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Sorry no digital scales here. Sorry about the sock fluff... 97kg. I'm down 3kg already this year.

The Lizards pair the Aladino 85 Aniversario Reserva in Robusto with seven year aged Abuelo Rum from Panama. Klaas Kelner joins the Lizards to discuss the recently rated Kelner LE 80, the guys go back to their discussion on customer service, and, with some special guests, they finally complete Bam’s Fundadores Auction Transaction. PLUS: Voice Memo on Memorable Smoking Moments in 2025, Abuelo's Rich Panamanian History, Dunbarton's New Year of the Release, Bam's Big Check & Does Alcohol Impair the Formal Lizard Rating?

This is desperately needed motivation to dust off the rowing machine and get to work. And maybe put down the fork / have slightly less booze but definitely smoke more.

'24 Partagas Linea Maestro in Rito. This is getting very interesting after a year. Very unique.

I'm sorry, did you mean "For sure" or did you mean... I'm sorry I couldn't help it 😂🤣

Yes, as they are first of the supply chain.

My feet are pretty darn nasty, I hope it doesn't get any worse than it is now.

For sure

I think you've scared them off. Hoof complex.

It is great to finally see some interesting metrics and insights into consumer and collector behavior within the premium cigar, wine, and spirits industries. I have a few thoughts on the matter: First, storage real estate is a significant factor. It is much easier to store larger quantities of cigars of various vitolas than it is to store wine and spirits, simply due to their size. Second, discretion and ease of consumption play a major role. The footprint of consuming wine and spirits is far more discrete than that of a cigar, which creates a significant "aromatic adventure" for those nearby. Because cigar smoke requires more space and collateral consideration, we may smoke less in public settings. For example, during a recent two-week trip to Aspen, I brought a travel case of eight cigars and smoked none of them, yet I frequently enjoyed wine and whiskey with friends. Finally, the psychology of preservation differs between these consumer categories. In my opinion, consumers feel much less "precious" about smoking a few cigars from a box of 25 than they do about opening bottles from a case of wine. However, because of storage limitations, the total quantity of wine and spirits one can keep is often far lower than the number of cigar boxes that can be stored in the same amount of space. What this leads to personally for me is this logic: I have enjoyed 1-5 out of a box; I now am fine to restrain myself from the remaining quantities. However, I still must satiate my desire to purchase a box or "quiver" of something new or a backup box once quantities are depleted. This is way easier to due financially and spatially with cigars than collection-worthy wine + spirits. IMO Thanks Rob for bringing this topic to relevancy.

Some thoughts: In general, I couldn't care less who gets in or not unless they are a personal friend or a family member of mine. Bored old guys like Polian are likely happy to stir the pot anyway they can just for the fun of it, or to prove they still have some relevance. It's very odd that others agreed with him. I'm guessing Belichick won't lose his girlfriend, or anything else, over this.

Generally only when I travel to the US, so it ends up being more than 10 but less than a box. And I visit multiple stores until I reach 50'ish cigars.

I was thinking @El Presidenteshould offer up some pedicures as well for prizes!

NRNH Travel Humidor — Represented by Danays León January 28, 2026 - Press Release The NRNH Travel Humidor is now available under the global representation of Danays León and distributed in selected regions through Danays León Group (DLG). A travel companion that combines its benefits in a simple, functional, and elegant design. It holds up to five cigars, with humidification ensured by a dual, bi-directional system calibrated to 69 percent humidity and lasting up to two months. The reinforced internal structure additionally guarantees protection while traveling. The NRNH Travel Humidor is now available worldwide. Technical Features: Capacity: Compact structure designed to hold up to five cigars, optimized for travel without compromising preservation. Exterior: Deep matte black, micro-textured finish with minimalist gold detailing. Seal: Magnetic hermetic closure engineered to maintain interior stability during movement. Humidity Control: Dual, bi-directional humidification system calibrated at 69% RH, supporting balanced conditions despite environmental fluctuation. Retention: Humidity performance exceeding two months under typical use conditions (dependent on frequency of opening and external climate). Protection: Reinforced internal structure designed to safeguard cigars in transit Info: Danays León Group – [email protected] Source: https://www.cigarjournal.com/nrnh-travel-humidor-represented-by-danays-leon/

Ibis Luis and Anna Ayupova Launch Pangea Cigars January 27, 2026 - Patrick Lagreid A pair of women with experience in cigars, wine, and bourbon has come together to launch a new cigar company that they are calling Pangea Cigars. The company is the creation of Ibis Luis and Anna Ayupova. Luis is best known for her Instagram account, @cigarlover12, which has over 120,000 followers. She recently spent six years with Plasencia Cigars as a U.S. representative and brand developer, and has served as a consultant to other cigar companies on brand positioning, sales strategy and market development, while Ayupova owned and operated a high-end cigar and wine club in California, according to a press release. Now, they are making their own cigars, enlisting the help of Indiana Ortez of Casa de Ortez for the brand’s inaugural lines, which the company said reflect a shared commitment to tobacco integrity, thoughtful blending, and modern craftsmanship rooted in tradition. While the company has not yet announced when its cigars will be released, a company representative told halfwheel that there will be two blends: one a Connecticut and the other a habano-wrapped blend. Full details are expected to be announced next week, per that representative. The name Pangea comes from the ancient supercontinent, which the company says symbolizes connection before division, and reflects the founders’ beliefs that “cigars serve as a universal language—bridging cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives through a shared moment, adding that the company will be built on intention, discipline, and refined craftsmanship, not by putting lots of new cigars into the market. “Pangea is not about launching products quickly,” the founders shared in a press release. “It’s about building something meaningful, thoughtful, and enduring. We believe the strongest brands speak quietly and perform consistently.” Both Luis and Ayupova are Certified Cigar Sommeliers via Tobacconist University, while Luis is also a Certified Bourbon Steward, and Ayupova is a wine sommelier. Images courtesy of Pangea Cigars. Source: https://halfwheel.com/ibis-luis-and-anna-ayupova-launch-pangea-cigars/461305/

Supposedly, they did it because Bill Polian thought making him wait a year would be penance for SpyGate. Ridiculous. He should’ve been a unanimous first ballot guy.

In Cigar City, they smoke for a living Law Ream and Alex Weghorn say cigars are “the great equalizer.” Law Ream, left, smokes a cigar with Alex Weghorn at Central Cigars, 273 Central Ave., on Dec. 8 in St. Petersburg. Ream is a brand ambassador for Camacho cigars and Weghorn is a brand ambassador for Davidoff. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] By Nina Moske, Times staff - Published Jan. 24|Updated Jan. 25 It’s noon on a Tuesday, and Law Ream is smoking a cigar. A limited release Camacho, he says, a swirl of smoke escaping the corner of his bearded mouth. It’s spicy, with sweet notes of chocolate, leather, cedar and espresso. “Our job is pretty great,” he tells his colleague, Alex Weghorn, inside a hazy room at the Corona Cigar Co. in Tampa, once a global hub of the cigar industry. This is how Ream and Weghorn spend their days — as brand ambassadors for the cigar company Davidoff of Geneva USA. The Tampa Bay-based pair travel the country promoting products that range from a few dollars to hundreds. “Really, we just get to smoke cigars and hang out with people,” Ream said. “That’s it.” But that’s not it. Not really. With rates of loneliness higher than ever, and people around the country siloed along political lines, Ream and Weghorn say cigars are a vital connector. Step into a cigar lounge — no matter who or where you are — and you’ll be welcomed, they say. “You’ll see a 25-year-old kid who just started a job smoking with the CEO of his company, sitting next to your garbage man having a cigar with a guy that owns a law firm,” Ream said. “It’s the great equalizer.” Ream holds a Camacho cigar at Central Cigars in St. Petersburg in December. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] The job is part-educator, part-influencer and part-salesperson. Ream is an ambassador for Camacho Cigars, a popular brand Davidoff acquired in 2008. Weghorn promotes Davidoff’s luxury cigars. Weghorn calls himself a storyteller. He can tell you about the seeds and soil that produced a particularly strong harvest of tobacco in the Dominican Republic; about the yearslong aging and fermentation process; about all the hands that sorted and rolled your favorite cigars. “I would call myself a super-nerd,” Weghorn said. Both men stumbled into the industry. After leaving a job at a health food company, Weghorn began working behind the register and helping to run social media for Central Cigars in St. Petersburg. Ream, who grew up in Miami, worked in photography and marketing before making the switch. “This job feels quintessential to Tampa," said Ream, who lives across the bay in St. Petersburg. A century ago, the city was home to more than 200 cigar factories that filled the brick blocks of Ybor City and West Tampa. Just 25 of the buildings remain today and house offices, apartments and a boutique hotel. One — the J.C. Newman Cigar Co. — is the last operating cigar factory in the country. Ream is a brand ambassador for Camacho cigars. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] The job’s not perfect, Weghorn said. There’s the unavoidable stuff. Emails, meetings. The smoke lingers on clothes and hair, though Ream said he doesn’t notice it anymore. “Nose-blind,” he jokes. And there’s travel — lots of it. Ream drove a trailer across 33 states to visit more than 100 cigar lounges in the past year and a half. He spent 160 nights in hotels. Sometimes, while on the road, he’ll smoke four or five cigars a day for two weeks straight. Weghorn’s record? Eleven cigars in one day (though nine were “short-form,” he said, which take less time to smoke). Neither have a favorite cigar, but certain memories stand out. Ream recalls a Davidoff Winston Churchill Limited Edition 2022, smoked alone on his patio with a Miami Hurricanes game on in the background. “I was enjoying it so much I had to turn the game off,” he said. “I sat there in silence and smoked it nonstop.” Weghorn remembers a $600 Davidoff Oro Blanco that made him think, “This is not a cigar you taste. This is a cigar you feel.” He was on a work trip in North Carolina and hadn’t enjoyed one in days. The smoke overwhelmed his fresh palette. “My mental Rolodex of flavors was spinning so fast, I couldn’t grab just one,” he said. Sometimes, Ream said, it’s less about the cigar and more about the company. He’s smoked with TV producers and CEOs, construction workers and bikers. There’s often a misperception that cigars are reserved for the old, rich and powerful. “Cigar lounges are one of the last places where you can have a decent conversation,” he said. “They’re inclusive, the political discourse is open, no one is sitting on their phones. It’s just people across spectrums — political, socioeconomic, whatever — having actual conversations.” “And it’s not just business or politics,” Weghorn agreed. “It’s life lessons. How to be a better person.” All it takes, he said, is a question. “What are you smoking?” Source: https://www.tampabay.com/news/tampa/2026/01/23/tampa-cigar-salesman-ybor-city-factory/

Visol Ships Viper Double Torch Lighter January 23, 2026 - Brooks Whittington Visol Products has released a new lighter that will soon be showing up on store shelves. The Viper is a double-flame torch lighter with an MSRP of $60. Its metal body also includes a 9mm cigar punch, a cigar rest built into the back and an integrated spring-loaded double guillotine cutter that can cut cigars up to 56-ring gauge. The lighter measures 3.43 x 1.73 x 0.9 inches and weighs approximately eight ounces. Seven different color options started shipping to retailers earlier this week: black, blue, bronze, green, gunmetal, red and silver. Source: https://halfwheel.com/visol-ships-viper-double-torch-lighter/461075/

It goes without saying that I would have to agree. If Bill Belichick can't make the Hall of Fame on the first ballot as a Head Coach, then something is wrong, no matter how one feels about the legacy of the New England Patriots team.

Then we've probably reached the point where it's time to shut down the Hall of Fame. I'm a Jets fan, and I was a Patriots hater long before I was a Jets fan. And even I can acknowledge he is one of the best coaches to ever coach in the NFL, and he has every stat to prove it. Discuss amongst yourselves!

I expect this will start happening in many states until it goes to the Supreme Court.

Being anti-tobacco is a no brainer for any politician looking to score some easy votes. Legend around Toronto is that one cigar loving politician, walked into the LDCH grabbed a cigar, lit it up and announced to the people enjoying a cigar, inside, that his vote helped pushed through our Province's no smoking law which banned all smoking in all public and private buildings.

Same…I love the XO. I have 2.

They just don't care...