New Lounge Lizards episode is out today featuring the Plasencia Cosecha 151 in La Tradición paired with Basil Hayden 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

We debate whether Napa Valley’s struggles carry a warning for premium cigars and what cigar brands can learn from wine and spirits about value, accessibility and memorable experiences. We also cover Dave and Kate West’s brand new Front Row Cigars endeavor, nicotine strength in Cuban versus New World cigars, cigars resurgence in sports, movies and pop culture, new Perdomo Legacy sizes, and a five-year anniversary prank for Pagoda.

Sign up for the new mailing list and win free stuff each month! No other action is required. Do it here at the newsletter signup box or at the Lounge Lizards website.

Shanken’s media empire significantly impacted the wine, whiskey and cigar industries. With regard to premium cigars, there is no one who has been more influential (nor powerful) in the industry’s long history. Without Marvin and CA, the cigar industry would look very different today - and likely cigar media like Lounge Lizards and my site would not exist at all. I hope wherever he has gone that he has a phenomenal aged Cuban cigar in his hand.

New Lounge Lizards ep. out today featuring the Powstanie San Andrés Belicoso paired with Glenfarclas 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

We discuss what makes a cigar complex versus refined, the economics behind limited editions and one of the biggest cigar-and-spirits surprises of the year. We also cover Padrón’s new Cigar of the Year sampler, Warped’s 100-count Maestro del Tiempo release, the Bolívar Safari African Regional Edition, La Aurora’s aged-tobacco releases, why Puerto Rico isn’t a major cigar producer, Lizard Enrique reflecting on five years of Lizard Nation, Chef Ricky’s reverse cold draw and more.

New Lounge Lizards ep. out today featuring the Davidoff Maxamar 25th Anniversary paired with Glenlivet 12 Jamaica Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

We discuss new releases from Cohiba, Casa Carrillo and LFD, debate when cigar flavor analysis becomes paralysis, and ask whether so-called “Cuban killer” cigars actually deliver. We also cover the seizure of 997 alleged Habanos in Europe, cigar-industry career advice, the most polarizing cigars, who we’d most like to smoke with, Lizard Grem’s cigar rotation, Lizard Dan on what Lizard Nation means to him and more. A particularly strong pairing sends the conversation off the rails.

 on The Cigar Soldier podcast, I stated that I believe - among the lizard crew - that Bam, Senator and Chef have the strongest palates. After the conversation I started to ask myself why - and did a bit of a personal deep dive as to why I felt that my own palate could use some work, relatively.

What actually makes a strong palate? Among those three guys, their ability to quickly and consistently call out flavor notes as we smoke is pretty impressive. Sometimes they may be ridiculous, but for them the callouts are an honest reflection of something they've tasted in the past - and not just in cigars. In Chef's case he's often calling out food notes, referenced of course from his spending his entire professional life in a kitchen. Senator also calls out similar notes, but also references his wine and spirits flavor catalog. (He wants to be a sommelier when he retires). Bam is the outlier - an architect/builder by trade - who just has an incredible ability to accurately nail what he’s tasting. If you listen to the earlier episodes in the catalog, you can see him reaching for notes - often repetitive each week - which we would bust his balls about. Now? He took the ribbings in stride and turned his palate into one of the strongest in the room. I seriously can't believe how good he is at tasting cigars all these years later.

Then I got to thinking about Pagoda. Pagoda's a more straightforward taster - sweetness, bitterness, saltiness and the basic chocolates, coffee, tea (and of course 'glucose biscuit'). I then got to thinking about something he commonly says: "I have no memory."

He's serious. He doesn't remember much about conversations we have, episodes we record, cigars he smokes, what he's been up to, things we've scheduled and just general mundane life stuff. Listeners will know that he's forgotten and lost more cigar accessories than any of us have ever purchased!

I very much relate to his comment. My ADHD has kept my memory of the mundane limited. I don't remember old conversations, what people were wearing or basic stuff that I probably won't need to recall in the future for any serious reason. I also don't commit mundane flavor notes to memory. What I do commit are the highlights: a song that moved me, a meal that was out of this world, a conversation that was deeply impactful and a cigar that blew the back of my head right off. My callouts during our reviews are often tied to strong memories - a candy from when I was a child, a memorable breakfast cereal I haven't had in years or a specialized flavor of ice cream created by and for a local shop.

This all brings me to the question I posed to the guys on episode 256: Are people with "stronger" palates tasting more than the rest of us, or are they simply better at remembering and articulating what they've tasted?

The state-owned group Tabacuba plans to plant 20,000 hectares nationwide, including more than 12,000 in the province of Pinar del Río, for an expected collection of 22,000 tons of tobacco. Pinar del Río, home to the Vuelta Abajo, generally accounts for about two-thirds of the tobacco harvest destined for export Havanas.

It’s been a slow news week - not much interesting enough to share with you here. This barely makes the cut, as I think it’s incredibly obvious that Cuba is having a difficult time. But, I think this article and Tabacuba’s numbers are incredibly generous - and are likely inflated. As the crisis worsens, I can’t see production going anywhere but significantly lower. While Cuba has always been resilient, I think this is one area where the logistic and energy difficulties can not be ignored.

Hopefully I’m wrong but I don’t think that I am.

New episode is out today featuring La Aurora Family Creed Perserverancia in Box Press Robusto paired with Doorly’s Barbados Rum Aged 12 Years. 

We discuss what makes a palate strong and how to improve it, we hear from Lizard Nation on Padrón Maduro vs. Natural, and we share an update on Cuban travel restrictions. We also dive into Pennsylvania Broadleaf, look at Honduras’ surge in U.S. cigar imports, discuss a new Montecristo duty-free travel humidor, hear from Lizard Chris on losing his palate, talk Playa del Carmen LCDH and custom rolls, read Lizard J’s “The Time of a Cigar” and more.

Hand up - FT has one of the best paywalls I’ve come across and despite my best efforts, it defeated me today. I would recommend getting an FT trial if the Napa valley’s economic situation interests you.

At this year’s Premiere Napa Valley, the trade organisation’s auction for which top estates create rare bottlings, prices fell 39 per cent from three years ago, and not one bottle crossed $1,000 compared with 2014 when 12 did. 

Rob McMillan is executive vice-president of First Citizens Bank. He has collected data from his bank’s borrowers for the past 26 years for his influential State of the US Wine Industry report and has been predicting a big dip since 2018, warning wineries to adjust or die. Too many tastings at wineries require appointments, last several hours, and cost too much, he believes — on average, $81 a person.

Drinking habits are changing - especially in young people. I believe the linked article is a stark warning for the premium cigar industry. While today we see prices rising for higher-end/exclusive product, tomorrow may bring a serious correction. With the economic forces at play for the average cigar smoker, that smoker is increasingly forced to make harder decisions about where to spend their money.

A consumer will react to how an experience - and the provider of that experience - makes them feel. If the most-desired cigars from Habanos S.A., Fuente and others increasingly feel like they're designed only for the elite, manufacturers risk alienating their loyal customers - even when plenty of excellent, affordable cigars remain available. Perception is reality. I believe it’s already happening. We should learn from these winemakers’ mistakes.

While I never could have predicted Napa Valley facing this kind of come-to-Jesus moment, I do see troubling similarities in premium cigars. Any industry that mistakes rising prices for enduring customer loyalty will eventually discover just how fragile that loyalty can be.

Exclusivity can make a product desirable but making the people who love that product feel excluded is something else entirely.

Cigars need to remain the great equalizer. To marginalize the average smoker’s experience is incredibly short-sighted.

Some 400 guests joined in the festivities along with members of Cuba’s cigar industry and representatives from Hunters & Frankau, the distributors of Cuban cigars in the United Kingdom.

The Talismán is 54 x 6 ⅛. The cigar is now selling in special gift packs of three cigars, with a suggested retail price of £600 ($791), which means each cigar will cost roughly $263. Later, when it debuts on world markets, it will come in boxes of 10.

Some official at Habanos HQ: “EVERYTHING IS FINE! JUST KEEP ANNOUNCING NEW PRODUCTS. YES, £200 SOUNDS PERFECT.”

400 guests congratulating themselves on the future of Cuban cigars, $263 regular production cigars and not a single elephant in the room.

It was created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of one of the most popular La Flors ever made. The filler and binder leaves on the new maduro version were grown on La Canela, the farm in the Dominican Republic owned by La Flor Dominicana. According to the company, some of the Dominican tobacco in the blend comes from a 2016 crop that’s been aging for 10 years, including the binder leaf and one of the filler components, grown from Pelo de Oro seed. The wrapper is from the Connecticut River Valley, a dark leaf of Connecticut broadleaf, rather than Ecuadoran tobacco as used on the original. 

Production is being limited to 5,000 boxes, each of them containing 10 cigars. Each box has a suggested retail price of $350, which breaks down to $35 per cigar. 

The specs on the cigar are intriguing, though the original Bull has been a letdown for my palate. I don’t know why I’m surprised by the limited initial availability here, as almost all new hyped releases are presented as scarce. 

I look forward to reviewing it. Is this the early lock for CA’s Cigar of the Year?

New Lounge Lizards ep. out today featuring Foundation The Wise Man Corojo in Toro paired with Glengoyne 12-Year-Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky. We discuss a new patented ashtray that supposedly cools your cigar, a Lizard listener’s recap of InterTabac 2026, Gizmo’s recent interview on The Cigar Soldier podcast, Foundation moving from AGANORSA to My Father, Cuban cigar distribution in Europe, pipe smokers in cigar lounges, a Lizard opening a cigar shop in Sweden and more.

We welcome Drew Estate as a sponsor this week - they’re a great group of folks. Sign up to earn some killer swag at 

.

Pagoda was on fire and gave us a new soundbite-worthy clip. It had me laughing out loud during the edit.

I decided to change up a few things this week - including the way I title the episodes as well as the show notes. I would love to hear your thoughts!

La Flor Dominicana is poised to announce a new, darker version of the Andalusian Bull, the award-winning figurado that was crowned Cigar of the Year by 

 magazine ten years ago.
The original Andalusian Bull made its market debut in June 2016. Just like the original, the maduro version will measure 6 1/2 inches long with a 64 ring gauge at its fattest point.

I’ve not seen this one before. How much does it cost for CA to tease a product announcement? And how much for a tease to tease the tease of the announcement?

The lead producer, Nicaragua, shipped 148.3 million cigars to the United States, accounting for 61 percent of all cigar imports. Its numbers were flat compared to the first seven months of 2025.

In second place, the Dominican Republic shipped 46.9 million cigars (19.3 percent of all imports). That country had a decrease of 6.9 percent when compared to the same period of 2025.

The No. 3 producer, Honduras, was right on the heels of the Dominican Republic with 44.9 million cigars. That Central American nation was the only major producer to show a gain, and it was a large one—Honduran shipments were up more than 11 percent over last year. It now accounts for 18.4 percent of the market.

Honduran cigars are clearly working for the American palate. The Lizards and I have found Honduran tobacco to be the closest experientially to Cuban tobacco, generally. It’s no surprise to see Honduras climbing the chart here - a ton of excellent producers are making great cigars. Viva!

We’ve all seen the Sphere footage over the last few years. Dead & Company, Eagles, etc. but this Metallica footage is the first where I’ve felt compelled to go see a show. The Vegas dread for PCA 2027 is fading quickly!

The new travel humidor contains twenty cigars presented in the Duke format - 54 x 5½” - the same as the Partagás Serie E. No. 2 and the Bolívar Soberano EL. MSRP is $64/cigar or $1280/box. 

Habanos continues to serve its “stuck in the airport” customer segment. It’s interesting to see this announcement, as most Duty Free shelves worldwide remain 90% empty.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said that U.S. citizens “are no longer authorized to attend or organize professional meetings or conferences in Cuba.

Going to the Habanos Festival is now explicitly forbidden for Americans, even those who travel on an accepted OFAC general license (e.g. Journalism/Support for the Cuban People, etc.). 

This brings another question to mind - will HSA move the festival elsewhere in 2027? There’s no reasonable way it can resume in Havana under the current conditions.

I was thrilled to join Mitch for my - and his - first podcast interview on The Cigar Soldier Podcast. Mitch has been a listener and supporter of the Lounge Lizards since the very early days and I was honored that he asked me to do it. Please let us know what you think! 

The chosen vitola is the Torres, the format with the largest ring gauge in the brand's regular portfolio (54 x 4⅜″). The capa, tripa, and capote leaves, all from the 2022 harvest in Vuelta Abajo, underwent a supplementary aging process of at least three years.

Let’s do some math. The three years’ aged petit robusto is $220 MSRP or $50/ inch. For comparison’s sake, a 2023 box of twelve “regular” Vígia 

sold for $650 three weeks ago on Bond Roberts.

 With the auction fee, that’s $62/cigar. 

The two extra bands on the Reserva add $158 per cigar.

Hooten Young is teaming up with Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., a major firearms company, to release two new Ruger-branded cigars and a new bourbon.

Cigars, bourbon and firearms: The Holy Regulatory Triumvirate

New LL out today featuring the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Exclusivo Natural paired with Privateer Navy Yard True American Rum. We discuss which Cuban cigars we’d save, revive or kill, the new Trinidad Vigía Reserva Cosecha 2022, European cigar distributors going insolvent, Pagoda’s humidor neglect, the final call on U.K. plain packaging comments and much more.

This episode solidifies that we’ve slept on the Exclusivo in Natural for too long.

If you've heard the podcast at any point over the last year, you know my fascination with Chen Zhi's downfall is endless. Chen is/was the largest individual shareholder in Habanos S.A. and other adjact tobacco businesses. Long story short: he was running a massive 

 that was earning him billions - which he then used to purchase HSA and the other assets in 2020. It's caused a lot of damage industry wide - Cuban and non-Cuban tobacco alike. Google/ChatGPT his name and you'll have three-days' worth of reading to do.

The article that's linked in the title here, from FiNews.com, is the most shocking development this year. Most notably, the revelation of Chen's ownership in storied HSA distributors Hunters & Frankau and Pacific Cigar Company. 

Eighteen months ago when it was known that HSA was forcing their way into ownership positions at their distributors worldwide - with the threat of less cigar allocation - it was widely believed that H&F and PCC escaped unharmed. How could a 100 year old business acquiesce like this?

Now we know they did and to the tune of 50%. The article is long (and worth reading) but even better is the flowchart teased in the middle of the page. Click into that and do some exploring and perhaps you'll find the numbers as interesting as I did. It very quickly reduces the confusion around Chen and his entangled enterprises.

Important to note (as this all happened while I was absent from the site here) - several European distributors are facing heavy banking scrutiny for their involvement with Chen. It's 2026 and banks very much do not like risk - and they really don't care who you are or how much money you have. It also doesn't help that this is all happening in the tobacco business...

Let's not forget the issues in Cuba resulting in significantly less stock being available. Will these distributors survive?

Big news from Bond Roberts today. They're a big supporter of the Lizards and we are a big supporter of them. Like it or not, these transactions are already taking place on social media and internet forums - most often unregulated and certainly not authenticated. 

In 2020, BR changed the game for Cuban cigar transactions and now will provide the first professional and secure platform for the sale of non-Cuban cigars under the eye of 

New LL out today featuring the Cuba Aliados by EPC Toro paired with Glenmorangie The Nectar 16 Years. We welcome Drew Estate as a new sponsor, discuss resting, aging and acclimating cigars, Cuba’s declining tourism, developing your palate and DJ Khaled visiting Davidoff of London in jean shorts.

New LL out today featuring the Tatuaje Miami Havana Cazadores paired with ArteNOM Selection de 1414 Tequila Reposado. We discuss ProCigar 2027 and Davidoff’s exit, tequila with food, OpusX ReXilent Redux, vacation and cruising Lizards, listeners pulling back from Cubans and Chef trying to change a rating.

New LL out today featuring the Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown Pyramid No. 9 paired with Blanton’s The Original Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey. We discuss the controversial Opus X ReXilient 9/11 charity release and recap Senator’s big birthday soirée.

New LL out today for Episode 250 featuring the Partagás 8-9-8 paired with The Macallan Sherry Cask 18 Years, plus a Fabrica5 Lonsdale. We debate whether we’d smoke more Cubans if price and scarcity disappeared, announce the big Episode 250 giveaway and accidentally reveal Bam’s beauty secrets.

New LL out today featuring the Arturo Fuente Añejo Reserva Xtra Viejo Limited #77 Shark paired with El Dorado 12. We cover Bond Roberts auction news, U.K. plain packaging and Spain’s smoking rules, discuss moving from tupperdors to humidors to dryboxing and share what the Lizards are watching and listening to.

New LL out today featuring the La Flor Dominicana 30 Years paired with The Glendronach 15 Year Revival. We discuss LFD’s unique vitola trademark, Pagoda losing another case, listener tupperdor issues, Cuba’s fuel and power situation, the conceptual Bam Bam Zone and feedback on our Cuba coverage.

New LL out today featuring the Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante Toro paired with A Midwinter Night’s Dram Limited Engagement. We discuss avoiding palate fatigue, the cost of members-only cigar lounges, a new Trinidad Reserva Cosecha, Bam and Giz at a RUSH concert in New York and Chen Zhi’s fate.

New LL out today featuring the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust 10th Jubilee paired with Penderyn Single Malt Whisky. We ask whether it’s Saka’s best cigar, discuss Meliá closing Cuban hotels, Cohiba Talisman moving into regular production, working in the cigar industry and humidor strategies for rehabbing dull cigars.

New LL out today featuring the Quai d’Orsay Coronas Claro paired with 123 Tequila Reposado Dos. We ask whether the golden age of Cuban tobacco has ended, distinguish body from strength and flavor, discuss Cuba’s supply-and-demand problems and changing blends, cover a new French Bolívar Regional Edition and welcome Lizard X’s wife back.

New LL out today featuring the Gurkha Nicaragua Series Toro paired with Paraduxx Proprietary Red Blend 2022. We discuss Gurkha’s marketing impact, the latest on bringing Cuban cigars into the U.S. in 2026, the Gurkha catalog and the newly announced J.J. Fox Selección line.

New LL out today featuring Stoic Equanimity Wisdom paired with Redbreast 15. We discuss the global cigar-pricing delta, a listener’s humidor disaster, Alaska banning new lounges, Cuban tobacco in non-Cuban cigars and Senator’s change of heart on Costco.

New LL out today featuring the Aladino 250th paired with Bulleit Frontier Whiskey 10 and our PCA 2026 interview with Ariana Eiroa. We discuss the ups and downs of aging cigars, our favorite places in the world to smoke, falling Cuban cigar shipments and choosing your last-ever cigar.

New LL out today for Short Smoke Special No. 7 featuring the Davidoff Grand Cru No. 5 and H. Upmann Majestic paired with Johnnie Walker 18. We discuss repairing a cigar brand’s reputation, aging Padrón X000s, how Lizards can support PCA, social platforms purging cigar groups and Davidoff inconsistency.

New LL out today featuring the Vegas Robaina Unicos paired with Havana Club Edición Profesional B: Rich & Smoky Dark. We discuss the future of Vegas Robaina, New York’s proposed generational tobacco ban, a $20,000 La Flor Dominicana humidor, S.T. Dupont’s Cohiba 60th release and a cigar-etiquette exemption.

New LL out today featuring the Bond Roberts Dalia Linea B No. 3 paired with The Macallan 15. We get into Lizard Law & Order, Bam returns from North Korea, Senator recaps Alaska, we discuss the Lizards on Reddit and Poobah heads out on special assignment.

New LL out today featuring the Meerapfel La Estancia 52 paired with Wild Common Tequila Reposado. We discuss Cuban tobacco as a secret ingredient, cruise lines being punished for Cuban tourism, cigar-draw fundamentals, pre-cutting cigars when traveling and our must-have cigar accessories.

New LL out today featuring the Perez-Carrillo Pledge Purple paired with Glenlivet Fusion Cask and our interview with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. We discuss EPC’s love of American tobacco, when to buy a tower humidor, whether Gurkha is back, the most Cuban-like experience from a non-Cuban cigar and Bam’s love of his Navage.

New LL out today featuring the Davidoff Puro Dominicano Corona Larga paired with Barrell Seagrass. We ask whether Davidoff is back, launch the new Ratings Guide, hear about Gizmo losing his passport in Europe, discuss Tabacalera de Garcia reopening, listener feedback on the podcast’s impact and Bam’s latest fashion faux pas.

New LL out today featuring the Ramón Allones Specially Selected paired with Eminente Reserva Rum. We ask whether non-Cubans can replicate the Cuban cigar experience, debate whether Cuban cigars are overhyped, discuss the U.K.’s generational tobacco ban, aguardiente rum, ProCigar’s charity work and cigars in movies.

New LL out today featuring the C.L.E. Maduro 50 x 5 paired with Ass Pocket Whiskey Original Bourbon. We dive into the Eiroa family story, discuss Montecristo’s Follow the Stars launch, Saint Luis Rey’s 30th anniversary, guitarist Derek Trucks’ bourbon and the journey from cigar pastime to full-blown passion.

New LL out today featuring the La Galera Imperial Jade Robusto paired with Lost Lore Tequila Reposado. We recap some brilliant New Orleans restaurant experiences, celebrate Cinco de Mayo, ask whether improper stemware is affecting ratings, get cooking tips from Chef, look at Cuba’s tourism decline and hear how Pagoda went airborne.

New LL out today from PCA 2026 in New Orleans featuring Aging Room Blue Amber Blue Turquoise. We recap the trade show and our favorite moments, discuss American tobacco roaring back into premium cigars, secret blending ingredients, Rocky Patel’s genius and the latest ruling from Judge Mehta.

New LL out today featuring the Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Puro Nicaragua Habano Robusto J paired with Wild Turkey 101 8 Year. We preview new 2026 releases and PCA, discuss eye-popping cigar-company valuations, Fuente’s latest X lawsuit, the merits of blind reviews and whether different cut styles affect flavor.

New LL out today featuring the Partagás Serie P No. 2 paired with Santa Teresa 1796. We revisit one-hit-wonder cigars from the podcast, discuss Gizmo’s New Jersey tobacco tax bill, retail-shop hospitality, lacquer aroma affecting cigars, differences between PCA and ProCigar and the purpose of cellophane.

New LL out today featuring the Davidoff Winston Churchill Churchill paired with Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon Whiskey. We compare tobacco bale aging with bundle aging, discuss brands that have completely changed our minds, revisit cigar-smoking hygiene, talk cigars for dark times and debate how price should affect ratings.

New LL out today featuring the Foundation The Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142 Lancero paired with Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Heritage Barrel Toasted Barrel. Pagoda and Giz wrap up ProCigar, Gizmo goes to war with United Airlines, we discuss the return of Davidoff Puro Dominicano, our longest cigar breaks and the cigar media we consume.

New LL out today featuring the Perdomo Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown Epicure paired with Volcan de Mi Tierra Reposado. We discuss Perdomo and Opus X defying the wrapper odds, another Rooster wildlife encounter, Bam’s Fundadores dinner, whether time can fix a bad blend and brands the Lizards tend to avoid.

New LL out today featuring the Plasencia Alma del Cielo Boreal paired with Volans Tequila Reposado. Pagoda and Gizmo recap the first part of ProCigar with La Aurora, we share mysterious lounge-member stories, discuss PCA 2026, new smokers sourcing legitimate Cubans, lounge-owner gaffes and what Gizmo is like off air.

New LL out today featuring the Cohiba Ambar paired with Abuelo 12. We unveil a new ratings guide, update Lizard of the Week winners, discuss Tabacalera S.L.U. insolvency and Hoyo’s 160th anniversary, share favorite destination smoking spots and debate Cuba’s blending process.

New LL out today featuring the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Solita Red paired with Knob Creek 12. We discuss the Habanos Festival postponement, the future of Cuban tobacco, the importance of cigar-lounge hospitality, great cigars we don’t reach for often and creating consistent humidity for smoking.

New LL out today featuring Avowed The Vow 6.29 paired with Lagavulin 11 Offerman Edition. We discuss the Habanos Festival and Cohiba updates, estate planning for cigar collections, a listener’s call-out on rum additives, spouses buying cigars as gifts and the idea of cigar enlightenment.

New LL out today featuring the CAO Brazilia Box-Press paired with Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon Whiskey. We discuss women in Lizard Nation, cigars for celebrating milestones, cigar-related gifts from significant others, Davidoff’s ownership transition, Tennessee e-commerce and a new Cuban Trinidad.

New LL out today featuring the Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 3 Belicoso paired with Yellow Spot 12. We make our first-ever change to the Lizard ratings process, talk Cuban marca confusion, Rafael Nodal’s influence on Trinidad, unpleasant cigar notes, reflective listener feedback and blend transparency.

New LL out today featuring the H. Upmann Magnum 46 paired with Don Pancho 8. We review Halfwheel’s Top 25 of 2025, hear Senator’s wild story involving an irate lounge member’s wife, discuss cigar-industry theft and murder, unbanded Cuban cigars, Habanos price increases and lounge etiquette.

New LL out today featuring the Aladino 85 Aniversario Reserva Robusto paired with Abuelo 7. Klaas Kelner calls in to discuss our LE 80 review, Bam’s Fundadores auction transaction is completed on-air, and we return to customer service and memorable smoking moments from 2025.

New LL out today featuring the My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Pressed paired with Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Port. We reveal the new Cohiba Excelentes LE coming in 2026, celebrate Gizmo being named FOH Man of the Year, revisit Chen Zhi chaos and hear about Senator’s return to Panama.

New LL out today featuring the Kelner LE 80 paired with Writers’ Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey. We review Cigar Aficionado’s 2025 Top 25, get a major update on Bam’s Trinidad Fundadores sale, smoke Klaas Kelner’s birthday cigar for his father and discuss the latest Cuba and Venezuela developments.

New LL out today featuring the Byron 19th Century Poemas paired with 1933 Macleod’s 15 Years Old. We ask whether retrohaling affects the palate for food and wine, discuss bad customer service, Spain’s smoking ban, Gizmo versus USPS and some of our most cherished cigar memories.

New LL out today featuring the Cohiba BHK 54 paired with French Bloom Le Blanc and The Dalmore King Alexander III. We review the year in ratings, look back at our best and worst cigars and pairings of 2025, discuss Behike pricing, white-whale cigars and humidity in tupperware.

New LL out today featuring the Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario 25 Edición Limitada paired with The Macallan A Night On Earth. We discuss the U.K. versus cigar lounges, Year of the Horse releases, J.C. Newman’s Ybor City restoration, Aganorsa history and distracting cigar packaging.

New LL out today featuring the La Galera Habano Perillas Lancero paired with The Dalmore Port Wood Reserve. We talk new Bond Roberts and Habanos releases, a U.K. House of Lords speech on cigars and the poor treatment younger cigar smokers sometimes receive.

New LL out today featuring the Warped La Colmena Black Honey 2023 paired with Larceny 92. We discuss new Fuente Cameroon tobacco, breakfast cigars, Habanos and Chen Zhi, J.C. Newman’s America 250 project, listener meetups and cigar samplers.

New LL out today featuring the Partagás Serie D No. 4 paired with Grgich Hills Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2020. We build the perfect Thanksgiving plate, answer frequently asked questions, discuss helping new cigar smokers, visit the world’s largest cigar lounge and hear about Gizmo’s latest watch purchase.

New LL out today featuring the Montecristo Double Edmundo paired with La Marielita 18 Year Panamanian Rum. We cover new Davidoff and Cohiba releases, the year of lacquer boxes and collectible coins, rehabilitating underselling Cuban brands and changes to the Lizard cigar rotation.

New LL out today featuring the Tatuaje Cabaiguan Imperiales paired with G4 Tequila Reposado. We toast four years of the podcast, ask whether Nicaraguan tobacco can taste Cuban, share our cold-weather smoking setups, discuss tariff threats and get an update on Gizmo’s garage war.

New LL out today featuring the Oz Family Cigars Karatoba Robusto Extra paired with Yamato Cask Strength Whisky. We introduce the Bond Roberts Lizard of the Week prize, discuss brilliant non-Cuban cigars, an Habanos owner’s fraud indictment, pig-butchering scams, post-cigar oral hygiene and the return of bolognese.

New LL out today featuring the La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet No. 1 paired with Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition. We welcome Small Batch Cigar as a new sponsor, look back at 25 years of Habanos S.A., discuss the cigar industry’s fight with the California Attorney General and Belgian plain packaging.

New LL out today featuring Stoic Equanimity Courage paired with The Macallan 12 Double Cask and our interview with Vance Taylor. We dig into Stoic’s origin and blending, Habanos’ statement on prison labor, technology connecting cigar smokers and the role Reddit plays in the community.

New LL out today featuring the Romeo y Julieta Dianas from Línea de Oro paired with Planteray XO 20th Anniversary Rum. We talk favorite timepieces, cigar and watch culture, finding box-split partners and recent Habanos seizures.

New LL out today featuring the My Father Blue Toro paired with Partido Roble Fino Sherry Cask Tequila Reposado. We discuss Cuban prisoners rolling cigars, overheating a cigar, the $1,000 Trinidad Fundadores release and another classic Pagoda story.

New LL out today featuring the Davidoff Chef’s Edition 2025 paired with Pascal Jolivet Sancerre 2023. Senator recaps the Dominican Republic, we discuss why we smoke the entire cigar each week, unnecessarily lavish packaging, where to smoke in New York City and white wine’s short shelf life.

New LL out today featuring the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Torpedo Maduro paired with The Balvenie Sweet Toast of American Oak. We revisit our current feelings on Cuban cigars, reflect on Episode 200 feedback, debate the retrohale and preview the Davidoff Chef’s Edition 2025.

New LL out today featuring the Avowed New Dawn Toro paired with Glenmorangie 10 and our interview with Klaas Kelner. We discuss palate coverage, cigar blending, the Avowed story, Norwegian plain packaging and balancing cigars with family life.

New LL out today for Episode 200 featuring the H. Upmann Sir Winston 2018 paired with Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill 2015. We look back at memories from 200 episodes, discuss the impact of 2025 tariffs and cigar seizures, update our Cuban cigar rotation and hear about Senator’s Honey Deuce and Pagoda at the U.S. Open.

New LL out today featuring the Liga Privada H99 Toro paired with Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. We remember Flory Padrón, discuss telltale signs of an aged cigar and stalk-cut tobacco, and cover big family milestones for Bam and Senator.

New LL out today featuring the Cuaba Distinguidos paired with El Tesoro Tequila Blanco. We discuss customs issues at the U.S. border, box seizures and Global Entry, review the Buena Vista Social Club musical, hear about Senator’s Atlanta trip and let Grinder go off the rails on tequila.

New LL out today featuring the Perez-Carrillo Encore Black Robusto paired with Southern Star Paragon Bourbon and our interview with Lissette Perez-Carrillo. We discuss women in the cigar industry, Casa Carrillo blending, the continuing Brûlée debate and what makes a cigar great.

New LL out today featuring the Cohiba Siglo II paired with Domaine Sigalas Santorini Assyrtiko 2020. We revisit an old box code, review our first non-sparkling white wine pairing, discuss retail lounge hospitality, Festival del Habano 2026 and Cohiba’s 60th anniversary.

New LL out today featuring the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Brûlée Robusto paired with Glenmorangie 12. We build a non-Cuban five-pack for new smokers, revisit the great Brûlée sweetening debate, discuss cigars returning to pop culture and remember Ozzy Osbourne.

New LL out today featuring the Romeo y Julieta Churchills paired with Billecart-Salmon Champagne Le Rosé. Garçon joins for Bam’s and Chef’s birthdays, we dig into Romeo y Julieta history and rosé Champagne, and ask whether we’ve been hypocrites about Cuba.

New LL out today featuring the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto Maestro paired with The Dalmore 12 Year Sherry Cask Select and our interview with Rafael Nodal. We discuss our daily smoking routines, Senator getting attacked on YouTube and Nicaraguan speed limits.

New LL out today featuring the H. Upmann No. 2 paired with Cascahuín Tahona Blanco. We map out core flavor notes for the major Cuban marcas, build a five-pack for a new Cuban smoker, discuss the Punch Nectarés launch and tobacco beetle freezer protocol, and hear about Bam’s trip to Turks and Caicos.

New LL out today featuring the J.C. Newman The American Toro paired with Aberlour A’bunadh Cask Strength Scotch. We smoke our first premium handmade American puro, discuss how to choose the right pairing for a cigar, and answer a listener email on changes to the Lizard smoking rotation.

New LL out today featuring the Montecristo No. 2 paired with Flor de Caña 18. We debate whether we’re living in a golden age of cigar quality, give an update on Cuban cigar review frequency, talk smoking in Singapore and answer a listener email on Edición Regional and Edición Limitada cigars.

New LL out today featuring the Fuente Fuente Opus X Oro Oscuro Robusto paired with Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado. We discuss Opus X marketing, new French smoking laws, sugar content in rum pairings, listener thoughts on Padrón and whether Opus X can ever live up to the expectation around it.

New LL out today featuring the El Rey del Mundo Choix Suprême paired with Cascahuín Tequila Reposado. We issue a Lizard Nation call to action, continue the discussion about the podcast’s Cuban cigar future, look at Cuba’s rum crisis and share some recent Cuban cigar purchases.

New LL out today featuring the Aladino Cameroon Robusto paired with Cantera Negra Tequila Añejo and our interview with Justo Eiroa. We dig into JRE and Aladino history, new releases, disappointing unicorn cigars, whether Senator has found the new D4, and a post-ratings Bam-versus-Senator debate.

New LL out today featuring the Sancho Panza Belicosos paired with Cave L’Aurance Crémant de Bourgogne Brut. We debate the future of Cuban cigars on the podcast, discuss budget sparkling wine, getting a spouse to support cigar purchases and welcome Bane to the program.

New LL out today with Rob Ayala and Hamlet Paredes in studio, smoking the Bond Roberts 109 and Fenómenos. We get deep into Fabrica5 blending and quality control, the brilliance of Honduran tobacco, the impact of Bond Roberts auctions and the current and future state of the Cuban cigar market.

New LL out today featuring the Diplomáticos No. 2 paired with J.P. Wiser’s 18. We discuss cigar inventory management, the retailer impact on Cuban cigar pricing, sharing holy-grail cigars, when aged cigars peak and preview Rob Ayala and Hamlet Paredes joining us in studio.

New LL out today featuring the Padrón Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro paired with Lagavulin 16 and our interview with Jorge Padrón. We discuss new product development, Padrón’s quality-over-quantity approach, the future of the brand, and how our cigar buying and aging habits have changed.

New LL out today featuring a ten-year-aged Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo de San Juan paired with Cierto Private Collection Tequila Blanco. We revisit cigar lounge etiquette, return to agave, and somehow end up in an extended discussion about scones.

New LL out today from PCA 2025 in New Orleans featuring the La Aurora Family Creed Fuerte Sol Robusto paired with E. León Jimenes 1903 Rum. We recap the trade show, share our favorite moments, and get into New Orleans food, culture and a new muffuletta obsession.

New LL out today featuring the Cohiba BHK 58 paired with Ron Santiago de Cuba 8 Años and 11 Años. Bam and Gizmo recap their latest trip to Havana, we review the new high-dollar flagship Behike, revisit the selling-cigars-to-friends debate and discuss our current Cuban cigar buying habits.

New LL out today featuring the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Umbagog Bronzeback paired with Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie. We discuss Steve Saka’s unique branding decisions, a recent factory fire in Nicaragua, and answer a listener email on cigar lounge etiquette.

New LL out today featuring the Punch Punch Punch paired with Larressingle Armagnac VSOP. We discuss the impact of Cuban cigar retailers ending U.S. shipments, share memories of great Cuban cigars, and hear Pagoda’s unique cigar journey.

New LL out today with an April Fools’ Day full-panel blind review, later revealed as Stoic Cigars Courage, paired with Flor de Caña 18. We preview PCA 2025, cover new releases from Dunbarton and Davidoff, and Lizard Henrito joins after the rating to reveal the cigar.

New LL out today featuring the Partagás Línea Maestra Rito paired with Bacardí Reserva Ocho. We discuss eleven new Habanos S.A. releases, dig into Bacardí’s Cuban history, debate selling cigars to friends, put Bam back in the hot seat and talk about preparing just-arrived cigars for smoking.

All the while I feel stupid because I guess anywhere else in the world, a simple human being like me would have access to (scabies) cream. Luckily, I managed to get an already used tube of Ketoconazole from a very good friend who is going to try and get me some more. It seems my patient, stoic and assertive attitude has helped me a little. But the phrase: 

“God tightens the noose but doesn’t strangle you,”

 keeps coming to my mind and I can’t help but think that he’s really going at it, especially in this medical superpower without medicines.

Anti-fungal cream, among many other basic medicines, are very difficult to find in Cuba, the "Medical Superpower".

Havana Times Essay: What It’s Like to Live in a Medical Superpower

April 5, 2023 2:40 PM · By Gizmo