lanikai

This is a good question TJ.. .. a good cigar is not meant to be inhaled.. and if it is a full bodied smoke you really would not want to inhale the draw.. it is not pleasurable at all.. try to inhale a Strong Cuban and ... well, let's jus say you have problems if you can without an adverse reaction.. these sticks are not "harsh".. just very heavy .. "Full Bodied".. the "Palate" and how it is at the time of the smoke is all important !!.. What you eat before has everything to do with the pleasure and enjoyment of the smoke..the very strong full bodied vitola's need a very hearty meal to bring out the right chemistry of the palate.. the cigar taste jus sooo full of flavour.. And on Point .. yes it is about the "Flavour" ... some sticks work best with chicken or Fish.. others with red meat .. and a full course.. since I do not drink alcohol.. I love my cigars with Dr. Pepper.. Pepsi .. and other assorted soda pop .. the sweetness and carbonation really add to the smoke for me.. the carbonation rerfreshes my pallate.. believe it or not.. oh, and of course coffee I do enjoy "light" bodied cigars .. if they have great Flavours.. but inhaling a good cigar is like pinching your nose shut while drinking fine cognac ... you cannot taste anything and everyones palate is different .. as are our chemistries .. so when your palate is used to certain brands .. another stronger vitola.. will not do it for you.. in the past if I smoked a Cuban.. then the next day smoked a very good dominican.. I would not be able to get any taste from the dominican..finally I jus gave in and started collecting Habanos brands to age.. that is once my palate discovered the joy and flavour of the aged Habanos.. hope that answered your Question somewhat..

don't hesitate on the El Morro's 01... 90 % of them will be outstanding.. the other 10% will just be great.. .. they are very consistant in their Quality I think the Muralla needs age yet.. and the Mercaderes definately another few years.. but the 01 El Morro... it will not dissapoint !!.. darker chocolate wrapper than the other large size SC's And yes, I am partial to the more full bodied Monaco's .. i have an box of Tubos (Monaco's) that I have not tried yet.. been sitting on it for a few years now.. the silver tube with the green lettering.. I still have an abundance of 03 Monacos so I will jus let the tubos age properly.. the rainy season is here so now the maintanence of my chests somes into play.. I constantly have to extract the moisture.. My 1999 Partagas Presidentes .. have finally come back from another sick period.. a year and a half ago... they are a very unusual stick for the partagas Brand.. and One more year for my boxes of Cuaba Salamones ... they are a deeper shade now.. and much red tint in them.. they should not be smoked unless at least 5 years old.. they smell like freshly cut grass when young..

Ahh yes.. Fuente Opus X .. but look and find out where the ligero comes from.. not the Dominican.. Edit Add:.. I should add that the Opus X is the only vitola outside of Cuba that I find can be aged to improve... not meaning it gets more full bodied than the Cubans.. and for 30 usd plus I will stick with the habanos SA brands.. although Fuentes does ahve great smokes.. if you are talking 1200 "box" Humidor .. then that is a good number of boxes.. I'll keep reviewing the "Big Boy's" .. then move onto the Robustos .. Torpedo's .. Lonsdales .. etc.

OLA!! . . . where you guy's been ?? . a couple of friends had the "privelege" of visiting the "Isle south of Miami" .. and were blown away by the warmth of the people.. and hospitality !!.. it is a dream of mine to one day visit the culture .. and factories.. they even were allowed to attempt to roll a vitola themselves.. The art of the Cuban Cigar is next to none.. the curing is different from anyplace else.. but the ammonia coming out of the bundles makes one dizzy I hear.. this is when the ammonia is released from the tobaco.. it happens too when your sticks reach their "sick" period.. it may or may not happen.. I only had a few boxes go "sick".. takes about a year or two for them to get well.. but worth the wait.. It takes 10 to 15 years to reach the "master roller" seat in the factory.. I can now tell which roller had his hand on certain boxes.. it's like you come to know them.. they have their own signature to their sticks.. from box to box.. some are tighter than others and the real Masters have such a magic touch to their art.. They only roll certain brands and ring gauges for years.. Cuba also has the best athletes "per capita" than anyother Nation.. baseball especially.. their training facilities are terrible .. but thieir hearts are that of champions..

. . . . . . you are from the "Mother Land " of Habanos SA ?? . . Welcome Friend.. .. Nice to make your acquaintance . . . *pssst* (someone get this members vitals)

Great wrist shot of the Watch.. congrats Big Time !!.. the weather clearing up like that for one day is fo sure a good Omen of things to come for you and your beautiful Bride Dave !!!!!!!! all the best in the years to come !! Aloha Pume Hana.. ( everlasting Love).. R

I also do have a box of the San Cristobal only not the mercaderes. I will give them ago when i can find one with a bit of age on it. Here 2 pics of my Cristobal`s Great stick retep.. I have a box of the Muralla's .. they are awesome.. you must try an aged El Morro.. the strongest of the SC line.. your lips will turn numb at the end.. sweet.. woodsy.. nutty.. and if your not used to strong Cubans.. your lips will turn raw if you nub it, I smoke a large stick daily and my lips still turn raw with the Muralla.. Luci's too.... I have the initial release and they are powerful full flavoured !! Beautiful wrapper on the Muralla... The Muralla is exeptional too...what is the box code on yours ? I have the Sir Winston's 01 and the H Upmann Monarcas ... you will find the only difference in the Sir Winstons and the Monarcas is the price.. same ligero.. and wrapper.. the Sir Winstons are much more pricey.. so I jus let them age and smoke my 01 Monarcas .. you have great taste in vitola's btw.. Edit add: .. you must try the Principe.. (if you haven't already).. awesome little petite with flavour to die for !! .. great for a 40 minute after lunch stick..

Now I know you know your sticks S... Nicaragua is the only cigar outside of Cuba Worth a mention ... there is a valley there where the tobaco is grown .. and the soil and the climate are the closest to Cuba .. but Cuba has years of R&D that goes into there seeds.. after the crops were wiped out in the early nineties by the hurricanes.. they developed new seedlings.. (hybrids) to fight the deseases that affected the plants.. unfortunatey the leaf now is not as strong as they once used to be.. they are sill the most full bodied smokes in the World.. but back in the early 90's when you smoked a Rafael Gonsolves you would actually break out in a sweat and if you were not used to the stregnth.. would get very dizzy I really love the Partagas Profile.. rich .. flavourful .. strong as an ox .. the EMS (English Market Selection) are really some of the best in the World.. You mates are very lucky !! Once you get a rotation going you have to buy a box of whatever .. then put it away and "forget about it" .. like I did with my Montecristo petite Edmundos.. 3 years ago I bought the new release.. and jus remembered them last week.. time to give one a try.. Yes.. to all the non smokers.. imagine .. Cofffe flavours.. woodsy.. like when you drink brandy that has been aged in oak barrels ... chocolate.. spice.. nutty flavours.. vanilla .. floral.. fruity ... leathery smells.. all these comprise the brands .. very complex ..nothing like cigarettes .. cigars have a natural sweetness.. ya gotta have a smoking den ... what do ya do when watching sporting events ?? gotta do it bro.... rocky patels.. very good.,. I have 2 that he custom rolled on a trip to Cuba's Cohiba Factory .. someday I jus may smoke them.. @Chief..... those pics are reserved for the cigar Afficienado mags.. that have the sexy female lips with red gloss lips gently about to put them around a vitola .. unless we got members here into lip gloss.. not me thanks

Thought I would do something different as far as a review.. only catch is, if you are not a Cigar Afficianado .. or a sometime cigar smoker.. then this thread is not for you My experience with the "leaf of the Gods" started as it relaxed me on the Golf course.. but one day many years ago a friend brought back Bolivars and Cohiba's from Canada.. I was spoiled for life !! Because smoking a Habanos is like comparing Hamburger without seasoning to a Rib Eye.. Keawe grilled, with all the trimmings... Unbelievable.. The only thing is at an early age the Cubans are good but not yet great !!.. it takes some years for the oils to come of age.. ergo improving the flavour and body..IMO.. there is nothing more sinful than firing up a Habanos that is boxed the same year you are lighting it up.. such a waste of years of dedication to growing .. harvesting and curing.. rolling and aging before they are released to the habanos vendors.. Geography also comes into play.. Hong Kong.. Singapore.. EMS~(English Market Selection, also the most expensive) .. Canada.. and Geneva,.. are some of the best vitolas I have had.. others from various parts of the World have not held the same standards.. so IMO .. Cuba has its Fav countries.... and of course knowing your counterfiets.. I have had young cigars that are just a waste to light up.. and then the same cigar from the same box after 3 to 5 years.. and .... euphoric !! .. so age is important.. also .. overaging can ruin certain ones .. IMO.. I regulate all my boxes (humidity).. like working in a garden it takes time and passion.. anyway .. more History and care tips later..let's get on with this threads choice.. The San Cristobal Line was relesed in Havana in November 1999 and introduced in Hong Kong in 2001.. and of course it was too early to tell the true greatness this brand could achieve.. even in 2003.. but the Principe had real promise.. I will leave the El Morros for another review.. (my fav for the larger gauge in the SC line.. I have the 2001 ) I recieved the El Mecaderes in 2005.. and had one in 2006.. (not impressed) .. I jus tried another from the same box last week.. ~SNAP~!!!! got it goin on SC!! Big difference in flavour and body.. Medium stregnth ..(by Cuban standards) .. flavour is all there.. fruity.. woody.. a little spice.. So I ordered another Box.. code 2007 .. all I have to do is age it until 2011 or 20012 .. maybe have a few along the way.. just to gauge it's progress.. El Mercaderes Size: Churchill Stregnth: Medium ( Cuban standards ) Minimum aging 3.. 5 years is much better Flavour: Starts fruity.. Woodsy.. then ends strong.. spice Here it is .. Seals are all in place Box code Beautiful Varnished Cedar Box... Almost there.. Ahhhhhh.. the fragrance of a freshly opened box of Habanos.. gorgeous colour.. deep .. wrapper.. San Cristobal .. was the Original name of "Havana" in the 16th century.. there was a fort of the same name.. The El Mercaderes In Summary.. the EL Mercaderes "Will" with age give you a very satisfying 2 hours of enjoyment .. I actually would choose the EL Morro over the Cohiba Esplendido.. the Cohiba line is Good.. but needs many years to achieve it's full potential.. Cohiba to impress.. San Cristobol for pure enjoyment.. as this brand gives me more flavour and body than the Cohiba line .. I have many boxes of cohiba.. I would not turn them down.. but many young smokers follow this line for the "Brand Name" .. so in closing I hope you enjoyed my first attempt at the cigar Review.. next up .. the Hoyo.. DC.. another one of my favs.. but then again what isn't.. btw.. finishing the Parti D-4.. mmm very strong full body.. full of spicey flavour.. Aloha~Cheers Lani

My very first Ziggy Mod Magic .. 029 for Friday Actually for those that remember.. this was "saved" by the Zig . Have a very SAFE Halloween.. RWG !!

your kidding right about the watch oil ?? Inovation is the mother of all invention.

Jake say's it well.. to add.. IMO .. you will wait a very long time for a 1:1 (of the top brands) maybe the makers put the flaws in on purpose.. (for obvious reasons) But we have seen some awesome reps out this year.. and some that are .. so-so .. and others that are laughable But all in all 100 usd will not get you much "anywhere" these day's ... It's nice that the "flaming" has cooled down.. (pun intended) .. IMO we are working as a community.. and not groups with "agenda's" it's more relaxing for me anyway.. and in actuality .. I was quite happy with the price tag of the BP.. granted it's an asian movement.. but the genuine has the same beat.. it is supposed to be jerky.. the weight is great on the rep.. the engraving on the case back and deployment are first rate ... the crystal and AR are pretty darn good.. and if the only thing that is a huge issue is the D. Window and strap.. well I can gladly live with those flaws .. with Aarons pilot straps .. I believe a lot of members will be sporting this rep for a long time.. just another of my opinions..so take it for what it's worth.. I don't want to start a debate on old issues here..

jus emailed ... Aaron.. and finally got around to ordering my APROO gator that I was going to order 3 months ago... wonder how ash black buffalo with red stiching would look on the blacksteel.. Looks fantastic Theo.. Live Strong and Wear it Well !!! Aloha~Cheers Lani

. . . I was thinking how the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii is making the weather too warm and muggy here... I rescind my thoughts... ... I like eating ice cream year round.. don't think I would be eating it in that weather... the watches don't stop due to freezing weather??

WOW Theo !!.. that strap is ~SNAP~ !!! I keep telling Aaron I need a grey gator ... and yesterday I forgot to email him to go ahead.... but this jus nailed it for me.. thanks for the great pic... it looks sweet Ma Man !!!! L

OHH.. .. dunno.. a few.. Thanks E... Aloha~Cheers R

Aarons Straps are built to OEM specs.. they fit perfectly with the deployment and lugs .. no need to give him measurements.. jus order as "OEM' standard .. there is one deviation, on mine.. the OEM legnth is a bit too long for me.. it fits but the hole side rides too high up off the keeper.. so Aaron shortened it a couple of mm's for me..on the hole side.. Acetone or any petrolium based solvent will strip any AR... use water and a polishing cloth.. usually jus an old undershirt will do.. do not use any polishes on the crystal.. there is no need to .. If you decide to polish the bezel in the future use a dremel for more control.. and tape your crystal with the blue tape that is used to tape glass when painters paint around it..you can pick it up at the hardware stores..

FYI ... Blue divers strap.. also Chiefs AR.. Jus some quick pics.. loosing light sorry .. summers over The Black Chrono is still my Fav ... but as a different look .. still,.. the black divers strap may be more appealing.. oh well .. now you can decide.. thanks for viewing.. L

I still fancy the UPO Black dial on bracelet .. so for Thursday Franken UPO OR . . Getting ready for Tricks or Treats with my Franken UPO Pumpkin

sounds .. or rather it must look like what happened to my Ingy after recieving it back from DW swap.. the second hand was not secured .. so the hand was loose and jerked and stuttered a lot .. if you can attempt to remove the second hand and reapply it in place.. I know, everyone told me it's easy .. sure after you've sucessfully done it .. it is.. you need a couple of low cost tools from Ofrei.. anyway that is my experience with what this sounds like.. Edit add .. the end result was the cannon pin was broken..i recieved it back that way from a mod in CONUS

yaron .. my friend it is good to see you on the board !!.. this timepiece is to your taste I believe.. don't get me started you two.. .. both leather and spagetti straps.. or very low back-ass .. sheesh.. get the testosterone soaring.. Thanks Hyster... "We" are a class act here because of one another !!

Congrats !!!.. Big Time Laz !!!!!!!!!!!! .. you Da Man ... Nuff Said

first thank you !.. for what it's worth.. if your movement stops periodically .. as my grey and black both did.. I checked out the regulator.. ther are 2 "arms" .. ( for lack of better tech knowledge).. the lower arm was blocking the balance wheel from rotating.. a slight adjusment of the lower arm corrected this .. I need to post some macro pics as to what I am trying to explain.. I know Ziggy can help us explain this as only he can put it words even I'll understand.. i believe since they made the A7750 with working regulator.. this is an issue that either they have not resolved or cannot resolve at the factory.. almost every A7750 that I have gotten i have had to regulate.. either 5 or 10 minutes to fast or slow.. or the movement stops.. on all these 3 issues it had to do with the regulating arm.. now not being anything of a watchsmith.. it must be this .. cause (knock on wood).. after adjusting the arms the watch is running almost spot on to time .. and in the issue of stopping this has addressed that issue also.. Bottom line is this is the easiest of all fixes .. since I can do it.. anyone can.. the replies reminds me .. I have an HK Tan antique gator that I think would look good on the grey dial.. I posted the black dial with the breitling leather strap and an HK Tan black gator strap also...

I'm hooked not only on Reps.. but on HK's straps .. http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=79917 I have most of the straps at 21mm from Aaron.. but ordered a few at 22mm.. and they will fit nicely on the 21mm lugs .. I jus put them between my teeth.. (not very high tech) and make them compress some.. the pics of my 3717 in the link above are of 22mm.. I do this so I can alternate the straps with my BP this is Aaron's email.. for those interested... aarontanhk@hotmail.com here's a pic of the lugs.. no problem.. it does not looked scrunched at all.. but will fit perfectly on my BP