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.

At a bargain price of $3-4 per stick, this Cameroon-wrapped classic is much more accessible than Fuente’s high-priced Hemmingway, Anejo, Don Carlos, and Opus X lines. It features a straight burn and charismatic flavors of nut, pine, herbs, and toast. If you ask me, the Flor Fina 8-5-8 (6 x 47) is the tobacco equivalent of homemade chicken soup—inviting, reliable, and downright comforting.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

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 items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) According to TMZ, Gurkha Cigars offered Michael Phelps $25,000 to become their official “smokesperson.” After a photo of Phelps smoking a bong was made public, the company reportedly wrote to the 14-time gold medal winner: “We would like to provide you with the opportunity to do what you do best—smoke and swim. And while we can’t help you with your swimming skills, we can definitely offer you the best of the best when it comes to the cigar world.”

2) Virginia, a state built on tobacco, is nearing a compromise that would impose a smoking ban on the commonwealth. As it stands now, the law would be one of the weakest statewide bans because it includes exemptions for clubs and businesses that are off-limits to minors. But lawmakers in Richmond, including Gov. Tim Kaine, are scrambling to make the proposed regulation more cumbersome.

3) The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic venture of the Fuente and Newman families, continues to do important work for the people of the Dominican Republic’s rural tobacco-growing region. The organization’s activities include providing medical treatment, helping students graduate from vocational training programs, and running various community development initiatives. The Foundation is likely to take a hit due to SCHIP, so we encourage you to donate.

4) Inside the Industry: Habanos is introducing the Montecristo Open, a new, milder extension of its Cuban Montecristo line. CAO’s Cx2 blend is now only available from Famous Smoke Shop. Famous also rolled out exclusive blends celebrating 70 years of business, including a three-size line by Perdomo and a box-pressed Padrón Robusto reportedly based on the 1964 blend.

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack lights up a Casa Fuente. Stogie Review smokes a Conuco. Stogie Fresh tries a J. Fuego Triple Siete. Cigar Command sparks a Henry Clay Brevas.

6) Deal of the Week: While Alec Bradley’s Tempus hogged the spotlight and the highest ratings, don’t overlook the well-aged Harvest Selection ’97. At $20 for 8 smokes, this deal is a great way to try Tempus’ slightly milder brother. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Last week I wrote about Michter’s US 1 Rye. Today, I look at another whiskey from the Michter’s label: the 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon. Like it’s rye counterpart, this one wasn’t actually made at Michter’s Distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania (which last made A.H. Hirsh 16-Year-Old Bourbon).

Just because this bourbon isn’t made at the historic Pennsylvania distillery doesn’t mean it isn’t a great spirit. But the fact that bourbon was made in Pennsylvania does let me address one common misconception: Contrary to what you might have heard (and what a friendly bartender recently tried to convince me of), bourbon doesn’t need to made in Kentucky.

While the standards for bourbon are quite exacting, there is no requirement as to where it is made, and these days fine bourbon is made in New York, Virginia, Kentucky, and elsewhere—though Bourbon County, Kentucky, remains the center of production.

For a whiskey to be considered bourbon, it must only meet the following standards (laid out in 1964 U.S. law). It must: (1) be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn; (2) be distilled to no more than 160 proof; (3) be natural with nothing other than water added to the grain mixture; (4) be aged in new, charred oak barrels; and (5) not be introduced to the barrel at higher than 125 proof. Additionally, bourbons aged for less than four years must be labeled with thier age, meaning that most bourbons are at least four years old.

Michter’s takes the standards and surpasses them by aging the bourbon 10 years. Additionally, as a single barrel bourbon, each bottle contains whiskey from exactly one oak barrel, and every bottle is individually labeled so that it can be traced back to a specific barrel. (The bottle I tasted was labeled 7K-1.)

With a smokey copper appearance and an intense nose of oak, the taste is dominated by charred oak and malted barley with orange peel and a hint of anise. The finish is cedary and long.

Overall, this is a complex and pleasant bourbon. I find the price of around $60, however, to be a little high. Were it half that I could offer an enthusiastic recommendation. Either way, Michter’s 1o-Year-Old makes a fine pairing for any good medium- to full-bodied cigar. I found the flavorful Cuban Bolivar Royal Corona to be a perfect match.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Buried beneath the media’s coverage of the looming stimulus package was a story of utmost importance for cigar enthusiasts: A new bill was introduced in the House that would bring America’s 46-year-old prohibition on travel to Cuba to an end.

“The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act, introduced Feb. 4 and referred to the Foreign Relations Committee, prohibits the U.S. president from regulating or prohibiting travel to or from Cuba by U.S. residents, except in times of war between the two countries or of imminent danger to public health or the safety of U.S. travelers.”

As I wrote almost two years ago, trekking to Cuba is about as difficult as finding a cigar-friendly bar. The task, needless to say, involves bending a few rules, “tipping” Mexican customs officials, and eliminating paper trails.

This new bill would do away with all that. And, with a new administration in place, it could even pass. Regular readers will recall we cited Obama’s willingness to change America’s antiquated policies towards Cuba as one of the only cigar-related positives of his campaign.

“The bill or amendments like it have become a staple in Washington, where the measures flopped in the face of veto threats. Last year, a similar bill had more than 100 sponsors. But with more Democrats in Congress and a new president—one who has vowed to lift some of former President George W. Bush’s restrictions on Cuban family travel—the climate could be different.”

Time to Lift the Failed Embargo

When JFK signed the commercial, economic, and financial embargo on Cuba in 1962 (immediately after hypocritically securing himself a stash of soon-to-be criminalized sticks), it was thought that such restrictions would cripple Castro’s regime. That obviously didn’t work. In fact, the embargo allowed Castro to scapegoat the U.S. for his nation’s own problems and likely helped him to hold power longer than otherwise would have been possible.

Second, while there are many brutal dictatorships around the world, for some reason the U.S. government only imposes an embargo and travel ban on Cuba. In fact, other communist countries like China and Vietnam have become increasingly capitalist and liberal as we have traded with them. I continue to be perplexed by the illegality of Cuban cigars and the legality of filling up my car with gas from countries that support terrorism.

For these reasons and more—not the least of which is the potential to ease the suffering of the Cuban people—the embargo should have been lifted decades ago. Legislation to eliminate the travel ban is a small step in the right direction, and it deserves the support of every brother of the leaf who hopes to legally purchase Petit Edmundos and Siglo VIs in his lifetime.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

Dubbed 5 Vegas’ “most elusive” creation, the Miami line is handmade by Don Pepin Garcia’s El Rey de los Habanos company. Five of the sizes, including this Torpedo, are made in Pepin’s Tabacalera Cubana S.A. factory in Estelí, while the sixth shape—a thick Toro with a shaggy foot—is made at the company’s factory in Little Miami. But like my colleague pointed out in his review of the Churchill vitola, 5 Vegas oddly makes no mention of Pepin on their website.

This is curious, obviously, because you’d think 5 Vegas would want to highlight any connection to Pepin given the famed cigar maker’s superstar status in the industry. As it turns out, the Garcia most involved with the production of the Miami is actually Don Pepin’s daughter, Janny.

At any rate, the Miami blend’s six vitolas feature Cuban-seed fillers, Nicaraguan binders, and Nicaraguan corojo wrappers. The flavor is touted as “Cuban-esque” in various marketing materials.

With the arrival of prelight hints of dark chocolate and earth out of the cellophane, the Torpedo (6.1 x 52) has the look, smell, and feel of a real winner. The toothy wrapper’s scant veins and virtually invisible seams showcase craftsmanship and care.

In what has almost become cliché to write, read, and smoke, the taste begins with Pepin’s trademark burst of black pepper spice. Not much nuance; just heavy-handed, simple, and predictable.

The flavor undergoes a welcome transition into notes of coffee, onion, and leather after the first inch. While more balanced and less aggressive than the beginning, this new combination isn’t exactly complex or unique. It is, however, significantly more agreeable than the overly bitter taste that dominates the final third of this $6-8 cigar.

Construction across the two Torpedos I smoked for this review wasn’t a problem. The draw is easy, the cut clean, and the burn never requires any touch-ups. I just wish the ash were a little less flakey.

With or without Pepin’s name, this 90-minute smoke is decent but not memorable. Some distinct flavor characteristics or added complexity would have gone a long way towards improving the 5 Vegas Miami Torpedo’s rating of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This review reinforces something we’ve been saying for quite awhile: take advantage of events at you local cigar shops. I probably wouldn’t have tried this gem of a cigar were it not for a La Flor Dominicana shindig at Cigar Connection in Arlington, Virginia.

There, I picked up a specially-priced sampler of a dozen LFD cigars and met Mark Phelgar, an informative abd friendly representative for the company. Included was this 6 and 1/4 inch by 52 ring gauge box-pressed Grand Maduro No. 5 from La Flor’s Premium line—the first line they ever produced. Of all of LFD’s regular production lines, the Premium Line is the one I was least familiar with.

In fact, the two cigars I smoked for this review are the first Premium Line maduros I’ve had, and they’ve done nothing to deter me from smoking more in the future.

The toro-sized No. 5 features a dark, attractive, almost jet black  wrapper that glimmers with an oily sheen. It’s firm to the touch and smooth, except for a few large veins.

Once lit, I’m greeted with a medium- to full-bodied smoke with lots of licorice flavors.  Underneath is a balanced medley that includes hints of sweet grass, toffee, coffee, fig, leather, and black pepper.

Even though the flavors remained relatively constant throughout the hour-long smoke, the complexity is very impressive for a maduro. In my experience, many maduros have a tendency to trade complexity for forward flavors, but no such sacrifice was made here.

The construction was also quite good, with an easy draw, even burn, and a fairly steady ash. The Grand Maduro No. 5 sells for around $8 per stick, so it isn’t a budget smoke. Still, for all it has to offer, that’s a very reasonable price when you consider how many lesser cigars sell for more.

For that combination of complexity, excellent construction, and a fair price, the La Flor Doninicana Grand Maduro No. 5 earns a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: La Flor Dominicana

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

Olivas are highly regarded in the cigar community—and deservedly so—for their consistency, quality, and value. But something just wasn’t quite right about a five inch by 54 ring gauge Belicoso I recently bought and smoked at a Chicago B&M. The burn required constant touch-ups and, after the halfway mark, the full-bodied profile of leather and black coffee transitioned into a biting bitterness. Not nearly as pleasant as I had hoped.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A