As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Labor Day is upon us. For all you hard-working Stogie Guys out there, it couldn’t have come soon enough. The entire StogieGuys.com team would like to wish you and yours a happy, safe, and cigar-filled holiday weekend—a great time to smoke that extra-special cigar you’ve been saving for years. So whether your plans include a barbecue, a beach, golf, or anything else, be sure to make this year memorable with a memorable cigar.

2) Officials in Ocean City have scheduled a hearing to discuss the possibility of an outdoor smoking ban for the Maryland town’s beaches. The announcement came just days before the holiday weekend, a lucrative time when thousands of mid-Atlantic vacationers flock this popular ocean-side destination. NBC reports that “most businesses are against a ban on smoking, fearing that it may hurt their already struggling businesses.” An outcome isn’t expected until after an October election.

3) Site News: It may have taken a while, but the cigar community seems to have embraced twitter as a forum for talking cigars. But if you’re not sure what this whole twitter thing is all about, we’ve created a new Cigar Tweets page. There you’ll find the latest updates from all the cigar makers on twitter. And while you’re checking out twitter, don’t forget to follow Stogie Guys too.

4) Around the Blogs: Smoking Stogie smokes an Illusione Singulare. Cigar Inspector inspects a Juan Lopez Short Torpedo. Stogie Review fires up an AVO Heritage. Nice Tight Ash checks out an Art Deco. Perfect Draw reviews the Quesada Tributo.

5) Deal of the Week: With full-bodied spice and Cuban-like depth, Nicaraguan smokes are increasing in popularity, and this Nicaraguan Blends Sampler demonstrates why. Included are two each from Padilla Habano, Man O’ War, Rocky Patel Fusion, and Gurkha Park Avenue, all for under $30. Grab yours here.

-The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Labor Day is one holiday that’s seemingly made for cigars. It may be a three-day weekend, but for cigar enthusiasts it’s far more than a three-cigar break from work.

Whether heading to the beach, visiting family, or just firing up the backyard grill, Labor Day weekend is prime time for cigars. It’s  also the time to bring a few extra cigars to hand out to friends.

And as the unofficial end of summer, Labor Day should be celebrated as the culmination of good smoking weather. It serves as a reminder that winter isn’t too far away—a time when cigar smokers are driven indoors where smoking bans likely foil our ability enjoy premium tobacco.

But barbecues, good weather, and an extra day off work aren’t the only reason why Labor Day is a great cigar holiday. Labor Day celebrates the working man, and cigars are the perfect accompaniment to such a celebration. Despite their aristocratic image, there are few things that cut across class lines like good cigars.

A visit to your local cigar shop confirms that handmade cigars are enjoyed by all. At the tobacconist, you’re just as likely to see blue collar as white collar folks enjoying handmade cigars. After all, a good cigar can be had for just a few dollars—a rare affordable luxury.

I’m constantly telling the story of a visit a few years back to Holt’s iconic shop in downtown Philadelphia. Smoking a cigar in their back lounge, I encountered a typical mix of cigar smokers: a local politician, a lawyer, an electrician, a retiree, a few college students. They were all talking cigars as equals.

That’s the reason Labor Day is such a perfect cigar holiday. When your smoking cigars it isn’t about who you are or what you do. It’s just about the fact that you enjoy cigars, and the camaraderie of your fellow smokers.

-Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr

Another in Pepin Garcia’s lower-priced lines, this bargain stick—I paid $5 for the nicely constructed Toro (6.25 x 52)—is a bit more complex than you might expect.

This cigar is part of a two-blend line, with its sibling sporting a Habano wrapper. And, like many of the cigars coming from My Father Cigars, you won’t find any information on it at the remarkably inadequate website.

But I was able to get some details on the cigar by calling the folks in Miami: The two Reloba lines share the same basic blend of Nicaraguan binder and filler grown on the Garcias’ farm, and the Sumatra wrapper is from Ecuador.

La Reloba fits neatly into one of 2010’s most noticeable trends: lower-priced cigars from top-flight producers. I applaud makers like My Father who have created good cigars at affordable prices.

This one produces a lot of smoke and burns evenly from start to finish. The opening is a peppery blast with undertones of leather and wood. While it’s not the depth of pepper devoted Pepin smokers may expect, it’s a couple of notches less powerful. About a third of the way down the cigar, the pepper dissipates, replaced by a nuttiness and a gradual diminishing of strength. The second half is definitely milder than the first and a good deal sweeter.

I suggest you give both the Habano and Sumatra versions a try. Each is worth it. I have enjoyed both, but prefer the Sumatra because of its greater range of tastes. And for that I give the La Reloba Selección Sumatra Toro three and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It’s been over six months since the StogieGuys.com team published a new list of Gold Star Smokes. As you might recall, this special designation celebrates cigars that we feel are worthy of strong recommendations. They don’t necessarily have to be five stogie-rated—just commendable smokes we turn to time and again.

Co-Founder & Editor in Chief Patrick A

One of my favorite Cubans is also relatively affordable, and that’s a winning combination. The Juan Lopez Selección No. 1 (5.6 x 42) has a profile of honey and graham with an earthy, woodsy core and good combustion qualities. And unlike some blends from the forbidden communist isle, this lesser-known Cuban doesn’t seem to suffer from consistency problems. A great buy for around $8.

Co-Founder & Publisher Patrick S

From time to time I get asked what my favorite maduro smoke is and, while I wouldn’t say I have just one favorite, the La Aurora Preferidos Maduro Robusto is always in the conversation. It has that classic maduro profile with plenty of creamy cocao and coffee notes. But what separates it from others is an impressive combination of complexity and balance.

Tampa Bureau Chief George E

From the dark appearance to the wonderfully deep, thick flavors, the Toraño Exodus 50 Years Blend Torpedo is an enticing smoke. It is blended for smoothness, and the Brazilian arapiraca sun-grown wrapper has a more refined taste than I’ve found in most other cigars that use it. As it burns with the Nicaraguan filler, you’re treated to a rich array of coffee, chocolate, and fruit. All this, and a reasonable price, make this a cigar to enjoy again and again.

Contributing Reviewer Patrick M

The new Tatuaje Verocu No. 5 (4 x 40) is just starting to hit the market, but I’ve already had a chance to smoke several. This cigar stays true to the blend with a core of leather, cedar, and spice. It is very similar to the Verocu No. 1, No.2, and Tubo and carries a sub-$5 price point—making it a great Gold Star Smoke.

-The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Xikar is primarily known as a leading purveyor of cigar accessories like cutters, lighters, cases, and humidification devices. But this Kansas City-based company is also in the business of crafting premium cigars.

Xikar’s cigar-making partner is Jesus Fuego, a Cuban expat with a master’s degree in agronomy and five generations of tobacco cultivation in his blood. Today he has his own cigar outfit in Miami where he produces such gems as the 777 Corojo and the Origen.

Last spring, Xikar and Fuego teamed up to launch the HC Series. Named for and decorated with double bands that mimic Xikar’s Havana Collection, the line boasts three blends: Connecticut Shade, Criollo, and Habano Colorado. “No matter your time, mood, or your preference, the HC Series has the perfect blend for every cigar lover’s palate,” said Fuego in an April 2009 press release.

Each HC cigar is handmade at one of Nestor Plasencia’s factories in either Honduras or Nicaragua. The five-vitola Connecticut Shade blend, for example, originates from the Segovia Cigars factory in Nicaragua. It is made with an Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper, a Sumatran binder, and a three-country filler blend from Costa Rica, Mexico, and Nicaragua.

The Robusto (5 x 50) is a dry, pale cigar with a wrinkly, somewhat veiny exterior and a spongy feel. The pre-light aroma is of sweet grass and hay.

Xikar’s marketing materials state that the Connecticut Shade blend is supposed to be “slightly stronger than the average Connecticut shade cigar, while staying true to the character of a Connecticut.” That’s apparent from the outset. From the first puff, the flavor is spicy with background notes of bread, cream, and almond.

As the taste becomes creamier and nuttier as it progresses, outstanding combustion qualities emerge. The burn is near perfect with a thick, black mascara, the gray ash is stable, and the draw remains clear.

Even though this blend stands on its own, I can’t help but compare it to other Connecticut-wrapped smokes that are permanent features of my humidor. The Camacho Connecticut has a similar texture and profile, for instance, but the HC Robusto’s price tag of $7.50-9 apiece makes it decidedly more expensive. The sub-$5 Oliva Connecticut is an even more affordable option.

Still, fans of Connecticut tobacco—myself included—shouldn’t miss the opportunity to add another blend to their rotation. With a harmonious mix of tastiness and great construction, the HC Connecticut Shade Robusto is a solid, perhaps overpriced, contender. It earns three and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Tempus Maduro, introduced earlier this month, features that same core blend as the regular Tempus line but with a unique San Andres maduro wrapper. The wrapper fermentation process includes the use of a bethune made from tree pulp that’s applied to the leaf during the fermentation process, resulting in a leaf that achieves a dark maduro color. The shorter fermentation time allows the wrapper leaf to maintain some of the strength that would normally be lost in the time required to ferment a maduro leaf. The Imperator, a torpedo (6.1 x 52), is well-constructed with no soft spots and a good draw. The cigar starts out with in an intriguing sweetness and subtle spice. The core flavors of smoked oak, mocha, and subtle cracked black pepper create an interesting and pleasant smoking experience. This cigar is much more enjoyable for me than my previous experiences with the regular Tempus line. Even at$9.40 apiece, I can definitely recommend it.

Verdict = Buy.

-Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

A.J. Fernandez has made top-selling cigars for the likes of Rocky Patel, Padilla, and others, but a few weeks ago he released his first nationally-distributed solo blend. San Lotano, an old Cuban cigar line that Fernandez has brought back to life, comes in three wrapper varieties: Habano, Connecticut, and Maduro. The former has a combination of Brazilian, Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican tobaccos that combine to produce voluminous, spicy tufts of smoke. Key flavors include leather, roasted coffee beans, caramel, and creamy coffee. Construction is near perfect. The Toro (6 x 52) is a must-try at around $8 apiece.

Verdict = Buy.

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys