The Stogie Guys

This cigar is a near perfect example of a conundrum I’ve brought up before: How many individual sticks should I smoke before writing about a particular cigar?

In this case, I’ve smoked one. I’ll probably try another one sometime. But they’re expensive, and when I have to make the decision about what to pick up I‘ll definitely weigh trying it once more or getting something I’ve enjoyed in the past. Or giving a new cigar a try.

I was eager to try the San Cristobal and picked up a 6 inch by 50 ring gauge Supremo. Cosmetically, it was excellent. The wrapper was virtually flawless. The draw was good and the burn went straight from the foot on down. As you are no doubt aware, the San Cristobal is another Don Pepin Nicaraguan puro, made this time for Holt’s. It has gotten a lot of attention and many good reviews.

I certainly can’t say anything bad about the San Cristobal. But to me it was underwhelming.

I expected a flavorful, complex, rich cigar. What I got, though, was a relatively mundane cigar that, while powerful, was flat and unexciting. Sure, maybe it was just that stick, or my mood that day or what I’d recently eaten or…who knows? Rolling the dice on a nearly $9 cigar is OK once, but do I want to do it again on the chance that I’ll come up with a winner this time?

Let us know what you think about this and what you think about the San Cristobal. In the meantime, I can give this cigar only three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Ashton Cigars

StogieGuys.com will be featured on the Livin’ Large with Geoff Pinkus radio show on WIND 560 AM in Chicago today. The show runs from 5-7 pm Central (6-8 Eastern) and Patrick A is scheduled to be on around 5:35 pm Central (6:35 Eastern).

Feel free to call in at 877-560-WIND to ask a question on the air. And if you’re not in the Chicago area, you can listen live here (if you miss it, a podcast will be available here).

–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.

I read my colleague’s May 2007 review of the Generoso vitola of this line as I lit up this 5 inch by 50 ring gauge Invictos. Despite the difference in size, George E’s take on the Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label is almost identical to mine. I too found a “cornucopia of flavor” with pepper, leather, clove, coffee, cedar, and earth. The abundant smoke starts strong and, to its credit, settles down to become sweet and creamy. At about $6 per stick or $125-150 per box of 25, this Nicaraguan puro—a well-constructed corojo/criollo blend that earned a rating of 88 in the August 2006 issue of Cigar Aficionado—is truly an easy recommendation.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.

If you prefer mild cigars or if you smoke several a day, give this criollo-wrapped stick from Rocky Patel’s former blender a try. Introduced last year by the gregarious Jesus Fuego, these are touted as an everyday smoke. Although the wrapper was marked with a couple of splotches, construction was fine. The cigar begins with some spice that quickly dissipates then makes an occasional return. Overall, the flavors are light, with the Nicaraguan and Honduran filler mix creating a distinctive taste. The 4.5 inch, 46 ring gauge corona generally runs about $5.50 per stick.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) We must have missed the memo on June being Cigar Association Month. Following the establishment of Cigar Rights of America and the IPCPR’s new group to fight smoking bans and tobacco taxes we’ve been alerted to the formation of two more groups: The Association for Women Cigar Smokers will aim to facilitate and be a resource for female smokers, and the International Association of Cigar Clubs is working to protect the rights of smokers to gather in private cigar clubs.

2) In the recent Jameson cigar review, the origin of the company name was raised but couldn’t be answered. Well, Jameson chief Brad Mayo has since emailed to say that it comes from his first name, James, which he shares with his grandfather, father, and son.

3) Inside the Industry: Imperial Tobacco, the world’s fourth largest tobacco company and owner of Altadis, announced it will cut 2,440 jobs and close 6 of its 58 facilities as part of a restructuring effort. Riding the success of San Cristobal, Don Pepin is again partnering with Ashton to create a new brand called Benchmade.

4) Around the Blogs: With the help of Jon N, Keepers of the Flame continues its outstanding series on Padrón with a comparison review of the Delicias vitola. Cigar Monkey fires up a Griffin’s Piramide. Cigar Jack tries the Rocky Patel Edge Lite Torpedo. Cigar Inspector sparks a Flor de Selva Robusto.

5) Deal of the Week: This week’s deal is the best kind of all: a free cigar! A recent issue of the Robb Report offers readers a free Montecristo (Classic or White), which can be claimed here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Altadis USA

This has all the makings of a great golf course cigar: generous dimensions, a pleasant but simple flavor, above average physical properties, and a sub-$4 price.

So why haven’t you heard of Gran Habano before? Its manufacturer, GR Tabacleras Unidas, has kept a relatively low profile since its inception in 1995. The “love child” of third generation leaf growers with outfits in Columbia, Panama, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, the company introduced three blends in 2003—Connecticut #1, Habano #3, and Corojo #5. I guess they don’t like even numbers.

Habano #3 is their “classic cigar,” sporting a “medium body with a smooth and balanced taste.” The wrapper and binder are Nicaraguan habano, and the filler is a three-nation blend from Nicaragua, Mexico, and Costa Rica. The Torpedo vitola earned a rating of 4.3 in the Summer 2004 issue of Smoke Magazine.

The 7 inch by 48 ring gauge Churchill is a slender, tightly packed stick with a few veins and almost no seams. It certainly doesn’t look like a cigar you could buy 20 for under $70 or five for under $20.

The taste is a festive one of cedar spice and pine nuts—satisfying, albeit a little dry and a tad mild. Despite the long, narrow format and the solid feel, each easy puff produces a lot of thick smoke from the get-go. The flavor moderately intensifies midway with hearty, meaty undertones, but I’d say the profile is mostly consistent from light to nub with few subtleties.

One characteristic you’re sure to notice regarding the even burn is a bulging black mascara between the coarsely layered ash and the wrapper. That ash, by the way, holds very well for up to two inches. My only construction complaint is that tiny flakes of the delicate wrapper had a tendency to tear away at the end of one of the two Churchills I smoked for this review.

All things considered, I recommend you pick up a few of these for the next time you hit the links or participate in any other activity where the primary focus is not on the cigar. The Gran Habano #3 Churchill may not have what it takes to be an after dinner centerpiece, but it no doubt makes for a worthy, inexpensive companion. I give it three and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I received this cigar as a gift from someone who didn’t realize it wasn’t a “regular” cigar. Over the years, I I’ve had one or two adulterated cigars, and I smoked quite a few flavored pipe tobaccos long ago. So an “infused” cigar isn’t exactly my smoke of choice. But I thought I should give it a try. After all, lots of people smoke and enjoy flavored cigars from Drew, Heavenly, CAO, and others.

The second thing I noticed when I removed the cigar from the colorful aluminum tube was its appearance. Construction, the cap, the Sumatra wrapper—all appeared first-rate. It clipped easily and the burn was true, though the ash was loose.

But that couldn’t overcome the first, and most dominating, impression: an overwhelming floral perfume scent. Then, when I put the cigar to my lips, there was a syrupy sweetness that completely overpowered any tobacco taste. I felt as if I were bringing an old bottle of Log Cabin to my lips every time I puffed on the Kuba.

And when I puffed I thought I might have been smoking a potpourri sachet from your grandmother’s cedar chest. The combination of the flowers, herbs, and oils infused into the 6 inch by 50 ring gauge cigar nearly made me ill. Any flavors from the Nicaraguan binder and filler were totally lost. I put the Kuba down about half way through.

I was impressed that Drew put its website address and telephone number on the inside of the band, though I wondered why they didn’t include some information on the stick itself.

If you like this kind of cigar, I would recommend the Kuba Deluxe, though it does seem to be a little expensive (the price looks to be over $7 a stick). As you can tell, it isn’t for me. For that reason, I’m a little reluctant to give it a rating, but keeping that in mind, I feel I’ve got to give it one out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys