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I'm sure that the crypto naysayers use other forms of digital electronic money transfer, like credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, digital brokerages, money wires and the like. So I don't get incredulity or mistrust for a digital cryptocurrency token, especially one that offers to its users the chance to transfer money person-to-person for people just about anywhere in the world, at any time of day or night, with fast speed, no limits large or small on transfer amounts, and no delays from government or banking interventions that impact and on occasion impede more traditional forms of person-to-person money transfer. I'm old enough to remember that stock ownership used to be documented by paper certificates. Now I can trade using an app or an online-accessible brokerage that keeps the records of stock ownership digitally, and no paper currency changes hands. It's not vastly different from token transactions and transfers of crypto. Valuation is a separate matter. One thing has become clear over the past few years is that bitcoin is not much of a store of value, unlike gold which has proven so over a long time period. Unless you're from a country whose fiat currency has been hypervolatile and debasing over time, that is.

Partagas Shorts

How did you guys handle Super Bowl Sunday?

https://www.winnipegsun.com/news/resorts-in-cuba-temporarily-close-due-to-fuel-shortage/article_7de2499c-4be9-427a-93b7-72b371ccd0fa.html Airlines offering to rebook guests for free Air Transat and Air Canada have activated flexible rebooking policies to Cuba as the Caribbean island nation struggles to deal with shortages after the U.S. blocked oil supplies to the country. Air Transat’s policy applies to customers with travel dates between Feb. 7 and April 30, 2026 at hotels closed in Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Coco, Veradero and Holguin. The company said travellers may change the date, hotel, or destination without penalty, or the trip may be cancelled at no charge, and a travel credit will be issued. Air Canada’s policy applies to customers with travel dates between Feb. 6 and Feb. 25, 2026, for flights to or from Cayo Coco, Holguin, Santa Clara and Varadero, allowing them to change their flight, free of charge, to another Air Canada destination, subject to availability in the cabin originally purchased. It said a fare difference may apply. The airline said those who choose to cancel their booking can either choose to receive a credit to their AC Wallet or convert the value of their ticket to a future travel credit. It also said those who purchased a ticket with Air Canada Vacations should reach out to the airline’s tour operator directly. WestJet Airlines Ltd. and Sunwing Vacations said they are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to follow the direction of the Canadian government. Travel advisory for Cuba Last week, Global Affairs Canada changed its travel guidance on Cuba to “exercise a high degree of caution,” citing the energy crisis and shortages of basic goods. In early January, Washington effectively cut off fuel shipments to Cuba from its top ally Venezuela. U.S. President Donald Trump has since threatened to slap tariffs on nations that send oil to the island.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cuban-cia-castro-energy-collapse-9.7078628 "In Cuba," said Buenos Aires-based Cuban lawyer Alain Espinoza of rights group Cubalex, "power has always been divided between those who show their faces, such as Díaz-Canel and the Council of State, and those who control the Cuban economy behind the curtain, such as Alejandro Castro Espín — and behind him large economic concerns, including the military-owned holding company GAESA, who are the ones who control all the money and economy of Cuba." Espinoza said he doesn't believe the regime as a whole would ever agree to leave power, but "we can't rule out the possibility that those who control the Cuban economy might be willing to negotiate an exit that allows them to keep some of the fortune they have amassed, without having to fear legal repercussions or criminal prosecution." The deal that might emerge from such talks could strongly resemble the deal with Delcy Rodríguez, now Venezuela's acting president, where some elements within the regime turn against others in order to secure better terms for themselves from Washington.

Cuba has warned airlines it is suspending jet fuel supplies for a month because of an energy crisis prompted by the US attack on Venezuela, an official at a European carrier said. Cuba has told carriers serving the island that starting midnight on Monday into Tuesday, they cannot refuel there, the official told AFP on Sunday on condition of anonymity. Cuba is reeling from a US-ordered halt in oil shipments from Venezuela after American troops abducted Nicolas Maduro. Planes covering long-distance flights from Cuba will now have to stop somewhere after leaving the island to get more jet fuel, this official quoted Cuban aviation officials as saying. Air France told AFP its planes would stop somewhere else in the Caribbean to refuel. The Cuban government on Friday announced emergency measures to address the island's energy crisis, including a four-day work week for state-owned companies and fuel sale restrictions. The belt-tightening measures include a reduction in bus and train services between provinces and the closure of certain tourist establishments. School days will also be made shorter, and universities will relax requirements on in-person attendance.

Updated Alex!!!! you get 10% of the net!* *10% after all costs inclusive of lifestyle costs of Rob Ayala. Confidentiality agreement in place so Ken has no idea he is not being paid.

https://en.cibercuba.com/noticias/2026-02-09-u1-e13-s27061-nid320369-cuba-advierte-aerolineas-24-horas-quedara-combustible "The NOTAM, identified as A0356/26 and classified as international, explicitly states: “JET A-1 FUEL NOT AVBL” (no Jet A-1 fuel available). The notice has been active since February 10, 2026, at 05:00 UTC and will remain in effect at least until March 11, 2026, at 05:00 UTC, representing a full month without guaranteed supply at the country's main airport." Starting to see a couple of mentions of this. More details about the impact of routes here. I'm surprised there so many flights from American Airlines. https://www.aviacionline.com/english/commercial-aviation/latin-america-and-caribbean/cuba-aviation-fuel-shortage-could-impact-more-than-400-weekly-scheduled-flights_a69892c881e7e6768e82eadbd

Cigar Journal has just recently released their Top 25 list of new cigars for 2025. The No.1 cigar was the El Pulp The Eel Lancero (which has been mentioned positively here on FoH of late, in passing). #1 | El Pulpo The Eel Lancero Tasting notes: This “eel” is robust, well-balanced, and well-constructed. Leather, cedar, and coffee beans constitute the triad; in addition, a raisin sweetness and bread aromas. Towards the end, it gets stronger, with cocoa and pepper notes. Owner: Artesano Del Tobacco Factory: Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Origin: Nicaragua Wrapper: Mexiko Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Strength: 7 (von 10) Size: 178 x 15.1 | 7 x 38 Released: 2025 The list can be located at the link here. Don't expect to find any Habanos cigars, but if you have time to peruse the list, are their any surprises in your opinion?

Firestone Walker Unveils “Have A Cigar” Imperial Stout for the 2026 Brewmaster’s Collective Images Courtesy of Firestone Walker Brewing Story by: Bil - Published: February 7, 2026 This morning brings a standout addition to the 2026 Brewmaster’s Collective from Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, California. The brewery is preparing to release Have A Cigar, a complex and barrel‑forward imperial stout crafted for fans of bold, layered, high‑gravity stouts. Have A Cigar is built on a rich imperial stout base and aged in a blend of Bourbon barrels and Chocolate Rye barrels, creating deep notes of oak, spice, and dark chocolate. To elevate the profile even further, Firestone Walker finished the beer on Amburana staves, a Brazilian hardwood known for its warm, cinnamon‑like aromatics, and added Madagascar vanilla beans for a smooth, dessert‑leaning finish. Inspired by Pink Floyd, this themed release “rocks in” at a hefty 12.1% ABV, making it one of the more decadent offerings in the 2026 membership lineup. The beer will be packaged in 12‑oz bottles, consistent with the premium packaging of the Brewmaster’s Collective series. Fans of Firestone Walker’s barrel‑aged program,and members of the Brewmaster’s Collective exclusives, will want to keep an eye out for full 2026 club release details as Have A Cigar moves closer to its official debut. Source: https://mybeerbuzz.com/firestone-walker-unveils-have-a-cigar-imperial-stout-for-the-2026-brewmasters-collective/

Louisville Is Making It Easier To Smoke Cigars Indoors A Kentucky proposal to legalize cigar bars bucks the trend of prohibitionist tobacco policy. Jacob Grier - 2.5.2026 3:00 PM (Bryan Woolston/ZUMA Press/Newscom) Bourbon and tobacco are two products practically synonymous with Kentucky. Pairing them indoors within the state's borders, however, is surprisingly difficult. Forty-four cities and counties throughout the state have implemented comprehensive indoor smoking bans. But a whiff of change is in the air: Last year, Louisville passed an exemption for cigar bars, and a new bill in the legislature could legalize them statewide. Louisville's move is a rare example of government liberalizing smoking laws. Beginning in the 1970s and '80s with bans on smoking in workplaces and airplanes, such restrictions have tended to operate with a ratchet effect, tightening over time while almost never ceding ground back to smokers. In the 21st century, those bans expanded to include parks, sidewalks, beaches, golf courses, apartment balconies, public housing, and more, often without carve-outs for businesses catering to smokers. Until last year, Louisville offered few legal options for indoor smoking. After the city's first smoking ban was overturned for illegally exempting the Churchill Downs racetrack, a broader one passed in 2008. Since then, cigar smokers have crossed into neighboring Indiana for a warmer reception. That loss of business helped motivate the city's decision to legalize cigar bars, requiring them to earn at least 15 percent of their revenue from tobacco products. A nearly identical bill has now passed in the state House, though it raises the tobacco revenue requirement to 25 percent. Kentucky does not have a statewide smoking ban, but if passed, the bill would preempt local prohibitions on cigar bars. Even in a state once heavily reliant on tobacco farming, the proposal may be a tough sell. A similar bill passed the House and died in the Senate last year, and comparable bills elsewhere are rare. North Dakota is the lone outlier, legalizing cigar bars in 2023. In Wisconsin, a bill allowing licenses for new cigar bars passed last year but was vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers. Opposition to such reforms typically focuses on secondhand smoke and fears of normalizing tobacco use. The former is a valid concern, even if the risks of environmental tobacco smoke have often been overstated. Still, the presence of risk alone does not justify barring adults from consenting to spend time in smoking establishments, whether as patrons, owners, or employees. And while few would want to return to an era when public smoking was unavoidable, steering clear of niche businesses like cigar bars is an easy ask for those who prefer smoke-free environments. Concerns about the normalization of cigar smoking are even less compelling. A letter from health organizations opposing the Kentucky bill claims the proposal "sends the wrong message to Kentucky's youth" and that "youth and young adults may perceive that it's socially acceptable to use cigars." But adults routinely engage in activities others would prefer young people not emulate—a point that should be obvious in a state famous for bourbon and horse betting. If anything, limiting the exemption to cigar bars could be criticized for not going far enough. Allowing only cigars (and pipes in the case of the Kentucky laws) can be described as elitist, favoring premium products while banishing smokers of cigarettes from social spaces. As Barbara Ehrenriech observed in 2018, "As more affluent people gave up the habit, the war on smoking, which was always presented as an entirely benevolent effort, began to look like a war on the working class." At the other extreme, the logic breaks down entirely. Legalizing cigar bars while prohibiting indoor vaping is incoherent. Given the lower risks associated with e-cigarette vapor compared to smoke from burning tobacco, there is no reason for restricting the former more tightly than the latter. The preference of cigars over vapes and cigarettes has much more to do with regulatory inconsistency than with any objective weighing of their secondhand dangers. Imperfect as they may be, moderate rollbacks of smoking bans to legalize cigar bars are a rare counter to the broader trend toward harsher tobacco policies. From flavor bans to smoke-free generation laws, regulation is increasingly giving way to outright prohibition. The unintended consequences can be dire: discouraging smokers from transitioning to safer alternatives, criminalizing sellers of forbidden products, and handing illicit markets to violent cartels. In that context, legalizing cigar bars is a small but welcome step toward policies that respect the liberties of consenting adults. Applied consistently, and contra the desires of public health advocates, liberalization would allow for more smoke-friendly spaces than exist today. By destigmatizing nicotine and tobacco use, it could also strengthen the case for harm reduction, recognizing the rights of adults to access safer products that can render combusted tobacco largely obsolete. A nonprohibitionist approach to nicotine and tobacco can accommodate both. Source: https://reason.com/2026/02/05/louisville-just-made-it-easier-to-smoke-cigars-indoors/

Dip 2 definitely have sourdough regularly. I guess I need to dig into the sour cream on my next one.

I've only had one and it was awhile ago. Before my time. But the Thai RE is fantastic. Stronger than I expected. Dark chocolate. Baking spices.

I see you, Aganorsa! 🙂 Great set-up!

Blanton's SFtB. For me Blanton's is good but not great. This however makes me think they are ruining barrels of great bourbon.

First Siglo VI. 2023. I'm not sure sticks can get better than this.

I didn’t know Mofoh cigars were rolled in Florida.I thought they were rolled in Honduras. Edit: I believe they are rolled at Fabrica5 Danli Honduras.

Yeah love the e-nav. I've a few bottles of the 116 Oloroso stored away and was going to bring one out - but the crowd that night aren't fans of sherry apart from PX

I didn’t even know his “masterclass” existed until this thread.I need to step up my game.😎

I went against the favorite for fun. It did not go well. 😄

I got close here. I figured the Pats could at least score a touchdown and a couple of field goals The Chickens did what I thought they would. Defensively it was well played. Offensively, it was a snoozefest until the 4th. Never saw the Pats scoring more than they did. I thought I was a little low on Seattle. Sacks were on par.

Some superb 🦉 smokes.(Not pictured - a Davidoff Millennium Lancero LE23 that took the day.)

Great idea sounds like a great time!

Is there a prize for being the most wrong? 🫣