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.

After resting in my humidor for over six months, the Vintage Regente (5 x 54) showed significant signs of improvement—performing better than my colleague reported in his May review. Its soft notes of coffee, wood, and leather seemed more harmonious. The finish, as a result, wasn’t as coarse or dry as I remembered. And since the cigar’s physical properties remain outstanding, it’s easier to justify this Connecticut shade-wrapped stick’s fairly steep price of $9-10 per single.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Two powerful earthquakes rocked the South Pacific earlier this week, taking hundreds of lives and causing widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure. A subsequent tsunami devastated the Samoas—“flattening villages and sweeping some residents out to sea”—and landslides on the Indonesian tobacco-producing island of Sumatra left “scores trapped in rubble.” Given the severity of the situation, the consequences of this tragedy on the cigar industry remain unknown and, for now, trivial.

2) While officials tried to criminalize smoking in Atlantic City’s 11 casinos last year, they ended up postponing the law once the recession hit. Now, as the economy continues to take its toll on the gambling industry, it looks like the ban may be deferred again. That would be welcome news for the business community and employment. When the casinos were accidentally forced to go tobacco-free in 2008, “several of the gambling halls said their revenue losses doubled.”

3) Inside the Industry: We’ve finally started to spot the new Fuente Special “T” tubo in stores, reportedly with the Fuente “Queen B”—a smaller version of the Rosado-wrapped King B torpedo. Fuente is also releasing their annual Fuente Fuente Opus X for the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation 2009 collection (priced at $950), which includes rare Opus X cigars. If you’re looking to tee it up with the pros (while smoking fine cigars), spaces for the Montecristo Cup Charity Pro-Am are still available, with a significant portion of the $5,000 entry fee going to the Montecriso Relief Organization. Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, creator of La Gloria Cubana, has launched the website for his new cigar venture.

4) Around the Blogs: Tampa Cigar Examiner reviews Brick House. NiceTightAsh looks at the La Traviata. Cigar Inspector inspects an H. Upmann Magnum 48. Keepers of the Flame smokes a Casa Farnandez.  Stogie Review asks if we need to update our definition of full-bodied.

5) Deal of the Week: Cuban Crafters is having a sale with some real bargains on quality smokes. Our picks would be a box of 25 La Carolinas for just $59, a box of 25 Cupido Criollos cfor just $55, or a humidor box of the new Cubano Claro for just $89. Get yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: USGS

It’s now officially fall and that means crisp evenings, changing leaves, football, and pumpkin beer. Yes, pumpkin beer.

Since America’s micro-brew renaissance, we’ve been fortunate enough to see great beer innovation, including a number of seasonal brews made with pumpkin flavors. I recently tasted a selection of such pumpkin beers to see what this autumn treat has to offer:

Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale: Brown ale with wonderful spicy aroma and a dry, graham cracker spice. It’s sweet, bready, and medium-bodied.

Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale: Billed as “America’s originial pumpkin ale,” this cloudy ale has very little head and almost no carbonation. It’s a bit watery with clove flavors and a fresh aroma of pumpkin.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale: Made by Brooklyn Brewery, Post Road has a deep copper color and a rich allspice aroma. It’s a crisp, hoppy blend with a flavor that reminds me of roast pumpkin seeds.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead: This Maine brew (not pictured) is actually a “malt beverage with pumpkin spice added” according to the label, but don’t let that fool you. The copper-colored beverage has the aroma and smell of sweet pumpkin pie.

Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale: Harvest Moon is the only pumpkin ale I know made by a large beer producer (Coors/Molson). It’s less pumpkiny than many of its counterparts, but has a bit of spice to go with its otherwise smooth, if watery, flavors.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale: With a dark, cloudy orange color, nice head, and a cinnamon aroma, this is a rich, full-flavored ale. Malty, spicy, and balanced, it would be easy to drink a few of these.

Southern Tier Imperial Pumking: This 9% ABV brew has a delicious aroma of fresh pumpkin and vanilla. It’s a step above the other pumpkin ales in intensity and strength. You get the feeling this would be a delicious beer even without the pumpkin flavors, but the rich pumpkin spice adds a new delicious dimension.

Any of these beers would go well with a fine cigar. Stronger beers like the Southern Tier, Smuttynose, or Post Road could stand up to a more full-bodied maduro or a Cameroon-wrapped cigar. The other beers need a milder cigar or they run the risk of being overpowered. No matter what you choose, though, I recommend you embrace the season and pick up some pumpkin beer. It may not be an everyday pairing, but when the mood and season strikes, it’s a great change of pace.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys