LONSDALE love!

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by borndead1

Smoking another Siboney Reserve lonsdale. Great smokes. I have 5 or 6 boxes of them, and I think I should get 5 or 6 more.

Are These Good Fresh, Mark, Or Do They Need Some Rest? Thanks!

[Wharf Rat]

Originally Posted by longknocker

Are These Good Fresh, Mark, Or Do They Need Some Rest? Thanks!

CI is selling off some Casa Fernandez “Short Churchills.” They’re not exactly a lonsdale, but in the ballpark. Have some age on them and quite nice.

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by Wharf Rat

CI is selling off some Casa Fernandez “Short Churchills.” They’re not exactly a lonsdale, but in the ballpark. Have some age on them and quite nice.

Couldn't Find It, Bob .

[Wharf Rat]

Originally Posted by longknocker

Couldn't Find It, Bob .

https://www.cigarsinternational.com/...chill/2052189/

They were $60 a box recently. But, not now, sorry!

[longknocker]

Originally Posted by Wharf Rat

https://www.cigarsinternational.com/...chill/2052189/

They were $60 a box recently. But, not now, sorry!

Oh, Well. I'll Keep Looking. Thanks!

[borndead1]

Originally Posted by longknocker

Are These Good Fresh, Mark, Or Do They Need Some Rest? Thanks!

Sorry dude, I don't remember if I smoked one fresh.

[icehog3]

ORG NOV 16 RyJ Cazadores

[icehog3]

[borndead1]

Originally Posted by icehog3

How are those? I've seen the Rojas brand popping up on certain sites.

[borndead1]

National Brand Connecticut Lonsdale (6 x 42)

I used to smoke these back when I was a broke noob. They were $2.99 at the B&M. Recently, I needed $10 more to get free shipping on an order from Famous, and for some reason, these popped into my head. A fiver for $11.99? It was fate.

I had forgotten 2 things about these. The sweet cap, and how well they are made.

The sweet cap used to bug me, but now I kinda like it once in a while as a change of pace. It's a nice contrast with black coffee.

Now onto the quality. This cigar is flawless. Nice looking wrapper with no blemishes. No lumps. Heavy in the hand. Good draw. It's still surprising to me after all these years to find a cheap cigar with this level of quality. By the bundle, these are $2.40/a stick at Famous.

Great flavor. Nothing mind-blowing, of course. It's a pretty common and typical flavor profile. Mild CT wrap cigar. But it has enough flavor to keep your attention and it's very smooth.

Ya know what? I may have to snag a bundle or 5 of these. And add a 5 pack of the maduros.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by borndead1

How are those? I've seen the Rojas brand popping up on certain sites.

At the risk of sounding like Will Rogers, I've never smoked a Rojas I didn't like. And I actually like the Street Tacos and Bluebonnets better than these. Mark.

[borndead1]

Originally Posted by icehog3

ORG NOV 16 RyJ Cazadores

I've been smoking on a '17 box and they've been fantastic. So good, in fact, that I decided to pay an exorbitant sum for 2 more boxes. Got lucky with the box dates. 2019.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by borndead1

I've been smoking on a '17 box and they've been fantastic. So good, in fact, that I decided to pay an exorbitant sum for 2 more boxes. Got lucky with the box dates. 2019.

2019s, nice Mark!

[borndead1]

Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch Orpheus (6" x 44)

Grabbed a 5 pack of these from Cigar Page a while back, because the Guardian of the Farm line are some good smokes.

And this one does not disappoint.

First few draws...right away, sweet cocoa with a nice depth to the flavor. Short, woodsy finish. Good draw; a couple of minor burn corrections in the first 1". Mild side of medium 'strength.'

About 1" in...'strength' kicks up just a tiny notch. Dominant flavors are still the same. Sweet cocoa on the draw and through the nose. The sweetness lingers on the palate between draws. I am DIGGING this cigar so far. Burn has straightened out.

About 2" in...dominant flavors are still the same, but the background flavors have taken on a fairly typical maduro profile. A bit of coconut, a hint of anise on the finish. The woodsy flavor on the finish is almost gone, replaced by the anise.

Around halfway...the sweetness on the draw of this cigar is ridiculous. It almost tastes like a flavored cigar. The maduro profile has intensified. All woodsy flavors are gone. As I type with the cigar between my teeth, the aroma from the foot is NICE. This is a cigar that your wife probably wouldn't complain about.

A little past halfway...what a great smoke this is. I forgot to mention how smooth it is. ZERO harshness through the nose. Dominant flavors are the same. Pretty typical maduro profile. Solid medium 'strength.' The depth of the flavor is quite nice; it's a depth that most NCs don't have. A palate-coating sensation that lingers between draws.

Toward the end...the sweetness on the draw has subsided a bit. Burn has been very good. Anise flavor is a bit stronger on the finish. Still very smooth through the nose. I'm actually impressed by the fact that the cigar has a lot of flavor but zero harshness through the nose. Most modern Nicaraguan cigars are quite 'strong' through the nose.

Final thoughts...this is one of the best cigars I've smoked recently, and definitely one of the best NCs I've smoked in quite a while. I am looking at my cabinet, playing mental Tetris, trying to determine if I have room for a box.

[icehog3]

Sounds like a winner, Mark!

[borndead1]

After my great experience with the Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch, I decided to try some of the non-maduro version. Same size, 6" x 44. This cigar is called 'Apollo Seleccion de Warped'.

First few draws...lots of flavor. Some grassy notes, and some hay. Not an unpleasant flavor, but not nasty.

About 1" in...grassiness is still dominant, but there's a nice background flavor of sweet tobacco.

About 2" in...this cigar has THE THING...a palate-coating depth of flavor that I mostly experience with Cuban cigars. It's more of a sensation than an actual describable flavor. It's hard to describe with words. Cuban cigar smokers would call it 'the twang'.' It's a sweet sensation on the draw. I can't explain it with words. If you know, you know. This cigar HAS IT.

Side note: Warped Cigars has *almost* cracked the code as far as making a non-Cuban cigar taste like a Cuban cigar.

Around halfway...HELL yeah. These mfs have almost made a cigar good enough to make me stop buying Cubans. ALMOST. I ain't bullsh*ttin!

A little past halfway...DUDE...this cigar tastes almost exactly like the Cuban Monte #3 that I smoked the other night. NO LIE.

Toward the end..the 'twang' tapers off a bit. Dominant flavors are wood and tobacco. I let this cigar die at around 1.5".

Final thoughts...AWWWW SH*T, Warped (and Aganorsa) has almost nailed it. Those Commies better up their game!

[icehog3]

Another cigar I need to find, Mark!