Let me bring my readers up to date and offer at least an explanation as to why I haven’t updated this site since June 2000. Several things have happened since that time. I embarked on a new career in the financial services and investment industry, my father passed away, I turned 40, my wife has been accepted to medical school, and I’m moving to a new apartment by the end of June this year. How’s that for a fist full of change? Anyhow, I’ve been pretty busy, but not to busy to enjoy a cigar when the moment was right. My Dad who had been a cigar smoker many years ago passed away at the age of 81 in November. Back in June he asked me to bring a couple of cigars for us to smoke together. My mother, 20 years my dad's junior, used the opportunity to get out of the house and go shopping. We sat and talked about many things over those Padron Serrie de Aniversario 1964 Maduro Torpedo cigars. After finishing the cigar, my father commented that it was the best cigar he had ever smoked. He put the clipped torpedo tip and the band in a small Ziploc baggie and hung it on the refrigerator in the kitchen with a magnet where it remains today. It was the last cigar my father smoked, it was also the best one either of us ever had and I'll remember the expirience for as long as the Lord allows.

My wife has also taken up the torch so to speak and actually attended a cigar event with out me while I was away at training. It was an event sponsored by my friends at Uptown Cigar Co. and featured Drew Estate Cigars. For those of you not familiar with Drew Estate Cigars, they are very different than most cigars we hardcore aficionados are used to. The Acid line is aromatic and infused with botanicals. The Natural line is slightly more traditional but also uses some exotic tobacco, which make these cigars unique. The whole packaging and marketing of these cigars is very well conceived and the smokes aren't bad either for a change of pace. But be warned, these ARE NOT typical cigars.

Just as an aside, dear friends of mine returning from the Dominican Republic where they visited the Fuente Estate (some people have all the luck) returned with an Opus X "A" in celo wrap personally autographed to me from Carlito Fuente. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I get to meet Wayne Suarez, Carlos Fuente's brother in law. We all sat and smoked Opus X cigars, talked and laughed. Let me just say, if you like Opus X cigars you want to be Wayne.