Getting your feet wet Pass II

[MoeCizlak]

Looks great buddy. You might win the prize for closest pricing on their P/Ts. :thumbs:

 

[punk_lawyer]

Nice work on the puts and takes. Just a reminder, you might want to have a nice dinner before smoking that Bucanero Salsa. :thumbs:

 

[whopper]

I dropped "The Pass" at the Post Office at 11:23 am EST. So it's now officially on it's way to Miami.

 

[Jonesy]

My proposed Takes and Puts:

62) LFD Mysterio ($13.72)* for Padron 1964 Imperial Maduro ($14)
79) Ashton VSG Illusion ($9.96)* for Padron 1926 #35 Maduro ($10)
100) Padilla 1932 Robusto ($9.57)* for AF My Father #2 ($9.98)*
103) Bucanero Salsa ($7.16) for LFD Especiales Churchill Pigtail ($7.19)*
106) Opus X Super Belicoso ($12) for LFD Factory Press II ($12.25; $12.50; $12.75~>$12.50)
116) WOAM ($7.35) for Opux X Perfecxion No.5 ($8)
117) LFD Limitado III ($8) for Ashton VSG Corona Gorda ($9.04)*

I'm a little unsure about the Opus X Super Belicoso for the LFD FP II. I thought the rarity aspect could go either way.



*Cigarcyclopedia Comparison Shopper average price per stick if bought by the box from each vendor with this cigar in stock as of 11/7/08 PDF.

Nice P/T's there Steve! I'm going to let the Opie for the Factory Press go since they aren't widely available like other LFD's are.

 

[The Green Monkey]

Right on, right on!

Pompous Pugs--is the address in your profile correct?

 

[ironpeddler]

My proposed Takes and Puts:

62) LFD Mysterio ($13.72)* for Padron 1964 Imperial Maduro ($14)
79) Ashton VSG Illusion ($9.96)* for Padron 1926 #35 Maduro ($10)
100) Padilla 1932 Robusto ($9.57)* for AF My Father #2 ($9.98)*
103) Bucanero Salsa ($7.16) for LFD Especiales Churchill Pigtail ($7.19)*
106) Opus X Super Belicoso ($12) for LFD Factory Press II ($12.25; $12.50; $12.75~>$12.50)
116) WOAM ($7.35) for Opux X Perfecxion No.5 ($8)
117) LFD Limitado III ($8) for Ashton VSG Corona Gorda ($9.04)*

I'm a little unsure about the Opus X Super Belicoso for the LFD FP II. I thought the rarity aspect could go either way.



*Cigarcyclopedia Comparison Shopper average price per stick if bought by the box from each vendor with this cigar in stock as of 11/7/08 PDF.

Well done Stevey Boy...well done. For a Newbie, those are some seriously thought out P/Ts

Never heard of a Bucanero cigar...and that's what this is all about!...cool

 

[The Green Monkey]

Well done Stevey Boy...well done. For a Newbie, those are some seriously thought out P/Ts

Don't go patting me on the back too hard--I pretty much pooped all over myself (and may not even be done yet) in the Puppy Pass...

 

[whopper]

Well done Stevey Boy...well done. For a Newbie, those are some seriously thought out P/Ts

Don't go patting me on the back too hard--I pretty much pooped all over myself (and may not even be done yet) in the Puppy Pass...

Ahh...that's because Master Jonesy hasn't finished your lesson..grashopper.

 

[The Green Monkey]

The chicken has landed.

It was a little warm (~78* F) and a lot wet (79%) upon opening so I'm letting it cool and dry a bit here in my house (~70* and 65-70%ish).

I'm awaiting word from Pompous Pugs (just sent a PM) to confirm his availability and address. Unless it is imperative that it go out tomorrow, I'd imagine that allowing it to stabilize here at least over the weekend might be prudent. The beads and water pillows look good, and casual inspection shows no damages.

I didn't expect anything less, but man, this thing sure is packed securely.

A very excited green monkey.

Also, if anyone (Jonesy???) is looking for the following documents: Driving directions from Dallas, NC to Coventry, RI; Carolina Panthers schedule through 12/28 (@ NO); and the academic calendar for the Gaston County School District, they're in the folder...

 

[bully1875]

Im getting gitty...

 

[whopper]

The chicken has landed.

It was a little warm (~78* F) and a lot wet (79%) upon opening so I'm letting it cool and dry a bit here in my house (~70* and 65-70%ish).

I'm awaiting word from Pompous Pugs (just sent a PM) to confirm his availability and address. Unless it is imperative that it go out tomorrow, I'd imagine that allowing it to stabilize here at least over the weekend might be prudent. The beads and water pillows look good, and casual inspection shows no damages.

I didn't expect anything less, but man, this thing sure is packed securely.

A very excited green monkey.

Also, if anyone (Jonesy???) is looking for the following documents: Driving directions from Dallas, NC to Coventry, RI; Carolina Panthers schedule through 12/28 (@ NO); and the academic calendar for the Gaston County School District, they're in the folder...

Glad it made it OK. It was 70* F & 68% RH when I taped the box shut. Must be that Miami tropical heat.

 

[The Green Monkey]

Another learning opportunity is afoot!

After taking roll (all present and accounted for) and inspecting each stick for damage--inside its baggie, of course--I have noticed three issues: one minor, one medium, and one major.

The minor: #64--AVO 80th Belicoso has a very minor ~1/2" crack at the foot. It doesn't look too serious, and I think it would probably smoke just fine. I imagine the damage would be burned away and forgotten within the first 20 minutes at most. My camera is crippled and it can't capture the crack well enough for me think there's any point in posting the picture. I think by wrapping this in a bit of bubble wrap from here on out that it'll probably be just fine.

The moderate: #89--PAM Diplomatico has some cracks and damage to the foot in addition to about a 3/4" long crack in the wrapper about 1.5" from the foot. I'm sure it's still smokeable, but you wouldn't want to present it to someone you were hoping to impress in any way. There are a good number of small flakes and flecks of tobacco floating around in the baggie and a tiny bit of tobacco dust.

The major: #60--Padron 1926 #1 Maduro is hurting. It's got significant damage to the foot (approximately a 1/2" x 1/4" spot where the wrapper seems to be wholly absent with a bit of the bunch also affected) and general abrasions to the bottom inch nearest the foot. There are no cracks (at least that I can see without extracting it from the bag) but the amount of tobacco dust, flakes, chips and whatnot make it a little bit difficult to read the texture for sure. There's an oval-shaped patch where it appears that the very thinnest layer of the wrapper (maybe something as minute as one "side" of the leaf) has come off which you can see in the picture. There is more detritus than accurately depicted here.

The picture stinks, but this is the best one I could muster out of about a dozen different attempts. My camera is on the fritz and unless I use the flash in darkness (which is how I had to take this picture) it will either wash everything out so it's just a white blur, or it'll transpose obnoxious horizontal lines across the entire image. If necessary, I can have my neighbor shoot a couple quick pictures with his camera.

You can sort of make out the damaged areas at each foot.

What is the protocol in this situation?

 

[Pompous Pugs]

Hmmm,
two of those sticks were part of my proposed p/ts.
not sure what to do,
I could post the other 3 trades, but may wait until I can inspect the stix myself...
Jonesy, what's the way forward? #64 and #60

 

[Jonesy]

Thanks for doing such a thorough inventory and inspection Steve. I expected the box 's humidity to be up there after opening because of the freshly hydrated beads. I would just keep the pass with you and send it out Monday. As far as the 3 damaged sticks, the AVO 80th will be fine...the crack in the foot will be gone 5 minutes after lighting and will not affect the smokability. The other two will be taken out of the rotation. Please just mark through them on the inventory list and put a black x on the outside of the baggies. You can also throw out my son's school schedule, the Panthers schedule and the directions from my house to my parents house. :laugh:

 

[whopper]

I didn't see any of that damage. I hope I didn't cause any of that when I repacked.

 

[Pompous Pugs]

please keep the panthers schedule I will take it out.

My puts/takes:

92. Fonseca Habana Seleccion;^ p: Arturo Fuente Short Story
2. 601 Connecticut Black Robusto; p: CAO L'Anniversarie Maduro Robusto
110. Hemingway Maduro Signature; p: La Flor Dominicana No. 1
75. AVO 80th Annivesary Torpedo; p: Graycliff Professionale Pirate
120(?): Padron 1926 #35 Maduro; p: LFD Outlaw 2008*

^I don't know the size, but they seem equalivant to the SS$.
*I priced at $11 from earlier p/t

 

[The Green Monkey]

In my limited cigar experiences, I've noticed that Padrons tend to have very thin and delicate outer wrappers. During my searches for what to do about a damaged stick in the middle of the pass, a statistically significant number of the issues raised in past passes also concerned Padrons.

The one that's the most banged up just looks like it was jostled funny in transit or something--I don't think there is anything that could have been done to prevent it, short of packing them each individually inside of a neutrally buoyant gelatin-filled capsule or something.

Don't beat yourself up about it, Bill.

 

[Jonesy]

I didn't see any of that damage. I hope I didn't cause any of that when I repacked.

No worries Bill, there will alway be a few that get "transitional" damage at some point.

please keep the panthers schedule I will take it out.

My puts/takes:

92. Fonseca Habana Seleccion;^ p: Arturo Fuente Short Story
2. 601 Connecticut Black Robusto; p: CAO L'Anniversarie Maduro Robusto
110. Hemingway Maduro Signature; p: La Flor Dominicana No. 1
75. AVO 80th Annivesary Torpedo; p: Graycliff Professionale Pirate
120(?): Padron 1926 #35 Maduro; p: LFD Outlaw 2008*

^I don't know the size, but they seem equalivant to the SS$.
*I priced at $11 from earlier p/t

Wes, these all look good except for the Hemi maduro for the LFD 1. If it was a factory Press or a HTF LFD, there wouldn't be a problem, but with the Hemi maduro's being a limited release cigar, it can't be traded for a regular production cigar.

 

[Pompous Pugs]

I didn't see any of that damage. I hope I didn't cause any of that when I repacked.

No worries Bill, there will alway be a few that get "transitional" damage at some point.

please keep the panthers schedule I will take it out.

My puts/takes:

92. Fonseca Habana Seleccion;^ p: Arturo Fuente Short Story
2. 601 Connecticut Black Robusto; p: CAO L'Anniversarie Maduro Robusto
110. Hemingway Maduro Signature; p: La Flor Dominicana No. 1
75. AVO 80th Annivesary Torpedo; p: Graycliff Professionale Pirate
120(?): Padron 1926 #35 Maduro; p: LFD Outlaw 2008*

^I don't know the size, but they seem equalivant to the SS$.
*I priced at $11 from earlier p/t

Wes, these all look good except for the Hemi maduro for the LFD 1. If it was a factory Press or a HTF LFD, there wouldn't be a problem, but with the Hemi maduro's being a limited release cigar, it can't be traded for a regular production cigar.

Jonesy,
Gotcha, then I go with the other 4 trades.
that LFD is pressed, but not sure if it is a factory press. Eitherway, don't want to throw a smoke in their I am not sure about.

 

[Bsneed51]

Jonesy,
Gotcha, then I go with the other 4 trades.
that LFD is pressed, but not sure if it is a factory press. Eitherway, don't want to throw a smoke in their I am not sure about.

Got a picture of the LFD? I might be able to help identify it.