The Stogie Guys

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

If ever a cigar has the look and taste of a classic, this petite corona is it. The gorgeous four and 5/8 inch Nicaraguan puro with a 42 ring gauge provides about 45 minutes of pleasure. It’s a medium strength, incredibly smooth, and tasty stick. I paid $5 at a local shop, and it was a bargain. My recent experience was the first I’ve had with this Pete Johnson line of cigars, but it certainly won’t be my last. If you’ve tried the others, let me know if they’re as good as this one.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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) Time is running out to enter our College Football Bowl Contest. The winner gets three cigars: a La Aroma de Cuba, a Bahia Gold, and a pricey Graycliff Grand Cru.

2) In a Government Accountability Office study released this week, it was revealed that the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control “opened more investigations and imposed more penalties for embargo violations, such as buying Cuban cigars, than for violations of other sanctions, such as those on Iran.” Baltimore Sun columnist Jay Hancock wrote an amusingly sarcastic response to the news on his blog.

3) The Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers is throwing the first annual Procigar Festival in Santiago on March 5-7. For just under $600, you can tour factories and tobacco fields, hit up exclusive dinners and parties, and participate in informational seminars. The producers of such brands as Romeo y Julieta, Macanudo, Davidoff, and La Aurora will all be on hand, so book your flight today!

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a Graycliff G2. Velvet Cigar puffs a Chamuco Black Magic. Cigar Beat tries the Toraño Signature. Cigar Command smokes a Griffins 2006. Stogie Review reviews the Alec Bradley Trilogy. Cigar Monkey smokes a Cielo Poseidon.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Deluxe Holiday 30” sampler has 30 cigars for $60. In case you’re not a math major, that’s just two bucks per stick. The deal even includes Fuentes, Gisperts, and Montecristos. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Wikipedia

In a Stogie Sprits article back in May, I took a look at pairing cigars with three styles of Sam Adams. As I said back then, contrary to a common misconception, a good flavorful beer can be an excellent accompaniment to a fine handmade cigar.

And if you’re looking for such a beer I would certainly recommend Ommegang Abbey Ale. The beer can be found in many grocery stores for around $6 for a 750 ml bottle.

This Belgian-style “dubbel” abbey ale is made by the Ommegang Brewery. The brewery is located in Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is how the beer is described on the brewery’s website:

“Ommegang, our first brew, was inspired by the centuries-old brewing practices of the Belgian Trappist monks. This burgundian brew gives off a variety of aromas, including plum and cinnamon, and packs in flavors such as caramel, toffee, and licorice. At 8.5% abv, it is known to cause spontaneous meditation.”

While I haven’t seen anything to indicate this beer is actually from the Burgundy region of France (after all, it’s brewed in Upstate New York in a Belgian style), I don’t think the description is necessarily inaccurate. There are many qualities to this beer that are very wine-like.

The beer has a deep ruby color and, when poured, it foams up and creates a tan, cappuccino-like head. The brew is highly aromatic, with deep fruit flavors similar to a fine red burgundy.

The taste is malty with fig, sweet cherry, and toffee flavors. You’ll want to pour it into a goblet as opposed to a pint glass to maximize the flavor and aroma.

Ultimately, this is a fine beer that would pair well with a medium- to full-flavored cigar. While I would suggest avoiding a maduro, anything from the Fuente Hemingway line works well. I would also suggest enjoying this brew with a Don Kiki Brown Label, a Rocky Patel Sun Grown, or a Partagas Serie D No. 4.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

That headline has a question mark because, ever since reports of Castro’s “imminent” death surfaced 16 months ago, I’ve learned you can’t take any news about the oppressive communist dictator at face value.

He clearly hasn’t died and, with his brother Raúl at the helm, he may not have even relinquished much power. Nonetheless, here’s the latest from the New York Times:

Fidel Castro indicated Monday in a statement read on state television that he was willing to hand over the reins of Cuba’s government to a younger generation of leaders. But his statement remained silent on whether he was speaking hypothetically or had a transition plan in mind.

“My basic duty is not to cling to office, nor even more so, to obstruct the rise of people much younger, but to pass on experiences and ideas whose modest value arises from the exceptional era in which I lived,” said the statement attributed to Mr. Castro, who is 81.

The ailing Mr. Castro, acting in a sort of emeritus role, has produced numerous commentaries in the 16 months since he had abdominal surgery and temporarily handed over power to his younger brother, Raúl, who is 76. But none of the statements until now have addressed the important question of Mr. Castro’s future as Cuba’s president, a position he has held for nearly five decades.

As I’ve written before, Castro’s retirement or death certainly will not instantaneously lift America’s decades-long, hypocritical trade embargo, but Cuban economic and political reforms from a more pragmatic Raúl will go a long way towards that end.

I’m hoping such reforms are forthcoming not merely for cigars, but for the oppressed people of Cuba who have suffered under communism for too long.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

When it comes to premium cigars from the forbidden island, Hoyo de Monterrey generally takes a backseat to more familiar brands like Cohiba and Montecristo. My recent sit-downs with a few Epicure No. 2s, however, suggest Hoyo shouldn’t be so easily dismissed.

José Gener established Hoyo in 1865 in Vuelta Abajo, a fertile region of Cuba nestled in the southern part of the Órganos Mountains. In 2001 Cigar Aficionado called this place the “land of the world’s best cigar leaves.”

Take a good look at an Epicure No. 2 and it’s easy to see why. This is a clean and elegant stick that measures four and 7/8 inches with a 50 ring gauge. It sports a beautiful, seamless, yellow-tinted wrapper that’s almost flawless and a nostalgic red, white, and gold band.

Pre-light I found notes of cinnamon, cocoa, and fruit off the freshly cut head. I was surprised and a bit concerned to discover the cigar has an inconsistent feel – soft and spongy in some places, rock hard in others.

But that concern faded as I torched the foot to reveal a dry, sandy aroma of cedar. This flavor is particularly pleasing because it’s balanced by an acidic taste, which adds saliva to the palate (bite into a lemon and you’ll see what I mean).

After an inch or so, the flavor mellows into more complexity with notes of jasmine, rose, and coffee. I am particularly struck by the thick, voluminous smoke given off by each tiny puff, the even burn that doesn’t require much attention, and the solid ash that holds firm for two or more inches. These characteristics hold true until the final inch, when the taste comes full circle by fading into spicy cedar.

Like many Cubans, the price of the Epicure No. 2 varies considerably in the U.S. from as low as $8 to as high as $17. Either way I doubt you’ll be disappointed. For a mild- to medium-bodied taste that stands up to Cohiba and Montecristo, I give the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 four and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The holiday season is a time for get-togethers. If you’re lucky, and if the weather permits, at least some of the parties you attend will include some time in the backyard, patio, or other smoke-friendly location with the opportunity to smoke a cigar.

Many times, someone will ask if you have another stick. Or you’ll want to share your pleasure and make the initial offer. In either case, some of those who join you will be cigar newcomers, so you might want to plan a little in advance.

The most common recommendation is to offer a novice smoker a mild cigar, like a Macanudo or Dominican Montecristo. I disagree. I think you need something with more taste and interest. Otherwise, the new smoker’s reaction is likely to be, “Why am I sucking on these leaves? There’s just not much to it.”

Now, I’m not recommending you break out the Camacho Coyolars or powerhouse Joya de Nicaraguas. But there are many, many flavorful and interesting medium strength cigars that a newcomer could enjoy. If you need some suggestions, take a spin through the Stogie Guys Cigar Reviews Archive.

Interesting shapes, like the Punch Champion or diademas, can also make that first smoke more memorable. For length and girth, stick with smaller ring gauges and a length of five inches or less. Better that they end wanting more than wishing there was less.

So, spread the word. And the good cigars.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

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

From Te-Amo’s World Selection Series comes the Nicaraguan Blend – a nicely built cigar with a criollo wrapper, a San Andres binder, and a Nicaraguan filler. With hearty flavors of cedar and paper, you won’t find complexity or balance from this five inch by 54 ring gauge stick. In the $2.50 to $4.00 range, I wanted to recommend this robusto, but it gets terribly sour and bitter.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys