February 17, 2025 • 59 mins
They pull up the 3 page list from halfwheel and review cigar releases. There is already a long list of releases and we're sure there will be more.
While discussing the new releases we smoke the aldwell Midnight Express and drink some Johnnie Walker Black.
As always we recommend halfwheel.com as your 1st stop for cigar news.
Enjoy!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Boom baby!
(00:01):
Welcome to the next episode.
Ah, in this episode we're gonna have the Caldwell Midnight Express.
And with it, Johnny Walker Black.
Woo!
Whoa!
You're hanging out with Bill and Darryl, with cigars, liquor, and more.
The Caldwell Midnight Express is a 5x50, has a Connecticut shade, hybrid,
(00:27):
a Prika Maduro wrapper, Dominican Habano binder, and a Dominican and Nicaraguan filler.
MSRP is $11.
The Johnny Walker Black is a 12-year-old age-stated bottle at 80 proof.
MSRP is $31.
Number one!
Now the cauldron on this was kind of interesting.
(00:51):
It was a combination of a little earth and a little wood for me.
So let's see how it goes.
We'll find it.
In the live.
So I want it to be known, we don't do many scotches on this show.
Too enough.
Those that listed already know that.
But we're doing a scotch, first time this year.
(01:12):
Actually first time in a couple of years I bet.
Yeah.
I have to go back and look.
I don't remember doing any in 2024.
We did several in 2023.
We did do a few.
We're doing a sample pack of one of the makers.
Which I thought was really cool.
Yeah, that was good.
And first time ever for Johnny Walker on the show.
(01:35):
This is the first Johnny for those who aren't familiar, although you probably should be.
It is one of the best-selling blended scotches in America.
Probably the world.
Since most, yes.
Absolutely.
Definitely the highest selling.
Is it brown form?
I don't remember.
(01:56):
And the mass majority of scotches are blended scotches.
Yeah.
So don't thumb your nose up because you hear the word blended.
Because if you're drinking a scotch odds are good.
It's blended.
I don't remember.
I don't remember.
I wanted to say it was brown, but I don't know.
Yeah, it's fine.
Doesn't matter.
You're going to buy Johnny anyway.
(02:18):
You're just going to buy.
Okay.
Let's get a sniff of it.
Let's do it.
It actually has a really mild nose, especially for a scotch, right?
I think that's one of the things that makes a pothier.
Yeah, the pothier's are kind of that way.
I think that's one of the things that makes it popular is that a lot of scotches are real
(02:39):
succulent punches in the mouth, right?
And Johnny's not.
One boy to say it.
Johnny's not.
Johnny is more like the buffalo trace of scotches.
It's mild.
Yeah, I got it.
And it's easy drinking and smooth.
And I think that's what makes it very popular.
So pretty mild nose.
Hmm.
Also again, mild on the palate, but it has that characteristic flavor.
(03:04):
It says, I'm a scotch.
You know it.
The second you drink it.
Yeah, it has the base flavor or whatever you want to call it that is a scotch.
I'm going to say barley.
So you know, you know it's a scotch.
No peat.
No.
No.
No, no, no campfire, anything like that.
(03:26):
And not a lot of characteristics.
No.
So you can't say, oh, it's kind of highland issue.
It's kind of it's not.
It's not for me.
The black is arguably one of the smoothest johnny's because it doesn't smack of much
of anything.
Right.
When you know, compared to what you normally think of when it comes to scotches.
(03:49):
And not being a huge scotch guy, I kind of appreciates things like this out of a scotch.
Right.
So this scotch though is on the sweeter side for scotches.
This is I think a pretty sweet scotch.
Not a lot of scotches strike me as sweet.
This one does though.
So I'm going to say this is on the sweeter side for scotches.
(04:11):
So it also may be help the US population.
How long have you been drinking scotches?
Could you like scotch?
Yeah.
And I was introduced to it from a friend of mine's husband probably around the early
to mid 90s.
So in 30 years, scotch was one of the liquors that you enjoyed that was not vodka.
(04:37):
Yes.
Yes.
And he said it to me when he first gave me a sample and said, all right, this is a pretty
mild one.
I don't remember which one he started with.
I'm going to guess probably a Glen footage.
And he says, pretty mild.
And you got to approach scotches because there's just so much and I don't want to scare you
off.
(04:58):
So here's a mild one.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
And you don't only do you have to approach scotch, you have to approach scotch backwards
with a hood over your head and your eyes closed.
So that being said.
I do lean into it pretty quick.
And I probably was trying speedy scotches that night.
(05:22):
I think I tried a little bit of every scotch he had that very night.
Although, because I did that, I don't know what I tried.
But we moved around and that I didn't realize was so long ago, but it probably was 30 years
now.
Wow.
So that being said, I didn't immediately move to scotches.
(05:44):
I was still drinking vodka's up until maybe 10 or 15 years ago.
Don't get me wrong.
I still love vodka's.
And some of them still hold a nice place dear in my heart.
But that being said, I did move into whiskeys and it wasn't just bourbon's.
It was kind of everything in the whiskey category.
(06:06):
I'm kind of an everything 80 proof or better guy.
So apart from Chicago and grappa, I like almost everything in Red Room.
Well, there's something wrong with that.
There's something wrong with that bottle.
Yes, yes there is.
And I've had some burp.
(06:30):
I'm trying to think of what I would categorize the thing I hate and I'm not going to talk
about it because I don't want to talk about things I hate.
But there's a thing out there that's trying to be a bourbon and a gucci at the same time.
And it does not work.
But that being said, for the most part, I like most things.
(06:54):
So did you get into rums first or whiskeys first?
I think I started with whiskeys and then you brought me to rums, especially with cigars.
I remember exactly when you started, you convinced yourself on rum.
(07:15):
No, no, no.
I think you were going to say the first rum you gave me.
We were at a Scarlange and at the time, the mass majority of cigar smokers brought scotch.
Yeah, this was a while ago.
And I wouldn't do it.
I brought what I like.
I drink what I like, not what somebody else likes.
I drink what I like.
(07:36):
So I would bring rum.
And everybody there was giving me a hard time because I was drinking rum and not scotch.
And for some reason, I defended you.
Yeah.
I don't know.
It's not like I need defending.
I didn't give it to shit.
What they thought, I drink what I like.
And I think I said that.
(07:57):
And then you said the most perfect phrase ever.
Well, if you think about it, cigars are made in the Caribbean.
Rum is made in the Caribbean.
They're meant to go together.
And you convinced yourself to drink more rum and try more rum.
Especially with cigars.
And I have definitely we have talked about and had on the show several times some of
(08:22):
our favorites as well as diversity of others that aren't our favorites, but are still good
in the rums.
And yeah, it makes sense because that's what the cigar roller probably drank.
That's what the cigar blender probably drank.
So it was probably innately paired because that's what was available.
(08:45):
It made total sense.
And so I did accidentally defend you.
I wasn't trying to defend you.
I was just trying to.
Hey, this makes sense.
You were thinking about it.
It's what it comes down to.
You were thinking about it and you vocalized what your thought process was.
And it was a good thought process.
(09:06):
And most people were like, yeah, that makes sense.
Yeah, they're still drinking.
Actually, they didn't.
Most of them have moved from Scott just to whiskey.
Yes, they have.
Yes, they have.
Three or four people who are dead set on Scott.
Yeah, those are the same three or four people that smoke the exact same cigar every day.
Yeah, actually they are.
But for those of you listening out there, if you don't think that cigars and liquor,
(09:37):
and even just camaraderie and something, isn't a journey.
Think about what people were doing when you first started doing whatever it is.
Yeah.
But people are doing now wrapped around that and you'll find things have changed.
Yeah.
Things have evolved.
(10:00):
That's a journey.
Sure.
Sure.
And it's not just generational because you go, oh, you know, our father's like beer,
and then we like vodka and now everybody's in the whiskey.
But it does that.
But I also moved from all those things.
I actually was never so much a beer guy because beer wrecks me.
(10:21):
All that sugar wrecks me.
But I went vodka because I was in college and moved on.
But yeah, I think you should probably explore because because why not?
Honestly, you said it all.
All right.
I said it all.
We've settled the cigar in a bit.
(10:44):
I guess to wrap up a little bit of the scotch, it is mild.
And I would say you can't categorize it as Highlander Spaceider.
Any of the ones you normally do, even though it's Maine's got all that, all that good stuff.
It is blended and it is blended into a smooth conglomeration of them.
(11:11):
You can't pick out any of those characteristics.
I can't anyway.
I'm sure somebody does.
Some Somalia does.
But I think it's a unique sketch in that it's not like any other scotch.
It's definitely milder and it tastes like scotch.
(11:35):
It has scotch.
You go, yeah, it is scotch.
But it's definitely different.
And it might be a good entry point to other scotches just to start you with that type of flavor.
I can see why Johnny Walker is the most popular liquor ever.
(11:56):
There isn't anybody who hasn't heard of it.
And I think I think Johnny, I think Johnny, especially the black label, I think sells more than
any other bottle out there.
Yeah, it's huge.
Yeah.
How much?
Whenever you cannot have a top 20 list of most sold brands or labels.
(12:22):
I'd say 10.
Without Johnny being six of them.
Yeah, it's going to be up there.
So there's a reason for that.
And for somebody like me who really doesn't care for scotches,
the Johnny's are always palatable.
Not only that, I won't not pour it in my glass.
(12:49):
Right?
It is.
And you're not a scotch person.
And I'm not a scotch person.
And it didn't hesitate.
It's kind of the bridge between what you think of as a scotch and what you think of as an American
whiskey.
Yeah, I'd agree.
Right.
Because it's nice and smooth.
It's not like a sour mash or anything.
It is sweet like what you were saying.
(13:11):
And you do get a base flavor of what a scotch is.
Yes.
But you don't get all the crap that you...
Okay, you don't get all the...
Okay, now you're being mean.
Yeah, I'm being mean.
You don't get all of the...
Extra flavor?
Is that what you're saying?
You needness and flavors that you do.
You needness, I would say.
(13:33):
Now, there is one thing that I do enjoy from scotch is that doesn't necessarily have to do with
the base flavor.
And Johnny doesn't do this for me.
But there are scotches that I like because it's just a burst of different flavors in your mouth.
(13:59):
Johnny doesn't do that.
But like I said, it's kind of in between.
Right.
You know, going from scotch to an American whiskey.
Yep.
So that's where I'm at with that.
Okay.
So we...
I think we've let it settle in this regard.
I am enjoying that it has a real earth upfront component.
(14:23):
And then it finishes with a paper.
The retro hair is pretty strong.
So I go really light on it for anybody who doesn't do a lot of retrohails.
But it's a really great earth blend.
I think you're going to rank this one pretty high because you're an earth guy.
I do like earth.
And I let the paper finish.
(14:44):
So I'm going to start with that because there's a lot of times when you say paper and I say
carb, and then we flip.
And it's weird how that happens.
But I'm right there with you on the paper on this.
You get a nice good A4 right out of the package.
(15:08):
That's this.
And hands down.
Now as far as the earthy goes, yes, I agree with the earth.
However, this is kind of a mild earth.
But it's the forward flavor.
What's the other forward flavor?
It's earth.
It's the first flavor I get.
(15:31):
And then followed up by the paper.
But it's so close.
Usually when you get earth, it is so much there.
And if you get something else with it, it's much more muted.
That's something else is much more muted.
(15:52):
To me, this earth and that paper are on the same level.
This teeter-tatter, nobody's sitting on the ground.
Yes.
Yes.
Good analogy.
Yes.
Thank you.
It's weird that it's this way because not many cigars that have these type of components
(16:13):
I think are this way.
Generally, if it's an earth cigar, it is an earth cigar.
It's so strong.
And paper is so mild.
Yeah.
But this is a balance.
This balance out really, really well.
Yeah, I agree.
Yeah.
So far of all these, I think this one's going to be the toughest.
Yeah.
Because I'm thinking about what's on that list.
(16:36):
I'm thinking about what's on that list.
This is going to be.
Touche my friend.
Touche.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Wow.
Deep cuts.
Mm-hmm.
Because I don't necessarily know that adventurer and cholware are variable everywhere.
I would think so because they're fairly large manufacturers.
(16:59):
They're kind of boutiquey, but they're on the large side of boutiquey.
I mean, remember at one point, everyone was a boutique, right?
Yep.
At one point, per domo was a boutique.
Yep.
Nick sticks.
And they are too, but they big volume.
It's not small.
So you should be able to get it.
(17:21):
And yet most people aren't talking about them.
I don't know why because I adore both of them.
I mixed them up.
I even mixed them up last year to Robert's face.
Yes, you did.
You started talking about this.
I'm talking to Robert Caldwell.
I didn't know how to say wrong and adventurous.
And adventurous cigar.
(17:43):
And he's like, no big.
We're all big and happy family.
But I mean, that's how,
personally, that's how tight they are.
But secondly, that's how easy it is to mess up.
But at least for me, I'm pretty good at it.
But like, this is a great balance.
He takes everything and stride.
This is a great balance.
(18:05):
The one thing about Caldwell,
there isn't anybody in this industry that doesn't know of him at the very least.
So yeah.
I mean, he has been in with and mixed with and worked with some of the big names in cigars.
(18:28):
Wasn't that long ago?
We were just talking about the Lebab of Purple that was an aid in blending of Caldwell and Ventura.
Yeah.
So if you have not had a Caldwell cigar,
first off, what's wrong with you?
Go find one.
Yeah, you need to go find one.
You need to try them.
(18:51):
He makes some really, really fabulous cigars.
And he does touch on the baking spices.
There are quite a few cigars of his that are baking spices.
He's an Earth guy though.
But yeah, he's got cigars out there with plenty of earth.
He's got cigars out there with plenty of wood in it.
Leather.
He's got some stuff that covers pretty much the gamut.
(19:16):
Yeah.
And that's one of the exciting things when Caldwell comes out with the cigar is what is this going to
be? Where is this going to fall?
And is he?
You don't know.
Yeah, you just don't know.
He just don't know.
You don't know.
But his, he does have a lot with earth and a lot with wood.
(19:39):
And leather and it's just, it's so diverse.
And yet still has components of those baking spices that you really, really like.
Yes.
You just can't go wrong with the Caldwell.
Yep.
Now, I did a drink draw and sometimes the drink draw will mute some flavors.
(20:04):
And it really doesn't.
It's not really because I expected the paper to maybe be muted a little bit.
I think the paper comes out a little stronger if you do let the mouth coating build more.
But if you do hit a drink draw, the paper is still there.
So I like that.
It doesn't completely change it.
(20:25):
Good.
So I want to point out that this bottle came from the Philippines.
Because that's where I was when I bought it.
Correct.
And I bought this one.
Yep.
On purpose.
Yeah.
You bought a scotch.
I do.
Yes.
Let me just say again, good old bought a scotch.
I was hoping it was the paper bottle scotch, but it wasn't.
(20:47):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We've been looking for those.
I think they banned in that.
Yeah, I think they did.
This one has a beaded top.
So it will pour and stop.
And you can hear it.
Yeah, yeah, like a bar tenders.
Okay.
(21:08):
It didn't seem to stop.
Maybe it won't stop.
And why is it there?
I think it just keeps the gurkel gurkel from happening.
Do you notice it didn't gurkel gurkel?
Yeah, it's true.
It didn't.
Yeah.
So it stops the gurkel gurkel and it just pour smooth.
I noticed it.
It didn't pour smooth.
I wanted to see if it would stop though.
No, it didn't.
You got a billboard there.
(21:29):
I did.
That's what we call it when you got a nice heavy pour.
Bill Porter.
Because that's how I pour them.
Yeah, it's better to smell them.
Especially now.
Yeah, yeah.
Trying to prove a point.
Whoops.
Okay, so not the first time that's happened.
We went to half wheel because we love half wheel.
(21:51):
Half wheel.
You know, actually it's odd.
We haven't talked about half wheel in a long time.
Even though we go there a lot.
Actually, we haven't mentioned them on the show in a long time.
Yeah.
But they published.
That they are still one of my favorite places for cigar news.
I think they are my favorite place.
Yeah.
Not one of them.
I'm going to go ahead and say favorite.
Yeah.
Okay.
(22:12):
I would agree with that.
They put out all the releases that have been announced for 2025.
And I printed them out and it is only three pages.
Only.
Only.
Yeah, only three pages.
You want to start at the...
Because it's in alphabetical order.
It's in alphabetical order.
So do you want to start at the top?
(22:33):
You want to start at the bottom.
Which way do you want to go?
I want to jump around with what interests us.
How about that?
Okay.
Well, I want to start at the very last one on this because it is...
Okay.
It's not the last one.
It's the last one alphabetically.
The underground tin flying pig.
Yeah.
(22:54):
I cannot wait to try that one.
Really?
Yes.
I like the flying pig.
But I don't adore it.
You adore it.
Okay.
We'll make sure we get some then.
I find them interesting.
I didn't know that.
I thought I didn't know that.
I don't have them often.
No, they're kind of pricey.
But when I do, I don't like them.
(23:16):
Yeah, no.
So they are...
I only saw it after, for sure.
And I really, really want to try that one.
Okay.
So that is one that absolutely stuck out with me.
I actually want to lead off with the elephant in the room, which is,
top it off.
Oh, oh, man.
(23:37):
Yeah.
So if you travel anywhere, you will find David off.
They are over the...
I think the only place they are not selling cigars is Antarctica.
Well, they have 17 offerings they're bringing out this year.
Don't get me wrong.
Almost all of them are offerings to airports in unique areas.
(24:05):
Germany, Spain, China, Cyprus, Greece, Qatar, Romania, Turkey.
These are all...
So you're not going to be able to get those.
Well, unless you fly and then you grab them.
But they do have a couple of notables that might be interesting.
They have an ambassador 25th anniversary.
They have a cigar warehouse 50th anniversary.
They have a club Humidor 35th anniversary.
(24:27):
They have a Humidor of Westmont 20th anniversary.
They have a James J. Fox 145th anniversary, a Maxmart 25th anniversary.
Let me just say anniversaries.
These are all about anniversaries.
Resolver 15.
Yeah.
So that's interesting.
17 offering...
(24:48):
I guess my question to...
I would like to speak to a Davidov representative now.
Is Germany, Spain, China, Cyprus, Greece...
Are these going to be different?
Are they actually going to be different blends for each of these countries?
I'm going to go out of the limit and say no.
I am too.
But that's a limb and I could break the limb and fall.
(25:09):
We could very well be wrong.
Right.
It remains yet to be seen.
But nobody else has listed 17.
Offerings.
Hold up.
And the Winston Churchill limited edition 2025, the artist.
Somebody thought about that one.
(25:32):
So the legato has 16 offerings from ZR cigars.
So then they've got a...
Yes.
So a lot of them are different sizes.
These are sizes.
A lot of them are sizes.
But we still have a Cameroon, a Connecticut, a Habano, a Maduro.
And then...
(25:53):
Yeah.
So we got that.
That's still quite a bit of offerings.
It's not a new stuff.
So there's something I'm probably not going to be able to get a hold of.
That I do.
I bet there's a lot of these we're not going to get a hold of.
But I would really, really like to try.
What's that?
H. Upman Magnum.
(26:15):
Finite Odecio in Limitada 2024.
Which is interesting is coming out in 2025.
But it's a Cuban upman.
It's a Cuban upman.
Right.
That's why I'm probably not going to get a hold of it.
Right.
But I would really love to try.
I think any upman I would like to get a hold of.
Coheba's got a new Cuban coming out too.
(26:38):
This stosto.
And we're not going to get that.
It's not going to happen.
Yeah.
There's four more Cuban offerings.
Five more Cuban offerings.
But yeah, that's just not something most of us
are going to be able to get a hold of.
So one I have not heard of before.
Maybe I'm just missing it.
Made in the Oscar factory.
(27:00):
Kench.
Kench.
Kench.
Kench.
Kench.
Kench.
Yeah.
Yeah.
K-I-N-I-C-H.
They're going to have three sizes.
I have not.
I have not either.
And I like Oscar.
I like Oscar a lot.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So yeah, I love the lay hands on a Kench.
(27:22):
I don't care.
They got a Rubus de Otoro and a 60.
I wouldn't carry any of them.
I'd love to lay hands on any one of them.
I'd love to ask Charlie or well any of them.
How do we get a hold of half-wheel?
No, what they had them before.
(27:43):
What do they think of them?
I'd really be interested to know a little bit more about them.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Because they're not.
I mean they're Honduras.
They're not Cuban.
Right.
Right.
So they're around.
Right.
Yeah.
So it was just kind of surprising that I hadn't really.
Speaking of surprising, there are three Gurkas on this list
(28:07):
that surprised the heck out of me.
Okay.
Pause that.
Let's come to that after the break.
Okay.
Check out our website cigarslickerandmore.com for more of our podcasts,
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Contact us through the website or Instagram and let us know what cigars and liquor you want us to
(28:29):
review, anything else you'd like us to talk about, and don't forget to check the online store for free swag.
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All right.
(28:50):
Okay.
So why don't we do like a midpoint and remember to do a midpoint.
Oh, an actual midpoint before we don't tell me that's what we do these days.
So again, no, go figure, no transition.
Now I will say this is kind of a fast smoker for me because I can't put it down.
(29:13):
That's on me.
And I keep trying to slow down and I'm going to recommend to everybody to make that a goal.
If you are a fast smoker, if you're not, congratulations.
You're ahead of me.
Winning.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah, I know.
Okay.
Well, let's do the midpoint first.
Then I'll then I'll cover that topic.
(29:35):
No transitions.
The the the flavor is still the same.
The balance is just eerie.
It's amazing the balance between the earth and the paper.
It is just really weird.
And the Johnny.
Johnny Walker.
Yes, I did pepper bomb.
The oh, really?
Yeah.
I got.
I got nothing but pepper on the
(29:57):
retro hill.
But I don't do retrohails that off.
No, okay.
And I did an easy retro hill.
Right, right, right.
So the Johnny Walker Black doesn't screw with the cigar at all.
No, I like that.
I'm very much enjoying it.
I'm not a Johnny fan, actually.
But I do really like this one.
And I like scotches.
(30:18):
But this, I'm enjoying it tonight.
It's not something that's on my shelf every every day of the year.
If you hadn't brought back from the Philippines,
it wouldn't have been on my shelf.
But maybe it should be because I'm really liking it.
Oh, yeah.
And in the Philippines, this was 15 bucks.
(30:39):
Nice.
Nice.
It's more here in the States.
In the Philippines, it was dirt cheap.
Another great reason to get it abroad.
So at 15 dollars, this is an easy decision to buy.
Right?
At 31.
Yeah.
Maybe you go, that's actually pretty inexpensive for a scotch.
(31:00):
So yeah.
But, you know, I do enjoy that the one, you get the
understanding that it's a scotch by the taste.
Yeah.
Right.
It's clear.
But you don't get all the stuff that comes with a scotch.
(31:24):
So very much appreciate that.
And the fact that it does not do anything to the cigar, in this case, is an entire plus.
It is.
A great big plus mark for it.
Because it's got such a balance.
I would be afraid that a more PD scotch or a more scotch would just wreck the cigar.
(31:52):
And I don't want that.
I wouldn't do that.
So kudos for the pairing because it works without affecting the cigar.
So I was going to go on something else.
Forgot what it is.
So back to the Gurkhas.
So this is surprising.
And again, Oscar reminded me of it.
So there are actually four Gurkha offerings, but two of them really stood out to me and
(32:18):
three of them stood out in a different way.
So we got a Gurkha 5 or a Gurkha V.
I don't know what they're going to call it yet, which will be made in the Oscar factory.
And so will the Gurkha Year of the Snake Oscar.
But then we got two more Year of the Snakes.
One from Oliva and one from E.P.
Carrillo.
So wow, like what?
(32:42):
I don't know that I've seen that before.
We may.
We may.
Revisit a Gurkha back to the show.
That's really surprising to me.
Part of it might be that I've not followed Gurkha enough to realize
that maybe they do have guest blenders.
But this means something.
(33:04):
Carrillo of Oliva and Oscar?
I really want to try the Carrillo.
I really want to try the Oscar.
Oh, it's crazy.
Also, I didn't know it was Year of the Snake.
Now I know.
It is Year of the Snake.
I know.
Yes, it is.
I thought that was really interesting though.
(33:26):
Okay.
Where are you going next?
In Temperance.
In Temperance.
Okay.
I've never had one that I can ever recall.
Okay.
Right.
But I love these names.
So the brand is in Temperance and you've got Tretry, Fidelity,
(33:50):
I mean, come on.
Nice.
I love that.
Yeah, I'm not really familiar with Fabrika.
They tobacco,
Nica,
Swayano.
I don't know.
I don't know it.
No, no, that's the factory that Dara was reading from.
No, neither do I.
It doesn't sound familiar.
(34:11):
They're Nicaraguan apparently.
Yeah, but I'm not familiar with them.
JC Newman's got one.
Quite interesting.
Yes.
Yes.
JC Newman has one.
Jose Gasper 2025.
I bet that will be an interesting one to try.
I think it should be tried.
Yeah.
I mean, it's Newman, right?
You've got to try a Newman.
(34:36):
No, the other area that stood out to me and I thought I needed to try again,
another guest, you know, blender, really good.
My father, my father cigars classic.
You know, several bands by him.
So they're going to make the law union and they're going to make two offerings,
(34:59):
black, humidor and red humidor with a guest appearance from Tatuahay.
Fabulous.
So I'm going to guess they're bold.
Yeah.
I would think so probably with some of the more bold my father's you can get.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
My father's not really known for being bold, but I can't imagine Tatuahay
(35:20):
blending something that's not.
I've only had one last year TPE Tatuahay gave us the mildest Tatuahay I've ever had.
We talked about it on the show.
Yes, we did.
I was surprised.
I've never had and it was still a medium.
So that's just interesting.
I'd like to see that and Tatuayay on their own has four others coming out.
(35:43):
They got the Groovy blue belly coso, the 50th Robusto and the 50th Toro,
oh, and the Boris Karloff, which I mean, I don't know where they're going with it,
but it sounds fun.
I got to try it.
Right.
And they're moving around too.
The Groovy blue bellicosos going to be a Dominican
(36:08):
manufacturer at La Aurora, and then the 50th Robusto and the 50th Toro is going to be
from the US and El Rey de los Habanos.
And then the Boris Karloffska be Nicaragua from my mom, my father.
I mean, you know, this is one of the things we were saying before about how
Boris Karloff.
This is the age of cigars where everybody is blending the,
(36:33):
blending is the term.
There's just everybody's blending all over the place.
Everybody's going all over.
And so many collaborations.
Yeah.
I mean, it's just so phenomenal.
Okay.
When you said you were going to talk about the elephant in the room,
I thought you were going to gravitate towards this one particular manufacturer.
Which one?
Rojas.
Yeah.
(36:54):
That was, that was an interesting look.
Yes.
I now have to ask if he likes horse racing.
Why is that?
Look at the name of the cigar stolen throne.
Prickness.
Right.
So the stolen.
This is horse racing.
This is horse racing.
150 limited edition cigars going to be made in the Rojas factory.
(37:20):
So I don't know if he guessed blended or if it's just being made in his factory.
Right.
We don't know that.
But stolen throne.
So on throne we've had.
They don't have a lot of facings.
Right.
Um, is this just the second or the third?
I'm trying to remember.
I can't tell.
I can't tell.
But that would be very interesting.
(37:43):
And it's made in the Rojas factory.
And since that factory is very close to us,
very close.
We might be able to lay hands on one.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Or two or five or a box.
A T A A exclusive.
Top of the second page.
OK.
(38:04):
A Rojas.
The first 20 years.
Yes.
Does this not sound awesome?
It does.
Again, a Rojas.
A another great name.
Another great.
And I don't know who to call boutique anymore.
Great legacy.
(38:25):
You know, is our Oscar and Rojas,
are they still boutiques?
Are they big enough?
I don't know.
You know, at what point do you go from being a boutique to being
whatever, major manufacturer, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Uh, it's.
So I think there has been a,
a, um, shift in the industry.
(38:49):
And, and we've alluded to this before.
We've even talked about some of this before.
Where we think some of this stuff is going.
And, uh, uh, cigar, uh, publications,
such as Half Wheel and others, uh, have been talking more and more
about bands and manufacturers that we term as, uh, as boutique.
(39:17):
But they are becoming more mainstream.
Right.
And more people are, are trying them.
And more people are enjoying them.
But isn't it just by volume where you say you're no longer a boutique.
Now you're a major, major, major, like, I don't know.
I would imagine that that would be the quantification of it.
(39:38):
But, I mean, I don't know.
But when you try a cigar, a boutique cigar.
Yeah.
And you really, really like it and you love the blend.
And, and, and you know, you, you try another one of those cigars.
Right.
And you love that blend.
(39:59):
And you realize that this person has a, a pallet that, that matches yours.
That you really like.
Yeah.
Would you turn them as boutique?
If you, if you bought boxes of them so that you could have them,
would you turn that as well?
If I had a hard time finding them because they're not in every shop.
(40:21):
I don't know.
Because they're boutiques.
Yeah.
But there are plenty of cigars that are made by non boutique manufacturers.
The.
Aren't in every shop.
Aren't in every shop.
True.
So how does this.
Yeah.
What's that?
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
The term.
Yeah.
I don't know how to.
But I do know that, um, you know, just, just five years ago.
(40:48):
It was hard to find articles and ratings on manufacturers that we called boutique.
It's a lot more available.
And now you've got everybody trying these smaller manufacturers.
And if you're in a major publication.
Yeah.
Can you, can you say you're a boutique if you show up several times and make
(41:10):
you publications?
Yeah.
I don't know.
The lines seem to be boring.
I do want to talk about two notable absences, at least notable for me,
that I'm like, where are they?
I guess three.
Because the Rojas is somebody else blending in his factory.
So where's where's a Rojas offering?
(41:31):
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Could I write down a name?
Sure.
So what, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
What?
Why do you have to write it down?
Because I want to know if you're going to say this name or not.
And I want it written down ahead of time.
Okay.
You don't think I'm just making this shit up.
Okay.
Okay, go.
So there's, I guess, three notable absences that I'm like, I'm surprised.
(41:53):
Now part of it might be, this is what had been announced at the time of publication.
This isn't necessarily all this can be offered in 2020.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
But I was, I was looking for a Rojas offering.
Yes.
I was looking for a drunk chicken offering.
And I was looking for a Blackbird offering.
(42:14):
And I didn't see any of those three.
And I really want to see one of those.
And I'm hoping they just haven't announced yet, right?
Well, I can understand.
And he showed me the word Blackbird.
I wrote down the word Blackbird before he made his list before he said his list.
So I can understand a drunk chicken into some degree Rojas.
(42:40):
Because I have not seen a lot of publications covering them.
Well, it's true.
They're a little bit slower on the roll because they want to make it perfect.
And I get that.
But I have seen.
But everybody wants to make it perfect.
But I've seen a lot of publications covering Blackbird.
Yes.
(43:01):
And to not have Blackbird on this list seems a little off.
Surprising.
Surprising.
He had superb.
Surprising.
Came out.
But that's been a year and a half.
Almost two.
I expected him to have one.
Oh, no.
He had some last year that we didn't cover.
But he did have some last year.
(43:22):
Oh, maybe I missed it.
Oh, my bad.
But the Jonas is out there.
He's using those marketing.
Yes, he does.
And he is not shy.
Any means.
Not shy.
He makes a lot of videos.
Yes, he does.
(43:43):
I subscribe to that.
Yes, he does.
He puts us from quality videos.
Yeah, I don't know Spanish, but I love his videos.
Yeah, absolutely.
So you got to.
Yeah.
Now, I can understand it because, you know, if you're going to say,
if you're going to categorize people as boutique,
yeah, Rojas is going to be one of them.
Blackbird is going to be one of them.
(44:05):
Right.
I think those are still easy decisions.
I think they're still pretty low volume.
But I think that they're not shy about announcing things,
especially Blackbird.
Yeah.
So that's why I was a little.
He would have announced.
Yeah.
That's why I was a little surprised.
Because he's not that far away either.
No.
(44:27):
So I thought he might have announced already.
But they don't call it that.
Oh, what do they call it now?
Isn't that the TAA now?
Oh, right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah.
So what?
Where do you want to go next?
What is it?
It's three pages.
(44:50):
I know.
It's a lot.
And so many good folks on here.
Oh, man.
Oh, so here's one that I really got to try.
I don't know how we're going to find them.
The name, right?
Yes.
The name.
And the name is, you ready for this?
I am.
Red meat lovers.
For Tonga.
(45:11):
I love that.
I have to try one just because of the name.
And I don't know that N-A-C-S-A
factory.
But there's more than a few on here for that.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
That factory has a, they don't have their own name
that I know of.
(45:32):
I don't know what to make of it because I don't know it.
Yeah, we'll have to look that way.
I will have to look that way up.
But you were talking about Tetywahay with my father,
but you did not mention the Tetywahay that's on this list.
Not yet.
We were going to go there.
Oh, no.
Yeah, I did.
Yeah, I did.
I mentioned the groovy blue.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
(45:53):
Yeah.
My bad.
Triner dad.
That's Cuban.
That's Cuban, yeah.
It's a Cuban, Triner dad.
But, I mean,
it's good to see Cubans on the list because you know they're still putting out stuff.
Why not announce it?
And there are plenty of people they're able to get,
you know, the half wheel publications because they're on the freaking web.
(46:20):
No matter where in the world you are.
Yeah.
Another name that stuck out to me was Nasser the goat.
Oh, yes.
Yes.
Yes.
That's an AJ Fernandez factory manufacturer.
So that'll be interesting because I told Daryl, I said we have to pair this with Randy Sullivan's
(46:45):
their prideful goat.
Right.
Yeah, the goats got to go together.
It'll be the goat episode.
Provided we can lay hands on them.
I don't know where they're going to be available, right?
I mean, it can be very regional.
Oh, yeah, very much so.
And I mean, that's one of the things about all these is regions matter.
(47:06):
Regions do matter.
Yeah, so,
Angenorza leaf, 25th anniversary aging room.
Yeah.
Has some R2F1T, CAO Amazon basin, a 2020-25 version of that.
Yeah, I wonder what they're going to do different on that.
So what are your thoughts on the basins?
(47:29):
So when the basin first came out, I really liked it.
Okay.
When the next one came out, when the next one came out, I thought it was so, so.
I really enjoyed the first one.
I was expecting more out of the second one.
And after that, it's just been kind of like, yeah, okay.
But I'm always good to try them.
(47:52):
But for me, that very first one they came out with was the benchmark.
Yeah, I think what happened for me was the Amazon basin came out,
and I wanted it to be more like the Amazon, but the Amazon still stood head and shoulders above it.
(48:14):
Oh, absolutely.
Absolutely.
The Amazon, the Italia, both stood above it in my...
My unfortunately.
Not the Americana.
Yeah, the Americana is definitely below it.
But again, that's just my palette.
I was hoping a little bit more for it.
Here's what I've not heard of.
(48:36):
I'm not familiar with this CASA 1910.
We've got five offerings there, two sizes in the El Bana,
a Bano, two offerings in the Mexigars, and a tiara, blacko, or a buso.
(48:58):
And it's an undisclosed factory, but they're Mexican origin.
So I don't know what they are, but again, that's all the more reason I want to try one,
because I've not heard of them.
And so I want to definitely lay hands on one.
So some made in the the Carillo factory, Casa Carillo factory, circle of life.
(49:24):
Yeah, that caught my eye.
They got four or three, sorry, not four.
They've got three sizes there.
And in the...
It doesn't say Ip Carillo, it's just Carillo, but Casa Carillo.
And I don't know what to make of it.
Yeah, I'm not sure on that one.
I'll be willing to try it though.
(49:45):
Oh, you know what though?
We glossed over the Hoya.
There's a Hoya offering.
We got the Dunbarton, tobacco, and trust year of the Duke.
Duke.
And I mean, Hoya's got some great offerings.
Absolutely.
I think my favorite was that green, the copper, I think it was called.
That was, I liked that one a lot.
(50:08):
So I don't know, but hopefully it makes the rounds.
Let's hope your thoughts on a list of announced release cigars for the upcoming year.
I mean, there's three pages already, so there's not for nothing.
(50:29):
I would have liked to see some of my favorites lean in a little more.
I'm just...
What about Blackbird and Drunk Chicken and Rojas are absent, and that bothers me.
I'm hoping to have something announced later.
What about having so many announced at the beginning of 2025?
(50:58):
Yeah, we're still early.
Yeah.
And if these are first half a year, kind of makes sense.
If they're late in 2025?
I didn't include the dates on this just to fit on the page.
They had dates.
(51:19):
Does it make sense to announce this early for something in late 2025?
Right?
I guess if you're not going to make...
The whole thing of what used to be
Big Smoke moving their dates closer to TPE really kind of screwed things up.
(51:40):
Not Big Smoke.
You mean TAA or PCE?
That really kind of screwed things up a little bit because
you had specific announcements for TPEs, specific announcements that happened around
PCE.
And now things are just kind of thrown off kilter a little bit.
(52:03):
You don't have the cycle that you were used to.
I guess you don't announce if it's going to come after the two trade shows.
Maybe they just haven't announced.
I would think so.
I would think so.
But it's not like an iPhone.
They're not going to wait.
No, we got our Christmas cigar coming out.
You know, I guess they're uncertain at this point or why wouldn't you at least announce?
(52:31):
I don't know.
I'm not sure.
So, but if you have a favorite manufacturer out there,
you want to try something new from them.
Keep track of publications, keep track of the news, sign up for their newsletters,
because a lot of manufacturers have their newsletters.
Yeah, definitely sign up for a half wheel.
(52:52):
So, bigger news source than half wheel.
They are big.
They publish a lot of articles in every area.
What's available, what's good, new products,
lighters and cutters.
Products packaging.
Everything.
You name it.
Yeah.
They are on top of it.
And great folks.
(53:15):
Anyway, but if you are interested in something particular,
search amount, sign up for the newsletter.
I guarantee you there'll be half a decent stuff to you.
Yeah, and follow them on Instagram, follow them, you know, in their newsletter.
Look up, because we didn't certainly name everything in the last three pages.
(53:39):
Look up the list in half wheel to see if there's something coming out from your favorite
manufacturer manufacturer.
Okay, so I'm looking at the list.
Okay.
Yeah, I need to go to my list too.
I am looking at the list.
And oh man.
(54:03):
Yeah, so this one is this is going to be a little more challenging,
because we agreed to make a separate rum list.
But we weren't going to make a separate scotch list, because we just don't have enough of them.
We don't have enough of them.
You can't have a list of two.
So I'm going to have to fit this in with in the whiskey category.
(54:24):
And figure out where that goes.
And I'm telling you, it's it's a good bridge between a scotch and an American whiskey.
It is.
This is tough, but I think I have it and we will swap pads now to cover what the other person said.
(54:48):
All right, do you want to start?
Yeah, I'll go ahead and start.
Okay, so Daryl's ranking the liquors and he put the Johnny Walker black 80 proof.
At that the number five slot.
I know I was surprised myself.
It went ahead of the Rebel Rye 100.
(55:12):
I'm shocked.
I was a little shocked too.
I'm absolutely shocked.
So I'm just going to name the top five for the liquor.
So we now have Johnny Walker black number five benchmark eight number four.
Russell Reserve single barreled number three.
The 1845 here in Larry Crossing, preemption reverence,
(55:35):
poor cask at number two and the Remus.
Siri eight at number one.
So you also surprised me because you put the Midnight Express in the number four slot.
This was difficult behind the diesel.
And I think I know why the diesel was more earthy.
Much.
Yeah.
And you were an earth guy.
(55:57):
So even though it had a beautiful balance between earth and paper,
you were like, nah, the diesel still the bomb of earth bomb.
So we've got the top five is Evincher Blue Eyed Jacks revenge.
Evincher King's gold diesel original.
(56:19):
Well, you're going number one number five.
Yep.
Not five to one.
Oh, yeah.
I'm going number one to number five.
You were given the numbers and you talked about the Evincher Blue.
I'm like, wait a minute.
No, that's number one.
Yeah.
Talking about it.
I'm not.
I don't work my way up.
I work my way down.
The Midnight Express is number four.
How top five list work?
And the purple.
LaBarba number five.
(56:41):
So very nice and not a surprise.
I probably would have put it above the diesel original because I thought the balance.
Just better than just being an earth bomb.
Just above, right?
Yeah.
No, I don't think I would have put it ahead of the Kings' gold,
but it was, I thought for me, better than the diesel.
(57:04):
Okay.
Nice.
But I did love that diesel.
And at five bucks, that's all that diesel.
That diesel was awesome.
That's a win at five dollars.
So all right, getting a little bit more difficult, but we are soldering through.
The balance of the Midnight Express is, yeah, I can't say it enough.
(57:29):
It is a great balance because the earth doesn't overpower what's going on.
Yeah.
So it comes down to earth bomb over earth balance.
And you're just, you're an earth guy.
We're so last year we saw all the baking spices rise at the top.
And this year, we're going to see all the earth rise at the top.
(57:52):
Yeah.
Well, but you know, you got those two exceptions at number one and number two.
Those are not earth bombs.
You didn't put diesel number one.
No, right.
And so you keep saying earth bomb, it's not about the earth bomb.
It's about the right kind of earth flavor.
Okay.
Okay.
Right.
I enjoy, I very much enjoy the earth flavor, not necessarily an earth bomb.
(58:18):
I like the right kind of earth flavor.
And this one did have a really nice earth flavor, but it didn't evoke anything.
It didn't, it didn't.
I don't know.
It was a good balance.
Don't give me wrong.
Yeah.
Of the flavors that were in it.
But yeah, I did like to be some more.
(58:40):
I definitely like the aperture of blue more.
I like to choose gold more.
So I think the list was appropriate at the moment.
Of course it is.
Because that's my list.
Yeah.
All right.
Nice.
Nice.
God.
I feel very.
Heck yeah.
Boom baby!
(00:01):
Welcome to the next episode.
Ah, in this episode we're gonna have the Caldwell Midnight Express.
And with it, Johnny Walker Black.
Woo!
Whoa!
You're hanging out with Bill and Darryl, with cigars, liquor, and more.
The Caldwell Midnight Express is a 5x50, has a Connecticut shade, hybrid,
(00:27):
a Prika Maduro wrapper, Dominican Habano binder, and a Dominican and Nicaraguan filler.
MSRP is $11.
The Johnny Walker Black is a 12-year-old age-stated bottle at 80 proof.
MSRP is $31.
Number one!
Now the cauldron on this was kind of interesting.
(00:51):
It was a combination of a little earth and a little wood for me.
So let's see how it goes.
We'll find it.
In the live.
So I want it to be known, we don't do many scotches on this show.
Too enough.
Those that listed already know that.
But we're doing a scotch, first time this year.
(01:12):
Actually first time in a couple of years I bet.
Yeah.
I have to go back and look.
I don't remember doing any in 2024.
We did several in 2023.
We did do a few.
We're doing a sample pack of one of the makers.
Which I thought was really cool.
Yeah, that was good.
And first time ever for Johnny Walker on the show.
(01:35):
This is the first Johnny for those who aren't familiar, although you probably should be.
It is one of the best-selling blended scotches in America.
Probably the world.
Since most, yes.
Absolutely.
Definitely the highest selling.
Is it brown form?
I don't remember.
(01:56):
And the mass majority of scotches are blended scotches.
Yeah.
So don't thumb your nose up because you hear the word blended.
Because if you're drinking a scotch odds are good.
It's blended.
I don't remember.
I don't remember.
I wanted to say it was brown, but I don't know.
Yeah, it's fine.
Doesn't matter.
You're going to buy Johnny anyway.
(02:18):
You're just going to buy.
Okay.
Let's get a sniff of it.
Let's do it.
It actually has a really mild nose, especially for a scotch, right?
I think that's one of the things that makes a pothier.
Yeah, the pothier's are kind of that way.
I think that's one of the things that makes it popular is that a lot of scotches are real
(02:39):
succulent punches in the mouth, right?
And Johnny's not.
One boy to say it.
Johnny's not.
Johnny is more like the buffalo trace of scotches.
It's mild.
Yeah, I got it.
And it's easy drinking and smooth.
And I think that's what makes it very popular.
So pretty mild nose.
Hmm.
Also again, mild on the palate, but it has that characteristic flavor.
(03:04):
It says, I'm a scotch.
You know it.
The second you drink it.
Yeah, it has the base flavor or whatever you want to call it that is a scotch.
I'm going to say barley.
So you know, you know it's a scotch.
No peat.
No.
No.
No, no, no campfire, anything like that.
(03:26):
And not a lot of characteristics.
No.
So you can't say, oh, it's kind of highland issue.
It's kind of it's not.
It's not for me.
The black is arguably one of the smoothest johnny's because it doesn't smack of much
of anything.
Right.
When you know, compared to what you normally think of when it comes to scotches.
(03:49):
And not being a huge scotch guy, I kind of appreciates things like this out of a scotch.
Right.
So this scotch though is on the sweeter side for scotches.
This is I think a pretty sweet scotch.
Not a lot of scotches strike me as sweet.
This one does though.
So I'm going to say this is on the sweeter side for scotches.
(04:11):
So it also may be help the US population.
How long have you been drinking scotches?
Could you like scotch?
Yeah.
And I was introduced to it from a friend of mine's husband probably around the early
to mid 90s.
So in 30 years, scotch was one of the liquors that you enjoyed that was not vodka.
(04:37):
Yes.
Yes.
And he said it to me when he first gave me a sample and said, all right, this is a pretty
mild one.
I don't remember which one he started with.
I'm going to guess probably a Glen footage.
And he says, pretty mild.
And you got to approach scotches because there's just so much and I don't want to scare you
off.
(04:58):
So here's a mild one.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
And you don't only do you have to approach scotch, you have to approach scotch backwards
with a hood over your head and your eyes closed.
So that being said.
I do lean into it pretty quick.
And I probably was trying speedy scotches that night.
(05:22):
I think I tried a little bit of every scotch he had that very night.
Although, because I did that, I don't know what I tried.
But we moved around and that I didn't realize was so long ago, but it probably was 30 years
now.
Wow.
So that being said, I didn't immediately move to scotches.
(05:44):
I was still drinking vodka's up until maybe 10 or 15 years ago.
Don't get me wrong.
I still love vodka's.
And some of them still hold a nice place dear in my heart.
But that being said, I did move into whiskeys and it wasn't just bourbon's.
It was kind of everything in the whiskey category.
(06:06):
I'm kind of an everything 80 proof or better guy.
So apart from Chicago and grappa, I like almost everything in Red Room.
Well, there's something wrong with that.
There's something wrong with that bottle.
Yes, yes there is.
And I've had some burp.
(06:30):
I'm trying to think of what I would categorize the thing I hate and I'm not going to talk
about it because I don't want to talk about things I hate.
But there's a thing out there that's trying to be a bourbon and a gucci at the same time.
And it does not work.
But that being said, for the most part, I like most things.
(06:54):
So did you get into rums first or whiskeys first?
I think I started with whiskeys and then you brought me to rums, especially with cigars.
I remember exactly when you started, you convinced yourself on rum.
(07:15):
No, no, no.
I think you were going to say the first rum you gave me.
We were at a Scarlange and at the time, the mass majority of cigar smokers brought scotch.
Yeah, this was a while ago.
And I wouldn't do it.
I brought what I like.
I drink what I like, not what somebody else likes.
I drink what I like.
(07:36):
So I would bring rum.
And everybody there was giving me a hard time because I was drinking rum and not scotch.
And for some reason, I defended you.
Yeah.
I don't know.
It's not like I need defending.
I didn't give it to shit.
What they thought, I drink what I like.
And I think I said that.
(07:57):
And then you said the most perfect phrase ever.
Well, if you think about it, cigars are made in the Caribbean.
Rum is made in the Caribbean.
They're meant to go together.
And you convinced yourself to drink more rum and try more rum.
Especially with cigars.
And I have definitely we have talked about and had on the show several times some of
(08:22):
our favorites as well as diversity of others that aren't our favorites, but are still good
in the rums.
And yeah, it makes sense because that's what the cigar roller probably drank.
That's what the cigar blender probably drank.
So it was probably innately paired because that's what was available.
(08:45):
It made total sense.
And so I did accidentally defend you.
I wasn't trying to defend you.
I was just trying to.
Hey, this makes sense.
You were thinking about it.
It's what it comes down to.
You were thinking about it and you vocalized what your thought process was.
And it was a good thought process.
(09:06):
And most people were like, yeah, that makes sense.
Yeah, they're still drinking.
Actually, they didn't.
Most of them have moved from Scott just to whiskey.
Yes, they have.
Yes, they have.
Three or four people who are dead set on Scott.
Yeah, those are the same three or four people that smoke the exact same cigar every day.
Yeah, actually they are.
But for those of you listening out there, if you don't think that cigars and liquor,
(09:37):
and even just camaraderie and something, isn't a journey.
Think about what people were doing when you first started doing whatever it is.
Yeah.
But people are doing now wrapped around that and you'll find things have changed.
Yeah.
Things have evolved.
(10:00):
That's a journey.
Sure.
Sure.
And it's not just generational because you go, oh, you know, our father's like beer,
and then we like vodka and now everybody's in the whiskey.
But it does that.
But I also moved from all those things.
I actually was never so much a beer guy because beer wrecks me.
(10:21):
All that sugar wrecks me.
But I went vodka because I was in college and moved on.
But yeah, I think you should probably explore because because why not?
Honestly, you said it all.
All right.
I said it all.
We've settled the cigar in a bit.
(10:44):
I guess to wrap up a little bit of the scotch, it is mild.
And I would say you can't categorize it as Highlander Spaceider.
Any of the ones you normally do, even though it's Maine's got all that, all that good stuff.
It is blended and it is blended into a smooth conglomeration of them.
(11:11):
You can't pick out any of those characteristics.
I can't anyway.
I'm sure somebody does.
Some Somalia does.
But I think it's a unique sketch in that it's not like any other scotch.
It's definitely milder and it tastes like scotch.
(11:35):
It has scotch.
You go, yeah, it is scotch.
But it's definitely different.
And it might be a good entry point to other scotches just to start you with that type of flavor.
I can see why Johnny Walker is the most popular liquor ever.
(11:56):
There isn't anybody who hasn't heard of it.
And I think I think Johnny, I think Johnny, especially the black label, I think sells more than
any other bottle out there.
Yeah, it's huge.
Yeah.
How much?
Whenever you cannot have a top 20 list of most sold brands or labels.
(12:22):
I'd say 10.
Without Johnny being six of them.
Yeah, it's going to be up there.
So there's a reason for that.
And for somebody like me who really doesn't care for scotches,
the Johnny's are always palatable.
Not only that, I won't not pour it in my glass.
(12:49):
Right?
It is.
And you're not a scotch person.
And I'm not a scotch person.
And it didn't hesitate.
It's kind of the bridge between what you think of as a scotch and what you think of as an American
whiskey.
Yeah, I'd agree.
Right.
Because it's nice and smooth.
It's not like a sour mash or anything.
It is sweet like what you were saying.
(13:11):
And you do get a base flavor of what a scotch is.
Yes.
But you don't get all the crap that you...
Okay, you don't get all the...
Okay, now you're being mean.
Yeah, I'm being mean.
You don't get all of the...
Extra flavor?
Is that what you're saying?
You needness and flavors that you do.
You needness, I would say.
(13:33):
Now, there is one thing that I do enjoy from scotch is that doesn't necessarily have to do with
the base flavor.
And Johnny doesn't do this for me.
But there are scotches that I like because it's just a burst of different flavors in your mouth.
(13:59):
Johnny doesn't do that.
But like I said, it's kind of in between.
Right.
You know, going from scotch to an American whiskey.
Yep.
So that's where I'm at with that.
Okay.
So we...
I think we've let it settle in this regard.
I am enjoying that it has a real earth upfront component.
(14:23):
And then it finishes with a paper.
The retro hair is pretty strong.
So I go really light on it for anybody who doesn't do a lot of retrohails.
But it's a really great earth blend.
I think you're going to rank this one pretty high because you're an earth guy.
I do like earth.
And I let the paper finish.
(14:44):
So I'm going to start with that because there's a lot of times when you say paper and I say
carb, and then we flip.
And it's weird how that happens.
But I'm right there with you on the paper on this.
You get a nice good A4 right out of the package.
(15:08):
That's this.
And hands down.
Now as far as the earthy goes, yes, I agree with the earth.
However, this is kind of a mild earth.
But it's the forward flavor.
What's the other forward flavor?
It's earth.
It's the first flavor I get.
(15:31):
And then followed up by the paper.
But it's so close.
Usually when you get earth, it is so much there.
And if you get something else with it, it's much more muted.
That's something else is much more muted.
(15:52):
To me, this earth and that paper are on the same level.
This teeter-tatter, nobody's sitting on the ground.
Yes.
Yes.
Good analogy.
Yes.
Thank you.
It's weird that it's this way because not many cigars that have these type of components
(16:13):
I think are this way.
Generally, if it's an earth cigar, it is an earth cigar.
It's so strong.
And paper is so mild.
Yeah.
But this is a balance.
This balance out really, really well.
Yeah, I agree.
Yeah.
So far of all these, I think this one's going to be the toughest.
Yeah.
Because I'm thinking about what's on that list.
(16:36):
I'm thinking about what's on that list.
This is going to be.
Touche my friend.
Touche.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Wow.
Deep cuts.
Mm-hmm.
Because I don't necessarily know that adventurer and cholware are variable everywhere.
I would think so because they're fairly large manufacturers.
(16:59):
They're kind of boutiquey, but they're on the large side of boutiquey.
I mean, remember at one point, everyone was a boutique, right?
Yep.
At one point, per domo was a boutique.
Yep.
Nick sticks.
And they are too, but they big volume.
It's not small.
So you should be able to get it.
(17:21):
And yet most people aren't talking about them.
I don't know why because I adore both of them.
I mixed them up.
I even mixed them up last year to Robert's face.
Yes, you did.
You started talking about this.
I'm talking to Robert Caldwell.
I didn't know how to say wrong and adventurous.
And adventurous cigar.
(17:43):
And he's like, no big.
We're all big and happy family.
But I mean, that's how,
personally, that's how tight they are.
But secondly, that's how easy it is to mess up.
But at least for me, I'm pretty good at it.
But like, this is a great balance.
He takes everything and stride.
This is a great balance.
(18:05):
The one thing about Caldwell,
there isn't anybody in this industry that doesn't know of him at the very least.
So yeah.
I mean, he has been in with and mixed with and worked with some of the big names in cigars.
(18:28):
Wasn't that long ago?
We were just talking about the Lebab of Purple that was an aid in blending of Caldwell and Ventura.
Yeah.
So if you have not had a Caldwell cigar,
first off, what's wrong with you?
Go find one.
Yeah, you need to go find one.
You need to try them.
(18:51):
He makes some really, really fabulous cigars.
And he does touch on the baking spices.
There are quite a few cigars of his that are baking spices.
He's an Earth guy though.
But yeah, he's got cigars out there with plenty of earth.
He's got cigars out there with plenty of wood in it.
Leather.
He's got some stuff that covers pretty much the gamut.
(19:16):
Yeah.
And that's one of the exciting things when Caldwell comes out with the cigar is what is this going to
be? Where is this going to fall?
And is he?
You don't know.
Yeah, you just don't know.
He just don't know.
You don't know.
But his, he does have a lot with earth and a lot with wood.
(19:39):
And leather and it's just, it's so diverse.
And yet still has components of those baking spices that you really, really like.
Yes.
You just can't go wrong with the Caldwell.
Yep.
Now, I did a drink draw and sometimes the drink draw will mute some flavors.
(20:04):
And it really doesn't.
It's not really because I expected the paper to maybe be muted a little bit.
I think the paper comes out a little stronger if you do let the mouth coating build more.
But if you do hit a drink draw, the paper is still there.
So I like that.
It doesn't completely change it.
(20:25):
Good.
So I want to point out that this bottle came from the Philippines.
Because that's where I was when I bought it.
Correct.
And I bought this one.
Yep.
On purpose.
Yeah.
You bought a scotch.
I do.
Yes.
Let me just say again, good old bought a scotch.
I was hoping it was the paper bottle scotch, but it wasn't.
(20:47):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We've been looking for those.
I think they banned in that.
Yeah, I think they did.
This one has a beaded top.
So it will pour and stop.
And you can hear it.
Yeah, yeah, like a bar tenders.
Okay.
(21:08):
It didn't seem to stop.
Maybe it won't stop.
And why is it there?
I think it just keeps the gurkel gurkel from happening.
Do you notice it didn't gurkel gurkel?
Yeah, it's true.
It didn't.
Yeah.
So it stops the gurkel gurkel and it just pour smooth.
I noticed it.
It didn't pour smooth.
I wanted to see if it would stop though.
No, it didn't.
You got a billboard there.
(21:29):
I did.
That's what we call it when you got a nice heavy pour.
Bill Porter.
Because that's how I pour them.
Yeah, it's better to smell them.
Especially now.
Yeah, yeah.
Trying to prove a point.
Whoops.
Okay, so not the first time that's happened.
We went to half wheel because we love half wheel.
(21:51):
Half wheel.
You know, actually it's odd.
We haven't talked about half wheel in a long time.
Even though we go there a lot.
Actually, we haven't mentioned them on the show in a long time.
Yeah.
But they published.
That they are still one of my favorite places for cigar news.
I think they are my favorite place.
Yeah.
Not one of them.
I'm going to go ahead and say favorite.
Yeah.
Okay.
(22:12):
I would agree with that.
They put out all the releases that have been announced for 2025.
And I printed them out and it is only three pages.
Only.
Only.
Yeah, only three pages.
You want to start at the...
Because it's in alphabetical order.
It's in alphabetical order.
So do you want to start at the top?
(22:33):
You want to start at the bottom.
Which way do you want to go?
I want to jump around with what interests us.
How about that?
Okay.
Well, I want to start at the very last one on this because it is...
Okay.
It's not the last one.
It's the last one alphabetically.
The underground tin flying pig.
Yeah.
(22:54):
I cannot wait to try that one.
Really?
Yes.
I like the flying pig.
But I don't adore it.
You adore it.
Okay.
We'll make sure we get some then.
I find them interesting.
I didn't know that.
I thought I didn't know that.
I don't have them often.
No, they're kind of pricey.
But when I do, I don't like them.
(23:16):
Yeah, no.
So they are...
I only saw it after, for sure.
And I really, really want to try that one.
Okay.
So that is one that absolutely stuck out with me.
I actually want to lead off with the elephant in the room, which is,
top it off.
Oh, oh, man.
(23:37):
Yeah.
So if you travel anywhere, you will find David off.
They are over the...
I think the only place they are not selling cigars is Antarctica.
Well, they have 17 offerings they're bringing out this year.
Don't get me wrong.
Almost all of them are offerings to airports in unique areas.
(24:05):
Germany, Spain, China, Cyprus, Greece, Qatar, Romania, Turkey.
These are all...
So you're not going to be able to get those.
Well, unless you fly and then you grab them.
But they do have a couple of notables that might be interesting.
They have an ambassador 25th anniversary.
They have a cigar warehouse 50th anniversary.
They have a club Humidor 35th anniversary.
(24:27):
They have a Humidor of Westmont 20th anniversary.
They have a James J. Fox 145th anniversary, a Maxmart 25th anniversary.
Let me just say anniversaries.
These are all about anniversaries.
Resolver 15.
Yeah.
So that's interesting.
17 offering...
(24:48):
I guess my question to...
I would like to speak to a Davidov representative now.
Is Germany, Spain, China, Cyprus, Greece...
Are these going to be different?
Are they actually going to be different blends for each of these countries?
I'm going to go out of the limit and say no.
I am too.
But that's a limb and I could break the limb and fall.
(25:09):
We could very well be wrong.
Right.
It remains yet to be seen.
But nobody else has listed 17.
Offerings.
Hold up.
And the Winston Churchill limited edition 2025, the artist.
Somebody thought about that one.
(25:32):
So the legato has 16 offerings from ZR cigars.
So then they've got a...
Yes.
So a lot of them are different sizes.
These are sizes.
A lot of them are sizes.
But we still have a Cameroon, a Connecticut, a Habano, a Maduro.
And then...
(25:53):
Yeah.
So we got that.
That's still quite a bit of offerings.
It's not a new stuff.
So there's something I'm probably not going to be able to get a hold of.
That I do.
I bet there's a lot of these we're not going to get a hold of.
But I would really, really like to try.
What's that?
H. Upman Magnum.
(26:15):
Finite Odecio in Limitada 2024.
Which is interesting is coming out in 2025.
But it's a Cuban upman.
It's a Cuban upman.
Right.
That's why I'm probably not going to get a hold of it.
Right.
But I would really love to try.
I think any upman I would like to get a hold of.
Coheba's got a new Cuban coming out too.
(26:38):
This stosto.
And we're not going to get that.
It's not going to happen.
Yeah.
There's four more Cuban offerings.
Five more Cuban offerings.
But yeah, that's just not something most of us
are going to be able to get a hold of.
So one I have not heard of before.
Maybe I'm just missing it.
Made in the Oscar factory.
(27:00):
Kench.
Kench.
Kench.
Kench.
Kench.
Kench.
Yeah.
Yeah.
K-I-N-I-C-H.
They're going to have three sizes.
I have not.
I have not either.
And I like Oscar.
I like Oscar a lot.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So yeah, I love the lay hands on a Kench.
(27:22):
I don't care.
They got a Rubus de Otoro and a 60.
I wouldn't carry any of them.
I'd love to lay hands on any one of them.
I'd love to ask Charlie or well any of them.
How do we get a hold of half-wheel?
No, what they had them before.
(27:43):
What do they think of them?
I'd really be interested to know a little bit more about them.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Because they're not.
I mean they're Honduras.
They're not Cuban.
Right.
Right.
So they're around.
Right.
Yeah.
So it was just kind of surprising that I hadn't really.
Speaking of surprising, there are three Gurkas on this list
(28:07):
that surprised the heck out of me.
Okay.
Pause that.
Let's come to that after the break.
Okay.
Check out our website cigarslickerandmore.com for more of our podcasts,
blogs, and support the show by shopping from our online store.
Contact us through the website or Instagram and let us know what cigars and liquor you want us to
(28:29):
review, anything else you'd like us to talk about, and don't forget to check the online store for free swag.
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All right.
(28:50):
Okay.
So why don't we do like a midpoint and remember to do a midpoint.
Oh, an actual midpoint before we don't tell me that's what we do these days.
So again, no, go figure, no transition.
Now I will say this is kind of a fast smoker for me because I can't put it down.
(29:13):
That's on me.
And I keep trying to slow down and I'm going to recommend to everybody to make that a goal.
If you are a fast smoker, if you're not, congratulations.
You're ahead of me.
Winning.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah, I know.
Okay.
Well, let's do the midpoint first.
Then I'll then I'll cover that topic.
(29:35):
No transitions.
The the the flavor is still the same.
The balance is just eerie.
It's amazing the balance between the earth and the paper.
It is just really weird.
And the Johnny.
Johnny Walker.
Yes, I did pepper bomb.
The oh, really?
Yeah.
I got.
I got nothing but pepper on the
(29:57):
retro hill.
But I don't do retrohails that off.
No, okay.
And I did an easy retro hill.
Right, right, right.
So the Johnny Walker Black doesn't screw with the cigar at all.
No, I like that.
I'm very much enjoying it.
I'm not a Johnny fan, actually.
But I do really like this one.
And I like scotches.
(30:18):
But this, I'm enjoying it tonight.
It's not something that's on my shelf every every day of the year.
If you hadn't brought back from the Philippines,
it wouldn't have been on my shelf.
But maybe it should be because I'm really liking it.
Oh, yeah.
And in the Philippines, this was 15 bucks.
(30:39):
Nice.
Nice.
It's more here in the States.
In the Philippines, it was dirt cheap.
Another great reason to get it abroad.
So at 15 dollars, this is an easy decision to buy.
Right?
At 31.
Yeah.
Maybe you go, that's actually pretty inexpensive for a scotch.
(31:00):
So yeah.
But, you know, I do enjoy that the one, you get the
understanding that it's a scotch by the taste.
Yeah.
Right.
It's clear.
But you don't get all the stuff that comes with a scotch.
(31:24):
So very much appreciate that.
And the fact that it does not do anything to the cigar, in this case, is an entire plus.
It is.
A great big plus mark for it.
Because it's got such a balance.
I would be afraid that a more PD scotch or a more scotch would just wreck the cigar.
(31:52):
And I don't want that.
I wouldn't do that.
So kudos for the pairing because it works without affecting the cigar.
So I was going to go on something else.
Forgot what it is.
So back to the Gurkhas.
So this is surprising.
And again, Oscar reminded me of it.
So there are actually four Gurkha offerings, but two of them really stood out to me and
(32:18):
three of them stood out in a different way.
So we got a Gurkha 5 or a Gurkha V.
I don't know what they're going to call it yet, which will be made in the Oscar factory.
And so will the Gurkha Year of the Snake Oscar.
But then we got two more Year of the Snakes.
One from Oliva and one from E.P.
Carrillo.
So wow, like what?
(32:42):
I don't know that I've seen that before.
We may.
We may.
Revisit a Gurkha back to the show.
That's really surprising to me.
Part of it might be that I've not followed Gurkha enough to realize
that maybe they do have guest blenders.
But this means something.
(33:04):
Carrillo of Oliva and Oscar?
I really want to try the Carrillo.
I really want to try the Oscar.
Oh, it's crazy.
Also, I didn't know it was Year of the Snake.
Now I know.
It is Year of the Snake.
I know.
Yes, it is.
I thought that was really interesting though.
(33:26):
Okay.
Where are you going next?
In Temperance.
In Temperance.
Okay.
I've never had one that I can ever recall.
Okay.
Right.
But I love these names.
So the brand is in Temperance and you've got Tretry, Fidelity,
(33:50):
I mean, come on.
Nice.
I love that.
Yeah, I'm not really familiar with Fabrika.
They tobacco,
Nica,
Swayano.
I don't know.
I don't know it.
No, no, that's the factory that Dara was reading from.
No, neither do I.
It doesn't sound familiar.
(34:11):
They're Nicaraguan apparently.
Yeah, but I'm not familiar with them.
JC Newman's got one.
Quite interesting.
Yes.
Yes.
JC Newman has one.
Jose Gasper 2025.
I bet that will be an interesting one to try.
I think it should be tried.
Yeah.
I mean, it's Newman, right?
You've got to try a Newman.
(34:36):
No, the other area that stood out to me and I thought I needed to try again,
another guest, you know, blender, really good.
My father, my father cigars classic.
You know, several bands by him.
So they're going to make the law union and they're going to make two offerings,
(34:59):
black, humidor and red humidor with a guest appearance from Tatuahay.
Fabulous.
So I'm going to guess they're bold.
Yeah.
I would think so probably with some of the more bold my father's you can get.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
My father's not really known for being bold, but I can't imagine Tatuahay
(35:20):
blending something that's not.
I've only had one last year TPE Tatuahay gave us the mildest Tatuahay I've ever had.
We talked about it on the show.
Yes, we did.
I was surprised.
I've never had and it was still a medium.
So that's just interesting.
I'd like to see that and Tatuayay on their own has four others coming out.
(35:43):
They got the Groovy blue belly coso, the 50th Robusto and the 50th Toro,
oh, and the Boris Karloff, which I mean, I don't know where they're going with it,
but it sounds fun.
I got to try it.
Right.
And they're moving around too.
The Groovy blue bellicosos going to be a Dominican
(36:08):
manufacturer at La Aurora, and then the 50th Robusto and the 50th Toro is going to be
from the US and El Rey de los Habanos.
And then the Boris Karloffska be Nicaragua from my mom, my father.
I mean, you know, this is one of the things we were saying before about how
Boris Karloff.
This is the age of cigars where everybody is blending the,
(36:33):
blending is the term.
There's just everybody's blending all over the place.
Everybody's going all over.
And so many collaborations.
Yeah.
I mean, it's just so phenomenal.
Okay.
When you said you were going to talk about the elephant in the room,
I thought you were going to gravitate towards this one particular manufacturer.
Which one?
Rojas.
Yeah.
(36:54):
That was, that was an interesting look.
Yes.
I now have to ask if he likes horse racing.
Why is that?
Look at the name of the cigar stolen throne.
Prickness.
Right.
So the stolen.
This is horse racing.
This is horse racing.
150 limited edition cigars going to be made in the Rojas factory.
(37:20):
So I don't know if he guessed blended or if it's just being made in his factory.
Right.
We don't know that.
But stolen throne.
So on throne we've had.
They don't have a lot of facings.
Right.
Um, is this just the second or the third?
I'm trying to remember.
I can't tell.
I can't tell.
But that would be very interesting.
(37:43):
And it's made in the Rojas factory.
And since that factory is very close to us,
very close.
We might be able to lay hands on one.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Or two or five or a box.
A T A A exclusive.
Top of the second page.
OK.
(38:04):
A Rojas.
The first 20 years.
Yes.
Does this not sound awesome?
It does.
Again, a Rojas.
A another great name.
Another great.
And I don't know who to call boutique anymore.
Great legacy.
(38:25):
You know, is our Oscar and Rojas,
are they still boutiques?
Are they big enough?
I don't know.
You know, at what point do you go from being a boutique to being
whatever, major manufacturer, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Uh, it's.
So I think there has been a,
a, um, shift in the industry.
(38:49):
And, and we've alluded to this before.
We've even talked about some of this before.
Where we think some of this stuff is going.
And, uh, uh, cigar, uh, publications,
such as Half Wheel and others, uh, have been talking more and more
about bands and manufacturers that we term as, uh, as boutique.
(39:17):
But they are becoming more mainstream.
Right.
And more people are, are trying them.
And more people are enjoying them.
But isn't it just by volume where you say you're no longer a boutique.
Now you're a major, major, major, like, I don't know.
I would imagine that that would be the quantification of it.
(39:38):
But, I mean, I don't know.
But when you try a cigar, a boutique cigar.
Yeah.
And you really, really like it and you love the blend.
And, and, and you know, you, you try another one of those cigars.
Right.
And you love that blend.
(39:59):
And you realize that this person has a, a pallet that, that matches yours.
That you really like.
Yeah.
Would you turn them as boutique?
If you, if you bought boxes of them so that you could have them,
would you turn that as well?
If I had a hard time finding them because they're not in every shop.
(40:21):
I don't know.
Because they're boutiques.
Yeah.
But there are plenty of cigars that are made by non boutique manufacturers.
The.
Aren't in every shop.
Aren't in every shop.
True.
So how does this.
Yeah.
What's that?
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know.
The term.
Yeah.
I don't know how to.
But I do know that, um, you know, just, just five years ago.
(40:48):
It was hard to find articles and ratings on manufacturers that we called boutique.
It's a lot more available.
And now you've got everybody trying these smaller manufacturers.
And if you're in a major publication.
Yeah.
Can you, can you say you're a boutique if you show up several times and make
(41:10):
you publications?
Yeah.
I don't know.
The lines seem to be boring.
I do want to talk about two notable absences, at least notable for me,
that I'm like, where are they?
I guess three.
Because the Rojas is somebody else blending in his factory.
So where's where's a Rojas offering?
(41:31):
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Could I write down a name?
Sure.
So what, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
What?
Why do you have to write it down?
Because I want to know if you're going to say this name or not.
And I want it written down ahead of time.
Okay.
You don't think I'm just making this shit up.
Okay.
Okay, go.
So there's, I guess, three notable absences that I'm like, I'm surprised.
(41:53):
Now part of it might be, this is what had been announced at the time of publication.
This isn't necessarily all this can be offered in 2020.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
But I was, I was looking for a Rojas offering.
Yes.
I was looking for a drunk chicken offering.
And I was looking for a Blackbird offering.
(42:14):
And I didn't see any of those three.
And I really want to see one of those.
And I'm hoping they just haven't announced yet, right?
Well, I can understand.
And he showed me the word Blackbird.
I wrote down the word Blackbird before he made his list before he said his list.
So I can understand a drunk chicken into some degree Rojas.
(42:40):
Because I have not seen a lot of publications covering them.
Well, it's true.
They're a little bit slower on the roll because they want to make it perfect.
And I get that.
But I have seen.
But everybody wants to make it perfect.
But I've seen a lot of publications covering Blackbird.
Yes.
(43:01):
And to not have Blackbird on this list seems a little off.
Surprising.
Surprising.
He had superb.
Surprising.
Came out.
But that's been a year and a half.
Almost two.
I expected him to have one.
Oh, no.
He had some last year that we didn't cover.
But he did have some last year.
(43:22):
Oh, maybe I missed it.
Oh, my bad.
But the Jonas is out there.
He's using those marketing.
Yes, he does.
And he is not shy.
Any means.
Not shy.
He makes a lot of videos.
Yes, he does.
(43:43):
I subscribe to that.
Yes, he does.
He puts us from quality videos.
Yeah, I don't know Spanish, but I love his videos.
Yeah, absolutely.
So you got to.
Yeah.
Now, I can understand it because, you know, if you're going to say,
if you're going to categorize people as boutique,
yeah, Rojas is going to be one of them.
Blackbird is going to be one of them.
(44:05):
Right.
I think those are still easy decisions.
I think they're still pretty low volume.
But I think that they're not shy about announcing things,
especially Blackbird.
Yeah.
So that's why I was a little.
He would have announced.
Yeah.
That's why I was a little surprised.
Because he's not that far away either.
No.
(44:27):
So I thought he might have announced already.
But they don't call it that.
Oh, what do they call it now?
Isn't that the TAA now?
Oh, right.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yeah.
So what?
Where do you want to go next?
What is it?
It's three pages.
(44:50):
I know.
It's a lot.
And so many good folks on here.
Oh, man.
Oh, so here's one that I really got to try.
I don't know how we're going to find them.
The name, right?
Yes.
The name.
And the name is, you ready for this?
I am.
Red meat lovers.
For Tonga.
(45:11):
I love that.
I have to try one just because of the name.
And I don't know that N-A-C-S-A
factory.
But there's more than a few on here for that.
Mm-hmm.
Right?
That factory has a, they don't have their own name
that I know of.
(45:32):
I don't know what to make of it because I don't know it.
Yeah, we'll have to look that way.
I will have to look that way up.
But you were talking about Tetywahay with my father,
but you did not mention the Tetywahay that's on this list.
Not yet.
We were going to go there.
Oh, no.
Yeah, I did.
Yeah, I did.
I mentioned the groovy blue.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
(45:53):
Yeah.
My bad.
Triner dad.
That's Cuban.
That's Cuban, yeah.
It's a Cuban, Triner dad.
But, I mean,
it's good to see Cubans on the list because you know they're still putting out stuff.
Why not announce it?
And there are plenty of people they're able to get,
you know, the half wheel publications because they're on the freaking web.
(46:20):
No matter where in the world you are.
Yeah.
Another name that stuck out to me was Nasser the goat.
Oh, yes.
Yes.
Yes.
That's an AJ Fernandez factory manufacturer.
So that'll be interesting because I told Daryl, I said we have to pair this with Randy Sullivan's
(46:45):
their prideful goat.
Right.
Yeah, the goats got to go together.
It'll be the goat episode.
Provided we can lay hands on them.
I don't know where they're going to be available, right?
I mean, it can be very regional.
Oh, yeah, very much so.
And I mean, that's one of the things about all these is regions matter.
(47:06):
Regions do matter.
Yeah, so,
Angenorza leaf, 25th anniversary aging room.
Yeah.
Has some R2F1T, CAO Amazon basin, a 2020-25 version of that.
Yeah, I wonder what they're going to do different on that.
So what are your thoughts on the basins?
(47:29):
So when the basin first came out, I really liked it.
Okay.
When the next one came out, when the next one came out, I thought it was so, so.
I really enjoyed the first one.
I was expecting more out of the second one.
And after that, it's just been kind of like, yeah, okay.
But I'm always good to try them.
(47:52):
But for me, that very first one they came out with was the benchmark.
Yeah, I think what happened for me was the Amazon basin came out,
and I wanted it to be more like the Amazon, but the Amazon still stood head and shoulders above it.
(48:14):
Oh, absolutely.
Absolutely.
The Amazon, the Italia, both stood above it in my...
My unfortunately.
Not the Americana.
Yeah, the Americana is definitely below it.
But again, that's just my palette.
I was hoping a little bit more for it.
Here's what I've not heard of.
(48:36):
I'm not familiar with this CASA 1910.
We've got five offerings there, two sizes in the El Bana,
a Bano, two offerings in the Mexigars, and a tiara, blacko, or a buso.
(48:58):
And it's an undisclosed factory, but they're Mexican origin.
So I don't know what they are, but again, that's all the more reason I want to try one,
because I've not heard of them.
And so I want to definitely lay hands on one.
So some made in the the Carillo factory, Casa Carillo factory, circle of life.
(49:24):
Yeah, that caught my eye.
They got four or three, sorry, not four.
They've got three sizes there.
And in the...
It doesn't say Ip Carillo, it's just Carillo, but Casa Carillo.
And I don't know what to make of it.
Yeah, I'm not sure on that one.
I'll be willing to try it though.
(49:45):
Oh, you know what though?
We glossed over the Hoya.
There's a Hoya offering.
We got the Dunbarton, tobacco, and trust year of the Duke.
Duke.
And I mean, Hoya's got some great offerings.
Absolutely.
I think my favorite was that green, the copper, I think it was called.
That was, I liked that one a lot.
(50:08):
So I don't know, but hopefully it makes the rounds.
Let's hope your thoughts on a list of announced release cigars for the upcoming year.
I mean, there's three pages already, so there's not for nothing.
(50:29):
I would have liked to see some of my favorites lean in a little more.
I'm just...
What about Blackbird and Drunk Chicken and Rojas are absent, and that bothers me.
I'm hoping to have something announced later.
What about having so many announced at the beginning of 2025?
(50:58):
Yeah, we're still early.
Yeah.
And if these are first half a year, kind of makes sense.
If they're late in 2025?
I didn't include the dates on this just to fit on the page.
They had dates.
(51:19):
Does it make sense to announce this early for something in late 2025?
Right?
I guess if you're not going to make...
The whole thing of what used to be
Big Smoke moving their dates closer to TPE really kind of screwed things up.
(51:40):
Not Big Smoke.
You mean TAA or PCE?
That really kind of screwed things up a little bit because
you had specific announcements for TPEs, specific announcements that happened around
PCE.
And now things are just kind of thrown off kilter a little bit.
(52:03):
You don't have the cycle that you were used to.
I guess you don't announce if it's going to come after the two trade shows.
Maybe they just haven't announced.
I would think so.
I would think so.
But it's not like an iPhone.
They're not going to wait.
No, we got our Christmas cigar coming out.
You know, I guess they're uncertain at this point or why wouldn't you at least announce?
(52:31):
I don't know.
I'm not sure.
So, but if you have a favorite manufacturer out there,
you want to try something new from them.
Keep track of publications, keep track of the news, sign up for their newsletters,
because a lot of manufacturers have their newsletters.
Yeah, definitely sign up for a half wheel.
(52:52):
So, bigger news source than half wheel.
They are big.
They publish a lot of articles in every area.
What's available, what's good, new products,
lighters and cutters.
Products packaging.
Everything.
You name it.
Yeah.
They are on top of it.
And great folks.
(53:15):
Anyway, but if you are interested in something particular,
search amount, sign up for the newsletter.
I guarantee you there'll be half a decent stuff to you.
Yeah, and follow them on Instagram, follow them, you know, in their newsletter.
Look up, because we didn't certainly name everything in the last three pages.
(53:39):
Look up the list in half wheel to see if there's something coming out from your favorite
manufacturer manufacturer.
Okay, so I'm looking at the list.
Okay.
Yeah, I need to go to my list too.
I am looking at the list.
And oh man.
(54:03):
Yeah, so this one is this is going to be a little more challenging,
because we agreed to make a separate rum list.
But we weren't going to make a separate scotch list, because we just don't have enough of them.
We don't have enough of them.
You can't have a list of two.
So I'm going to have to fit this in with in the whiskey category.
(54:24):
And figure out where that goes.
And I'm telling you, it's it's a good bridge between a scotch and an American whiskey.
It is.
This is tough, but I think I have it and we will swap pads now to cover what the other person said.
(54:48):
All right, do you want to start?
Yeah, I'll go ahead and start.
Okay, so Daryl's ranking the liquors and he put the Johnny Walker black 80 proof.
At that the number five slot.
I know I was surprised myself.
It went ahead of the Rebel Rye 100.
(55:12):
I'm shocked.
I was a little shocked too.
I'm absolutely shocked.
So I'm just going to name the top five for the liquor.
So we now have Johnny Walker black number five benchmark eight number four.
Russell Reserve single barreled number three.
The 1845 here in Larry Crossing, preemption reverence,
(55:35):
poor cask at number two and the Remus.
Siri eight at number one.
So you also surprised me because you put the Midnight Express in the number four slot.
This was difficult behind the diesel.
And I think I know why the diesel was more earthy.
Much.
Yeah.
And you were an earth guy.
(55:57):
So even though it had a beautiful balance between earth and paper,
you were like, nah, the diesel still the bomb of earth bomb.
So we've got the top five is Evincher Blue Eyed Jacks revenge.
Evincher King's gold diesel original.
(56:19):
Well, you're going number one number five.
Yep.
Not five to one.
Oh, yeah.
I'm going number one to number five.
You were given the numbers and you talked about the Evincher Blue.
I'm like, wait a minute.
No, that's number one.
Yeah.
Talking about it.
I'm not.
I don't work my way up.
I work my way down.
The Midnight Express is number four.
How top five list work?
And the purple.
LaBarba number five.
(56:41):
So very nice and not a surprise.
I probably would have put it above the diesel original because I thought the balance.
Just better than just being an earth bomb.
Just above, right?
Yeah.
No, I don't think I would have put it ahead of the Kings' gold,
but it was, I thought for me, better than the diesel.
(57:04):
Okay.
Nice.
But I did love that diesel.
And at five bucks, that's all that diesel.
That diesel was awesome.
That's a win at five dollars.
So all right, getting a little bit more difficult, but we are soldering through.
The balance of the Midnight Express is, yeah, I can't say it enough.
(57:29):
It is a great balance because the earth doesn't overpower what's going on.
Yeah.
So it comes down to earth bomb over earth balance.
And you're just, you're an earth guy.
We're so last year we saw all the baking spices rise at the top.
And this year, we're going to see all the earth rise at the top.
(57:52):
Yeah.
Well, but you know, you got those two exceptions at number one and number two.
Those are not earth bombs.
You didn't put diesel number one.
No, right.
And so you keep saying earth bomb, it's not about the earth bomb.
It's about the right kind of earth flavor.
Okay.
Okay.
Right.
I enjoy, I very much enjoy the earth flavor, not necessarily an earth bomb.
(58:18):
I like the right kind of earth flavor.
And this one did have a really nice earth flavor, but it didn't evoke anything.
It didn't, it didn't.
I don't know.
It was a good balance.
Don't give me wrong.
Yeah.
Of the flavors that were in it.
But yeah, I did like to be some more.
(58:40):
I definitely like the aperture of blue more.
I like to choose gold more.
So I think the list was appropriate at the moment.
Of course it is.
Because that's my list.
Yeah.
All right.
Nice.
Nice.
God.
I feel very.
Heck yeah.
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