That is a great idea Ronin, but do not include me in the secret Santa. I won't be able to ensure the time to send out sticks and do not want any one to wait on me.

I'm smoking a Man O War 52-C. Chisel tipped that I punched in the one side as recommended by an employee at CI. It is quite good as the smoke exits the top and hits the roof of your mouth and cools down as it swirls around to your tongue.

Ronin, I sent you an email.

Sorry Ronin and gang I am traveling this week so I wouldn't be able to get anything out till after Christmas.

We have an appointment this evening so I am not able to work on the house. However, I am able to enjoy a cigar this afternoon! I grabbed a Camacho SLR maduro and am enjoying the hell out of the warm weather and the cigar. Last night I smoked a Tatuaje 10th anniversary after a full day of work there. We are making progress and are planning to move between Christmas and New Year. There will still be work to be done though after the move, but it shouldn't be too bad.

sending you email now for Secret Santa

Oliva V nub this evening. Oh how I missed thee!

CAO Brazilia right now. A bit cool out but next week is a no go so I felt I better get one lit.

Sorry I didn't get in on the secret Santa but I couldn't be sure of mailing in time and didn't want to risk being that guy.

Santa assignments sent out. Please be sure to post up a pic here once you receive! If you are a sender and will be after Christmas, please let me know so that I can alert your target.

Next year I'll start this a bit earlier so we can get more participation. Thinking maybe we should try a larger 'cigar pass' sometime this spring. More to follow...

Schizo maduro robusto this evening. My arms hurt from cutting drywall off of the ceiling. I have rediscovered how much I love my hammer! Three swings and a 16 penny nail is driven home! I have to frame out a closet yet and I'll be ready for drywall...uhg, I loathe spackling!

Ive been following it, i dont agree with the rocky over rhe liga. Number 2 and 3 are pretty damn good smokes and are in the right place. #4 i dont agree with either, id put a shark in place of it, haven't. Tried 6 or 8.

Jay, they're having a Christmas Party/Ashton event tomorrow evening at the Man Cave in League City.

Damn id like to go but ill be at work until 6, and Saturday morning im installing a whole bunch of shit on my cousin's WRX.

Ashton, Fuente, Padron, Patel, in the top 10 in both 2014 & 2015. I guess those advertising dollars pay off. CA loses credibility with me when they don't have objectivity on their reviews and lists. I know it's subjective but when their favoritism towards their advertisers becomes this blatant I lose interest. They only choose candidates from their tastings so cigars like LAT cote de oro or Tatuaje (pick a monster or TAA) didn't get reviewed they don't get into consideration for COY.

I stopped subscribing to CA because I got tired of Marvin's golf outings being the focus in issues so he could write off the golf costs as business expenses.

I enjoy reading CA because it's about sticks, not because its done without bias... If I want a real review, I go here . So far I've agreed with most of their reviews.

I dislike those lists. One, the majority of the sticks they choose are either Cuban, expensive, or advertisers sticks. Two, quite a few of the cigars they do review are pre-release and not the same as what we get at the shops. Lastly, they get paid to write the reviews. They can make dog shit sound like a great cigar to try. I tend not to read or watch a review until after I have tried it myself. I can then compare to see if it was a good stick or not, to me. As we all know, everyone's palette is different and what is good for one may not be for another. Quite a few of those cigars are quite expensive and they skip over the cheaper cigars to get the oohs and ahhs of the readers. Personally, the majority of the newer cigars out there are high priced and not worth the money. Don't get me wrong, there are a few sticks that I have tried that are over $15 each that are wonderful but most are not worth it to chase after.

With all that said, I am enjoying a CAO Camshaft at the moment. Full bodied, flavorful cigar for under $10 each. Is it the best out there? Not in a long shot. Is it a good everyday smoke? Yeah and it won't break the bank.

Fuente makes some damn fine cigars but they require age. Lots of age. Like a years worth of age to be a great smoke. Then factor in the price of the Shark at $18 each...when you can find them. Opus X is another example. I have found that the CLE Cuarenta is just as good with less age and a third of the price as an Opus. Ashton, Montecristo, Davidoff, Liga Privada are all over priced in my eyes for what they are. My Father/ Garcia are great as are Oliva, Man O War, CAO and Tatuaje too. Diesel has some good cigars and Viaje when they burn good. There are so many cigars on the market right now in all price points that most will never smoke and some will stumble upon something that is great. For me, I smoke what I like and try some new ones that some may overlook. I enjoy the CI Blend Lab. Mainly because they are "unbranded" so it's kind of like a blind taste test. I'd be willing to bet that if we took the bands off of the cigars we smoked, we would have a difficult time figuring out what it was we were smoking. My brother did just this. He participated in a blind 5er bombing. Someone sent him 5 unbanded he sent out 5 unbanded as did a few others. One under $5, a few between $5 and $10 and the 5th over $10. They then smoked, did a review, and tried to guess what they smoked. He got 3 out of 5 correct and that was with some research while he was smoking them. He had a Cuban in the mix and could tell by the flavor, the sweet grassy taste, that it was one but that was all. Some he had before so he figured out what they were that way. Some he had before and didn't like them but without the band, he liked it. The mind is funny like that.

I went to CI last night and bought a La Gloria Cubana Serie R sampler pack. Six sticks, 3 natural and 3 maduro, #5's, a Colibri cutter and a Xikar lighter for $40. It's been a while that I had an R and I wanted a single torch lighter, so it fit the bill. I also picked up a CAO Camshaft, a Man O War Puro Authentico, and the last Oliva V nub they had.

I smoked the Man O war last night. It was a potent little stick but lacked in flavors as it was fresh. If I had let this age for a few months it would be a good stick, I think.

I had a disappointing Cuban Monte2 last night. Thinking it was Jeff Y. who mentioned that the Monte2 has become a victim of it's own success; and consistency has become affected. What I love about a great Monte2 is the nice draw, great construction, and slightly salty taste.

What I had last night was a poor draw, I had to keep relighting it, and there was literally 'no' taste. Nothing. It didn't taste bad necessarily, it just didn't taste.

Thinking I am done ordering those for a while, other sticks from that island to smoke that will likely be more consistently good...to add: sad, because when the Number Twos are good, they are REALLY good!

I heard that too about the inconsistency of the #2. The ones I had were good but lacked the potency other people have experienced.

For breakfast this morning I smoked a Diesel Shorty. Potent little bugger, even after eating breakfast.

CLE Cuarenta on this 50* night! My budget Opus X!!!

Secret Santa indeed! Thanks for the package.