiss special-interest magazine «Cigar» recently disclosed (article in German) that «Habanos», the global marketing and sales monopoly for Cuban cigars, will «cut back» its deliveries. This policy shift will impact «several markets,» including Switzerland, particularly targeting countries where sales structures «are not 100 percent under Cubans control.» Swiss importer «Intertabak» In Switzerland, «Habanos» has to share the fruits of its labor with the Villiger and Lévy families, who together hold 50 percent of the exclusive importer «Intertabak» (the other half of «Intertabak» belongs to «Habanos»). The board of directors of «Intertabak» consists of the now 93-year-old tobacco entrepreneur Heinrich Villiger, Louis-Charles Lévy as a representative of a Geneva trading dynasty and two representatives of the Cuban side. Reduction by 40 percent Research by finews.com in retailer circles shows that the supply cut by «Habanos» to the Swiss importer «Intertabak» could be aproaching around 40 percent. The decision is irrefutable and can only be averted by changing the ownership structure of «Intertabak». Similar cuts are expected for the markets of Germany, Austria and Poland, where Heinrich Villiger and his company «Fifth Avenue» (akin to «Intertabak» in Switzerland, a joint venture with «Habanos») is also the exclusive importer. Additionally, in Great Britain, where «Habanos» shares distribution with «Hunters & Frankau», a tobacconist with over 230 years of tradition, comparative adjustments are expected. Handwriting of the new co-owners Spain and France are not affected by the newly imposed shortage, where «Habanos» already skims off all the added value right up to the point of sale. The new policy shows the handwriting of the new co-owners of «Habanos». In 2020, the Hong Kong investment company «Allied Cigar Corporation» bought the 50 percent stake in «Habanos» from the British tobacco multinational «Imperial Tobacco», as part of a $1.44 billion transaction, as the trade magazine Cigar Journal reported at the time. The beneficial owner of the «Allied Cigar Corporation» is believed to be a conglomerate of Chinese investors, led by the Chinese-born gaming entrepreneur Chen Zhi (Suncity Group Holdings), who has also had Cambodian citizenship since 2014. Prior to this takeover, «Habanos»' business decisions were heavily influenced by Latin American norms, characterized by a great appreciation for established personal relationships. Empty humidors in sight Entrepreneurs such as Heinrich Villiger, Louis-Charles Lévy and Samuel Menzi («Casa del Habano» in Zurich) helped the Cubans for decades to establish the commercialization of their cigars in Switzerland. Menzi and Villiger received the «Hombre del Habano» award from cuban dictator Fidel Castro personally. This was at a time when Cubans were still orphans when it came to marketing and distribution. But unlike a good Havana cigar that gets better with age, gratitude has an expiration date. Cigar lovers between Geneva and Lugano are the ones who suffer most from this. The dealers' humidors will empty. And prices will rise further. When asked by finews.asia, Intertabak neither wanted to confirm nor comment on the shortage.

News > Cuba Argentina Refuses to Supply Fuel to Cuban Planes https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Argentina-Refuses-to-Supply-Fuel-to-Cuban-Planes-20240425-0009.html A Cubana de Aviacion aircraft. | Photo: X/ @minint_cuba The companies invoked provisions of the U.S. blockade to not supply the Cuban aircraft. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Cubana de Aviacion flights to Buenos Aires were canceled because fuel suppliers in Argentina refused to serve the airline. The companies have invoked "provisions of the United States blockade against Cuba" to not supply the aircraft of the Cuban state airline. Additionally, this measure has affected other airlines contracted by Cubana de Aviacion, preventing them from fulfilling commitments to passengers. This surprising decision took place despite the Cuban flights being approved by the Argentina's National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC). In response to this situation, the airline has decided to assist affected passengers in Cuba by sending them back on flights operated by other airlines connecting to Argentina. Other passengers will be eligible for a full refund of their airfare. Cubana de Aviacion resumed its flights between Havana and Buenos Aires in May 2023, after a period of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also resumed flights from Argentina with a stopover in Cayo Coco and a final destination in Havana using a leased aircraft. Usually, Cubana de Aviacion operates a weekly flight between Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (EZE), Cayo Coco (CCC), and Havana (HAV) using an Airbus A330-200 operated by the Spanish airline Plus Ultra Airlines. During the first quarter of 2024, the Cuban airline transported 3,221 passengers with an occupancy rate of 61 percent. The number of Argentine travelers to Cuba increased by 44 percent compared to the same period last year, reaching 12,753 people.

Its been a year since all three of us have been together. Great to catch up again

Are the white numbers near the nine printed on glass on the dial or the backside of the crystal? Neat watch!

I was just thinking how funny it is that we finally had a similar, consistent experience with a cigar….. and it was a Habano!

Awesome review! Would love to see a photo of this baby stocked up. I want to pee my pants in my office.

Quai D’Orsday No 54, Oct 18 Upmann Half Corona, Dec 20 Fonseca Cosacos, August 23

I Posted CC by mistake

Saline IV and oxygen .😁

Picked up a Zenith Chronomaster Open 39.5 mm with steel bracelet yesterday in a duty free jewelry store yesterday. This slightly smaller, open heart model was reintroduced in 2023, I believe. It has a power reserve and wears a lot like a Rolex GMT, in my opinion. The bracelet looks like an oyster but with a slight taper to the links. I’ve always wanted a Zenith so I went for it. Got a pretty good deal from an authorized dealer, so I’m happy.

I’ve been impressed with the RyJ Short Churchills I bought as singles in GC. Beautiful wrappers, great construction and flavor 👍🏻

C&C time. HDM Le Hoyo De San Juan (2016) from our gracious host.

I have 3 boxes from 2017. I switch between them. So far they have been smoking good to great. Flavors on point so far...Never had one that disappoints. Maybe yours as you say...In a sick period. Give it a rest...Smoke one after a couple of months. Hope this helps. Happy smoking...

The Patek really does hit every. Single. Mark. Just a stunner. Wear that in good health.

IMHO there is a 1) lot of fun looking and 2) a lot of value in the pre owned/vintage market. Like cigars, it helps to really know your product and if you can buy the seller (or in watches factor in some repair expense and be happy when you don’t have it). I have an ever growing collection of watches. Mostly omega but also Ball, Bulova and now quite a few Seiko. With rare exception they are vintage and great for everyday use. My wife got me a 15 year old omega chron 8 years ago. I have worn it for nearly Every day and only recently brought it in for a service because I figured it was time. There are a lot of unloved watches out there with a ton of life left. I have a collection around movements used in space (and watches that appeal to me). Omega, Bulova and Seiko automatics. My father wore an omega constellation day date as his every day. I have that watch, and also found a similar one that my son now wears. I wore his watch all last week - it kept perfect time after years and years of use (and periodic maintenance). Watches are a deep hole. It can get expensive if you go Rolex/AP/Patek route. Can also be a ton of fun with other less expensive brands. Don’t watch the repair videos unless you want an even deeper hole. 😂 FWiW when I was a kid I bought a Lanco wind chronograph. The salesman apparently did me a solid and the watch has a Valjoux 7733 movement. I’m hunting down a Balance, complete on that movement to fix it myself - a great movement but with labor costs where they are labor will cost as much as the watch is worth to repair. I mention this to be sure you check in service history and that all functions of a used watch are functional. Also mention in that going too inexpensive on a vintage can leave you with a paperweight that most would only want for parts, even with a highly regarded and well produced movement that is straightforward to repair. A service can run 3-500 depending on complications before parts. There are a few really good watch forums out there, some w a marketplace. Easy enough to dip your toe into vintage if you want.

My last stick, smoked with @messi & @morningdew last night Always a good time.

Hello everyone, You dreamed about it, I made it happen. The long-awaited review of my Raching C380A. Enough talk, relax, and let's dive in! If you want some context, I invite you to read my first post: https://www.fohcigars.com/forum/topic/144193-review-raching-humidor-ca330-humidty-and-temperature-controlled/ So now I have 3 Rachings. The CA330, the C380A which I will analyze, and a third one that is quite old and does not have temperature control. I don't intend to review the latter. Let's go! My Habanos point tobacconist, who is a friend and a collector, decided a year ago to sell part of his private collection. I don't want you to wet your pants, it would be bad while you read that in your office, so I won't list what I managed to get (Tons of limited editions (maybe some Monte DC 2001...), Regional Editions, special humidors, books (maybe a sublimes...) and Reservas (maybe a Siglo 6 GR in the mix) 😉). Brag time over. However, I ended up with about 60 boxes and no space. My other two Rachings were full, so I decided to invest in a new one. In the mean time, the boxes were going to be stored in jumbo boxes, in the cellar with Boveda packs. Being very satisfied with my other two Rachings, I naturally turned to them. Sheila from Raching was of great help. She offered me their latest model with the largest capacity. 2990USD + 800USD for shipping, and in less time than it takes to say it, the humidor was on its way to my house. After two months of endless waiting, I received a call: it was going to be delivered (September 2023). I was lucky at that moment! Since my house was under renovation, the workers used a crane to put this beast on my terrace, and they helped me put it in my living room. It weighs about 120kg (250lbs). To thank them, I bought them sandwiches, cigarettes, and dessert. Everyone was happy. Thanks to my Dad who is always there for me, who doesn't give a damn about cigars, but who always listen to me when I passionately talk about my sticks. I let the humidor stand for 24 hours before unpacking it. Then... there it is. It's here, big, beautiful, sturdy, shiny... it gave me a glance, I blushed and fell in love at first sight! What a beast! But now... it's time to make it work. 24 hours on, 24 hours waiting, then the ultimate moment: filling it up. I even took the opportunity to make an Excel list for all the boxes that would go in. Raching humidor C380A review (10-point system): - Interior 10/10: Like the others, interior made of cedar. The smell is amazing and still holds after 9 months. Out of the 8 drawers, 3 can be pulled out and are on rails. 5 drawers are not on rails and need to be "lifted". I like this in-between. According to Raching, putting rails on each drawer would reduce the interior capacity. From my side, I prefer more space than more rail drawers. There are dividers for the drawers that can be removed. The drawer dimensions seem to have been designed to fit the maximum number of boxes. The height is perfect for any box. The problem with my other Raching CA330 was that the 50 cabinets were too high. - Look 10/10: I love it. Less kitschy than the other models. I really like the chrome gray. The exterior is solid stainless steel. It's quality and durability. There is also an LED inside the door that really lights up the cabinet and is not just for show. Overall, it's my Rolls Royce, I love it! I also like that the water tray is now hidden. - Ammonia removal 10/10: The best news from my purchase. I was skeptical, thinking it was a marketing gimmick. But amazingly, it really works very well. Some boxes, when not aired well enough, smell like old shoes to me. And that's where I find it incredible. After 2-3 months, the cigars no longer have that smell, or just a little bit. The ultimate trick is to leave the box slightly open, or if it's a slid lid box, just remove the lid. This thing is really surprising and I really think it works. What a surprise! - Habanos sommelier 3/10: I find this aspect totally useless and I don't know if it really works. You put your cigars in it, press a button, and it should have the effect of dry boxing. The humidor lets you know when it's done. However, I don't notice any difference. None! - Screen touch 10/10: Like the previous ones, clear, precise, fast, efficient. - Longevity of water 7/10: With my previous model, 7 liters of water lasted about 1.5 years. With this model, 8 months. It's much bigger, but it's something to think about and not neglect. Coming back last week, the humidor was beeping beep beep beep. - Capacity 7/10: A little less than advertised. I don't know exactly how many cigars I have in this one. I didn't total it. They advertise 450l for up to 4000 cigars. I would say more like 1500-2000 with boxes. However, the drawers are well designed. I expected to have more interior space... - Noise 9/10: Rather quiet. - Humidification system accuracy 10/10: Incredible. Oh boy! I want to rate it 100/10. No variation, rock solid, super precise, and worry-free. I placed 10 wifi sensors in the unit, from top to bottom it reads 65%, between two boxes, in front, behind 65%. I almost thought my hygrometers were broken. It's perfection. In front of the glass, it's at 61%, but everything on the shelves holds at 65%. However, when it arrived, I had to calibrate it. It was at 61% when I had set it to 65%. After a few text exchanges, they explained to me how to calibrate it and since then it has been working like a charm. Compressor 9/10: Rather quiet. I find it runs more often than my other models. However, everything works wonderfully. - Air circulation 10/10: I think this is one of the most developed aspects since the last model. The air circulation is really effective, just like humidity management. There is a mini breeze blowing throughout the unit, but without wind. Really well balanced. I have a doubt but I would say there are 8 mini fans. You can, thanks to the control panel, change the fan strength. But for that, you need to contact Raching to explain the method to you. It's the same for other aspects of the device. It is really customizable in the smallest details but nothing in the user manual. - Temperature 10/10: Overall as consistent as humidity. Very consistent. My sensors indicate 18°C as I programmed. - Other: Has a lock. Comes with a funnel and a cable to purge the water container. This last modification is superb. Very practical to completely empty the water basin with a tube. The water basin is hidden and is under/behind the wood. You can't see it. So to purge, you have to insert the tube into a hole, press a button, and voilà. Finally, and this is not negligible, the humidor is on wheels. Very practical for moving it. Once in place, there are extendable feet that can be used under the unit and adjusted to ensure the unit is stable. Overall 10/10: Is there room for improvement? Absolutely... am I satisfied? Yes. Do I feel reassured? Absolutely, and that's priceless for me. Set and forget (almost). I recommend this unit and also the company in general. I only speak from my experience and cannot speak for anyone else. There you go! I hope I didn't forget anything. Looking forward to answering your questions.

Well as @BrightonCorgi said, each fill a need. I can't really go deeper on that subject as I don't quite understand what "complexity" means. I don't rate cigars according to tastes or flavours, it's more about how I feel through the smoking experience. Of course taste is important and I've had my fair share of horrible sticks (I can still taste a Don Tomas I lit a few years ago just thinking of it 😅) but there's something beyond that for me. For example, I like the taste of a good Connie A but it doesn't fulfill my needs and I can't tell you why. Without going any further, imo something beautiful happens within smaller rg that doesn't happen as often with other cigars the same size but with bigger rg. For what it's worth 😅

Been thinking about this one for months before pulling the trigger

Lobster tails poached in lemon butter.

*Eat some caviar either before or during your drink. No, it does not have to be that $85 to $110 an ounce stuff. Just the plain ole' Romanov whitefish, etc. caviar off the grocery store shelves for about $9 to $12 a vacuum packed jar. You won't get that hangover from over-imbibing.

the one thing he got right was hating the pies. utter filth. the equivalent of dallas in the NFL (and iggles, and for that matter, giants), manspew in the EPL (and spurs), England in the ashes, nsw in super rugby, brothers in the brizzy rugby comp, kyrios in any sport, nsw in origin (that is a biggie), nz in pretty much anything unless they are playing england when we hope for a 0-0 draw or better yet, an earthquake. i may have gone slightly off topic.