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 

Romance sans parole (ou presque) avec Greg et le Romeo y Julieta Churchill

Watch this romance unfold here

Diplomaticos Numero Dos

enjoying my first Diplomaticos no2 in a few years,  definitely fits the "Christmas in a cigar" label,  it just tastes like Christmas pudding spices with a whole heap of cinnamon on a medium body,  beautiful wrappers on these exemplars as well. Good shtuff. 

No2 torpedoes (well Piramides actually in habanos speak)  are definitely one of my favorite vitolas when it comes to lengthier enjoyment,  you get all the benefits of the 50+ ring gauge like the richness from plenty of seco leaves, with a nice taper to concentrate the draw and the flavour to avoid the massive dong in mouth scenario. Sur ce,  Merci a tous. 

Romeo y Julieta Churchill chez Xav

Starts out with charred coffee grind , touch of rose essence , and sandalwood. Sirloin and mushrooms on the retrohale (guess what we had for dinner)

Black pepper and cedar tang developing with stronger mushroom and Worcester sauce undertone 

Montecristo Numero Uno

Que aspecto maravilliso - mirais bien a este capa de color espresso y humus !- como si fuera inspirado por la tierra fertil de la Vuelta Abajo, o torcido del piel arrugado de los vegueros, esculpido por la caricia del sol Caribe, Dios mio, que piel!

Enough of the lyrical sexwax already! In non-mangled spanish, this little beauty gave up a classic Montecristo body of coffee grounds, cocoa and leather, with a cedar bite... but with a noticeable citrus undertone over a medium body that sets it apart from the marca. There was also just a touch of creaminess to its smoke, and white pepper and paprika on the retrohale. In line with the Cervantes tall corona vitola, it was a touch more elegant and lighter in body than your average Monte. It was also slightly plugged so I had to decapitate a fifth of it where a knot had strangled it. All in a good day's work...