Tag: Reflections

Have a Cigar: Oliva Serie V Double Toro

Chris Khatsch2 Comments

Name: Oliva Serie V Double Toro

Country: Nicaragua

Shape: Parejo

Size: Gordo (6 inches x 60)

Strength: Medium to Full

Another night of drinking, another night of smoking cigars.

Reading Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises this week also made me want to drink and smoke a little more, even though I had promised myself to cut down on drinking.

The news is that I smoked my first Oliva Serie V cigar just this Thursday.

The Oliva Serie V Double Toro is an amazing cigar with notes of medium roast coffee, chocolate, oak, and black pepper. I smoked it leisurely at Spine Beirut, which is one of the trendy rooftop clubs this summer. Of course, it was my wife who chose the place. She’s the one who’s always up to date with the latest trends in town. So, we booked a table, invited some friends, and made it happen.

I paired my cigar with gin and tonic and watched people dance like Lebanon isn’t going to hell. The cigar kept me company for about two hours. When I was finally done with it, it was already time to pay the bill.

I will have to get some more Oliva Serie V cigars. I liked them very much, and I have some extra space in my humidor.

One thing’s for sure: I’ll pair the next one with coffee.

Condega Maduro Cigar Review

Have a Cigar: Condega Serie ‘F’ Maduro

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Name: Condega Serie ‘F’ Maduro

Country: Nicaragua

Shape: Parejo

Size: Robusto (5 inches x 50)

Strength: Full

It rarely happens, but it happens. I smoked four cigars yesterday. The Condega Maduro was the fourth.

I woke up today with a hoarse voice and still a little drunk.

I had so much wine. I don’t think I ever had so much wine before. We were at Château Kefraya, and all the wines were so good. So we emptied many bottles, and we sang.

Chevaliers de la table ronde
Goûtons voir si le vin est bon

Now I’m thinking about something I read a few days ago. Where’s that book?

“Socrates wanted to die,” Nietzsche says in Twilight of the Idols. “Athens did not give him the poison cup; he gave it to himself; he compelled Athens to give it to him.”

Oh, last night! I drank until, like Lord Byron’s Damaetas, I drained the dregs of pleasure’s bowl.

Montecristo Petit Edmundo Cigar Review. Beirut, Lebanon.

Have a Cigar: Montecristo Petit Edmundo

Chris Khatsch2 Comments

Name: Montecristo Petit Edmundo

Country: Cuba

Shape: Parejo

Size: (4 1/3 inches x 52)

Strength: Medium to Full

Cuban cigars are not my favorite cigars, but I do acknowledge that whenever I smoke one I taste the reasons why so many people love them. The Montecristo Petit Edmundo is one of them.

When guests come over to spend time at my place, I like to make them drink and smoke. That is how all great philosophical and political conversations begin, I believe. And I like having meaningful conversations.

So I first ask them what they would like to drink. “Whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, or maybe a beer? What would you like? There’s wine, too.” Their initial answer is always either “No” or “I’ll have whatever you’re having.” But I know they are just being mannerly when they say such things. So I ask them again. “No, really. What would you like? Come see my whisky collection, and maybe then you can decide.”

When the spirits are finally poured into the glasses, I bring out my humidor, open it, place it on the table in front of them, and say, “Gentlemen, enjoy.” And I swear that every time at least one of them will go for a Montecristo Petit Edmundo.