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Released every Tuesday, the LOUNGE LIZARDS podcast helps listeners navigate the experience of finding and enjoying premium cigars (both Cuban and non-Cuban) and quality spirits. Episodes are normally around 90 minutes long and feature a variety of different topics including food, travel, life, sports and work.
The podcast features eight members: Rooster, Poobah, Gizmo, Senator, Pagoda, Chef Ricky, Grinder and Bam Bam.
This is not your typical cigar podcast. We’re a group of friends who love sharing cigars, whiskey and a good laugh.
Join us and become a card-carrying lounge lizard yourself! Email us at hello@loungelizardspod.com to join the conversation and be featured on an upcoming episode!
Gizmo: Welcome to the Lounge Lizards podcast presented by Fabrica five. It's so good to have you here. It's a leisure and lifestyle podcast founded on our love of premium cigars as well as whiskey travel food work and whatever else we feel like getting into. My name is Gizmo. Tonight, I'm joined by Rooster, Senator, Pagoda, and Bam Bam.
And our plan is to smoke a cigar, drink some rum, talk about life, and, of course, have some laughs. So take this as your two hundred and nineteenth official invitation to join us and become a card carrying lounge lizard. Plan to meet us here once a week. We're gonna smoke a Honduran cigar tonight, share our thoughts on it, and give you our formal lizard rating. Klaus Kellner joins us to discuss the recently rated LE 80.
We go back to our discussion on customer service, And with some special guests, we finally complete BAM's Fundadores auction transaction all among a variety of other things for the next two hours. So sit back, get your favorite drink. Light up a cigar and enjoy as we pair seven years aged Abuelo rum with Aladino eighty five anniversary of Reserva in Robusto. A Honduran Robusto on the pod tonight, boys, from Aladino. It's the eighty fifth anniversaryo reserva in Robusto, and it's a 50 ring gauge cigar by five inches long.
And, boys, we thought there may be an issue, but look who's back. Abuelo's back. Rooster is back after a week away. Not sure if it was in protest or otherwise, but it is good to see you.
Bam Bam: How you doing over there, old Boy
Rooster: wouldn't I be back? What was this?
Bam Bam: You did quit. You did quit on the fucking recording. You didn't say I fucking quit. That's correct. You're a rebounder.
Gizmo: So boys, we have a Honduran puro in our hands tonight, and I know every single person in this room really enjoys this cigar. A lot of us are smoking, a lot of them. So I'm
Bam Bam: very happy that we have this tonight. Oh, yeah. And we're doing our third Aladino. Weekly rotation.
Gizmo: I think for everybody. Right?
Senator: Oh, yeah. Mhmm.
Gizmo: Alright, boys. Well, let's cut this thing. See what we're getting on the cold draw and the wrapper.
Bam Bam: Deep berry on the cold draw.
Gizmo: My draw is perfect on this.
Bam Bam: Primarily berry for me.
Gizmo: You have like a fig berry? Yeah. It's like a raspberry fig Newton.
Senator: I also get a faint dusting of cocoa in the background. I've never really paid attention to the cold draw on this, as many of these as I've smoked, but it's It's funny.
Bam Bam: The more you take that cold draw, the more the cocoa comes out. You capture that as you go along.
Rooster: I get a little mint. Like a little herb, like an herb thing happening.
Bam Bam: See, I can see how the berry, depending on how you're receiving it, be mistaken for mint. Not mistaken, but interpreted differently. Yeah.
Rooster: Very like a raspberry.
Bam Bam: Oh, definitely raspberry. Yeah. But I could see the mint interpreted as well.
Gizmo: Alright, boys. Let's light this thing. The Aladino '85 Anniversario Reserva in Robusto. Again, it's a 50 ring gauge cigar by five inches long. It's a Honduran puro as I think all Aladino cigars are, And this is our third Aladino on the pod tonight.
These cigars come in boxes of 20. We'll talk about the packaging in a second. And the retail price on these is somewhere between, I would say, 15 and 19 is where you're gonna find these. Mhmm. Box price somewhere around 3 to $400.
Bam Bam: Just a delicious cigar.
Gizmo: Great from the light.
Bam Bam: Yep.
Senator: Even just smelling the burn line intoxicating.
Bam Bam: Oh, yeah.
Gizmo: Wow. For me, this is one of those cigars that every time you light it, know what's coming, but it's still a surprise as to how good it is.
Senator: I agree.
Gizmo: It's just really a
Bam Bam: strong performer. So super consistent and just delicious.
Gizmo: So this cigar was launched at PCA twenty twenty five. We know that, obviously. We talked about it, and we talked to Justo about it on air.
Bam Bam: Mhmm.
Gizmo: This being the eighty fifth this being in celebration of his father, Julio, his 80 birthday. And the boxes are bright yellow and are adorned with a 1952 Buick, a painting of a 1952 Buick.
Bam Bam: You know, I love all of their boxes. I think they're some of the best cigar boxes out there. Just Oh, agree. Beautifully made.
Senator: Especially for this release.
Bam Bam: It's stunning. It's got a kind of a matte, almost satin finish yellow, and the beautiful painting, if you want to call it, on the inside. The hinges are gorgeous. Everything's great. Well, very well made.
Gizmo: Yeah. It's awesome. High quality. Yeah. And I like that there's a box date on it too.
These actually were made or boxed June 27. That's cool. I looked at that before we pulled them tonight.
Senator: I also love the artwork. The band's beautiful. I have yet to see
Bam Bam: any of their bands that I don't like.
Gizmo: I agree with you.
Bam Bam: Honestly, they do everything great.
Senator: It's true.
Gizmo: And I just like their puros. I think that's pretty cool.
Bam Bam: Yeah. But everything from their marketing, their imagery, of course, the product, it's top notch.
Gizmo: So as we talked about with Justo, and then Justo, we we talked about his presentation of PCA. This blend was originally done five years ago, and his father just would not let them put it out, would not let them put it out. So he kept working on it, working on him, working on him. And finally, for his eighty fifth, Justo said, come on, dad. You know, let's do this.
And it finally came out at PCA this year. So what a great blend this is. And Yeah. You know, I I don't know how many boxes you guys have gone through, but I've gone through several.
Bam Bam: Same.
Gizmo: And every single one has been great.
Senator: More than I'd like to admit.
Bam Bam: Also true.
Gizmo: This cigar is entirely made of Pinareno seed tobacco, which was a seed brought from Cuba to Honduras by Tino Agerdin in 1960. So the Airoa family chose to use the Carajo seed over that seed because Karoho's a little bit easier to yield. There's it's less prone to disease. So for this one, they decided to go with those original seeds that they brought over from Cuba. And, of course, they are made at the Airoa family factory.
Comes in two vitolas, the Robusto that we're smoking tonight, 50 by five, and the Toro, 52 by six. A little bit couple more bucks on the Toro. Has anybody had the Toro in the room?
Rooster: No. Pagoda?
Pagoda: I think I might have.
Senator: No. He had the Gordo. Correct.
Pagoda: I'm still smoking it. I've actually
Senator: I I have, but the problem was I bought it from a retailer, and it was way too humid. And did not get the true experience that I'm sure that that
Pagoda: Yeah. I think the first box I might have bought might have been a Torah. I'm not sure. Of course. I didn't know I've been having so many Torahs on and off.
Rooster: Well, you like I mean, there's a lot of guys who like that size.
Pagoda: I like the robustas more, but, you know, I don't mind the Toro.
Rooster: Yeah, you want a longer smoke, you know? The problem
Pagoda: is, like, the last inch, inch and a half oftentimes can be very, very subjective, let's put it that way.
Bam Bam: The burn line is perfect. And on every one cigar, everyone has a perfect burn line. Are flawless.
Gizmo: These are
Rooster: well constructed.
Bam Bam: It's incredible.
Rooster: Throughout the line. I've only had the
Gizmo: Cameroon in this. No, you've had the classic Eligante. The Lancero that we've Correct. Been
Pagoda: And that was also really good, right?
Rooster: I I buy that one, but I bought the Cameroon and boxes of these.
Gizmo: Honestly, out of all of them, I think I'm smoking the Lancero and the classic line the most out of the three.
Senator: You never bought a box of those rooster? I did not. Wow. That's that's a big miss. Yeah.
I'm sorry. Those are they're excellent. Yeah. Legante.
Bam Bam: You fucked up, dude. No. I just say
Senator: that because I ran out of them, and for a few months, I didn't think to replace them. And then recently I finally did, and when I lit one up, I was like, oh my gosh, how did I go all these months without this cigar? It's spectacular.
Bam Bam: Yeah.
Pagoda: And you know what the funny thing is every time it's like I know a lot of members from the lounge also bought those. And there's another Lancera, which is slightly different, but that's not the Elegant. Correct. And so a lot of the time you end
Pagoda: up with this other Lancera, which may, you know, which is not the same.
Senator: I forget what it's called because Lizard Johnny had bought them thinking it was the classic Eligante that we reviewed. It's very similar, but it's actually a different Lancero. Oh, wow.
Gizmo: Well, they do share the Vitola names across multiple lines. So it could have been the Carojo. It could have been one of the other lines, and they they do call them Elagante. Yeah. They still call that Lancero size Elagante across all the lines.
It's not just exclusive to them.
Pagoda: I think it's the one with the red band, which is a different one. Yeah.
Gizmo: This is off to a nice start, boys. Oh,
Senator: yeah. The thing I love about this cigar, and you get this in this not necessarily the Cameroon Robusto, there's a creaminess about this cigar
Rooster: cigar, of course.
Senator: That, like, tells you this is, you know, more aged tobacco than in their regular lines. And to me, it's just it's so smooth. Yep. Just delicious.
Pagoda: Well, eighty five years. Acting.
Senator: Kidding. Combined like Davinoff with all the tobaccos.
Bam Bam: I think the retrohale is just outstanding on all of their cigars. This one in particular for me is probably the creamiest experience on the retro. Where in the Cameroon, I'm getting more of a deeper coffee, a little chocolate.
Gizmo: For me, this cigar is a little bit more versatile. Where I put it in my rotation a little bit
Bam Bam: Well, you have more options.
Gizmo: I think this kind of floats in the middle.
Bam Bam: During the day.
Gizmo: Yeah. I do like reaching for this one.
Senator: To me, it's only more versatile in that, like, this is mild enough to smoke in the morning Mhmm. The afternoon, the evening. Where the Cameron Robusto for me is more like afternoon, evening. 100%. An evening setting, like, the two go hand in hand.
This to me is lighter than the Cameroon Robusto, so I always like to have this first then the Cameroon Robusto. But they're great at at, you know, almost any time
Bam Bam: of day. Have you done them back to back like that? Oh,
Senator: honestly, most of the time.
Bam Bam: So let me tell you, I've yet to do that with most of the markers that we smoke, and it's something I want to try. Like as an example, and not to go off brand, but the aging room. I'd love to do the Sonata Concerto back to back. I'd like to do this in the Cameroon back to back. There's something to that just to see really experience how they transition from one to the other.
Senator: This in the Cameroon I think is one of the greatest one two punches I've probably ever smoked.
Rooster: So you would do this first and then the Cameroon?
Senator: Oh, Oh, yeah. Yeah. Like, no joke. Probably four to five times a week I do that. Really?
Bam Bam: Yeah. Damn. Get that credit card ready.
Senator: You're you're welcome, Busto.
Pagoda: Yeah. Because this is not this is not as it's not that cheap a cigar per se.
Bam Bam: Yeah. Well, good thing I don't know.
Senator: But it's what I paid when I pull stuff out of the
I said, good thing. Don't look at what I paid when I pull stuff out of the Hebrew door.
Pagoda: Yeah. No. Fair enough.
Senator: Then it's like, you know, you think about it relative to Cuban cigars or some of other stuff we have, like
Pagoda: Or
Senator: it's at a more reasonable
Bam Bam: Or relative to what our spouses and families require. I mean, I don't do much for myself. This is I I'll spend money on cigars.
Pagoda: Absolutely. Now that you've made a lot more,
Senator: I'm sure. Oh yeah. Bib says that as he has
Bam Bam: a new watch on his
Pagoda: wrist, everybody.
Bam Bam: Yeah, right. I'm like, that's you, motherfucker.
Rooster: You know, I'm in a good mood right now. Let's not go there. Alright.
Gizmo: Boys, let's talk about some news. We have a lot of stuff to get to tonight. We're gonna talk to Klaus Kellner for a few minutes about his success with the LE 80, not just on our podcast reviewed a couple weeks ago, but also industry wide. I mean, people are really loving that cigar, and I'm very, very happy for him. So we're gonna have him on.
We're gonna ask him some questions, obviously, that we had in that episode. So we'll see what he has to say about some of that stuff. But like I said, let's get to some news. So first up, Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust has announced their new year of the, which a lot of manufacturers do. And the reason why I'm bringing this up is because unlike the others that we kind of rag on a little bit for their packaging and their stories and all the BS, Dunbarton uses this opportunity.
Steve uses this opportunity to celebrate cigar smokers, you know, folks in the communities of cigars that have either helped him or supported him and, you know, cigar smokers in general. So this one is the year of the Pausers. Pausers? Pausers. So it's the last name of Michelle and Tom Pausers.
Steve Sokka said, this year, it is great privilege to honor Michelle Pauser and Tom Pauser, aka the Alaskans. But I decided it wasn't as important as where they are from, but who they are as people. Hence, the moniker I chose was friends to many. There are spectacular couple who are very active online, in particular, the SI social group and travel to the Lower 48 to attend multiple cigar events each year. They're two of the nicest people in the world, always positive, and not only are big supporters of Dunbarton, but many other brands from hosting cigar dinners in the Tundra to sponsoring multiple charities, which I love to hear through their passion for cigars.
They are truly an inspiration to all and the and are beloved by all who know them, and they're both apparently very, very serious cigar smokers. Steve says, what do I ask of the year of the honoree?
Bam Bam: Mhmm.
Gizmo: Steve has put seven of each cigar in the box of each of those blends. Nice. Pretty cool that that's how he uses, you know,
Bam Bam: he's So he's honoring
Gizmo: He's honoring people that are doing
Bam Bam: individuals that are doing good.
Gizmo: Yeah. As opposed to making it a big marketing play and, you know, cashing in. I I like that, you know, he's celebrating people who do good. It's pretty honorable. I agree.
Yeah. So he continues on here for the blend honoring Tom. Steve went into uncharted territory. It's the first ever cigar blend feeder featuring a totally new wrapper variety that he calls Capa Camillon. It's grown in Esteli and Nicaragua.
First generation hybridized seed that crosses a sun grown Cuban seed with US Connecticut broadleaf. It's pretty cool. And he says that it gives an almost a burnt caramel and saltiness to it that has a distinct twang on the palate. So everything I'm reading about these cigars, it sounds pretty damn cool to to to support folks in the industry this way with two new blends and new wrapper and everything else. So I'm gonna I'm gonna try to try some.
I'm gonna try to We find do love Steve. Mhmm. Cigar's off to a great start.
Bam Bam: Oh, I'm
Gizmo: very happy. This cigar
Rooster: is also a little salty.
Gizmo: It is. It's got a
Rooster: little salt note.
Bam Bam: That's correct. So that berry has dissipated when I first I I did get it first on, but I think now it's I'm definitely getting that salt.
Rooster: I only got that on the cold roll.
Bam Bam: I had just a touch of it on the light with coffee. Now it's almost for me don't laugh. It's like salted caramel a bit. Just a touch of it. There's a sweetness.
Laugh at that? Well, you know, I do have unusual perceptions. You didn't say carbohydrate. Well, it might be coming. Salted caramel with little coffee.
Rooster: Yeah, I think that's spot on.
Bam Bam: How are going to beat that?
Rooster: For $12. This is $12. How much is this?
Gizmo: I mean you could find it anywhere between I would say I think I said you know said me 13 and 19 ish.
Bam Bam: Okay.
Gizmo: Alright. Something like that. Maybe 15 and 19. Mhmm.
Bam Bam: Trying to get a value here, Rooster. Okay.
Gizmo: Pagoda, what do you think of the cigar right now?
Pagoda: Yeah. No. I I really enjoyed the cigar. In fact, I've always debated whether I preferred this or the Cameroon.
Bam Bam: There you go.
Pagoda: Yeah. Meaning for me, I think sometimes, more often than not, this edges the Cameroon out for me as well.
Bam Bam: See, that's surprising, knowing your power alley.
Pagoda: Knowing my power, yeah, meaning it's Yeah. Completely Yeah. But I think-
Bam Bam: But it's a merit for the cigar.
Pagoda: But this has got such a pleasant flavor profile, you know, which goes and just encompasses your palate. And I think now that it's about half an inch in, it's just become so much better.
Bam Bam: Just gets it.
Rooster: It's a very easy smoking
Pagoda: It's very easy smoking. And it's creamy, and it's got that, for me, what I call the, you know, the Honduran Cubanesque I'm getting. Like, I get a little, like the floral saltiness as opposed to the caramel
Bam Bam: I can see that. Yeah. It does coat your mouth beautifully.
Gizmo: It does.
Rooster: Great construction too. Never disappoints.
Senator: There's something so effortless and luxurious about this smoke for some reason. It's like the way the smoke hits your palate. I don't know. Every time I'm smoking this, I I always feel like this is a cigar at a higher price point than it really is. It's hard to describe.
Bam Bam: I think that for me, the reason why you're getting that and I get that too is because it's so easy to smoke and you can really envelop yourself in the smoke and there's no harshness at all. So you're just enjoying the aroma. Yeah. You know, that cloud over your head, it's great.
Pagoda: Yeah, it's so pleasant. Yeah. And it leaves a very pleasant profile of flavors within your mouth. So you know how sometimes it can get very strong flavors, but with this, it's just great.
Rooster: I do have a slight knock on this, though.
Bam Bam: Oh, God.
Rooster: Very slight. It's a little Where's the buzzer, Ben?
Bam Bam: I need it. You're catching me off guard.
Rooster: It's a little drawing on my mouth.
Bam Bam: What you
Rooster: The finish is dry.
Senator: Not for me, the salt kinda like almost makes me salivate
Bam Bam: Salivate about about this, That's true.
Rooster: I don't know, for me it
Senator: can't be It could be old age. Dry mouth may be a side effect. Relax old boy.
Pagoda: You might be dehydrated.
Gizmo: So boys, we're gonna change it up a little bit tonight because like I said, we have the conversation. We're gonna talk to Klaus Kellner here. We're gonna cut that in. So let's go to our pairing.
Bam Bam: Thank you.
Gizmo: It's a little early tonight on the pairing. Old age.
Bam Bam: The perfect segue. Never early enough.
Gizmo: Appropriate tonight.
Pagoda: Hey, wait. Let me pour some. I'm just kidding.
Bam Bam: So the aroma on the nose on this is just delicious. Before you take a sip.
Gizmo: It's like vanilla caramel.
Senator: Very heavy vanilla caramel.
Gizmo: Yeah. I have not taken a sip yet. I know you guys have been sipping, but I So have we are drinking, let's tell everybody, we're drinking these seven years age Abuelo.
Pagoda: That's right. Out of Panama.
Bam Bam: There you go. Cheers. Cheers, boys. Cheers. Good to see you.
Cheers.
Pagoda: Manufactured by our own very own Abuelo. So Sponsored by. Let's put it that way.
Rooster: How much is
Bam Bam: this bottle?
Senator: $25. What? Wow. 25. Same as Havana Club seven year.
Bam Bam: Jeez. I'm staring at you right now because I don't believe you. Dead serious. What do you think of this?
Gizmo: I think it's really good. It has a little more heat.
Bam Bam: I like that.
Gizmo: But I'm not complaining about it. It's a different type of
Bam Bam: I like the experience. You know, every rum that we've experienced most well, there have been some hot ones, but I love the balance of sweetness and a little bit of heat. It keeps your attention. It's not overwhelmingly hot.
Senator: Yeah. I don't think it's very hot. I mean, that's your first sip, so I think your palate's still adjusting.
Bam Bam: There's a touch, but I love it.
Senator: I think I mean, a lot of the time we have Havana Club, you know, the seven year, we will have it with ice. I think when you drink that neat, like your first few sips, you get a little bit of heat there, and then your palate settles in. You're like, this is so smooth. I'm telling you, by your third or fourth sip of this, it's very smooth.
Gizmo: I I still like I said, I'm not complaining here. I'm really I'm really into the rum. It's very good, but it just has a little more heat on duly noted.
Bam Bam: Do we know what the sugar content is on this?
Senator: Oh, there's no additives
Bam Bam: in this. Really? No. Alright. We where can I get can I get this here on Stateside?
Senator: So honestly, it's it's kinda difficult to find. Let me share a little bit about the brand history. They've actually got a really fascinating story. I mean, you know, how we kind of arrived here. So, you know, Pagoda and I, when we've been to Panama, this is like Havana Club in Panama.
You find it absolutely everywhere.
Bam Bam: It's a staple.
Senator: It's a staple. The seven year is kind of like the standard, like minimum you would want for like a sipping rum just like Havana Club seven, and we really loved it. Now the the sad thing is every time we come back, they don't carry the seven year or their twelve year at like Total Wine or Bottle King or some of the larger places near us. I happen to finally find it at what's that? Wine Traders in Saddlebrook.
Bam Bam: So you got that here?
Senator: They they delivered it thankfully. Wow. But it's not everywhere. And then in reading some of the history, there's a reason for this, and hopefully we'll start to see it pop up more. So just a little bit about the brand.
So obviously, Abuelo means, you know, grandfather in Spanish, and it's a nod to the brand's history as Panama's oldest rum producer. They began in nineteen o eight. A Spanish immigrant, Don Jose Varela Blanco, arrived in a small town in Panama. What year was that? Nineteen o eight.
Bam Bam: And Rooster was there to meet him. I think I think we He was having a few grabbed the bags. We came together from the old country. There you go. From the rock Of Gibraltar.
Gizmo: Again, I love that you guys are three years apart in age, but
Bam Bam: Also true. Thank you, Gizmo.
Gizmo: That's what makes it funny to me.
Pagoda: I'm in denial.
Rooster: I didn't wanna slay
Bam Bam: it. So
Senator: when when Don Jose Valera Blanco arrived in that small town where the distillery is is currently located, he established the country's first sugar mill there. And by 1936, he and his three sons began distilling alcohol from freshly pressed sugarcane juice. Today, the Varela family, third generation descendants, still owns and operates the entire distillery. So the fact that it stayed in the family is really cool. Another outrageous part of this story to me, a 100% of their production is estate controlled.
So every single part of the process from hand harvesting cane to bottling to everything is done on their property. That is incredibly rare in spirits. Like, usually, some parts of the process, the distillery actually takes care of, and the other stuff comes from other places. Everything happens on their estate, and they've got a massive one. I mean, it's 3,000 acres of estate owned crops that they have that make their rum.
Wow. So as a result, like, they control a 100% of their production process, hand harvesting, aging on their estate, everything. Funnily enough, it says that, you know, the company's development has kinda gone hand in hand with Panama's history because Juan Carlos Varela, one of the sons in the family, actually became president of Panama in 2014.
Gizmo: Oh, wow. Well, that's cool.
Senator: It's pretty cool.
Bam Bam: Interesting.
Pagoda: So If I would have supplied rum to the population, I think I'd be elected president.
Bam Bam: Correct. President Pagoda.
Senator: Few other things that they're kind of famous for that are are innovative. They use a special yeast strain in fermentation that is derived from pineapples, which is rare, that's not commonly used, which adds a distinct flavor to the rum. They age the rum in ex bourbon barrels. A lot of them apparently come from Jack Daniel's, it says, is where they get a lot of this from. Then some of their, like, higher expressions, they also age in sherry, cognac, port.
They kind of experiment with different casks, which is cool. It says they have a vintage palate aging. They have a unique system that tops up aging barrels with rum of the same year every two years ensuring consistent quality. And then the last part, and this kinda gets to why this is not as commercially available yet in The States and even in Europe, it says while they're the oldest legacy brand for rum in Panama, it's a relatively newer export to The US and Europe, so it's kind of a young buck still in global markets, which is why we're not seeing it as much. But I remember the first year I went to Panama with Pagoda, which was three years ago, I couldn't find this anywhere.
So I think it's at least starting to pop up that now like Wine Traders was able to source this in Saddlebrook, and we were able to have it delivered. So I hope to see this in maybe another few years kind of commercially available everywhere.
Bam Bam: As do we. I love the richness. I like the balance of sweetness and the touch of heat, and not a ounce of sugar has been added to this. That's a huge merit for what you're getting on the palate. It's unbelievable.
Senator: And the thing I like about this, I actually think it is slightly drier, not on the nose, on the palate than Havana Club in the sense that, like, there's, like, a rich, almost nuttiness that you get in the background with this rum that I don't normally get with a lot of other rums. Like, a lot of rums are, you know, pretty sweet forward. I mean, even Cuban rums, like, Santiago, like, you get a lot of kind of sugar up front. Think I even Havana Club, but with this, there's, like, this nuttiness on the finish that like, it finishes drier than it starts on your palate, and I really like that.
Bam Bam: Yeah. It's a it's a fairly clean finish, but long. Yeah. What a great pairing. I think it's a delicious pairing, dude.
Gizmo: Slam dunk again. 100%.
Bam Bam: Now
Rooster: I Great think value at $25.
Bam Bam: It's true. I don't know if there's a cigar on earth I wouldn't smoke with this. Correct.
Gizmo: I agree with you.
Pagoda: And I've
Senator: smoked everything I've ever brought to Panama with this rum at one point or another. Nothing's ever been a bad beer.
Bam Bam: Like, a lot of Cubans, as we know, are mild to medium, but I think they would do well with this too. The heat wouldn't. It's only a touch of heat. It wouldn't overwhelm any Cuban cigar.
Rooster: What about Nicaraguan cigars? I think
Pagoda: they would do also
Bam Bam: go well. I think it'll keep up with it.
Pagoda: I think they'll do well. Like a Padron would do well.
Bam Bam: Excuse me. And that balance of sweetness and a little bit of heat, I think it'll just really balance any cigar that needs a touch of balance when you're smoking it. Fantastic, man.
Pagoda: You know what's really interesting is even in Panama, I think I've always had it with ice.
Bam Bam: Oh, that's a beautiful spice.
Senator: Actually so funny you say that because the same here. This is like the first time I'm just drinking this and it's so great.
Bam Bam: You're getting
Senator: better. When we go back, we should only drink
Pagoda: this neat.
Pagoda: Yeah. It's also I think because sometimes it's a bit warmer there, so maybe that's why
Senator: we That's just true.
Gizmo: Wow. I
Bam Bam: hate to put a a chip of ice in this thing. I'm I'd be afraid to kinda lose what I'm getting right
Pagoda: now.
Senator: It it's honestly better without ice. Yeah. I mean, be honest, point, it is definitely just like weather. You know, you want something cold when it's warm, so that's why we're
Bam Bam: doing it. Of course.
Senator: But
Bam Bam: Or you could sit in the air conditioning. Well In the casino there and smoke. No. No.
Senator: You can't smoke in the casino indoors. Only outdoors, they have that beautiful
Bam Bam: Oh, really? Oh, okay.
Pagoda: We've got an excellent lounge over there. That's it. We're disclosing any names. Now where
Bam Bam: we go? Senator, didn't you meet the owner of this brand?
Senator: That was a different brand that we will do hopefully soon on
Bam Bam: the Great.
Gizmo: Nice. Alright, boys. So we're coming to the end of the first third here on the Aladino eighty five anniversaryo reserva in Robusto. What's everybody thinking?
Senator: For me, the flavors picked up. Yeah. So, like, I think this starts, like, pretty mild, and I think now it's, like, firmly medium. And all the notes we were getting, they're just, like, more accentuated now. Like, I'm getting even more salt than I was getting before.
I'm getting even more sweetness than I was getting before. And the creaminess has died down a little bit, but actually in a good way because it's picked up a little bit in strength in a way that I'm looking for a richer experience that this is now starting to deliver.
Bam Bam: But no bite at all. Zero. Yeah. And the retro, I think for me, is very elegant and smooth. And I do see that balance in sweetness and savory.
Rooster: I like the saltiness of this. The Honduran tobacco usually has a little bit of saltiness. That's what makes it kind of unique and also similar to Cuban tobacco. But the cigar is so easy to smoke that you can smoke any time of the day, which makes it so worse. And very easy to pair with.
Senator: Oh, yeah. And just while you're smoking it, the combustion out of this Robusto is great. The draw is perfect. The burn line like, you don't have to think about anything at all while you're smoking this cigar. And, like, usually, that's the case with, like, a cigar at a higher price point.
And the fact that this is you can find this thing for, like, $12.13 at most, probably $15 that you would need to spend for this, and you have that experience, I mean, that's awesome. Like, Padron is really the only brand that we would consistently say that about.
Bam Bam: This would be great with a delicious cup of coffee.
Gizmo: That's what Rooster's drinking. Right?
Rooster: Yeah. That coffee right here.
Bam Bam: I so I don't often do a a daytime cigar. Haven't done that in a long time. If I do, I'll have a coffee. This with a cup of black or a little bit of cream or a cappuccino, anything would be fantastic.
Pagoda: I would do this with champagne. Oh, that too? Yeah.
Senator: Oh, yeah. You know Yeah. What call
Gizmo: Alright, boys. So let's bring in Klas Kellner. We reviewed his cigar two weeks ago. We reviewed reviewed a bunch of his cigars. He's batting a thousand on this podcast.
And I was texting him after the review telling him, hey, we had some questions about this and we really love this cigar, etcetera. And he said, well, let's let's get on. So this is the first time we're gonna have a manufacturer blender come on after we recorded the review to, you know, obviously, he's he's heard the review, but also to answer some of our questions that we had during the episode, including about the cigar packaging, the story, etcetera. So let's bring in Klas now, and we will be back to you at the end of the second third. Alright, boys.
We are here with our friend of the program, Klas Kellner of Kellner cigars. And we have to talk about with Klas, the fact that we have the LE80, the cigar he blended and made for his father, Henke's, eightieth birthday two weeks ago.
Senator: And is smoking right now. He's all drooling watching this.
Gizmo: Correct. Yeah. He's rubbing it in our face.
Bam Bam: And
Gizmo: first off, Koss, I mean, you're batting a thousand on this podcast between the stoic stuff, between the avowed stuff Mhmm. Now with the Kellner cigar. How are you doing it, man? What's going on here? How are pulling this off?
Pagoda: I don't know, man. Thank you guys first for having me on on the show once again. And thank you for, I mean, saying such nice things about all the cigars that we're making at the factory. I think that you guys have an affinity for my blending style. There must be something there because construction quality is one thing, but flavor profile as well, and across such a big group as yourselves, it's quite impressive to be so well received.
And I'm honored. Thank you for everything you guys say about the cigars that we make, and thank you for being so nice into the cigars.
Gizmo: Well, you know, listen, we wouldn't we wouldn't rave about it if we didn't believe it. You know, that's the you know, our listeners know that about us. I know I know you know that about us. We don't bullshit how we feel, and it really was one of the most spectacular cigars we've reviewed in quite some time. I mean
Bam Bam: Totally.
Gizmo: I It was really incredible. So I gotta ask you about the flavor profile. You and I were talking about this, which really prompted, you know, you coming on. You said something about the flavor notes and what we were talking about in the episode, you know, in our review. Can you share that with us and the audience?
Senator: I'll just remind the other lizards here that Klaus, like myself, will not retrohale to get the flavor notes. His palate will tell you all the flavor notes.
Bam Bam: Duly noted.
Senator: And your thoughts. You saved me out of this, Klas.
Pagoda: Well, where do I start, man? You know, this was a very special project for me and the family, and this was a gift for my dad. More than anything else, this was a gift. And I told my dad when I came up with the idea to do this project that I was gonna go big. He didn't know how big.
He never expected it to be what it became until I started showing him many months later, rough drafts, samples, and then I started showing him blends and the different sizes that we made. But when it comes to the tasting notes that you guys discovered throughout your experience, I was very impressed to listen to a lot of the same terms that I was using to describe the cigar when I was writing the tasting notes. We took the cigars to my sister's house and we sat in the kitchen and each of us lit up a cigar, my sister, my wife, my dad, other
Bam Bam: my Did you say in the kitchen?
Pagoda: And we brought out different spices, things from the kitchen, and we just set everything out in front of us. And we just were smoking the cigar and then putting a spice up to her nose. Okay, that's not it. Then taking another spice, putting it up to her nose, take another puff, and just going through every single thing that my sister had in her kitchen to try to match these flavor notes and aroma notes. And when we ended up having at the end of the experience was having, it's a very long experience, but the cigar starts very sweet and spiced and predominantly sweet and spiced.
And it's not about when you get to the halfway point, that really those woody notes, those more bitter chocolatey notes start hitting the palate. And that's when really the cigar becomes well rounded because the first half of the cigar, the first third of the cigar is very smooth, very creamy, very sweet with some spice that entertains this palate. And then it starts evolving as it goes through to about the second, third, and then the last third. And once you go to the last third, it becomes medium to full in my opinion. So it's medium minus then to medium and then medium to full.
And as I hear your discovery of the cigar, all of you guys were saying a lot of similar notes. I kept saying hazelnut, you guys kept saying walnuts, you guys kept saying different types
Bam Bam: of nuts.
Pagoda: The nuts in the cigar was another big aspect of that cigar that kept coming out to me while I was writing these tasting notes and doing curves of stimulation and mapping it out on my palate.
Gizmo: And as I mentioned, I mean, I was looking for it. I know we were talking about it. Idea of the full palate coverage that, you know, started for us when we met you at PCA and you drew the tongue out for us and kind of mapped out how you think about full tongue, full palate coverage. That cigar nailed it completely.
Rooster: The cigar was very balanced, yet it was complex. And there was no single note that was overpowering the cigar. Was I mean, the notes were pronounced, but they were not overpronounced. It wasn't like one note was taking over. And the cigar really took you on a journey, which is what we love.
Pagoda: And it was a challenge to get it there because it took us 11 blends to make this cigar. I officially presented to the family blends six and seven. And when I had blends six and seven, I knew I had something very good. And when I presented to the family and you know, when you get too many heads in the kitchen, everybody has a different opinion. My dad and I loved Blend six.
It was very smooth, very creamy, very balanced, very much my dad's blending style because I'm blending for him. I'm trying to imagine what he wants. And my sister, my wife like blend number seven, other members like seven, like number six. And we couldn't agree on anything. But my dad said something in that meeting.
He said, I like six, but we think Blend seven will sell better. So or will be received better by the general public. And I was like, okay, so back to the drawing board. Let's get somewhere in between that you like it, but is closer to number seven. And it took me another five oh, another four or five blends to get it there so that blend number 11 was an in between point, between six and seven.
Rooster: What does the Yamasa tobacco do for the cigar? Does it add a touch of spice?
Pagoda: Great question. Maybe that was the biggest challenge about this cigar. My sister grows the Yamasa tobacco in her farm. That's why I keep mentioning her, Monica, and she grows fantastic tobacco. And this Yamasa tobacco is very sweet and very spiced.
When people think of Yamasa, people think back to Davarov Yamasa, which is what Yamasa is mainly known for, the cigar that my dad blended. And before that, Puro de Oro. And Puro de Oro was very powerful, very earthy. Yamasa, Davodof Yamasa is still in the market, is also very powerful. But for example, the Yamasa in the market from Davodof is mixed also with Nicaraguan tobaccos.
So that is a cigar that is a good balance of very strong tobaccos from Nicaragua, and then the sweet and spice that Yamasa provides. Where in this case, was about making Yamasa the star of the show and blending with other Dominican tobaccos to blend around it and make it so that Yamasa is not overly pronounced and it doesn't tire your palate, but it is the star of that sweet, that spice you're getting at the beginning. And it's throughout the whole experience, you're still feeling it on your lips.
Gizmo: So we gotta talk to you about the one point of contention that stuck with us, which was the price, which obviously we were okay with that at the end. But that is definitely for someone who doesn't know the name or, you know, the brand or or what you do. That's know, $57 is a high price point. And then also, you know, factoring in the packaging piece of the conversation. So So what did you think of all that?
What is your response to all that?
Pagoda: Remember that this is a gift and this is 80. How do you encapsulate everything that my father has done for the industry? How do you encapsulate everything that my father has done for Dominican Republic and the tobacco industry, the cigar industry, and put all of that into a celebratory cigar to celebrate his achievements in his life. And like I told you, I wanted to go all out. So I remember having this conversation, my dad was about to turn 79 And I told my dad, Dad, can I please do something for your eightieth?
Because I need his approval before anything else. And he's like, Well, I don't know. I was like, Let me do something very special. And it was April when I first showed him the box and I show him the box. And the first, he said two things when he received the box, which I have it here.
He said, wow, how much did that cost?
Bam Bam: That was his first thing that he said By
Gizmo: the way, we asked the same And
Pagoda: I'll tell you exactly what I told my dad. Don't worry about it. I got it covered. I love hearing your assessments of how much you think it costs the box. It gives heart attacks when you hear how much of that box costs because the weight of it, how it feels, you know, everything about it, the corners, the marble look, the engraving in it is, we thought a lot about it.
And then the second thing that my dad said was, how many do I get to keep for myself? So we made sure that my dad and the family had a nice stock because I have so many bad experiences of great cigars that we've had, and then we don't keep cigars or boxes for ourselves But over the years, limited editions that I wish I still had in my inventory. And this is one that I definitely wanted to keep and to be able to revisit. We set aside enough boxes for ourselves. And because it is such a special occasion, I told my dad, dad, in health at this age, look at your health, look how healthy, look how good you are.
I want you to celebrate it. A lot of people are gonna do things after you're gone, knock on wood, that's gonna be a long time away from here. But I wanted to do something that was up to his level, up to the counter name. And also I wanted to do something that when you looked at it and when you opened it and you took out a cigar, it was an experience. Because I think part of the enjoyment of the cigar is also the ritual.
And that is why every single cigar that is sold comes in a box. I hear you guys talk about refills and I hear you talk about singles and stuff. And some retail stores would ask me, it's like, Are you gonna have bundles? And I'm like, No, no, no. Every cigar that is gonna get sold is gonna come in a box.
And they will say, Well, it's a shame because some boxes will get thrown away. It's like, well, I don't care. Every single cigar that has a counter name needs to come in a beautiful dress. And that is the box. That is the packaging, that is the experience that something at this level and at this price point should have every single time.
I think about every time I go into these high end stores, jewelry stores, watch stores, everything is about the experience. And this is something that a lot of the cigar world doesn't have, and you can only find it at the very premium sector.
Gizmo: Well, that answers that. You
Bam Bam: have a lot of questions.
Senator: We're still hoping for refills.
Pagoda: I did shut down one of your questions about the refills real quick.
Bam Bam: But I You
Pagoda: wanted it to be a limited edition. And a lot of the questions that people ask me is like, what does this mean for the future? And that's the million dollar question. And I tell them, well, let me first think about the eightieth. Let me make sure that everybody's happy.
Let me make sure that the stores are happy, they're selling through. And then maybe we'll think about the future. Right now, I'm still thinking about my factory and making sure that everything that comes out of my factory is good. But this was something that took a lot of time, a lot of effort over a year's work of designing, of creating blends, of producing the blends, making sure we got it right in the right format, the theme of format that we love. When I started smoking cigars frequently around the age of 15, that was one of the first shapes that I ever had.
And I think it's such an elegant shape. It was the original Davidoff de Ademas Finas that came out in 2006. I was 15 years old and that was one of the first cigars that I got to smoke regularly. And I always come back. Then we've revisited that shape in other lines with like Nicaragua and other limited editions.
We revisited for 2018. We brought back to the Dimas Finas. And it's always a shape that has always been very close to my heart, and I just think it's so elegant. And it it was primed to be used for this celebratory moment.
Senator: So just a little bit more on the future. When we met at PCA, I had asked you if you had given any serious thought to starting you know, launching your own brand and actually blending for yourself under your own name. And at the time, your focus was boutique brands and not so much that. I know you're saying now that you're focused on obviously what's immediately in front of you. Does developing a blend like this with the Kellner name that clearly is really, really well received at least give you more confidence that maybe that's something you ought to seriously pursue in the future?
And I think I'm saying this selfishly on all of our behalf that we're really dying to see more blends under your own name after what we experienced with that cigar.
Pagoda: You're not wrong. It It is is very encouraging to see so many people asking about what comes next. It is very encouraging to hear people say very nice things about a blend that is very counter, a blend that is very in tune with our blending style and the tobaccos that my family produces. And maybe this is a way forward, maybe through limited editions, eighty first, eighty second. A regular line, a regular brand, that is something that is a little bit up more for debate at the moment, and that's probably the number one question that I get.
Somebody mentioned that the eightieth could be so well replaced with just a one instead of a zero, and now you have a name first on the band. And everybody pokes at it, everybody asks that question. And I think that would be a very nice way forward to put the family back in the spotlight, always through limited productions maybe, but nothing for the mass market. I believe that Kellner should always remain premium, and I believe that Kellner should always remain exclusive. I I again, I wanna focus on every one of my clients that are right now in production, future clients that might be coming in, and and be able to grow the factory to a place that I am comfortable so that then maybe in the future I can actually focus on sales and marketing.
You have no idea how hard launching a single cigar for 2,000 boxes is and making it successful and making it well received and making sure all the retailers are happy. And imagine if that's just 2,000 boxes, imagine if I had to focus on the factory and also on brands. But the blending is there, the tobaccos are there, and it's not out of the possibility.
Gizmo: Well, thank you for coming on, Klas. And thank you for this incredible cigar. We really appreciate it. We celebrate it. I know that a bunch of us have run out and bought boxes now after we smoked it to, you know, save it for special occasions moving forward to have the cigar and and remember it.
It's it's very, very, very awesome, and you did a great job on it. And before I let you go, I have to ask you, what do you think of Bam Bam selling those Trinidad Fundadores for, like, 5 x? Go easy. 5 x on Go easy. Versus what he bought them for?
What what is what's your take on that?
Pagoda: I think you got better return in the stock market.
Pagoda: Don't know. This is
Bam Bam: a pretty good investment.
Pagoda: I can hold on to some of these boxes. You never know. I might be able to have some signed by my dad, have something very special in the future keep it. I go back to, I'll show you something I have next to me, I'll take this opportunity. I always go back to this box.
I'm showing the group a box of original calendar that my dad made in the eighties. Wow. Yeah, that's the original crest. Wow. Family crest that I'm showing them.
Back then there were two lines that were holding the world, two different hemispheres, and it was representing that the counter family was in different parts of the world, all working tobacco. Nowadays, we removed the two hemispheres because we're more centered now in Dominican Republic. We updated everything a little bit more, made it a little bit more royal, added the fleur de lis to the crest, And we added the dates of 1933 in the crest, symbolizing the date that my grandfather moved to Dominican Republic and started working in tobacco. But I mean, when you hold these boxes, you know, and you have some cigars that are 40 years old and things like that, I don't know. I always say that money in tobacco is better than the bank.
Maybe this is another great example about how Put your money in cigars and tobacco, maybe your return on investment will come out.
Gizmo: Correct. See, BAM, you're a mogul.
Bam Bam: That's correct.
Pagoda: And you can always use BAM to sell, please. No.
Bam Bam: Well, or my agent. Look at that. Oh, wow. Wow. That's a 40 year old cigar.
Pagoda: Is yellow.
Gizmo: Amazing. Yowza.
Pagoda: It's a very old cigar.
Bam Bam: Fantastic. All
Gizmo: right, Klaus, thank you so much again for coming on. Congratulations on this beautiful cigar. Thank you for sharing it with the world. And as we've talked about, and I know you've talked to many other people about, we can't wait to see what's next from your factory with all of the companies that you work with and also from your family, Crest, the Kellner family cigars. We look forward to what's next from you guys.
And thanks for coming on, and we'll see you next time.
Pagoda: Thank you guys for everything.
Gizmo: Alright, boys. Thanks again to Klaus Kellner for jumping in with us and talking all things LE 80. And, of course, chiming in on BAM's successful sale, the Trinidad Fundadores, which we'll get to
Pagoda: Well done.
Gizmo: In a moment. But, we are coming to the end of the second third now
Bam Bam: Do we need to get to it?
Gizmo: On the Aladino eighty five anniversary of Reserva in Robusto and the seven years aged Abuelo. Yeah. What's everybody thinking?
Bam Bam: Truly delicious. Like, I'm we're I'm giving everything we're smoking and drinking tonight very high marks. I'm in heaven. Yeah. It's it's fantastic.
Senator: I have not one complaint.
Pagoda: Yeah. Nothing like, for us, it's like revisiting a comfortable friend. We're just hanging out.
Bam Bam: We're in Panama again. Well, YouTube, but that abuelo is like really high on my list now that I wanna pursue. Fantastic.
Rooster: Rooster. It's fantastic.
Bam Bam: It's awesome.
Gizmo: Like you're surprised.
Bam Bam: It's nap time. Yeah. Oh my god.
Rooster: I thought you wanted me to comment about the pairing. I'm like, I
Gizmo: can't comment about the pairing. No. No. No. But the cigar
Rooster: is great. Cigar is fantastic.
Gizmo: Yeah. The cigar
Rooster: is good. I mean, it's still the creamy like you said, the creaminess has gone down, but the salty thing is still going on. Salt is here. Salty and
Gizmo: nutty too. Little earthy, little nutty.
Bam Bam: But there's a toasted quality to this that I'm kinda getting.
Gizmo: But it's not heat, which is nice.
Bam Bam: No, no, no. No. Yes. Almost like a nice toasted carbohydrate. We knew it was gonna
Rooster: When you say carbohydrate, what do
Bam Bam: you It's like exactly toast. This is like raisin bread toast kind of I'm getting. It's a little sweet. It's toasty, a little salty.
Rooster: Probably it's like salty and nutty right now.
Pagoda: Yeah. Salty
Bam Bam: and nutty. At
Senator: all? I agree.
Rooster: Not not much sweetness, but it has picked up in strength a little bit at the half a point.
Senator: I still get sweetness, but I'm getting the saltiness and the nutty note that you're talking about.
Gizmo: Yeah. Alright, boys. Let's go to some listener email now. We talked a couple weeks ago about customer service. It was a big discussion on the pod.
Lizard Enrique sent in a note to us about customer service, and we asked him to qualify what was going on. And, obviously, it's been a couple weeks now, so I wanted to share his voice memo following up on that customer service email so we can comment on this.
Lizard Enrique: Hey, lizards. Wanted to drop a voice mail about the customer service situation that I was facing. I had ordered a pair of high end men's shoes. They were very nice shoes, the kind of shoes where you don't tell anyone the price, you just let them know that you're upper middle class. The website said that they'd be delivered within three business days.
Pagoda: Senator loves that.
Lizard Enrique: Didn't come. I called, I emailed, they were still processing. They let me know that they remembered me. Finally, I was able to get a real person online. I listened to the hold music and contemplated my life decisions.
When I asked them when they would have the shoes to me, they said they didn't know. It was like trying to get my wife to pick a restaurant.
Bam Bam: Finally, I
Lizard Enrique: called management.
Gizmo: Isn't that the truth?
Lizard Enrique: They promised that they would send out a replacement if it had not been delivered in a certain timeframe. Again, that timeframe was missed. I emailed, no response, called again, very high call volume. So I reached out to the Lizards in a point of sheer frustration. Thankfully, I got the shoes in time for Christmas, and everyone could see just how comfortable I was.
Alright, Lizards. Have a good one.
Gizmo: By the way, I love Lizard Enrique. Followed up with us. We asked him the question of what the specific story was, so I do appreciate him reaching out.
Bam Bam: Devoted listener.
Gizmo: So I have another one on customer service, boys. So this one is from Lizard Luigi who writes us a lot. He says, hey, Giz. Just listening to the Byron episode in this segment about customer service, and I had something happen to a friend not long ago that I wanted to share with you guys. I've gotten friendly with Ryan Rodriguez, the owner of Ohana cigars, which he sent us some.
We're gonna do those on the pod this year, and was trying to get his cigars into my local retail lounge. I even went so far as to go into my personal stash to supply samples to the shop owner. That's pretty nice to do. I was able to get Ryan in touch with the shop owner where they were able to converse and even hammered down a date for an event. Ryan is based in Texas, so he'd have to fly up.
I used my minuscule social media presence to promote this event, and I was able to get some traction. Three days, all caps, before the event, the shop owner canceled the event due to nothing more than not being able to commit to an order. I immediately canceled my membership and I stopped doing business with this lounge. Good for him. I was embarrassed for setting up a now friend with a proprietor that would treat a small business owner like this.
Wizard Luigi. Wow. Yowza. I think the response here is noble. Agreed.
Getting out of there. How can you support that business after he does your friend Yeah. Dirty like And especially, you know, you think about this business, this industry. We all know, we've talked about it a lot, how difficult being in tobacco is, especially in 2025. To do that to a small business owner who thinks they have a new account coming, they maybe book flight.
Three days out, he already had flights booked.
Bam Bam: It's also a very small ecosystem. Everyone eventually does know everyone else. Right? Can't do that. It will come back to haunt you.
Senator: Oh, we've learned this. I mean, every retailer has a reputation.
Gizmo: Oh, yeah. So let's go to another one on customer service. This one is from Lizard Chris talking about the Byron episode here on FOH. He said, love the episode, and I really agreed with all the notes the guys had on the cigar. I bought a three pack of these to smoke along with them, and I but I busted one out in the interim.
I was not impressed. Give me a Millennium Robusto or a Padron Exclusivo any day, and give me a Davodoff Maduro or a family reserve from Padron instead for a more special smoke. Obviously, as we remember that Byron is a pretty pricey smoke, so I think that's where the comparison's coming from.
Bam Bam: Excellent call outs, by the way.
Gizmo: He says, I also really appreciate the discussion on customer service. So often we from the New York, New Jersey area get accused of being demanding when all we want is the experience we paid for. In the world of higher prices, squeezing the customer and folks having to save and make a conscious choice for a luxury experience, the onus is on the provider to ensure we at least get what we paid for and demanding that level of service, politely but firmly isn't rude. And we're not there to be these people's friends. We're there spending our money with them to get an experience or a product we want.
I think that's well said. But the post office, those guys are exhibit a of why I don't want the government running anything they don't already. Thanks again for the great episode. Congrats to Gizmo on winning FOH man of the year, and here's to another great year of lizard nation. Another one from El Lobo Loco says, I have been curious to give Byron a whirl.
Sounds like it's a pass after that podcast. Priced at Habanos levels or even higher. Underdelivering is an easy pass. Pass me a Robusto Trinity, please. Of course, referencing the FOH.
Here's another one. I've tried a lot of these selected tobacco releases, so that's Byron comes from selected tobacco as well as other United cigars, so they're distributed by United. And don't get a lot of the hype surrounding the selected stuff. The Atabay black was an outstanding cigar, and I like the Atabay Lancero. Bandolero premium was pretty good.
Byron has been very hit or miss for me. The Alfonso extra anejo was also great. Most of the rest of them for me have been between not good, mediocre, and decent. Those are the standouts. I do really like the red anchor cigars, and this is why I mentioned in his comment, by United who which are made by Klaus Kellner.
They are fantastic as well. There's also a Kellner United cigar coming in the future that was recently teased. United is the distributor for selected. This one is from user Tan Tee. Says, I like the episode and their description of the Byron, So I tried one at a nearby lounge.
The flavor was excellent, but it was basically unsmokable. So seems like folks are having the same experience. So how do you have I mean, we just talked to Klaus Kellner about a $57 cigar that we were you know, listen. For how much we love Klaus, Early in that episode, we were a little miffed by the price, the packaging, etcetera. Obviously, its performance got us to the point that we were totally accepting of that price.
But to price something as high as the Atabay or the Byron stuff and to hear this from multiple folks, multiple folks. I mean, we've gotten a lot of emails about Atabay and Byron over the years here. I mean, I don't understand how the price is just so divergent from the experience that we're all having. So a lot of good stuff there on FOH and in the email on customer service. So we appreciate everyone writing us.
It's always good to hear from folks out there. So let's go to another one now. This is another voice memo here from Lizard John from Boise. And he sent us a note as well. And he says, I had a discussion recently with a friend about your all time go to cigars.
Specifically, what three cigars do you guys consistently go back to year after year? Cigars that always will have a place in your humidor. Not necessarily the best cigar you've ever had, but what is always in the rotation? I'm sure in senator's list, the d four and exclusive would at least be included, But I'd be curious what he and the other lizards would choose for their top go to lists, and perhaps how that list has changed over the years. Cheers, lizard John from Boise.
So let's start there and then we'll go to the voice memo.
Bam Bam: Let's start with senator.
Gizmo: So senator, obviously two right there.
Senator: Yeah. Mean, the the funny thing is in all the years I've smoked cigars, those are really the only two, like, staples that have persisted throughout all of those years. Like, from when I first started smoking Cuban cigars, you know, fifteen years ago, like the d four, there's no other Cuban cigar that I had at that point that, like, I can't live without right now. There's plenty that I love. I mean, we've obviously tried and reviewed so many.
And even in the New World category, like if I look at my rotation now, I mean, it's filled with so many things that like we've discovered within the last year or two. Aging room, Aladino, Fabrica five, these were things that ten years ago I certainly wasn't smoking. So it's kinda crazy to say, but I really think those are the only two that have persisted throughout time for me.
Bam Bam: When was the last time you had a d four? It's been a while.
Senator: Oh, probably a couple months ago.
Bam Bam: Are you making a conscious effort to hold onto those a bit longer?
Senator: Honestly, it's less that. It's like, I have so much stuff
Bam Bam: Because I am gonna I'll admit. I am. I'm staying off of my Cubans because one, I'm not so attracted to them right now because of everything else we have.
Senator: Yeah. That's what I'm saying. Look. It's less like I'm trying to preserve them.
Bam Bam: Okay, Piccardo, what are gonna say?
Pagoda: Then you could open the auction the mail.
Gizmo: You got them there. You
Bam Bam: know, I teed you up for that. I created the platform for you. You did.
Gizmo: Oh, boy.
Rooster: Oh, perfect. I love this.
Senator: But for me, it's less like preserving them. It's that, like, we've discovered so many great new worlds that are incredibly satisfying. Like, this cigar, you know, I derive almost, not as much, but almost as much satisfaction as like when I light up a d four. Like, there's just so many great options now that I'm not like you know, I before I knew before kind of our our rotation was as broad as it is now, You know, for me at that time, the things I was trying, I wasn't enjoying that much, and and I was like, I have to have a d four. Like, I can't find other things that excite me the way this cigar does.
Now that there's so many great options, like
Bam Bam: Yeah.
Senator: I'm not jonesing for a d four,
Bam Bam: you
Senator: know, every single day. So it's just it's changed a lot by how much we've found recently.
Bam Bam: Yeah. I'll answer the question with what I said early on. If I could just smoke this entire line of cigars or maybe two or three of them for the rest of my life or aging room or some of the other cigars that we fall in love with, I'd be perfectly happy. So it's kinda hard to answer that question because of everything Senator just said. Because we found so much versatility and incredible flavor and elegant experiences in a $15 smoke that you can find anywhere, I don't have to live without it.
I can get it, and then it's my my daily go to.
Senator: I also think to Bam's point, it's like, you know, the fact that we've discovered these also recently, like, we look ahead to the future, we would expect it is probably the case that like, Fabrica five, Aladino, Aging Room, like, you know, ten years from now may be brands that we're like, yeah, we can't live without.
Bam Bam: Yeah, honestly, I can't live without the Cherni robust
Pagoda: can totally
Gizmo: with you on that.
Bam Bam: I can't live without that cigar.
Gizmo: And honestly for me right now, this is a new entrant, of course, but quite honestly, that aging room concerto Oh, yeah. In Maestro is also on that list. For me, listen, I'm I'm obviously fortunate. I've been in the fabric of five world in, you know, the blending stuff, all that. That has been a staple in my consumption of cigars for years now.
Bam Bam: Yep.
Gizmo: And it still is even after they're released and I'm ordering them on the website. Like I'm still smoking probably one of those a day ish.
Pagoda: Yeah.
Gizmo: And the same thing goes for the aging room concerto now. The same thing goes for an Aladino and the same thing goes for a Padron. Those are most often making experience. Am I smoking for a day, every day? No.
Yep. But it's really, really, really, really close on those. Yeah.
Rooster: When we were smoking a lot of Cuban cigars, you would light up let's say all week, you lit up like seven, eight, 10 Cuban cigars. But then you go back and you light up an Exclusivo.
Bam Bam: And you've done this. You've commented on this.
Rooster: And You've so that Exclusivo was like, wow, this is amazing. And now it's the opposite. You're smoking all New Worlds all week, and then you go back and you light up like a Juan Lopez number one or a Monty number two or a D4, and you're like, Wow, this is so good. It's like the opposite of
Bam Bam: what So doing right
Rooster: it's nice to have that collection of Cuban cigars that you can go back to here and then. But we have found, like you all have said, so many new world cigars that we have found that we are smoking often. And they're all in our rotation that there's so many cigars out there now. And some of them are really good. So you have a lot more choices now than we had back then.
Pagoda: Yeah. But Abuelo, most of us haven't had the luxury of time to build up the inventory on Cubans.
Rooster: Oh, believe me, some have.
Bam Bam: Look over there, please. Direct your direct your gaze to the right. Who? Me? Yes.
Rooster: I'm looking right at
Bam Bam: you. Now we're all fortunate.
Gizmo: Pagoda, what's your top three right now as far as Yes. You know, can't think, live
Pagoda: you know, essentially, you know, the commentary is relatively the same, but I do think that last year, I think 2025 was a year where the Sonata and the Concerto and, you know, they became a part of the regular rotation and the Bellicoso. I think if I were talking about three new cigars which kind of came into the real rotation on a very frequent basis, it was the Sonata, the Concerto, and the Davidoff Bellicoso. I think that might have been might have started in '24 all the way into '25. So about a year and a half or two, I would think.
Senator: I mean, either way, though, I will say your call of the Davidoff Bellicoso is a really good
Gizmo: one It's because everybody's finisher.
Senator: Yeah. Yeah. But again, think of what used to be the case. You know, when we all first met, our finishers were Upmann half coronas
Pagoda: Upmann half coronas.
Senator: And Padron 1926 number 30 fives. Yep. And
Pagoda: there were
Senator: the Bubba's three group. I can't remember the last time any of us lit up either of the two cigars that I just named
Bam Bam: That's
Senator: right. But every single day, that, like, Bellicoso from Davidoff, when we just have time for thirty minutes, you know, remaining to have a cigar and we we're ready to go home, that cigar is always there, and I I do think that's a cigar, like, ten years from now, probably will still be the case.
Gizmo: I feel like we think ahead too with that cigar specifically where if I'm packing up a bunch of cigars, I'll often pack two or three bellicosos because I do it. Senator, you guys you guys have all given me
Bam Bam: I know you
Gizmo: that bellicosso at the end of the night. And it's like, everybody somebody's always looking for like, hey. Does anybody have a short smoke for the end of the night? Yeah. And that is the one Yeah.
That we've been going to
Pagoda: for while.
Senator: I keep my locker. Like, I came here last night. I had to go to a wedding, and I was surprised I got back earlier than I thought, and I wanted a cigar. The only thing I had in there was a bellicose. I'm like, this is perfect.
Pagoda: Nice. And you know what the great thing about bellicose is is that if you have it and you meet somebody who's a novice smoker, you can hand that out to them. It's a short cigar, and it's so versatile. And you know, at the end of the day, you're not sharing, you know, one of your prized possessions, quote unquote, and yet being able to, you know, share the cigars. And the Bellicose has been a great addition, I think.
Rooster: Yeah. But had it not been because of this podcast, you know, none of us would have discovered all these cigars that are in our rotation
Bam Bam: these days. Yep. Yep.
Gizmo: And thanks to a lot you know, listeners too. I mean, listeners have turned us on to a lot of these cigars we're talking about.
Bam Bam: Yeah. And honestly, I am always referring, if I'm traveling around locally to spots, I will refer people to the rating sheet to try what we've tried, not to waste money, not to waste any time. Go to that. Look at the higher rated cigars, all the new worlds. You can get them where we are and try them.
Gizmo: And to your point there, Bam, I mean, that feedback on that Byron episode makes me happy because think about how many people we saved them from spending a ridiculous amount of money. What was that? Was that a Toro Robusto extra? I don't I don't remember. But it was a, you know, it was a pricey cigar.
Yeah. You know, so I'm glad that we were able to save some save folks some money. So I hope that answers Lizard John from Boise's question. And let's go to a voice memo from him now that he sent in, quite a few weeks ago. We've been busy, so I didn't get to play it, but I wanna share it now.
Lizard John from Boise: Hey, Giz. This is, Lizard John from Boise. Just wanted to wish you and the boys the happiest of New Year's and my heartfelt thanks for all the content you put out in 2025. Another standout year. Appreciate all the recommendations and and the thoughtful reviews and pairings.
It's really added a lot to my life, I know a lot of other lizards out there. Got me to thinking this time of year about special moments, involving cigars in 2025 and wondered if the boys had any of those that stood out, over any of the others. For me, had the opportunity to sit with my dad around a fire pit this last fall, enjoying, H. Upman number twos and reminiscing over trips that we had taken together over the years and meals that we had had. And we shared the very last little bit of, Pappy Van Winkle fifteen year that he had left for from back in the day when that spirit was cheap and accessible unlike today.
But just a really great moment, something I'll remember for the rest of my days for sure. And hoping you guys had something similar this past year. If something sticks out, I'd love to hear about it. But, again, thanks so much. I'm recording this on New Year's Eve.
I've got a bottle of ball Roger chilling in the fridge for later on tonight for the wife and I.
Senator: There we go.
Lizard John from Boise: Thanks for that, senator. Just one of the many great recommendations you guys have provided over the years that I've taken to heart, and it's really added to my life. But, anyway, cheers. Thanks so much again for 2025. Looking forward to more content 10 more content in 2026.
Best wishes to all of you.
Gizmo: Alright. So that's a great voice right now.
Bam Bam: Great question.
Senator: I'm sorry. Like mister wonderful on Shartank, I want a royalty for every bottle of whole Roger that
Gizmo: gets sold. Not gonna happen. Every case.
Senator: I mean, Jesus.
Gizmo: Yeah. You've sold a lot. Yeah. In this room, you've sold a lot. Correct.
Imagine what you've sold outside this room.
Senator: Imagine the world. Yeah. Yeah.
Bam Bam: I like the question.
Gizmo: It's a great question. Yeah.
Bam Bam: I have a moment.
Gizmo: Go ahead.
Bam Bam: So, when my son got accepted to college, he got accepted to a good number of really good schools, and the one he chose, we all took a caravan down, Everybody went down, rented two Airbnbs. It was myself, missus Bam Bam, my daughter, and my son who got accepted, and my sister-in-law and her son and my sister and my two nieces. We all went down. Toured the campus, everyone went back home. I ventured out.
You? Yeah. I went to his campus, and I set up a director's chair. This was in the evening. And it was a moment for me.
I sat in the main lawn of the campus. I was alone. You know, people were kind of milling around, and I lit up my Davidoff Pyramid.
Rooster: So right by the no smoking zone?
Bam Bam: Yeah, right under the sign. So the Davidoff Millennium Pyramid for me was that moment. Because I had that cigar when he was born, and I'm commemorating his embarking onto his new adventure into college, and I had that in the evening alone. No alcohol, just had a bottle of water on that cigar, and I kinda just reminisced. It was fantastic.
Fantastic. Great.
Senator: So I I have two. The first involves my dad. I mean, my dad first got me into cigars, and, you know, we smoke cigars very often together. And in 2025, some health issues came up. So, you know, we didn't share a cigar for a number of months.
And the first cigar after, thankfully, you know, he kinda overcame these health issues, the first cigar we had together, ironically, is the cigar that we're smoking tonight, the Aladino eighty fifth. Wow. And I'm always I'm I'm a faster smoker. My dad is definitely a slower smoker. And it was the first time in my entire life that he finished a cigar before I did, that we started at the exact same time, and he loved this cigar.
So for me, it was a really fun moment to be able to be fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a cigar again with my dad and the fact that it was this one and he loved it so much. I was so thrilled. The other one that kind of stands out, and this stems from obviously my love of Padron and a fun moment with Gizmo, the Padron sixtieth anniversary. You know, I think we were all nervous about a Padron at that price point and the hype, and it would have broke my heart if that release was disappointing because we have so much respect for Padron. Like, if if there was a $75 Davidoff that disappointed, I expect that.
I don't expect that from Padron. And so Giz and I decided to meet up one afternoon in the lounge to have this cigar for the very first time together. I had picked up some oysters before coming here, brought a bottle of Paul Roger.
Bam Bam: There you go.
Senator: We had some oysters, we had some champagne, and we lit this cigar, and the two of us were in heaven.
Gizmo: It's as if we were on like an island.
Bam Bam: Yeah, a little man love going on.
Gizmo: Yeah, was date night. It was date night, fam.
Bam Bam: Right, I understand. Was little
Gizmo: date night.
Pagoda: So now I know what you guys did for New Year's.
Bam Bam: Valentine's Day. That's exactly right.
Gizmo: Gotta reminisce. Hey, Valentine's Day's next month, Senator. Let's do it again. No. That was a great night.
Actually, that was one of my two. Was the first time we smoked the sixtieth. I mean, because again, going into that and not having smoked it before, so you cut it and we're both looking at each other like, oh my God, there's no draw. There's no draw. There's no draw.
Knowing we had to be patient, but still nervous, I mean, because you hadn't experienced
Senator: Be being a faster smoker,
Rooster: I was a
Senator: little bit ahead of Giz, and I was like, just wait.
Gizmo: Yeah. It was it was awesome. But the oysters, the pulverge, it was it was a good time. I don't even was it a holiday or or did we No. Just
Rooster: Every Sunday. Yeah. So
Gizmo: my I have another one, which was so my stepson got married in November. And actually, my father-in-law, who we talk about a lot, Lizard Mike, actually officiated the wedding, got, like, his license to do that and all that. Right? And he did a great job. It was brilliant.
You know, certainly marrying his grandson and and his new wife was very emotional for him and powerful, and it was a big moment for him. And of course, we ended up in my garage the next day after the wedding smoking a cigar together. And he, like, got emotional, you know, while we were smoking, thinking about it. Because, of course, what, you know, what does a great cigar do? It puts you in that reflective mood.
And Always. He was overwhelmed by it. We were hanging out. We were listening to a little music, a little jazz. It was just an awesome moment.
So, you know, I told my wife about that. She got emotional. So it was very cool. So I'm very happy that we did that. And, you know, congrats to him, and he he he did a great job.
Pagoda: And who's there?
Rooster: Look, man. Every I think every day is is a blessing.
Bam Bam: Every day is a vacation.
Rooster: Every day. Every day
Bam Bam: is Idiot.
Rooster: I'm very grateful that my wife lets me smoke a cigar by the fireplace once in a while.
Gizmo: Mean, that's crazy.
Bam Bam: You're blessed.
Rooster: How about every night?
Bam Bam: You are blessed.
Gizmo: That's amazing.
Rooster: I mean, that moment, when we light a fire,
Bam Bam: I sit down, I have
Rooster: a cigar, we're watching a show, she's right there on the couch. And once in a while, you light up that special cigar, maybe you have kind of closed a good deal and you're happy, it's a great day. So the last one I had, I remember it was the SLR San Luis Rey. It was an old box from 'seven.
Senator: Which Vitola? That's a young box for Rooster.
Gizmo: Which Vitola
Rooster: Rooster? It's a Churchill And what a smoke. I had not smoked that in quite some time. It's been sitting there. It came out of a 50 cab.
And what an amazing, amazing
Bam Bam: cigar. It's of course. Unbelievable.
Rooster: Awesome smoke.
Pagoda: Holding back. You know, I was thinking about this one, and I think the one which I can be pretty reflective upon is we'd gone on a travel trip with, for Lilith Shahid's birthday. You know that fuck Shahid?
Bam Bam: Know that fuck I forgot you said it.
Pagoda: And we were like, you know, a few friends, we were just hanging out, and we decided to just stay in for whatever reason. And we started, I think, drinking and smoking around 06:37 all the way to around 06:37. It was daylight the next morning. And I think the highlight was smoking Dominicanas, and we were just hanging out and, you know, trying cigars, and just, you know, I tend to bring a lot of cigars, lizard shards also into a lot of cigars, but I think for me, the Dominicanas, when we all were smoking together, was just fantastic and had a really, really, you know, it's a nostalgic thing. It's just being able to, you know, reconnect often and just reminisce.
Rooster: Yeah, just by yourself, you caused a shortage in the world for Americana. Correct.
Bam Bam: There's like none left. He hoards them. It's dry. Signature they're cigars that
Pagoda: died off Americana. Was absolutely new.
Bam Bam: And And it's a delicious cigar.
Rooster: Do you still have any?
Pagoda: I have very few left. But you know, I also had these short robustos. Right. Those are good.
Bam Bam: Dominicano short robusto. Yeah. Those are very good. Yeah. I've never had that.
Pagoda: So the doc in the lounge, little doc, he had never tried a Dominicana, so I just handed him one yesterday, a short Robusto, so, yeah. Wow. They're good. They're good.
Rooster: Great question. I don't know why they discontinued that. By the way,
Gizmo: if anybody's looking for Dominicanas, go to the New Jersey Transit Lost and Found. Oh, yeah.
Bam Bam: This is a good deep photo for any very You similar
Gizmo: can at least find one box. Correct. 10 count of Dominicana's there.
Bam Bam: And another case too. Three or four. Correct.
Pagoda: I still have to put the air tag on. By way, that reminds I'll
Bam Bam: do it.
Gizmo: We're in we're in '26 now. So this we're in our third year of talking about these airbags. You're your
Bam Bam: own at this point.
Gizmo: The batteries are probably dead, the airbags, you haven't even turned on yet. So alright, boys. It's time now to talk about some feedback, some conversation regarding a discussion we had a couple weeks ago. And
Bam Bam: I'm gonna go enjoy a cigar now.
Gizmo: Alone. For the listener out there who didn't hear encourage you to go listen to the episode two weeks ago, episode 217. We we revealed and learned about Bam Bam successfully transacting his Trinidad Funda Doris on Bon Roberts.
Rooster: I thought you were gonna say the guy canceled.
Gizmo: So Oh my goodness. So it was a very successful transaction.
Bam Bam: I It would not be amazing.
Gizmo: I do have some things I wanna share with you guys tonight. And first up, we're gonna start with a voice memo from Pooba. Oh,
Rooster: Lord. Hey, folks. Poohba here. Alright. Alright.
Hold everything. Breaking news out of the Lounge Lizard's newsroom. So apparently Bam Bam, our Bam Bam, quietly sells a box of twenty twenty one Trinidad Fundadores on Bond Roberts for $2,750 I believe, two which thousand seven hundred fifty raises the obvious question, who the hell knew Bam Bam even had these? Because last I checked, every time we ask him what he's smoking, it's like, wow, you know, something regular, nothing special.
Bam Bam: Yeah. Just
Rooster: the, you know, a little yardstick I found. Meanwhile, this guy's sitting on a Fort Knox humidor like he's the goddamn cigar version of the Federal Reserve.
Bam Bam: This fucker's got this is wild. He's got a Tetris setup in his tower of cigar boxes.
Rooster: Cannibillionaire. Let him finish.
Rooster: No. Which, by the way, we've we've trademarked. Not to shame him, but to protect our community. Because a man who hides fundadores like this cannot be trusted.
Bam Bam: Goddamn it. Never hit him.
Rooster: Congratulations, Bam Bam.
Senator: Alright.
Rooster: Phenomenal trade. You crushed it. You're a financial genius. You should start, like, trading crypto. But remember, next time sharing is caring.
Bam Bam: Alright.
Rooster: Secrecy on this podcast gets you roasted by the stick.
Bam Bam: Let's finish this so
Gizmo: I can
Bam Bam: comment. Alright. Yeah. You're out. Who who put him up to this?
Gizmo: Not me. Uh-huh.
Bam Bam: I ain't hiding anything. You guys knew I had that box. You knew. You've hit a lot.
Rooster: I did. I knew you had that box.
Bam Bam: Yeah. You had that.
Rooster: You had
Senator: the lot of Galera, Lancero. Yeah.
Bam Bam: And and you know I have a 2018
Senator: box sitting in my bag
Bam Bam: right now. It's a long list. Which I didn't take a photograph of, but I looked at it the other day just to make sure it was there.
Gizmo: He did promise a photo by the end of the night when we recorded that.
Bam Bam: Didn't you?
Senator: Did you ever get that rooster?
Rooster: No. No?
Bam Bam: I'll do it. I will do it tonight. I'll do it. It's there.
Gizmo: So I've had I have another one here. And this one is actually from Lizard Pagoda who's in the room, but he sent this because he said he would never be able to get through it live in episode.
Bam Bam: You see this hot cigar right here? I'm gonna put it right
Gizmo: Pagoda in your wasn't here, but he heard what happened. So he shared this because he wanted to provide it externally because he could have never gotten through it live on air. So here's
Bam Bam: the beads of sweat building up on your forehead. It is. Get ready.
Pagoda: Congratulations and celebrations. The fruits of patience and perseverance
Bam Bam: Oh, that's nice.
Pagoda: Finally pay off. And an opportunity
Bam Bam: There you go.
Pagoda: Bon Robert. Congratulations, Bam. This is fantastic news. Well, now I guess you owe rooster a nice vegan dinner or maybe all of us. Yes.
Well said that. Congratulations again, and have a fantastic time, guys. Speak soon.
Bam Bam: We're gonna have steaks. There you go.
Gizmo: By the way, I still love
Bam Bam: Portobello mushroom for him.
Gizmo: We went through this whole thing, and your first idea after selling Roosters Fundies, he says, is to offer everybody on the podcast
Rooster: You know, friends like Bam, who needs enemies?
Pagoda: Well, if you get a vegan dinner out of it, that'd be great.
Senator: So do we think this dinner will happen before twenty forty?
Bam Bam: We need that I need to we need gotta finalize that transaction
Gizmo: and go right over. So now, boys, it's time to go to our lizard of the week presented by Bond Roberts. And our wizard of the week, of course, wins a 10 count box of cigars from Bond Roberts. Every week, somebody writes in, sends an email, a voice memo, and wins a 10 count box of cigars from our friends at Bon Roberts. And I don't think there's ever been a more appropriate winner of lizard of the week presented by Bon Roberts than Lizard JD.
Are we done with the Fundies? Yes. It's a sausage.
Lizard JD: Gang. Lizard JD here from Maryland. Thought I'd send you a voice memo as I'm staring at this beautiful box of Trinidad Fundadores. Then it's on Bond Roberts.
Bam Bam: What? This is all a setup.
Lizard JD: Of how this came into my possession. It's pretty funny, at least to me.
Bam Bam: Oh, cool.
Lizard JD: And it is indeed the infamous box from Dan's accountability hour.
Bam Bam: There you go.
Lizard JD: And I had
Bam Bam: No accountability needed.
Lizard JD: That was the case until about halfway through the purchasing process when I was on Bon Roberts looking to score some top tier boxes they had over the holiday break. And after seeing a number of them get gobbled up in dramatic fashion with, you know, prices escalating 40% within the last hour before the bids or the auctions closed, I just decided to pull the trigger on this buy it now option. And because of the handle of the seller, I assumed that maybe there was a connection there to to BAM and the and the Lounge Lizards. I wasn't entirely sure. And then the sale went through and then, you know, the post sale communication took place.
And I was like, man, this cat's awfully friendly. And it just just doesn't seem What? Like a demeanor band with
Bam Bam: Oh my god. Somebody. Are you doing here? I'm a sweetheart.
Lizard JD: You know, I took it for what it was. I didn't ask, and I didn't inquire. I just accepted the the box. And when I got here the
Pagoda: next day Benavino.
Lizard JD: Might I add. Thank you.
Senator: He got a bodyguard. Tell you that the
Lizard JD: the message inside was from Lizard Gizmo.
Bam Bam: There you go.
Lizard JD: As I could tell from his his insignia there with the the profile of him smoking a cigar. And then I put it all together, and then we got to communicating after the fact and realized that it is the infamous box. And I'm so excited for it. I don't know that I can, throw any shade at Bam, for the, the fact that he got this from Rooster and decided
Bam Bam: to Incorrect.
Lizard JD: Shame on you, Bam, but I'll
Bam Bam: That's totally incorrect. So I did not buy that from Rooster. Nope. Rat to you hard.
Lizard JD: Nope. Rooster, there's plenty of margin, by the way, on this lofty price of the buy it now for this box. There should be some
Bam Bam: Very thankful.
Lizard JD: Some shekels that could be shared.
Bam Bam: Yes. A portobello steak. From Dan.
Rooster: He said shekels.
Bam Bam: But Uh-huh.
Lizard JD: I'm super excited to have this box, and I'll be sure to regale any friends and family about the lineage, right, and the the lounge lizard legacy that is now that I'm now inserted myself into. But just really happy that I was able to get this box, and I'm gonna hang out to it for a long time. It's it's gonna be like Gollum in his his ring. Right? It's my precious.
Looking forward to how this irons out for you, Bam. Seems they're gonna bring it back up on another pod. Not a problem, pal. Buddy. Once again, thanks guys for putting this out in the wild and and having it circulate, and looking forward to how this all rolls down.
No judgment from my side, Bam. No judgment from my side. Take care of y'all. Looking forward to many more podcasts.
Pagoda: There you go.
Pagoda: That's fantastic.
Gizmo: So congratulations again to Lizard JD, our lizard of the week presented by Bon Roberts.
Bam Bam: It's an incredible sale.
Gizmo: And he has the box, Bam.
Bam Bam: Correct. I can't wait. If he has one, I'd like to hear how they work.
Rooster: Can I make a comment? No. To Lizard JD?
Bam Bam: Pipe down.
Rooster: Lizard JD, I think you should hold on to the box for five years, so you could sell it
Bam Bam: to BAM for 5,000.
Pagoda: That's a possibility. 10,000.
Bam Bam: 10,000. Could be
Gizmo: 10,000. Yeah. That's
Bam Bam: not bad.
Gizmo: By the way, I the way, I love that he said that the messages after the sale were too nice Uh-huh. That he didn't think it was BAM, and that he got two he got two bodyguards with the cigars, and he didn't think it was BAM.
Bam Bam: Oh, boy. Oh, boy. He knows you too well. Uh-huh.
Gizmo: So congratulations to him. I mean, that is not a setup, by way.
Bam Bam: That's great. That's awesome.
Gizmo: I That's amazing. So I realized here's how I realized. So in Bon Roberts, when you're doing the post transaction messaging, you message back and forth, you figure out the address, the shipping, all that stuff, and then you add in, like, shipping fees or whatever. We covered that, BAM, as we talked about. But I didn't put anything on the box related to the podcast.
Please tell me
Rooster: you didn't pay for shipping.
Gizmo: What do you mean?
Rooster: The seller. I mean, the No.
Gizmo: We we paid for shipping. Yeah. We covered shipping.
Rooster: I hope so.
Gizmo: Fuck you.
Bam Bam: Did. For arrival,
Gizmo: you cover you you paid for shipping. Oh,
Pagoda: boy. You're gonna you're gonna get an invoice soon.
Gizmo: I'm still paying. So I didn't put anything lounge lizard related on the box or anything, and I sent my I have, like, not letterhead, but I have, a card, and I just kinda wrote out, like, hey. You know, I didn't sign a Giz or anything else, but he recognized the
Bam Bam: Of course.
Gizmo: The thing on the top.
Bam Bam: Your logo.
Gizmo: So I got a an email back saying, hey, you know, thanks, Giz.
Rooster: And I
Gizmo: was like, oh, this guy's a listener.
Bam Bam: That's awesome.
Gizmo: 100%. So then I hit him back and then so it it wasn't a setup. That is really Lizard J. D. And he really does have the box and I'm so happy he does.
Yes. It was a very, very successful transaction.
Bam Bam: Oh,
Gizmo: And, you know, I'm really proud that you and I were able to get this done.
Bam Bam: Yeah. And Lizard JD, I hope you enjoy those in good health. Enjoy those.
Senator: Yeah. I hope he resells them in good health. Mhmm.
Gizmo: But I I think we did a great
Bam Bam: buying back in
Pagoda: India. I I think Bruce is gonna end up buying They're available. I'm sure.
Gizmo: So, again, with the success of this, I have another voice memo I wanna play No. For you guys.
Bam Bam: No.
Gizmo: And let's let's share this now.
Rob Ayala: Bam. Bam. It's Rob Ayanna,
Bam Bam: CEO of Bon Roberts. Oh, my man, Rob. Oh, shit.
Rob Ayala: On that insane price achieved on the Trinidad Fundadores. The boys here haven't stopped partying since that auction's been completed. I've got Alex Groom dancing on the desk right now, Smooth Criminal playing on the background.
Pagoda: Oh, yeah.
Rob Ayala: It's a
Senator: great day.
Bam Bam: That's me.
Rob Ayala: We can't wait for your next box to come on. Cheers, mate.
Bam Bam: Thank you, Rob. Love you, man. Smooth criminal.
Rooster: Oh, that's great.
Gizmo: So they're partying in the office over there, Ben. Correct.
Rooster: You know what's funny is even Rob makes 15% off the transaction. That's true.
Gizmo: Get he's
Bam Bam: thrilled. And I get nothing.
Gizmo: He's thrilled.
Bam Bam: I got nothing.
Gizmo: He's totally thrilled with the whole thing.
Bam Bam: It's fantastic justice all the way around. Justice all the way around.
Gizmo: So with the successful transaction, I have one more piece of this that we need to do, which is to actually transact.
Bam Bam: Oh, is it happening now?
Gizmo: We actually have to transact.
Bam Bam: I
Gizmo: should. I have something to share with you guys.
Rooster: Two way split.
Gizmo: And I'm gonna play this now. And I'll be right back. Alright.
Bam Bam: We're graduating.
Gizmo: So on behalf of Bond Roberts and the Lounge Lizards podcast Yes.
Bam Bam: What the heck is going on? Present
Gizmo: you officially
Bam Bam: That's
Gizmo: for $2,750 for the successful transaction of your Trinidad fund.
Pagoda: I'm gonna start crying. Congratulations. That's awesome. A celebration.
Gizmo: That is incredible. So I Wow. Have a five foot check for you with our actual numbers on it. Unbelievable. Take that to the bank.
Correct. Congratulations.
Bam Bam: Thank you, brother.
Gizmo: On behalf of Bon Roberts, on behalf of the podcast, on behalf of Lizard Nation
Bam Bam: And I'm I'm on behalf thank you.
Rooster: Behalf of Rooster. Didn't say that.
Gizmo: My manager. Congratulations.
Bam Bam: My
Gizmo: agent. So this is for you. That's incredible. Celebrating our successful transaction.
Bam Bam: That's unbelievable.
Gizmo: I'm very proud of what we did, Bam. Wow. Look at Our success
Bam Bam: Look at Rooster. Rooster's lighting the check
Gizmo: on fire.
Bam Bam: About to light fire.
Gizmo: Oh my lord. Ugh. It's a beautiful day, Ben.
Bam Bam: Oh, that's fantastic.
Gizmo: It's really a beautiful day.
Bam Bam: Get that routing number and deposit that before Bev. You're right. I took a picture. It's already done.
Gizmo: Oh my lord. That is so cool. Yeah. So we have a five foot check-in front of us.
Bam Bam: Can we hang that in a pub?
Gizmo: Sure.
Bam Bam: That would
Pagoda: be a
Bam Bam: great guy. Great element there included.
Rooster: Wait. Don't I have
Gizmo: to endorse the back? No. I signed it. I signed it. Bam has to endorse the back because it's going in his account.
Fantastic. So a successful transaction. Bon Roberts is thrilled. I'm thrilled. Off the Lizard Nation is thrilled.
Congratulations again.
Bam Bam: And thank you.
Gizmo: Well done. Thank you.
Rooster: I'm sorry. Rooster was not not so thrilled.
Bam Bam: Wow. I'm blown away by that.
Gizmo: I had a good time.
Bam Bam: Yeah. Wonderful,
Gizmo: man. Yeah. This was this was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to hear what listeners think of this whole thing.
Bam Bam: Oh, I'm sure it's gonna be a laugh riot.
Gizmo: We're gonna get, I'm sure, lot of email on this, so we'll be sure to share that in the coming weeks. So, Bam, congratulations. Rooster, thank you for getting Bam that box allegedly.
Bam Bam: Which never happened.
Gizmo: Allegedly. It's okay.
Pagoda: Hey. We need to take a photograph of him with a No. For Instagram, with a
Bam Bam: cigar. Incorrect.
Gizmo: I will put by the way, I will put the picture of the check up on Instagram.
Pagoda: But with you, that'd be great. That's cool. No. How about Rooster handing it over to him? I think that's the way to
Bam Bam: do it.
Gizmo: That's what we should do, Ben. You should hand that to him.
Pagoda: Hand that over to him.
Rooster: I would
Bam Bam: never do that.
Senator: Just use Bam's favorite AI image that the listener puts
Bam Bam: With the pink hot belly. There you go. Sitting on an I beam with a cigar in my hand. Okay.
Gizmo: Sitting on an I beam.
Bam Bam: Let's do it. That that'll work. No problem. Actually, you could put my AI image on and it'll check with my legs dangling off it. There you go.
Gizmo: Oh. You're gonna
Rooster: have to open a new account now that says Bam Bam. Correct.
Bam Bam: That's correct. He already has one. You have no idea.
Senator: No. Courtney Giz, he already has one.
Gizmo: He's what
Senator: you see today.
Bam Bam: Very nice.
Gizmo: Alright, boys. That was fun. Let's go to another listener email now. This one is from Lizard Tyler from Pittsburgh. He says warped a suggestion and a question to the lizards.
I've been listening to the pod religiously for the last year and a half having gotten into taking cigar smoking seriously versus just grabbing a few here and there. So I always say it's someone who smokes cigars versus a cigar smoker. That's a nice transition to go from someone who smokes a cigar to a cigar smoker. I need to thank you all for for providing such a great atmosphere to help me learn more as I get into this hobby. For Warped, I am stunned by the recent low scored reviews of some of the Warped cigars, which is one of my favorite brands.
Not every brand is a 100% full of great smokes, so maybe it's just the sticks you are choosing. I've absolutely loved the Isla De Cocadrillo and Corona Gorda, the devil's hands, the La Colmena 44, Cloudhopper, and Maestro, which you did rate highly, of course, the fifty two zero five. I would highly recommend trying the Cloudhopper and the Isla De Cocadrillo. Cocadillo, I can't pronounce that, ASAP, as they are both regulars in my rotation. I also recently came across Apostate cigars out of Utah, and I've been nothing but supremely impressed with
Bam Bam: these guys.
Gizmo: Apostate. Out of Utah? Out of Utah. I have I would It's a Mormon cigar. I would recommend the Deserette, but many but with some folks having an aversion to honey, maybe skip that one.
But the Sword of Leban and Moranis Trumpet are also fantastic. I've been able to sample the blends in the petite Corona format as well, which I truly enjoy from a size and time commitment standpoint. I would love to see you guys try some cigars from their offering. Question on alcohol. This is a great question.
We've had this question before. Do you feel as a group that alcohol could impact your ratings of the cigar as opposed to just the smoke? If you were tipsy, would you rate higher or lower? Thanks, wizard Tyler from Pittsburgh.
Bam Bam: Well, I don't think we ever get that intoxicated where we can't rate the cigar for what
Senator: it is. I mean, except grinder. Correct. With tequila.
Pagoda: With the tequila. But I still
Gizmo: think he's accurate on the rating.
Bam Bam: Yeah. I don't think that that's an issue here.
Gizmo: I mean, I would say, you know, for me, number one, we're smoking the cigar before
Bam Bam: we drink.
Gizmo: We drink probably. Usually I'm getting trying to get to about a half hour ish before we're talking about the pairing and sipping that. You know? So for us, for me, I don't feel that alcohol's causing any sort of up or down on the cigar. Now we did talk I don't know if it was last week or the week before about our ratings protocol and what we do and how we think about it.
There is an X factor at play, you know, like the Aladino we had tonight. There is an X factor that the value, the the deliciousness of the smoke, how it performs, how it makes you feel. You can't really quantify that aside from it factoring into your rating somehow. So that x factor is important, right? So maybe that is the only kind of quote unquote factor of bias that's playing into it that isn't really definable, I would say.
Bam Bam: Are you referring to the fact that we've smoked that cigar in the past over and over again?
Gizmo: No. I'm saying when we bring a cigar in the room and it does something to the room, good or bad, right? An x factor that you can't really put your finger on that's
Senator: not related to doing it.
Gizmo: Of course. That's what I'm saying. That's why I'm I'm saying that I think the ratings are very accurate. Mhmm. You know, so a pairing might elevate the experience of the room, but we're rating the cigar for what it is.
We're rating the pairing for what it is. And I also, of course, have to point to Rooster here who doesn't drink.
Bam Bam: Correct.
Gizmo: So if if you consider the history of our ratings, and by the way, he goes first on the cigar rating Mhmm. On purpose. He always has gone first since day one.
Bam Bam: He's a purist. Right?
Gizmo: He's a purist. And he also doesn't drink. So he's also, you know, he's not influenced by any of our ratings because he hasn't heard our ratings. He's going first.
Bam Bam: And he hung out with the Puritans. Correct. Jesus. So
Gizmo: that's another thing that I point to is if you look at the history of our ratings, which you can see on our website, his ratings are not very divergent from any of us at any given time. But
Bam Bam: we're also, in our ratings, we're describing what we got in the cigar early on prior to having a drink. We're always referring back to those early notes and tracking them as they evolve in the cigar.
Senator: Yeah. I would just also add, there's never been a cigar we've reviewed where the cigar has started off a certain way prior to us having a sip of whatever the pairing is, and then all of a sudden we have the pairing, and now we're having a dramatically different experience with the cigar. Like, that's that's never been the case. Mhmm. And I think we very intentionally call out like, you know, is the spirit helping this cigar in the sense that like, here are the flaws in this cigar that we're experiencing.
It's too dry. So is the pairing at least giving us some sweetness? That doesn't change the fact that the cigar is still too dry. No. We call that out when that's happening.
And vice versa, we're like, this cigar is so great, and the pairing is not, and we're saying like, is the pairing actually, you know, fighting against the cigar? But we're delineating the two as very separate things. They're they're not one in the same. So I I think for all those reasons, like, we we try to isolate for, like, what are we getting out of the cigar, and how's that performing? What are we getting out of the spirit?
How's that performing? And do they actually complement each other that if you're having that cigar, that might be something you'd want to pair with it in the future?
Pagoda: Yeah. And recently we just had an episode, I think, where we thought that the pairing did not work at all. While we did enjoy.
Gizmo: Yeah, it happens quite a while. It happens often. Oh, Not often, but it happens every once in Yeah, a
Senator: I mean, not the pairings I pick, but,
Gizmo: you know.
Pagoda: No, but,
Bam Bam: I'm just kidding.
Pagoda: But in terms of the X factor, I do think that a really good cigar elevates all our experiences. And a good pairing,
Bam Bam: you know, makes us happy.
Pagoda: Yeah, it makes us So you know, when it's already naturally affecting you in a positive way, your ratings are gonna be higher, just generally.
Bam Bam: That's what it should be.
Rooster: And also the point about being tipsy. I mean, you guys rarely finish the whole bottle.
Bam Bam: Well, afterwards. Yeah, afterwards,
Rooster: yeah. But during the pod, most of you guys are doing like two pours. That's the most.
Senator: Maximum. That's it.
Rooster: So it's hard to get tipsy or the or influence
Bam Bam: the rating in that sense. Yeah. Accurate. Yep.
Gizmo: So a great question from Lizard Tyler from Pittsburgh. I stand by the ratings, and I stand by how we rate. And I think, like we said, rooster is, of course, kind of our control as far as involving alcohol in our ratings.
Bam Bam: He's the placebo. I
Senator: was worried Dan was gonna say the placenta for the song.
Bam Bam: He he's a placenta.
Gizmo: I didn't say that. Alright, boys. We're coming to the end of our evening tonight with the seven years aged Abuelo rum and the Aladino eighty five anniversary of Reserva in Robusto. Any final thoughts before we move into the ratings tonight?
Bam Bam: Incredible night.
Pagoda: Eight plus. Incredible night. Other other than what a wonderful night, but especially with the whole Bam Bam episode, I think that was fantastic.
Bam Bam: Okay.
Gizmo: Alright boys, it's time to move into the formal liquority tonight on the seven years age Abuelo rum. Bam Bam, you're up.
Bam Bam: I think you're gonna know what I'm what I'm gonna rate this. This is hands down probably the most interesting rum I've ever had. And I love the Havana seven. I love the Flor de Cano. I I can drink those literally every day.
Dare I say it, I kind of enjoy this a little bit more. Wow. I like that there's just a little a little touch of heat. It gives it that balance, that sweetness, the vanilla, and the and the caramel for me. I can't get enough of this shit.
And at $25 a bottle, there's no reason why we can't each of us have a case of this in our house.
Rooster: So how would you compare this to the other Panamanian rum, the marolita?
Bam Bam: I wouldn't know.
Gizmo: Well, that's a that's not a fair comparison. Different. That's 18 years age. That's 18 years aged. Yeah.
It's got twelve years on this. Three times the Yeah, three times the price. This really needs to be compared to Havana 7, Florida Cana seven, those seven
Bam Bam: years aged. Exactly. It's a resounding 10. This is it's just so incredibly balanced, and the finish is so fucking long, you get incredible value. So when you're smoking a cigar and you're getting a long finish, you can wait a bit before each drag.
Right? Each before you take that draw. That's value. When you can take a sip of this and sit back and really take it takes you can take ten minutes to savor every drink, every sip. That's just incredible for a $25 spirit.
So it can't be less than a 10. That's where I'm
Gizmo: at. All right, Pagoda.
Pagoda: It's very simple. It's a 10. It's a 10. And it's really like What's really interesting about it, a couple of things. So we've had this a lot in Panama and especially where we hang out, they tend to serve this a lot as well.
But we typically have it with a cube, couple small cubes of ice. And today, know, chef Ricky would be so proud of me because I did not put a chip of ice. And in a way, I'm so glad I did not put the chip ice because it did really elevate the experience. And it is, reasonably, I would like to say like while comparing it to the floricani, which is another rum we like, which is a Nicaraguan rum, you know, which is a little bit lighter in terms of viscosity, I think this feels slightly richer.
Gizmo: It's For same damn price, by
Bam Bam: the
Pagoda: Yeah, for the same price. Yeah. It's sweeter, and then like, I think Senator mentioned that it gets dry towards, you know, it's not as sweet like when it goes in the back of the palate. And very, very flavorful. And I'll tell you, it complements the cigar, and we've talked about the versatility of this particular rum, that this can go with most, any cigar that we have.
And for $25, you know, you cannot go wrong. Definitely worth a try. And by the way, I do have to mention, we were Scots drinkers. We are not typical rum drinkers. If you think about rum, the three or four rums that we will have, right, it's the Havana seven, the Flodocania, the Mariolada, and now the Abuelo seven.
And I think when you can name the liquors you like, and we, you know, we do try a lot of liquors, I think it's fantastic and definitely a 10.
Bam Bam: Dare I say, it's probably one of the best things I've had in a spirit or in any alcohol category in probably a very, very, very long time.
Rooster: Yeah. It's high priced.
Bam Bam: It's ridiculous. And for the price, man, it's just it's off the charts.
Pagoda: I'm off to Panama. Later, guys.
Gizmo: So for me, it's also an e a very easy 10. I I think the viscosity of this, I think the complexity I think really how I'd sum up my commentary in addition to piggybacking on everything the two of you said, and I'm sure what senator's gonna say here. I think every sip was interesting. And I think every sip added to the experience tonight. And I don't even think with a lot of the spirits we love, you can even say that.
Sometimes it's kind of standard fare. Mhmm. It's just doing the job. Mhmm. I think tonight, this seven year at that price point, what it delivers, I love the additional heat that we don't experience in some of the other seven years.
I actually think that adds to the experience.
Bam Bam: I agree.
Gizmo: Your commentary earlier, I don't know if it was you, Bam, or Senator about it being able to pair with almost any cigar.
Bam Bam: I think it
Gizmo: was you. Yeah. I completely agree with that. I think this would be great with a Cuban cigar.
Bam Bam: It's ridiculous.
Gizmo: Would be great with the strongest of Nicaraguan cigars. I just think it works. I think for cigar smoking, it's perfect. And I really just can't believe it's seven years old. And for the price, dude.
I can't believe it's seven. I would think that this is at least 10 or 12. We're fight it's drinking?
Bam Bam: We're fighting over whatever's left in
Gizmo: that bottle. Yeah, there's about three drops left
Bam Bam: in Yeah, I'm gonna Fist the cuffs are gonna happen here.
Gizmo: So every sip was great. The value is brilliant, and I'm very, very happy that we had this tonight, a great pairing.
Bam Bam: As senator reaches for the Well,
Senator: up next. I've gotta, you know, just make sure I
Bam Bam: can try sipping before. Motherfucker.
Gizmo: It's a 10 for me. Alright, senator. Whenever you get a chance.
Senator: I'm just topping off to make sure I can
Pagoda: Oh, Jesus. Leave me a drop, will you? I'm glad it just go through me.
Senator: The Panama Canal. Oh, yeah.
Bam Bam: Lot of volume going over there.
Pagoda: Oh, yeah. There's enough.
Bam Bam: There's enough. Oh, yeah. Sure.
Rooster: Imagine how many bottles you can
Gizmo: buy now, Bam. Yeah. Look at this big check, Ben.
Bam Bam: Oh, yeah. After that mushroom portobello steak, I mean, there's gonna be a lot there. I like the mushroom portobello.
Pagoda: Because I
Bam Bam: got I got a drop for you, guys.
Rooster: Awesome. Thanks.
Senator: So for me, there's no question it's a 10. Honestly, I'm just thrilled to hear the commentary. You know, I've been for years now saying we need to do a well of. The hard part has just been to find it. And so the fact that we're able to actually get it and try it and everyone have the same experience, I just am gonna declaratively say Cuba and Panama make the best rum in the world, period.
I firmly believe that. There's another Panamanian rum that we're gonna do in an upcoming episode that I tried on my last trip there that I also think is spectacular. Like, the quality of the rum out of this country is something really special. And the guy I had met who is one of the owners and investors in this other brand that we'll cover hopefully soon, you know, he had said that the growing conditions for sugarcane in Panama are the closest that exist to Cuba. And you see it in the style of rum, like we're all sipping we're drinking this neat.
It's not harsh, it's not aggressive, it like it has body, but still with that long finish, it's smooth, it invites you back for more. The flavor, you know, for this the standard fare seven year rums that we love and we've reviewed, Havana Club namely, and Florida Cana. You know, both of those we've described, if we had a complaint, is that they're on the thinner side. Florida Cana especially, and even Havana Club is is a little bit on the thinner side. This rum has a richness at seven years unlike anything we've ever found with that age statement on it.
I like Gizmo's commentary of every sip is interesting. You know, as much as we love Havana Club and Florida Cana, you know, after my fifth, tenth sip, however many Tenth glass? Yeah. I mean, you know, it it it it's It's more of the same. It doesn't necessarily grab your attention the same way.
Bam Bam: It does a good job though.
Senator: It does. You're enjoying the experience, but it's not like you snap to attention each time. No. When you drink this, it's so rich and almost indulgent in all the right ways and well balanced.
Bam Bam: That's great commentary. I think what snaps you into I like that. Each sip snaps you into attention. I think it's that touch of just that little glance of heat that you get and immediately dissipates. It really does snap you into focus in what you're drinking.
Senator: Yeah. It's like really defined flavor notes. Like, it's spectacular. There's no other way to say it, and it's crazy. Like, you order this in Panama, and it's literally like $34 a pour.
Jesus. It's insanity.
Bam Bam: Wow. I'd bankrupt that bank. That bar?
Gizmo: This would be $30 at the Carnegie Club.
Senator: Oh, yeah. That's for sure. And it's cool because as much as I've loved this rum, I've never really explored the history into here. It's the oldest rum distillery in Panama, and kind of the approach that they take, still family owned and operated. And for all the times we've been there, Pagoda and I have been so satisfied with the seven year, we just always order this.
They have a 12, they have a higher end bottle that has rum as old as thirty years in it. I'm so excited to try some
Gizmo: of the
Bam Bam: other so stuff that you
Senator: So a strong 10. I really, really just hope that this becomes more commercially available because, honestly, you know, if that were the case, I would be drinking a lot more of this than I do some of the other seven year rums that we currently drink.
Gizmo: Sure.
Senator: So that's my hope for the future.
Gizmo: Alright, boys. The formal liquor rating tonight on the seven years aged Abuelo rum is a perfect 10. And now it's time to move into the formal lizard rating on the Aladino 85 in Robusto, Rooster Europe.
Rooster: So I remember when you guys came back from the PCA, and you guys were hyping up the Aladino brand. I had never smoked an Aladino before that. I remember at the
Senator: classic Alagante, but it's a senior moment.
Gizmo: Right. Yeah, he just doesn't remember.
Rooster: No, I remember I smoked the cabo
Bam Bam: Don't take that, old boy.
Rooster: Can I finish?
Pagoda: And by the way, he's the only one sober here, please.
Rooster: I was smoking the Cameroon Robusto also at the same time. And then I think, Sandri, I think it was you. You said, wait till you try the eighty fifth anniversary cigar of this. It's more in your flavor profile. You will love the complexity and the balance of that cigar.
And right away, without even smoking it, I ended up ordering a box. And that cigar, I mean, it was absolutely fantastic. But that's going back I mean, you guys were there in April. And that cigar now, I mean, you smoke one out of that box. I mean, it's an absolute home run.
The cigar gives you that saltiness that you usually get out of Cuban tobacco. So now you're getting that out of a lot of the Honduran tobacco. So this cigar, it's creamy, it's nutty, it's salty. And at the halfway point, it actually picks up in strength, which is
Bam Bam: In a subtle, beautiful way.
Rooster: In subtle way. I mean, it's not overpowering in any way. And it's very versatile because you could smoke this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner after. And it is absolutely a great cigar. Definitely a box worthy cigar.
So for me, it's a 10.
Senator: Excellent. Senator. I'm also at a 10. I mean, in every single way, this cigar is a 10. From the box presentation that it comes in, it's gorgeous.
It's probably one of my favorite boxes when I open up my tower, and I just look at what's in there. It's so beautiful. That that bright yellow, the the cool, you know, old car design that they have in there, like, about it is just beautiful. The artwork on the band.
Bam Bam: And the quality of the make of that box. A 100%. It's incredible.
Senator: And then the quality of the construction of the cigar, like, whenever I reach and just grab some cigars out of my tower, the cigar that I always know, construction wise, is gonna perform probably better than anything, even at any price point that I just grab out of there. I mean, the ash is always perfect on the cigar. The wrapper looks great. The combustion's great. The draw's great.
That's everything you want in a cigar. And then you get to the flavor. I think this is definitely one of the most Cuban esque cigars that we have reviewed in the past year. You know, we've named a number of them from Fabrica five, Aladino, some other makers. This is definitely up there.
I I think they deserve a world of credit for how complex the flavor profile of the cigar ends up being. Like, The fact that it starts on the milder side, yet you're getting all these distinct notes, even the cold draw, we were calling out a bunch of distinct notes. Deep berry. And then just like Rooster said, how midway in that cigar, it picks up in strength in all the right ways, goes from mild to medium, and even down to the end gets richer, the flavor that it delivers. There's not one thing that this cigar disappoints in, one category, there's not anything you can possibly complain about.
I like I said, it's embarrassing to admit how many boxes of these I've I've probably bought and and smoked already. But I remember that.
Pagoda: Oh, I remember the photos.
Senator: I'm just glad. You know, I remember early on when I first had this cigar and I was singing his praises and saying to Rooster, like, you've gotta try this. My big fear was that this was a limited release, and thank goodness this will always be part of the standard portfolio because it would literally be tragic to me if this were just a limited run that we couldn't enjoy in perpetuity. So hats off to Aladino. They've they've just knocked it out of the park.
What a spectacular cigar.
Gizmo: So for me, it's also a 10. I I think that was obvious. I love this cigar so much. I smoke it a lot. And and tonight, again, under the microscope for the first time, this cigar, it's perfect every time.
It's effortless. It's easy. It's brilliant. You know, again, we we go back to the Honduran revelation that we've had over the last few years, and it really, really shows itself every time we pull a Honduran cigar. I mean, even into the My Father Blue line, we really, really have fallen in love with Honduran tobacco.
And this is an example of how great Honduran puros can really be. I think this cigar, and this might be controversial in the room, I think this cigar is as celebratory in a way as the Elie 80 that we talked to Klaus Kellner about tonight at a completely different price point. A completely different profile flavor wise. It's obviously not a Dominican cigar, crazy packaging in the counter, crazy Vitola, brilliant, brilliant smoke. We love that cigar.
In so many ways that are the same but different, this cigar is also a celebratory cigar, but you can reach for this every day.
Bam Bam: I respect that commentary. I think that's fantastic perspective, honestly, because it's so affordable, but the quality. I'm gonna comment on the quality and how I feel about it, but I can't agree with you more.
Senator: Yeah. I just wanna say I'm I'm really, really glad that you said that because, you know, ironically, whenever I reach for this cigar out of my tower, which obviously is often, it's like whether I've had a long day and I just need a really great cigar that I know is gonna be perfect in every way, or I've had a great day and I wanna celebrate that in some way, You know, usually, I would be looking for a cigar in my tower at a higher price point.
Bam Bam: A Sir Winston?
Senator: No. That that's maybe maybe Gizmo. Not that I'm not pulling for that rare.
Bam Bam: Probably correct.
Senator: But this cigar, for some reason, it it's like every time I grab it, even though it's not at some crazy price point or anything like that, it does, like you're describing, feel like a celebratory cigar in some way. And the fact that they've been able to achieve that at the price point like you're saying
Gizmo: It's crazy.
Senator: Is absurd.
Gizmo: It's brilliant. It's amazing. It's brilliant. It's Cubanesque. It's salty.
It's balanced. Yep. And again, I'm gonna say the word I love to say, especially when I give tens, it's an effortless cigar. And maybe that's why it feels celebratory. Yes.
Because every time you cut it, you know that it's going to be consistent, the draw is going be good, it's going to burn well, and most importantly, of course, it's going to taste great. And that's what this cigar is. Cheers to Justo. Cheers to the family. Cheers to Julio's 80 birthday tonight on this podcast.
What a brilliant cigar. It's a 10 for me. Pagoda.
Pagoda: Ten ten wins, baby, tonight. I think it's just been the experience has been a wonderful, wonderful recording, especially for the guys over here. We've just had a lot of laughs, and it's been fantastic. And I do think a lot of it has to be attributed to the cigar. You know, it starts so well.
You know, we've always loved it. In fact, I think I remember Senator and I, we were having this conversation a long time back about the Cameroon and the eighty fifth because each one has its own place. And, but I, you know, like I felt that the eighty fifth for me has kind of edged out the Cameroon sometimes. I'm not saying all the time, but definitely one of my go to cigars now. Really, really like it.
It gives you the Cuban esque feel. And if you're looking for a Cuban esque experience, you know, we all have fallen in love with the Honduran cigars, but I think when you're thinking about the Honduran cigars, this cigar has definitely been a very, very, you know, dominant contributor to that feeling where, hey, listen, the Honduran cigars have that Cuban esque edge. And we like the flavor profile. It just is so pleasant on your palate. It'll go from the front all the way to the back and leaves a really pleasant feel.
And it's one of the cigars that does not overpower anything. It's a fantastic smoking experience From the beginning to the end, it's a 10. That's a 10 for me.
Gizmo: Awesome. Bam.
Bam Bam: Alright. Well, I think you have to admire a company that has the ability to vertically integrate extraordinary quality in everything they do. We've talked about the box, how they present and build the boxes. At PCA, their show, You Weren't Their Rooster, but the installation was impeccable. Their branding is pervasive.
It's consistent. But that level of quality absolutely translates into their cigar, honestly, unlike any other marca. We love a lot of cigars. Padron's incredible. We love Davidoff.
Their cigars are incredible. But something special about a company that can actually integrate every facet of what they do and do it extraordinarily well. This cigar, I think, is a home run among all their other cigars. This is special. I think that's the reason why it feels like a celebratory cigar at that price point because you're getting such extraordinary quality in every aspect of what you're handling.
The box, taking it out, looking at that, going to their website, everything they do when they're promoting their business. There's a lot to admire here. So I'm in a really, really hard, strong 10.
Gizmo: Alright, boys. The formal lizard ready tonight on the Aladino eighty five anniversary of Reserva in Robusto is a perfect 10 in Pagoda. I'm so excited you're here tonight because tonight, 10:10 wins. This is
Bam Bam: 10 wins. You. All the way to Toronto. The station you know, the people you trust. Ten ten wins.
You give us twenty two minutes. We'll give you the world.
Gizmo: I love that we're able to play that again tonight. We did that two weeks ago. We did it tonight. It's a great start to twenty twenty six here, boys.
Bam Bam: Correct.
Gizmo: So let's compare that Aladino rating to the other two Aladinos we've done on the podcast. These are gonna be no surprise to you on episode 160. We did the classic series, and Elegante scored a perfect 10. And on episode 187, the Cameroon Robusto scored a perfect 10.
Bam Bam: Correct.
Gizmo: So we had the only other guy batting near a thousand tonight on the podcast as a guest, Klaus Kellner. Justo Airoa is doing the same thing. Unbelievable. What a night, boys.
Pagoda: One's Dominican and one's Honduran. Correct? Yeah.
Gizmo: So, boys, we have to congratulate again our lizard of the week, Lizard JD, who not only is gonna win that 10 count box of cigars from Bon Roberts, but also won via Buy It Now, the Trinidad Fundadores from Bam Bam.
Bam Bam: Correct. And I've got my five foot by three foot check.
Rooster: Via Via Rooster.
Bam Bam: Incorrect. You for
Pagoda: the steak dinner, JD. We really appreciate it. You got it.
Bam Bam: Oh, that's not nice. I just realized that was actually a shank. It's Pagoda.
Gizmo: Correct. So thanks, of course, to Bon Roberts for sponsoring that segment. It's really, really awesome that they're sharing those cigars with so many of our listeners. We really appreciate it. Of course, thanks to Fabrica five, our presenting sponsor on the podcast.
We can't do it without them. And Small Batch Cigar Boys who've been such an awesome retail partner to us. We get so many of our cigars from them and I hope you are too. So use our code and get 15% off your order at their store. Let's go through the ratings one more time, boys.
We had on both the seven years aged Abuelo rum and the Aladino eighty five Anniversario Reserva in Robusto. Perfect tens tonight, boy. Perfect tens.
Bam Bam: What a pairing. Wow.
Gizmo: What a pairing. What a night. Yeah. What an event. Correct.
Congratulations again to you, Bam, on the conclusion
Bam Bam: And thank you.
Gizmo: Of selling your fundadores. Rooster your thoughts.
Bam Bam: Really? Watch it, old boy.
Gizmo: Alright, boys. A great night tonight.
Pagoda: Come on. No. No. We wanna hear the closing comments,
Rooster: please. I have no words.
Pagoda: That's enough.
Gizmo: Alright, boys. A great night tonight, and, we'll see everybody next week. Hope you enjoyed this episode. Thanks for joining us. You can find our merch store and ratings archive at our brand new website, loungelizardspod.com.
That's loungelizardspod.com. Don't forget to leave us a rating and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. If you have any comments, questions, if you wanna reach out, say hello, tell us what you're smoking, email us. Hello at loungelizardspod.com. You can also find us on Instagram at lounge lizards pod.
We really appreciate your time, and we'll, we'll see you next week.