The Stogie Guys

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

This toro features a rustic, yet attractive deep brownish-red corojo wrapper. I found it to be a delicious medium-flavored smoke, with cedar and honey flavors. The construction was also impressive, with a tight draw, even burn, and very sturdy ash. Unlike George’s experience with the maduro, I can thoroughly recommend this cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: 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) Red Sox great turned cigar producer Luis Tiant this week announced he will campaign in support of presidential hopeful Bill Richardson. We find this a perplexing move for “El Tiante,” who was nice enough to grant StogieGuys.com an interview back in August. Richardson is an ardent proponent of huge tax increases for tobacco and also an advocate of oppressive smoking bans.

2) The latest cigar publication is The Cigar Report, a quarterly magazine with an active website. The magazine recently debuted and promises to “take readers on far-reaching journeys into this centuries old passion.” It’s a product of Doubledown Media, whose other publications include up-scale magazines aimed at hedge fund managers, private airplane owners, and investment bankers. Among the entries in the first issue are a Q&A with Jimmy Smits, a profile of Drew Estate, and a guide to smoking in New York.

3) We’re not big fans of flavored sticks, but it’s worth mentioning that stogie giant General Cigar – manufacturer of such brands as Macanudo and Punch – recently acquired Havana Honeys. In a widely-distributed press release, COO Daniel Nuñez said General’s “purchase of Havana Honeys represents an opportunity to strengthen our position within the growing flavored segment of the premium cigar category.”

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a Padilla 1932. Velvet Cigar puffs a Don Lino Africa. Cigar Beat tries the Primos Habana Criollo Rosado. Cigar Command smokes the Griffins 2006. The Stogie Review reviews the Flor de Oliva Corojo.

5) Deal of the Week: In honor of yesterday’s review, today’s deal is a sampler of Don Pepin cigars. For $39.99 you get eight of Pepin’s finest, including two Series JJs and two new JJ maduros. That’s only $5 per cigar, so be sure to grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I don’t believe anyone has ever used Scoville units to judge a cigar, but if they want to start, this would be the one to test. I think the first few puffs of this beautiful light brown stick would rate pretty highly on the scale that’s used to measure the “heat” from chili peppers.

The Series JJ White Label is another in what seems to be a never-ending list of cigars from Don Pepin Garcia. I smoked the five and 3/4 inch by 52 ring gauge belicoso torpedo and thought it was terrific from start to finish.

That hot start quickly changes to an interesting sharpness that, surprisingly, almost has no finish. From there, as the cigar burned, tastes came and went, ranging from wood and leather to vanilla and coffee. I was doing some work while smoking, and at several points I got so wrapped up in the cigar that I lost track of what I was doing.

The Corojo wrapper is smooth with tiny, unobtrusive veins. The Nicaraguan puro’s prelight aroma is a wonderful earthy, thick mix. The cigar clipped and toasted easily. The only negatives I found were a few spots where the draw was a little tight and the smoke not as voluminous as I’d have liked. The ash was also flaky and, near the end, I experienced a wrapper split.

Overall, though, the JJ was a joy to smoke.

The popularity of this line, which has garnered many accolades and become a favorite of cognoscenti since its release a couple of years ago, just continues to grow. Consequently, discounts aren’t deep and sometimes the cigars can be difficult to find. The belicoso seems to run around $8 to $10 per stick. Remember, too, when you’re checking box prices, that there are 24.

I think anyone who enjoys medium- to full-flavored cigars will enjoy the JJ. On the Stogie Guys scale, it earns a rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Baby, it’s cold outside. For those of us not lucky enough to be living in a tropical climate, December – with its diminishing humidity and freezing temperatures – is a stark reminder that winter is not the most accommodating season for cigars.

That sad fact is more apparent to smokers this winter than any other in recent history. There are more oppressive, government-imposed smoking bans in effect today than ever before, forcing thousands of decent stogie enthusiasts into the cold and out of private restaurants and bars that would otherwise welcome them with open arms.

As my colleague wrote last January, it isn’t easy to step out into the winter elements for a cigar. Jack Frost does everything he can to make standing still or sitting down intolerable this time of year, one reason why “to brave inclement weather shows true dedication to the wonderful hobby that is cigars.”

So, other than gloves, space-heaters, hats, and long underwear, I’d like to propose the following tip to make this winter a little more enjoyable: Smoke shorter cigars.

As you well know, that seven inch by 50 ring gauge Churchill you’ve been eyeing in your humidor is a serious investment in time. If you smoke slowly – as you should to maximize enjoyment – it could take two or more hours to complete. In this weather, according to authorities, such exposure could lead to frostnip, frostbite, and even hypothermia.

Luckily, we here at StogieGuys.com have reviewed a good number of short cigars lately, providing you with some excellent choices for the winter months. Some of my favorites include:

• Punch Champion
• Oliva Serie G Special
• Montecristo Petit Edmundo (Cuban)
• Don Kiki Brown Label Figurado
• Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story

Feel free to share your favorite shorty with our readers by leaving a comment. Who knows? You might even save someone from losing a finger.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Ramón Allones Specially Selected is a highly-regarded robusto from one of Cuba’s lesser-known trademarks.

The brand hails all the way back to 1845 when it was created by brothers Ramón and Antonio Allones – neither of whom is related to Antonio Allones, who brought El Rey del Mundo to fame in the late 19th century.

According to legend, Ramón Allones was the first brand to have colorful lithographs for box art, the first brand to utilize bands on cigars, and the first to package cigars in the “8-9-8” style. (Although others also claim to be the first for each of the developments.)

With a classic robusto shape (four and 7/8 inches by 50 ring gauge) and a slight box press, the “Specially Selected” is an attractive cigar. The wrapper is a nearly flawless medium-brown matte color.

Prelight, I take a moment to appreciate its rich and earthy aroma before I clip the head and use a few matches to get a good light. I also notice that the Specially Selected is very firm to the touch and it is denser than most of the other Cuban robustos I have smoked.

Immediately after lighting, I enjoy an abundant amount of leather flavors paired with pepper, earth, and even caramel. As the cigar progresses I find the spice fades out before coming back for a strong finish to this medium- to full-flavored smoke.

The overall construction of the Ramón Allones is also impressive. The draw is firm, but not overly so, and the ash is very sturdy. The only downside is the burn starts off a bit uneven, but fortunately quickly corrects itself.

Ultimately, this is one of the best Cuban cigars I have tasted, and it produced the same well-balanced flavors in each of the sticks I sampled for this review. Because it isn’t as famous as many of its Cuban counterparts, this cigar is available at a reasonable price of just $7.50 per cigar when purchased in a box of 25.

For attractive looks, solid construction, well-blended flavor, and a reasonable price, this Ramón Allones earns a rare rating of five out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Is there anything trendier in the world of cigars than the new barber pole phenomenon? The fad, characterized by two diagonally-woven, contrasting wrapper leaves, seems to be cropping up everywhere from CAO and Don Pepin to Arturo Fuente and Arganese.

But is this technique a sincere and creative attempt at new flavor combinations, or just a mere marketing gimmick? There’s only one way to find out: one at a time.

With Dos Capas, loosely translated as “two capes,” Felipe Gregorio is the manufacturer of one of the most recognizable barber poles. It sports a Connecticut-Sumatra wrapper combination with Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. (The company also makes Tres Capas, which brings a Nicaraguan candela wrapper into the mix.)

I recently tried my luck with a few Dos Capas Churchills. They weigh in at seven inches with a 50 ring gauge and sell in the $4.50 to $5.50 range. I am told they can be had for $3 or less at times on Cbid.

Made at the Tabacalera Real factory in the Dominican Republic, these sticks are a bit bumpy and uneven with some large veins. Like most barber poles, the seams are less than perfect.

After an even light, I found well-balanced, light flavors of oak, straw, and black tea. With two contrasting wrappers, I guess it’s no surprise that these earthy and woody notes – which aren’t quite mild, but aren’t quite full either – produce a taste that’s complex and even on the palate.

Once the first few inches are turned into a solid, well-layered gray ash, the flavor leads into a big, warm tobacco taste that’s familiar and inviting. I experienced a clear draw and a very even burn.

That good fortune turns sour towards the end, however, when heavy bitter notes kick in and the construction begins to suffer. I am also perturbed by the brown and gold band’s tendency to tear the frail wrapper when it is removed.

For me, this cigar demonstrates how barber poles are double-edged swords. While two or more wrappers will often yield a balanced, noble taste, they can also pose troubling construction issues. So, for a promising start and a disappointing finale, I’m giving the Felipe Gregorio Dos Capas Churchill three out of five stogies.

[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 take on a single cigar.

This robusto-sized smoke is considered one of the most sought Cuban cigars currently being made. So I was surprised when it only got a three stogie rating due to seriously sub-par construction. Fortunately, my experience was different. While the burn was slightly uneven, overall construction was very good. As for flavor, after an initial bitterness the cigar blossomed into a tasty medium-bodied cigar, with cedar, subtle earth and a bit of spice. It went perfectly with a dark cup of coffee in the midday.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S