I’m sure you’ve seen it. It’s on banners, souvenirs, shot glasses, T-shirts, and just about anything “Spain” from the actual Spanish flag to car bumpers in Madrid; and if you’ve ever gone for a road trip in Spain, you will see its gigantic black silhouette on hills and fields everywhere. The Osborne Bull has indeed become a cultural symbol of Spain.

What originally began as an advertising campaign for Osborne Sherry brandy in 1956, overtime became a renowned national icon by international visitors. It wasn’t until 1994, though, after a law was passed to outlaw billboards on roads, that the Bull, created by artist Manuel Prieto, was officially recognized as a cultural asset by Spanish courts and became a permanent sight of the Spanish landscape until today.

Well, it was only fitting that, living in Spain, I would visit the Osborne sherry company in Cadiz, and become acquainted with their brandy. I mean, this stuff is very popular in this country and incredibly affordable when compared to French Cognac; testimony to another little quality I have come to appreciate about the Spanish: thriftiness. It is this quality that helps keep their most cherished products very reasonably priced.

The Osborne Magno, though not a special reserve by any means, is touted as elaborated from the estate’s best grapes and is aged in American oak. As with all of their brandies, the Magno is distilled in a way that is unique to the Jerez (sherry, also spelled Xeres) region, and thus possesses certain qualities that in my opinion make it recognizably Spanish.

The most outstanding characteristic of this sherry brandy, is an incredibly smooth palate that makes it one of the most drinkable spirits in this proof. You’d be surprised how easily you can put this down; before you know it, you’ll have probably downed more of it than you really intended to.

The Magno is the color of reddish oak. It has a rather intense nose with clear notes of oak, molasses and honey. Distinct indications of sherry wine are all over it. It is semi sweet on the palate, with notes that are also reminiscent of a fine port. I got delicious notes of molasses, which dominate at first, as well as smooth oak and a tinge of citrus rind in the finish. I would say that it has adequate viscosity for a brandy in this category.

I have yet to open my bottles of the Osborne Gran Reserva brandies—the Independencia and Conde de Osborne—but so far I’m sold with their little Osborne Magno. I keep dreaming of Joya de Nicaragua Antaños as the smoothness of this authentic Spanish sherry coats my senses.

Zippo lighters are awesome, but sadly, when it comes to cigars, the old trusted Zippo falls out of favor. It’s not the lighter itself that is to blame, just the trusty lighter fluid that has powered it for over 75 years.

Though some cigar smokers would probably admit to using Zippo’s all the time, my experience tells me that the fluid’s odor can taint the taste of a good cigar right from the start. Well, for me, the thought of smoking an expensive benzene stick is more than I can handle.

That’s where the Z-plus torch lighter insert comes in. Though these have been out for some time, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to buy a classic Zippo and gut it, replacing the core of the lighter with a third party insert that claims to fit “most popular liquid fuel lighter cases.”

The fact, though, is that probably some trademark technicality prevents them from saying that the insert is “designed exclusively for Zippo lighter cases”, but believe me, It is! I’ve got to tell you that it not only fits perfectly but works great, providing a steady windproof flame encased in Zippo coolness.

When I headed over to Lighters Direct this time, I was aiming for a classic piece to add to my worthy repertoire. As I browsed the extensive Zippo section, I knew it had to be Black Ice. The Z-plus insert was under the accessories section.

I’ve had it for over a week now, and have used it everyday, including at last night’s Super Bowl herf where my Super Bowl pick made me a good amount of cabbage! It’s the only way to light up a fine cigar in classic Zippo style—highly recommended.

In my Smoking Cigars Indoors article, I stated that the key to smoking a cigar indoors—without getting kicked out by your spouse—is simply to have adequate room ventilation. Cigar smoke that is not allowed to linger in a confined indoor space will just dissipate and, in time, leave no trace of odor. When this is done properly, even those picky non-smoker noses will never suspect that there have been billowing clouds of premium cigar smoke in the house. In fact, I have a great number of acquaintances that visit my office on regular basis and would never even imagine that it also doubles as a smoking lounge for me and my buddies.

Until now, my solution had been quite simple: use a regular window fan to expel smoky air out of the room. Usually left on overnight after a smoking evening, the fan does a good job of removing stale air with no detectable odors in just about 48 hours.

But I just discovered a new gadget that is bound to change the dynamics of my cigar lounge ventilation to make my system even more efficient—the Fresh Air Machine by a company called Bionaire. The device would eliminate a rather eminent conundrum: How to maintain a comfortable temperature in winter, while still allowing fresh outside air into the room?

Instead of sucking smoky air out of the lounge and allowing wintery air in through a separate window or vent, the Fresh Air Machine pumps outside air into the room after it has warmed it up to room temperature, while the separate window or vent would then serve to circulate the smoky air out of the room. The result is brilliant; all the freshness of outside air with the winter taken out of it.

To make this work ideally, I will have to change my current scheme. Since warm air rises, I would install the Fresh Air Machine closer to the floor and place a vent near the ceiling. The rising fresh, warm, air would then also serve to push the smoky layer up and out the vent, instead of relying on pure air pressure to drive it out. I could also place the device and the vent on diagonal corners of the room to maximize the effect, with the lounge chairs just adjacent to the fresh air intake.

Well, the gadget does cost around $200.00, as opposed to the $30.00 that a regular window far goes for; but what’s money when you can have that fine OpusX in a comfortable lounge instead of out freezing your behind? I’ll have to update you on this once I get it all up and running.

Whenever I light up in my lounge, either by myself or with a few fellow aficionados, I need to feel like I’ve done everything possible to set up for a great smoking evening. I got comfortable lounge chairs, good ventilation, big screen T.V., and yes… enough cool ashtrays to go around.

At first I was a bit surprised at how difficult it can be to get nice, large ceramic ashtrays. Then I realized that you just have to grab them whenever you see them advertised. So, here’s an ashtray special I just ordered from J.R. Cigar. Just buy any box of the CAO range and get the interestingly shaped ashtray.

*** UPDATE — I just saw this ashtray advertized for $98 all by itself!!! Boy am I glad I got it with a box of Robustos for $117,00.