Cohiba and cocaine

Matt introduced me to the high flying, nose powdering world of advertising at a recent partee ... We had to fight for a "smoking table" despite being in an outside courtyard... but managed to find some civilised French people to swap with who understand the need to have a puff. It was a Cohiba day with a powerful, dark roast, coffee grind little Secretos and a mellower hay, leather and earthy cedar big boy Genios, two chips off the same grassy block that defines the marca. Matched with a coffee liqueur and brandy cocktail concoction. It made for a great catch up after a few months in the desert of the soul (ie without seeing each other).  

You're all invited to join us next time ...

Jianlong Strikes Back

 

You may remember this Honorary Heretic from his legendary intervention a few years ago Smoking and Drinking the Great Wall of China. Well I had been waiting for an opportunity to catch up with him since then, which finally came when I cannily booked an 18 hr stopover in Singapore (his home town) on the way to Paris. 

So I looked him up and he took me on a tour of the heritage buildings he restored with the company he recently sold. This is one of them in the background, Chijms, a chapel for a fancy catholic school. Now for hire and surrounded by bars in a very pleasant drinking quarter...

5th bday Por Larranaga Petit Coronas

I pulled one of these out this morning and took a quick squiz at the box code - Agosto 2012. When I bought this cabinet of 50 probably in 2013, it was expressly so that some of the cigars therein could reach the 5 year mark. Why? These are just one of those cigars that had been said to improve after 5 years.

Fortunately in this case they've also been most enjoyable all the way along. The difference? Well, the body is a tad lighter, there's definitely a bit less grunt in the trunk and a slight hint of extra sweetness, bringing them a bit closer to say, those Quai d'Orsay Coronas which we once had. Even easier on the tongue with morning coffee ... whereas before i was sometimes tempted to make it morning whisky or [insert hard liquor here] for that last third. Mission Accomplished I'll say...

why not to buy duty free...

check out the price tag (singapore dollar pretty much the same as NZD) and weep

Bolivar in st Auban snow

... with Mik the cigar model, who recently learned to smoke cigars.