.

[Visitor K]

Smoke any good cigars lately?

hmm.. well, im not really a cigar smoker and there has been some talk of cubans not being the best cigars around, but i just got back from ten days in cuba and smoked some montecristo no. 4s and some cohibas.. also the no-brand cigars that they ration out to cuban people are not bad either.
actually bought a 25-count box of montecristos ($20) for my neighbor for looking after my dog.. he smokes 5-8 cigars a day.. he says it keeps the mosquitoes off of him.

[nottu]

[Hamaki]

actually bought a 25-count box of montecristos ($20) for my neighbor for looking after my dog.

I hope your neighbor likes fake Cuban Montecristo cigars, because the official Cuban government price for Montecristo's #4 should be much higher than US$20.

I have been known to be wrong.

[wuchan]

Monte #4 has improved recently.

partagas serie du connaisseur #2 is my current fav, lots of spice and some cream at the end.

H. Upmann sir winston but it needs to age at least 4 months.

[Visitor K]

I hope your neighbor likes fake Cuban Montecristo cigars, because the official Cuban government price for Montecristo's #4 should be much higher than US$20.

I have been known to be wrong.

people who work at the factories sometimes get cigars or will steal them from work and sell them on the street (a lucrative business, as that $20 is a doctor's salary for one month). im sure sometimes they sell the rejects, but they were well formed and smoke fine, so i didnt really care.

[Hamaki]

people who work at the factories sometimes get cigars

This statement is somewhat true, but it is also the biggest counterfeit cigar scam in Cuba.

Every guy/gal selling cigars on the street of Havana will say that they got the cigars from the "brother's wife's cousin's mother's second husband's daughter's husband that works at the factory" or something like that.

[Visitor K]

This statement is somewhat true, but it is also the biggest counterfeit cigar scam in Cuba.

people on the street sometimes sell fake products?
i dont mean for my sarcasm to be taken the wrong way, but if you have more than half a brain cell and spend any time on the streets of havana all the different scams become pretty obvious.
as i said before, they were nice and smoke fine.. thats all i cared about. i met a danish guy who spent $50 on a box of cigars and the things wouldnt even draw smoke.. so i feel like i got a good deal.
but i did buy some legitimate cohibas as well, which were also a treat.
i also kept some government rationed ones to roll into blunts.

[wuchan]

i also kept some government rationed ones to roll into blunts.

NOOOOOOOOOOO those government rationed cubans are better than the fakes. use the crap drug store smokes for blunts, or get some not hand rolled small cigars and squeeze out the filler. My advise is to spend the money on high grade trees, only smoke once a day and use a bong. If you still need a nicotine fix, smoke a cigarette or cigar and then take another bong rip. You will save shit loads of money this way.

[Visitor K]

You will save shit loads of money this way.

thats not really an issue where im at.. if i still lived in japan, i wouldnt even consider rolling a blunt, but down here $20 gets me a few fistfuls.

[Hamaki]

the digital thermometer/hygrometer, says 29~30C/80%RH.

Time to get a new humidor, like mine.

[IkemenTommy]

Time to get a new humidor, like mine.

Nice stash you got there. The one I have now is more than sufficient. I will upgrade mine when I have to.

[Greji]

Nice stash you got there. The one I have now is more than sufficient. I will upgrade mine when I have to.

He also keeps his shorts in there as well. Claims it adds flavor to the blunts....

[Hamaki]

Gregi, hope to see you at cigar night tonight.

[nottu]

[wuchan]

Just wondering:
Do you think it is better to revive an almost-out cigar through gentle prompting or let it die and revive after scraping out the dead ash?
Which results in better taste in the long run?
Allowances made in responses for over humidified cigars.
Resident expert especially- Hamaki - response encouraged.

1. if it is not out, it's not out. get it going again and it will taste fine.

2. if it is out clip 1/8 of an inch off with your cutter. scrapping it can damage the wrapper and if you don't get all the cold tobacco out it may taste like shit for a little while.

[OKLAHOMA]

Being the initiator of above thread, I would like to offer you a very good hamaki experience.
I can't tell you the exact name - so follow the directions to a very good cigar bar in Ometesando-
Walk down the main drag from Harajuku - you will see a cigar bar within the first 1/3 mile on the left. Its location is basement - no windows. Great place - this guy is a conneiseur - huge full array of Cubans. When I was there, there was only one other person in the whole joint - a gal about 30 years old smoking a big obsucro robusto - need I say more - it was one of life's perfect moments - does it get any better - Cuban oscuro, roubsto, 30 year old pretty J-female, yellow beaver in total appreciation, 18 year old Glenlivet single malt, ... stop me, I can't take anymore - .
Please feel free to provide info to fellow decadent individuals of any and all hamaki info for scoundrels destined to die young and happy...

I am presently shagging a dame 15 years younger than me who also smokes cigars. There's more than just "anticipation" here folks.

I have been to about 3 cigar bars in Omotesando. I like 2 others: the ones in the WESTIN and MARUNOUCHI hotels.

Montecristos and Cohibas run in the 2,000 to 3,500 range. Some are even more expensive.

Live, smoke, die!

[OKLAHOMA]

Hamaki, that is some humidor! I usually have about 500 cigars lying around, mostly bundles, seconds, and handfuls of Bolivars, Cohibas, Montecristos and La Gloria Cubana. La Glorias are great cigars, and some are made in the USA.

Like what you smoke, smoke what you like!

[OKLAHOMA]

1. if it is not out, it's not out. get it going again and it will taste fine.

2. if it is out clip 1/8 of an inch off with your cutter. scrapping it can damage the wrapper and if you don't get all the cold tobacco out it may taste like shit for a little while.

I save cigar butts, drying them out and smoking them in my pipe the next day, usually by adding some pipe tobacco.

[Greji]

I am presently shagging a dame 15 years younger than me who also smokes cigars.

Ahhh, you aren't related to Bill Clinton by chance?

Live, smoke, die!

Amen Brother!

[OKLAHOMA]

I also have a way of "prepping" my cigars before lighting them up. Heh! Heh!

[Greji]

I also have a way of "prepping" my cigars before lighting them up. Heh! Heh!

Very nice to keep the leaf moist!

[Samurai_Jerk]

I am presently shagging a dame 15 years younger than me

This number is meaningless unless I know your age.

To quote an English lush I used to know, "I thought I was doing well marrying a girl 12 years younger than me but now she's 34 ". And he actually did make the puke sound.

[OKLAHOMA]

39 and a day

[Samurai_Jerk]

39 and a day

I tip my hat to you sir.

And Omedeto on the birthday.

[nottu]

[OKLAHOMA]

Who is James and why do I have to "set up an interview"?

[nottu]

[OKLAHOMA]

Not likely. See why below.

[OKLAHOMA]

I'm for real. You are a poseur with a computer.

SOD OFF!

[Greji]

I'm for real. You are a poseur with a computer.

SOD OFF!

That's pretty impolite. Why not try to be a little more respectful.

Something like a simple "Hey, Fuck Off" would seem to be a more appropriate response.