Chuck Vaughan-LLoyd Memorial Skinnies Tasting,

[El Presidente]

We are not at our best today. the news of Chucks passing has hit us pretty hard. Still, with all that he has gone through over the past couple of years he never once complained, whinged or felt sorry for himself. He was the eternal optimist, always glass half full to the point of brimming over. I learned a lot from Chuck in how to handle adversity.

Right now he would be saying "Rob...mate...pull your finger out and get over all this depressing nonsense!. You always told me that "Life is not a dress rehearsal" and I have lived the creed."

I have a gut feel that Chuck will ask for the assignment of haunting Manuel Garcia for the return of Long and Short Skinnies. It will be nice to have another angle of attack

To celebrate his life, we have decided to do undertake a "Skinnies" tasting, "The Chuck Vaughan-LLoyd Memorial Skinnies Tasting"

We will undertake a Forum Tampa "Skinnies Tasting" every six months. There is no better time than now to start.

Over the next week, please complete and post here a review of a "Skinny" in your collection. It can be Habanos or NC, I don't care and I doubt Chuck would either.

Complete and post your reviews by Monday the 29th of March. All posted reviews (photo's encouraged) will go into the draw for a box of Bolivar Gold medals.

I hope that each of you has a chance to participate in this remembrance to a founding member of FOH. A dear friend who will forever remain a moderator and a permanent presence.

[Buch0]

Great idea mate, I am sure he will be kicking back with a cigar and waiting for the reviews to come in. Gives me an exceptional reason to pull out a Sir Winny or Esplendido

[Guest rob]

Nice tribute, Rob.

I had a 98 Cohiba Lancero last night. I felt Chuck approved as I toasted the cigar in his honour.

[compitaveggie]

Great idea. I don't think I have any long and skinnies so I will have to head over to LCDh and pick up a few singles and see what Tampa was always talking about.

Jose

[OZCUBAN]

Great idea Rob,

I was also thinking out aloud last night ,and thought if you do eventually get your F.O.H "Customs" off the ground,i thought that if you have a skinny in the line up aka Partagas series de connoisseur or Lancero type cigar ,I think it would be very fitting to call it the "TAMPA" i do not think there would be any objections,and it would also make a lasting and fitting tribute

Like i said just thinking out aloud

Cheers OZ

[Bartolomeo]

I say next video review, you give a shout out to Chuck

Bart

[ChanceSchmerr]

Great idea Rob,

I was also thinking out aloud last night ,and thought if you do eventually get your F.O.H "Customs" off the ground,i thought that if you have a skinny in the line up aka Partagas series de connoisseur or Lancero type cigar ,I think it would be very fitting to call it the "TAMPA" i do not think there would be any objections,and it would also make a lasting and fitting tribute

Like i said just thinking out aloud

Cheers OZ

This is a ridiculously good idea. Bravo OzCuban, a fitting memorial if brought into being!

I will toast up a Long and Skinny tommorow to take part in the review. A Partagas SdC seems only fitting!

[compitaveggie]

Great idea Rob,

I was also thinking out aloud last night ,and thought if you do eventually get your F.O.H "Customs" off the ground,i thought that if you have a skinny in the line up aka Partagas series de connoisseur or Lancero type cigar ,I think it would be very fitting to call it the "TAMPA" i do not think there would be any objections,and it would also make a lasting and fitting tribute

Like i said just thinking out aloud

Cheers OZ

Excellent Idea!!!!!!

Jose

[Buch0]

Great idea Rob,

I was also thinking out aloud last night ,and thought if you do eventually get your F.O.H "Customs" off the ground,i thought that if you have a skinny in the line up aka Partagas series de connoisseur or Lancero type cigar ,I think it would be very fitting to call it the "TAMPA" i do not think there would be any objections,and it would also make a lasting and fitting tribute

Like i said just thinking out aloud

Cheers OZ

Couldn't find a much better idea than that Oz, perfect in my eyes mate!

[BobbyRitz]

Quite a fitting tribute, Rob. I'll hunt down something skinny to smoke in Chuck's honor. He was a BOTL and, in my book, this means he was a Brother to us all.

[riderpride]

Great idea Rob,

I was also thinking out aloud last night ,and thought if you do eventually get your F.O.H "Customs" off the ground,i thought that if you have a skinny in the line up aka Partagas series de connoisseur or Lancero type cigar ,I think it would be very fitting to call it the "TAMPA" i do not think there would be any objections,and it would also make a lasting and fitting tribute

Like i said just thinking out aloud

Cheers OZ

Fantastic idea Oz!

[thechenman]

I think a long and skinny vitola bearing the name Tampa would be a phenomenal tribute to Chuck. Great idea guys. Great idea...

[MIKA27]

Great idea Rob,

I was also thinking out aloud last night ,and thought if you do eventually get your F.O.H "Customs" off the ground,i thought that if you have a skinny in the line up aka Partagas series de connoisseur or Lancero type cigar ,I think it would be very fitting to call it the "TAMPA" i do not think there would be any objections,and it would also make a lasting and fitting tribute

Like i said just thinking out aloud

Cheers OZ

Bravo brother, fantastic.

[skindiver]

A fitting tribute to our mutual friend and brother, Rob!

[strayvector]

Nice memorial, Rob. I'll pull out a Trini Fundy in his honor this weekend.

[MontrealRon]

Great idea Rob,

I was also thinking out aloud last night ,and thought if you do eventually get your F.O.H "Customs" off the ground,i thought that if you have a skinny in the line up aka Partagas series de connoisseur or Lancero type cigar ,I think it would be very fitting to call it the "TAMPA" i do not think there would be any objections,and it would also make a lasting and fitting tribute

Like i said just thinking out aloud

Cheers OZ

Totally brilliant !!!!!

[laficion]

IN REMEMBRACE AND IN HONOR OF TAMPA.

The Bolivar Especiales No.2,with It's factory name Delicados, has been absent from the HSA catalogue

for almost 30 years.

Even in the early 80's, it was already a rare cigar and was made in very small quantity.

In 2009, HSA brought the cigar back in a Regional Edition version released only for the German market. It's a long and thin shaped Parejo with a ring gauge of 38mm and a length of 192mm or 7. 1/2 inches if you prefer . The Especiales No. 2 that

I smoked this afternoon came from the LCDH in Frankfurt Germany that I visited last August.

I only picked up 5 singles and 2 that I have from a trade. As they were all singles, I don't have the box code but they are all from 2009. I'm mostly a Corona Gorda guy as you all know but I do enjoy other vitolas also and this Bolivar was just perfect for the tasting I was about to do in honor of our brother TAMPA ,who loved the shape and size of thin gauge cigar. This one is for you Chuck .

First off the wrapper was not the best looking, It was very bumpy on the feel and mat with no real shine but the cap was good looking the cut was easy and the draw was perfect.

The cigar started off with a smooth floral scent with

a hint of salt on the tongue even if the prelight draw

was earthy or animal like. From the begining the cigar gave me a feeling that it would evolve like a fine glass of wine.

The 2nd third was evolving into a well balanced sweetness of floral and almonds with just a note of spicy after tastes. Like a sweet white wines evolving into a darker sphere.

The last third confirmed the earthyness and animal notes with hints of milk chocolate. The smoke became thicker and the tastes became richer adding boldness , transforming into leather and musk with strong notes of coffee and dark chocolate without getting hot nor bitter. I would say almost the same as drinking a rich and bold Burgundy wine.

I am looking forward to smoking the others, I was

truly taken by this cigar and suprised by it's elegance and refinment. May I add, like a great wine.

TAMPA was Right, Smoke more thin gauge cigars.

[ChanceSchmerr]

Today, in honor of Chuck, I decided to smoke the first lancero I could find in my humidor for my Friday TGIF cigar at work. As it happened, it wasn't a habano, but rather a lancero I'd had for a couple of years now, the Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 Lancero

Forgive the crappy resolution, best I could do with my cell phone!

A dark Maduro, this cigar smells about as spicy as I expect it to taste - probably the reason I've had it for so long is that the first Antano I smoked a few years ago, a torpedo, knocked me on my ass with its power! I clipped the cap and took a draw - a little laborious, but a pepper taste on the tongue, this one's gonna be spicy!

First couple of puffs- Not the powerhouse I expected out of the gate! Great puffs of smoke accompany a rounded, medium body flavour, with evident pepper, but nothing overpowering. Something else too, an almost chewy sort of taste that I quite enjoy.

First Third - This lancero burns like a dream, no re-lighting, despite a decent wind outside (Suckling be damned - smoking a thin ring gauge cigar outside isn't hard!). The draw remains a bit tight, but by no means plugged, and the pepper continues to underscore this medium cigar. Quite enjoying this lancero!

Middle Third - I should say, as you can see from the fuzzy pic above, the ash from this cigar is almost pure white. I've never seen such white ash! I've been told that the whiter the ash, the better the soil the tobacco was grown in. Now, I don't know anything about that, but I can tell you that this cigar is one fine smoke. The peppery flavours are starting to assert themselves, but now I can taste distinct Sugar Cane notes - fantastic! I have to contain myself not to smoke this one too fast, it's really enjoyable!

Final Third - Smoking the cigar slowly now becomes less difficult, as the power I remember from that torpedo has arrived. Wow! My palate is better equipped now to handle it, and I quite enjoy the now-full bodied smoke! The sugary flavours have subsided, replaced by straight tobacco, this is now a full powderkeg 100 LB TNT cigar, and I'm still liking the taste. I nubbed this one, almost wishing I had more of these lanceros lying around.

Final thoughts - A wonderful smoke for a sunny friday in BC. The ending was the power I remember, but the rest of this cigar delivered much more, a sugary taste that complemented the pepper perfectly (anyone ever try chocolate with sea salt mixed in? Kind of like that - you wouldn't think it's be tasty as hell, but guess what!) No Burn issues, the draw was firm throughout, but never overly tight, and no relighting necessary. A solid 90 in my books

This was for you, Chuck. I wish I had the pleasure of meeting you, but I hope I'll see you on the other side someday, lancero in hand! Count me among those who originally thought the bigger the cigar ring, the better......you, along with Piggy and many others, helped show me what thin-rings could be. You once told me to celebrate my Naval Board completion with a box of Cohiba Coronas Especiales. I foolishly decided I could not afford the indulgance. I'm going back to ship in half a year or so, and after another year, I'll be standing my final Naval Board, to determine if I am qualifed to lead an Engineering Department on a ship. On the day that I pass that board, it will be a Cohiba Coronas Especiales that I celebrate with. Thank you for being you, Chuck, I along with so many others are much the better for it! Fair Winds and smooth sailing to the other side!

[PigFish]

I too was thinking of smoking a commemorative cigar for our fallen comrade but I think this idea of Rob's puts us over the top. What better way to immortalize one of our senior fellows than to toast his memory and good taste.

I have a twist.... more to follow. Great idea Rob. I will gladly partake.

[brutusthebuckeye]

I dont do cigar reviews...but this is diffrent!!!!

I dint know Tampa but just from the pictures he looked like a fine BOTL!!! So here it goes.

I took out my box of Boli Gold Medals today(LSM FEB 08).They have been in my humi since Sept 1 08.When i first got them they were ok but a bit ruff.

So today i decided to give one another shot.

Clipped the cap with my Xikar Multi-Tool.The cigar was firm and the way it looked when i clipped it i thought Dam!!! this will be a very firm drawing cigar.But it was not the draw was absolutly perfect,i fired up my IM Corona Old Boy and lit it up.

1/3rd....Whoa! right off the start it was awesome...i took a few sips of water just to make sure and yep this thing hit the ground running

Touch of sweet cream and spice just flowing together nicely..Blowing smoke thru the nostrils no problem.

2/3rd....This thing is cruisin..... ,cream and spice just hitting it's stride..i am noticing how long the finish is...

3/3rd....Burn perfect....Draw perfect....The BGM is hitting on all cylinders,spicy,creamy,earthy goodness...purrty full body at this point with a super long finish....Great Smoke..............94/100

RIP Tampa!!

[micahzeff]

In honor of Tampa, I smoked a Partagas SdC 1 GSO MAY 07 that I purchased from the Czar. I was lucky enough to stumble on FOH as a newcomer to CC's, where I have learned so much from the posts of members like Chuck who have been so generous in sharing their knowledge and years of experience smoking Cuban cigars.

I grow almonds here in California, the past month has been a busy one as we made our bloom sprays, repaired the irrigation systems for frost protection, monitored for frost, and fertilized the orchards. Between work and having an energetic and mobile one year old in the house, I have not had the chance to devote the time needed to enjoy a cigar like the Partagas SdC 1.

The cigar is uniformly rolled, not soft or hard spots, and slightly bent from the ribbon. Aroma at cold was cedar and leather, with just a touch of barnyard. Draw is perfect.

Initial draw opened with pepper and cedar, a bit milder than I expected, right above medium.

First Third: Opens with cedar and toasted tobacco, pepper through the nose. I began to pick up an herbal quality, a distinct tea flavor. This tea flavor intensified, becoming sweet. Almost like the ubiquitous sweet tea I had been served on a trip to Tennessee to visit my wife's family.

Second Third: Sweetness remains, but the tea flavor evolves into an earthy, peaty sweetness. I was reminded of the earthy, peaty sweetness of an Islay scotch. I imagine they would pair nicely together. A new flavor of anise begins to emerge. Delicious. My mouth begins to salivate, as evidenced by the drool on the cigar, please ignore.

Final Third: Toasted tobacco flavor returns, its a nice compliment to the anise, like biscotti

I enjoyed the cigar for approximately 110 minutes, and am happy to post my first review in honor of Tampa. Thanks to all those members who have made this forum such a wonderful place to share our thoughts and experiences about a subject that gives us all such pleasure.

Micah

[rahko]

I only found this forum recently and didn't get to know Tampa myself, but from the reaction of everyone it seems he was a special kind of person. So here goes:

I cut this Lancero couple of months ago and it was properly plugged. Letting it rest some more seemed to open it up slightly, but the draw still feels very restricted.

Fired it up, and yeah, still plugged. On further inspection it feels completely solid on two separate places, one near the cap and the other one just above half way. So first I try to cut it some more.

Tried to take a picture of the end of the piece I cut off there, didn't work out on a camera phone, but it is absolutely solid. Impossible to fit any more tobacco in there.

Still the cigar remains plugged.

In the spirit of this thread, not to be discouraged in the face of adversity, next place to cut is at the halfway point.

This opens up the draw considerably, and now there's two cigars!

The first half is classic Lancero, mouthfulls of creamy, grassy bean tastes, the second half is much darker, espresso and spicy chocolate.

Towards the end(s), the first half gets a touch more spicy, as the second mellows out a bit.

For me the Lancero is a special cigar, it's the first CC I ever smoked, and I love everything about it. Except the plugs. Still, even this one was very much enjoyable, once it was in smoking condition.

[strayvector]

Torched this 2004 Fundadores yesterday in memory of Chuck. Excellent cigar from start to finish and my favorite of all the skinnies.

[BigSlick]

I fired up an 01' Cohiba Lancero today in Chucks honor. To date this is only the 2nd Cohiba Lancero I have smoked. The other one was an 06'. This cigar knocked the socks off the 06, not a real big surprise.

1st 1/3: Honey, honey, honey, a little earthy moss and lots of cream.

2nd 2/3: Cream, vanilla and wood.

3rd 3/3: Core tabacco with flavors of wood, sweet cream and spice.

This cigar was excellent. It's in fact one of the Top 3 cigars I have ever smoked.

I wish I was burning this cigar under better circumstances. RIP Chuck.

[Kangaroo495]

Lit up a Boli Immensas last night.

The draw seemed to be quite tight, so I pricked it with a needle a few times, which loosened it up quite nicely.

Aroma at cold was quite strong, and the pre-light draw was on the alkaline side.

Appearance was 10/10. A dark cafe latte colour with a slight sprinkling of dark specks. Smooth, no veins, solid on the squeeze. Cap clipped perfectly.

Lit up. The cigar offered plenty of smoke. The aroma was cured leather, bordering on a chemical smell, but not quite crossing that border. Very rich aroma.

The taste for the first 2/3s I though was quite thin for a Bolivar. While very enjoyable, it needed more cream, or perhaps a bit more sweetness to give it a fullness. So while it was greatly enjoyable, I can't say it was stunning.

In the last third, a remarkable sweetness did appear out of nowhere, but by that stage, the cigar was on its last legs. Got very bitter just above the band.

Burn was top notch.

86/100