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Great stuff, guys!

C&C time. Trini Vigia (2018) from our gracious host.

They're bracing themselves for what's coming... I wish them good luck, their shop is amazing 😍

I cannot speak to buying cuban cigars in Switzerland, I don’t buy them here but I do enjoy smoking them here, and it’s nice … I’m just this moment in the very lovely cigar bar at the Hotel Storchen in Zurich smoking an FoH 24:24 Juan Lopez and just check out that cutting fee, very civilized!

the "average" Cuban cigar smoker isn't in the focus. Cuban cigars aren't for the average person. pathetic really - but that's only cause I'm average.

I've always loved their emails and posts. Never been but they seem to do things well...

had to put this here. In his update on Cuban inventory, Eddie is hesitant to use NWC for political implications lol

Well i guess lots of people from countries where CCs were already really expensive used to buy online from Swiss retailers and as prices are now more consistent all over the world, they might as well redirect the products to Asia directly, don't you think ?

Maybe actually they see the writing on the wall for the European market (and others) with the legislation wanting to put to an end of tobacco use. Asia is where the long term market will be so they have to pivot to there?

These look beautiful.

Tasty afternoon treat

Flavours, tastes, complexity are all part of a language most aficionados agree upon to understand each other. I'm not saying this is BS or trying to belittle those who speak it, i'm just saying it's only one way to read and enjoy cigars and it doesn't work for everyone, some of us just can't speak it or don't see the point of it (it's a bit of both for me). @El Presidente talks about that in his recent interview with Dave Dude and about how Hamlet "speaks" cigars, when i have time i'll create a topic, i find this matter very interesting and i'd like to find out how you all feel about it.

TEB OCT 08 Gigantes

Some Burg, Beaujolais, Riesling and Sparkling

I am sweetheart , one day I'll come back and drink vodka with you at Havana Dreams 😉 big hugs my friend

San Cristóbal de la Habana El Príncipe LGR Jun 2018 This is my ninth SCdLH El Principe from this box since opening it just over two years ago, but I've had other San Cristobal de la Habana El Principes in the meantime from other box codes. In fact, I've had three: the first was from a newly acquired LGR Jun 2019 box code which was too strong and spicy for my liking, and two others from my TOS Jun 2016 which were much more in-line with my expectations. My last San Cristobal de la Habana El Principe from this box started off with that beautiful pancake-texture again. This time the middle was more coffee and molasses. The last third continued to be more dominant in cocoa until the halfway point of the final third saw the cigar become all cocoa and coffee, without any sweetness we come to normally adore in the San Cristobal de la Habana El Principe. This one, smoked two months later, was outright terrible. It started off with a burn issue which I had to correct due to bunched leaves, and was bitter throughout. Somehow I persevered in to the last third but honestly, I shouldn't have bothered. Sadly, I would say that this was quite possibly the worst San Cristobal de la Habana El Principe I've ever smoked, and that's saying something, on account of how many I've smoked over the years. Surely, the next one can't be this bad...surely!

Partagás Presidentes SUL Jul 2023 Prior to acquiring a 10-count of RSG Mar 2023 singles and this SUL Jul 2023 25-count box, the last time I smoked a Partagas Presidentes was from the 2018 Friends of Habanos Xmas Sampler. Do you remember them? Ah yes, the good old days when our forum host could actually access a guaranteed supply of Habanos cigars and subsequently could provide Sampler packs around the end of each year to try the best cigars of that year. What memories, folks! That particular Partagas Presidentes from the 2018 Xmas Sampler had a pleasant mix of Partagas sourdough and coffee with a Fonseca-type marshmallow sweetness. By contrast, I remember my previous forays into sampling the Partagas Presidentes revealed a more typical 'old school' blend of Partagas Earth and Forest Floor and perhaps even leather and I remember at that point of my journey within this hobby that it didn't really connect with me. My previous early-2023 Partagas Presidentes reminded me of recent Partagas Serie D No.4, the one cigar that I would have to nominate as being the best in its flavour delivery and construction since the advent of the Covid era in early 2020. The varieties that I've had of the PSD4 have been simple concoctions of Partagas sourdough, coffee and leather, intertwined in a seemingly perfect balance. Unbelievably, that Partagas Presidentes was much like that. Yes, I couldn't fathom it. To say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. So how was this mid-2023 Partagas Presidentes, the second one smoked from the box, acquired as a box purchase in the meantime on account of good that one RSG Mar 2023 Presidentes was? Well, it smoked slightly longer at 90 minutes and had more strength and body. There were similar simple Partagas flavours of coffee, sourdough and leather in the first third, but from that point on, it was 'Earthy' and spicy. Yes, I would say that the early-2023 Presidentes was better. By comparison, this particular Partagas Presidentes was more typical of the type I had in the distant past that were much stronger in body and strength, with old school flavours of Earth, Forest floor and leather. Still, I'm intrigued to find out how the third cigar from this box will turn out, so I figure I will be returning to this box soon.

Puro Desnudo N6 Cañonazo Amante VI The FOH Puro Desnudo N6 Cañonazo Amante VI was among the initial offerings of the current generation of Nudies cigars. It shares the same dimensions as a Cohiba Siglo VI (or near enough) with a 52 ring gauge x 152 millimetres or 6 inches length. I believe the blend took El Pres and Hamlet a little longer to refine due to the larger ring gauge. The size was conceived as an everyman's stock-standard cigar option after the price of the Cohiba Siglo VI (which is a Canonazo) increased markedly after the middle of 2022. El Pres description of the Nudies N6 Canonazo reflects its intention of being a quality option as a potential Cohiba Siglo VI replacement (or supplement), in my view. In his words... Honey opening. Under Medium. Aroma of coffee beans, toasted tobacco, molasses. The cigar strolls slowly through the first third and builds intensity. The second third is all bakery/croissant and espresso with a dash of cream. In the last third, a little bit of magic comes into play. Bread and butter pud, almonds and leather all come together. We love this cigar. The tobacco is all 4+ years of age. Please ensure you rest your cigars the 30 days as you will notice a large difference in the smoking experience. I first smoked this cigar two months ago. It was so good, in my view, that I acquired a 5-pack to sample some more in the meantime. As the recommendation by El Pres was to let these rest for at least 30 days, I aimed for this mark, but only made it to twenty. A number of you have had the chance to smoke this cigar, and the response on our forum has been universally positive. This is quite a popular cigar! The Puro Desnudo N6 Cañonazo Amante VI is said to be a combination of Upmann shortbread, coffee, leather, nut and light cream flavours. In other words, a suitably impressive Non-Cuban cigar on account of its complexity. This isn't a bad description. This cigar continued the fine tradition amongst Nudies cigars by producing plenty of smoke, flavour and being constructed well and this was quite pleasing. What more is there to add? Quite simply, once you manage to burn through the shaggy foot, you'll quite possibly find a cigar that sought to replicate the Cohiba Siglo VI and has done a darn good job at doing so. Yes...indeed, it has done quite a fine job at that!

Cuaba APAC 2020 - Edición Regional Asia Pacifico LTO Mar 2021 Pacific Cigar Company (or its more common abbreviation, PCC) brought out the 2020 Cuaba APAC in mid-2021 as an Asia-Pacifico Regional Edition, the very first Cuaba Regional Edition since the program was conceived in 2005. The Cuaba APAC is packaged in a 10-count box, with PCC distributing a run of 8888 boxes. The cigar is a Tacos vitola, a 47 ring gauge x 158 mm (or 6¼ inches) in length Perfecto, the same size as the LCDH Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes, 2020 Mexican Regional Edition Ramon Allones Perfecto and the regular production Partagas Presidentes. The Tacos vitola differs a little from regular production Cuaba Perfectos in the shape of the head, which in the case of the APAC, is more conical (or streamlined/straighter at the head and foot) than your standard Cuaba. This is my sixth Cuaba APAC, but my first in sixteen months after I smoked two in 2022 and three in 2021, which I found quite impressive. Those cigars shared a typical Cuaba peanut and orange Cointreau citrus profile with a smooth, mild and refined strength and body. They also had a quality cedar aspect to them together with some quintessential Cuaba toasted tobacco and even vegetal flavour on the edges. For Cuaba, these flavours are complex and I have admired that about this cigar, thus far. My last Cuaba APAC was uniformly excellent. It had a core Cuaba peanut and orange Cointreau citrus, together with a herbal and toasted tobacco note which made it very different to a Cuaba Distinguidos, for example. I finished the cigar after close to two hours quite satisfied. This one was still herbal, but had nowhere near the amount of toasted tobacco. It did thankfully shine with its orange Cointreau citrus. I do wish I had a few more in my humidor as I recognise now that these won't be easy to locate. Even so, if I do find them available, I know it will be costly, as aged Regional and Special Editions traditionally are. The Cuaba APAC is a solid cigar, that there is no doubt, but if I had a choice I would put my disposable income into acquiring other cigars, most probably regular production.

So many years ago! Time flies by! Hope your doing well.

Hi all, I've posted a first taste review of the Robusto Trinity below at just 10 days after receipt. I will do a follow up review at 30 days and another at 60, then a final return review after 6+ months - all sampled from the same bundle. Bundle photos along with some other related article posts also to come. https://www.instagram.com/the_cigar_resource/ Hope some folk here enjoy.

I was only thinking of you the other day 🙂 I was telling a friend about the fun I had in NY with you at Havana Dreams 🥰 Lisa

So far we heard the news is: Reduction in Germany 30%, Switzerland 18% (but the article mentioned 40%), France 20%. What I heard that the main reason is the drop in harvesting...and for sure rise of Asian market.

A 2020 Monte 2 from our host