The Stogie Guys

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) Enjoy our weekend Quick Smokes? Wish you could post one of your own? Well, here’s your chance: StogieGuys.com is still accepting Guest Quick Smokes. Just send us an email with a short description of the cigar (please include its full name and dimensions) and your rating of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell,” and we’ll consider posting it. You can increase your chances of publication by choosing a cigar that hasn’t already been a Quick Smoke or the subject of a full review. Please remember we’re not looking for essays; just a short paragraph on your impressions. Here are a few good examples of a Macanudo, a Punch, and a Hoyo.

2) If you enjoyed Wednesday’s interview with baseball legend turned cigar manufacturer Luis Tiant, chances are you’ll get a kick out of Cigar Aficionado’s recent piece on Mets general manager Omar Minaya. He talks about trying to please crazy New Yorkers and his affinity for Arturo Fuentes and La Auroras.

3) Around the Blogs: Keepers of the Flame lights up a Camacho Corojo 11/18. Cigar Beat reviews a Partagas Black Bravo. Cigar Monkey puffs on a Macanudo Prince Phillip. Cigar Inspector inspects a PadrÏŒn Maduro 3000. Velvet Cigar goes with the Gurkha Expedition 1887. Cigar Jack torches up a Cusano P1.

4) Deal of the Week: This special ends today at midnight, so waste no time! Replacement Deal: Nine cigar “Woodstock Sampler” for just $25. Get yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

With a ratings ranging from 92 to 90 in recent issues of Cigar Aficionado, the Romeo y Julieta Exhibición No. 4 has made the magazine’s not-so-short list of “All-Time Top Cigars.” Worldwide, the stogie is a top-selling handmade habano with a reputation as an aromatic smoke with good combustion.

This five inches by 48 ring gauge Cuban can be found for anywhere from $8 to $11 apiece on the internet. Its sepia-colored wrapper is a bit bumpy with a rustic appeal, though certainly not unattractive.

Unlike the Cuban Partagas Serie D No. 4, the Romeo y Julieta band is very similar to its Dominican-made, completely unrelated counterpart that’s legally available in the U.S.. Looks like Altadis went to great lengths to bear as many similarities to the Cuban-manufactured Romeos as possible.

My smoke began with satisfying flavors of spicy cinnamon and pepper. Delicious but definitely on the salty side, so I recommend a complimentary drink.

During the first third the flavor is not overwhelming, likely because the draw is so loose. Each puff pulls through tons of air, giving the spicy flavors a light and fluffy appeal – a phenomenon that’s not uncommon among spongy-feeling stogies.

Right before the midway point some notes of sweet molasses join in, and this is where the Exhibición No. 4 is truly at its best. Plenty of balance on the profile.

But just when I was really enjoying these flavors, the final third brings tons of heat and more spice. The same spongy characteristic that kept the smoke light and fluffy in the beginning comes back to make it powerful and harsh towards the end.

My advice? Make sure to take your time with this one, and enjoy it on a full stomach.

On construction, this cigar isn’t exactly a thing of perfection. The burn requires some touch-ups to stay lit and even, and the ash is a bit flakey. I also had trouble removing the tightly sealed band without tearing the wrapper.

While the physical properties leave much to be desired, this is one heck of a treat up until the final third. It would take someone with taste buds of steel to nub it, though.

All things considered, I’m giving the Cuban version of the Romeo y Julieta Exhibición No. 4 three and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

Known to many simply as “El Tiante,” Luis Tiant is a baseball legend. With 229 career major league wins, there are many who believe the three-time All Star – one the best big game pitchers of all time – belongs enshrined in the Hall of Fame. (He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997.)

Next month marks the 25th anniversary of the Cuban-born pitcher’s final major league game, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been busy. El Tiante, long an avid cigar smoker, recently launched his own brand of cigars: El Tiante.

In this special edition of our Ask a Cigar Insider series, Tiant took some time to answer my questions about baseball, stogies, and his own special blend of cigars.

SG: How long have you been enjoying cigars? Do you remember your first smoke?

LT: This year is my 50th smoking cigars. I began when I was 17 years old. My first smoke was when I signed a contract playing baseball with the Mexico City Tigers.

SG: Do you ever smoke Cuban cigars these days? What do you think of them?

LT: Yes, on occasion I still do smoke Cuban cigars. They are not what they once were. A lot of them I don’t even finish.

SG: I’ve read you used to smoke cigars during baseball games. Did you sneak off between innings when you were pitching, or did you only enjoy cigars on your off days?

LT: Haha, no I didn’t do that. But I was always pushed by teammates to go out on the mound with a cigar in my mouth. As to the second part of your question, I always enjoyed smoking cigars on the days I pitched and on my days off. Both before the game started and once it ended I would light one up in the clubhouse.

SG: With so many quality cigars out there, why did you decide to make your own cigars? Can you tell us a bit about how you chose the tobacco?

LT: Smoking cigars was always my trademark during my entire professional career. Why not do something now in my later stage in life that I’ve enjoyed for already half a century? I always enjoyed mild cigars which is odd for a Cuban person, but I wanted my cigars to be mild and smooth with lots of flavor. Tabacalera Tambor has done a great job for us finding me blends that fit my taste. For a year straight we went through a process of smoking many blends, mixing and matching until we came to the blends that we use right now for our natural and maduro lines.

SG: What was the greatest challenge in starting up your cigar manufacturing operation?

LT: Finding a manufacturer to make our cigars to my exact specifications and would focus on us, along with the other lines that they produce. Someone who takes pride in their cigars the way I took pride in putting on that baseball uniform for 25 professional years, playing the game I love so much.

SG: How do you keep cigars in your personal humidor? Cellophane on or off?

LT: I don’t have time to keep them in my personal humidor because I smoke them too quickly…When I do put them in my humidor it doesn’t matter to me whether they are in cellophane or not. As long as my humidor is properly taken care of, my cigars will be fine.

SG: In your opinion, what is the best beverage to enjoy while smoking a fine cigar?

LT: I’m a scotch drinker, but when it comes to finding a drink I enjoy with my cigars it has to be either a good glass of port or Cuban coffee. Majority of times when I smoke the first thing I look for is my Cuban coffee.

SG: Finally, a non-cigar question: As a pitcher you were known for your distinctive pitching motion. How did you develop that unorthodox delivery?

LT: I started my career as a power pitcher who got his fastball up into the 96-98 mph range. After a year off from winterball, which in those days was unheard of for Latino players, I had a dismal ’69 season after a great season in ’68 where I went 21-9 with 1.60 ERA. I was traded to Minnesota from Cleveland and suffered an arm injury, which led to my release. My attempt for a comeback went from the Braves organization to Boston where I ended up resurrecting my career. My loss of velocity made me change my style of pitching, and from that came the development of my unorthodox style in order to keep hitters off balance. The rest is history.

Many thanks to Luis Tiant for taking the time to answer our questions. For more information about his cigars, and to find a retailer near you that carries El Tiante, please visit www.ElTianteCigars.com

–Patrick S

Atop this page is a picture of all three members of the StogieGuys.com staff. Taken circa December 2006, it shows George E., myself, and Patrick S. in front of a cigar factory in the heart of Ybor City.

Since Patrick S. and I live in Washington and George lives in Florida, this gathering was a rare occasion – but it sure was memorable. We spent an afternoon walking from cigar shop to shop, visiting several cafés for Cuban coffee and good eats.

Among our stops was King Corona Cigars, a bar/restaurant B&M owned and operated by a fifth generation cigar family. It had an impressive selection of name-brand stogies, but also carried four house brands.

One of them, simply called Ybor City Handmades, has been a staple in my humidor ever since the trip. The Torpedo, my favorite vitola, is a six inch by 52 ring gauge stick with an ultra-smooth Connecticut wrapper. I’m glad it comes naked because any band would only detract from its simple beauty.

The smoke begins with a very unique, enticing mild aroma that’s tough to put your finger on. After several puffs, I was able to conclude the taste is primarily one of butter and almond, not unlike the conclusion my colleague reached in this Quick Smoke.

At the halfway point, some spicy clove and sweet honey notes enter the equation, giving this cigar a pleasant texture. Still, it’s definitely on the mild side and not one for those who only value knock-you-on-your-ass smokes.

Like many house blends that are made in small batches with good attention to detail, Ybor City Handmades feature excellent physical properties. The draw has some (but not too much) resistance; the burn is straight or self-correcting; and the ash is sturdy and white – great for a long ashes contest.

While these gems are sold exclusively at King Corona, you can still purchase them online. At only $60 for a bundle of 25 (less than $2.50 apiece), they’re an absolute steal. What you won’t get is a cigar with name-brand recognition; what you will get is a delicious cigar with great construction at a bargain price.

Since this has been my favorite go-to cigar for mornings and early afternoons for about a year, and since I’d be willing to pay three or four times the asking price, I have no qualms about giving the Ybor City Handmades Torpedo four and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

You can’t go a single day without hearing that you need to quit smoking. Whether its those annoying advertisements on television, government officials lecturing us, or just some busybody trying to run your life, the number of people telling you to quit is nearly endless. (I even recently saw an ad on another cigar website selling the latest and greatest method for quitting…You won’t find that here!)

What none of these people get is that for many smoking – and especially smoking cigars – is the right choice. So here is a list of four reasons why you shouldn’t quit smoking:

1. Smoking cigars is cool. Think about all the interesting people that smoke cigars: Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, Red Auerbach, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, Pete Rose, Tony Soprano, John F. Kennedy, Francis Ford Coppola, Rush Limbaugh, Sigmund Freud, J.P. Morgan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Elvis… The list goes on and on. You don’t need to love all those people, agree with them, or even admire them, but the fact is throughout history great characters have tended to be cigar smokers.

Smoking is a personal statement, and that statement is independence and flair. Ayn Rand once said of smoking, “Fire, a dangerous force, tamed at his fingertips.” Smoking exudes sophistication and an ability to relax and enjoy life. These are the people you want to hang out with, not dull teetotalers.

2. Smoking cigars is better than a shrink. Smoking cigars is an exercise in mental health. Chemically, nicotine increases activity in the brain’s neurotransmitters and creates endorphins that act as natural painkillers and give you a pleasurable rush.

When smoking you clear your mind and slow down what is too often a hectic life. This slower pace gives you perspective and peace of mind. Non-smokers go see a shrink while smokers know that cigars can make a bad day better or improve a good day.

3. Smoking cigars is cheap. Anti-smokers claim smokers “waste” money on cigars. What they don’t realize is that smoking is actually a real bargain.

What else can you spend a mere three dollars on and get an hour of enjoyment in today’s society? Going to the movie theater costs ten bucks and a mediocre meal can cost you two or three times that much. But sit down with a cigar and you get a relaxing hour that anyone can afford.

4. Smoking cigars is a luxury. Since the previous item was “Smoking is cheap,” some might be confused about how cigars can also be a luxury. Well, that’s the wonderful thing about cigars. Most luxuries cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Some people buy super-fast cars, some travel to exotic locations.

But I can have a luxurious, hour-long vacation by simply sitting on my front porch with a good cigar and a decent drink. And smoking is the kind of luxury that can be enjoyed with other luxuries. Want to make that exotic vacation better? Smoke a cigar in an exotic location.

That’s the beauty of cigars. For next to nothing a cigar can make even the most average activity luxurious.

[Share this article with others, Digg It!]

–Patrick S

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

Despite being the best-selling premium cigar in America, I’ve never really been a huge fan of Macanudo, especially the brand’s Connecticut Shade-wrapped Café line. But the five and ½ inch by 42 ring gauge Hampton Court I enjoyed at a bar the other night really hit the spot with some creamy, mild flavors. While you may have to pay a little extra for the name, the quality control and consistency are hard to beat.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

Tags: cigars