amberleaf

I'm very much liking the Rosados. Probably the most Cuban-like non-Cuban that I've ever smoked. The maduro is good and I've very much enjoyed them but I've found them to have a more typical NC profile and are a little one-dimensional. If I bought again it would be all Rosado.

Have only bought a 16er of the Centrofinos a couple of years ago and agree with most of the sentiments here. A well rolled cigar with a grassy/woody profile. Pretty one-dimensional with not much ageing potential. I would pick them up again but only if the price was very favourable, so probably not any time soon.

I toss dress boxes, but I keep SLBs as a container for screws, nuts+bolts etc

As a pommie bastard who spent nearly two decades watching him rip through England's batting order, I'm devastated. An absolute master of his craft and a joy to watch. I remember how by the 1990s leg spin was pretty much dead, then Warnie came along and then all the kids wanted to be a leggie. RIP.

I only realised today how this conflict is yet more bad news for Cuba. Russia is a source of aid and their visitors helped keep tourism alive on the island throughout Covid. The closing of air corridors and the plunging Rouble will put an end to that.

Amateur radio was something I got into during the 2020 Covid lockdowns. Currently listening to some interesting transmissions from Eastern Europe.

At this point I'd be happy if HSA introduced some decent but affordable machine-made, hand-finished cigars with long filler. Would help allieviate their labour shortage.

RyJ Wide Churchill: I keep revisiting them from time to time but they've all been forgettable. Even a beautiful looking rosado example with a lovely sheen didn't impress. Magnum 54: I smoked a few on release in Cuba and found them to be bland and un-Upmann like. Again, have sampled a number since and nothing has changed my mind.

When did Connie 1s get a new band?

Of course you could avoid dying by not getting into one of these 'deathbeds', they sound pretty dangerous and I don't know why they haven't been banned.

I have a single RyJ Mille Fleur left from my very first box purchase around 10 years ago. I doubt that I'll ever smoke it.

Is a factura still required by customs if over a certain number of cigars, or some palm-greasing required to get them out of the country? Been four years since I was last there, I'm hoping to make up for that early next year.

Can't remember the last time I saw any Partagas 8-9-8 Varnished.

I've seen fake boxes of RyJ Mille Fleurs in Cuba. I even smoked one, it was distictly Cuban with the RyJ flavour profile, so my guess is they were 'real' cigars that exited the factory via the back door, or rolled at home by a torcedor doing some unauthorised overtime.

I went BRC, RASS and JL2. The Bolivar profile has been pretty consistent for years. RASS are smoking as good as ever right now but again the profile hasn't changed much at all, similar with JL2.