Catch me up, ladies and gents!!!!

[CanuckSARTech]

So, trying to get caught up and updated on here again.  Finishing up the death knells of a big home gutting and reno project, and trying to get my FOH and Lights-Sirens-And-Cigars.com blog lives up and running again.

So...

1. Any critical threads to read up on? 
2. I see the forum software / design is updated and new again.  Any hints or pointers on the changes?
3. Rule changes and/or new aspects to the forum?
4. And generally, what's effing good in cigars right now?  Where are we as it relates to new releases, new Habanos stuff, etc?  I honestly really haven't even had my ear to the ground about this stuff for the better part of the past two years, aside from my Cuba trips during this timeline.  Last I remember, there was the Trini Vigia and the PL Picadores releases (which I picked up on initial release when I was down in Havana, and unfortunately haven't even followed up with a try since then).  But what else is new in the pipeline?
5. Any new nightmare members / banned members (again) / members who have unfortunately passed away perhaps even?  (Maybe best for PMs for this - just wondering what the overall community situation is here lately, and kinda knocking on wood that we haven't lost anyone recently).

I'd definitely appreciate anyone's help on the above.  Any tips, tidbits, hyperlinks to threads, outside news stories, etc., would DEFINITELY be much appreciated!!!

Cheers all.  Again, sorry for any delays in responding to PMs or emails lately, but I think I've been pretty caught up lately.  Anything needed though, drop me a line!

[Colt45]

21 minutes ago, CanuckSARTech said:

Rule changes and/or new aspects to the forum?

Yes - you can cuss at will / indiscriminately, treat member perspectives with disdain / adversarially, and it's open season on U.S. politics (as you've obviously determined)

And as always, HSA is (un)fair game......

[CanuckSARTech]

52 minutes ago, Colt45 said:

Yes - you can cuss at will / indiscriminately, treat member perspectives with disdain / adversarially, and it's open season on U.S. politics (as you've obviously determined)

And as always, HSA is (un)fair game......

LOL.  Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeettttt!!!!  Name change to "another forum" then soon too?   

My, Ross, how bad have you let them get since you retired?!!?!?   

...

On a serious note, hope you're doing well, buddy.  It's been too long.  Hope things are well for you (still in the same East Coast locale?  Hope this weather has been a bit better than the last few years.)

[cigcars]

   HEEEEYYYY, KEITH!!! Good to see you back here and paying us a visit after such a long absence!  Don't be gone so long!   

[Lant63]

Even though it is new, and very shiny, the the Punch Punch 48 is promising IMHO.  Good true punch flavors, definitely another winner in the LCDH program.   

[Colt45]

21 hours ago, CanuckSARTech said:

Hope things are well for you

hangin' in - cheers! 

[stogieluver]

Welcome back, Keith.  Lot's of new members, I guess as a result of the U. S. travel restrictions being eased.  Oh yeah, you may not have heard...Obama eased things up with the embargo.  Trump tightened them back up.  The 2017 box codes haven't been very good, so Rob has a hard time finding 24/24 stock that meets his standards. 

That's about it.

[CanuckSARTech]

All noted, and thanks Stogie! 

Good to know on the 2017 codes.  Haven't had much / any of that yet that I can think of - newest is custom stuff from Nov 2016, and reg production stuff from late 2015 and early 2016.

Very aware of the Obama and Trump changes on Cuba policies - hard to NOT be aware of that, with the news cycles and everything.  But yeah, I've been keeping in the loop with that for the most part.

It's really about new stock, new formats, production issues, etc.  Just wondering how that's all heading.

 

[JohnS]

In regards to cigars...

The year started off on an ominous note (alternatively, a standard 'business as usual' for H.S.A) when the following vitolas were deleted...

* Bolivar Coronas Gigantes 

* Bolivar Tubos No.1

* H.Upmann Petit Corona 

* Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Prince 

* Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro 

Some of these are forum favourites (for some more than others I guess) but generally this proved a highly unpopular decision across a few threads on the forum.

As @stogieluver mentioned, quality 2017 box codes have been a bit thin on the ground. El Pres is going into the warehouse with Greg these days and some vitolas are a struggle to get enough quality in numbers for 24:24. For example, Montecristo No. 2 and Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2. Alternatively, I believe the Romeo y Julieta Churchill is making a comeback lately, whether it's like the 2015 reincarnation...we'll see.

In Limited Edition/Regional Edition/LCDH news...the 2015 Limited Editions were released late and proved a big hit, the H.Upmann Magnum 56 may be a behemoth of a cigar for ring gauge but it's made a few members here commit to a box or two they wouldn't have otherwise. Similarly, the Ramon Allones Club Allones has been a big success. It still sells out on 24:24 when it come up occasionally. In comparison, the 2016 Limited Editions, the Montecristo Dantes, the Trinidad Topes and the Romeo y Julieta Capuletos have all proved to be not as popular as the 2015 editions, but that is not because they aren't as good, rather, they all need more time to settle before sampling.

In regards to Asia-Pacifico Regional Editions, as you know, the 2014 Diplomáticos Bushidos was hugely popular, they couldn't make enough of them, could they? The 2015 La Gloria Cubana Revolution was not as successful, perhaps because of its Montesco vitola (55 rg x 130 mm...like  a RyJ Wide Churchill) and maybe due to the fact that La Gloria Cubana needs lengthy downtime. The 2016 Asia-Pacifico Regional Edition has been a spectacular success in comparison. The Rafael Gonzalez 88 has a lot going for it...firstly, its Chinese-friendly numeration, secondly, its Britanicas shape and more reasonable size (48 ring gauge x 137 mm) and lastly, Rafael Gonzalez is a marca not commonly used for Regional Editions but it 'flies-under-the-radar' so to speak with aficionados. A recent Minutos/Perlas/Petit Coronas cigar review competition that El Presidente hosted saw many Rafael Gonzalez reviews come out of the woodwork here on FoH. The Rafael Gonzalez 88 sold out 260 boxes over two days of crazy 24:24 action in a relatively short time last week. Get yourself a box Keith!

On a personal note, Keith, it's so good to hear from you! Fuzz always mentions the recent trip to Cuba last November most fondly when we catch up.

[dshapiro]

great blog, love the new posts and pics

[CanuckSARTech]

4 hours ago, JohnS said:

In regards to cigars...

The year started off on an ominous note (alternatively, a standard 'business as usual' for H.S.A) when the following vitolas were deleted...

* Bolivar Coronas Gigantes 

* Bolivar Tubos No.1

* H.Upmann Petit Corona 

* Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Prince 

* Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro 

Some of these are forum favourites (for some more than others I guess) but generally this proved a highly unpopular decision across a few threads on the forum.

As @stogieluver mentioned, quality 2017 box codes have been a bit thin on the ground. El Pres is going into the warehouse with Greg these days and some vitolas are a struggle to get enough quality in numbers for 24:24. For example, Montecristo No. 2 and Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No.2. Alternatively, I believe the Romeo y Julieta Churchill is making a comeback lately, whether it's like the 2015 reincarnation...we'll see.

In Limited Edition/Regional Edition/LCDH news...the 2015 Limited Editions were released late and proved a big hit, the H.Upmann Magnum 56 may be a behemoth of a cigar for ring gauge but it's made a few members here commit to a box or two they wouldn't have otherwise. Similarly, the Ramon Allones Club Allones has been a big success. It still sells out on 24:24 when it come up occasionally. In comparison, the 2016 Limited Editions, the Montecristo Dantes, the Trinidad Topes and the Romeo y Julieta Capuletos have all proved to be not as popular as the 2015 editions, but that is not because they aren't as good, rather, they all need more time to settle before sampling.

In regards to Asia-Pacifico Regional Editions, as you know, the 2014 Diplomáticos Bushidos was hugely popular, they couldn't make enough of them, could they? The 2015 La Gloria Cubana Revolution was not as successful, perhaps because of its Montesco vitola (55 rg x 130 mm...like  a RyJ Wide Churchill) and maybe due to the fact that La Gloria Cubana needs lengthy downtime. The 2016 Asia-Pacifico Regional Edition has been a spectacular success in comparison. The Rafael Gonzalez 88 has a lot going for it...firstly, its Chinese-friendly numeration, secondly, its Britanicas shape and more reasonable size (48 ring gauge x 137 mm) and lastly, Rafael Gonzalez is a marca not commonly used for Regional Editions but it 'flies-under-the-radar' so to speak with aficionados. A recent Minutos/Perlas/Petit Coronas cigar review competition that El Presidente hosted saw many Rafael Gonzalez reviews come out of the woodwork here on FoH. The Rafael Gonzalez 88 sold out 260 boxes over two days of crazy 24:24 action in a relatively short time last week. Get yourself a box Keith!

On a personal note, Keith, it's so good to hear from you! Fuzz always mentions the recent trip to Cuba last November most fondly when we catch up.

John, what an AWESOME post!  Thank you so much!  This was EXACTLY the kind of summary chunk I was looking to get from people.

That helps me out quite a bit.  Let's me get acclimated again.

Sorry to hear about those deletions, but, for better or worse, none of those are on the rotation for me. 

Frustrating to hear about the quality issues, but it does seem to go in streaks and spurts.

The RA Club Allones - yeah, I smoked a number of those with John / Avrus / Cigar Surgeon in Havana during our trip in Nov 2015, and they were awesome.  Definitely one I need to revisit to see how they're progressing.  The 2016 stuff, while I was faintly aware of a couple of those, I haven't smoked any, nor were they on my radar even really.  I'll need to read up in the reviews section to get thoughts from others about these sticks, plus, interested to see pics of them too.

And speaking of reviews, the Dip Bushidos is one that I've got wrapped up, reviewed in June 2015 with the original release, but that I was very negligent on in not getting it posted up there with everything going on the past two years.  So, that's a review that I'll probably start with in the short term, to get that stuff caught up on my blog and on here with some reviews.  Definitely a good starting point, I think.  So thank you for putting that reminder in my thought process!

And thanks for the well wishes on the personal note.  Much appreciated.  And I'm glad the Aussie boys still have good opinions of me (no matter how drunken-ese I may get in La Habana with them, LOL).

Hope all is going well with you and the family too.  I still chuckle when I remember your "awkward family photo from the beach" where you were buried in the sand.  LOL.

Cheers.

 

[Winchester21]

On the bright side the Cohibas have been kicking ass. Lots of smaller siglo 1s and 2s on 24/24. A new size the Medio Siglo is a strange cigar short and expensive but definitely worth a try. Some stellar Bolivar Belicosa finios and royal coronas. Great Monte petit Edmundos but 2s and 4s have been scarce. Lots of LCDH home runs

[ChanceSchmerr]

The year was 19-ought-6. The President is the divine Miss Sarah Burnhardt. And all over America, people were doing a dance called "The Funky Grampa!"

 

[PigFish]

On 6/16/2017 at 1:53 PM, Colt45 said:

Yes - you can cuss at will / indiscriminately, treat member perspectives with disdain / adversarially, and it's open season on U.S. politics (as you've obviously determined)

And as always, HSA is (un)fair game......

... we still cannot discuss guns!

(expect this post to get scrubbed!)

Welcome back my friend! -Ray

[CanuckSARTech]

1 hour ago, PigFish said:

... we still cannot discuss guns!

(expect this post to get scrubbed!)

Welcome back my friend! -Ray

I don't discuss guns.  I discuss policing / military aspects of stuff.  It's when others, railing either for or against guns, get stuff shut down.  LOL.

[PigFish]

53 minutes ago, CanuckSARTech said:

I don't discuss guns.  I discuss policing / military aspects of stuff.  It's when others, railing either for or against guns, get stuff shut down.  LOL.

... so you have gone politically correct in your absence!!! -LOL What is the term, emasculated??? -LOL -R

[CanuckSARTech]

55 minutes ago, PigFish said:

... so you have gone politically correct in your absence!!! -LOL What is the term, emasculated??? -LOL -R

LOL.  Awesome.

I did walk into that one though... 

LOL.