Dave_In_Philly":z8vnqldg said:
...was so well versed in areas beyond the briar:
http://cigarchronicles.com/up-in-smoke/havana-fantasy/
Sir, while I appreciate your bucking the trend of tree trunk sized cigars and choosing a smaller gauge cigar for your Bio-Picture, I simply cannot support your choice of sun glasses :no:
LOL! The photo was something of a joke. Sort of. The photo was taken at the end of a rib BBQ competition I was part of, and I'd had more than a few beers... That is, they're not mine. Really. I borrowed them to hide my bloodshot eyespheres. The goatee, on the other hand, is genuine, as was the cigar.
With respect to baseball bats masquerading as cigars, I've had a couple of fat smokes that were pretty good, but give me a corona or a lonsdale any day, even a double corona or a robusto. The balance is completely wrong in a fat cigar. The wrapper, the finest, tastiest leaf in the blend, takes a back seat to the filler. There's no joy there for me.
Interestingly, I was chatting with a cigar maker who is launching a new brand, and when he told me they'd be doing a 660 and 770, I, without thinking, and without the convenient excuse of beer, exclaimed, "Those are just stupid."
"Yes, they are," he responded, "but they sell, and we can't ignore the market." Sad.
If I ever launch a cigar brand, I can assure you, there will be no baseball bats in the range. Period. Screw market demands. I only produce and sell what I can believe in. It certainly has not made me rich, but at least I can look at myself in the mirror in the mornings, bad shades or not.
I promise never to be seen in the shades again...
Once Kevin and I figure out the direction the magazine needs to go, and it's more Kevin than me, since he's got the "Chief" thing in his title, and there's only "Associate" in mine, it'll be nice to go back to writing about cigars again. And, expect a wine and spirits column, as well. In the meanwhile, PipesMagazine keeps me busy.