Well gents, I've been in a mad dash and away from being actively engaged in the thread for a while because I was preparing to go under the knife... On the 23rd, I had surgery and have been seriously medicated (40mg oxy, 60mg of roxi daily) since my stay at the hospital.. Needless say, wasn't even really aware of what all is going on around me due to the pain of this..



I'm not sure when it got here, but today I opened my Secret Santa package, and this is what I found!





Thanks! I'm going to go back to bed now..

Gurkha Abuello, normally I'm not a fan of infused cigars but the Ron Abuello rum and the Gurkha go together well. Solid smoke obvious hints of rum although light not overpowering

Goat, I hope you have a speedy recovery. Do everything the Dr.'s tell you. Don't push it unless they tell you to.

We have most of the stuff moved in and last night was the first for sleeping there. We have no cell service or Internet yet, so my posting will be very limited. I did smoke a La Gloria Cubana Serie R maduro as the first stick there though last night!

It looks as though the secret Santa has gone well. Enjoy everyone and maybe next year I will not be so busy and be able to participate.

Get well soon Goat.

On the cigar front, I had a Matilde Oscura last night and it was a good complex medium bodied smoke. It really had some different flavors, has anyone had one, what were your thoughts.

Ronin,

That sucks.

Wow Ronin that sucks. The cigars are garbage you don't want to ingest those chemicals even if they dryout. They will vaporize.

I think you will have to sand the interior of humidor to remove the damaged wood. I hope it's only on the surface.

Ronin, that makes me feel sick for you too.. Good luck!

That sucks! I wouldn't smoke any that touched the solution either. Your health isn't worth a cigar. What kind of tray was it and how did it start leaking? Maybe we can all learn something from your unfortunate accident.

quote:

Originally posted by petr:
Maybe we can all learn something from your unfortunate accident.

Use Boveda, rotate, recharge, repeat

quote:

Originally posted by GA Gator:

quote:

Originally posted by petr:
Maybe we can all learn something from your unfortunate accident.

Use Boveda, rotate, recharge, repeat

Yep. I was using the rectangular Prometheus charging sponge that came with the humidor. The sticky-back for the magnets were not holding when I had it upside down on the top, so I laid it down, face up, across the top of the cigars. Somehow it leaked from the bottom...I am SO angry...I pitched the group that was noticeably soaked, and put the rest in a armored humidor - I'll have to take some time the next few days and go thru them, looking for stains, and pitch them too.

Or just give them to the pain-in-the-ass brother-in-law!

I have a plastic dish with crystal kitty litter in it for my humidification. It works similar to the Hartfelt glass beads at a fraction of the cost. Spray it with distilled water and I'm good to go. They absorb and expel to maintain humidity. I usually go every other week before I need to spray again. This is not the clay litter but unscented crystals that cost about $10 for a 20 pound bag. I've been using this method for a year and a half or two years now with no issues and still the same litter without the need to replace.

Today was a very trying day as my patience has been worn extremely thin. Everything I touched that needs to be fixed will not cooperate. The one up side is that we have Internet now. They called and said they could install it today instead of Saturday. After a few trips to numerous hardware stores, I have had enough! A CAO Flathead Camshaft is what I am smoking at the moment. I hope it goes easier sooner than later!

How does the dirty rat compare to a uf13 or papas fritas? Are they the same just different sizes?

Ronin.....those look scrumdili-icious!!!

p.s. sorry to hear about your humidor catastrophe.

Niiiiiiiice! Just looked those up on JR Cigar's website. Just a little too rich for my blood!!

Happy new year. I had a Tatuaje TAA 2015 last night tonight is a Tatuaje lancero which was a store exclusive for Stogies in H Town. These two taste like similar blends to me.

News Years Resolution -

This is the last 2 boxes of cigars I will buy this year!

Ronin your cut should be Virgina Slim, cause you've come a long way baby.

When this thread started you came in raving about how LPs were the cats meow. You have taken the enjoyment of cigars to the pinnacle not just with Cubans but with all the other premiums you regularly enjoy.

Enjoy the rest of your journey, and those beautiful cigars.

Thanks Gator -

It has certainly been a good year of cigar smoking. I look at what is in my humidors now, compared to a couple years ago and yes, pretty significant difference.

One thing that I have noticed is that expensive does not always equate to taste. Davidoff sticks just don't do it for me; there is a pretty solid display at my B&M, and I've tried a number of them but they just don't click for me. Not sure if it is because I am more partial to Nicaraguan tobacco (although they do have sticks from that area now), but for the price they do not overwhelm me.

On the other hand, I smoked one of the Dirty Rats in the pic above - amazing smoke...all the way down to the nub. My cigar plan for 2016 is to be more planfull with the cigars I smoke in regards to pairing. I have a friend who smokes only with Red Wine or water...I may try some wine this winter.

Ronin
Where do you get your sticks? I am looking for a better shop for mine. I am a newbie and find that my local shop probably has a decent selection for our area, I haven't been able to get much help from the owner(he seems to really help out the e-cigs customers but not cigar customers) and while shopping for the secret santa sticks found out his employees know less than I do about them. So I am looking for someplace new. I am about 35-40 miles north of the cities but travel to Maplewood area often. So I am close enough to get most anywhere down there as long as it is not rush hour pain in the ass traffic.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

Happy New Year and happy Anniversary to my wife! This Ashton is the last from a box I bought for my wedding day 11 years ago. Hard to believe it has been 11 years with my wife as the time has gone by in a flash. I have a Fuente that is just as old in my humidor. Maybe later today or next year or...