We will smoke something else during this show...

Download Episode 7 Here

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This week we are drinking

• Knappogue Castle® 12 Year Old
• THE BALVENIE, DoubleWood, Aged 12 Years
• Knob Creek Barrel Aged 9 Years

Paul's Top Ten Stogies of 2011

1. EP Carillo Dark Ritual's
2. Partagas Benji Menendez Re-Release
3. Paul Garmarian Symphony 20th Salamone
4. Tatuaje Fausto Avion
5. Avo LE 2011
6. Oro Reserva double torpedo or robusto
7. La Verite 2009 Robusto
8. Alec Bradley Fine and Rare
9. Quesada Oktoberfest
10. Padrón 1964 Smoke Inn 15th Anniversary Maduro

Tim's Top Ten Stogies of 2011

1. AVO 85th 2011 Limited Edition - Without one my favorite new smokes this year. I buy very few boxes and this was one of the few in 2011. "The Oasis">
2. E.P. Carillo 2011 Limitada - "Dark Rituals" - My favorite EPC release to date. Great balance, complexity, and quality. "Box Worthy"
3. Paul Garmirian Symphony 20 (2011) Short Robusto - A great stick that just pours smoke and flavor. I prefer the Short Robusto to the larger sizes. I found the Salomone to have a little too much strength and a little less flavor. "Box Worthy"
4. Tatuaje M80 - Wow! wish I had grabbed a box of these. Great flavor, strength, and construction. "Box Worthy"
5. Tatuaje La Verite 2009 Robusto - Nice mix of wood, spice, and cream. Again I preferred the Robusto to the Churchill. "Box Worthy"
6. Liga Privada Unico Serie L40 - I love everything Liga Privada! Nuff Said! "Box Worthy"
7. J. Grotto Serie Reserve Gran Corona - Wood, Spice, and cream. Love this stick. "Box Worthy"
8. Tatuaje TAA - I wish I had grabbed more of these while they were still available. Nice unique flavor profile. "The Fiver"
9. Tatuaje Black Petit Lancero - My favorite vitola in the black series. I cannot wait until Pete does some other vitola's. "The Fiver"
10. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial (2011) - I love the new size this year. it is working for me. "The Fiver"

Other Stuff We've Been Smoking

Paul's List:

• Arturo Fuente Short Story Maduro - I think this may have the best flavors of all the maduro hemming way sticks, smooth, TONS of flavor, great burn. A winner!
• Supposed Vintage Pre-Embargo Cuban - So, I was expecting some cuban flavors of some kind, but just didn't get that. It was a well-aged stick with nice flavors, but I don't think it was Cuban.
• Illusione Mk Ultra - Strength, but lacking on flavors.
• A Real Cuban (vintage) San Cristobol De La Habana - Torpedo - Soooooo, good. Best stick I've smoked in some time.

Tim's List

• La Riqueza No. 1 by Tatuaje - Wow! Wow! Wow! Check out the review. Nuff said.
• Paul Garmirian Reserva Exclusiva Corona Extra - Another incredible smoke I recently reviewed. Fantastic medium bodied smoke with a Cuban like flavor profile. In the end, my first "The Oasis" rating given on the site.
• Unbanded - LFD Chisel Double Ligero (2003) - A gift given to me my stogie santa during the last recording. This stick still has some power after all this time.
• Unbanded - Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Toro (2nd) from 2009 - Something was so wrong with this stick. I have had RP Vintage 1990 before and never have experienced such bitter or sourness. I had to give the "Lawn Mulch".