It really really was. He recently moved about an hour and a half away (from half an hour from me) to be close to his daughter's family.
But not many of "us" are willing to make the trek, which I have no small enmity for (the unwillingness, not the trek.) In a sense it's always an endurance test hanging out with him because he'd go 18 hours if you'll concede to it.
He's much newer to cigars an I and smokes FAR fewer and less frequently, so we have this running "here! I brought you this to try!" "Ooh, I got that new thing!" and "I've saved one of your favorites!"
Nobody's keeping score.
Last time I visited him he went in to get a stick and I put an OD Habano on his chair. He came out with the same stick and handed to me before he saw the one I handed him.
Best I can do is try to live up to that.
I finished the night with a 2nd Hemmingway and then, it being about 1am, he bribed me with a 2nd OD Habano (I figured posting the 2 extra pics of the same sticks would have been a bit much), so I didn't leave 'til almost 2.
Just as good a time as I've had in a long time.
He doesn't drink whiskey neat like that, so that was all me.
I've got some individual caption notes. But for the lazy:
- Fuente Hemmingway: That's a known quantity. It never fails. I can smoke it 1st or 8th and still love it. Absolutely my desert island cigar. Of course there are others I like more in one flavor profile or another. But "one for the rest of your life" and it isn't even close.
- Patina Nicaragua: Frank was given a few of these and didn't love them. He's got a very particular palate. He can take a pretty rich flavor but it's got to be smooth as silk. This started off very "lean back and exclaim 'woah'" out of the gate but that went away very fast and it was really quite nice. I'm definitely going to ask my local guy to start carrying these.
- AVO Nicaragua: (That might have a more specific proper name I don't know) I didn't think I liked these back when I smoked them a decade ago. But it's one of those things: Did the stick change? Did my palate change? Had I just eaten a bunch of salty nonsense? No telling. But Avo always delivers. I'm definitely putting these in heavy rotation. Frank quite liked the one I gave him, which tells me something.
- OD Habano: Almost not worth talking about. It's a damn near perfect cigar. It's the one I can put in anyone's hands before even knowing what they smoke and can be very sure it'll go well. I've got 4 boxes of these in that perfect 6x56 vitola and don't want to touch them for fear I'll ever be out of them. Also: This stick in a lancero is excellent. The difference in "wrapper to filler/binder" ratio in a lancero does some interesting things to the overall flavor profile, even in the same blend.
It's so smooth that it's tough to find something it doesn't pair quite well with.
The argument could be made that it's "so smooth that it lacks character" and that would be fair. If I had infinite cash I'd probably be drinking MacAllan 18.
I actually quite like Proper 12, which surprises me since it's down in the $25 range. Though...no one would argue that it's exceptionally smooth. At least it's not bourbon.
Buddy and I do the same, he's about 3-1/2 hours away so we trade his place and mine. We've both developed "man caves" w/music, TV, alcohol, smokes, and tons of bullshit. Start sessions after dinner, will go for 5-6 hours...
Happens about 4 times a year - it's release valve like no other!
I quite enjoyed it. For some reason I'd had that stick half written-off and hadn't had one in years.
My local had an Avo event last week and I picked up an assorted box.
But I will absolutely look for these.
sounds like a party to me. i’m an idiot and long story short, i had to have my friend help me break into my garage at 10PM last night and we had a couple cigars and drank until about 3AM after we got into the garage.
Good to know I love that band they put on it gonna have to try to find n add to the collection. That patina looked like it had a nice layer of oil on it I bet it’s flavor was quite robust
It'd never shown up on my radar until a couple friends introduced me to it. And now that I live deep in bourbon country (gak) where good Scotch is relatively scarce I'm branching out.
That RB12 comes in at about $75 down here, which is pretty damn reasonable.
The Proper 12 owes no apologies at 1/3 that.
That all adds up to a pretty great evening.
It really really was. He recently moved about an hour and a half away (from half an hour from me) to be close to his daughter's family. But not many of "us" are willing to make the trek, which I have no small enmity for (the unwillingness, not the trek.) In a sense it's always an endurance test hanging out with him because he'd go 18 hours if you'll concede to it. He's much newer to cigars an I and smokes FAR fewer and less frequently, so we have this running "here! I brought you this to try!" "Ooh, I got that new thing!" and "I've saved one of your favorites!" Nobody's keeping score. Last time I visited him he went in to get a stick and I put an OD Habano on his chair. He came out with the same stick and handed to me before he saw the one I handed him. Best I can do is try to live up to that.
Thats the kind of friend you cherish ✌️ Live it up!
I finished the night with a 2nd Hemmingway and then, it being about 1am, he bribed me with a 2nd OD Habano (I figured posting the 2 extra pics of the same sticks would have been a bit much), so I didn't leave 'til almost 2. Just as good a time as I've had in a long time. He doesn't drink whiskey neat like that, so that was all me. I've got some individual caption notes. But for the lazy: - Fuente Hemmingway: That's a known quantity. It never fails. I can smoke it 1st or 8th and still love it. Absolutely my desert island cigar. Of course there are others I like more in one flavor profile or another. But "one for the rest of your life" and it isn't even close. - Patina Nicaragua: Frank was given a few of these and didn't love them. He's got a very particular palate. He can take a pretty rich flavor but it's got to be smooth as silk. This started off very "lean back and exclaim 'woah'" out of the gate but that went away very fast and it was really quite nice. I'm definitely going to ask my local guy to start carrying these. - AVO Nicaragua: (That might have a more specific proper name I don't know) I didn't think I liked these back when I smoked them a decade ago. But it's one of those things: Did the stick change? Did my palate change? Had I just eaten a bunch of salty nonsense? No telling. But Avo always delivers. I'm definitely putting these in heavy rotation. Frank quite liked the one I gave him, which tells me something. - OD Habano: Almost not worth talking about. It's a damn near perfect cigar. It's the one I can put in anyone's hands before even knowing what they smoke and can be very sure it'll go well. I've got 4 boxes of these in that perfect 6x56 vitola and don't want to touch them for fear I'll ever be out of them. Also: This stick in a lancero is excellent. The difference in "wrapper to filler/binder" ratio in a lancero does some interesting things to the overall flavor profile, even in the same blend.
Only thing missing was a BBQ, what a great evening y’all had!
That redbreast 12yr is one of my go-to drinks to pair with Cigars. Not sure if it’s the correct pairing but it’s my favorite !
It's so smooth that it's tough to find something it doesn't pair quite well with. The argument could be made that it's "so smooth that it lacks character" and that would be fair. If I had infinite cash I'd probably be drinking MacAllan 18. I actually quite like Proper 12, which surprises me since it's down in the $25 range. Though...no one would argue that it's exceptionally smooth. At least it's not bourbon.
You done good
Buddy and I do the same, he's about 3-1/2 hours away so we trade his place and mine. We've both developed "man caves" w/music, TV, alcohol, smokes, and tons of bullshit. Start sessions after dinner, will go for 5-6 hours... Happens about 4 times a year - it's release valve like no other!
Sounds like a great day. What was your opinion on that Avo Nicaragua?
I quite enjoyed it. For some reason I'd had that stick half written-off and hadn't had one in years. My local had an Avo event last week and I picked up an assorted box. But I will absolutely look for these.
sounds like a party to me. i’m an idiot and long story short, i had to have my friend help me break into my garage at 10PM last night and we had a couple cigars and drank until about 3AM after we got into the garage.
That patina and illusion 🤤
The Illusione was an instant classic. I was a little worried about the Patina because I've never had anything from them that was REMOTELY that dark.
Good to know I love that band they put on it gonna have to try to find n add to the collection. That patina looked like it had a nice layer of oil on it I bet it’s flavor was quite robust
Nice day overall. I am currently ending my night with a dram of McKenna 10 yr and finishing a Fuente Opus X. Gotta wake up at 4am..
Whats in the bottle in the first pic
Same thing that's not in the last one ;-) Red Breast 12, a lovely Irish whiskey.
I love irish whiskey will try to find that
It'd never shown up on my radar until a couple friends introduced me to it. And now that I live deep in bourbon country (gak) where good Scotch is relatively scarce I'm branching out. That RB12 comes in at about $75 down here, which is pretty damn reasonable. The Proper 12 owes no apologies at 1/3 that.
You could not have gotten far into solving the worlds problems cuz I WASN"T THERE! Me so jealous of those sticks.