The Stogie Guys

[Editors’ Note: We come across hypocrisy about the Cuban Embargo regularly…so regularly that we are starting a “Cuban Cigar Hypocrisy Watch” series to keep track.]

On Tuesday, November 13, Robert Kessler, Washington Corespondent for the conservative magazine NewsMax, released his latest book: The Terrorist Watch: Inside the Desperate Race to Stop the Next Attack.

According to the book’s publisher, “Kessler takes you inside the war rooms of this battle – from the newly created National Counterterrorism Center to FBI headquarters, from the CIA to the National Security Agency, from the Pentagon to the Oval Office – to explain why we have gone so long since 9/11 without a successful attack and to reveal the many close calls we never hear about.”

It may or may not be an interesting read (personally I have no plans to read it) but my interest was peaked by this juicy tidbit, told to Kessler by an FBI agent named Piro who interviewed and interrogated Saddam Hussein after the Iraqi dictator’s capture in December 2003:

On July 1, 2004, Piro took Saddam to court for his arraignment. Piro prepared a so-called prosecutive memo, which, with exhibits, ran to more than 700 pages. Because the Iraqis wanted the trial of Saddam to be an Iraqi affair, they did not introduce the memo into evidence. However, they used witnesses and evidence cited in the memo that detailing Saddam’s atrocities.

Then it was time to say goodbye. In all, Piro had been with Saddam eight months, including seven months of interviews. At a souq (market), for $6 apiece, Piro bought two Cuban Cohiba cigars, Saddam’s favorite brand.

“We sat outside, smoked a couple of Cuban cigars, had some coffee, and chatted,” Piro says. They said goodbye in the traditional Arab manner: a handshake and then a kiss to the right cheek, a kiss to the left, and a kiss to the right again.

What FBI agent Piro did was illegal. For Americans, purchasing Cuban Cigars is illegal, even when abroad, as noted on the website of the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control:

The question is often asked whether United States citizens or permanent resident aliens of the United States may legally purchase Cuban origin goods, including tobacco and alcohol products, in a third country for personal use outside the United States. The answer is no.

What does it say about U.S. policy when an average citizen can be fined up to $250,000 and can face up to 10 years of prison time for Cubans, but government agents buy them for themselves and dictators to smoke together over a nice cup of coffee?

Now, technically, Piro could be prosecuted for violating the law, but we won’t hold our breath waiting for that trial to start. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that buying Cuban cigars for Saddam (in violation of the U.S. embargo) was actually a long-standing government policy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Time

You may recall an April Special Report, courtesy of my dad, that gave a first-hand account of Cigar Aficionado’s Big Smoke in Chicago. At the end of that post I said “I’ve reaffirmed my commitment to make it to my first major cigar event in 2007. In case you’re wondering, my dad and I currently have plans in the works to crash the Big Smoke in Las Vegas on November 10 at the Venetian.”

This weekend I made good on that promise. And let me tell you that with all the free-flowing booze samples, incredible cigar handouts, and hoards of superstars from the industry, the Big Smoke is a must attend for every stogie enthusiast.

Now I had originally intended on bringing along a notepad and trying to have detailed (but brief) conversations with tobacco’s heavy hitters. For several reasons, not the least of which was a crowd of over 6,000, that just wasn’t possible.

So instead of trying to convey the tremendous atmosphere to you via text, I thought I would share some of my favorite photos. Special thanks to my dad and his colleague, Mark Carlson, for helping me handle the camera in the hectic excitement.

Perhaps not surprisingly, some of the longest lines of the night were at the Rocky Patel booth. But it was well worth the wait. Mr. Patel spent a good portion of the evening posing for photos, like this one with yours truly.

Tim Ozgener was really in the thick of things, helping many guests establish good lights on samples from his Criollo line. Where else but at the Big Smoke can you have your cigar lit by the president of a major tobacco organization like CAO? Mr. Ozgener seemed pleased to hear my favorite CAO is the Brazilia Gol.

My dad and I are all smiles posing with a few “representatives” from Arganese.

Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley was a real pleasure as he handed out samples from his Maxx line. He told me he was especially proud of the limited edition blend he created called “Dodge Challenger.” Reviews of both are forthcoming.

I didn’t mind telling Charlie Toraño how much I enjoy his Signature Collection.

Carlos Fuente Sr. spent most of his evening frantically signing Big Smoke programs and Arturo Fuente baseball caps.

My dad, Mark Carlson, and I pose for one last photo before heading out for dinner, drinks, and blackjack.

It was a real honor to meet everyone at the event – from La Flor Dominicana’s Litto Gomez to La Aurora’s José Blanco to all those pictured above. Something tells me this won’t be my last Big Smoke.

–Patrick A

photo credits: Stogie Guys

In any discussion of budget cigars, the name Sancho Panza is certain to come up. Often, it’s the Double Maduro line that generates high praise. But I recently rediscovered the Extra Fuerte (Spanish for “strong”) and plan to make it my faithful companion.

I was in a cigar shop I visit occasionally, following my usual habit of spending so much time in the humidor I expect a search party to come looking for me. Up in a corner, I noticed an open box holding only a couple of Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Madrids for $4.50 each. I brushed the dust from the cellophane and decided to give it a try.

What a fine cigar. The reddish Honduran Havana seed wrapper was a perfect complement to the spicy core. I found it mild to medium in body, with a slow burn that produced volumes of smoke. While not complex, the cigar did develop and change as it went along, creating occasional sweetness and cedar notes.

Intrigued, I tried several of the four other sizes of the Extra Fuerte. I experienced some minor burn problems with the smaller ring gauges, though they all performed pretty well. Overall, though, I found myself agreeing with Cigar Aficionado, which dubbed the Madrid, a 6 and 1/4 inch by 54 ring gauge, the best in the line when it ranked it No. 19 in its list of best cigars for 2005.

It’s somewhat a shame that the lines have become so firmly established as budget smokes. The truth is the Extra Fuerte is a good cigar, whatever the cost. I think General Cigar’s overall quality control also contributes to greater consistency than you’ll find in many lower-priced sticks.

Yet the price cannot to be ignored. You can easily find them at box prices for considerably under $3 each. Overall, this cigar earns a rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Tags: cigars

Awhile back I was going through my cigars and began to notice that I had a few I’m unlikely ever to smoke. Some are brands I’ve tried and didn’t enjoy, others are flavored sticks I’ve collected at various giveaways, and there are a few that for one reason or another just don’t have any appeal.

Why am I keeping them? Mostly it’s just because they’re there. Wouldn’t it be better to give them to someone who might enjoy them? I remembered reading the other day that the two most requested items from U.S troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are Starbucks coffee and cigars.

And I thought of references I’ve run across about programs that send cigars to service men and women overseas. You can find quite a few on the web and many local shops have them as well. After a little checking, I decided to go through Cigarista, a B&M in Redington Shores, Florida, about 25 miles from my home.

I drove them down to owner Mike Smith the other day, the first time I’ve been there since he opened a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to stay and have a smoke. But that’s a great reason to go back. It’s a friendly-looking shop and looked to have a fine selection.

My guess is that lots of you also have cigars you could donate. Heck, you could toss in a couple of gems, too. I cannot imagine that every cigar won’t be met with appreciation.

This has nothing to do with support or opposition to the Iraq war or any government policy or anything else. It’s simply a way to provide a small bit of pleasure for men and women doing a tough job who are not able to stroll into a nice shop and spend time in the humidor picking out their smokes.

With yesterday being Veterans day (and many people having today off work in recognition of Veterans Day), what better time to show our appreciation of the troops?

–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.

La Unica cigars are easy to find. Many shops stock them to provide a cheap smoke from a well-known maker. The Fuente-made cigars have been around for more than 20 years since their introduction as a “premium” cigar offered in bundles rather than boxes. The maduro I smoked recently, a five and 1/2 inch by 42 ring gauge, had a rough wrapper, a couple of large veins, and little prelight aroma. Unfortunately, that seemed to foreshadow the smoking experience: uneven burn, harsh smoke, and little taste. I paid less than $3, so there wasn’t much investment. But there wasn’t much return either.

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.

H. Upmann is an oft-overlooked line in Altadis’ stable of famous cigar names. This six and 1/2 inch by 52 ring gauge torpedo comes packaged in an attractive cedar sleeve. With a medium flavor profile and quintessential Cameron spice, this Dominican-made is nice but not great. Still, with solid construction, I can definitely recommend it.

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) The following quote from San Jose City Councilman Forrest Williams says a lot about California’s ridiculous holier-than-thou attitude toward smoking: “I think we ought to eliminate cigarettes altogether. Let’s just get rid of them.” That’s what he said, according to the Mercury News, after San Jose passed a prohibition on smoking in parks and inside private cars. The invasive law was approved on Tuesday—just a few days after similar outdoor ordinances were passed in Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

2) For a fascinating discussion on taste, objectivity, and “expert” ratings, check the Nov. 3 entry on science writer Jonah Lehrer’s blog, The Frontal Cortex. Though it deals with wine (sparked by a recent dust up between two leading wine critics), you’ll find it sounds familiar. And don’t skip the reader comments; they are equally intriguing.

3) The Wall Street Journal reports that an article in New Scientist relates the concerns by a Boston University researcher that “the antismoking movement has gone overboard” with its claims about the danger of secondhand smoke. All this is from a public health physician who’s testified on behalf of indoor smoking bans!

4) Around the Blog: Cigar Beat smokes the Casada Connecticut. Cigar Inspector inspects the H. Upmann 46. Cigar Jack tries the Casa Toraño Maduro. Matt enjoys the Oliva Serie V. Stogie Review reviews the Avalon Honeyboy (and if you haven’t already offered Jerry your thoughts and prayers, we suggest you do so).

5) Deal of the Week: This week we’ve found yet another great deal from Tinderbox.com. Their “Cuba Libre Sampler” features ten cigars for just $20! It includes La Aurora, Gispert, Cuba Aliados, Don Thomas, and two Don Pepin Cigars. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys