FOH'ers Daily Smoke

[BoliDan]

3 hours ago, Rhinoww said:

Super Bowl is today. I have 12 over for dinner and to watch the game. 
 

First smoke of the day actually started a bit before 11 pm last night. Ended a few minutes ago. 10 pound prime brisket after trimming. Every brisket is different and has a different cook. This one was odd. Hit 176 internal temp in two hours then stalled for 8 hours and finished up with another two. Early stall made me think it might finish super early so an unusual night waking up more than I would have liked to check temp. 
 

Probe tender and now resting for a few hours in a cooler (glad I didn’t requisition it as a second Coolidor). 
 

My first smoke of the day. 

Now it’s time for a C&C. 
 

176 in two hours is super quick. Thank goodness for the stall. Do you shoot for 200 as final temp?

[teamrandr]

Rare sunny winter day in Michigan 

'08 PSD4 from the host

 

[Rhinoww]

44 minutes ago, BoliDan said:

176 in two hours is super quick. Thank goodness for the stall. Do you shoot for 200 as final temp?

I pulled at 199 when it was jiggly and probe tender like a hot knife in butter. Sometimes it’s 205 sometimes that’s 195. Brisket is funny that way for me. 
 

crazy thing about the fast internal temp was that the Kamodo was at 225. That think holds a temp like a rock once set, and I set it slowly raising temp over an hour. 
 

kinda wonder if the probe was in a pocket of fat. But I always use an instant thermometer around the brisket to test and before before I pull it. Was in the 170’s all the way around and kinda freaked me out. Alls well now.
 

Probably rose another degree or two in the cooler. It gets cut in 30 min. Will see how this odd one turned out. Raw packer was super flexible so that might have had something to do with it. All that matters in the taste. will know what folks think by how much BBQ sauce is used. 
 

and I got a quick nap in so feeling great. 

[Wookie]

2017 San Juan

 

[Puffaholic]

Pre game smoke...

[Connoisseur Kim]

Esmeralda. Powerful cigar

Nice Trinidad pic! What are the best of new Trinidad regular production cigars?

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[BlueRidgeFly]

My first D4, from a FOH clearance sixer in September. Was killing me to wait... Started off good with that paprika and spiced cream I've read about, turned very good, then just freaking great down to the nub. Accompanied by an Adroit Theory - Black As Your Soul ? 

 

[inter4alia]

A liberating pre game smoke 

 UBM Jan 18 ??

[Hotboxx]

Time to get another Championship 

[Edward7]

A front 9 rio seco and back 9 Connie A at Pelican Hill, Newport Coast today. The only thing that was not ideal about the day was this super angry random that got in our group. Cursing and screaming at every bad shot (lots of them)...terrible etiquette and smashing his club head into the ground. I don’t get it. You pay $300 a round to be angry?  Go home you gigantic baby. 

[lovethehaze]

N3

[Chucko8]

Just chose this El Principe LGR DIC 17 offering from a 24:24 PSP box via our host. C&C time.

[Guest Nekhyludov]

BRE OCT 18 SigVI. Thanks @PrairieSmoke!

[LLC]

Enjoyed this MAE JUL 14 Punch DC during the Super Bowl.




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[JayHabanos]

Congrats to KC!



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[havanaclub]

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[BoliDan]

Another gorgeous 60F night. Tomorrow 8 inches of snow an 15F... Taking adantage ofva CG before im back to minutos.

 

[MigsG]

39F north of San Francisco and an '18 RyJ Petit Corona and Glenlivet to keep warm.

[RDB]

Nice Choix Supreme this morning after a few days off smoking. Lovely, classic CX flavours. I saw someone earlier use the phrase ‘wet hay’ which doesn’t sound great but is v accurate, and v pleasant too: a grassy honeyed sweetness, somehow ‘yellow’ in flavour tone. The wrapper is a touch sickly looking, but no ill effects at all. Mild body, lovely retro, very good construction. Highly relaxing. This box OMS SEP 15.

[Raskol]

C&C Time. Vigia (2017) - 24:24

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[canadianbeaver]

On 2/1/2020 at 7:00 PM, CptGoodTimes said:

Break’em Bear.  Break’em!  

 

Pardon my EL Rey ignorance but which is that Beav?

This is the simple but nice El Rey del Mundo Choix Supreme. 
 

https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com

CB

[Euckersw]

Papo Custom Roll w/ Medio Tiempo

[CptGoodTimes]

?DIC12 Sir Winnie?

[JohnS]

Rafael González North Star 2017 - Edición Regional Nordico-Baltico EPM Dic 2017

I'd like to thank and acknowledge @Thirds for gifting me this cigar to review.

You simply have to admire any Regional distributor who has the fortitude to release a Habanos cigar to the market and do so whilst trying something different. For example, releasing the Sancho Panza Eslavo in 50 cabs, releasing a Por Larranaga Coronas in a vitola that has been decimated in the last 20 years by Habanos S.A (i.e 42 ring gauge x 142 mm or 5.6 inches) or simply releasing a Regional Edition cigar in the Rafael Gonzalez marca. You see, there has only been three; the 2013 German Petit Piramides, the 2016 Asia-Pacific Perfecto-sized 88 and this recent 2017 Northern Europe and Baltic States Petit Robusto North Star.

The Asia-Pacific Rafael Gonzalez 88 frankly was a critical 'fizzer' for two reasons; one, it came in a Britanicas Extra vitola like the 2009 Ramon Allones Celestiales Finos and two, it was too mild in strength to allow the flavours to 'open up' on the palate. As cigar enthusiasts we are prone to short memories. After 5 to 7 years the RA Celestiales Finos 'opened up', became a winner and garnered much demand. In 2010 it was nigh on unsmokable. I wonder if 5 to 7 years will be kinder to the RG 88? Nevertheless, we are here to discuss the North Star, and alas, let us do so!

If you are a distributor for Habanos S.A and wish to bring out a Regional Edition then you are probably best to play it safe and bring it out in a Petit Robusto or Robusto format. Yes folks, 50 ring gauge is the new normal (ring gauge) nowadays, but a Rafael Gonzalez Regional Edition? In a way, I do understand why the distributor for the Scandinavian and Northern Europe market brought this out in a 50 ring gauge x 102 mm (or 4 inches) vitola. Simply put, this petit robusto size sells.

Released to the market in October 2018, the Northern Star was presented in June 2018 in Estonia. It was released in a Semi boite nature box of 10 cigars. A total of 6000 were released to the market. From what I understand, they sold quite well. How did this Northern Star compare to the regular production Rafael Gonzalez Petit Coronas and Perlas? Taking into account that the RG Petit Coronas and Perlas are 42 ring gauge and 40 ring gauge respectively, and mild in strength, we need to take into account that the Northern Star is a 50 ring gauge Rafael Gonzalez cigar. It's therefore different in a few ways. Allow me to explain. Firstly, the greater majority of Rafael Gonzalez Petit Coronas and Perlas on the market tend to be semi-aged already because they have a dedicated fan base. Sure, on our Friends of Habanos forum they are a critical favourite, but in the real world I'm sorry to say friends but Rafael Gonzalez doesn't exactly 'fly off the shelves'!

Personally speaking, in regards to flavour profile, the RG Petit Coronas and Perlas is like a soft cocoa, floral and honey concoction with scrumptious baking spice added in when it hits 3 to 5 years of age. The Northern Star is not like this. It is a Petit Robusto aimed at connoisseurs who like their cigars a little more potent.

This cigar had a strong walnut and oak flavour to it, with cocoa and coffee throughout. There were no floral notes or sweet honey edges that you'd expect in a RGPC or Perlas. Instead, the Northern Star is closer in medium-mild in strength and this had a bite to it, like white pepper. Also, don't let the small size deceive you to think that it's a quick smoke. I've smoked enough San Cristobal de la Habana El Principes over the years to know that its minuto 42 ring guage x 110 mm length provides a consistent 35 minute smoking experience. Believe it or not, this Northern Star Regional release lasted 60!

It's a quality cigar aimed at enthusiasts who like a more potent Petit Robusto. In my view, it's not quite a Quai d'Orsay No.50 or Cohiba Medio Siglo in class, but it does hold its own against the Montecristo Petit Edmundo, Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto and Romeo y Julieta Petit Churchill. Then again, I am biased towards milder cigars so please do take my recommendation with a proverbial 'grain of salt'!   

[Chibearsv]

21 hours ago, VKUTT said:

Yep, 72 degrees and supposed to snow tomorrow. Friggin Denver ?‍♀️

When I lived in Boulder, I loved that weather.  Skied Winter Park in the morning and played softball or ultimate in the afternoon.  Beats Chicago winter by a mile, flat, gray, cold, and just enough snow to keep things sloppy