Are These Good Fresh, Mark, Or Do They Need Some Rest? Thanks!:-)
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CI is selling off some Casa Fernandez “Short Churchills.” They’re not exactly a lonsdale, but in the ballpark. Have some age on them and quite nice.
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Couldn't Find It, Bob .:-):-):-)
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https://www.cigarsinternational.com/...chill/2052189/

They were $60 a box recently. But, not now, sorry!
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Oh, Well. I'll Keep Looking. Thanks!:-)
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Sorry dude, I don't remember if I smoked one fresh. :-)
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ORG NOV 16 RyJ Cazadores

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How are those? I've seen the Rojas brand popping up on certain sites.
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National Brand Connecticut Lonsdale (6 x 42)

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

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

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

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

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

Ya know what? I may have to snag a bundle or 5 of these. And add a 5 pack of the maduros. :-)
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At the risk of sounding like Will Rogers, I've never smoked a Rojas I didn't like. And I actually like the Street Tacos and Bluebonnets better than these. Mark.
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I've been smoking on a '17 box and they've been fantastic. So good, in fact, that I decided to pay an exorbitant sum for 2 more boxes. Got lucky with the box dates. 2019.
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2019s, nice Mark! :-)
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Guardian of the Farm Nightwatch Orpheus (6" x 44)

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

And this one does not disappoint.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

:-)
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Sounds like a winner, Mark! :-)
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