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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 14, 2008 20:17:24 GMT -5
Thought it might be a good topic. An old army buddy of mine and I get together every Friday night to usher in the weekend with Cigars and drinks.
When my buddy is hosting he'll bring out his Cohiba cigars. Originally, Cohibas were the private stock of Fidel Castro. You could only get them if he, himself, presented them to you as a gift. Now they're the Cadillac of cigars.
I like trying different cigars but if I'm hosting I'll always end up going back to Upmanns (the ones sold by Loblaws, Holy Smokes; not sure which brand of Upmann's it is). It's a Cuban cigar that is much more affordable than Cohibas and is a great smoke for just under $10.00 a pop. They last about 45 minutes, whereas the Cohiba Lanceros last about double the time.
John F. Kennedy smoked Petit Upmanns. Here's snippet of JFK's former Secretary telling a story about JFK and cigars as told by Pierre Salinger:
There's another story about Kennedy, cigars and customs later in the snippet.
Cheers.
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Post by CentreHice on Oct 14, 2008 20:45:23 GMT -5
Really enjoy a fine cigar. Usually keep it to one per week.... Went to Cuba for the first time last March Break and brought home only one box of Cohiba Siglo II. 2 boxes each are allowed....and I should've bought more. Next time, two boxes for sure, as they are a third of the Canadian price and last me quite a while. One of our tour guides in Cuba said there are 5 steps to heaven. His words: 1. A fine Cuban meal. 2. A fine Cuban coffee. 3. A fine Cuban rum. 4. A fine Cuban cigar. 5. I don't think I have to tell you what #5 is. Frank Correnti Cigars in Toronto exclusively imports Cuban raw leaf and hand-rolls their cigars using traditional Cuban cigar rollers. Their retail outlet is up the stairs in their rolling room. Located near King and Portland Streets. I've stopped in quite often. Also, a new business, Cigar Imports of Canada has opened in our city. Great cigars from Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico...etc. The owner is holding a Cuban Night in November. 20 people max, $75 a head, includes 3 Cuban cigars, Cuban snacks, and Cuban rum. Not a bad deal at all. There are a few preferred companion drinks...each to his/her own. Here are a couple I enjoy....other than scotch. Gibson's 18 (on ice) Patron Cafe Tequila Liqueur (straight up) |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 14, 2008 21:00:01 GMT -5
Really enjoy a fine cigar. Usually keep it to one per week.... That's what we do. The thing about it is, I'm a reformed cigarette smoker and I haven't had one inkling of a craving since I started smoking cigars about 6 months ago. "Old-man Roth would never come to a place like this but Johnny Ola knows these places like the back of his hand ..." Don't know why I thought of that ... might have been thinking about what #5 is. I go to Holy Smokes because it's convenient. I've been meaning to go to a specialty shop downtown, but we live too far away. I found that Dominican Republic cigars aren't too bad. One thing you might need to know about buying Upmann's, though. If you buy and Upmann's cigar with a serial number on the label, it means it was made in the Dominican. It's still an Upmann's cigar, but it wasn't made in Cuba. The ones made in Cuba don't have a serial number on the label. Gibson's whiskey by chance? I tried if for the first time out in Calgary and loved it. If my friend is hosting he'll usually put on a B&B or a good port wine. If I'm hosting, I'll usually put on some Crown Royal. The last time I put on B&B we ended up having too much. Cheers. |
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Post by CentreHice on Oct 14, 2008 21:21:26 GMT -5
Yep....Gibson's 18 whiskey.  And here's the Patron Cafe Tequila Liqueur.  Coffee and caramel taste with a tequila bite. |
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Post by cigarviper on Oct 14, 2008 21:34:45 GMT -5
From what I've learned, Castro actually gave a special blend of tobacco rolled for him known as Trinidad Fundadores to diplomats and dignitaries. They weren't avialable to buy from retailers until 1998 when they became instant classics. I think the Fundadore was one of the best overall cigars I've smoked to date, but the setting is everything in a smoke. The atmosphere, your state of mind and your company all play a role. mmm...Fundadores. 'Rolled on the thighs of sexy nubile Cuban women.'
Anyway, Castro is on record as saying the Cohiba Esplendido Lancero was his favourite. Then again, they are the most expensive brand of cigars the Cubans market. It's a universally recognizeable status symbol of success. Why wouldn't he push the brand? As a result of their popularity, Cohibas are the most susceptible brand to the black market where fakes outnumber the real thing. Don't ever buy Cuban cigars in Mexico or in Cuba for that matter unless it's from a government store, La Casa Del Habano. Cohibas sold on the beach, in the taxis, back alleys and through the waiter, door man, driver etc., all look very convincing with the hologram sticker, serial numbers on the box and authentic looking bands and accompanying paperwork are all fakes and if they suspect as such will confiscate them from you as you leave the island. A $565US box of Cohibas being sold for $25 because someone knows someone who works at the factory is the most common scam run on the touristas. If you manage to get your box of fake Cohibas home...well, do you want to know what you're really smoking? Anywhere from newspaper and banana leaves to mouse droppings and rat hair. At the very least, it's an inferior quality of tobacco.
Dis, you have to visit Smoker's Haven on Wellington. Tell Steven, Mike sent you. Also, try the Partagas Short, Bolivar Petit Corona, Trinidad Reyes and after a steak, the Saint Luis Rey Petit Corona if you like smaller smokes.
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Post by CrocRob on Oct 14, 2008 21:45:38 GMT -5
I save cigars for special occaisions, maybe have 6 or 7 a year. I don't know much about them, so I'm interested to hear what people have to say. I usually get a cigar that's about ~$15 or so. If there are suggestions I'll head to the variety store down the street and check them out.
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Post by CentreHice on Oct 14, 2008 22:15:19 GMT -5
I save cigars for special occaisions, maybe have 6 or 7 a year. I don't know much about them, so I'm interested to hear what people have to say. I usually get a cigar that's about ~$15 or so. If there are suggestions I'll head to the variety store down the street and check them out. $15 can get you a really, really good cigar, but I've never found one at a variety store. Fakes still abound. I'd rather go to a reputable tobacconist. Most of my cigars are in the $10-$12 range. I defer to CV on the best bangs-per-bucks. He's helped me for sure. |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 14, 2008 22:17:53 GMT -5
From what I've learned, Castro actually gave a special blend of tobacco rolled for him known as Trinidad Fundadores to diplomats and dignitaries. They weren't avialable to buy from retailers until 1998 when they became instant classics. I think the Fundadore was one of the best overall cigars I've smoked to date, but the setting is everything in a smoke. The atmosphere, your state of mind and your company all play a role. mmm...Fundadores. 'Rolled on the thighs of sexy nubile Cuban women.' I'll have to verify my source on this, CV. Thanks mate. I was under the impression that Castro gave away Cohibas. Very, very interesting. Will check this out tomorrow for sure. Will do mate. I know where Smoker's Haven is. Do they also have a large selection of pipe tobaccos as well? If so, a few of my military friends went there for that very thing. I think it's been around for years if it's the same one I'm thinking of. Much thanks again. Could I interest you in an Upmann's before Wednesday's game? Cheers. |
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Post by CrocRob on Oct 14, 2008 22:33:24 GMT -5
I save cigars for special occaisions, maybe have 6 or 7 a year. I don't know much about them, so I'm interested to hear what people have to say. I usually get a cigar that's about ~$15 or so. If there are suggestions I'll head to the variety store down the street and check them out. $15 can get you a really, really good cigar, but I've never found one at a variety store. Fakes still abound. I'd rather go to a reputable tobacconist. Most of my cigars are in the $10-$12 range. I defer to CV on the best bangs-per-bucks. He's helped me for sure. Haha I just realized how stupid that sounds. The variety store down the street has a walk-in humidor and carries probably 100 cigar varieties. |
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Post by CentreHice on Oct 14, 2008 22:43:38 GMT -5
$15 can get you a really, really good cigar, but I've never found one at a variety store. Fakes still abound. I'd rather go to a reputable tobacconist. Most of my cigars are in the $10-$12 range. I defer to CV on the best bangs-per-bucks. He's helped me for sure. I see.  Yeah, we have one of those in our city. But I've heard stories about fakes in there....even though inspectors come in regularly (so the cashier said). But, I'm not savvy enough to know the difference, which is why I stick to guaranteed reputable shops. I mean, if I'm going to spend $15 either way, I wanna know it's genuine. |
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Post by cigarviper on Oct 15, 2008 6:23:22 GMT -5
I save cigars for special occaisions, maybe have 6 or 7 a year. I don't know much about them, so I'm interested to hear what people have to say. I usually get a cigar that's about ~$15 or so. If there are suggestions I'll head to the variety store down the street and check them out. $15 can get you a really, really good cigar, but I've never found one at a variety store. Fakes still abound. I'd rather go to a reputable tobacconist. Most of my cigars are in the $10-$12 range. I defer to CV on the best bangs-per-bucks. He's helped me for sure. I remember buying a $100 Cohiba special release cigar at the Casa in T.O. Saved it for new year's eve a few months later. I've had MUCH better $3.00 cigars. The Cubans cater to the male ego with special edition/limited edition/fancy humidor cigars all the time. In the end the box and/or bands don't effect the taste one bit. I save cigars for special occaisions, maybe have 6 or 7 a year. I don't know much about them, so I'm interested to hear what people have to say. I usually get a cigar that's about ~$15 or so. If there are suggestions I'll head to the variety store down the street and check them out. You'd probably enjoy the Fonseca line. Mild Cuban smoke for the occassional smoker. Various sizes and price ranges represented. Could I interest you in an Upmann's before Wednesday's game? Cheers. Are you buying those by the box Dis? |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 15, 2008 7:10:41 GMT -5
Could I interest you in an Upmann's before Wednesday's game? Cheers. Are you buying those by the box Dis? Actually, no. I buy two every second week or so. They're just under $10 a piece. I've grown fond of them as well. I don't own a humidor, but will be purchasing one in November. How much would a box of Upmann's be by chance? Thing for me about cigars; I'm a reformed cigarette smoker (quit cold-turkey in the summer of '84). I haven't had a craving for a cigarette in well over 20-odd years and that hasn't changed since I started smoking cigars. I have no nicotine fix to take care of. There's no residual aftertaste even after I've been smoking one for 90 minutes (Cohiba Lanceros). And I don't need to tell you it's an outstanding smoke. If there's one thing about cigar smoking I've noticed since taking it up at the beginning of the summer, is that my mouth waters even when I'm just talking about them. Like now. I'll be picking up a couple tonight. No obligation to come over for the game, mate. I'll smoke them both over the next while anyway. Cheers. |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 15, 2008 7:30:13 GMT -5
From what I've learned, Castro actually gave a special blend of tobacco rolled for him known as Trinidad Fundadores to diplomats and dignitaries. They weren't avialable to buy from retailers until 1998 when they became instant classics. I think the Fundadore was one of the best overall cigars I've smoked to date, but the setting is everything in a smoke. The atmosphere, your state of mind and your company all play a role. mmm...Fundadores. 'Rolled on the thighs of sexy nubile Cuban women.' This is why I took it up actually. My friend and I usher in the weekend every Friday night by sitting on the back deck and smoking a cigar (with drinks of course). Relaxation outside as the sun disappears. Cheers. |
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Post by Doc Holliday on Oct 15, 2008 8:39:13 GMT -5
I know Cigar smoker usually don't consider themselves "smokers" but I've been a smoker 17 years and have completely stopped for 7 years now. Wasn't much of a cigar smoker though but a fine pipe with good tobacco was my thing.
Walk into a river very early in the morning with my fly fishing gear, catch a beautiful trout, then sit on a rock, light my pipe and listen to nature... That was Nirvana... Too bad I was coughing my lungs out towards the end...
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Oct 15, 2008 10:17:22 GMT -5
Thought it might be a good topic. An old army buddy of mine and I get together every Friday night to usher in the weekend with Cigars and drinks. When my buddy is hosting he'll bring out his Cohiba cigars. Originally, Cohibas were the private stock of Fidel Castro. You could only get them if he, himself, presented them to you as a gift. Now they're the Cadillac of cigars. I like trying different cigars but if I'm hosting I'll always end up going back to Upmanns (the ones sold by Loblaws, Holy Smokes; not sure which brand of Upmann's it is). It's a Cuban cigar that is much more affordable than Cohibas and is a great smoke for just under $10.00 a pop. They last about 45 minutes, whereas the Cohiba Lanceros last about double the time. John F. Kennedy smoked Petit Upmanns. Here's snippet of JFK's former Secretary telling a story about JFK and cigars as told by Pierre Salinger: There's another story about Kennedy, cigars and customs later in the snippet. Cheers. Stories about US Democratic Presidents and their cigars are more interesting with Clinton than Kennedy. Humidors are well and good but to keep cigars truly moist....... I do enjoy a good big cigar, many small shops that handmake cigars in LA. but I'm really a pipe smoker and have about 20 Brigham pipes with special blend black for flavor, cavendish to keep it burning and mildly flavored Rum burley for taste. Have to hide from the wife and daughter that can detect odors a month later on my clothes and are deathly afraid of me contracting cancer. |
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Post by clear observer on Oct 15, 2008 10:37:23 GMT -5
Stories about US Democratic Presidents and their cigars are more interesting with Clinton than Kennedy. Humidors are well and good but to keep cigars truly moist....... Spit-take.....coffee on my monitor, my desk, in my lap.... ...THIS post was worth it. |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 15, 2008 11:39:43 GMT -5
Stories about US Democratic Presidents and their cigars are more interesting with Clinton than Kennedy. Humidors are well and good but to keep cigars truly moist....... You mean, ask Bill what he did I knew someone who smoked Black Cavendish pipe tobacco. A very nice aroma. Cheers. |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 15, 2008 11:49:40 GMT -5
Here's a sinopsys on the Trinidad Fundadore you referred to earlier, CV. A cut and paste: Review #55: Just smoked a '99 one which took some prolonged humidor time to loosen up the draw a bit, but what magic smoke. Hallmark old Cuban cigar, perfectly living up to the myth of being a Diplomatic cigar and cigar of the "Maximo Lider" along with the Cohiba Lanceros. In fact, this was what I personally always anticipated from a Cohiba but never found it there. Strong and most intense, really got going after the first third. Intense, full+ classic aromas, leather, coffee, caramel, perfectly smooth, but perfectly blended with strong texture, structure and tastes. Very coating, oily, rich and long-lasting, just classic in any aspect. Perfect with coffee and brown spirits, a really strong smoke. IMHO, it brings together two streams within Cuban cigars: Rich aromatic profile and rich tastes. For me personally, Cohiba and Montecristos are too much focussed on delivering mere tastes but lacking the aromatic power and balance of this stick. Marvelous, and I love the size! 2.15 hours smoking pleasure. - Submitted by Hercule Poirot on June 20, 2008Quite the site this is. They'll only give you 15 looks a week on their page before they ask you to sign up. Looking at finding a price for one of these here in town. Cheers. |
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Post by cigarviper on Oct 15, 2008 17:06:44 GMT -5
Hey Dis, won't be able to join you for the game tonight but will definitely have a smoke with you anytime. I didn't know you were entering the world of cigars this summer. Shortly after I started smoking cigars, after being a non smoker for about 7 years, I also got into roasting my own coffee. Can't have an alcoholic beverage with every smoke cause sometimes I like to smoke early in the day. The two go hand in hand like bread and butter.
I think the Fundadore goes for around $30.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 15, 2008 17:25:41 GMT -5
Hey Dis, won't be able to join you for the game tonight but will definitely have a smoke with you anytime. I didn't know you were entering the world of cigars this summer. Shortly after I started smoking cigars, after being a non smoker for about 7 years, I also got into roasting my own coffee. Can't have an alcoholic beverage with every smoke cause sometimes I like to smoke early in the day. The two go hand in hand like bread and butter. I think the Fundadore goes for around $30. Might be something to look into when Mrs Dis and I are in Cuba this January. Right now I plan on bring back a box of H. Upmann and possibly a box of Cohiba Lanceros. I also plan on having one cigar a day for the week we're down there. Call it the Pepsi Challenge I guess. Will be calling your tobacconist tomorrow as well. I might be able to pop down over lunch to see what he has. The best time of day for me to have a cigar is when there's nothing left to do (a rarity, eh). I can just sit down and relax. My buddy also sent me a link that I'll have to read. He was taken off guard when I told him what you had posted about diplomatic cigars. Guess he has conflicting intelligence. Have to run. Wish I could lite one up in the rec room without setting off the alarm. Waadaaya goin' a do? Cheers. |
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Post by cigarviper on Oct 15, 2008 18:23:33 GMT -5
www.selectcigars.com/cuban/trinidad.fundadores.htmMight have to go to the store, Dis, Steven doesn't speak english so well. Anyway, his stock is top notch and well cared for. Besides, Holy Smokes won't let you in the humidor anymore. That sucks big time.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 16, 2008 6:37:07 GMT -5
www.selectcigars.com/cuban/trinidad.fundadores.htmMight have to go to the store, Dis, Steven doesn't speak english so well. Anyway, his stock is top notch and well cared for. Besides, Holy Smokes won't let you in the humidor anymore. That sucks big time. My buddy and I are looking at going there after work on Friday. Will tell Steven you sent us. Cheers. Edit: Thanks for the link, CV. The Fundadores might be an option for a special occasion. Cheers. |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 16, 2008 10:42:22 GMT -5
Had some time to get onto the Cigar Aficionado site and there's some interesting information. Here are some tid bits from an interview done with Fidel Castro. Note what he says about the Trinidad legend (below). * The name Cohiba is a native Indian name for cigars. * When asked whether Cohiba cigars were made exclusively for him he replied, "At first when the tobacco grower used to make it, he used to make it for himself and (my) bodyguard. And then for some time, he used to send me the same cigars, but I found it so good that I thought it could be a new brand. I thought that it would be worthwhile setting up a new factory to make this cigar." "When I was a student before the Revolution, I used to smoke different brands. Sometimes I used to smoke Romeo y Julieta Churchill, H. Upmann, Bauza, Partagas, but ever since I found Cohiba....It was so soft--and it was not an overly compact cigar. It was easy to smoke."Castro [holds a Cohiba Esplendido]: "This particular cigar is too tight in my opinion. The Cohiba should be easy to smoke. And it should burn very evenly, almost like a cigarette. I don't know much about the new Cohibas, but that was how the old ones were. When asked whether he gave away Trinidads: Castro: "No. I don't give Trinidads. I give Cohibas. I have been advising the people who are in charge of tobacco production, Cubatabaco, that they should come up with new brands and new blends. This would help the situation with the conflicts over the brands [with similarly named cigar brands from such countries as the Dominican Republic and Honduras. If we have the best raw material, we have the best soils and the best know-how, why shouldn't we create new brands?Interviewer: "The El Laguito factory has a brand called Trinidad, which they say is for you to give as personal gifts. It has become a legend." Castro: I am not fully aware of that brand, but I assume it is like the Lancero in size from Cohiba.Honest ... here's the link Castro Interview ... didn't know he smoked Upmann's either. There are other interviews as well. Look for the "People" field on the left of the main page. Might have to consider a box of Esplendido's in January. Cost pending of course. Have to run. Cheers. Edit: Here's another JFK story from the same interview, Castro: "But I will tell you an anecdote about that. You know that [President John F.] Kennedy was the one that set up the blockade. Every time a friend of his came back from Cuba, he made sure that he brought back some Cuban cigars." |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 16, 2008 11:16:49 GMT -5
One more from that site that was just sent to me by a good friend. The Man Who Created Cohiba
by James Suckling
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It was just another visit to a cigar store in Havana. The newly constructed shop in the Comodoro hotel, one of the city's premier hotels, was overseen by two people, who guided their guests into the humidor to show off the selection of top Havana brands. Off in the corner, a middle-aged man worked diligently rolling cigars.
At first glance, he seemed like just another roller who supplies freshly rolled cigars to passing tourists. Within a few minutes, it was clear that this man with an inviting smile and sure hands was more than just a simple roller. He was, in fact, one of the key figures involved in creating Cohiba and Davidoff cigars and the former personal cigar roller for Fidel Castro.
"I was both director and a roller at the El Laguito factory, from its beginning in 1963 to 1970," says Eduardo Rivera Irizarri, 54, as he rolls a torpedo-shaped cigar. "You understand that Fidel was the most threatened leader in the world, that there were a lot of assassination attempts against him, all the attempts made by the CIA. So, I was put in charge of making cigars for him. It was all very secretive."
Castro himself said that Cohiba, his favorite cigar, was invented by a friend of one of his bodyguards. That friend was Rivera. Rivera says it happened by chance in the early 1960s when his friend gave one of his cigars to Fidel. It was shaped like today's Cohiba Lancero, and Castro was interested in the cigar's elegant shape. He was even more impressed with the cigar after smoking it. "From that time on," Rivera says, "Fidel smoked nothing else, and I made cigars for him."
At the time, Rivera was working at the La Corona factory in downtown Havana, near the capitol building. He sourced his tobacco there and made a few cigars a day according to a personal blend, which became the basis for Cohiba and, later, Davidoff. "I was a roller of the first rank," he says proudly. "I had been a tobacco man since I was a little boy. After I started making the cigars for Fidel, I rolled them in my house, and for a while I did it in La Corona, only for Fidel."
Government officials quickly decided to give Rivera carte blanche to make Castro's cigars, which soon became a coveted diplomatic gift as well. Rivera says that Castro was the only one with the authority to give the cigars away. He soon began working closely with one of Castro's secretaries, Celia Sanchez, to create an official brand for Castro.
"We decided on Cohiba," he recalls, pointing out that the brand was first used in 1966; until then they were given away unbranded. It wasn't until the early 1980s that Cohiba was actually commercialized. "Our native peoples called the tobacco plant 'Cohiba.' It was also used to describe something that was done with a lot of care. In its production, the tobacco was carefully selected for [its] aromatic and flavor characteristics. The farms we used were the finest in the country."
El Laguito, the factory where most Cohibas are still produced, is located in the suburbs of Havana. It was started as a rolling school for women, but Rivera, who was involved at every level, remembers having about 20 rollers at the beginning to make cigars. Production began at about 650,000 cigars. "Within a few years, we realized that we had enough production to commercialize something," he says. "So we contacted Zino Davidoff and asked him to discuss such a project."
Davidoff visited in 1969, and Rivera spent three days with him,trying different blends and discussing every aspect of producing Davidoff cigars in Havana. About a year later, the first Davidoffs left the doors of El Laguito. "I met with Davidoff, talked with him and exchanged the first impressions with him," Rivera recalls. "We conducted some negotiations to put the brand name on our cigars. At that time, he wanted to buy the factory, but that was against the policy of the government."
The last Davidoff Havana was made in 1990, after the Cubans and the Swiss company severed their relationship. Rivera says that the blends for Davidoff were slightly different than those for Cohiba, but that the sizes were the same until Davidoff began making the chateau series cigars (Margaux, Latour and others) at La Corona.
In 1970, Rivera decided to leave El Laguito, and Avelino Lara, who retired last year, became the new director. "Things changed, so I left," Rivera says. "I believed that things had to be done optimally, or I wouldn't do it. I went back to the farm to work a piece of property that I owned, and I forgot all about cigars."
Rivera wouldn't elaborate further about his departure, but it must have been a difficult time for a man who began rolling cigars at the Por Larrañaga factory in 1957. Since 1970, he hadn't had a thing to do with cigars until he began rolling cigars at the Comodoro earlier this year. He was filling in for a friend who was on a trip to Hong Kong.
"I just came in to help the man out," Rivera says. "But I am really happy to be back with cigars." The link |
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Post by CentreHice on Oct 16, 2008 19:52:46 GMT -5
Just had an Oliveros 1927 Churchill. Mostly leather in taste. The Patron Cafe Tequila rounded it out very nicely. Got harsh in the final quarter. About a 45-minute smoke. Outside....a little chilly, but worth it. Anyone had one of these? Very affordable. The cigar shop down the street featured 20% off every cigar in September. So I bought 5 of these. About $8 each. Great value. The prices on this website are way out of line, I think. Too inexpensive. $3.75 for a Churchill? Come on.....that's more like White Owl prices. Then again....the shipping likely adds up. |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Oct 16, 2008 20:15:22 GMT -5
Just had an Oliveros 1927 Churchill. Mostly leather in taste. The Patron Cafe Tequila rounded it out very nicely. Got harsh in the final quarter. About a 45-minute smoke. Outside....a little chilly, but worth it. Anyone had one of these? Very affordable. The cigar shop down the street featured 20% off every cigar in September. So I bought 5 of these. About $8 each. Great value. The prices on this website are way out of line, I think. Too inexpensive. $3.75 for a Churchill? Come on.....that's more like White Owl prices. Then again....the shipping likely adds up. Can't say I've smoked one of those, CH. White Owls? ;D Yet, that said, your Patron Cafe Tequila might be an adventure. We're stopping in to the shop CV told me about tomorrow after work. Might be picking up a box of H. Upmann's if the price is right. My buddy has a humidor I can store them in if necessary. Then again we're both looking at trying one of these Trinidad Fundadore cigars. He said he's seen them for around $15/16 bucks or so. If that's right I think I might be in for a 2-hour smoke tomorrow night. Not sure what we'll be drinking though. Maybe a little B&B. Cheers. |
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Post by cigarviper on Oct 16, 2008 20:23:22 GMT -5
"The El Laguito factory has a brand called Trinidad, which they say is for you to give as personal gifts. It has become a legend." Castro: "I am not fully aware of that brand..." Isn't it wierd that the a very well known cigar factory in Cuba says it makes the Trinis for Castro to give as gifts yet he hasn't heard of the brand? Not sure what to think of any of this, but suffice to say that the Cohibas are way overpriced for what you get. More confusion, but then again, this is Cuba we're talking about. Everything there is snafu: Two names that have been spoken with great reverence in the Cuban context are Cohiba and Trinidad. These were the Marques (brands) specially rolled for Fidel Castro, for his personal use and for diplomatic gifts. The well-regarded El Laguito factory, employing only women rollers, was chosen to manufacture these exclusive cigars, first Cohiba in 1968 and then Trinidad (1980). Cohiba cigars were only released to the commercial world in 1982, and Trinidad in 1998. Ironically both marques first appeared as long, slim cigars (panatellas): Cohiba as Lanceros (Ring 38 x 192mm) and Corona Especiales (Ring 38 x 152mm); Trinidad as Fundadores (Ring 40 x 192mm). Fine as they are, none of them is easy to smoke, and these shapes are less favoured to-day. In 1992 (5 centuries after Columbus's epic voyage) Cohiba created the Linea 1492 range of sizes named "Siglo" - the Spanish word for "Century": Siglo I - Half Corona - Ring 40 x 102mm Siglo II - Petit Corona - Ring 42 x 129mm Siglo III - Royal Corona - Ring 42 x 155mm Siglo IV - Corona Extra - Ring 46 x 143mm Siglo V - Corona Grande - Ring 43 x 170mm and later (in the next century) Siglo VI - Short Double Corona - Ring 52 x 150mm This range, together with the more recently released, great Cohiba Robusto (Ring 50 x 124mm), has been highly successful, winning world acclaim. Trinidad usurped Cohiba as the "Fidel" and Diplomatic gift cigar in 1980, and was then launched commercially in 1998 - but still in only one size, the Fundadores. www.wesleys.co.za/archives19.htm |
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Post by CentreHice on Oct 16, 2008 20:26:56 GMT -5
I was reading up on those Fundadores.....wow, they sound fantastic. Let me know, and I'll ask the guy here if he can get them in.
Sorry, but I'm not familiar with B & B. I know of J&B scotch.
Are you talking about Benedictine and Brandy?
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Post by cigarviper on Oct 16, 2008 20:32:58 GMT -5
Just had an Oliveros 1927 Churchill. Mostly leather in taste. The Patron Cafe Tequila rounded it out very nicely. Got harsh in the final quarter. About a 45-minute smoke. Outside....a little chilly, but worth it. Anyone had one of these? Very affordable. The cigar shop down the street featured 20% off every cigar in September. So I bought 5 of these. About $8 each. Great value. The prices on this website are way out of line, I think. Too inexpensive. $3.75 for a Churchill? Come on.....that's more like White Owl prices. Then again....the shipping likely adds up. When I first started smoking cigars I found Cubans to be too overpowering for my tastebuds. I went through almost every well known brand of non-Cuban cigars made by Padron, Fuente, etc., until one day I was offered an aged Bolivar Belicoso Fino at the La Casa lounge in Toronto. I've tried a few non-Cubans since then but was always left unsatisfied. I'm cursed cause there are alot more inexpensive cigars not made in Cuba out there. |
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Post by cigarviper on Oct 16, 2008 20:43:07 GMT -5
Then again we're both looking at trying one of these Trinidad Fundadore cigars. He said he's seen them for around $15/16 bucks or so. Dis, if you can find a Fundy for fifteen bucks in a Canadian retail store please let me know. In fact, they might be closer to $45-$50. Amazing smoke though. I've never had a Cohiba that came even close. Steven should have some stock with a little age on 'em. Do you have the date codes for the older stuff? All very cloak and dagger, lol. |
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Yeah, we have one of those in our city. But I've heard stories about fakes in there....even though inspectors come in regularly (so the cashier said). 
