The Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

This re-blended version of the CAO Gold features a golden wrapper with some prominent dark veins and soft spots. It’s a mild smoke with roasted nut, butter, and subtle grass notes. As with most CAO cigars, the Crémant (6 x 52) is well-constructed with a sturdy ash. All in all, while it’s a tasty smoke, it doesn’t have a lot of depth. I’d be interested to see if this new version of the CAO Gold develops more complexity with time.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

One of this year’s most anticipated releases, Murcielago is a product of Eddie Ortega, Erik Espinosa, and Don Pepin Garcia. The Rothschild (4.1 x 50) has surprisingly few pre-light notes. But once you add fire to the Nicaraguan filler, Mexican binder, and San Andreas maduro wrapper, it produces a big flavor of roasted nuts, sweet cocoa, and black coffee. I look forward to sampling other sizes in this well-constructed new blend.

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) Inside the Industry: Late yesterday, a press release announced that Altadis and Tatuaje have “reached a mutually beneficial agreement resolving recent trademark disputes.” The two companies agreed to drop all pending lawsuits in a non-disclosed settlement. While it wasn’t clear from the initial statement, Altadis has since confirmed to StogieGuys.com that the settlement also includes all claims by Altadis against Don Pepin Garcia and his family company, My Family Cigars, Inc.

UPDATE: StogieGuys.com has confirmed that My Father Cigars will continue to hold the trademark on “Jose Pepin Garcia,” which was also at issue in the lawsuit.

2) A new study, conducted by the University of Georgia and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, claims outdoor secondhand smoke is a public health issue. “Secondhand smoke contains several known carcinogens and the current thinking is that there is no safe level of exposure,” said a study co-author. Such flawed “thinking” was examined in this 2007 commentary by George E.

3) Yesterday, the two largest universities in Kentucky became smoke-free. The University of Kentucky has banned all tobacco products on campus outright. Meanwhile, the University of Louisville is relegating smoking to certain “designated outside areas, with plans for a complete campus ban by next November.” While some doubt officials’ ability to implement the new policies, the intentions of these public institutions call into question the rights of adults to reasonably engage in an otherwise legal activity.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review and the Tampa Cigar Examiner light up a Murcielago. Keepers of the Flame smokes a Cabaiguan Maduro. Cigar Inspector inspects the Ashton Cabinet Selection. Velvet Cigar torches an Oliva Serie V.

5) Deal of the Week: Cuban Crafters is having a Thanksgiving Special with some great deals, including a humidor box of Cubano Claros ($99), a box of 25 Cuban Crafters Cameroons ($74), and a box of La Carolinas ($59). Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’m always a bit leery of cigars bearing the name or likeness of a movie character, celebrity, or TV series. Are big-name endorsements necessary if you’ve got a solid product made from quality tobacco?

But El Tiante Cigars, crafted by Cuban-born pitching legend Luis Tiant, have proven time and again to be excellent smokes. Since it was launched in 2007, my colleagues and I have written favorably about each of the company’s three main blends: Natural, Corojo, and Maduro.

It seems as though Mr. Tiante, know by many simply as “El Tiante,” is determined to follow his successful baseball career—229 career wins—by crafting exemplary boutique cigars. And now he’s adding a fourth series to the lineup.

“La Leyenda” celebrates Tiant’s 1968 season with the Cleveland Indians, a year in which he won 21 games and posted an earned run average of 1.60. No major league pitcher has since come close to that head-scratching ERA.

The blend is, according to El Tiante Vice President Kevin Anderson, intended to “demonstrate in a cigar what Luis accomplished on the mound in 1968.” It features a Sumatra-seed Ecuadorian wrapper and a Nicaraguan habano binder. The filler sports three different ligeros from Nicaragua and seco tobaccos from both Nicaragua and Honduras.

With white bands silhouetted by Tiant’s unique windup, La Leyenda comes in four traditional sizes that cost in the $6-9 range. The Pyramid (6.1 x 52) is coarse with plenty of tooth and pre-light notes of cocoa.

The first puff of this textured, oily cigar is extremely spicy. Then, after a few more smooth draws, the edges round nicely to include flavors of black coffee, dark chocolate, dry cedar, and herbs. Another pleasant taste is also present—one that I’ve found in other El Tiante creations but, frustratingly, can’t quite put my finger on.

At times, especially in the middle and end of the Pyramid, a meaty flavor fades in and out. So does an airy sweetness that’s akin to powdered sugar. While the former tends to build on the medium- to full-bodied profile, the latter counters it nicely with a softer balance.

I enjoyed the La Leyenda Pyramid for this complexity and nuance. The burn may require a few touch-ups, but the unique flavor is enough to make up for any construction flaws, earning this El Tiante four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Magazine editors have forever believed that green is a bad color to put on their covers. After looking at the unpleasant gummy bear green tones in the CL3 band, it’s hard not to think that cigar makers might want to adopt the same shibboleth.

Of course, bands don’t count when evaluating a cigar. But they do help create a first impression and influence the decision to buy or pass. Who, for example, can really take a Helix seriously?

Another problem with the CL3 is trying to find out about it. Argenese’s website reveals almost nothing except that it is grown from “100% first generation Cuban-seed corojo.” Checks on other sites indicate the CL stands for Corojo Ligero and that it is a Dominican puro.

With the emphasis on ligero, this line touts strength and spice. If you’re looking for a Pepin-style stick on steroids, though, I think you’ll be disappointed. I found the CL3 a little slow to develop and not really all that powerful throughout.

Pepper predominates early, but backs off about halfway down to give way to leather and cedar. The biggest drawback is a sharpness that sometimes creates an unpleasant taste and finish.

The torpedo is six and 7/8 inches long with a 52 ring gauge. The price is low, with specials on boxes of 20 hitting down as low as $40. For that, they’re a bargain. They also would seem to have good potential for aging. Maybe that would smooth out some of the rough edges.

All in all, this isn’t a bad cigar. It just isn’t outstanding, either. I didn’t enjoy the Arganese CL3 Torpedo as much as my colleague, so I’d rate it three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In September, fresh off my trip to New Orleans for the IPCPR Trade Show, I reviewed the 777 Corojo, a wonderful new release from master blender Jesus Fuego. I was impressed and made a commitment to better acquaint myself with the other lines of the relatively young J. Fuego brand.

The “Natural” blend is as good a place to start as any. It was, in late 2006, the first blend to debut after Fuego launched his eponymous brand by the Miami-based Tabacos S.A. company. Before this venture, Fuego had completed a master’s degree in agronomy at Havana University, worked at Camacho, and gained industry prominence through his instrumental role in developing Rocky Patel’s Vintage lines.

Now, in partnership with the Plasencia family, J. Fuego features the Gran Reserva, Delirium, and 777 Maduro lines—in addition to the aforementioned 777 Corojo and Natural. The latter is handmade in Honduras with Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos and a shade-grown criollo wrapper.

With a six inch by 54 ring gauge frame, the Natural Belicoso is a heavy, sizeable smoke. It sports two white bands, faint pre-light notes of grass, and a firm feel. The clean, oily wrapper is attractive despite some lumps and discoloration.

After toasting the foot, the initial flavor is of oak, damp earth, and butter with a balanced texture that’s both creamy and spicy. Black pepper keeps the taste interesting, as does a faint sweetness. But the overall effect is pretty mild.

That remains true at the midway point. Here, about 40 minutes into the cigar, the sweetness becomes more pronounced as the spice slowly dissipates. And a few new flavors—namely sage and walnut—also join in.

With a burn that requires little maintenance, a decent gray ash, and a draw as smooth as its taste, the Natural Belicoso won’t disappoint in the construction department. It smokes true to the finish, just as a $6-9 cigar should.

I think I most enjoyed this J. Fuego creation for what it isn’t. It isn’t flashy. It isn’t ground-breaking. And it doesn’t start off with a pleasant mellowness only to turn boring or harsh.

While it may not carry the character or value of the 777 Corojo, the J. Fuego Natural Belicoso is a traditional midday smoke with an agreeable taste that won’t leave you weak in the knees. It earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Available at a only a select few stores, Tatuaje built on the success of last year’s “Frank” with two more limited release Halloween cigars in 2009: “Boris” (a Frank “out of costume”—i.e., with a different, less green wrapper) and the Drac.

Drac is a fang-shaped torpedo (6.75 x 52) with a simple red and black band around the foot. Only 1,300 boxes of 13 cigars each were made of the habano maduro-wrapped Nicaraguan puro.

Individual cigars sold for $13 each, if not a few dollars more due to the high demand for the smokes. I was fortunate enough to land a pair of the sought-after sticks from a friend of a friend who had gotten his hands on a box.

In response to some issues with those boxes, Tatuaje maker Pete Johnson put out a special bulletin on the Tatuaje website recommending that people put the cigars in their humidor without the box for a few weeks. It seems that since the coffin-shaped boxes were delayed, they smelled of fresh paint when the cigars were boxed. So Johnson recommended waiting for that odor to dissipate.

I didn’t notice any paint smells from the samples I smoked, which had spent enough time in the humidor before they were smoked. But the Drac did have a distinct aroma of sweet licorice and it left a notable bready flavor on my lips when I drew on the unlit cigar. The dark brown, matte wrapper had a few prominent veins and was slightly spongy to the touch.

The Drac opened up with an interesting combination of raisin and prune flavors mixed with a bit of chalk and subtle mint. It was also peppery on the lips. As the cigar progressed, it became leathery, occasionally to the point of some bitterness. In the final third, dry woody notes were added to the lively flavor profile.

Construction was quite good, with an exceptionally sturdy light gray ash. The torpedo produces plenty of smoke, although at times the deliberate draw bordered on tight.

This is an interesting cigar, with many twists and turns and a very unique and complex combination of flavors. The Tatuaje Drac earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys