99call

I struggle to keep focus with Diademas, that said, if they brought back the Gran Gener, I'd be tempted.

really enjoying these of late, nice change of pace

Yep GOS 18 are a beautiful code for these. I missed out of the ones FOH put up. And had to find a box somewhere else. And yep I was hoping they would be full. Saying that I'll definitely take Robs advice on board, and see if they ramp up a little once they've dried out. I'm going to stock up on R&J Cazzies. As they still seem to be powerhouses.

I wasn't expecting the cigar to perform well. All I wanted to do was to guage the body of the cigar. I hear what your saying to a degree, but surely your not saying a full body cigar, can appear light bodied due to insuficient put down time. Every full bodied cigar I've had ROTT since starting smoking, has appeared either, harsh, strong, bitter, etc. Being closed is one thing, but surely a cigar I happily smoked on top of a light breakfast, is not going to become a dark brooding powerhouse in a year or so? I'm not suggesting it's not possible. Just that I've never come across this.

Funny you should mention the Fonseca no 1. Smoked a Presidente out of a GOS 18 box ROTT yesterday. I was looking forward to having my doors blown off, but after a lovely spell of porcini and sweet leathery paprika that took me up to the bulb. It the turned into a super light bodied floral vanilla/marshmallow Fonseca No1 clone. Very surprised and pretty disappointed. Along with the 898 since 2008, the partagas "big boppers" (as Ken would put it). Seem to be getting neutered. Don't get me wrong it was a lovely cigar. But are we now retreating to R&J cazzies and dark JL2 for the full body choice? I'll smoke another out of the box to see if it wasn't a one off. But it would be really sad if HSA stopped making genuinely full bodied cigars.

Sorry for your loss. Always nice when you have great crystallized memories of loved ones. Enjoy the Vigia.

JL2 is a great deal more strait forward and amplified/accurate in flavour delivery, BUT.......and I repeat BUT, the JL1 is (in my opinion) more complex, creamier, woodier, and provides the satisfaction of a cigar with a bit more of a journey/evolution. To me the JL2 is a flavour hit, much like a Monte PE. where as a JL1 is much more of of a savoured, mindful smoke. Both are equally great at what they do, but I would say the JL1 had more going on.

Gladly I can spot these people very early, and it's simply unforgivable. Regardless of what their personality has to offer, there is not making up for a lack of generosity, for that person is knowingly taking people for chumps. I didn't know this person, as he was a mate, of a group of mates. He went to university with them, and for 4yrs he used to turn up at the pub, then when asked if he wanted a pint, he'd say "sorry lads, i'm absolutely broke, I just dropped in to say hi" invariable everyone would say "don't worry mate, sit yourself down, will get you a pint in". At the end of the 4yrs he turned up at the pub and sad "lads come and check this out" . He'd bought himself a second-hand BMW for about £5,000. My mates stood there with their mouths open (non of them had cars, or even £100 in their bank accounts). They asked him "where on earth did you get this!!!!???" he said....................."I've been saving up!". nobody ever spoke to him ever again.......utter scumbag.

From what I hear, these are having a bit of a renaissance (aka finally getting good). Had one the other day (not an R&J fan) and it was excellent.

Yep, Would defo agree with this. when looking for something light to medium body cigar with a Rolls Royce degree of class, and richness theres little out there that comes close. Cant get enough SOM 16 RGPC, got a real Marron Glace about them, and something morishly savoury about them. JL1 (no code to hand) have been stunning. Intriguingly JL2 are a great deal more direct in their choc orange, pipe tobacco richness, but JL1 adds a layer of creaminess and i faint touch of woodiness. Just topped up on another box. It's interesting the concept of a 'underrated rep' isn't is. We take something like a PLMC and say, "well done little pig, you're cheaper, you're tastier, you're more reliable....etc" but the overall effect is we're still suggesting that cigar is not as good, or we are giving it a sort of patronising pat on the head. I would go a step further and say they're much better cigars, full stop

Take is back to the store, and tell him: "here's a knife, open this up, if it's 'decent tobacco' I'll buy another off you, but if is full of rats whiskers, tobacco confetti, and floorboard splinters, then you give me a sealed legit box of something like Por Larranaga (thats very unlikely to be faked). I bet you he declines! It's incredible that people have the brass neck to try and sell stuff like this, do they think there will be no comeback? Crazy

"The whisky, not a distiller with which I was familiar but a stonking malt. From Speyside. Apparently, these guys focus maturing in on sherry barrels. This was mature and complex. Some warm earth and mineral. Real fruitcake richness. This is a Christmas whisky, if ever there was one. Hints of chocolate, but especially old muscat, PX notes. No surprise as the casks used for maturation are a mix of oloroso and PX barrels. Supple with good spirit. A plum pudding of a whisky. For me, 95" Really enjoyed your write up of the Glendronach Parliament Ken, Sweeter whisky's with a richer, less peat driven style are defo my preferred option with a cigar. Iodine, peat monsters always seem to put me in the mind-frame of barren bleak coastline, and is somehow jarring with smoking cigars

Yep you're probably right. With the prices in the UK, and the showiness of the shops, we (or I) nearly always forget, it's only bloody expensive because of taxes etc.

Hhhm regardless of the cigar itself, which I haven't tried, I think H&F and Jemma Freeman did a wonderful job with the 'bling', in that is wasn't very blingy. I love the cabinet they'd made, as it gave the customer the ability to own something classically styled. When looked at alongside the standard tacky Habanos Humidors, I know which one I would rather own

In short, it's a bit of perverse situation. On one hand, some weird customers want 'their' boxes sealed, even though the tobacco has already been touched by 50+ people. It's becoming a pressure from online retailers now. i.e. refusing to let you know if your about to buy a beetle infested mouldy box. ????? this is nonsense. I fully agree to Nino. Not going to let me see what I'm buying, due to some nonsense explanation about saleability of unsealed boxes!?........well forget it, i'll go somewhere else. Ultimately this pressure is designed to put you, the customer at a disadvantage, and make YOU absorb the 'spillage'. The passion of cigars should be a tactile one. Like if your going to buy a suit, it would be crazy, if you couldn't touch the clothe.