All Activity

Nomos Club would be my pick if it had to be new. In house movement, solid engineering, character. And some options to suit your taste.

Judge Mehta also.

It's an interesting question as to which vitola gives you the better "DNA" of the marca. For me, a PC has a stronger flavour but is seldom complex, while a Robusto can have a little more "development" from first to second to third but usually seldom more than a few notes going on. The most complex cigars I can remember tend to be bigger, Sir Winnie, Connie A, or longer, like a Lonsdale. How much complexity can you get out of a PC? I'm not saying it's not there, just asking.

Those Siglo VI maybe "Legend" , but at that price, they are also a tragedy!

Makes me want to crack open my box. I have a MAR SEP 21 box, one month after yours. Good review...both of you.

Liga Undercrown Shade Corona (++): This is my second review of this line. My first review was only a partial review due to the smoke session being cut short by rain. A nice looking CT stick with an aroma of barnyard and a hint of apple juice. Really smells delicious. After lighting I can again make an immediate comparison to a Monte Edmundo with predominant wood and chocolate milk flavors. The chocolate flavor drops out after the first 3/4 inch and only the woodiness remains until the half-way point. Then a sweet caramel flavor joins which balances out the wood. Once I hit the final inch and a half, the stick lost the flavor balance and became a bit bitter. I think this is the closest NC I've had that compares to the Edmundo -- at least during the first part of the cigar while the chocolate flavor lasts. Unfortunately for me, the Edmundo is my least favorite Monte, so this isn't a huge win. However, the similarity is enough for me to recommend this to any CC smoker.

Don’t expect an opinion for a while. Not really that relevant for this case. I think the FDA wants a remand because it would allow them to do the evaluation based only on the evidence that was submitted as part of the original rule making process. Since then, the one major study released basically further muddied the waters, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the cigar community is quietly funding some of its own research for a future attempt to regulate. But if it’s remanded the FDA can ignore anything that wasn’t submitted during the first rule making process way back in 2016. One of the reasons remand isn’t usually used in these situations is that it naturally doesn’t make much sense to ignore information that’s come out while the case was being litigated.

Out of seven coolidors, cigars are plugged by lottery. Humidity seems ok and dryboxed ones for a few days out at pool are happy too. The plugged ones that feel like they have knot in them are tried for a little while but then replaced with choice #2. We only give them that long if they taste unsatisfactory to us as well. Just like it to be so good. Friends here are so right if you like their answers too. CB

Treacle is good stuff!

WE SMOKED THE SAME CIGAR

Cohiba Lancero MAR OCT ‘21 Great-feeling cigar with a nice, even pack. Aroma is barnyard/hay, cold draw shows me hints of honey and gingersnaps to come. Little Martha starts playing on the speakers, which is strangely coincidental. The first Cohiba I ever had was with my band by a pool, after a gig. Nearly 25 years ago. We were listening to Allman Bros, and I’m certain Little Martha was in that mix. RIP, Dickey Betts. Hope you’re having a hell of a time in Heaven with Duane and Gregg. Light-up puff has just a hint of heat, not really pepper but more like a smoky chili oil. It was gone before my brain even registered, almost. A little toast and hay on the palate, and a blast of honey on the finish. After light-up, though, things are muted for a bit. The first third takes its time opening up, but eventually shows me gingersnap and honey, with a great creamy texture. Smoke output is very good, and strength seems right around medium. Nearing the second third, ginger isn’t as prevalent, and the gingersnap morphs into more of a graham cracker vibe. Cinnamon and honey. There is also some plentiful earth and hay in the mix. Texture turns a little dry here. As the second third begins, the earthiness kicks up a notch, but doesn’t take away from the honey and baking spices, mostly cinnamon and nutmeg. These are baking spices that carry sweetness, but also some earthy qualities, and so the marriage really works. Also, I’m getting some coriander seed. Compliments the honey very nicely, and offers the slightest bit of citrus to the experience. The graham cracker seems to be fighting with some biscotti, as both alternate every few minutes. Fun little conflict between cinnamon and almond! Some construction problems here and there, involving a few touch-ups. Around the midpoint, the honey starts to get darker, approaching molasses but not quite. A little vanilla too, reminding me of toffee. Texture also returns to a nice creamy vibe. In the last act, graham cracker has beat out biscotti, with the almond all but gone. Honey returns to the mix, but it’s a slightly spicy honey. This heat might come from a couple of necessary relights. Construction here in the last half has been not the best, going out sporadically, but flavor is still nearly on point. As I remove the band with a couple inches left, some earthiness develops, a little bit of forest floor funk, and some wood. Hickory or oak. BBQ smoke. “Thin blue smoke,” as they say. Coriander also comes back near the end, along with a dusting of clove or anise. Nice herbal and savory blend here at the end, with a touch of that spicy honey and dark citrus. Other than the handful of touch-ups and a couple of relights, this cigar has been a delight, bringing lots of complexity and a good balance of sweet and savory. Smoke time was just under two hours for me, and I give this an 89. Would’ve scored higher, if not for construction problems. As I said before, the flavor did not suffer from this, but it’s annoying - and a waste of fuel - to touch up and relight such a high-value stick that many times. Even after dry-boxing a couple days. Still, a good morning spent!

First Connie A in 2024…didn’t disappoint.

I don't know about that, I just know I like robustos but imo longer and thinner cigars offer a richer smoking experience and I guess that's why most experienced smokers prefer them, no matter where they're from. Maybe robustos are easier to "read" for beginners and of course they must be easier to roll too, hence their popularity...

They each fill a need. Robustos are a more casual to smoke. Easy to puff with lots of smoke. They don't take as long to finish as a Lonsdale. Americans may prefer informality of the Robusto. It is more our culture than the pomp and circumstance of the European mind set.

Cigars and tobacco are always the villain. I'd expect the worst outcome from the Court.

Its all of that. Cultivated area for tobacco halved. Competent rollers are leaving the country. No electricity. No gasoline for tractors. Payments has not increased in line with inflation. The farmers prefer to plant vegetables and other food so that they at least have something to eat (after that the soil is no longer usable for tobacco). Provincial factories send their cigars to Havana to be sorted and boxed because they no longer have boxes or sorters. So the spread of taste and quality per box is more and more different. Matching tobacco for certain brands is missing. I can no longer taste the specific character of many Marcas. And so on. Just my opinion.

HdM DC

A good friend of mine told me that the Polish take a bite of a fresh onion to help fight it. Never tried it though. 🤔

7 of the 11 judges on dc circuit court of appeals were appointed by Obama or Biden. For what it’s worth.

I can't answer for sure but I can tell you European aficionados would have given a very similar answer to that question. I like every vitola myself but I wouldn't mind should robustos disappear...I couldn't say the same about PCs, lonsdales or coronas gordas.

Good evening friends...

Gut Pesach

I just got a box from El Prez. I had never had one before, but know they are held in high regard. Glad I stumbled on this thread and it'll prove helpful when I finally dive in.

Very interesting answers. I genuinely thought everyone was ignoring this because they thought Robustos were the obvious answer. It’s excellent to see PC and Corona defenders. Seems like in Europe in the 70s and 80s they were the “default”. I heard from Nicholas Foulkes once that Partagas D4 was down to 5,000 production numbers at one point in the 80s. Is it solely American “brashness” that changed the fashion?