What cigar (or pipe) did you smoke today?

[wildturkey8]

Pipework & Wilke Rumcake in a Stanwell Golden Danish.

 

[indycop]

Another Diesel today, yesterdays was great. The one today was a buttkicker....lol

 

[jamespowers]

Another Diesel today, yesterdays was great. The one today was a buttkicker....lol

lol lol lol Did you get the spins? lol

 

[indycop]

PDR 1878 Capa Madura

 

[indycop]

lol lol lol Did you get the spins? lol

 

[Beacon Rusty]

Esoterica Margate in a Peterson Donegal Dublin.

 

[maduro 5]

Por Laranga 2010 German Limited Edition that I picked up passing through Berlin. Superb smoke.

 

[rkwilker]

Sancho Panza double maduro super fuerte

 

[Blackadder]

H Upmann Petite Corona, Rafael Gonzalez Longsdale year 2000 and RyJ cedros deluxe #3.
There are too many limited edition and regional edition cuban nowadays. The general quality of cuban cigars has dropped significantly. It used to be that a limited edition cuban means a guarantee good smoke but not anymore. I have all the limited edition Montecristo from 2001 to 2008 (robusto, double corona, C, D, robusto again sublimes) I did not buy the Gran Edmundo as I have decided not to pay a premium for limited or regional edition anymore.

 

[Blackadder]

As for pipes, I love Captain Black although I smoke mostly Peterson University flake nowadays as it is easier to fill when one is outdoor.
I have 3 Peterson, 3 BBB, a Dr Plumb and a Comoy, not expensive tools like Dunhill. Thinking about buying a Savinelli.

 

[jamespowers]

H Upmann Petite Corona, Rafael Gonzalez Longsdale year 2000 and RyJ cedros deluxe #3.
There are too many limited edition and regional edition cuban nowadays. The general quality of cuban cigars has dropped significantly. It used to be that a limited edition cuban means a guarantee good smoke but not anymore. I have all the limited edition Montecristo from 2001 to 2008 (robusto, double corona, C, D, robusto again sublimes) I did not buy the Gran Edmundo as I have decided not to pay a premium for limited or regional edition anymore.

You smoked quite the selection there. I envy your ability to just run down and get those at the local Casa Del Habano. :eusa_doh:
You have a good point there. The regional editions and limited editions are sort of a gimmick. They have learned much from their partnerships with companies like Altadis. The Behike is the edition that is REALLY high priced. :eeek:
The regular Edmundo is good enough for me. Then again, I am sort of taken with the Culebra gimmick though. :eusa_doh:

 

[Blackadder]

Partagas Culebra was supposed to be cheap cigars but they up the price when they relaunched. Another cigar relaunched was Gold Medal. I heard that the old Gold medal are very good but am very disappointed by the relaunched Gold Medal (even though I bought three boxes of 10s). The worst gimmick is the Reserva. Over USD50 for a Montecristo #4 Reserva here while the ordinary one sells for USD12. I bought one only because they had a tasting promotion, still have not light it. It is sitting in a humidor with some other specials like Cuban Davidoff #2, discontinued Diplomaticos #7, Montecristo tubos 1983. I am afraid I would fall in love with it once I tasted it, then I'll be in deep trouble.
I don't buy from the authorised dealer i.e. Casa Del Habano anymore (I used to have a couple of free lockers at one of the authorised shops but they took them back). There are many parallel import cigar shops in Hong Kong because of the smoking ban. The current law is you can only smoke in a "tasting room" at a cigar shop. This prompted the opening of lots of cigar shop/lounge with "tasting rooms" in Hong Kong to satisfy us smokers in HK and most of them get their supplies elsewhere other than Pacific Cigar Company, the authorised dealer in HK. The competition is very great and there is no suggested retail price, so I tend to shop around these days. Of course one have to be careful as there are fake cubans.
I used to smoke non-cubans when I was living in the States. In fact, that's when I picked up this habit. Before moving to the States, I only smoke once a few months.

 

[jamespowers]

Partagas Culebra was supposed to be cheap cigars but they up the price when they relaunched. Another cigar relaunched was Gold Medal. I heard that the old Gold medal are very good but am very disappointed by the relaunched Gold Medal (even though I bought three boxes of 10s). The worst gimmick is the Reserva. Over USD50 for a Montecristo #4 Reserva here while the ordinary one sells for USD12. I bought one only because they had a tasting promotion, still have not light it. It is sitting in a humidor with some other specials like Cuban Davidoff #2, discontinued Diplomaticos #7, Montecristo tubos 1983. I am afraid I would fall in love with it once I tasted it, then I'll be in deep trouble.
I don't buy from the authorised dealer i.e. Casa Del Habano anymore (I used to have a couple of free lockers at one of the authorised shops but they took them back). There are many parallel import cigar shops in Hong Kong because of the smoking ban. The current law is you can only smoke in a "tasting room" at a cigar shop. This prompted the opening of lots of cigar shop/lounge with "tasting rooms" in Hong Kong to satisfy us smokers in HK and most of them get their supplies elsewhere other than Pacific Cigar Company, the authorised dealer in HK. The competition is very great and there is no suggested retail price, so I tend to shop around these days. Of course one have to be careful as there are fake cubans.
I used to smoke non-cubans when I was living in the States. In fact, that's when I picked up this habit. Before moving to the States, I only smoke once a few months.

You have quite a nice collection there! The Diplomaticos #7 was a favorite of mine. The Davidoff were long off the market before I had an interest in them. :eusa_doh:
Fortunately, here we are allowed to smoke at least in our own homes and in cigar lounges. Most other places---aside from freezing or cooking outside in the open air are off limits. I have a separate area where I smoke my cigars and keep my bar. That way everyone who comes in knows they are subject to cigar smoke.
Cuban fakes are a pin in the neck. Some are getting pretty good at it now. You can usually tell by the cigar band if it is still one. If not then you can certainly tell the flavor profile is off.
Nice to see an aficianado in the east.

 

[Kid Mac]

St. Ives in a Peterson.

Mac

 

[Blackadder]

Another Rafael Gonzalez longsdale year 2000 because it is the right time for this particular box. A Montecristo #4. Smoked both while playing poker.
I used to live in Los Angeles. Heard that they banned smoking even at home in some part of Los Angeles now? They ban smoking at commercial premises in HK except cigar shops with tasting room or outdoor area of hotels/bars etc. This prompted many hotels to convert their open area to bar or lounge. Some even installed outdoor air-con unit.
You can tell which is fake by looking at the boxes and/or the rings most of the time. There are however shops which switch out the rings and boxes. They just collect the rings left behind. In which case, you would only know after lighting it.

 

[jamespowers]

Another Rafael Gonzalez longsdale year 2000 because it is the right time for this particular box. A Montecristo #4. Smoked both while playing poker.
I used to live in Los Angeles. Heard that they banned smoking even at home in some part of Los Angeles now? They ban smoking at commercial premises in HK except cigar shops with tasting room or outdoor area of hotels/bars etc. This prompted many hotels to convert their open area to bar or lounge. Some even installed outdoor air-con unit.
You can tell which is fake by looking at the boxes and/or the rings most of the time. There are however shops which switch out the rings and boxes. They just collect the rings left behind. In which case, you would only know after lighting it.

Nice selection to smoke that is for sure. I prefer the #2 but that is because I am biased toward the torpedo shape.
I have no idea where they banned smoking in LA but that was positively stupid if they did.
Many higher end hotels here have accomodations for smoking lounges as well as cigar shops. I understand there are even some cruise ships that have accomodations for a smoking lounge. Let's face it, they make a good amount of money from smokers.
You can tell from the box if it is unopened. I forgot to mention that. :eusa_doh: The codes, sticker and hologram are pretty good indicators. If the box has been opened then you have no assurances.
I collect cigar bands too but not for trickery purposes. :eusa_doh: Those people need to be prosecuted but here that is not going to happen. [huh]
I keep the bands with the intention of keeping a "Cigar Diary" with the band identifying the cigar and the addition of my tasting notes underneath for future cigar purchasing purposes---so I don't accidentally buy something I don't like again. It is also useful as an identifier as to how much age is best for the cigar. This is probably beyond me as I tend to smoke my cigars within a year or two of getting them anyway. I do have a huge pile of cigar bands set aside though.

 

[Blackadder]

Love the #2 as well and also biased towards torpedoes and belicosos. In fact likes all Montecristo, Diplomaticos, Sancho Panza and Upmann cigars. Have some aged #2 from a box I purchased in 2003. Just bought another box of #2 last month in fact. Best cigar ever bought is the box of 1983 Montecristo tubos. Some cigars just don't age well like the 1985 RyJ Churchills. I find the RyJ Churchills too mellow especially after that many years. I find the tubos to be best choice if one wants to age his/her cigars. The metal tubes and individual cedar wraps protect the cigars very well.
Brand don't much care for is Vegueros. I believe the first batch came to HK in around 96-97. That's when I first tried it. My friend bought some of the same batch many years later at a great discount as nobody wants them ( I think he bought one hundred of the darn things). He gave some to me. Still don't like it though it does taste better after some years. Didn't like the San Cristobal until they came up with the new ones in 2006.

 

[jamespowers]

Love the #2 as well and also biased towards torpedoes and belicosos. In fact likes all Montecristo, Diplomaticos, Sancho Panza and Upmann cigars. Have some aged #2 from a box I purchased in 2003. Just bought another box of #2 last month in fact. Best cigar ever bought is the box of 1983 Montecristo tubos. Some cigars just don't age well like the 1985 RyJ Churchills. I find the RyJ Churchills too mellow especially after that many years. I find the tubos to be best choice if one wants to age his/her cigars. The metal tubes and individual cedar wraps protect the cigars very well.
Brand don't much care for is Vegueros. I believe the first batch came to HK in around 96-97. That's when I first tried it. My friend bought some of the same batch many years later at a great discount as nobody wants them ( I think he bought one hundred of the darn things). He gave some to me. Still don't like it though it does taste better after some years. Didn't like the San Cristobal until they came up with the new ones in 2006.

I feel the same way about the Montecristos, Diplomaticos and Upmann. They put out some nice cigars in general. I like the #2, Edmundo, Petit Edmundo and several others.
1983 Montecristo? Wow! I couldn't stay away from smoking a box of those that long. I can't even keep in enough Serie D No. 4s.
I had heard that about the RyJs. I doubt they would last that long around here though. Some cigars over 20 years old certainly do lose a bit of strength though. som of the pre-embargo stuff is clearly past it while some has just finally aged enough to be a perfect smoke. The 1960 offerings were fairly good.
I really enjoy the San Cristobal El Morros. They are excellent cigars to go with a single malt scotch after dinner when you have the time to relax and enjoy one. I haven't had a chance to sample a greater variety of their offerings. I wish I did.

 

[Blackadder]

When I bought the 1983 Monte, they were already aged for over 15 years. I still have three left. One of my younger friends was born in 1983 and I've been putting off giving him one for his birthday. Think I'll reconsider on his 30th birthday, ha. The new San Cristobal is a great improvement but I doubt I will buy a whole box. Another one of my best buy was the Habano Festival 2000 petite corona. It is a bargain since it cost around the same as a Cohiba siglo 2 when it first came out in 2000. Too bad I only bought one box. Really should have bought more.

 

[indycop]

Bolivar Cofradia 754