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Not simply a cigar review.. this is a journey between two blokes that just met at different points in their lives and sharing the common thread of fine tobacco, conversation and whiskey. Read on for the story. Ok so, I've been letting these fantastic BBF's Simmer for a while. (kinda sounds like BFF doesn't it?, yes, yes it does and rightly so!) When I bought them, they just weren't ready (to my taste). Revisited a few times over the years. Thankfully, THEY ARE READY. I'm gonna drain them like water! Kaboom! ...a little look under the dress... Wrappers look great, I don't mind the little occlusions at all. Just, looks like a box of yum! Fortunately tonight I had a new BOTL with me, and the Wife was away shopping. He is a gentleman in the truest old-world sense of the word I met while buying wine. I noticed his passion for wine and his depth of knowledge so we struck up a conversation. I gravitate toward people I can learn from so I asked him if he liked Cigars and Whiskey to which he replied, "I was speaking his language!" We swapped cell numbers, and set a date to have a cigar and chat. Tonight was it. Time for a little back deck and cigar time. We both enjoyed the BBF tonight. Clipped and ready to rock and roll.... 1st Third.. I'm not diving into the tasting notes, not yet. They are taking a back seat this evening. This evening is a moment to make a new friend and to share a smoke, to exchange the universal currency of respect, to slow down time and to share the human experience. This new BOTL, (I'll call Tom) and I had just poured whiskey and sat down on the deck, temp was 76 degrees and an ever so light breeze. Near perfect. Tom chose Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength (58.1%) OBSV in a Tervis Tumber with heavy ice while I poured 2 fingers of Ardbeg 10 year in a stemless wine glass (I'm a simple man). We clipped, settled in and began the volley of a new friendship to the gentle whisps of freshly lit fine cigars. Time itself begins slow like reducing volume via the large knob on an old Stereo with 8 Track and Phonograph. We start discussing NC's vs CC's right out of the gate. Tasting Notes: Dead-on lightly restricted draw with notes of sweet hay (I'm thinking is this a 'hiba?) We light - (I use my FOH lighter of course) Boom! Think straight heavy cream dropped right into a coffee mug size espresso shot. Splash. Wicked strong Ethiopian Yergacheffe grounds tempered with cream pouring viscous from the container. Love that profile. I even picked up a little cake analogous to the taste of a Twinkie. Freaky good - Tom agrees, shares this is a fantastic cigar. Tom's burns a little better than mine, I'm unsure if it's his lighting technique or my cigar. I dont care - Second Third... The conversation is incredible, amazing how alike we are. Tom is 13 years older than I and has seen the world. Probably lived more life than I ever may. He's run a billon dollar company and traveled on their dime, has won and lost, married and divorced, been a sous chef, a study in history and has an incredible perspective on life. We're comparing tasting notes. He shares he's looking forward to the second third. We get there. He shares he's happy with the stick so far. We begin discussing wine, when, mind=blown. Tom shares he is a Level 1 Certified Sommelier. My man respect just hopped north of 100%. I move from host, to frankly honored host. This guy I met in a wine aisle, was willing to give his time to sit on a strangers deck for a cigar and conversation. Damn, it's inspiring. We begin discussing religion and politics with not a single tense moment. (Time's volume still turned down and holding) We have a few laughs. Tom shares his religion is his own, and it is to treat others the way he'd want to be treated. I see it in practice, and appreciate it. We complete the second third.. Tasting Notes: Enter the dragon - White Pepper. I'm concerned it's about to go down hill (for CC's heavy pepper signals the end for me often). It doesnt. Tom gets a little chocolate toward the mid 2nd third. I'm getting Burnt tobacco, sweet floral (hard to identify at that point) (I'll come back to that) and finished tobacco pipe. That pipe flavor when one takes a drag on a cool empty pipe a day after smoking a full bowl. Crunchy coffee beans and what? yes, I'm sorry.. retrohale gives me some Bounce dryer sheet. I'm shaking my head. . Final Third... Tom and I discuss history, history's application to events of today and share Mark Twain quotes. His favorite quote I cant recall verbatim, but it's along the lines of Twains favorite part of the day was the time spent with a cigar. Mine is, "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, and most of it never happened." I learn that Tom has been to Cuba multiple times, he's genuinely excited to hear I'm going in November. My Wife and I are going to Italy early next year. He's going in October for the umpteenth time, we discuss his favorite parts and his favorite wines there. Tom loves Lake Como and highly recommends I visit there. Our glasses of whiskey are beginning to look like we're nearing the end. Tom has somewhere to be and we finish the Bolivar to great success. Tom mostly smokes NC's and gifts me two to experience. I give him several CC's, an H. Upmann Sir Winnie from 07, '15 LGC Medialle D'or #4, Por Larranaga Montecarlo, and an Le Hoyo De Monterrey Des Dieux from 03. We shake hands and commit to doing this again and perhaps a time for dinner with his wife and mine. Tasting Notes Stronger burnt tobacco taste than I prefer at times, full strength, Retrohale smoke still very sweet, that floral I mentioned earlier. I mentioned it to Tom and he was picking up the same thing. He asked if I knew what it was. I was having trouble nailing it down. As easy as breathing he smiled and said, "Honeysuckle." There's the Sommelier. Dead on it. A note of the scent of used whiskey barrels. We both burn our fingers a bit before expiring the BBF into the ashtray. A sublime success