Lounge Lizards - a Cigar and Lifestyle Podcast

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Recorded at Ten86 Cigars in Hawthorne, New Jersey, the Lizards pair the Cohiba Ambar with twelve year aged Abuelo rum. The guys answer a listener email on their favorite destination smoking spots, they discuss the Tabaclera S.L.U. bankruptcy and they somehow find their way into Bam’s use of handkerchiefs and sinus maintenance.

PLUS: Lizard Favorite Destination Smoking Spots, Cuba's Blending Process Debate, New Ratings Guide Announcement, LOTW Winners Update, Tabacalera S.L.U. Insolvency, Hoyo's 160th & More

Join the Lounge Lizards for a weekly discussion on all things cigars (both Cuban and non-Cuban), whiskey, food, travel, life and work. This is your formal invitation to join us in a relaxing discussion amongst friends and become a card-carrying Lounge Lizard yourself. This is not your typical cigar podcast. We’re a group of friends who love sharing cigars, whiskey and a good laugh.

website/merch/rating archive: loungelizardspod.com
email: hello@loungelizardspod.com to join the conversation and be featured on an upcoming episode!
instagram: @loungelizardspod
Gizmo HQ: LizardGizmo.com

What is Lounge Lizards - a Cigar and Lifestyle Podcast?

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, chef Ricky, and Bam Bam, and our plan is to smoke a cigar, drink some rum, talk about life, and, of course, have some laughs.

Gizmo:

So take this as your two hundred twenty fifth official invitation to join us and become a card carrying lounge lizard. When news here once a week. We're gonna smoke a Cupid Cigar tonight, share our thoughts on it, and give you a formal lizard rating. We answer a listener email on our favorite destination smoking spots. We discuss the Tabacalera SLU bankruptcy, and we somehow find our way into Bam's use of handkerchiefs, all among a variety of other things for the next two hours.

Gizmo:

So sit back, get your favorite drink, light up a cigar, enjoy as we pair 12 years aged Abuelo rum with the Cohiba Ambar. A Robusto extra on the pod tonight, boys, from Cuba, and we are back to Cohiba. It's the new regular production Ambar. It's a 53 ring gauge cigar by five and one quarter inches long. And, boys, I gotta tell you, when I was talking to senator about doing this cigar, and we'll talk about why.

Gizmo:

And obviously, we also discussed this in the Cigar Aficionado top 25. This was the number two cigar last year. I did not realize that the current market price for these cigars is a $130 apiece.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. I'm not smoking mine.

Gizmo:

So episode 225 is not supposed to be some crazy price cigars, some ultra rare cigar. This is a regular production cigar with one Cohiba band on

Bam Bam:

it. Ridiculous.

Gizmo:

$130.

Bam Bam:

I'm sorry. It's too much.

Senator:

This will be my second time smoking it. True. Had one on

Gizmo:

Christmas. I did.

Bam Bam:

I love the vitola, man.

Gizmo:

It's beautiful. Yeah. It is a unique vitola. It's called the placeris. This is the only placeris in the Cuban catalog.

Bam Bam:

I mean, in your hand, it looks like a Rubo's thumb.

Gizmo:

It does. It looks identical almost to the Coro. Yeah. It's, you know, a little bit bigger and ring gauge, but it's not that far off.

Bam Bam:

So Senator, you've had this. Have you had this? I have You have not. So he's the only one in the room that's

Chef Ricky:

had it. Yep.

Bam Bam:

And? It's a treat. Is it? Well,

Gizmo:

let's find out. Let's cut this thing, boys.

Chef Ricky:

Tiniest little pigtail there.

Gizmo:

Yeah, a little pigtail for It's cool. That adds the extra $100 The pigtail.

Senator:

Just after you cut it, smell the wrap around this. It smells amazing.

Gizmo:

Smells great. Classic Cohiba, I have barnyard.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. Little funk.

Gizmo:

A little funk on it.

Bam Bam:

If you take the cold draw in a few times, I'm getting berry. I'm getting a

Gizmo:

berry. And

Rooster:

a little salt?

Bam Bam:

Not yet for me, a little creamy berry thing happening.

Gizmo:

I

Senator:

get, oddly, salt and butter on the cold draw.

Bam Bam:

You're not getting any type of a berry at all? A little bit. Yeah.

Chef Ricky:

I'm getting a very faint berry, salty salty cream, it's kind of butter like. Berry's unusual for Cohiba.

Gizmo:

Yep. That is

Bam Bam:

not a thing.

Rooster:

No berry for me.

Gizmo:

How's everyone's draw?

Bam Bam:

Did you blow your nose today? Beautiful. Fantastic draw. Good. You can borrow

Senator:

Bam's handkerchief.

Bam Bam:

Yes. You know what? Those things are a lifesaver.

Gizmo:

That thing has been through war.

Senator:

Those things are the definition of old boy.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. That's correct. And I live by that. Have now-

Chef Ricky:

Handkerchief?

Gizmo:

Handkerchiefs. So disgusting, dude.

Bam Bam:

Well, just bought like a 20 pack. So I've got about 30 of them.

Chef Ricky:

So walk me through this. You blow your nose into it. And then fold

Gizmo:

it in half?

Bam Bam:

Why don't we light up and then we'll chat about it?

Chef Ricky:

I just never understood it.

Bam Bam:

My grandpa always called out.

Senator:

My father had one. I never understood it.

Bam Bam:

Deep dive. I am ready to deep dive into

Rooster:

It's you keep on reusing a used tissue.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. No. And then you take the snot rag and throw it in your washing

Bam Bam:

You rotate it.

Gizmo:

Do you mean? Keep bumping up. All your other colors. Nothing

Senator:

like snot just floating around that machine.

Bam Bam:

Well, what happens is

Chef Ricky:

Along with the snot on yourself.

Rooster:

So you

Gizmo:

do have four you

Rooster:

use it on, like, four quadrants.

Bam Bam:

There's there's quadrants.

Senator:

Can you imagine the drain line to his washing machine?

Bam Bam:

There's there's quadrants, and then you fold it, and then you got two other quadrants. And then you fold it again, and you have little cleanup duty. No. And then you're it goes in a wash. No.

Bam Bam:

And you grab another one.

Gizmo:

Alright. We gotta dig into this

Chef Ricky:

for the first pass it to your lady to do what the fuck with it.

Bam Bam:

I I

Chef Ricky:

have no idea.

Gizmo:

I like this thing, boys.

Bam Bam:

I'm lighting regardless of what

Gizmo:

Cohiba Ambar. Again, a new regular production Cohiba out of Cuba. 53 ring gauge by five and one quarter inches long.

Bam Bam:

100 and what? 130.

Gizmo:

You find them online, I guess sometimes for about a $100,110, but these are expensive.

Bam Bam:

Rooster, thank you for letting me borrow your lighter. Is it out? Major faux pas on my part, by the way. This is a huge pet peeve for me.

Gizmo:

You forgot yours?

Bam Bam:

Yeah, well, I'm out of propane, so it's aggravating. Big propane guy. He's

Gizmo:

using propane.

Bam Bam:

Look at whatever it is. Look at this. It's like a holy chef's

Chef Ricky:

is

Bam Bam:

like a steel. I can weld steel with this thing. That's incredible. Nice lighter.

Gizmo:

Oh, okay. Okay. That is a nice hello on the light. Wow. I sent that right through the nose.

Bam Bam:

The face you're seeing right now, Rooster, is I'm in disbelief as to how delicious this cigar is right now.

Gizmo:

That makes two of us.

Bam Bam:

I actually don't even know what to say.

Gizmo:

Wow. I gotta be honest, I'm shocked right now. So am I. How good that is on the light.

Bam Bam:

It's like cappuccino, sweet cappuccino. It has good body. Like it's got some oomph to it. It's not your typical, very, very laid back Cohiba. It's really nice.

Gizmo:

It's not like a usual Cohiba. No. And it has some funk to it, I feel like. There's a little bit of a

Bam Bam:

It smokes like it's aged a bit. It's very dessert like for me right now. It's quite extraordinary.

Gizmo:

Maybe this will fall in line with everything we've been saying about regular production, like current regular production, new stuff coming out, like Turchinios and some of those other new cigars that we've really enjoyed. Maybe this will fall in line with

Bam Bam:

It's just frustrating how much this thing is, man.

Chef Ricky:

Anybody else getting like a slight leather on the finish there? Mm-mm. Mine is finishing really almost robust. Like I'm not getting any of the sweet notes you guys are calling out right

Bam Bam:

now.

Gizmo:

I'm getting like a sweet salty thing. It's not leather.

Bam Bam:

No, I'm not getting anything. Mine is just very, very

Gizmo:

I like the cappuccino call out.

Bam Bam:

It's cappuccino and a little a butterscotch touch of a kind of a thing happening.

Chef Ricky:

Wow. I'm not getting any of that at all. Let me give it some time.

Bam Bam:

But the combustion is outrageous. The smoke production is fantastic. I'm surprised. I've hired you $30 You're surprised. I'm surprised I'm getting this from a Cohiba

Senator:

regardless I of the mean, I'm sorry. I was surprised the first time I had it, and I still am in the sense that, I mean, you can have young Koros at a crazy price point that honestly are not great when they're super fresh.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. Correct.

Gizmo:

I stand by my theory that new releases out of Cuba, they're using less lajaro to make them more ready to smoke now. Because if you get so the box code on this, by the way, for the listener, is GESDecember2024. So these are just a touch over a year since they were boxed. At a Mother Factory? That's, you know, Legito.

Bam Bam:

Okay.

Gizmo:

So if you were to have a Koro from December 24 and you were to smoke it at the same time as this, number that well, number one, that's a 230 evening.

Bam Bam:

But this would blow

Gizmo:

that out of the water. But my point is fresh, the Koro

Bam Bam:

Tough to smoke. Needs

Gizmo:

Yeah. You you you see the runway on that, how much how much runway it needs. This? Even the fresh ones?

Rooster:

Even the ones from my 24 box?

Gizmo:

That's what I'm saying. Even the fresh ones. They're good, but they're they don't taste mature, complex, interesting, I think, until they get to that two, three year mark and then beyond. I'm not getting that grassy note, though,

Rooster:

that usually you get with the Cohiba. Know, that hay and the grassy note.

Bam Bam:

Thank goodness.

Gizmo:

I'm getting a little funk, though, that I get with The funk is

Rooster:

there, but it's not grassy. It's not that hay. This is more like you said, cappuccinos. It's like sweet coffee and that kind of thing, creamy and buttery.

Senator:

Yeah. All I'll say with this cigar is give it time to experience everything that you think you might at one point or another because it changes.

Bam Bam:

Aroma is amazing. The retro's amazing.

Rooster:

I mean, so far, everything

Bam Bam:

is delicious. Every single box is checked off here right now.

Gizmo:

You know the problem I have with this right now? Too much smoke. Is I wanna smoke Slow? Like a chimney

Bam Bam:

right now.

Gizmo:

I wanna blow through it.

Bam Bam:

Me too.

Gizmo:

It's that good. I know. Like, I'm gonna have a problem keeping

Bam Bam:

I'm hoping this just continues. I think the only way we can ensure that is to take our time. Right? This is incredible.

Gizmo:

So, boys, these cigars were announced in 2021 right after COVID, and they didn't actually come out. You didn't actually start seeing boxes of these until early twenty twenty four. So these have only been on the market just around two years. Again, our box code is from December 2024, just a touch like fifteen months or so since ours were boxed. Interesting about these, they do not come in 25 count boxes.

Gizmo:

Of course, with that price, I think that another thing we've talked about seeing new releases in 10 counts only and in the 15 count tubos. Right? Less 25 count boxes, slide lid box, dress boxes. We're not seeing those as much anymore with the new releases at a Cuba. So these come in 10 counts in a varnished box, and then they have the display box of 15 aluminum tubos, five cardboard packs of three.

Bam Bam:

I would love a few tubos. Can you imagine how pristine they are? Here's a question for all of y'all. We've had bajiques, all of the production that we have had over the year or two years. Those are quite expensive.

Gizmo:

Five years we've been doing this, but Whatever.

Bam Bam:

With what we're getting tonight Yeah. Why bother having a bihike? Because I think this is better than any bihike we've had in the room. That's just my opinion.

Gizmo:

The bihike 54, we did

Bam Bam:

This is quite good. I'm sorry.

Gizmo:

At the holiday time was Yeah.

Bam Bam:

Really good. It was brilliant.

Gizmo:

It was special.

Bam Bam:

But this is I haven't ever had this experience with any Cohiba, and I think senator may agree with me.

Senator:

I mean, I'll I'll say how this has started and the time prior I had it, I agree that it is unlike any other Cohiba I've had. That like, immediately I mean, I texted you guys when I

Bam Bam:

had it.

Senator:

I'm not like a huge Cohiba guy. It grabbed my attention in a big way, but I'll be curious how this performs all the way through because there were peaks and valleys throughout it. Overall, like, I was very pleased, but it takes you on some twists and turns, and I'm just curious how everyone feels as we're going along that journey.

Gizmo:

I'm getting a little cocoa right now, by the way.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, me too. If this is as stellar at this point as it is at the end, I would never ever buy a Baquiket if I could get these. These are half the price and they're incredible,

Gizmo:

really. And honestly, not that far off in size. This sits right between the Baquiket 52 and the Baquiket 54. This is a 53 by five and a quarter. It's perfect.

Gizmo:

So it sits right in the middle of that.

Senator:

Give it a few years, there'll be a BK 53.

Bam Bam:

Oh, yeah. Yeah. That's true. For $350.

Gizmo:

So another interesting fact on this, boys, this cigar was released at the same exact time as the Monte Cristo Wide Ann Mundo. Of course, that, for listeners, is the one with the yellow band that's kind of a bright screaming at you yellow on those boxes and on that band. So these were released at the same time. And I think obviously those were coming out sooner than these hit the market.

Bam Bam:

Off the off the topic for a moment, I'm actually very happy to be here tonight.

Gizmo:

I am too. It's been two weeks, man.

Bam Bam:

I'm pretty psyched. I'm actually excited to be sitting here chatting about this. There I was a gotta work on tempering myself down right now because I'm a little on edge. I'm a little hyped up.

Chef Ricky:

You were fired up when I saw you on the other side of the lounger.

Bam Bam:

I am. I'm like happy to be here.

Gizmo:

I haven't Yeah. Been So we haven't recorded in almost two weeks because Pagoda and I went to Pro Cigar. Mhmm. Then a bunch of you guys were traveling, and we had a big snowstorm here. So we just didn't record last week.

Gizmo:

So this is did?

Senator:

I wasn't here for it.

Rooster:

Not nice.

Bam Bam:

It was in a lap of luxury.

Gizmo:

Yeah. I

Bam Bam:

know. In the in the world. Turks. Yeah. Turks.

Senator:

Turks And Caicos.

Bam Bam:

It's paradise.

Chef Ricky:

Snow blowers are getting used a lot Yes. Final. Season.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. I shoveled my driveway.

Gizmo:

I know. You and Pagoda. I don't By the way.

Bam Bam:

Oh, really?

Gizmo:

He shoveled his entire driveway.

Bam Bam:

I wanna see evidence of that. No way. I

Senator:

no fucking way. He wouldn't have shoveled just the stairs, let

Rooster:

alone I'm the

Gizmo:

just going off of what he said.

Bam Bam:

Motherfucker. I need a break.

Gizmo:

Dude, that

Bam Bam:

After two treads.

Gizmo:

Dude, that snow was heavy, man.

Bam Bam:

I know.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah.

Gizmo:

It was heavy snow. They were like widowmaker snow.

Chef Ricky:

It was different from the last snowstorm for sure.

Gizmo:

Yeah. That was like

Rooster:

fluffy. Oh my Lord.

Gizmo:

This is off to a great start, What a nice return after a couple weeks,

Bam Bam:

Serenity now. Bam, what's bumping in your

Chef Ricky:

ears when you're shoveling snow?

Bam Bam:

Nothing, but you know what? Why haven't I thought about that? No music. I need it

Chef Ricky:

because the snowblower just to kind of draw out the engine noise.

Bam Bam:

The sound of the effort.

Rooster:

Well, your driver is short though. Mean, have two cars and then the driver.

Bam Bam:

Two cars and a driver.

Rooster:

Not a lot to shovel.

Bam Bam:

Oh, thanks Rooster.

Rooster:

Are we done in

Senator:

like fifteen minutes? You barely have a driveway.

Bam Bam:

It's a boaster step. It's about an hour, depending on how thick the snow is.

Chef Ricky:

So I'm finally now starting to get some of these sweeter notes, almost like a little vanilla coffee, if you will, that's starting to come through for me now.

Bam Bam:

There is a very subtle cocoa that you mentioned earlier, Giz. It's coming through now.

Gizmo:

I'm having a hard time jumping into subjects because I'm just so

Chef Ricky:

You don't wanna lose it.

Gizmo:

I'm so focused on the cigar. Don't wanna lose what we have right now and then start talking a lot and miss a third of the cigar.

Bam Bam:

So good. Hey, guys. We're gonna smoke this. We'll be right back. Senator, when you had this in the lounge with one of the lizards, we're about a half inch in.

Bam Bam:

How do you compare this to what you had there?

Senator:

Pretty similar. So my favorite part of the cigar was probably like the first inch. I thought like

Bam Bam:

Oh, shit.

Senator:

Could my

Gizmo:

thoughts exactly.

Bam Bam:

That's it.

Senator:

Look, I'll say this, it never gets bad. So that you I'm not setting this up to be a disappointing experience. I don't think anyone's gonna leave here disappointed. I just for me, like, if you look at the flavor notes that we're calling out right now, like, how can you get much better than that? Like No.

Senator:

You can't. It's pretty damn perfect. So it just sticks in my mind. Like, I remember what immediately grabbed me was probably that first inch, then and there were just some, you know, twists and turns that, like, you know, some were really good, and I liked some. I was like, maybe that's youth, and we'll see.

Senator:

That was that one stick I had. Who knows if that was, like, the best representation of all of these young? It could have been, a better version, a worse version, somewhere in between. Yeah. But so far, this is very similar.

Senator:

I remember being blown away to start.

Rooster:

Okay. This is gonna be our first twenty minute episode. Yeah.

Bam Bam:

I'm gonna be very angry if this isn't good all the way down.

Gizmo:

Alright, boys. So before we get to some topics here, some news, let's talk about some housekeeping. Two things. Number one, I just mentioned that Pagoda and I were at Pro Cigar. I guess it's two weeks ago now.

Gizmo:

We we went to Pro Cigar. We're in Dominican Republic. We're gonna wait until next week when Pagoda's here to recap that. So that's just the gap there, is I wanna make sure that he's here so he and I can kinda answer any questions and go through everything that we

Senator:

experienced. And us an update on your wardrobe and attire. Yes.

Gizmo:

I did a great job with that.

Bam Bam:

I got a glimpse of what you were wearing one night. Looked good.

Gizmo:

I was dialed in the whole week. Yeah.

Senator:

There was no black hoodie in any of the photos. Correct. No.

Gizmo:

I didn't even take one.

Bam Bam:

Or even a white hoodie.

Chef Ricky:

I didn't

Gizmo:

even take Which I was expecting. At the white party.

Bam Bam:

I was expecting that.

Gizmo:

I look good at the white party, man. Another housekeeping item here. All of the Lizards of the Week that I'm well behind on are now shipping. Okay? So if you are a winner of Lizard of the Week, if you do not receive your

Bam Bam:

nine gift weeks.

Gizmo:

The past

Bam Bam:

year your

Gizmo:

you have not received your package by the March, please email me, and we'll get it out. So this is including the stuff before Bon Roberts came in and offered those 10 count boxes. This that stuff I'll be sending and the Bon Robert stuff they're sending. So we're working it all out. We have everything together.

Gizmo:

So I just wanted to let everybody know that it's coming and then moving forward, it's going to be a seamless process with Bon Roberts, getting them the address every week, getting that 10 count box out. So we appreciate everybody writing in, sending your voice memos, all that stuff that has caused some great Lizard of the Week moments here on the pod. And I promise you, even if it was a long time ago, you are gonna get your Lizard of the Week prize.

Senator:

Gizz is on a pip?

Gizmo:

Correct. Has been. Constant pip.

Bam Bam:

We needed an intern.

Gizmo:

We do. Not like there's eight of us on the panel, but, you know

Bam Bam:

We don't work.

Senator:

This sounds like an HR violation waiting to happen.

Bam Bam:

We're the talent. You're the manager. Okay.

Gizmo:

So, boys, a little news here. First up, there's a new Oyoto Monterrey one hundred and sixtieth anniversary coming out of Cuba.

Senator:

Where's Bam's buzzer?

Bam Bam:

Yeah. Where the hell is that thing?

Gizmo:

56 ring gauge by about five and a half inches long. It's called an aramoso is the factory name, and it's a new limited edition of the La Jolla de Riossecco series, and it is exclusively being released in the Spanish market. There are only 1,000 numbered boxes, each containing 10 cigars. Of course, there's two bands on it. I actually think the second band is pretty cool.

Gizmo:

We haven't seen a band of that shape No. With the unique cutout.

Bam Bam:

On any Cuban cigar.

Gizmo:

On any Cuban cigar. So I thought that was interesting. The other thing I thought was cool too, here we're seeing the old school green come back

Bam Bam:

That's cool.

Gizmo:

For Hoyo, which they, I guess, used to have on the double Corona boxes, but then they updated those, so they're a little different now. But there was definitely some green there.

Senator:

The last box with that kind of green I remember is the

Rooster:

Ramon.

Senator:

The Ramon. Ramon Limitada.

Gizmo:

Yeah, the number two.

Bam Bam:

But the HTCs have that green too. It's pretty Yeah. Pretty cool. It's it's very nice. How much?

Rooster:

When have you seen green on an HDC? What?

Bam Bam:

I think there's green.

Gizmo:

What's an HDC?

Bam Bam:

Hoyo I'm sorry.

Rooster:

Oh. Well, you said Hoyo double Corona.

Gizmo:

Oh, that's what you're saying. Yeah. I'm sorry.

Rooster:

Hoyo de Monterrey.

Gizmo:

No. No. Hoyo double Corona does have some green on

Rooster:

the No. Hoyo de Monterrey regular series.

Bam Bam:

There's no green boxes. On the double Coronas, there are, I think I gotta look, but I remember a green on that box.

Gizmo:

There is a little green, I think, the Yes. Oil

Senator:

You're talking about a green dress box?

Gizmo:

No. We're talking about green detail on the dress box.

Senator:

Yeah, but not the oil box. Green. No.

Gizmo:

There's just detail. No, no. There's just some green detail.

Bam Bam:

That's correct. Wow, tough fucking crowd. Hey.

Gizmo:

Coming in hot tonight, boys.

Rooster:

You gotta be accurate. It is a

Bam Bam:

fucking Do I need to amp myself up again? Because I just calmed down.

Senator:

Do you want a listener to write it incorrect to you? Better we do it. I gotta step up again.

Gizmo:

So the price on these cigars, boys, is right around 45 or $50. So that puts the price of a 10 count box of these at 450 to $500 somewhere in there. I think that's a much more reasonable price than the cigar we have in our hand. Of course, we'll see how it performs if any of us ever get our hands on that. Commemorating the one hundred and sixtieth anniversary of Hoyo de Monterrey.

Rooster:

The aroma is delicious too.

Senator:

Oh, amazing. Right?

Bam Bam:

I think the the retro and as it comes out, taking it back in a bit, it's kinda like a like a cereal thing for me.

Rooster:

I'm just dreading the one inch to be over.

Senator:

I know. It never gets bad.

Bam Bam:

You dropped the hammer on us tonight.

Senator:

I'm just saying, like, it's so perfect. Like, you just couldn't really top that opening. That's all I'm saying.

Bam Bam:

Yeah.

Rooster:

I hope it stays like that.

Bam Bam:

Me too.

Senator:

Oh, there'll be elements for sure. Yeah. I just unfortunately, what I'm discovering is I I pick

Bam Bam:

Your ash is flaking.

Senator:

Bad stick, like this thing is blooming, the ash is flaking, and the wrapper's not burning evenly. There's something up with this roll. But the flavor, thank god, is still great.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. I mean, I got a little unevenness here, but it's still outstanding.

Gizmo:

I'm doing very well here. Do you want another?

Rooster:

Chef's got

Senator:

the best construction. That is like That's great. I think Roosters is excellent.

Rooster:

Bad. Yeah.

Bam Bam:

These two guys have the best sticks

Senator:

in the

Bam Bam:

house, I think.

Senator:

I mean, that's the absurdity. Like, for a 130 a stick, the fact that all of them don't look like chefs and roosters is a little absurd.

Bam Bam:

Correct.

Gizmo:

Mine's not bad. Yeah. Alright, boys. Some more news. I know that everybody's probably sick of hearing me talk about this, but I'm kind of a little obsessed with this story because I just cannot wait for the Netflix documentary about this whole thing.

Gizmo:

Our friend Chen Zhi

Chef Ricky:

Oh, all with you on this. I love the updates.

Gizmo:

Disrupted the cigar industry in crazy, unbelievable ways. And and I'll I'll give you an example. Pagoda and I were in Santiago, Dominican Republic for Pro Cigar, and one of the things I kept asking folks about was Tabacalera De Garcia. I was hoping you were

Senator:

gonna say he got out on bail and you saw him at Pro Cigar. That would have been incredible. Correct.

Gizmo:

I don't think they have bail in

Bam Bam:

Like a James Bond film. With two women on his arm.

Gizmo:

So I kept asking about the Garcia factory, which is in Casa De Campo. And as you remember, he was a significant owner in that, which then because of the sanctions meant that none of those cigars could be imported to The United States. So remember, the massive impact that this guy has had on Habanos as a 28% owner of Habanos. Okay? And now the impact on the non Cuban market also affecting any cigars coming out of Tabacalera de Garcia in Casa De Campo.

Gizmo:

Now here's the thing that stinks about the situation with Casa de Campo when I was talking to a lot of folks about. In Casa de Campo, there aren't a lot of factories. This was really it. And you're talking about two to 3,000 rollers have lost their jobs. There's no other factories for them to really go to without picking up their lives and moving to Santiago or somewhere else.

Gizmo:

Right? Then you think about the trickle down effect of their suppliers, the people supplying them with tobacco and other things needed to run that factory. There's a major economic impact to the folks in Casa de Campo and the cigar industry there. So it's just crazy to me that one guy has had such a detrimental impact to the entire cigar industry. So what we're talking about tonight is Tabacalera, which is the Spanish corp that owns the piece of Habanos that is not the Cuban government's.

Gizmo:

Tabacalera has filed for pre bankruptcy proceedings in Madrid's commercial court number eight as the start of a maneuver to force the departure of Cengiz, the company's current majority shareholder, through the investment fund. So I guess they bring in, like, almost like private equity, His investment fund, Allied Cigar Corp. So apparently, the company is trying to find ways to sever ties with Xi. Its problem is not financial. So these guys are having to file for bankruptcy, but they don't have money problems.

Gizmo:

They're doing it to try to force an owner out, I guess restructure and keep things moving because his involvement is really impacting their ability to do business in Europe. So I mean, it's just Strange. The scale of this one guy is it's like we're talking out of Garcia, you're talking 40 to 50,000,000 cigars a year. Just out of that one factory. Plus the impact of what's going on in Europe with Habanos.

Gizmo:

Mhmm. It's crazy. Now, of course, then you compound that with what's going on in Cuba, where the other owner of Habanos and the 100 owner of Tabacuba, the Cuban government, doesn't look like things are good there. So we talked about this last week. I really am consumed with this thought of, like, what is the future of Cuban tobacco?

Gizmo:

You know? Given everything, we're talking between the Cuban government and this guy, we're talking about 78% of the ownership of Habanos S.

Chef Ricky:

A. Mhmm.

Gizmo:

Right? What's his percentage of ownership? He owns 28% of Habanos. Okay. And he's the majority shareholder of Tabacalera,

Bam Bam:

which is,

Gizmo:

you know, with Habanos and also with other things around the world, other cigar stuff. So apparently, and this is according to Cigar Journal, have

Bam Bam:

Can a nice write up I make Yeah. I'm confused. Go ahead. I've entered into agreements and partnerships. When there's an agreement, there's a usually, there's something called an operating agreement that lists everyone involved and their responsibilities.

Bam Bam:

And part of that is you behaving in a lawful manner as owner of this company. There are usually clauses to get someone out of a business in an operating agreement if they're not properly behaving, especially if they break a law or if they're under indictment. Usually, their partnership is held in stasis until a verdict. And then if they're found not guilty, they can remain in the business. Or we buy you out type of thing.

Gizmo:

I think that's what's happening though, with this bankruptcy proceeding.

Bam Bam:

But you don't need to enter bankruptcy to do that.

Gizmo:

Something in Europe is causing this trigger to get you

Rooster:

over your organization.

Gizmo:

It's effectively a don't real need

Bam Bam:

do that either to be bankrupt.

Senator:

It's unnecessary. Who knows? It could be financially advantageous. Mean, how many to get political, how many people with money have filed for bankruptcy multiple times because it's financially advantageous?

Bam Bam:

That's correct. That's a great point.

Gizmo:

So it says here that sources within the company's communication team assert that the pre bankruptcy filing is a preventative measure to ensure operational continuity and provide an additional safety framework. So I guess what they're hedging against is if they do have any cash flow issues, maybe what's going on in Cuba unsaid here might be impacting their decision to do this. If they don't have cash flow to pay their vendors, obviously bankruptcy is going to protect them from them coming and clawing that money back while they reorg, right? So that might be what they're calling the safety thing. It might be a combo of Gen Z and also the question marks around the amount of supply they're getting.

Gizmo:

Because I have to imagine that every single week they are getting less and less cigars from Cuba. I mean, it's just logical.

Rooster:

But also the fact that the amount of money that he has invested with Habanos or the Tabacalera, they don't have to pay that back, you know, if he's But found

Gizmo:

the question is, are there other partners in Allied Cigar Corp, aside from him, that do need to be paid out who didn't do anything wrong? I don't know. I'm assuming they were all in on the pig butchering and everything else going on here.

Senator:

Yeah. But he also could need to be paid out in the sense that not that he could keep the money, but if he's amassed a shit ton of debt, that could basically, like his equity, they could be forcibly sold to actually pay off all of the other debt that this guy has.

Gizmo:

Or the governments wanna make people whole who were hurt by him.

Rooster:

Correct. But his assets are frozen by the US government.

Gizmo:

And I think The UK and the Chinese. I think all his stuff worldwide has been hit, which is crazy again that the Chinese and The United States are literally targeting the same guy and putting sanctions and holding bank accounts and assets and everything else.

Bam Bam:

It's pretty Someone's writing a script about this.

Gizmo:

That's what I'm saying. I cannot wait

Bam Bam:

Guarantee the scene.

Gizmo:

For the Netflix show about this because it's gonna be a great, like, six part doc. Yep. Maybe we could do, like, a lizard screening Dude. When it comes out. Mhmm.

Bam Bam:

Correct. And we can consult on the cigars. Oh. Right?

Gizmo:

So the pre bankruptcy proceedings are the first step toward resolving the disruption to its operations in the markets that we talked about and are the result of an analysis conducted by Tabacalera seeking, quote, all the tools provided for in current legislation with the sole objective of guaranteeing business continuity, protecting jobs, and restoring normal operations. I think it's gonna be a while before they do that. So apparently, on February 18, the judge accepted the appointment of an expert entity whose aim is to extend the bankruptcy proceedings until Shenzhen's definitive disassociation as a shareholder of the company has achieved, so in accordance with current law. So they're just trying to figure out the mechanism to get this guy out. Because he's obviously not reachable by phone, you know, or email right now.

Bam Bam:

Correct.

Gizmo:

So it's pretty wild. So we will see how this goes. Of course, I'm gonna keep us updated because I'm obsessed with this story. I I just can't believe one guy has had the the impact that he has.

Rooster:

Why is he not in jail? He is. Yeah. He is in jail.

Chef Ricky:

He's in Chinese custody. Yeah.

Gizmo:

The Chinese took him from Cambodia. Mhmm. Listen. If he makes it through the year, I'd be shocked, honestly. So, boys, let's go to our pairing tonight.

Gizmo:

Alright. We have a 12 year aged rum named, of course, after our friend here, rooster. Rooster. The Abuelo. 12.

Senator:

Oh, boy. Oh, boy.

Gizmo:

Cheers, boys. Good to be with you.

Rooster:

Cheers, rooster. Cheers.

Chef Ricky:

That is delicious.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. It's good.

Gizmo:

Yeah. I don't like it as much as I like

Bam Bam:

the seven.

Chef Ricky:

A lot of coconut there.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. The seven is definitely better.

Senator:

So I'm just gonna say one thing. Bam got a bottle of this twelve year weeks ago.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. About a month ago. And

Senator:

it was so mellow and muted, like, you almost didn't realize you were drinking alcohol. This has body and structure, which now is leading me to believe that that was a bad bottle.

Gizmo:

Maybe a humidity problem.

Bam Bam:

Oh, Jesus. Oh, yeah?

Senator:

Because honestly, like, we were all, like, sipping that, we were like, oh, like, the flavor profile is very similar. Like, we like that, but it has, like, no body or structure. This drinks like a rum. It has structure. It has body.

Senator:

There's a, you know, bit of heat, like, what it should have, what you would expect. So It's very tasty. My opinion of this is dramatically different than that time we had tried that other bottle. I think this

Bam Bam:

is actually very good. But? The seven is still

Senator:

Oh, the seven's always gonna have my I

Gizmo:

do think the seven is a better spirit. Did not have the 12 with you guys. This is my first time trying it. It's very good.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, and Lizard Henry bought a bottle soon after, didn't

Chef Ricky:

he?

Senator:

Because he couldn't find the seven anywhere.

Bam Bam:

Did you have that 12 with him? No. Okay. Know, so this is actually from the point of view of the pairing tonight, I actually think this is really quite nice. I do too.

Bam Bam:

The seven may slightly overpower the cigar, slightly. Just a test.

Gizmo:

I don't agree with that.

Senator:

This seven is more mellow than what we're drinking right

Gizmo:

now? I don't agree with that.

Bam Bam:

If you remember, chef, you'll corroborate what I love.

Gizmo:

He's he's looking for allies.

Senator:

He's Bam Bam Esquire right now.

Bam Bam:

You'll corroborate.

Gizmo:

So senator Giz, you're

Chef Ricky:

out. Chef,

Gizmo:

you're an ally.

Bam Bam:

You have to admit that seven it did have it had every sip kinda snapped you back into intention. It had just enough of that really beautiful heat.

Senator:

Just a very touch of disagree.

Rooster:

I don't

Senator:

think it was the heat that was doing that at all. I think that's Go back to the recording. Mellow rum.

Bam Bam:

Go back

Senator:

to the recording. It's flavor. Yeah. It's so rich and concentrated flavor. It's like a Padron ex No

Bam Bam:

argument there.

Senator:

No argument. Super smooth, but there's so much for you. Correct.

Bam Bam:

There was that little for me, that little touch

Chef Ricky:

Alright. Of

Senator:

back in, Giz.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. Little touch of I'm still out.

Bam Bam:

That kinda snapped you back into into attention with every sip. I don't get that with this, which is why I kinda think this is for the more subtle, softer Cuban cigar. This may be a bit more appropriate, but honestly, that seven is also incredible. It's just different.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. I I agree with you, Bam. Not because you asked me to, but just because.

Senator:

Told you

Gizmo:

to. I put you on the spot.

Chef Ricky:

No, I do remember that being a little bit brighter. This one, I love the viscosity. It's somewhat like super rich and almost creamy.

Bam Bam:

Senator's right though. That original tasting that we had of this. Yeah. I have that bottle in my locker. I don't remember you I'm gonna have got it after.

Senator:

Yeah. There's something off with that bottle. I'm positive. Yeah. I mean,

Bam Bam:

I haven't seen this all handmade products. True.

Senator:

Shoot or bite or anything that even That's told you you were drinking

Gizmo:

correct.

Bam Bam:

And here's the funky thing. There are only maybe a handful of spirits where most of us prefer the younger age statement to the older. Abuelo seven over this. Havana seven? Havana seven over everything else they make.

Senator:

Dyslexia and Dimestros, none of us I'll can drink that over Havana

Gizmo:

take seven all the time.

Bam Bam:

Because it's so out of favor for me now. The Nicaragua Floridacanha. Seven is I think better than most of their older

Gizmo:

It's definitely better than the 12

Bam Bam:

for sure. And scotch wise, we've always gone to the McAllen over the 15. They're both great, but the 12 is incredible.

Senator:

Yeah.

Bam Bam:

It's really unusual.

Gizmo:

I dig it.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. Anybody going to talk about the additives?

Gizmo:

Uh-oh. Don't you dare. So boys, if you remember, we got an email, I guess a couple episodes ago.

Bam Bam:

Decided to Last ignore

Gizmo:

thing us about saying that things were additive free versus not additive free in reality. And we did some digging. I did get a hydrometer, which we're gonna bring in. We can use that in the future. I don't have it tonight with me.

Gizmo:

But we've learned that the additives in this are on the lower scale. Is that correct?

Chef Ricky:

Yes.

Gizmo:

What did you see?

Chef Ricky:

15 grams per liter.

Gizmo:

15 grams

Chef Ricky:

So per essentially what that does to the spirit is it brings it down from 40 to 36%. But the Abuelo seven is on the same scale.

Bam Bam:

I thought the Abuelo seven was lower.

Chef Ricky:

No. They're both exactly the same actually. Really? According to that site. Which What was the site?

Chef Ricky:

Fatrumpirate? Or

Gizmo:

Yeah. Some fat rum guy.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. He don't know what he's doing.

Gizmo:

The fat The scientific The fatrumpirate.com.

Chef Ricky:

Thefatrumpirate.com. So we're

Gizmo:

gonna do our own investigations in the future. That's gonna be a lot of fun. That'll be cool. But so the answer is that it's not additive free. There is some sugar here.

Gizmo:

On the scale of it, I think this is on the lower end. I think some of the others we've done are actually even lower than that.

Chef Ricky:

Yep.

Gizmo:

In the five range or less.

Bam Bam:

Well, yeah, the Havana club has set, what, four?

Senator:

And just for context, that means I just did the math on this, that like each shot of rum, one and a half ounces. So, like, if you were to measure out a pour It's nothing. Has one and a half grams

Bam Bam:

of sugar. Which is nothing, really.

Senator:

Yeah. That's not a lot.

Gizmo:

Yeah. But it's not nothing?

Bam Bam:

No. Well, it's close to nothing.

Gizmo:

So, boys, we're coming to the end of the first third here on the Cohiba Ambar, the new Robusto Extra out of Cuba. What's everybody thinking right now?

Rooster:

I'm pretty much getting the same notes that I was getting in the first stage. It It has continued.

Bam Bam:

I'm very happy.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah, it hasn't changed much for me.

Rooster:

The aroma, though, on the foot has a little bit of pepper when it hits your nose that you don't get on a traditional draw.

Senator:

I get it. Really?

Bam Bam:

Oh yeah. Yeah, I'm not getting that yet.

Gizmo:

No, there's a little pepper there. It flares the nostril when you

Chef Ricky:

eat I'm just starting to get it. Been sniffing the bread.

Gizmo:

But it's pleasant though. It's not bad.

Bam Bam:

I'm still extremely satisfied and very, very happy with the cigar.

Rooster:

It's very it's very creamy.

Bam Bam:

It's awesome.

Rooster:

You know, you get that, I don't know, even a little bit of nuttiness too.

Bam Bam:

Touch. Like a cashew. Yeah. Exactly. So

Senator:

at this point now is where it is divergent from the first one I

Bam Bam:

had. Oh, shit.

Senator:

In a good way. In way. Okay. Are you unhappy with your cigar?

Bam Bam:

I'm very happy with it. I don't want it to go south.

Senator:

No. You're even further along than

Gizmo:

I am.

Bam Bam:

I am. I'm smoking really fast.

Senator:

All I'm saying is at this point, the first one I had kind of the grassy hay traditional Cohiba notes appeared, which I would be okay with and initially was, and then just some youth started to show. So it was like a little sharp delivery of that, And then it it kind of veered back toward what I got in that first in. So, like, it just took me on some twists and turns, but that's not happening here, which is awesome.

Bam Bam:

I don't mind that if I can eventually get back to the original expressions of those notes. That's actually an interesting journey.

Rooster:

So was that cigar from the same batch, same box, or I doubt it.

Gizmo:

No. Yeah. Alright. So we open the episode with a discussion, and I'm I'm dying to hear this logic and explanation that you've got. Oh god.

Gizmo:

With these goddamn handkerchiefs.

Rooster:

Handkerchiefs. Well so

Gizmo:

I I just I don't know.

Bam Bam:

So let me I

Gizmo:

mean, listen. I love you.

Bam Bam:

I love you too.

Rooster:

But this is the one. Are they monogrammed?

Bam Bam:

They are not monogrammed. No. They are.

Gizmo:

BB. Not yet.

Rooster:

They should be. Not yet. That's that's the first flaw. It should be monogrammed.

Bam Bam:

Alright, old boy.

Chef Ricky:

Next. They don't need to be.

Gizmo:

Are they different colors? DNA or pastel colors.

Bam Bam:

They're all different colors.

Senator:

Guys, stop. White,

Gizmo:

light blue. No. Soft pink.

Bam Bam:

They're all they're all black. Yellow. Yeah. Coconut white. Let me know when you're done.

Gizmo:

Coconut white. Fuchsia. I mean, he is the clothing expert.

Rooster:

That's correct. Magenta. Nope. Fuchsia.

Chef Ricky:

Nope. Alright. So

Bam Bam:

They're all plaid.

Rooster:

What size are

Chef Ricky:

they?

Gizmo:

What what

Rooster:

are the dimensions? Roughly 12 by 12.

Bam Bam:

Cotton. That is not Yeah. Made out of cotton.

Rooster:

Pure cotton. Egyptian cotton, Turkish cotton, Italian cotton,

Gizmo:

Israeli cotton. Patterson cotton. Patterson cotton.

Bam Bam:

That's correct.

Chef Ricky:

Alright. So very absorbent.

Gizmo:

Very. Any linen or poly? No. Polyester?

Bam Bam:

No. None of that. Pure

Gizmo:

pure cotton.

Bam Bam:

Correct. Pure cotton.

Rooster:

Do you iron What's the thread count?

Bam Bam:

That I don't. Alright.

Gizmo:

So alright. Hold on.

Bam Bam:

I don't iron them.

Chef Ricky:

I have a do you iron them?

Bam Bam:

No. No. I just when they come out of the wash, I fold them and put them on my drawer when I need them.

Rooster:

Okay. So Do you have a separate drawer for them?

Bam Bam:

They go next to the underwear.

Chef Ricky:

Oh, it's not the underwear.

Bam Bam:

Well, not when they're clean.

Gizmo:

Alright. Have you

Rooster:

by mistake taken an underwear instead of a handkerchief?

Gizmo:

No. Walk us through alright. So you have this thing in your pocket, your back left pocket, I'm assuming?

Bam Bam:

It yeah. Typically, yes. Sometimes in the front left. Sometimes front.

Gizmo:

Okay. Correct. So the snots move everywhere.

Bam Bam:

So They don't move.

Gizmo:

You They're moving.

Bam Bam:

No. No. No.

Gizmo:

So you're you're

Bam Bam:

going They're stationary once they're in that

Rooster:

Let's let let's, you know, explain, master. Well, he's not letting he's not letting me speak.

Gizmo:

No. Exactly. Go ahead. I'm setting up a scenario.

Bam Bam:

Okay.

Gizmo:

So you're getting into your day. You jump in the car. You're you're moving along.

Bam Bam:

Yes. Oh, and the car is really When you have allergies, and you're in the car, and you're about to meet a client, and you've got a nose full, and you can't blow it.

Rooster:

Do you share with the client?

Bam Bam:

I don't keep, no, I don't.

Senator:

What does that mean when you're in the car? You're making it sound like a tissue would be a huge I don't keep A

Bam Bam:

box of tissues are like the the little travel tissues. They're too dainty for me. They blow apart when I use them. Tissues, napkins, they're all very frail. When I blow my

Senator:

the cotton quicker picker upper.

Gizmo:

Yeah. Yeah.

Bam Bam:

Well, I mean, what happens when you blow into its typical tissue, it usually blows apart.

Rooster:

Alright. So you blow

Bam Bam:

it It's like one use and you throw it in the garbage.

Gizmo:

And I

Bam Bam:

do that 50 times if I have a really big allergy season.

Gizmo:

You have allergies in the car. So walk us through what's happening.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. So, you know, I'm parked, I'm pulled in. Alright. I gotta go into this house or this building. Pull out the handkerchief, you know, blow the nose, fold it up nicely, put it in a pocket, and go right in.

Bam Bam:

All clean and fresh and breathing clear.

Gizmo:

So you're okay sitting in a meeting with a potential client? Just with a pocket full of

Bam Bam:

nasty snot is folded into the handkerchief. It doesn't get anywhere.

Rooster:

But what if you have to blow your nose again during You're the carrying waste to typically take that out

Gizmo:

and then re blow it.

Bam Bam:

No. I've done that in front of other clients from time mean,

Senator:

this is

Bam Bam:

crazy. Yes. After I've signed them, of course.

Chef Ricky:

Did you have pocket even remotely moist from the handkerchief being

Bam Bam:

So I will admit the the handkerchiefs do get a little moist. There's it's there's moisture there. This

Senator:

is disgusting.

Gizmo:

No way. I'd like to apologize to Lizard Nation.

Bam Bam:

So what's better?

Gizmo:

Have you ever

Bam Bam:

wrapped your nose? Hold on. What's better? Walking around with a pocket full of tissues and you're

Gizmo:

blowing your

Senator:

nose? Once you blow your nose, you throw the It's tissue gone.

Bam Bam:

I know. But a a pocket full of tissues rather than one beautifully folded elegant. Yolk. But the problem

Senator:

is you can't dispose of it. You're putting the snot into your pocket.

Bam Bam:

But it's the handkerchief is wet. But it's folded.

Gizmo:

Think about this. If he does this at 07:30 in the morning, when he gets home at six, it's still in his pockets. That's correct. Disgusting. And then you hand it to missus Bam?

Gizmo:

I don't hand

Bam Bam:

it to her. Put it in the hamper ready for for the wash.

Rooster:

Do you carry multiple handkerchiefs or usually

Gizmo:

just one? What if it's like a heavy day?

Bam Bam:

No. One a day.

Chef Ricky:

Did you use it during COVID?

Bam Bam:

No. When I got COVID, was just was in bed. I couldn't move.

Senator:

You used the tissue, like I

Bam Bam:

used no one boxes. Was the I couldn't get up and get to my dresser at that point. But

Gizmo:

So you said that there's quarters. Walk us through the Quadrants. Quadrants. Quadrants. Excuse me.

Gizmo:

Quadrants. Excuse me. Well, you know I want to use the correct technical term.

Bam Bam:

The first blow, you're opening it up and it's folded, right? And you first blow it, you're blowing your nose, and then you fold it nicely and put it away. So wherever you start, you've already mapped out your trajectory on the path of how you're using the handkerchief. By the end of the day, all quadrants are usually consumed.

Gizmo:

On both

Bam Bam:

sides? No, never both sides. Just on one side.

Rooster:

So that's only four times you can blow your nose.

Bam Bam:

Well, you gotta find spots. If it's a very bad, heavy allergy day, you're-

Gizmo:

So you could be hitting that ten, twelve, 16 times

Bam Bam:

a day? And I have. Oh my gosh. When I'm out and about. Especially in the cold weather.

Gizmo:

And you don't throw these away. You you No.

Bam Bam:

You wash them. They're supposed to be reused. You don't throw them away. Yeah.

Rooster:

You wash them.

Gizmo:

You know How much hold on. How much is a handkerchief?

Bam Bam:

That I

Rooster:

Two don't 50.

Gizmo:

You just said you bought 30. How much was the pack of 30?

Bam Bam:

I don't buy them myself.

Senator:

Yeah. Not as like religiously as Bam. I feel like he's gotten with the times now, but like back then, for sure.

Gizmo:

But think about it, he's taken it out of his pocket. Picture this. And he takes it out, let's say it's like 4PM. Mhmm. He takes it out, He's looking at the other spots he hit.

Gizmo:

He's looking for a safe space. I am looking for a It's happened.

Bam Bam:

It's happened.

Senator:

My Jesus.

Bam Bam:

I mean, if you have allergies the way I do and it's actually cold out as well, it's not fun.

Gizmo:

My stomach's starting to turn.

Bam Bam:

It's not fun being caught away from the house.

Senator:

Also think this is very common among people who blow their nose like they're playing a French horn. True. For Bam, he's not wrong. Yeah. I know.

Senator:

No. I'm piecing it together because when I think of how Bam described why he's anti tissue, he's like, you just blow through the thing. Like, there's no way it could handle it.

Bam Bam:

It's true.

Senator:

And I think of my father, and I'm like, that's they're very similar in that regard.

Bam Bam:

It's true. Like, I wanna clean it all out. I don't I can't do a half blow. I just can't do a wipe and throw

Chef Ricky:

it out.

Rooster:

You gotta be careful when you blow your nose that hard, you can get nosebleeds.

Bam Bam:

So I have gotten nosebleeds. Blowing your nose hard is a problem for me. It's kind of an addiction. Like to keep my nose clean. Know.

Bam Bam:

But yeah, it's a good point.

Gizmo:

I'm I'm completely blown away.

Bam Bam:

Like, I could actually use a handkerchief right fucking now.

Gizmo:

That we are we are in an advanced society. Okay? Look at what we have

Rooster:

Because I I can picture you having a handkerchief. Stop it.

Gizmo:

We really we really can.

Bam Bam:

But also think of it from the point of view of the landfill. How many tissues do I have to use in one week? Two, three boxes of It's

Senator:

being very sustainable. There's no question

Chef Ricky:

about Tissues are biodegradable though.

Bam Bam:

No, they're not.

Rooster:

Yes, they are. Eco friendly. Those things disappear. Very green.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, I guess so.

Gizmo:

I'm a little freaked out by this. I've known you as long as I have, and I've not really calculated the insanity of this.

Bam Bam:

I know that, but it's really, for me, the only way I can completely clean my nose out and be comfortable. With a tissue, I'm going through three tissues to get the same effect with one blow of One a

Chef Ricky:

quadrant of the handkerchief.

Rooster:

Correct. When it gets wet, do you hang it somewhere so it air dries?

Gizmo:

No. When On it's a heavy day.

Rooster:

Like, on the on the

Senator:

vent No. He prefers to keep it damp in his pocket. Well,

Bam Bam:

I gotta keep it somewhere so it's nicely folded.

Rooster:

Yeah. But if you let it if you leave it open, it'll dry quicker.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, I can't look at it. It's disgusting actually.

Chef Ricky:

It's like, Hey, Bam,

Bam Bam:

is that? It's actually really- It's in your pocket or your So I have to admit that the shit that comes out of my nose, man, it's like concrete. It's unbelievable. I can't look at it. So I do it and I fold it right away.

Gizmo:

All right. So I'm gonna give you a solution. I know we were talking about this the other day, but for the listeners So out

Bam Bam:

I'm gonna buy that thing.

Senator:

Okay. But I can't take that

Bam Bam:

with me in a car.

Gizmo:

Well, do have a carrying case. What? Neti pot? No, it's a step beyond the Neti pot. So I've had sinus issues.

Gizmo:

You know, I don't eat cheese. I don't drink milk. We know this, right? It's not because of a gastro thing. It's a sinus thing that I As soon as I cut those things out of my life about twenty years ago, I haven't had a sinus infection since.

Rooster:

You might have a deviated septum. I

Gizmo:

do. He does. So I

Bam Bam:

do have a deviated septum. So No,

Senator:

no. What Kizz is saying is real. I'm similar in this regard.

Gizmo:

So what I have found is a device called the Navage, n a v a g e, and I'll put it in the episode description. Mhmm. It is a forced

Senator:

watering putting medical products now. Look at us.

Gizmo:

Correct. Dude, this thing has changed my life. I use it once a day at night before I go to bed. Most often, I've smoked a cigar, two or three. You know, you go through your day.

Gizmo:

I go through the night. I'm not snoring. I wake up with a clear nose, I'm not dry. It's unbelievable. What you do is you fill it up with some distilled water or some purified water, preferably room temperature or more.

Gizmo:

They have these little saline pods. You punch it in, the saline mixes in, and one side forces water, the other side sucks it. So you put it to your nostrils and it cleans you out, and then you flip it around and you do the other way. It is a neti pod on steroids. It has changed my life.

Gizmo:

I took it to the Dominican Republic with me in the carrying case.

Bam Bam:

Really?

Gizmo:

No. Seriously. I literally gave it that much

Senator:

This is not a small device.

Gizmo:

No. It's like it's I would say it's like that, Bam.

Senator:

It's the size of an NFL football.

Gizmo:

No. No. No. No. It's like six or eight inches by

Bam Bam:

And TSA didn't flag you to step aside? No.

Gizmo:

I would

Senator:

have loved to have seen Cuban customs look at that thing. Oh my god. It would have been amazing.

Bam Bam:

El Jurigato.

Rooster:

Did you and Pagoda share it?

Gizmo:

No. We didn't. They do, by the way. If you have a significant other, they do come with the nose thing. It pops on and off, and you can you know, two people can use the same device.

Gizmo:

You just pop them on.

Bam Bam:

At the same time. No.

Rooster:

Not at It's

Gizmo:

hookah. I like love how you're disgusted by using it at same time with a handkerchief In

Bam Bam:

fact, so I sent that link to missus Bam Bam. It's not it's gonna be on Orderson.

Gizmo:

Telling you, the lavage,

Senator:

it's worth it. Was a good find.

Bam Bam:

Do you use that as

Senator:

well? So I did, then I didn't, and now I am again. Wow. My experience has been, I first got it mid sinus infection, when Casey had told me about it.

Gizmo:

That's tough.

Senator:

And at that point, it was too late. The first few times I used it, I was like, woah, I'm breathing so much better even during having a sinus infection, but then it kinda catches up, and it it took just as long to clear it. You you gotta get ahead of it for this to really be useful. And then after it

Gizmo:

It's really preventative, I think.

Senator:

I agree with that a 100%.

Bam Bam:

Interesting.

Senator:

And and I think like even when you have it on like your most extreme days, it can provide relief.

Gizmo:

Yep.

Senator:

My experience was then trying to use that after, I feel like and why I stopped, and now I'm using it intermittently, and it's been much better for me at least, I think using that daily, it's like too much. I was almost getting like a headache. My sinuses, it was just too much for some reason. It's too perf, too

Gizmo:

clear. No no no. What it is is it's pressure thing because it creates a vacuum. Yeah. And you gotta back it off your nostrils and find the perfect balance of So you just might be getting too much pressure.

Gizmo:

If you back it off, the vacuum still works. Could be that. It will ease.

Senator:

But I even read so I googled and some suggest, like, medical professionals for like maintenance, like preventive, to do it two to three times a week, and to increase frequency if like you're having a harder time.

Bam Bam:

Interesting.

Senator:

So I've I now, as of like literally a few weeks ago, just knowing because when I typically like, what triggers a sinus infection for me, like, if I go somewhere warm, and then I'm immediately somewhere cold. So like, I knew before I left for Turks, and when I got back, high probability. So I started

Gizmo:

Oh, just using flying in general. Totally.

Bam Bam:

That's true.

Gizmo:

Totally. It's like you're in a petri dish in the sky with chairs.

Bam Bam:

Awful. And

Rooster:

I'm sure during allergy season, it's

Gizmo:

It gets worse. Huge. When I use

Rooster:

it

Gizmo:

a

Rooster:

rough That time.

Gizmo:

The other thing, to your point about two to three times a week, the reason why I'm doing it daily is really because I'm smoking, and what I'm finding is that And you retrohale. And I retrohale. It's cleaning that out after a session, almost like my floss and my water pick and everything else. It's really valuable for me going to bed after I smoke. I'm cleaning my nose like I am my mouth.

Bam Bam:

So when during the day do you do this?

Gizmo:

At night, right before bed. Okay. Once a day.

Bam Bam:

Now, you two. So I have a deviated septum. Yep. Would that affect the pressure that that device creates?

Gizmo:

You can control the pressure by by how much you how much of it you have in your sinuses.

Senator:

Yeah. But the only thing you have to be careful about, because I remember when I was first using this, just trying to learn the optimum way to do this, like, if you're too loose with the pressure, like, you're gonna have water coming out of your throat. Mean, it's coming down and be a

Gizmo:

little You gotta figure

Chef Ricky:

it out.

Senator:

You gotta

Bam Bam:

be careful.

Gizmo:

It's worth it though. And it's the first device for me that has actually been preventative where traveling, traveling, I didn't get sick going to the Doctor. I've That's not gotten sick in my other travels.

Bam Bam:

See, I can see myself doing it once I check into the hotel and I'm in the room and doing it as quickly as I can off that airplane. That's what I would do.

Gizmo:

It works.

Chef Ricky:

Look forward to growing old with you guys, and another ten years of this podcast, we're gonna be promoting bedpans.

Bam Bam:

Could be, could be. We're be sharing

Senator:

a seat back with Rooster.

Gizmo:

Ben's gonna have a portable bedpan he takes with him in the car.

Bam Bam:

That's correct.

Rooster:

Even enema.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. Also correct. Jesus. So very cool find, man.

Gizmo:

Yeah. It's really worth it. I'm telling you folks. Try

Bam Bam:

it. I'm gonna try it. I'll report back.

Gizmo:

It's really amazing. I recommend every cigar smoker to have it. If any if you have allergies, deviated septum, any sort of nasal sensitivity, sinus stuff, I'm telling you, it's so preventative. I haven't had a sinus infection or a cold since I started using it and I don't think that's an accident.

Bam Bam:

That's

Chef Ricky:

cool. We must have got very few emails this week,

Gizmo:

Mm-mm. Dude, I have like 40 emails Oh my gosh. To share.

Rooster:

Wait till next week.

Bam Bam:

I'm smoking way too fast.

Chef Ricky:

It's hard not to.

Bam Bam:

I want another one.

Gizmo:

It's so good.

Chef Ricky:

It's so good, man.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. Can I have another one? No. As you were reaching to help me out. This is quite good.

Gizmo:

It's a brilliant cigar,

Bam Bam:

man. It's a baller cigar. It's so good.

Gizmo:

With its youth, I guess, you know, we'll see where it gets to here. You know, we're not, you know, into the last third yet, but I'm curious how the youth is going to play out in that final piece of the cigar. Like, is this gonna be a cigar that we all have, you know, like our thumbnails holding it?

Bam Bam:

Yeah. I think for me it will be, but I will say, as delicious as it is, the body of it has dissipated. So the first half of that cigar, it had more body, and now it's-

Chef Ricky:

Much creamier. It's still very creamy,

Bam Bam:

and the notes are still there, but I don't wanna call it strength, but that body has dissipated. So it's a much, much easier cigar to smoke, even easier than the first half. So that's the only it's kind of a little bit of a demerit because I do prefer that. At that price point, you're kind of wondering what the hell did I pay for at this point. For me, just a little bit.

Rooster:

So you want that body?

Bam Bam:

I do. I do. As good as it is, it's kind of dropped in that

Rooster:

Unless it ramps up on the last card.

Bam Bam:

It could, which it could.

Senator:

Which goes to my point of how it started was so perfect. It was almost impossible to top that.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, but it's still delicious.

Rooster:

But, you know, I mean, this is a 2024 release.

Gizmo:

Late. No. It's effectively early twenty That's how close it is.

Rooster:

Yeah. And how good it's smoking.

Gizmo:

It's really a year old.

Rooster:

I cannot think about another Cohiba with this little age that smoked like this.

Gizmo:

This is, right now, showing us that it's not a risky purchase to smoke it young, right? This is really awesome with just a year of age

Bam Bam:

on it.

Gizmo:

That's

Rooster:

true. I wouldn't even call it age.

Gizmo:

I'd call it a year of rest. Yeah. I mean, if you

Rooster:

love Cohibas and you're willing to pay that price, this is the cigar you want.

Bam Bam:

Well, it's a bargain compared to the Bahiques and you're getting a lot for your money from that perspective.

Gizmo:

Alright, boys. Let's go into some listener email now. This one is from Lizard Cody. He says, hey, guys. I'm not sure if you've ever been asked this, but I'm curious to learn.

Gizmo:

My wife is a photographer and was talking to me about destination weddings and events, and it got me thinking about my favorite destination smoking spot. So let's pretend there are no bullshit smoking laws and such, and it doesn't have to be out in nature. I know some lizards don't like nature. Hand up right here. It can be any restaurant, public space, anywhere in the world maybe you've already done and would want to do again, or it's a future plan of a place you'd like to smoke.

Gizmo:

Personally, I'd love to be sitting on the back of a catamaran somewhere in French Polynesia with a bottle of Paul Roger and an h upman with my wife after a day of spearfishing and sailing. That sounds cool. I'd love to hear each of the Lizard's thoughts on their destination smoking spot. Thanks so much, Lizard Cody. So I know I have I'm looking at Senator here.

Gizmo:

Oh, yeah. Who's well traveled. I know you are too, Bam. You've been all over the world. I don't know about rooster so much.

Bam Bam:

Me, not so much. Rooster? Fucking Ozarks in nineteen o eight. Is that your choice? The Rock Of Gibraltar.

Bam Bam:

What are you

Chef Ricky:

talking about?

Rooster:

Talking about Gibraltar. Gibraltar Gibraltar is a great spot.

Gizmo:

Oh, there you go. Absolutely. Correct. Yeah. So what do you guys think?

Gizmo:

What is a destination like heavenly spot that let's do both because I think you can do both certainly, Senator, I think I can too. A place you've been that you wanna go back because it was such an excellent smoking experience, and a place you'd like to go that you've not yet been. So like for you, I'm thinking about that Greek picture that I want to go to where you had that photo.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, that was cool.

Gizmo:

And you know, the water and the sunset.

Senator:

For me, I'm a huge beach, like, water person, so there is nowhere greater for me to enjoy a cigar than, like, looking out on, like, an endless sea. Just water always does it for me. So, like, for me, there's many places that fit that bill. I mean, Greece, you mentioned, like, just stunning views there from Crete, even in Santorini, the Calderas, The Maldives. I mean Yeah.

Senator:

The Maldives, I'll use as an example, like, I I am not well, I definitely was not a morning person before having a child. Now with a child, you don't have a choice, but I'm generally not a morning person, but when I travel, if there's like a stunning water view, I will get up crazy early to literally light a cigar and watch the sunrise like there's nothing better for me.

Gizmo:

That's pretty awesome.

Senator:

In The Maldives, the sunrise is crazy early. Like most What places time? Oh, it's like four in the morning. Oh, wow. I've literally, almost every day when I was in The Maldives

Bam Bam:

Why bother going to bed?

Senator:

Yeah. The thing was like Go bed, correct.

Bam Bam:

You're on vacation.

Senator:

Shockingly, like so wiped by the end of the day there. Like, I was sleeping way earlier than I normally do, and I would get up, light a cigar, have a cup of coffee, and just sit out. And you're just looking at endless Indian Ocean and just watching the sunrise, and it's so stunning. So, like, anything like that, Saint John, like this particular villa I normally stay at, you can look out and see Saint Croix in a very, very far distance on a clear day and just have a cigar looking with that view. So anything with water always does it for me, but that's that's just what I enjoy.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. What about your trip to Italy? Were there any opportunities to smoke on the water?

Senator:

Not so much on the water. I mean, in Florence, sure, there's, like the little Yeah. Like river that runs through that. Correct. And I actually did send photos of you guys, like, from the hotel I was at.

Senator:

I had this really cool outdoor patio. I had the penthouse at this place, and like, you could see that whole river all the way down. So that was actually really nice.

Gizmo:

Yeah. I'm actually going to Florence in just a couple of weeks.

Bam Bam:

Are you?

Gizmo:

Yeah. My stepdaughter's there for the semester, so we're going over to visit her.

Bam Bam:

How the hell are we just learning about this?

Chef Ricky:

You're not

Bam Bam:

allowed to leave.

Gizmo:

I booked it last night.

Bam Bam:

You can't leave this. Who's running gonna run this shit? You.

Gizmo:

Just keep your dirty hand hand hand hand hand guys off this thing.

Senator:

Lock the door, babe. Now you just can't leave.

Bam Bam:

Oh, man. You

Rooster:

know, like you mentioned smoking in the morning by the ocean. The wind is also a factor, right, on the beach. So in the morning, there is no wind. The wind is really

Bam Bam:

Yes, kind of that's correct. Nonexistent. That's a great time to

Rooster:

see So remember, like, in Mexico, whenever we go, I love lighting up on the balcony or on the patio or whatever, looking at the ocean and there's literally no wind. And it's absolutely just perfect.

Bam Bam:

For

Rooster:

me also smoking, what better place than smoking in Cuba in one of the cafes, sitting outside, sitting in one of the lounges?

Senator:

That's the other spot.

Gizmo:

Just the rooftop.

Senator:

Somewhere that it is traditionally unacceptable to smoke or to be able to smoke. Like, even Paris. Like, I remember the first time just sitting on a corner at, like, a French cafe and, like, them having ashtrays on every single table without me even asking, and I'm like, wow. I can just light up right here. Yep.

Senator:

Something that's simple.

Gizmo:

Like, I'm

Senator:

literally just on a street corner, but it's such a faux pas here that it just feels so indulgent to be able to do that other places.

Rooster:

Correct.

Gizmo:

What's your answer?

Rooster:

Hanky boy.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. So I do love

Senator:

Like a cigar with a handkerchief.

Chef Ricky:

Yes, it had.

Bam Bam:

I do love smoking

Rooster:

Just to keep it moist.

Chef Ricky:

I tell you, it's a humidification device. It's like a

Gizmo:

it's a band. Bam. Bam.

Chef Ricky:

Bam. Bam.

Gizmo:

Got a market. It's a Bam. I'm going

Bam Bam:

to put that right in my tower.

Gizmo:

That's disgusting. Little.

Chef Ricky:

By the way,

Gizmo:

that's how you keep us out of it. Put that handkerchief in the door. That's correct. We'll never be over there.

Bam Bam:

Little patina in there.

Chef Ricky:

Keep me off that

Gizmo:

will. Chef said salty notes.

Bam Bam:

How do you know? Little brine going on there. Oh, yeah.

Gizmo:

So what's yours, Bam?

Bam Bam:

I do like smoking in an urban setting. I'm trying to think of recent

Gizmo:

Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh.

Senator:

A lot of espionage that he's gotta go

Bam Bam:

through. Yeah, gotta go through. So you know, smoking on my son's college campus at night, that was pretty cool. I've done that a few times

Senator:

since. That doesn't sound legal, but It's not,

Bam Bam:

which actually makes it fun, as you know

Gizmo:

it felony, honestly.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. I mean, there aren't many students around kinda walking by. Like, my son would come out. He'd say hi. He's working, and then he'd go back in, and I'm still smoking my cigar.

Rooster:

Who's that guy smoking on that bench? That's my dad.

Bam Bam:

No, don't think they're doing that. But you know, on my travels, I love hitting lounges. Like I love to hit a lounge I haven't ever been to. And just last week, I was at a place where was it? Princeton.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. So that place is fantastic.

Rooster:

Yeah. Nice picks.

Bam Bam:

Very nice.

Gizmo:

Very cool spot. Very unusual. Listeners about it.

Bam Bam:

It's a coffee shop, and they've got a separate little smoking area, seats about eight people.

Gizmo:

And this is Downtown Princeton, Jersey?

Bam Bam:

Downtown Princeton, New Jersey. And they've got a private club lounge in the back for members only. It's about $3,000 a year. No cigar allocation like we're used to. So I'm not sure if the money's worth it, but the space was very unique, very posh, very comfortable.

Gizmo:

It's almost like $300 a year.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, Or

Gizmo:

excuse me, $100 a month.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, it's a lot.

Senator:

But it's not twenty four hours for members?

Bam Bam:

It is twenty four hours.

Senator:

There's well that's

Bam Bam:

a that's rare. I lived in Princeton for a while, they didn't have that there. But that's a really unique little detail there. And you know, I sat among the locals and had two cigars. It was nice.

Bam Bam:

It was just a very general conversation. And then a lot of my talk was about have you seen many students or youngsters coming in to smoke a cigar? And they said, know, actually students at Princeton started a cigar club on campus. Nice. And it's an officially chartered club that they get a budget for from the university, which totally blew I me

Gizmo:

was shocked. They must have a senator in tow. It could be.

Senator:

Harvard would never do that.

Rooster:

I don't know. Sorry. You went to the wrong school clearly.

Bam Bam:

So it was really

Gizmo:

It's pretty cool.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. It's pretty cool.

Gizmo:

The pictures were amazing.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. But it's, you know, it's it's

Gizmo:

So were you were you a guest of someone or did you have to pay?

Senator:

No. I I so that He said he's Bam Bam from the lounge.

Gizmo:

That's also course. I mean, I didn't want to tee that up.

Rooster:

The whole thing is not a member lounge.

Bam Bam:

So there's a small set aside space. You walk into the right of it, it's an eight seater space. It's a little living room, very cozy, very nice. The coffee shop is all beautifully done. What's cool is the humidor is in the coffee shop and they've got displays of cigar product along with coffee product, which I've never seen before.

Bam Bam:

So that was pretty cool.

Gizmo:

They go great together, know?

Bam Bam:

Yeah, they do. Yeah, it's fantastic.

Chef Ricky:

Is the coffee shop legit, like pour overs and different

Bam Bam:

They do pour overs. I had a double espresso, but they'll do virtually any type of coffee drink that you want. Very nice. Yeah, beautifully, beautifully done. Apparently it was an old historic building that they recreated at the Ground Floor and then they built luxury residential units above.

Bam Bam:

Very nice space.

Chef Ricky:

It's interesting that they're okay with that being on the Yeah, ground

Gizmo:

that's pretty cool.

Rooster:

Chef, what about you?

Chef Ricky:

Yeah, for me, there's something about, So, you know, Senator mentioned Greece, there's something about being in Greece, going out to have a beautiful dinner. And as the So you've

Bam Bam:

been there as well?

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. I've been to Credo And a couple as the restaurant sort of starts to And I can't remember the name of where I went, but it was up a mountain, beautiful terrace. You know, you get there, the place is packed, everybody's having dinner. You could smoke in the restaurant as long as you're outdoors, you know. So I was on the terrace, But it's beautiful as people start to sort of funnel out and finish their dinners and you're just hanging back and you have this beautiful view looking out and you see, you know, the ocean or the sea and the country and you're enjoying your cigar after your meal, no one's rushing you out, nobody's looking at you weird because you're smoking.

Chef Ricky:

And they even have cigars for you to purchase if you happen to smoke through all of yours. That is an amazing experience.

Gizmo:

I love

Chef Ricky:

the wind. The wind was great. It was late at There wasn't a whole lot of wind. You know, I wasn't fighting wind at all. It was fantastic.

Chef Ricky:

It's a beautiful experience and it's very liberating because, you know, we're coming from The States where everywhere you smoke, sometimes I just want to walk through a park and light a cigar

Bam Bam:

in the air.

Gizmo:

So hold

Bam Bam:

on, in any restaurant in Greece, I can light up a cigar?

Senator:

Outside, yes.

Chef Ricky:

Pretty much as long Almost. As you're That's insane. You can go smoking smoking Turbotno on the beach.

Bam Bam:

That's fantastic.

Chef Ricky:

And it's no problem. Wow. And it's it's you could sit there and eat amazing food and drink great Greek Greek beer

Gizmo:

Mhmm.

Chef Ricky:

And enjoy your cigar. No one's bothering you. It's not a problem. But outside of that, I really just kind of like I have this running joke when my buddy Ken, who we smoke cigars in stupid places. Right?

Chef Ricky:

It's like, you know, you want a cigar and especially in New York or anywhere, you really can't smoke anywhere. And I remember one day, I had just gotten a root canal and he drove me to the dentist and we came back. This was out in Long Island and we were coming through Queens.

Bam Bam:

Nothing like following up major dental surgery I with a

Chef Ricky:

needed a fucking I needed a cigar and of course I went against the dentist's but it didn't matter. I was fine. I survived, nothing happened. And we're driving through and I'm like, hey, let's go to a Flushing Meadow Park. And we go and I'm like, I see a paddle boat.

Chef Ricky:

I haven't been on a paddle boat since I was a little kid.

Bam Bam:

That's a beautiful park, by the way.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. Yeah. So we get a freaking paddle boat and we're in the middle of the lake and we're smoking a cigar. Mhmm. It's romantic.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. And I know it sounds a little romantic. That wasn't the point. But

Gizmo:

no, it's just he propose?

Chef Ricky:

No. It's just Does

Senator:

your wife know about this?

Chef Ricky:

She does. We all laugh about it. We make jokes about it. You know, take super long walks, walking from Tribeca to Harlem at the time, and Right. You know, three hours, seven mile walks, and you just

Bam Bam:

Cigar and everything.

Senator:

That that was actually great.

Gizmo:

That's I

Senator:

lived in Manhattan. I used to do the exact same thing. I'd walk from the Upper West Side, Hundred And 6th And Broadway, down to Times Square, and smoke the entire way there and back.

Gizmo:

That's awesome.

Senator:

Was amazing. Cigars is that? It's 40 blocks.

Chef Ricky:

For me, two two two to three from Tribeca to Harlem. I was about to You

Bam Bam:

may need some help, old

Chef Ricky:

boy. And I prefer to do it at night, right? Because there's not a whole lot of people during the day. Do it, you know, whatever. Yeah.

Chef Ricky:

If I'm walking past a stroller or something like that, it's like, know, you try to hide your cigar or pull it away or whatnot. At night, you know, there's not many people out and, you know, unless you're in Times Square, there's not many people out and it was liberating. It's fun. So I do love the urban setting. I do love the beach setting or just but I think for me, what I haven't experienced yet that I would love to do someday is have that cigar in Cuba.

Chef Ricky:

You know, like that has to be

Bam Bam:

It's an ultimate experience

Rooster:

for sure. It's nothing better.

Gizmo:

Mean, that's my, like, wanna go back to like, thinking about like four years ago or whatever when we first went.

Bam Bam:

It felt like true freedom.

Gizmo:

Yeah. And it was like a it was not an amazing time for the Cuba people. It was a better time. It was just everything seemed a little better.

Rooster:

You know? Sitting outside in a cafe. Mhmm. He just ordered a cortado and a cigar.

Bam Bam:

Correct.

Rooster:

Cuban cigar, of course. And just what an experience.

Gizmo:

Even our rooftop, man. We had a we had this incredible house. Inside of restaurants.

Senator:

Yeah. True.

Gizmo:

What's the No.

Bam Bam:

No. No.

Senator:

Car That's outside. A c.

Gizmo:

Oh, Carbone. Carbone. Carbone.

Senator:

Yes. Like, we're sitting indoors having a great meal, enjoying cigars

Rooster:

And live music. And

Senator:

live music. That band was great. And it's like, where can you do that?

Bam Bam:

That was with Juan Moya that night. Right?

Senator:

Yeah. Mhmm.

Gizmo:

That was before before Tropicana.

Bam Bam:

That was a

Senator:

fantastic remember Ben, like, got some, like, entree that was, like, served on a sword.

Bam Bam:

It was it was delicious.

Senator:

I have a great photo of Bam's face. Like, he can't believe when they this out. The girl's, like, like, taking the meat off this sword.

Bam Bam:

Was fucking protein, man. I

Rooster:

mean, how nice was smoking at the Tropicana while you're

Gizmo:

watching it.

Bam Bam:

Oh, watching the show. That's one

Senator:

of my favorite memories of

Gizmo:

all time. That was amazing. And the laughs, man. The laughs we had.

Chef Ricky:

Dude. You know?

Gizmo:

You and I, that first trip, man.

Bam Bam:

Bravo. Bravo.

Gizmo:

Not not

Bam Bam:

even that, though.

Gizmo:

Not even that. Funny. That But you and I had a

Bam Bam:

Lizard Bruce.

Gizmo:

Lizard Bruce. Oh my god. Think that might be the hardest be the hardest that you and I ever laughed.

Bam Bam:

I almost had a heart attack. We were funny.

Gizmo:

We were like tears. It was whole time, I

Bam Bam:

think he Sounds was like walking

Senator:

kinky chef was wet that night.

Bam Bam:

Yeah, it kind of was. He was introducing himself to everybody he met.

Gizmo:

Yeah. As we were going in. Like, we'd walk into a restaurant and he'd say, me llamo, Bruce.

Bam Bam:

Doesn't matter who you are. And then we sit down and he continues to do it. It's and then then it gets quiet and the show's about to.

Gizmo:

No. The show's on, and the woman comes up to us.

Rooster:

Oh, yeah. He no. And you said

Gizmo:

it. Oh my god. We were crying.

Bam Bam:

It was it's not as

Rooster:

funny to the listeners

Gizmo:

because it's just had to do that. What a what a night.

Chef Ricky:

But my god. And you know what? For that matter, why not Nicaragua?

Bam Bam:

Right?

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. Why not Honduras? Like, why not air you know? All of these different countries with their respective suppliers.

Gizmo:

I wanna go to Honduras.

Rooster:

Yeah. Cuba Cuba feels very safe. You know? Well, it did.

Gizmo:

Let me know

Bam Bam:

it did. It did. Yeah.

Gizmo:

It did.

Rooster:

I mean, there was just

Chef Ricky:

And I'm sure those areas do. Yeah. I'm sure those areas do. So Alright, boys.

Gizmo:

We're coming into the last third now on the Cohiba Ambar from Cuba. What's What's everybody thinking of this and our pairing tonight, the Abuelo 12?

Chef Ricky:

I need more of that Abuelo 12.

Bam Bam:

Okay. There's a whole glass over there.

Gizmo:

Yeah. Give him the glass if you don't mind, senator. So what's everybody thinking? Thank you, senator. I'm loving mine.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. I think it's delicious, but I think my previous comment still stands. It it's it's lacking that oomph that I had in that first half. And for what you're paying for this, it it should that body, I wish it would just continue through. But everything everything else I'm getting is just extraordinary.

Bam Bam:

It's creamy. There's still a little bit of that sweetness that I'm getting. Just overall beautifully balanced. Yeah. For me, the lack

Chef Ricky:

of body makes it a little muted. I'm getting a little it's it feels a little muted for me at the moment, and it's driving my OCD crazy because I find myself touching it up, not because it needs it, but just because I wanna kinda straighten out that burn line.

Bam Bam:

I'm not sure if it's muted for me. I'm still getting very distinct notes. It's just that body has dissipated. Just a touch.

Rooster:

Mean, there's still a lot of flavor coming out

Bam Bam:

of

Chef Ricky:

this Oh, is, but it's not what it was.

Bam Bam:

What are you getting right now, Rooster?

Rooster:

I think like you said, it's still creamy and that nuttiness is coming through and there's a little bit of sweetness that kind of envelops everything and just kind of binds everything together.

Bam Bam:

I am still specifically getting a little cashew, a little sweet cream for me.

Gizmo:

I will say I don't have any complaints right now. I am not feeling a lack of body. I'm not feeling it muddled, basic. This is a very interesting complex. Know, it's really kept my attention.

Bam Bam:

Me

Gizmo:

too. I love the saltiness of it. Like, really speaks to my palate. The sweet salty thing happening. It's performed great so far.

Gizmo:

So for me right now, a little bit left here, but I I I really don't have any complaints right now aside from the price.

Bam Bam:

I wanna hear from senator, I have a question for all

Rooster:

of you. Would this be

Gizmo:

in your weekly rotation? Senator.

Senator:

No. I just I my big frustration, I this is a really problematic. The the construction is really problematic on mine. I mean, the cap is starting to come apart, like, the wrapper won't burn at the same rate. It's I've had to touch this up a lot.

Bam Bam:

Really?

Senator:

It's affected the flavor at this point in the last third where, like, I'm not getting a clean delivery.

Chef Ricky:

It's feeling muddled.

Senator:

It's still good, it's just not as great as it was when it started.

Rooster:

So it's more than the construction issue for you.

Senator:

No. It's the construction that's doing it because what you guys are describing, I'm not getting, and I'm relighting and fighting this all the way through, and I know clearly if this just were better rolled.

Gizmo:

I probably think roll issue.

Senator:

For sure. I mean, look, the cap of this is literally coming apart like the the wrapper the whole way through. Like, you see how it's like black over here. Like, I'm having to singe this to get it to burn at the same rate as the filler is.

Gizmo:

So is the bunch good, and the wrap is bad?

Senator:

This was super loosely packed.

Bam Bam:

The

Senator:

bunch is not good. Like, too loosely packed. Wow. And at one point, there was a big hole, then I was able to smoke through that, and then finally get back to something better, but the ash has been flaky. Just a really, really poor

Gizmo:

roll. Don't forget to Venmo me a $130. Yeah. What was that, Bam?

Bam Bam:

Correct. So Senator's answer is probably gonna be no, but those that are liking this right now, and because of the price, do you see this as a potential bijike killer? It's a bargain for what you're getting.

Gizmo:

Flavor? In flavor, I would say it's got a lot of potential.

Bam Bam:

Right?

Gizmo:

The thing I will say, if you want to say killer, like from the marketing standpoint of what Bijibe does and who it reaches, they're not that's not what they're thinking about.

Bam Bam:

Well, that's what I'm thinking about. I understand. Conversation in the room because they're not thinking of it because they're chasing a brand. They're chasing the Bihike for your a different way.

Gizmo:

Yeah. Would I rather purchase this than a Bihike even at the same price? This right now is kind of No.

Bam Bam:

Not at the same price because you're gonna pay a $100 more for it.

Senator:

No. No. But, Bam, I mean, the way you started talking about this cigar, I mean, I can only take away from that that if this were priced the same thing as a bihike, that you would pick this over a bihike, which is a perfectly acceptable statement.

Gizmo:

Yeah. That's where I'm going.

Rooster:

Yeah. No. I think he's saying that you prefer this over a bihike.

Senator:

Yeah. Even if they're the same price is my point.

Gizmo:

That's where I was going.

Rooster:

The same price or at

Bam Bam:

this price? Well, see that now so now if the bihike was a 100 and something dollars, which it isn't, I'd have to smoke

Rooster:

a Okay. Is the bajique?

Senator:

That doesn't make any sense. I would have to smoke a You 90 were saying that the flavors that this was delivering Honestly, yeah. Blew a bajique

Chef Ricky:

out I'm

Gizmo:

of not getting it now.

Bam Bam:

I'm not really getting the body that I've He's

Senator:

he's Okay.

Gizmo:

That I do.

Bam Bam:

So that's a good point. But

Senator:

That's a tough question.

Gizmo:

Okay. Here's what I'll say. Let's take money out of the picture.

Bam Bam:

Yeah.

Gizmo:

Right? I don't know if a Let's call it a perfect Baejike 54.

Bam Bam:

And a perfect?

Gizmo:

I haven't, you know, this is very, very good. Yeah. You know, this only has a year on it. Like if I were to give this the time and honestly, you know, patience that it deserves, call it three to five years and then put it next to Bihike, I really think this has a lot of legs to get there.

Bam Bam:

I agree.

Gizmo:

But there is something special about a Bahike 54 when it is on the money and perfect. I know. I'm sorry that is hard to beat out of Cuba. Alright. That's hard to beat.

Gizmo:

Okay. And there's something that There's Good an interesting X factor that comes with the bajigarh, not because of the price or the bands or anything else, but there's a flavor thing that happens there that on the front of your tongue, the palate, it's just it's unique. It's different, and I really love

Rooster:

It's that more saltier. Right? The Bajiqua. I mean, the Mediatempo also gives it that little bit

Senator:

more This still has a lot of salt

Gizmo:

to me. This has a lot of salt. If I was able to reach for both, money aside, I still would reach for Bahike 54. But again, we're talking about a cigar in our hand that has a year of age on it. I don't know if it's even I'm at this as the runway here, what I can see in the future.

Gizmo:

I don't think it's fair to judge this against Bahike.

Bam Bam:

No. That's fair.

Gizmo:

I don't think it's, you know, apples to apples.

Senator:

Taking age out of the equation, what we can evaluate right now are the flavors that are clearly part of this blend versus the flavors that are part of the Bahike blend, and they are different. Yes. I would go as far as saying that I do think the flavor profile of this cigar is more closely aligned with what I would chase and want and pursue in a cigar Yeah. Than a bihike. Same.

Senator:

And so, you know, for that reason, like, I can only imagine with equal age that this would speak to me a bit more than a bahike would even at the same price.

Bam Bam:

I respect that. Yeah. I kind of I tend to agree with what you're saying, honestly.

Senator:

Like, there's like an Upman nuttiness in this cigar. Like, I my two favorite markets, right, Partagas and Upman. So, like, I don't get that in most It's

Rooster:

a combination of sweetness and nuttiness that you get from this that you don't get out of any other Cohiba.

Bam Bam:

No. And you don't. And this specifically is that cashew that I'm personally getting that I don't get in any Bahike that I've ever had, which is unique.

Gizmo:

So I had a thought when we lit this cigar and we were talking about the flavor profile, and now we're in the last third. And I'm thinking about the process in Cuba, right, when they blend something. We know that most of the time, 99.9% of the time, the Tobacco Research Institute are the ones who are blending cigars, putting the recipes together. They're effectively the chef of the house, right? So what I'm wondering is when they blended this, you know, I'm even curious if they had Cohiba in mind or if they just felt like they hit a home run that maybe it was best served by being by having a Cohiba, you know, banned on it.

Gizmo:

Because, you know, it does frustrate me a little bit when and we've done this in the past, and obviously now we're kinda, you know, hip to what goes on there. But at the end of the day, saying I don't like this marker versus this marker versus that, it's all the same stuff made by the same people with the same tobacco.

Bam Bam:

That's true.

Gizmo:

Right? It's just a recipe difference. Mhmm. So what I'm thinking here is that when this cigar was put together, of course it's not in line with what we know of Cigarlo, with the classic line, with Bahike, of course. Right?

Gizmo:

With Cohiba? But like you said, I almost wonder if this would sit just fine in Upman.

Senator:

Yeah, I think it Would

Gizmo:

this sit just fine in another markup?

Senator:

You know what's strange

Gizmo:

to me? That's what I'm just wondering if the Cohiba band they felt would serve this blend better than elsewhere. That's a

Bam Bam:

great question.

Gizmo:

Because it's a great blend for regular production.

Bam Bam:

Great question.

Senator:

Here's the only thing though that's strange to me is, you know, the first one of these I had, it had clear Cohiba DNA at moments where the grassy hay notes that you get, like, it was present. I am very confused. I have not experienced that this second go around. So, you know, again, from the first one I had, like, I would say, like, no, it was not, you know, blend that they just kinda happened to give Cohiba that maybe wasn't perfectly designed for them because what I had it screamed Cohiba at moments, but what I loved about it was that there were other moments where it was like cappuccino and like these dessert notes and nutty and things that I don't as much associate with Cohiba, so it showed some range while still having like a common thread that tied it together. But this is odd because, yeah, you if you had this blind, this one, I don't think any of us would have guessed Cohiba right Hell no.

Gizmo:

I don't think so either.

Rooster:

So are you are you saying that Habanos blends and rolls a cigar and then decides what marker it's gonna get?

Gizmo:

I mean, that doesn't seem crazy to me. The Tobacco Research Institute is one group of people, one organization who blends all the the cigars. But don't forget. Really, the only recent exception to that was the what we were calling the Adebe Bihique 59. That cigar, the excellentis, I believe it was gonna be called, that was supposed to be announced But

Bam Bam:

they're not.

Gizmo:

At the Habanos Festival. That was blended by someone else, but the blends are coming from a central source in Havana called the tobacco Right. Research

Bam Bam:

But they're rolled at the factories of each marca.

Gizmo:

Yeah. So they put recipes together.

Bam Bam:

But they're not at that point deciding, oh, this should be this marca and this should be that. So I think the decision's already made because they're in the factory. I would hope so. I would think so.

Rooster:

And why not But we've seen

Bam Bam:

it. We've seen them roll at Eligido.

Rooster:

I mean, you can get a lot more for a Cohiba than you can get for That's my point. You know what

Gizmo:

I mean? That's my point. Because if you know, anytime we walk through any of those factories in Havana, okay? We've been to almost all of them. The roller sitting at that desk has no idea what marker they're rolling.

Gizmo:

They know they're rolling a robusto or a Pyramid or, you know, obviously the Cohiba folks know they're rolling Cohiba because it's double perfecto. But what's interesting about They don't know if it's a Ras or a Cohiba or Here's a the thing.

Bam Bam:

They don't know. You mentioned Cohiba. Those cigars are very specific to that market.

Gizmo:

Yeah. I mean, you can pick that Yeah. Absolutely. That's a hard cigar to say blind. You Like, this

Bam Bam:

You is not smoke that blind. You can probably know that it's that it's a Cohiba. But every other market, you have a point, except maybe for Ramona Lones and maybe Partigus. This, don't think slots into any of those markers. I think Upman's a pretty good call out.

Bam Bam:

Although the range of Upman, there are some cigars in that range that actually give you a good punch except for the 50 and a few other ones that are kind of in this wheelhouse where they're more milder, more subtle. It's hard to pinpoint another marker that this could fit in.

Gizmo:

I'm just saying the divergence that we've had on flavor tonight from what we know of Cohiba Mhmm. We've smoked a lot of Cohiba on this podcast. This doesn't taste anything like any of the other Cohiba we've done on this podcast. What I'm saying is the blend on this, maybe being they're less lajaro or more aged tobacco, whatever's causing it to smoke better young,

Chef Ricky:

than

Gizmo:

all of the classic line blends, the recipes. Maybe they said, you know what? We do need a new regular production Cohiba. This is a fantastic blend. It's smoking great.

Gizmo:

Let's send this over there. Don't think that's crazy. It's the same group of people. If you say you don't like X, y z No. It's not out of Cuba.

Gizmo:

That's not good. That means you don't like them all because it's blended by the same people made by the same people with the same tobacco.

Bam Bam:

That's correct.

Gizmo:

There's no discerning Yeah.

Rooster:

Yeah. Yeah. What is what? I mean, if you told me this is an up and I would believe you.

Gizmo:

That's my point. What if

Bam Bam:

they had someone told you this is an RYJ? Would you

Gizmo:

believe I believe them.

Bam Bam:

It could

Chef Ricky:

I mean

Gizmo:

If there was an RYJ ban on this, we would say, you know what? This doesn't taste like any other Romeo that we've had.

Bam Bam:

Could it be in the world of schwa, that marker? Or

Rooster:

Punch? I it's closer to an Upman than any other marker.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. I do agree with that. I mean, because there's range in the Upman marker that actually gravitates a few of those cigars do gravitate toward this. Not Partagas though.

Rooster:

No. Not Bolivar, not Partagas.

Bam Bam:

Definitely not Bolivar.

Rooster:

Not Ramona Jonas.

Senator:

I'll just say, I mean, I don't think what you're saying is crazy at all No. I agree. You agree or disagree. And I'll use as an example, I mean, when we smoked the the Partagas Allatos, we all sat there and said, like, no one would ever even know this

Gizmo:

is Spartacus.

Senator:

That's true. And then there were some moments we got a little bit of Partagus DNA, so, like, we're like, okay, but that is so dramatically divergent from everything in the Partagus line. They're like, no, it's not crazy to say that. Like, that may be a perfect example of how that blend was created Mhmm. And just kind of assigned to Partagas even though, like, that's not a really intentional Partagas centric blend.

Senator:

So I don't think it's crazy at all. I just having had another one of these that very clearly showed Cohiba DNA, that's the only reason, like, I hesitate to say that I think that was necessarily the case with this.

Gizmo:

So I'm saying they're throwing darts. You guys think that that's crazy.

Senator:

No. No. It's not crazy. I just don't think has necessarily happened here.

Gizmo:

Okay. I think they're throwing darts 75 plus percent of the time.

Bam Bam:

I would agree with Gizmo on that.

Gizmo:

I do. But now I think they come up with a great blend. They probably are constantly blending, constantly tasting,

Senator:

constantly putting together new blends that we've tried, like the Ramone number three.

Gizmo:

Sure.

Senator:

I I don't think any of us said like that was so divergent from

Gizmo:

the maybe they blended that and said, you know what this tastes like? Ramone. They threw the dart.

Senator:

But you could say that about everything then. Mean Or the

Gizmo:

I don't know if you could say that about

Senator:

They blended the d four, they're like, you know what? This tastes like a part of it.

Gizmo:

The d four was blended in what? The sixties? I know,

Senator:

but I'll use other examples. So like the Rameau number three, the LGC Turquenos. Turquenos, great. I don't think we smoked

Gizmo:

that. Turquenos like could've fit in a few Marcus. Marcus.

Bam Bam:

I agree with that. I

Senator:

that. Agree

Gizmo:

It could fit. Just like The this lines are blurry, guys.

Bam Bam:

Like that little pyramid are oil. The oil number three. Yes. I think there's a touch of similarity here that this could possibly replace that. Put a band on it, you wouldn't know.

Gizmo:

If they released that short pyramid as Cohiba, not oil.

Bam Bam:

Oh yeah.

Gizmo:

We would sit here and say, Wow, this cigar's really freaking good, but it doesn't taste like Cohiba.

Bam Bam:

Correct.

Rooster:

But don't you think

Chef Ricky:

somebody is-

Senator:

I think that that does taste like oil.

Gizmo:

I respect that. I agree

Senator:

Which is with why I don't think it's just darts in the dart. Not darts in the dart,

Gizmo:

but I think there is some

Rooster:

dart throwing. But don't you think when Habanos is going to release a new cigar, let's say they go up to the blender, Hey, listen, we want to make a new Cohiba cigar. We're going to call it the Ambar. We need a new blend. And then he creates that blend and they call it the Cohiba Ambar.

Rooster:

Not the other way around.

Gizmo:

I'm almost thinking it's the other way around.

Senator:

There's a natural incentive for them to create blends specific to the marcus. And the reason I say that is because they know if you're a Cohiba smoker, if that's what you prefer, if they are not thinking of how to deliver some of that Cohiba DNA, the traditional Cohiba smoker is going to be disappointed. Yes. And so I think most of the new blends have the DNA of that marker, and I don't think by accident. I do think intentionally.

Senator:

I just think some, like the aleatos with partagus, that stands out as that is so divergent. That I would be more inclined to say was

Gizmo:

They're like throwing darts.

Senator:

Yes. They're throwing darts in the dark. That doesn't make sense. To this day, I don't think that that belongs in the Partagus line.

Gizmo:

So I wanna share something that I came home from Prosegard with, And this was in conversation with a lot of folks. I asked a lot of folks a couple of things. What's going on with the Garcia factory? We talked about that earlier. The other thing I said, what's going on with Davidoff?

Gizmo:

I talked to a lot of folks about what's going on with Davidoff. I said, who's the master blender?

Bam Bam:

Were there any Davidoff people there about?

Gizmo:

Yes. But I didn't talk to them because they're BMW salesman. So

Bam Bam:

Oh, boy.

Gizmo:

The thing about Davidoff that I've learned, and this is coming from four or five different people, is that they have a catalog of blends almost through the end of the decade. They do not have a master blender right now to be named. Nope. They are working on finding that person. The stuff they are releasing are blends that were written on a three by five.

Bam Bam:

They have recipes.

Gizmo:

They have recipes. That's my point, is if you're thinking logically as a business owner. But all those blends Keep are those people working.

Senator:

With Davidoff in mind.

Gizmo:

Fine. Keep people working. But number one is Habanos, right? Keep those folks working, blending every day. Put good blends in front of us.

Gizmo:

We will we will choose where that blend ends up. That aligns, I think

Bam Bam:

But that's not

Gizmo:

what has been happening.

Bam Bam:

Look, as a business owner, you kinda have to adapt temporarily until you have your blender. Gonna do that. Cause you have all the recipes in place.

Gizmo:

Right? But the thing about Cuba, Bam, is we don't know any blenders are.

Bam Bam:

Davadoff or not.

Gizmo:

But they're nameless and faceless as well.

Bam Bam:

They don't have a blender.

Gizmo:

Exactly. So it's the same as Davadoff is my point. I understand. So you build a catalog of blend. And you pick and choose, okay, we need a new Cohiba, as Rooster said.

Gizmo:

We need a new regular production. Wow. This this is really good. Performing well young. Let's put this out.

Gizmo:

Yeah. I don't think that's crazy.

Rooster:

No. You mean they're making just random blends

Gizmo:

that are in the middle the slides. They're constantly blending, and maybe they hit one out of 10 or one out of 20 is a great blend. The the real stars of those blends that they're smoking go into regular production or LEs. The rest go to regionals where the the regional supplier is choosing one of three blends. I don't think what I'm saying is crazy.

Bam Bam:

No. It's not crazy.

Senator:

I maintain it's not crazy. It's not. Like, I I see both sides.

Gizmo:

Are you saying it doesn't apply here?

Bam Bam:

To what we're smoking right now?

Senator:

Based on the first one of these that I had, I I don't.

Bam Bam:

Okay. But tonight, you're getting a different experience.

Senator:

Tonight's a very different experience.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. No grass. No hay at all.

Senator:

Zero. I would never get I would meet I still maintain like, this I would think is an upman.

Gizmo:

And I think this man. Think the point though is that the upman band, it doesn't command a $130.

Bam Bam:

If we wanna get back to Cuba for two seconds, I don't think they're constantly blending at this point. I do. I I I don't know. I I feel differently because they've got recipes in place for older standard production cigars.

Gizmo:

It's the same tobacco.

Bam Bam:

I know. They're blending it with different percentages and different mixtures to create whatever they've done over the past however many years.

Gizmo:

This $130 Robusto Extra is the same tobacco of a different recipe than the very close in size Cohiba Robusto that is $80 or $70, which is still too high. It's there isn't it's not like they they sprinkled magic pixie dust on this blend to make it worth that. They are telling you that with marketing that this cigar is worth $130

Bam Bam:

So back to what we're smoking for just two seconds. I wish I had another inch or two on this because

Gizmo:

I do too. I wish it was a Toro.

Chef Ricky:

I wish I didn't cut my nails two days ago.

Gizmo:

So right now

Chef Ricky:

I'm having a hard time gripping whatever.

Bam Bam:

I've gone from cashew to like a roasted peanut. It's gotten a little bit richer and a touch of coffee, which is really fantastic with this.

Rooster:

So the body's back.

Bam Bam:

It's not back to what it was in the first half, but it's come back a touch. It's still so elegant, down to a half inch. I'm gonna drop this because I'm done.

Senator:

I just wish I got more of it. No, I agree. As horrible as my construction has been right now, the flavor is Yeah.

Gizmo:

It's incredible. Delicious. It's

Chef Ricky:

genius because it makes you want another one right after.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. Another $130. And

Senator:

I'm sorry, I'm going to maintain if you were to take age out of the equation, just the flavor profile, this speaks to me more than a bahike.

Bam Bam:

I agree.

Gizmo:

That's an interesting comment.

Bam Bam:

I'm sorry. I agree.

Chef Ricky:

I agree with it.

Rooster:

I mean, at this point, I do prefer this over a Baike.

Senator:

Thank

Bam Bam:

you. It's almost a Baike killer as I noted earlier.

Senator:

But then you backed off it. Don't back off it.

Bam Bam:

Correct. Well, know, Giz is very persuasive.

Gizmo:

Am I? Really? You are. Really?

Chef Ricky:

You are.

Bam Bam:

Global insider, man.

Gizmo:

Okay. Alright, boys.

Chef Ricky:

All it takes is a haircut.

Bam Bam:

That's correct.

Gizmo:

Alright, boys. Let's go to another listener email. This one is from Lizard Andrew. If you remember, a couple weeks ago, he sent us an email saying he needed a celebratory cigar because he found out that his wife was pregnant Right. And they were expecting their third child.

Gizmo:

He was looking for a special occasion cigar. So he sent a follow-up after we commented. He said, hey, Giz and the fellow Lizards. I just listened to the most recent episode where my email was read. After getting over the initial embarrassment of pulling the rookie mistake of providing too little info, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing everyone give recommendations.

Gizmo:

I'm in Pennsylvania, so unfortunately, no Cubans for me, especially being unable to find singles floating around. I completely missed out on the good old days of Cubans before they hit astronomical prices, though the first suggestion of the h Upman sir Winston was my immediate first thought. Mhmm. So what he's saying, you know, we we threw out, like, where in the world are you? Yep.

Gizmo:

Give us some kind of a little bit of a road map of of what to get to. He says, I find myself in line palette wise with rooster and pagoda. Interesting. I definitely enjoy a good ex exclusivo from time to time. Since I won't be able to get my hands on a Cuban, I find myself drawn to either the Padron fiftieth or the Padron sixtieth in Maduro.

Gizmo:

Fingers crossed that the sixtieth might come back around before August. Also, I've definitely been an in a fan of the increase of more affordable cigars that you guys have been featuring. Not tonight. Sorry, Lizard Andrew. Being a value guy a Cuban that's a $130 does not work for this sentence.

Gizmo:

Being a value guy, it's always great to see ten $10 sticks be so highly rated by you guys. Keep up the good work, and I'm waiting with bated breath for your Dunbarton Sobramesa, Solita Red review. That's been one of my favorite cigars. Came out last week. Regards, Lizard Andrew from Pennsylvania.

Gizmo:

Very nice. So now that we know that he has a child on the way, and we know that he's not getting Cuban cigars. Right? So I know that we named the Padron sixtieth, obviously. We talked about the Padron fiftieth.

Chef Ricky:

Mhmm.

Gizmo:

Are there any other new world cigars that kind of ring your bell as far as celebratory cigars that might The work that are not Kellner LE. The Kellner LE. That's the one.

Bam Bam:

Very good.

Gizmo:

Kellner LE. Very good. Unfortunately, that is also a 10 count like the Petron sixtieth. So if you're looking for something that's gonna last, you know, into adulthood for your for your child Not happy. That's not gonna

Chef Ricky:

Just get two. That's all

Gizmo:

you want. Yeah.

Chef Ricky:

Get two nightstands.

Gizmo:

There you go.

Chef Ricky:

You'll be fine.

Gizmo:

Any other recos? I'm trying to think of any other special occasion. I mean, Padron eightieth would be great. Any of the family reserve

Bam Bam:

Padron eightieth for sure.

Gizmo:

That comes in eight or 10 counts would be good. Get a couple of those.

Bam Bam:

I don't know if I would go there. I like the idea of the eightieth, the sixtieth for sure, the fiftieth. Yeah. I think it's between the sixtieth and the eightieth honestly.

Gizmo:

Correct. Right? I think it's between sixtieth and fiftieth. Not

Bam Bam:

me. False. Although I love the fiftieth, but for me, the other two seem more luxurious. They're just different than the fiftieth, although the fiftieth is exquisite. Just different though.

Bam Bam:

Eightieth and a sixtieth for sure.

Chef Ricky:

So question, knowing the price point of Davidoff's and I know we're not big fans of the super expensive Vitolas here, but is there any Davidoff that fits into that?

Bam Bam:

Well, personally for me, I had the Davidoff Padron, the millennium Davidoff Padron, that's an edit. The Davidoff Millennium Is it? Yeah. That

Senator:

will be From Atlantic Terminal.

Gizmo:

Now it's definitely staying

Rooster:

in too.

Bam Bam:

Too much rub, old boy. Oh, shit. The Millennium Pyramid.

Chef Ricky:

Sorry, Bam.

Gizmo:

Sorry I brought it up. I know.

Bam Bam:

That for me is a celebratory cigar.

Gizmo:

So those come in 20 counts?

Bam Bam:

They do. And you know, they're not cheap. They're about right now probably $628 a cigar.

Gizmo:

Yeah. $600.

Bam Bam:

Could be at 30

Senator:

I love this is the first cigar he ever had, he's like, it's a celebratory cigar.

Rooster:

Well, son was born That is

Gizmo:

kind of crazy.

Bam Bam:

That's the day. I know, I was spoiled my brother-in-law got me into cigars.

Rooster:

That's your weekly rotation.

Bam Bam:

Kind of. Right?

Chef Ricky:

But you know what, now that you say 28, I think the eye of the shark fits into that cigar.

Senator:

Oh, that's

Bam Bam:

a great call out. Shit.

Chef Ricky:

Eye of the Shark Dude, fits into

Bam Bam:

a very

Gizmo:

good call out. Fuck. Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark. That's a great one. You get a box of 25.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. Oh, that's a great cigar.

Gizmo:

Or is it 20?

Senator:

I think 40. 20.

Gizmo:

No. Think it's 20. 40. The

Rooster:

Opus, the Opus Shark. Would say 40.

Bam Bam:

Honestly, that Opus Shark is another excellent cigar. I didn't

Gizmo:

think of that one. That was a great call

Bam Bam:

out. The Shark and the Opus X

Senator:

Shark as well.

Chef Ricky:

I haven't had the Opus X shark.

Senator:

I mean, I would say the one thing out of Davidoff, if he can get them, I don't think the chef's edition from '20 Yeah. '4 is

Bam Bam:

2015? No,

Senator:

no. We didn't have the '15. He had the '15.

Chef Ricky:

I think that was a '20 The

Senator:

'21. That was outstanding. Was. For his palate, he clearly likes a full bodied cigar. He's talking about the Badron fiftieth and all these others.

Senator:

Well, yeah. He would love that cigar if it's possible to get one.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. The thing about the shark though, it's not in that power alley, although it's an exquisite cigar.

Chef Ricky:

It's a delicious cigar. It has some ash. It's freaking beautiful on me every single time. Mean, that's Great call out.

Rooster:

You know what, I'm gonna send him a cigar. Wow. I'll send him a think he would

Gizmo:

All Lizard Andrews, send your email over. 702 he would like. That's got a lot of 702 is

Bam Bam:

a good one. That's delicious.

Chef Ricky:

Well, forget your email. Send your address.

Gizmo:

Well, I have his email. Yeah. Send me

Chef Ricky:

your address.

Rooster:

I'll send

Gizmo:

it to

Rooster:

your email.

Bam Bam:

By the way,

Gizmo:

send a picture

Chef Ricky:

of it.

Bam Bam:

I'm celebrating Tuesday tomorrow, so can I get

Chef Ricky:

one too? You're gonna get a PDF of that.

Gizmo:

Alright, boys. Let's go to a couple more emails before we get into our ratings tonight. This one is from our friend Lizard Lounge who says, how have you guys not done Johnny Walker blue yet? Nah. It's probably

Chef Ricky:

Where's the buzzard? I know.

Gizmo:

It's probably the quintessential scotch on the market. When people say scotch, their first thought is Johnny Walker blue. I'm curious of your thoughts.

Bam Bam:

The blue ghost. That's another elevated

Senator:

I mean, he's not he's not wrong.

Gizmo:

He's not I I that's why I'm reading it.

Senator:

You should do it.

Gizmo:

Yeah. I think we need to do it at some point. Well, how much is that bottle right now? $200? $2.50?

Gizmo:

Maybe.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. 2 something. Okay.

Gizmo:

Alright. Here's another one. This one's from Lizard John from Boise. He says, hi, Giz. I love that you guys might dive back into the world of whiskey, which we've been doing.

Gizmo:

It's gonna keep keep coming. And strongly suggest you guys trying a bottle from Compass Box. It's a boutique ish blender of single malts, which has a cult like following. They're offerings such as hedonism, orchard house, and peat monster.

Chef Ricky:

Should I say it? Bam approved.

Gizmo:

Alright. Do you wanna tell the folks what I did when I said that? No. I pointed at Bam. Correct.

Gizmo:

Are are all highly regarded blends that put the likes of, speaking of, Johnny Walker to shame. Cheers as always, Lizard John from Boise. That's quite the statement. So we'll have to try those at some point. Here's another one from Lizard Rob.

Gizmo:

I was very appreciative of this one because I missed it, and I'm glad he sent this. I didn't see it in the email. He said, hey, Gizmo. I know you like the aging room concerto a lot, so I wanted to let you know that on Atlantic, you can get a 10 pack of them in the Toro size for $47. I've already stocked up.

Gizmo:

There are only eight left, so I wanted to give you a

Rooster:

quick heads up. Anymore.

Gizmo:

Under $5 a stick for such a great cigar is pretty crazy. Below is the link. Take care, Lizard Rob.

Bam Bam:

Toro.

Gizmo:

I loaded up, dude.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. Thanks a Toro?

Senator:

Oh, thanks, Giz.

Gizmo:

Thanks, Giz. I sent you the message. What do you mean? Too late.

Rooster:

Said no. Did. There

Gizmo:

were Search so the text.

Bam Bam:

Fucking holding on on

Chef Ricky:

this This happened when I

Senator:

was in Turks?

Gizmo:

I don't know. No. You were on the

Rooster:

beach. It was before

Gizmo:

It was

Bam Bam:

before that. So how does the Toro smoke in comparison to the pyramid? It's excellent.

Gizmo:

It's excellent. Now here's the thing from a comparison standpoint, is my boxes of Maestro, the torpedo, I've had probably for six months in the tower. So the Toros that have come in haven't had that kind So of it's not apples to apples yet, but it's gonna be.

Rooster:

Interesting. How many 10 packs did you get?

Senator:

Yeah. I guess.

Rooster:

Because they were sold out.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. I guess.

Bam Bam:

Right after

Gizmo:

you right after you bought them.

Rooster:

Six. How many? Six?

Gizmo:

60. Yeah. Six. I bought 60 cigars.

Rooster:

Alright. I want 10 or 47. We'll see.

Gizmo:

94. We'll see.

Bam Bam:

Well, there's there's procurement fee there too. You know?

Gizmo:

Correct. Correct. Tax.

Bam Bam:

That's right. Gizbo tax.

Gizmo:

Exactly.

Bam Bam:

As Pagoda likes to say.

Gizmo:

Gizflation. That's right. Alright, boys. And now it's time to move.

Senator:

Hang on. Hang on. Can we just have a little accountability here? Really? I'm pretty certain on Atlantic when there's less than 10 boxes left that they actually tell you

Rooster:

Well, what he said. Said 10 packs.

Senator:

That's what

Gizmo:

he said. Were only

Senator:

They tell you how many 10 packs that are left once it's under 10, the quantity. You basically saw that You there were six bought all six, and then you said, Hey, Lizards, if anyone wants these, here's the link, Mhmm. When you had to know, you cleared them

Rooster:

out.

Gizmo:

That's not true. That's exactly what

Bam Bam:

happened. After clearing them out. Then you

Gizmo:

said not true.

Bam Bam:

That's correct.

Gizmo:

That is not true.

Bam Bam:

How many people you

Gizmo:

say that? You know my heart. You know who I am.

Bam Bam:

Oh, now you're gonna

Gizmo:

be do that.

Senator:

Yeah. I mean, Rooster said when he checked the link, was already out.

Gizmo:

Well, he was late. He waited a couple days. Couple of days. So when I looked, it did not say how much of a quantity. I swear to you, it it did not say there were so many left.

Gizmo:

I just bought six because that's what made sense. So for

Senator:

me I only ask because believe me, I'm the king of getting burned where, like, early on, I used to send

Bam Bam:

Oh, yeah. Where's the violin?

Rooster:

Get the

Bam Bam:

violin Where's the fucking violin?

Chef Ricky:

I thought

Bam Bam:

you were gonna

Chef Ricky:

make me King of getting burned.

Gizmo:

The world's smallest violin.

Bam Bam:

Do we not

Chef Ricky:

need to

Senator:

and they're never sold out. Do we not need to use the Abuelo as, like, the poster child for this? I literally was telling people lounge about Abuelo. I didn't have a single bottle

Bam Bam:

of And that

Senator:

then all these guys who are not on this podcast started buying this up. And by the time I started going to places, they're fucking sold out everywhere.

Bam Bam:

So I went through that exact same experience.

Senator:

So I didn't think of this with rum, but with cigars years ago, I used to, like, throw out a link before I bought

Bam Bam:

Oh, those are fun

Senator:

there were times

Bam Bam:

Those are fun days.

Senator:

That then I go to

Gizmo:

purchase Who burned you?

Senator:

Oh, I'm sure plenty in this room. Then they'd be sold out. So I learned, like, okay. I'm gonna buy some and then send the link. But I never if they'd said like, oh, there's six Hoarding.

Senator:

Left, I'd buy six boxes and then send the link. Like, I'd buy two boxes. I'd tell everybody, and I knew there was plenty and everybody would be able to

Bam Bam:

get You guys are animals.

Rooster:

Well, also the same thing I told everyone about the 10 packs of cigars.

Senator:

Says the guy who never sends us a link. Not the animals. Correct. I don't know how

Bam Bam:

to send a link. I gotta hire someone to do that.

Rooster:

You know, the 10 pack of the Trinidad Espirito number threes. That was a great deal.

Senator:

You guys love that cigar. Oh my god.

Gizmo:

Have one last night.

Bam Bam:

I saw the photo. Like, I have to I've gotta try it again.

Gizmo:

I think when they're about two weeks off the truck, that's when they're

Bam Bam:

money. Really?

Gizmo:

Because the ones that I brought in were probably two or three months off the truck, maybe more. They were like perfect. The ones coming off the truck, I had one fresh, it didn't work. I needed to wait.

Bam Bam:

I agree. Interesting.

Gizmo:

You had the same? Same. Dude, they're really, really good.

Senator:

Two weeks is perfect.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. You three guys are all in that.

Gizmo:

Love it. Yeah. Alright, boys. It's time now to go to our lizard of the week presented by our friends at Bon Roberts. And our lizard of the week this week is Lizard Alexandros who's going to win a 10 count box of cigars from Bond Roberts.

Gizmo:

And I'm very excited about this one, boys. This is a very special Lizard of the Week to me tonight. Very grateful to Lizard Alexandros. He says, hey, Lizards. I just finished listening to episode 221, and I have a confession to make to you.

Gizmo:

Seven to eight months ago when I first came across your podcast, I tried to listen to one of the episodes, and I stopped twenty minutes in. It was too chaotic, like tonight. Too many inside jokes, like tonight, and a bunch of nicknames I could not remember. After some time, I went back to it and some people in a WhatsApp group praised you. And I heard one full episode, Then another one, and a third.

Gizmo:

Now I know the small jokes, and some of the banter would make sense. Fast forward to today, I have listened to all the latest episodes, and I managed to go back all the way to episode 170 something with the stoic cigar. Suggestion for you. In episode two twenty one, you got another comment from a listener who wants to have a search engine to look for the cigars you guys have rated. I want to mention here that I'm not a developer, so if any of your listeners are, please do not hate me if I am wrong, but I have solved a lot of problems in my company with AI apps.

Gizmo:

I'm working on something for about one hour, which is embarrassing to me because it's been five years. I haven't figured it out. Between Claude and Lovable, I've made the following chart. Disclaimer, I'm not looking to sell or make any money out of this, which I'm very grateful for. Thank you, sir.

Gizmo:

I would be happy to figure out how to transfer it to you guys or guide you on how I made it if you wish. So he sends me the link, and I sent it to you guys. I am completely blown away Yeah.

Bam Bam:

That was

Gizmo:

incredible. This user interface that we are now going to have on our website for our Lizard ratings. There's a sliding scale of rating. You're able to choose the different types of cigars, the different years of cigars, the episode release dates. You can search like so if you wanted to search Cohiba, you could type it in here and it pops up all the Cohiba we've done.

Gizmo:

When you click on the individual ratings, it shows you what each lizard rated it. It's unbelievable. I'm so excited and so grateful to Lizard Alexandros.

Bam Bam:

Wow.

Gizmo:

So we're gonna have this on the website.

Bam Bam:

I'm sure that took a good deal of work.

Gizmo:

He said it's one hour with AI. This AI thing, Bam. I'm not there yet. He says, lastly, something

Senator:

He that

Bam Bam:

is AI.

Gizmo:

I started my smoking journey smoking almost exclusively Cuban cigars. I slowly transitioned to the new world, and I've never looked back. I think I'm doing one Cuban out of 20 cigars I smoke now, even though I am based in Norway and I am still able to buy Cubans. But I have this to say, some products just taste better in the environment they are produced in. Smoking a Partagas while walking down the roads of Havana early in the morning or a Monte Cristo while walking on the Malecon and watching the sunset with locals playing music and dancing is really something unique.

Gizmo:

So the cigars taste better there than the time I try them in negative 10 degrees Celsius in Oslo. Very sad for the Cuban nation of what they are going through right now, but I have some amazing memories from visiting the island. He says same with the ozu. You mentioned the other episode, it just tastes better. If you were by the Aegean Sea, just had some fresh fish after spending day

Chef Ricky:

on Ouzu. The Ouzu. Yes.

Gizmo:

And you get a glass of ice, then the licorice does not bother me at all. I realize I am rambling, so I'll wrap it up and say thank you for being the way you are. It could be me and my friends bantering, and I look forward to every week hearing your new episode. Keep smoking, Lizard Alexander.

Bam Bam:

That's a

Gizmo:

cool email. Right?

Bam Bam:

You know, I'd be curious what new worlds he has access to there.

Gizmo:

Yeah. Wonder if he can go and buy a Padron, or is he stuck with Rocky or something don't think he can buy

Rooster:

Padrons outside of The US.

Bam Bam:

I don't know.

Gizmo:

I'm sure some folks can get them. Like, some retailers can get them, probably not directly. Yeah. But I would imagine it's hard.

Chef Ricky:

You know what? He's gonna get some really good cigars, though.

Gizmo:

He's getting a 10 count box.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. That's true. I would like to actually hear from him. If he can respond and tell us what New World cigars he has access to in his town where he lives, I'd be curious to know.

Senator:

Yeah. We're gonna hold his box until we get that.

Bam Bam:

Oh, great great idea.

Senator:

It'll take him three weeks to get it out anyway.

Gizmo:

Three weeks. Three months. Yeah. So congratulations to Lizard Alexandros. We really appreciate that.

Gizmo:

Thank you for putting that awesome searchable ratings guide together. So that's gonna be popping up on the site very soon. So I look forward to sharing that with all of the Lizards out there. So, again, I I'm really appreciative, so thanks so much to him. And he's our lizard of the week this week.

Bam Bam:

Incredible work.

Senator:

Could be a candidate for lizard of the year.

Gizmo:

Could

Senator:

be. For that platform, was big. That was huge.

Bam Bam:

Very cool.

Gizmo:

Alright, boys. We're coming to the end of our evening now with the Abuelo 12 and the Cohiba Ambar. Any final thoughts before we move into our ratings? And don't forget to send me your ratings via text.

Bam Bam:

Oh, yeah. Little homework to do. Yorch. Or gis.

Gizmo:

Is really how I'm still in your phone?

Bam Bam:

Yes. Yorch. Unbelievable. There was a guy in Cuba. I don't know where the hell we were.

Bam Bam:

And he kept calling Gizmo Yorch. Because my name's George. It's just stuck.

Senator:

Wasn't he our famous friend?

Gizmo:

Maybe. No. The translator.

Bam Bam:

It was a great

Senator:

no. The translator?

Chef Ricky:

It wasn't

Bam Bam:

So great. It was fucking hilarious. Called him George?

Gizmo:

I don't remember. Translator. Yeah. Osmani. Osmani.

Gizmo:

Yeah.

Senator:

It's great.

Gizmo:

Any final thoughts on the pairing boys before we go into the ratings? I know you guys are sending numbers over.

Bam Bam:

I think overall a delicious pairing.

Gizmo:

I'm very, very happy with this tonight. Honestly, the 12 and we'll talk about this. It didn't stand for me as well as the seven does. But with this cigar tonight, I actually think it was a very, very good pairing.

Bam Bam:

Yeah.

Chef Ricky:

I think the 12 for me is a little on the sweet side. Lot of caramelized sugar. Would have loved to see how this cigar paired with a lovely Repel tequila, for instance. I think, you know, there are some saltiness in this cigar that gets lost with the Abuelo pairing, that if we had a delicious traditional tequila that had some minerality, it probably would have done better, I think. Alright, boys.

Gizmo:

It's time now to move into the formal liquorating tonight on the 12 years aged Abuelo rum. Bam bam, you're up.

Bam Bam:

Take my final drink. I gave the Abuelo seven a 10. I think everyone in the room did. I'm giving this a nine tonight. I think it's delicious.

Bam Bam:

It doesn't have that body that I think Abuelo's seven has, but it's it's enjoyable. But I will say, if I'm in a liquor store and I've got the seven and twelve next to each other, I'm grabbing as many bottles of the seven as I can. I think a nine's a great score. I think it's a fair score for this because they come from the same DNA. There's similar DNA to both, but the seven just edges this out a touch for me.

Bam Bam:

So I'm at a pretty respectable nine tonight. Alright, chef.

Chef Ricky:

I'm at an eight. I think as I just mentioned for me, this is definitely a dessert drink for me. It's hard to continue drinking this after one or two pours because it's so sweet in my opinion. But outside of that, you know, it it did deliver what it delivered well. It is a quality spirit still.

Chef Ricky:

What's the price point on this, guys?

Senator:

35. That's correct. I'm not Giz, but it's 35.

Chef Ricky:

Senator, no. Senator, thank you, senator. That's a bargain. I didn't know the price point going into this.

Bam Bam:

That's what's incredible about this maker. Their products are so goddamn affordable and

Chef Ricky:

the Yeah, quality's off the so, know, look, all things considered then, I mean, this is a quality spirit. It's it's drinkable. It's easy to drink. But for me personally, it's a little it leans a little sweet and it's hard to kind of, you know, there's so many rums between the Abuelo seven or Florida Cana or the Havana seven that you could kind of drink all night. For me, this isn't an all nighter.

Chef Ricky:

This isn't something you could kind of drink over and over again.

Bam Bam:

I do want to say one quick little detail. It's interesting that you think it's overtly sweet when it has the same sugar content as the Abuelo seven.

Chef Ricky:

Sure, but the That's a

Bam Bam:

merit for them to be

Chef Ricky:

able to achieve the fat sweetness without adding sugar. I think the additional age just gives you, what happens is in that oak, you're getting a lot more vanilla, you're getting a lot more caramel, you're getting a lot more the baking spice. So it just kind of emphasizes those notes. I think here, yeah, and you're mentioning body, I think this rum has body for days, but it doesn't have bite, Right? There's not a whole lot of bite, and I miss And

Bam Bam:

I got that on a seven.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. I'm missing a little bit of that bite

Bam Bam:

to balance

Chef Ricky:

out that sort of that that sweetness and that richness that this rum offers.

Bam Bam:

Okay. Who's next?

Chef Ricky:

But I did enjoy it, you know? I really did enjoy it. Yeah.

Rooster:

It's good. Senator.

Gizmo:

You're welcome.

Bam Bam:

Gizmo Europe. As Gizmo went to the bathroom, ladies and gentlemen.

Rooster:

So I prefer the seven over the two.

Chef Ricky:

This might be Gizmo's first bathroom break.

Bam Bam:

Where's that extra glass? Is it gone already? Well, you fucking inhaled that.

Chef Ricky:

Inhaled it. It's a two hour episode. For an eight?

Bam Bam:

It's your second glass, motherfucker. It's not wrong. Correct.

Chef Ricky:

Last night, I was here last night and I had a I drank about half a bottle of Fortalesa Repo.

Bam Bam:

Haven't had that in a while.

Rooster:

Yeah. A

Chef Ricky:

I gave the rest of the bottle away to the

Bam Bam:

Does anyone to the guest. Do you actually get drunk on tequila? Because I don't.

Senator:

Of course. You do? I actually just I also disagree with the notion that you don't.

Bam Bam:

No. I don't get drunk on tequila, do I?

Senator:

Bam said, I don't get drunk on tequila, do

Bam Bam:

you? Do?

Senator:

Get out of here.

Bam Bam:

I don't another birthday fucking birthday. Bathroom break?

Chef Ricky:

Is there a birthday in the roof?

Senator:

Bam never gets drunk. Birthday bathroom break.

Rooster:

Only on martinis.

Bam Bam:

Oh, yeah. You better believe it.

Rooster:

Oh, martinis. Martinis fuck you up.

Gizmo:

Oh, martinis really fucked me up. So for me, it's a nine. I I thought the rum was very good. Obviously, it comes at a great price point. It it performed very, very well tonight.

Gizmo:

I think it's a nice pairing for cigars. It wasn't perfect for me. I of course, I mean, we talked about the seven years aged Abuelo. I think Stan's tall above this. Mhmm.

Gizmo:

I think there are so many other expressions of rum out there even in the same price point that I would take over this. I don't think I'm gonna reach for this again. Having said that, it's very good. It is. And it works.

Bam Bam:

If it's on a table, you'll drink it.

Gizmo:

Of course. But I don't think I'm gonna reach for this over most of the other rums we've tried recently.

Bam Bam:

Including the younger brother

Gizmo:

to this. Correct. So for me, it's a nine. Senator.

Senator:

So I'm also at a nine. Chef's commentary for me sums up how I feel about this. I think it has plenty of body like the seven year does. I just think it is overly sweet in like how this blend with twelve years kinda matured. I I think what I love about the seven is while you get some sweetness that's there in any rum, there's like a a nutty richness about it that is so unique to Abuelo.

Senator:

And for some reason on the 12, that gets lost, and just the sweetness is so prominent. Yep. So I think it actually ironically is less complex than the seven year Yeah. Which is why the seven year for me is like the gold standard and a 10. Yeah.

Senator:

This is a nine. I mean, if someone poured this for me, I would happily drink it. It's awesome for its price point, but it's not perfect because it lacks that depth and complexity that the seven year delivers and some other rums I think have.

Bam Bam:

It's like

Senator:

someone That's why I'm at

Bam Bam:

a knife. If someone gave you $10, you'd happily take it. Yeah, I'll take it.

Gizmo:

If you insist.

Chef Ricky:

Correct. I I have to say the price point is phenomenal on

Gizmo:

this. It's kind of ridiculous.

Chef Ricky:

I just had no idea it was at

Bam Bam:

that But the seven years, like, what? $28?

Chef Ricky:

That's nuts.

Senator:

That's 25.

Gizmo:

It's incredible. Wow. Amazing. Alright, boys. The formal liquor rating tonight on the twelve years aged Abuelo rum is an 8.8.

Bam Bam:

K.

Gizmo:

And if we compare that to the seven years aged Abuelo Rum we were just talking about, we reviewed it on episode 219, scored a perfect 10.

Chef Ricky:

Correct.

Gizmo:

So that definitely stands above

Rooster:

Yeah.

Gizmo:

The spirit we had tonight. And now, boys, it's time to move into the formal lizard rating on the Cohiba Ambar from Cuba. Bruce, you're up.

Bam Bam:

This will be interesting. Yeah. This cigar sucked. It's a four. Relax, old boy.

Gizmo:

Let me check the text.

Rooster:

This Cohiba was so good, so good. And it's amazing how fresh this is. This is barely a little more than a year old. And I don't know what they have done to this Cohiba. It's more like an Upman cigar than a Cohiba is.

Rooster:

But the flavors were spot on. I mean, I'm not factoring the price. $130 I don't think I'm going to be buying this. But if it's given to me, who's not going to smoke this cigar?

Bam Bam:

Like $10.

Senator:

If he has to.

Gizmo:

If you to I'll take it, he take Twist his arm.

Rooster:

Mean, the cigar started off absolutely delicious. The burn line was great. I mean, the aroma was delicious. It was creamy. It had a sweetness.

Rooster:

It had a nuttiness in it. I don't remember ever smoking a Cohiba that delivered the way this Cohiba did. I mean, I'm at a solid 10 on the cigar. For me, the cigar, even the construction was flawless. The body did kind of diminish after the halfway point, but then it picked up again in the last third.

Gizmo:

Correct.

Rooster:

The last third really reminded me of the first third. It really picked up in that body. And all those flavors kind of except the body, everything else did come through throughout the cigar. The creaminess, the saltiness, the buttery, the nuttiness, all of those things have persisted throughout the cigar. I mean, it is an absolutely I don't know what they did with this blend, but it's delicious.

Rooster:

I mean, if there's no band on it, I think this is more tasted more like an Uppmann cigar than a Cohiba cigar. But if Cohiba can do this with this blend, I'm just Hopeful. Hopeful what else they can do with this. It was absolutely delicious, so it's a 10 for

Senator:

me. Wow.

Gizmo:

All right, Senator.

Senator:

So I'm at a nine, which is a very strong score given the construction issues I had.

Gizmo:

That's correct.

Senator:

The construction alone knocked a point, could have even been two points. It was frustrating pretty much throughout. But the flavor was really excellent. I think the first third was perfect. I was at a 10 the first third.

Senator:

The second third was very good, but that's where, like, it I think kinda like others have said, like, it lacked some of the body that the first third had. For me, the notes weren't even as pronounced. I I felt like I was a little on autopilot, and then the last third is where, like, it grabbed my attention again. And that at least is consistent with my experience with the first one of these I smoked, where the first third was amazing. The second third took me for some twists and turns that were okay, but wasn't as spectacular as that first third.

Senator:

And the last third, I really that's why I texted you guys. If the last third disappointed, I wouldn't have even sent it. It grabbed my attention again. I mean, I smoked it even with the construction problems down to the nub and the coffee notes that were present there.

Bam Bam:

You're glad you stayed with it though.

Senator:

A 100%. I mean, there was a creaminess throughout that you never really get on a young Cuban cigar. Like, age needs to bring out that creaminess. So the blend, they clearly did an excellent job with. And so, you know, even for my, you know, mild disappointments in the second third, I can't even subtract that much because truly, at its best moments, which were two thirds of that cigar, it was so spectacular.

Senator:

It's worth a third of it not being as spectacular. It's a strong recommend. I mean, I think anybody that likes Cohiba ought to try it for sure, but I think anyone also that is more of like an Upman or even a Partagas person, like, I think you'd there's a lot to love in this cigar, and I'm just glad to see I mean, the price point of Cohiba is absurd at this point, but a $130 as high as that is for, like, a celebratory stick, and, you know, we just had a listener email about exactly that. Like, this to me qualifies as a celebratory cigar that, you know, someone ought to pay a $130 for it. Like, I I would do that once to have this experience for sure.

Senator:

Like, that's how good this blend is. And what I'm so curious to see is with time Yeah. How this even further develops because it's already so good.

Bam Bam:

I'd like to see this next year.

Senator:

Can only imagine with a few more years on this what this could be. I mean, Jesus. So I'm at a strong nine. They, I think, have hit a home run on this blend.

Bam Bam:

That's rooster stealing the remaining sticks.

Rooster:

I was gonna give you one, but forget it now.

Gizmo:

You're out of the will.

Senator:

Fuck you, old boy.

Gizmo:

So for me, boys, this cigar was a 10. I absolutely loved it.

Chef Ricky:

My

Gizmo:

man. Absolutely loved it. I thought the performance was brilliant. My construction and smoke output were perfect. It was easy to smoke.

Gizmo:

For me, it was effortless. Like, it it was just doing the work. I wasn't having to do the work. It was doing the work for me. But the flavor was off the charts.

Gizmo:

I think the body thing that we've talked about, the dip in body, I love the journey. Yeah. Me I thought it was a real three act play here, maybe four act play. The light was so interesting. I mean, we were immediately grabbed on the light in a way that I don't remember us celebrating with a Cuban cigar.

Gizmo:

I I can't remember the last time we were so floored on the light by that flavor. It was really, really excellent. It was salty. It was sweet. It was complex.

Gizmo:

And the most important thing, it was interesting. I think it kept it piqued our interest for the entire two hours. Hour forty five that we smoked the cigar tonight. I really loved it. But it's got legs, man.

Bam Bam:

It does. But you can't hang your hat on that first light. We all loved Well, of course not.

Gizmo:

But the cigar performed through.

Bam Bam:

I know. I know.

Gizmo:

I just think that it grabs your attention in a really great way at the It does. Correct. It commands your time. It commands your sit, your respect

Bam Bam:

And you've gotta slow down. For the entirety of the smoke. Yeah. Yeah.

Gizmo:

So of course, we have to acknowledge, I have to say. I think the price on this is absolutely ridiculous. I think Habanos is out of their minds pricing this at a $130 when the same tobacco that's in Jose Piedra, it it it's not that different. Mhmm. Okay?

Gizmo:

It's maybe it's a little more premium. It's not that far off.

Senator:

That. But for the market, how much

Gizmo:

is a Coro? $65.70. Okay. That's Maybe half this?

Senator:

Yeah. That that's a problem.

Bam Bam:

And a Coro was age.

Gizmo:

You're telling me that this tobacco is twice

Senator:

as I'm sorry. The reality no. No. Why I'm agreeing? I mean, the reality is this young wipes the floor with a young koro.

Gizmo:

A young koro.

Bam Bam:

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Gizmo:

Yeah. But now we'll see with time any koiba or We'll see with We'll see with time how this stands to the others.

Bam Bam:

Mhmm. Those last three that are sitting there, you're gonna age those?

Gizmo:

I'm gonna be taking them home. Yes. Exactly right. So, yeah, Habanos is out of their minds, but this cigar tonight, I I really, really struggled giving a $130 cigar a 10, but the It cigar did perform like it did was perfect for me. I loved every single draw.

Gizmo:

I'm so glad that we're back with this cigar tonight. It was excellent. So for me, it's a 10. Chef?

Chef Ricky:

For me, it's a nine. You know, I I thought the cigar started great. I didn't get the start that maybe Bam started with or Rooster or you. It took me a little bit. It took me about half an inch to get into some of those sweeter notes and some of those nuttier notes.

Chef Ricky:

But once I got it, it lasted until about the second, third. The second, third, you said it perfectly with autopilot, but for me, I don't I don't see autopilot as a positive thing. Right? Like it lost my or it wasn't you Senator, I said autopilot. I'm sorry.

Chef Ricky:

I was saying effortless. Someone said autopilot.

Bam Bam:

You said autopilot.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah. I did? Yeah, somebody did. And ultimately for me that's like, you know, sure that could be a good thing, but in the beginning, I wasn't on autopilot. I was in a holy shit mode, right?

Chef Ricky:

And I wanted that to continue. Now coming into the final third, maybe even more than that, the last inch, if you will, that's where it sort of picked up for me again. I started getting more of those flavors where I was all of a sudden I was alert and had attention for the cigar. And I was excited again. So for me, saved it.

Chef Ricky:

You know, again, I touched it up a couple of times. I don't anything nothing to to take away from it because it was, you know, just me straying out burn lines and whatnot. But, you know, it was a great cigar. $130 is a lot to ask, in my opinion. Obviously, I don't think this is coming into any of our warehouse wheelhouses or anything like that.

Chef Ricky:

But nonetheless, it was a delicious cigar. It went well with the rum. I'd love to have it again with a tequila and see how it performs. I think if it highlight the minerality that the saltiness of the

Bam Bam:

cigar. A Repo for sure.

Chef Ricky:

Blanco maybe. Yeah. Lola Blanco, Anejo for sure not.

Bam Bam:

Correct.

Chef Ricky:

A lettuce is like an aniho that's not taken so far. But yeah, it was a great cigar. I'd do it again. I'd love to do it again with

Rooster:

tequila. Three apple pies.

Chef Ricky:

Yeah, 100.

Gizmo:

So I wanna say something on the autopilot thing very briefly before you go, Bam.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. Go on.

Gizmo:

My thing about the autopilot, if that's the word we're gonna use here, is that You

Rooster:

use it.

Gizmo:

It's not that I'm not thinking about it. It's just it's doing the work, and it's putting me in that zen place that I really crave from a great cigar.

Bam Bam:

Oh, we all love that.

Gizmo:

And that's what I'm saying when I say, you know, any sort of effortless pop It a lack of attention.

Rooster:

No. No. No.

Gizmo:

It really grabbed me, and it helped me, but it was doing the work.

Bam Bam:

I think we all strive for that. We've talked about this a bunch of times. When you're having a cigar that's incredible, alone or with a group, and you're in a cloud of smoke, you disconnect from reality just a little bit, and your just mind is wandering. That's the ultimate experience for me when I'm smoking

Gizmo:

a cigar. Completely agree.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. But with all that said, there's no fucking way I can give the cigar a 10. I agree. I am disgusted with Cohiba's pricing and how they go about pricing their cigars. As much as I'd love the cigar, and I I honestly, I'm at a nine.

Bam Bam:

I think a nine is a fair score for this. It's an elite score. Yeah. But a 10 for this price, I think is outrageous.

Rooster:

What if price wasn't a factor for you?

Bam Bam:

It'd probably be a 10, honestly. And I'd buy a box of these or two and have them in my tower, but it's just so outrageously expensive. I think this cigar can compete with any of the bijiques that they have. That first third was incredible. And it's uncanny, Senator.

Bam Bam:

So you had that cigar how many weeks ago?

Senator:

Christmas. Christmas day.

Bam Bam:

That's quite a long time ago. So it kind of mimicked what we experienced here. The first third was great. That second third, there was a little bit of a lull. Still good, but it it just dissipated.

Bam Bam:

And that last third for me so I was getting cashew in that first third and sweet cream. That final inch was roasted hunt roasted peanuts Mhmm. A little bit of coffee, and it really it was really special, and I would love to have had a little bit more on that length. But also, the fucking price is just ridiculous. I'd love to give this a 10.

Bam Bam:

I'm frustrated about the fact that I can't give it a 10 because of the price. So I'm gonna firm nine.

Gizmo:

Alright, boys. The formal lizard rating tonight on the Cohiba Ambar is a 9.4.

Bam Bam:

Alright. It's a great score.

Gizmo:

Which I think is a perfect score for this. Yeah. You think it's high? I do. I I

Bam Bam:

I wish it was just an even flat nine in the entire room.

Gizmo:

Wanna say I wanna say, after your whole diatribe about price

Bam Bam:

Yeah?

Gizmo:

We all gave the Bijike 54 a 10.

Senator:

I remember. And how much is that, Bam? A lot of money.

Gizmo:

So that that's where hearing you talk about price

Bam Bam:

I know.

Gizmo:

We gave the Bijike

Bam Bam:

50 But this is not

Gizmo:

a Bijike. Say something? Go ahead.

Rooster:

How much is an Opus Dubai? Freaking Woah.

Gizmo:

It's this price, isn't it? Isn't it $1.30? And you bought a whole box.

Rooster:

And that's nowhere close to a 10.

Bam Bam:

No. It's not. I'm leaving now.

Gizmo:

You did that you did give that Cohiba b k 54.

Bam Bam:

I know. Know. Just saying.

Rooster:

And you said this cigar is better than Cohiba.

Bam Bam:

It is. In many ways, is.

Rooster:

Change the score to 10.

Senator:

Dynamic pricing, dynamic rating.

Gizmo:

Inflation. You guys leave

Chef Ricky:

my boy alone.

Gizmo:

Look, Mary,

Bam Bam:

this No, no, no. I'm little happy to take it all in because honestly Yeah.

Senator:

Chef will corroborate.

Rooster:

He's my ally.

Bam Bam:

He's on payroll. Smoking these expensive cigars, we're privileged to do that. It's like you said, it's dynamic. It's a dynamic journey. You're gonna get cigars that you just have to give a 10.

Bam Bam:

I don't know.

Gizmo:

Here's what I'll say though.

Bam Bam:

I'm just unhappy with the fact that these are just so fucking I

Gizmo:

get it. It's crazy. It's crazy. But I will say though, the other thing we've talked about with great cigars is look at what it does to the energy of the room. Oh,

Bam Bam:

that's true.

Chef Ricky:

You know

Gizmo:

what I mean? We haven't been here in two weeks, obviously. Glad to be back. But it's like the energy in the room just elevates and

Bam Bam:

goes Recording was great. I mean, I think it's just fantastic. Yeah. Slammed. Up as you

Chef Ricky:

imagine if we came back to a shitty cigar.

Gizmo:

Dude, I was terrified. I think we could

Bam Bam:

have gotten to a fight.

Gizmo:

Alright, boys. Let's compare this to the other walked out. Cohibas we've done on the podcast. On episode 24, we did the Cigolo two. It was an eight point zero.

Gizmo:

Episode 78, the Lancero, just above this, a 9.6. On episode 115, the Pyramidis Extra, same score as this, 9.4. About the same price right now,

Chef Ricky:

by the way. Yeah. It's

Gizmo:

true. On episode 121, we were with Danilo, the production manager of Cohiba. We did not rate the Bahigue 54 we smoked with him. On episode 129, we did the cigar of five, nine point two. On episode 164, New Year's Eve a couple years ago, we did the Esplendidos, scored a perfect 10.

Gizmo:

On episode 174, ten weeks later, we did the Cigolo six, scored a nine point zero. On episode 180, we did the brand new Behike 58, scored a 7.3. Not good. Then we revisited the Cigolo two on episode 196. Redux scored a 9.3.

Gizmo:

And finally, on episode 215 on New Year's Eve of last year, we did the Cohiba Bihike 54 scored a 9.5, just a touch above other

Rooster:

than the 58, every single Cohiba has scored higher than a nine or at least a nine.

Gizmo:

Yeah. Well, the first Cigolo two didn't, but the second one didn't.

Rooster:

He band gave most of those a

Chef Ricky:

10. Absolutely.

Gizmo:

Absolutely. He's a big 10 guy.

Bam Bam:

Yeah. I know.

Rooster:

A beheke that's like $250

Gizmo:

at least. It's a 10, though. It's a

Bam Bam:

10. Yeah. I know.

Gizmo:

But price

Rooster:

Price doesn't matter there.

Bam Bam:

I made a big mistake.

Senator:

Big hanky guy. Big

Gizmo:

hanky guy. Alright, boys. What a great night tonight. We have to congratulate again Lizard Alexandros who won his 10 count box of Bon Robert cigars. We really appreciate his thoughtful email, of course, helping us out with that awesome ratings guide that the listeners out there are gonna be able to search.

Gizmo:

Incredible. It's really, really awesome. I'm very, very happy about that. So thank you. And, of course, thanks to Bon Roberts for supporting our lizard of the week each week.

Gizmo:

And we have to thank smallbatchcigar.com, boys. Use our code lizard 15 for 15% off your entire order. And, of course, go buy the Lounge Lizard Sampler, which is back in stock. Is it? It's not gonna be there for long.

Gizmo:

No. It's back. They found a few more cigars that were that they ran out of the first time they sold out. So go get those. It's a great price and use our code.

Bam Bam:

That thing sold out like wildfire.

Gizmo:

Before we even announced it

Bam Bam:

here Unbelievable.

Gizmo:

So I hope more lizards are able to get their hands on it. And, of course, as we keep going, we're gonna put more of those samplers up as we rate the cigars very well. So you can look forward to that a couple times a year. And finally, boys, we have to thank our presenting sponsor, Fabrica five. Great Honduran cigars.

Gizmo:

Incredible prices coming out of Miami. Use our code lizard pod for 10% off your entire order. Go check them out. New cigars coming all the time. Great sales.

Gizmo:

A lot of great stuff there, boys. What a great night tonight. Very good night. I mean

Bam Bam:

So happy to be back.

Gizmo:

We're back. Yeah, baby. We'll see how we do next week with the Plasencia. Baby. Alright, boys.

Gizmo:

A great night. We'll see everybody next week. Hope you enjoyed this episode. Thanks for joining us. You could find our merch store and ratings archive at our brand new website, loungelizardspod.com.

Gizmo:

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.

Gizmo:

We really appreciate your time, and we'll, we'll see you next week.