The Stogie Guys

You may have missed it, but last week was President Bush’s 61st birthday. So did he celebrate with a cigar?

At StogieGuys.com, we generally don’t go out of our way to celebrate presidents’ birthdays – unless they’re dead and we get a day off work. But Bush’s birthday did remind us of a little-known fact: While he gave up booze and harder drugs many years ago, he still enjoys a cigar from time to time.

It isn’t in his official White House bio, but according to the Houston Chronicle these days his “chemical indulgences…are limited to coffee and diet sodas, and an occasional stogie.” That makes him only the latest in the long list of presidents who smoked cigars.

The first known stogie-smoking president was none other than Washington’s heir: John Adams. (Washington grew tobacco at his Mount Vernon estate but was never seen smoking a cigar.) The first confirmed commander in chief who smoked in the White House, however, was James Madison.

Some Presidents were seen more often with a cigar than without one. White House drunk and Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant smoked a reported 20 cigars a day. Others like William McKinley relegated cigars to private life.In the early 20th century, William Howard Taft, Warren G. Harding, and Calvin Coolidge were all stogie smokers. Coolidge particularly was known for ending his breakfast meetings with a cigar, and later sitting on the porch in the evening for a cigar or three.

The modern presidency also had its cigar smokers. Eisenhower, Kennedy (who famously bought up over a thousand Cuban cigars the night before signing the embargo), Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon all enjoyed their smokes. And of course Bill Clinton famously enjoyed cigars in more than one way, although the White House was made smoke free during his Presidency.

So is it possible that Bush celebrated his birthday last Friday with a cigar? We really don’t know. But given his dismal poll numbers, an hour to relax with a cigar probably would have been the perfect birthday gift.

–Patrick S

Tags: cigars

With hopes of creating the finest cigar in Cuba, José Alonso established La Carolina in the 1840s. Over the brand’s 160 years of production, it isn’t surprising that many things have changed. Stewardship is now in the hands of Henry “Don Kiki” Berger. Production has shifted from Cuba to Nicaragua. And the brand name has even changed from La Carolina to Cupido and back.

For all these transformations, however, many elements of these boutique cigars remain the same. With only 7,000 boxes available each year, they are still “handmade in small batches with extraordinary attention to each and every detail.” And they still yield that floral, low nicotine taste that earned them accolades such as a 90 from Cigar Insider and an 89 in Cigar Aficionado.

The Capitan is a six inch by 52 ring gauge stick that sports an oily wrapper with just a few prominent veins. Sadly, my picture doesn’t do the attractive band justice, which features a Mona Lisa-style portrait of some undisclosed señorita.

Before the first puff, I noticed the wrapper leaves a sweet, berry-like taste on the lips. As the Keepers of the Flame pointed out last year, the sensation is similar to a Baccarat. I too never cared for such “flavored wrappers,” as the taste almost always takes away from – rather than adds to – the flavor of the tobacco.

But this torpedo-shaped Nicaraguan puro is quite different. The sweet taste of the wrapper is complimented by fruity notes and a bit of spicy leather. And, although I’ve never understood using the term “bouquet” to describe a cigar’s flavor, this one packs some deep floral tastes as well.

Despite a spongy feel, the draw is a bit tighter than average. But each puff still produces an abundance of delicious smoke. The other physical properties are on par, including a razor-sharp burn that stays true until the end and a white ash that’s just a tad too flakey.

When it’s all said and done, this is an excellent 60 minute smoke – especially when you consider that each Capitan will cost under $4.60 apiece when bought by the box at Cuban Crafters.

Considering their unique, complex flavor (and the fact that I just smoked my last one), I won’t be waiting long to pick up a few more. I give the La Carolina Capitan a noteworthy four and ½ out of five stogies.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. To purchase this cigar from a StogieGuys.com affiliate, click here.]

–Patrick A

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

From the fine brown Connecticut wrapper to the classic, understated band, this cigar looks inviting. Unfortunately, the invitation isn’t followed by a pleasant visit. Not that it was unpleasant; it was just bland and boring. The five inch by 50 ring gauge stick began with a little spice, but that quickly dissipated and was replaced by virtually nothing. For what is often touted as the top of H. Upmann’s seemingly endless brand extensions, this Dominican was a major disappointment.

Verdict = Sell.

–George E

Tags: cigars

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

I was fortunate to have this six inch by 54 ring gauge-sized stick in a rare cigar bar in Santa Barbara, California. The draw was a bit tight, but the burn was very even. The dense smoke was medium-flavored and woody, with pleasant notes of spice and fruit.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

Tags: cigars

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) In September we told you about one devastating effect of the statewide smoking ban Colorado legislators passed last summer: Many bars lost up to 80 percent of their income. But special interest groups in the Rocky Mountain State are still not satisfied. Now anti-tobacco fascists like the American Cancer Society have the law’s exemption for cigar bars in their sights. If regular bars in Colorado lost four fifths of their revenue, what will happen to the establishments whose primary draw is smoking?

2) If you’re in the market for a new house, you might want to consider the $20 million Tampa Bay area mansion that former NBA player Matt Geiger has up for sale. Forget the helipad he wants to install, or the hot tubs and pizza oven already in the 28,000 square foot home. According to the St. Petersburg Times, Geiger’s place has a cigar room. No word yet on what’s in his humidor.

3) To celebrate Independence Day, CAO is announcing the introduction of the CAO America. These new cigars follow the highly successful Italia and Brazilia lines, and each one features a Connecticut wrapper, a Brazilian binder, and a filler blending Nicaraguan, American, Italian, and Dominican tobaccos.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a Oliva Serie V Figurado. Stogie Review reviews the Famous Dominican 2000. Keepers of the Flame lights up a La Aurora Preferidos Robusto. Other cigar bloggers were too busy smoking cigars to review anything.

5) Deal of the Week: July 4 may have come and passed, but Tinderbox’s Independence Day Sampler is still going strong. Featuring 20 cigars for $50, this deal has tough-to-find stogies like the box-pressed 601 Don Pepin Garcia, as well as other fine cigars from Leon Jimenes, La Aurora, and La Fontana. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

Five months ago, I wrote an unflattering Quick Smoke of the Paul Garmirian (PG) Reserva Exclusiva. The honest critique – which was based on four or five Robustos – received some interesting comments from loyal readers, a fourth grade English teacher, and someone claiming to be from PG.

With no hard feelings, I decided it was about time to try a different PG line: the Artisan’s Selection. Launched ten years ago, these cigars come in nine vitolas and are advertised as consistent, smooth, and reasonably priced. With costs ranging from $6.40 to $4.70 apiece, however, the PG website makes it clear that “these are not seconds or rejects, but an offering of a great cigar at a very affordable price.”

Over the last few weeks, I’ve carefully smoked several five and ½ inch by 52 ring gauge No. 4s. As you can see by the picture, these are gorgeous sticks with smooth and seamless Colorado shade wrappers. The red and cream colored band is consistent with other PG smokes.

You’d expect a cigar this innocent-looking to start off with a whimper and not a bang, but that’s not the case. As soon as I lit the foot with a few matches, I received heavy notes of sharp spice and salt. Not terribly pleasing.

Then, after a few minutes, those flavors were pushed to the background by delicious, mild tastes of creamy butter, hazelnut, and ginger. This is the flavor I was hoping for, and it fortunately stuck around for the vast majority of the 60 minute smoke. (If you’re having trouble picking up all of these flavors, try smoking through the nose.)

In an interesting twist, the spicy notes actually dissipate into the final third. I don’t know about you, but most of the cigars I’m used to tend to get hotter and harsher at the very end. Even so, this is a prime example of a stogie that smokes best when you take your time.

I was very impressed with the quality and consistency of the physical properties of the No. 4s. With the slightest resistance, the draw is just right. The ash is fairly firm and the burn is as straight as they come.

The only drawback is that the delicate wrapper tends to tear a bit when the band is removed. Each time this occurred, though, I was able to quickly remedy the dilemma with a dab of saliva.

Overall, I think the $5.80 suggested retail price is very fair. This is a tasty, well-constructed cigar that is perfect for an early round of golf. I give the Artisan’s Selection No. 4 by Paul Garmirian three out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

On this date 231 years ago, 56 liberty-loving patriots declared the U.S. free from the tyrannical policies of Great Britain by affixing their names to the bottom of the Declaration of Independence. They effectively laid the foundation for a new country to become the world’s shinning beacon of liberty, equality, and hope.

It’s only appropriate, therefore, that we celebrate with beer, BBQ, baseball, and colorful explosions in the sky. As such, the StogieGuys.com team is taking the day off to enjoy all things American, and perhaps even a cigar or three.

–The Stogie Guys