El Presidente

Great write-up!!!! Now on my list!

This series to explore whether a particular cigar is humidor worthy. Cost these days is an issue for many so let's see if we can highlight some absolute standouts. This should particularly assist those new to the cigar world. To be fair, most of the cigars we have featured to date have scored exceptionally well. Surprisingly well! Scoring is: 1-3 (Poor) 4-6 (Average to good) 7-10 (very good to excellent) Use the Poll. You are more than free to comment away Outside the fact that they wear the same foil pyjamas, the Old Bolivar Gold medal 42 × 165mm (6½″) and the "New" Gold medal 48 × 165mm (6½″) share nothing in common. It certainly isn't price as thinking back to my original price on the "Gold Medal' Lonsdales was $87 for a box of 10. Madness! In terms of blend, the "New" Bolivar Gold Medal is a fine and far more refined cigar than the original at the same point of age. It is indeed an excellent blend that is well thought out and nuanced. Give me the original whorehouse hellcat any day. In those early days, you never quite knew what you were getting with the Bolivar Gold Medal Lonsdale. Over time it matured from dockside bar wench to finishing school Dux. Still one of my favourites. New one? Very good. Doesn't get me heart racing however. New Bolivar Gold Medal....Let's kick off the discussion

I came across this box of Montecristo being peddled and simply ❤️ the font. It reminded me of "Flash Gordon" (or Flesh Gordon in the 1974 porn version) It got me to thinking

Dunhill For L. Ricci Cigar Ashtray Mid to Late 20th Cent. Italian, English Brutalist style ashtray by Dunhill for L. Ricci, featuring square exterior with a circular metal inset and geometric wire grate, designed to support cigarettes. Marked on the underside "Dunhill","Made in Italy", and "L.Ricci Italy".

This 19-minute film takes you on a raw, authentic surf trip across Cuba, following Kepa and a community of surfers from Havana as they explore the island and connect with the local surf culture.

Personally.....I can't wait. PROGRAM OBJECTIVE. Over 4 intensive days, you will transform into a Cohiba Behike expert through a unique, practical experience. Each day, we will smoke a different vitola (BHK 52, 54, 56, and 58) while exploring the secrets, history, and techniques that make this Habano the absolute pinnacle of Cuban tobacco. Format: 4 Modules (3 hours each) Ritual Smoking Session (1-2 hours per vitola) Theory, Practice, and Tasting. "Smoking a Behike is not an act of consumption, it is a ritual of knowledge. Each draw is a conversation with five centuries of tobacco history." — Edo Cruz

Habanos, S.A. celebrates the 50th anniversary of Quai D’Orsay with a very special launch during the Habano Festival. The new Quai D’Orsay Especial D’Orsay cigar will be sold worldwide in a special box of 20 Habanos and a gift box of 5 specially designed for the occasion. Habanos S.A. celebrated the 50th anniversary of Quai D’Orsay during the Mid-Week Evening of the XXIV Habano Festival. The event took place in the prestigious Salón de Protocolo Cubanacán (Laguito), an exclusive setting that reflected the elegance and cultural richness of the French-Cuban alliance and celebrated half a century of tradition and excellence in front of more than 500 guests. This celebration was the ideal opportunity to present the Quai D’Orsay Especial D’Orsay cigar (Ø53 x 153 mm), an exclusive Habano that is unique in the brand’s portfolio due to its dimensions. This limited edition with a commemorative band is available in a special box of 20 Habanos and a gift box of 5 units, designed exclusively for this exceptional launch. Following an innovative light painting show, Jose Maria Lopez Inchaurbe, Vice President of Development at Habanos, S.A., emphasised: ‘With the Vitole Especial D’Orsay, we are reaffirming our promise: “Aficionados around the world will continue to enjoy unique and exceptional experiences with this brand.” The Gift box of 5 cigars will be available from 20.01.2026 at Casa del Habano in Switzerland and from 27.01.2026 at Habanos Specialist shops. Gift Box of 5 cigars will retail at 275 Swiss Francs, representing 55 Swiss Francs per cigar.

PRESS RELEASE On September 24, 2025, La Casa del Habano Edmonton, in Canada, officially opened its doors. The event brought together around 70 Habano enthusiasts. Among the distinguished guests were Mr. Rod Frank, Mayor of Strathcona County, Alberta, as well as Roger Lanteigne and Francisco Rojas, Commercial manager and development director of Havana House Cigars and Tobacco Merchants representatives from Havana House Cigars and Tobacco Merchants Ltd., the exclusive distributor of Habanos in the Canadian market, and Mrs. Angela Giannoulis, vice president of Primero Cigar Imports, the sub-distributor for the West Coast. This new franchise has been operating since August 2025, bringing great pride to its owners. Bolívar New Gold Medal (ring gauge 48 x 165 mm length) was the highlight of the night, presented by Mr. Francisco Rojas, Habanos Master of Academy. This vitola represents an exclusive product for La Casa del Habano network, made “Totalmente a Mano con Tripa Larga” (Totally handmade with Long Filler), with wrapper, binder, and filler leaves from the prestigious Vuelta Abajo*, in Pinar del Río, Cuba. The hosts created a wonderful atmosphere for the evening, complete with live music, Cuban rum cocktails, and a variety of culinary offerings —including a sophisticated cake featuring the La Casa del Habano logo, enjoyed by all attendees. La Casa del Habano Edmonton joins another franchise already established in Windsor, Ontario—continuing the expansion across Canada. It offers not only the finest cigars in the world – Habano – but also a refined, specialized service where Cuban culture, tradition, and exclusivity come together – the core pillars of the La Casa del Habano experience.

https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/ireland-s-first-ever-regional-edition-cuban-coming-to-u-k

In Spain, the new 2026 price list for Cuban cigars is showing an average increase of 3.83 percent for roughly 350 different SKUs. Spain is a great bellwether for Cuban cigar prices for a few different reasons. First, due to low taxes, Spain is one of the least expensive places to buy Cuban cigars. In 2025, it was the second-largest market, after China, for Cuban cigars. And, it’s also the secondary home of Habanos S.A., the Cuban cigar monopoly, outside of Havana itself. CONTINUED

I find Regionals far more interesting than Limited Editions.

I think we are pretty close to a two horse race for the FOHNFL Tipping Competition Top 10 Below 🏈 FOHNFL 2025 – Standings Update Rank Pick Set Name Total Dropped W-L 1 Chicago Bearister 183 5 183-80 2 GOODFORTUNE 182 6 182-81 3 smatthews607 179 5 179-84 4 Lfhard 179 6 179-84 5 Rupe 179 6 179-84 6 RuggerPGH99 179 6 179-84 7 kbgkbg 176 6 176-87 8 EMC12 176 6 176-87 9 chepe 176 6 176-87 10 Will Friar 176 5 176-87 11 LaoFan 176 6 176-87

I was chatting with Jose Antonio earlier, who said the government has called on the people, from now on, to show up for military practice every Saturday.

LDL under 2. Familial high Cholestoral and no matter if I only ate lettuce it would be 5+ I can't take statins as they triggered constant muscle cramping. Have taken Ezitimibe for a couple of years. Not a statin but a different class of cholesterol lowering medications/cholesterol absorption inhibitors. Worked for me. No side effects. Check with your Cardio/Doc

This week the Lizards pair the Kelner LE 80 with Writers' Tears Copper Pot Still Blended Irish Whiskey. The guys discuss Cigar Aficionado's 2025 Top 25, chaos erupts when Gizmo provides a major update on Bam selling his (or Rooster's?) Trinidad Fundadores and the guys smoke a Klaas Kelner cigar created for his father's 80th birthday. PLUS: Nicaragua's Effect on Cuba and Cuban Cigars, Bam's New Buzzer, More Blind Rating Episodes?, Davidoff Diademas Finas Inspiration & More