ryyannon Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 I don't order via web site.. my contacts are through refferal only.. they belong to the Habanos SA consortium and travel to Cuba to select the vitolas.... I think the one who started the thread is buying from habanosdirect... Whoops...sorry, Lanikai - I got my references crossed and thought you had posted the reference to habanosdirect...when it was, in fact, JoJo35. Talk about being befuddled.... Time for a little Hemlock tea to clear my head Update: did a rapid Google search to try to ascertain the credibility of habanodirect.com and could not find anything negative. There was a rip-off imitation site known as hananosdirect.com, but clearly not the same company. The former has been in business since 1947 (according their own info) and is located in Spain - with warehouses(?) in the Canary Islands, which might explain their being able to get around EU VAT. Are these people the real deal or not? First glance say yes; more experienced smokers here might see red flags or know the real story... What say you guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retep Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 I`ve got a couple of vintage boxes from Switzerland, 2 boxes RyJ churchils From `98, 1 box Bolivar Coronas Gigantes `99 and they are excellent. The sir winstons i have from `03 are fenomenal. Although my selfmade humi is 98% filled with Cubans i also really enjoy the Olivia v-serie torpedo a lot lately. If not smoked yet you shoud try one, great value for money. My monty nr.2`s are from 06 and i find it a great smoke. i know i`m not that experienced so maybe it`s due to that Min Ron Nee has written a great book but this guy is aging his cigars 10, 20, 30 years. Thats not something anyone can do. Lack of money and space to start with. The guy has more than 100.000 cigars i believe. This contact of you in Switzerland does he have a site? Nice to have a few botl around here :happy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 Whoops...sorry, Lanikai - I got my references crossed and thought you had posted the reference to habanosdirect...when it was, in fact, JoJo35. Talk about being befuddled.... Time for a little Hemlock tea to clear my head Update: did a rapid Google search to try to ascertain the credibility of habanodirect.com and could not find anything negative. There was a rip-off imitation site known as hananosdirect.com, but clearly not the same company. The former has been in business since 1947 (according their own info) and is located in Spain - with warehouses(?) in the Canary Islands, which might explain their being able to get around EU VAT. Are these people the real deal or not? First glance say yes; more experienced smokers here might see red flags or know the real story... What say you guys? as it has been done before by others .. spain will have very good quality however they are notorious for conterfiet also.. you would have to be certain that they are habanos sa certified.. the box codes and even tax stamps are brilliant as are their boxes... have had rookies at this get burned a lot from sites in spain... i cannot divulge how i obtain my sticks... but you can not go to Habanos "SA" directly unless you have a source in Cuba.. but if you live in EU you have very good quality already ... the only advantage (and a big one) to going out of country is to avoid the taxes and duties which can be very costly. Hong Kong is duty free.. however the habanos site mentioned is good but not as good as you would like.. although their smaller gauges are not bad.. when ordering unbanded sticks the paper work is done to avoid costly taxes but now customs is scrutinizing paper work more ... I am familiar with the canary islands pitch.. ahhhhh... A group was popped in florida 2 years ago .. millions in conterfiet Cohibas.. glass tops..cohib never made glass top boxes.. they racked in millions off this scam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 I`ve got a couple of vintage boxes from Switzerland, 2 boxes RyJ churchils From `98, 1 box Bolivar Coronas Gigantes `99 and they are excellent. The sir winstons i have from `03 are fenomenal. Although my selfmade humi is 98% filled with Cubans i also really enjoy the Olivia v-serie torpedo a lot lately. If not smoked yet you shoud try one, great value for money. My monty nr.2`s are from 06 and i find it a great smoke. i know i`m not that experienced so maybe it`s due to that Min Ron Nee has written a great book but this guy is aging his cigars 10, 20, 30 years. Thats not something anyone can do. Lack of money and space to start with. The guy has more than 100.000 cigars i believe. This contact of you in Switzerland does he have a site? Nice to have a few botl around here :happy: Agree, Min Ron Nee ... it is runored that he has a shop... about 40 to 50K will get you a good rotation of vintage smokes and there are ways to accelerate aging but that is only for the smokes that you plan on smoking daily.. just finished a robaina Unicos 3 years old,.. that was from Geneva.. Geneva has great quality i agree.. and the difference in one more year of aging is like 100 % better.... still have NNSC codes that I have not even broken the box yet.. can't bring myself to do it.. get a hold of some SLR double C's .. IMHO they are the most full bodied at about 5 years of the big boy's.. your lips will be numb for a while and quite raw.... the Punch churchills are stronger and more flavoursome than the Punch DC's.. and the Bolivar Lonsdales are more bodied than the bolivar Gigantes.. a little more nutty and woodsy too... sitting on 100 sticks to age... but i snag one now and again .. so good. the discontinued lonsdales Ramone Allones is over 5 years but still need more time .. leaving them alone for now.. sweet but the flavour is stil coming out.. Hoyo Epi's got 03's they change from super sweet to full bodied pure hoyo.. the epi shorts are better after just 1 to 2 years ..hard to find RA DC's from 01 now... mostly 06-07 too young .. such a waste to smoke early.. that and the SLR are great.. the SLR lonsdales .. I rate that very .. very high.. nice floral .. but very nice flavour.. needs to be about 5 years..the Partagas( one of my favourite profiles) churchills are phenominal!!! very spicey 97's strong,sweet woodsy very complex smoke you have some nice box codes.. enjoy your smokes.. better stop I could go on all night long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retep Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 the Partagas( one of my favourite profiles) churchills are phenominal!!! very spicey 97's strong,sweet woodsy very complex smoke Oeps, i forgot to mention that one, a box of Partagas Churchills de luxe from `00. You know your cigar stuff very well. So this Andre guy must be kept a secret? How about the regionales? We have the special benelux edition ramon allones ss gran robusto. I think very promising for the future. Would have loved to get the mexican edition though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 Oeps, i forgot to mention that one, a box of Partagas Churchills de luxe from `00. You know your cigar stuff very well. So this Andre guy must be kept a secret? How about the regionales? We have the special benelux edition ramon allones ss gran robusto. I think very promising for the future. Would have loved to get the mexican edition though. getting some of those RA's the last I got was the Asians... i will see if my geneva guy is taking anymore clients,.. has a shop in geneva he calls me every once in a while .. been awile since i opened the humidors with my RA regionals .. it'll be a while till those get fired up though now you remind me of my Partagas 898 boxes i put away to forget about.. man the partagas profile.. the only partagas i smoke right away are the shorts.. on my drive to the other side of the island... can't keep my hands off them.. had 100 i aged and in a little over 3 months.. gone...but i got another 2 cabs ready to go .(rotation).hehehe.. P2's and D4's from 04 are potent!! Partagas connisuer is also very good.. got quite a few partagas espesialles (discontinued replace by petites) they are finally coming of age .. stonger than the petites.. bolivar PC"S need at least 2 to 3 years before they are really good... got 2 cabs of Por laranaga aging for 2 years .. some are arriving from 06 so now i can start dipping into the aged cabs.. my RASS is now about ready .. had 04 and 05's the 04's are about ready to smoke..i gotta think the RA DC's are one of my favs.. hard to come buy good vintage so grab um if you fan find at least 04 - 05 .. worth the bucks.. i like them better than Esplendido's more complex and nutty,.. with coffee flavours.. i alway's nub the heck out of those You really gotta try the San Cristobal .. El Morros.. they aged well and are the newest inthe habanos line released 00 ... they are sooo flavoursome and aged at least 2 - 3 years are so .. so .. flavoursome and full bodied .. not to complex at this stage of development.. great promise for 5 to 10 years these have. ever get to try the punch super selection 2 they are one of my fav from the punch line.. discontinued // all the montes are so good when at least 2 to 3 years otherwise they are flat, to me anyway .. the Cohiba lancero's are overpriced and not even worth it until at least 5 years and up and at 25 usd a pop .. i will stick with the Trinidad and Monte pigtails .. the monte pigtails are unbelievably great .. not good great, not great , great. i have the 01's. .. strongest out of the Monte line..i remember in the 90's when cubans were so strong .. now with the new generation of seedlings .. the brand .. Rafael Gonsolves.. used to be the strongest. is very mild yunless u go fro the small petite size.. their lonsdale was to die for.. man they were once FULL BODIED .. almost forgot .. you probably already had some but the partagas presidentes.. very .. very good .. all the partagas line needs age or they taste just really good .. not great.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryyannon Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 You guys are in an entirely different league: makes me want to give it all up and accomodate myself to smoking Hav-a-Tampas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retep Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 You guys are in an entirely different league: makes me want to give it all up and accomodate myself to smoking Hav-a-Tampas! Nonsense! It`s all about taste and enjoyment. I`m a novice compared too Lanikai but know when i like or dislike a cigar. But it`s always nice to get good tips or compare tastes. Have read a lot about cigars and it`s like the more you know the more you don`t know. i will see if my geneva guy is taking anymore clients Thank you. now you remind me of my Partagas 898 boxes i put away to forget about.. man the partagas profile.. The 8-9-8 is indeed a wonderfull smoke. I had 3 sticks of the Partagas Seleccion Privada No 1. The best Dalia ever! You really gotta try the San Cristobal .. El Morros.. Will do. Had one Muralla and thought i was smoking blue berries, loved it. almost forgot .. you probably already had some but the partagas presidentes.. very .. very good .. all the partagas line needs age or they taste just really good .. not great.. As a matter of fact i just talked with a friend about them a week or so ago. We said the same thing after smoking two out of different boxes. The aged ones are so much better. Man you have so much more cigars then me. I try to buy them as old as i can due to capacity restrictions. Have 20 or so boxes right know and almost no space left. Have you tried the New Bolivar gold medal? Smoked one right out of a box of ten and although young very promising. I try to let them age a couple of years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted December 26, 2007 Report Share Posted December 26, 2007 For my Cristmas smoke I choose the SLR double coronas as this is one of my favorite Big sticks... it is arguably the stongest most full bodied powerful of the big boys.. although I have had Ramone Allones that can be just as full bodied..... i don't just go for stregnth and body but they have to be matched with good flavour before and after a good "pull"... If the vitola is medium stregnth but full of flavour like the Punch Coronation tubos.. I'm down with that profile also If i find one exeptional stick out of 5 ... that's the one that mkes it all worth coming back..imagine not every apple is the same off the same tree .. so i suspect the same is apparent with anything that is grown.. the profile for the SLR DC.. the wrapper is very sweet ( the rare ones are super sweet) .. and the flavour starts with the very first pull... it is total "bean' flavour.. coffee,.. vanilla.. very nutty and spicey... subtle flavours all mixed together then toward the end it will turn stronger and more spice ... the one in the pic is from an 02 box code.. this is a 2 DVD stick..the better the stick the slower i smoke em... savour the relaxing flavour.. notice the light Plume on this one.. I have Muralla's aging.. when they first were released they were very plain but since they are of the San Cristibol line I expect that after 2 or 3 years they will be great... waiting for my guy to offer me a super deal on at least 3 to 4 boxes.. his storage is superb so they are aging and waiting for me..hehehe.. i have a box that is just waiting too.. the Officios are outstanding .. beter than the Cohiba #2 ... but i collect Tubos the cohiba 2 in tubes will probably not get smoked at all for a long time.. Yes and the 898's i have (partagas) got them in special edition varnished some years ago gifted one away and the rest are still aging, smoked one box and have decided to smoke other Partagas lonsdales because the 898's are going to be my treasured aged ones..... my EL Montes from 04 in varnished boxes are about ready too.. Heres a little trick i thought up because in Hawaii it is super Humid as in Florida and other regions and with the hot temputures and humididty .. my boxes can get very wet.. i don't like to use a dehumidifier as it drys out the wrapper too much on my vintage sticks.. then when i smoke them they will explode because of lack of elasticity in the wrapper and too much moisture in the ligero so I use this ... you can get it at the drug store or hardware store I suppose .. it extracts moisture out of the area that it is used in.. sometimes i even put it directly in the box when i over humidify my sticks when they are too tight(i only leave it in the box overnight)..to lossen the inner ligero up for better draw.. but be prepared to let them sit for 6 to 12 months to come back naturally after taking out the excess moisture ... that way you end up with pure oils and not moisture mixed with the vitolas natural resins this last pic of the little container i put the crystals in is how much moisture was taken out of about 50 boxes in one of the chest that I keep them in.. I don't open the cigar boxes this draws the moisure out of the wood therefore out of the sticks ... believe it or not that is a LOT of moisture although it would not appear so.. this was after the hurricane like storm we had .. the flavour of the sticks depend so highly on just the right amount of humidification .. it can turn like night and day.. as you well know @ryyannon... man I started with Mark IV machined rolled years ago on the golf course as a way to relax and not tighten up... then like anything progressed slowly as the palate discovers new taste .. then the search is on..... this sunday I will take my Parents to the Halekulani SBrunch..it is one of our 5 star hotels.. and believe me I get my moneys worth from the imported cheeses to the suckling pig and meats and ... too much.. ahhh then the desert tables.. the pastries and home meade ice creams.. hup... knock down the kids for them...but the one thing i am looking forward to ..is after all that .. a big stick will be the best.. so keep searching for that ultimate vitola Ry.. will post the Cuabas Salamones tomorrow it now has a little over 3 years of age and will not be smoked until at least 5 to 6 years old.. I promise Tootall some sticks he picked out that I had taken pics of.. all aged .. and he has waited an eternity for them.. but as soon as i get those done I will get to you gentlemen next.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retep Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 No more cigar talk? But then again this is a watch forum. One advice, the 03 Hoyo des dieux are great right know so get them if you can. Smoke on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craige12 Posted October 12, 2008 Report Share Posted October 12, 2008 No more cigar talk? But then again this is a watch forum. One advice, the 03 Hoyo des dieux are great right know so get them if you can. Smoke on! Funny, I never thought that I would come to a Watch forums and find cigar talk. Excellent!! I smoked a RYJ short churchill earlier today and will most likely have something later on. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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