Oliva blow out this weekend, with freebies and free shipping! Cheapest price I've ever seen on the monticello.

How is the Monticello? I've been curious but never pulled the trigger. Actually, somebody tell me they're awful. I have no capacity for another box

](*,)

Just finishing my first monticello, got a box in tuesday so they're pretty much rott. Mild-med, pretty one dimensional but a good dimension. First two thirds was very mild, creamy and maybe some almond flavors. Last third was old school, kinda similar to a punch or oliva o... here's hoping some rest will bring the goodness out of em.

Decent deterrent. Now I'm going to need you to post again tomorrow with, "Tried another. Complete dog rockets. Worst buy ever in my life."

Thanks

HEY YOU BE BE OVER IN GENERAL KNOCKING OFF THE '500'. [frypan] [frypan] [frypan] [frypan]

Um....new phone. Who dis?

^^ Yaro taught me that one. Even stolen, it amuses me

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to deter... buy them, store them, you need them! 🇨🇮

Bad Marcus! No!

[frypan]

Further updates on the recent purchases from this "other" place. Fired up a couple of the Cool Arrows over the weekend. Dang, I sure hate having to agree with Puddin' so much recently, but this really is an amazing cigar. Delicate, thin wrapper, not packed tight - you need to be gentle with it - but golly-darn so good. I also smoked a Padron 1926 Anniversary this weekend and, you know, the bigger-sized Cool Arrow, compared very favorably. Seriously, almost Padron Anniversary-level good for $4 a cigar. Not quite of course. For one thing the Padrons are a much sturdier, densely-packed, long lasting cigar with amazing flavors. No they are not the same, BUT it sure gets you thinking about it. Also had a one of the small Cool Arrows and also very-very good, although I liked the larger size a bit better as the small one you have to pay attention to not overheating, something I do not find in the larger CA.

Reading other people's comments about this cigar on-line, I noted several compared them to the 101 Uncle Lee's. Now I liked the Lee's, but other than the tissue-paper wrapping, there really is not a lot of similarities. The Cool Arrow's are much better, more complex, spicier. The Lees were fine, but nothing like the CA's - smoked dry, good but not as complex or interesting to me. [Did like the fact that, thanks to a great Mothership Deal, I got the Uncle Lees WITH a Room 101 Ashtray and Cigar Cutter that I sold on Ebay for more than what the package cost me!]

So how do I compare them with one of my other favorites from that "other" site, the MB3s? Well, I would compare them to two of my favorite beverages. The MBs' are like Knob Creek Bourbon. Very good, flavorful, strong and full-bodied. A bourbon I will drink anywhere everyday and really enjoy it. The Cool Arrow is more like Basil-Hayden's Dark Rye. Rich, complex, luscious. Makes you stop and think and consider it as you are partaking. A drink you don't want to have all the time anywhere since you would not be able to devote your full attention to it.

The Padron? More like my Middleton Very Rare Irish Whiskey :)

Darn it, now I am thirsty!!!!

CI now has the MB3 sampler for 69.99 with free shipping. Ends Tuesday night (326-19).

Good catch. With the free shipping that's better than the other place right now

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Good writeup by midmofan on the Chief, a few posts up. Yes, they're fantastic for $4, not just the super-complex flavors but the perfect construction and burn too, and they're pre-aged over 2 years already (2016 release). This is why I bought so damned many boxes of them, because it's an unparalleled deal (on a one-time-production cigar meaning this closeout deal will end FOREVER at some point soon), and with a complex 5-nation blend where 3 of the 5 tobaccos are ligeros, these things are nearly guaranteed to age very well, so buying a huge number of them now isn't going to cause regret years later, but rather even more joy.

Deals like this don't happen often. Back up the truck, whip out that wallet and buy till it hurts! You'll likely be glad you did in years to come. And as I said above, once this closeout ends, there's no going back, it's over. They made a finite number of them in 2016, they'll be all gone soon, and $4 is ABSURD for the quality level they have. There's a REASON they sold for $12.50 to $14.50 originally!

I agree with the spirits analogies. Lesser cigars I can smoke while chatting with friends or doing other tasks. Chiefs I can't... I have to sit alone with no distractions (other than my thoughts), to fully appreciate them. Any significant distraction or activity ruins the experience; they require my full attention to do them justice.
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Hey, I am famous! That other place, you know the MB3/101 place we are all careful not to mention, it has a "Cigar Mug " contest. Send in a photo of you smoking a cigar and, if they pick you, you get $25 gift certificate.

Well, I am this week's winner smoking a Chief Cool Arrow and wearing the free hat that came with them. Yeah, I know that was a pretty blatant pandering attempt, but it worked!

Check it out!

Hmmmmmm, wonder what I will spend it on?????? 😉

You are spot on Puddin. Its cool that Matt has went out making other stuffs but I just have such a sweet spot for the old Room101 and the Chief.

Hey Pudding, have you had any of the really big cool arrows the 8x60s? If so, what are they like? I usually don't go for that size but they are the ones on sale this week and I have a $25 gift certificate burning a hole in my inbox.

Yup, about 10% of the boxes I got are the Chingon(imo) size, the big-assed 8x60 figurados.

So far I've smoked 2 of them. The smells and flavors are similar across all sizes, but the flavors seem to be the least "concentrated" in this 8x60 size (but not much less concentrated, just a slight difference really), and it takes about 2.75 to 3 hours to smoke one properly (read: slowly, like you should with all Chiefs).

These are NOT bad attributes though, sometimes you want a very slightly mellower, less-intense version of those same flavors that lasts a whole lot longer.

Do you want to compress your Chief experience into a strong, spicy 55 minutes, with very noticeable and relatively quick transitions (due to the continuously-variable ring gauge and short total burn time)? Filero(kee), the small one.

Do you want a 1.5-hour experience that's about 90% as strong as the Filero(kee) with fewer transitions (due to the mostly-unchanging ring gauge)? Ranfla(jo), the medium-size one.

Do you want a 2.75 to 3-hour experience at about 80% as strong as the Filero(kee) with very noticeable but slower transitions (continuously-variable ring gauge but with a long total burn time)? Chingon(imo), the huge one.

When you want to smoke a Chief, ask yourself which of the above three options will fit your current situation, available time and mood the best. Simple as that.

All three are great, for the proper scenario.

For most guys, I'd recommend buying mostly Filero(kee) and Ranfla(jo) and a smaller amount of the Chingon(imo), because most guys rarely have 2.75 to 3 hours to sit without distractions (except their thoughts) and really focus on a cigar.

But, the rare times you CAN do that, the giant Chingon(imo) is king. And because they never "go bad" and improve forever with age (just with diminishing returns), you can keep them on-hand for years for when those rare opportunities present themselves! That's what I do.
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Here is a good example of how good this deal is:

https://www.cigarbid.com/a/liga-privada-t52-toro/3146770/ 

They are really really good.

But not nearly as good as the cool arrows. for much less.

Well, that $25 gift card did not last long as the cool arrow ranfs are on sale this weekend....

That scary place (thanks, Pudding) has a decent Asylum sampler today, 10 for $34 w/free shipping.