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Stogie Revews: Devil’s Weed Jerez

4 Aug 2008

Devil’s Weed is an interesting and colorfully named cigar line recently released by the Molina Cigar Company. The brand seeks to honor the early history of mainstream tobacco use—beginning with Christopher Columbus’s introduction of the plant to Europe, and culminating in the condemnation of tobacco by the Spanish Inquisition (from whence the phrase “devil’s weed” originated).

The Jerez is a 6.25 inch by 46 gauge specialty vitola in the Devil’s Weed lineup, and it most closely resembles a belicoso. It is named for Rodrigo de Jerez, one of Columbus’ trusted lieutenants, whose penchant for the heretical herb famously landed him a seven-year sentence in a Spanish prison.

I’m a sucker for history and clever marketing, and Devil’s Weed offers plenty of both. Not only are the vitolas named for various 16th-century figures and places, but they’re presented in a fairly unique fashion: individually wrapped not in cellophane, but in logo-stamped brown paper. Molina Co. claims the paper offers better air circulation than plastic, and I can’t really argue that point one way or the other. Either way, it looks cool, and I dig it.

Remove the paper and you reveal a smooth, khaki-colored claro with minimal veins, a tiny bit of tooth, and practically invisible seams. The cap is a bit sloppily applied, but otherwise the Jerez is an almost flawless-looking stick. It turns out to be a mild-bodied smoke with lots of butter, very subtle hints of cedar, and some toast and honey on the finish and nose. The combustion and construction properties are excellent; the Jerez draws beautifully and requires no touchups or relights during its brief but relaxing 60-minute duration.

Ordinarily I’d consider this sort of mild, pleasant, everyday morning smoke—not outstanding, but certainly serviceable, delightful, and easy. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be readily available individually. You have to buy Jerezes by the box, and at $121 for 25 sticks, that’s a price I’m not sure I’d pay. A more reasonable $4.50-5 seems about right for this stick, but I’d love the option to buy singles.

Ultimately, the Devil’s Weed Jerez is an uncomplicated yet enjoyable smoke that I wish were more readily available for value-minded consumers. I give it three and 1/2 stogies out of five.

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

Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

6 Responses to “Stogie Revews: Devil’s Weed Jerez”

  1. Jason Monday, August 4, 2008 at 6:00 am #

    You can find singles at http://www.silocigars.com. They are with the $4.50 – $5 price range.

  2. Jon N. Monday, August 4, 2008 at 6:07 am #

    I stand corrected, then. Singles are available for purchase, which is certainly a good thing.

    That said, availability of singles doesn't really change my opinion on the 3.5-star rating. I think that's a fair call on this stick. It's a very good, but not fantastic cigar.

  3. Jason Monday, August 4, 2008 at 11:16 am #

    BTW, thanks for the review. I haven’t seen many on this cigar. I’ve mulling over buying a few of each size.

  4. Chris V Monday, August 4, 2008 at 12:02 pm #

    The ONE I had had such a problem staying light and burning that I had to put it down after the first 1 after relighting some 4-5 times!

  5. Jon N. Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 6:03 am #

    Chris: Sorry to hear about your experience, though I'd definitely call that one a fluke. I smoked anywhere from 8 to 10 for this review (yeah, it's safe to say I was bored those few days!), and all of them took and held a light very easily. If anything, they burned a bit too quickly.

  6. B Casanova Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 10:40 am #

    Great review! I too am a sucker for history and clever marketing. Their website is awesome too. Talk about the total experience. This is my kind of cigar company profile! It's not a gimmick because it WORKS!

    I also like how they wrap their cigar…kind of cool how they conceal it because it is forbidden.