Andthensome

I am back

Well, Ian back in the USA after a long time out of the country...it's good to be home.

Ramon Allones Specially Selected

Back to my favorite cigar, the RASS. This happens to be an 06 vintage model. Perhaps too much aging? I think not. Tons of smoke off the get go, with a nice tight construction the suggests the aging has not hurt it one bit.

With the glass beads I have a very stable control of about 65% humidity. I certainly would want no less.

Its a rainy spring day in tokyo and one could almost say it is cold. I am happy to have a chance to light up. A peppery start. My guess is it is burning a tad hot, but settling down as I write.

The second third is consistent, voluminous smoke with with a wild deep flavor. Come back and settle down, this ride is not over yet.

Final third. Beautiful. My hunch was correct and I let it burn down a little which took the edge off.

Upmann No. 2

The Upmann no. 2 is a great smoke no contest.

Life w/o cream cheese

So I go to this bagel shop in Shibuya and start to order some bagels. I ask the guy what cream cheese he has and he relies "arimasen" or I have none. WTF? How can you run a bagel shop and not sell cream cheese?!

That Feeling You Get

I have been reading some heavy stuff as of late. One thought that stood out was many people struggle with the question: what is next? Of course this is the quintessential of life and the root of all mid-life crises.

John Duval Plexus '06

A Barossa Valley Shiraz.  My neighbor came over with is girlfriend to announce that they were getting married.  Good for them and good for me as it gave me a chance to open a bottle of something good. John Duval was a winemarker at Penfolds and decided he would break out on his own.  The results is a line of three wines, of which I open Plexus last night. 

I decanted, but suspect that I needed more time as the wine should probably sit for a good hour before drinking -  I did not have the time.  It was very tanic and felt more like taking a bit of an unrippened apple than a pleasurable sip of wine.  Short on the palatte,  Plexus lacked the fullness you would have from other Barossa Valley wines.  This wine needs to celar for another 5 years.

Bacio Divino 99

I like to call this wine "Jay's wine". Jay turned me on to it and we actually played tug-o-war on a case of it. Out of the bottle with no decanting it displays a brilliant ruby red color with a medium bodied nose. Ripe with tanins it still drinks young. Perhaps a little decanting would soften it up. Cab 62%, Sangiovese 28%, and Petite Sirah 10%.

The Rabaina Unicos

Good Beer Commercial

This is just an awesome beer commercial that a friend forwarded me. Enjoy...

 

Montecristo Edmundo

Lighting up an all-time favorite withe the guys tonight. Pre-light: perfect chocolate with acceptable construction. Let's see how the rest goes.