Unco B

Oliva Serie O Maduro

Purchased: Box of 20 RobustoStore: CigarBidPrice: $70Buy again? Are you kidding? Hell yes! My love affair with Oliva continues with this cigar. I’ve had many of the blends (G, G Maduro, Master Blends 3, Flor de Oliva, V, V Maduro, V Melanio, V Melanio Maduro, O) and each brings something unique to the table. ThisContinue reading “Oliva Serie O Maduro”

Rocky Patel Sun Grown

Purchased: 5-pack Sixty (6 X 60)Store: CigarsInternationalPrice: ~$20Buy again? Yes. But just fivers going forward and only on deals. tldr; You can always count on CI to have specials to move old inventory and I got these a few months ago on a 5 X 5-pack special for $99. The specials are hit and miss,Continue reading “Rocky Patel Sun Grown”

Black Works Studio Hawaiian Hornet

This is my first cigar from Black Works Studio and it certainly won’t be my last. What a tasty cigar! I came across it on r/cigar_refuge on Reddit when someone posted a picture of the BWS Killer Bee Shaolin. I had never heard of it but found out I could order some through Foodland onContinue reading “Black Works Studio Hawaiian Hornet”

All I Need Is a Decent Flame

This past Saturday, my trusty Ripple Triple that I got free from Cigars International stopped working. The igniter stopped firing. So, I decided to find a new one and did some searches online and read reviews and feedback in forums and I came to a simple conclusion: It’s just a fuckin’ lighter so all IContinue reading “All I Need Is a Decent Flame”

Purchase from a B&M? For Me, Only Under Certain Circumstances

When I peruse online cigar forums, I occasionally see posts from people showing off their B&M hauls. And when I say “haul,” it means at least 5 sticks. When I see those posts, I wonder why they’d buy retail when those same sticks can be purchased much less expensively online. Don’t get me wrong, IContinue reading “Purchase from a B&M? For Me, Only Under Certain Circumstances”

Oliva Black Swan

Purchased: 2 X 10-Pack #4 (5 X 43)Store: Cigar Page.com Price: $42.50 eachBuy again? Fuckin’-A! I got sucked into the whole Black Friday thing and spent WAY more money on cigars than I should have. I got a box of Oliva “O” Maduros, a box of Martinez Queens, two boxes of Man ‘O War PuroContinue reading “Oliva Black Swan”

Oliva Serie V Melanio

Purchased: Box of 10, Petite CoronaWhere: CigarBid.comPrice: $59.00Buy Again? Of course! When I first smoked a Melanio, the first thing that went through my mind was that it wasn’t a cigar for the casual smoker. And I didn’t mean it in a snobby way. But this stick is all about the nuance of flavors behindContinue reading “Oliva Serie V Melanio”

Budget or Not, There’s Nothin’ Like a Well-Aged And Cared-for Cigar

One of the mainstays in my daily rotation is the Rocky Patel Cargo. I buy ’em by the bundle because they go on sale quite often and can be had for under $2.00. But that’s not the only reason. I realized with my first batch of these that if I give them at least aContinue reading “Budget or Not, There’s Nothin’ Like a Well-Aged And Cared-for Cigar”

Ending the Night on High Note.

I’m sitting in my backyard down to the last inch and a half of my Ave Maria Argentum. It was such a good day today. I got my Christmas trees decorated, played a great Mass this afternoon (I’m a contemporary liturgical musician), and spent the early evening getting the house ready for the Christmas season.Continue reading “Ending the Night on High Note.”

Going By Feel and Listening to My Cigars

Not a regular nor serious smoker at the time, when I saw American Gangster on the big screen many years ago, the scene where Armand Assante picks up a cigar out of his humidor and rolls between his fingers and listens always stuck with me since I saw it. I remember wondering if the actContinue reading “Going By Feel and Listening to My Cigars”