Author: Chris Khatsch

There must be a little art in everything I create, even if my creation is as cold as a machine and follows empirical data.

“Come” by Misak Metsarents

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Misak Metsarents (1886-1908) was a Western Armenian neo-romantic poet. This is my translation of “Come” from Armenian to English. It is a love poem written sometime between 1901 and 1903.

Come

Come! Make my boring life pleasurable.
Make me feel tenderness and hope.
There will come a day when your soul will mourn
the fast escape of this beautiful dream.

Come! Tomorrow, you may perish,
and I may die from a fever.
Do not extinguish the fire of my worship.

Let me imbibe the flames in your eyes.
Come close, gentle flower of my life!
Let me forget everything in a kiss.

Ah, how slow is this beautiful life!
Come! Melt the boredom of my soul.
Bury me in a beautiful dream.
Bring me your heart’s virgin caress.

Chris Khatschadourian smoking an Umnum Jumbo in a Lebanese restaurant called Qortoba

Have a Cigar: Umnum Jumbo

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Name: Umnum Jumbo

Country: Nicaragua

Shape: Parejo

Size: (4 3/4 inches x 60)

Strength: Medium

I smoked a lot of Umnum cigars this month. My go-to size was the Jumbo, but I also smoked a Bond and a Canonazo here and there.

The Umnum Jumbo is a medium-bodied cigar that doesn’t disappoint. Earthy hints are definitely there. Medium-roast coffee, leather, and chocolate notes come and go. Overall, it’s a pretty straightforward stick and has no weak points. I usually pair it with a cup of black coffee or a glass of full-bodied red wine to get the best experience.

Enjoying a Flor de Selva Maduro Grand Pressé in Beirut, Lebanon.

Have a Cigar: Flor de Selva Maduro Grand Pressé

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Name: Flor de Selva Maduro Grand Pressé

Country: Honduras

Shape: Box-Pressed

Size: (6 inches x 56)

Strength: Medium

If I had to choose between the Tempo and the Grand Pressé, I’d choose the latter. They are both great cigars, but the Grand Pressé is just a little bit better. Plus, it’s box-pressed.

Paired with a full-bodied Lebanese red wine, the cigar gave chocolaty and woody notes accompanied by hints of black tea, almond, and green pepper.

My conclusion is this: It’s good stuff…