The First Cigar Heretic

Upon returning to Europe from Colombus' 1492 voyage to the "New World", the Spanish envoy, Luis de Torres, was arrested and condemned to 10 years imprisonment for sorcery for lighting up tobacco leaves in the manner of the "Indians" that he had acquired them from.

So it must be for all Cigar Heretics today... the Ministry of Health is watching you.

Naughty boy attic smoking

 

un amigo viejo

El rey del mundo Demi tasse, holds a special place in my heart as the first box i ever bought, also happened to be a superb 1992 box left on a shelf in Switzerland. These are shaping up well but don't think I can wait  20plus years as already pretty good 

Montecristo no4 and a dirty white Russian

You might have one of these still hanging around, some pretty full bodied MCs with toothy maduro wrapper from 2019 box. !Que fuerte amigos! So in this muggy 25 deg climate change weather, added a white Russian but muddied the waters with an added espresso and chunk of chocolate ice cream for good measure. Nice match. And getting me high on all sorts of fronts! 

El Monte is just as full of meaty coffee grind and leather flavours as i remember (touch of liquorice, cloves and black pepper, also like chewing on a wool shed),  but perhaps a little less in your face and a little more of a range of flavours than it was in year 1. Reminiscent of that bomb of a Nicaraguan puro Illusione Bombones 44, dialled down of course. Dirty Russian makes it enjoyable to the nub... Burning my fingers as we speak. Nice.

And this is why you don't light up in the Bath...

 

Have you ever wondered what to do with your cigar bands?

 

This artist Kim Jackson makes portraits from cigar bands. You can find her works at: http://kjackart.com/gallery/

Greg finds peace in Por Larrañaga

Cigar prices intentionally inflated by Habanos SA

 https://www.cigarjournal.com/prices-for-cohiba-will-triple/

The past decades have seen Habanos attempt to grow the proportion of their luxury pricing through branding and brand differentiation (Edicion Limitada, Regional Editions, Behike etc) and now apart from adjusting the base price of all cigars significantly upwards over the past 5 years, they are shifting whole brands into the luxury tier... scary.

Twas a great evening, where were you Matt?

Scott smoking a Bolivar edicion limitada 2009 mini torp from his wedding box, 

no wind as usual in Wellyz, see the Main Island in distance

Punch not short of a Punch with Gordie

Hard work on Christmas Eve but someone has to do it. So Gordon and myself stepped up to the plate.  

After a long overdue catchup lunch, and I do mean a long lunch - luscious venison washed down with an excellent GSM at a fancy bistro  - we sat down in the park to enjoy a punch short de punch fresh off the boat. 

In spite of what it says on the label it was packing a fair heft,  the vigour of its youth shining through in all its woody might. So woody it was hard to see it from the trees - woods, oak, teak, mahogany and of course cedar (to which you might ask,  does the pope $hit in them woods? To which another may answer,  no,  because the bear is not a Catholic, but considers it an oecumenical matter). Enjoyable but needs a wee bit of age right now to open up and "richen up", as this all a bit linear right now. 

In any case,  the repartee was sparkling, the wit scintillating,  the banter divine, the Christmas shopping cut suitably short,  and the company not half bad either, God bless a catchup with a good mate. 

Quintero panatela pequenito - I'm impressed

Steeling myself for Quinn's birthday party with this small Quinn-tero,  first one I've tried, surprisingly satisfying with a touch of burnt caramel sweetness infused into a mild mushroom leather body (2018 box) . Nice rustic Colorado wrapper, took over 30 minutes as it has a suitably restrained draw and so doesn't even burn hot. 

Could probably light up a 2nd one but amount of duty paid will stay my hand!  Roll on summer. 

David and Julieta - Guest Star with Petit Royales

Dave dropped by the garage for a cigar. He smokes his stogies like he scores his goals on the football field - in quick succession. 

Sam's pictorially enhanced smoking arm

... with Bolivar PC and coffee,  brings out the aniseed/liquorice flavours in your morning brew (and stimulates chest hair growth)

Arrowtown Cohiba club

Winter in Central Otago is hell for your cigars they freeze over as quickly as Arrowtown does when the sun drops behind the hill at 3 p.m. The only storage solution is to wear them close to your heart at all times, and exude body heat. The alternative is finding a spot in the sun and smoking something very small like this Cohiba...

queenstown golf club cafe Monte

Half corona in cold winter sunshine