The Stogie Guys

Two recent news items got me thinking about cigars for women. Both, I think, demonstrate a  clear double standard.

First, Cubatabaco, Cuba’s national tobacco company, introduced a new cigar designed for women. Julieta is described as “a smaller, milder version of the Romeo y Julieta cigar.” Only days later, a classic sports moment played out: The championship team returned to the scene of their triumph to celebrate with some champagne, beer, and fine cigars. It looked just like Michael Jordan celebrating a championship,. The only difference was the athletes were women.

Soon the Canadian women’s hockey team was embroiled in controversy with one IOC official even saying, “I don’t think it’s a good promotion of sport values.” But given how common such celebrations are in sports, I couldn’t help but feel that a double standard was being applied, in part because these female champions had the audacity to celebrate with cigars in range of a camera.

The two incidents got me thinking about why cigars marketed to women tend to be either flavored or mild. I posed the question to Lindsay Heller, cigar blogger and tobacconist at Nat Sherman Cigars in New York.

“Honestly, I find it rather demeaning,” she told me by email. “This is not the Victorian Era anymore and it’s not considered illicit for a woman to be smoking, so why treat women who wish to smoke as if they can’t handle the ‘real thing?'”

She continued: “In terms of marketing those products towards women I think it’s insulting because in many B&Ms when a woman comes in wanting a cigar the sales associate automatically assumes something flavored. If you give a woman half a chance and explain to her the cigar she will be smoking, you’ll probably find that even the most inexperienced of female smokers will appreciate it and ditch the Havana Honeys. I think the same thing goes for the mild scenario:  If a woman wants to smoke a cigar after eating filet mignon and drink a few glasses of Bordeaux, any tobacconist in their right mind would not offer her a Macanudo Gold Label. In the tobacco business we need to stop addressing women as these fragile figures because women have palates, too.”

As for the new Cuban Julieta cigar, Lindsay had her doubts: “Maybe this is my palate talking, but I don’t find the traditional Romeo y Julieta Cuban cigars to be all that strong, so if this is truly that much more mild, it would probably be like smoking an expensive ultra light cigarette.”

So how should the cigar industry market their cigars to female smokers? “Women definitely need to be addressed like they are just one of the guys,” she responds.

“While the numbers of female cigar smokers in the U.S. are increasing due to a number of factors (curiosity, joining a boyfriend/husband in the activity, etc…) seeing a woman smoke cigars is still very taboo for Americans and it’s not looked at as nearly an oddity in other countries. I work in this business and there are random people who walk into my store and react like I’m doing some illegal by being a female with a cigar in my mouth. It’s funny because I actually find more men smoke flavored or infused smokes like Acids and Tabak Especiales and many of the women I come across are more apt to try a traditional cigar…Women are not stupid and shouldn’t be treated like they can’t handle what the boys do.”

On that point I couldn’t agree more. With the cigar industry under pressure from smoking bans and other anti-cigar legislation, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see efforts to attract new customers. But treating women like they can’t enjoy the same wide range of fine cigars as men is just, well, sexist.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Boston.com

Whether or not you take Cigar Aficionado’s reviews seriously, there’s no denying that its pages are routinely splashed with praise for Cubans. A glance at the publication’s various “Top 25” lists, for example, reveals a cast of usual suspects from the forbidden island: Cohiba, Montecristo, Bolivar, and H. Upmann.

The magazine has been keeping such lists since 2004, amounting to six years and 150 cigars. Amazingly, not once is Hoyo de Monterrey mentioned, a renowned Cuban brand established by José Gener in 1865. Only the Hoyo Excalibur Epicure, an unrelated Honduran offshoot produced by General Cigar, was honored in 2007.

My, how times have changed. Seventeen years ago the Double Corona was Cigar Aficionado’s unofficial darling. By early 1993, this gigantic vitola had amassed 4 ratings of 94 or higher, including a whopping score of 99 for “some of Cuba’s finest tobacco and greatest workmanship.”

I don’t place a lot of stock in CA’s ratings, especially those from the pre-boom era. The industry has changed quite a bit since George H.W.’s single term in office. And now non-Cubans are rivaling, if not surpassing, many Cubans in quality.

But the Hoyo Double Corona (7.6 x 49) seems to have held its ground over the years. Some cigar enthusiasts consider it to be the best from a brand that includes the Epicure No. 2 and the Epicure Especial. They have no qualms about paying $16-23 for the opportunity to smoke one.

At first glance the Double Corona isn’t all that attractive. Aside from its intimidating length, it sports a lumpy wrapper with abundant discolorations and several large veins. The sharp band and the faint pre-light notes of hay, however, give a preview of the medium-bodied smoke that’s to come.

The first inch is characterized by a profile of honey, graham cracker, and a bit of leather. Complex and aromatic, it errors on the salty side but is otherwise balanced. The flavor at the midway point features floral notes, and the final third—my least favorite—has a slightly stale aftertaste.

Construction is better than what I’ve come to expect from Cubans. Throughout the two-hour smoke, the draw is clear, the gray ash is sturdy and reliable, and the burn requires only minimal attention. I found these characteristics consistent across the three Double Coronas I smoked for this review (all of which had been resting in my humidor for over a year).

In the end, this Hoyo is a tasty treat with just the right amount of spice, creaminess, and sweetness to merit an occasional purchase for a rare occasion. While I may not have liked it as much as the powers that be at Cigar Aficionado, the Double Corona is certainly worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

To re-blend this stalwart line, Ashton turned to its favorite cigar master, Don Pepin Garcia. He did a lot of work. For starters, the wrapper is a Connecticut broadleaf as dark as many maduros. Then, on to the filler, where previously Honduran tobacco was mixed with Nicaraguan. The new blend is all Nicaraguan.

One thing that didn’t change significantly was the price. The Churchill (7 x 50) can be had for $6 or less. And, for my money, it’s the most flavorful of the line.

Unlike many Pepin cigars, this one does not begin with a blast of spice. That comes a little later, though less pronounced than in some of his other creations. What this medium-strength cigar delivers is a finely balanced array of flavors, ranging from cocoa and chocolate to pepper and sweetness.

It’s that development that makes the Churchill most appealing. The four shorter sizes also have larger ring gauges. I’ve tried them all but the Immensa—a five and a half inch stick with a mammoth 60 ring gauge. They just don’t flow quite as well and the Robusto, in particular, tends to get a bit bitter toward the end.

La Aroma de Cuba has a beautiful band, perhaps to make up for the rather lumpy, splotchy wrapper. Construction is fine, and I’ve encountered no burn or draw problems.

In fact, my only complaint is that the Churchill seems to be rolled a little light, leading to a somewhat fast burn that’s difficult to slow down even by letting it rest more than usual.

All in all, I like the new blend. I gave the old line three and a half stogies. This time, considering the reasonable price, I believe it rises to a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Ashton Cigars

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 robusto from the Davidoff Mille series features a pale, nearly vein-free Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut wrapper. Inside is a Dominican seco binder and Dominican seco and ligero filler. While distinctly mild in flavor, the 6000 features impressive depth. It has plenty of creamy flavors, along with subtle graham, honey, and cedar notes, albeit with little variation from start to finish. This is the only new addition to the Mille series in decades, and it’s a welcome one.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.”

My colleague reviewed this new corojo-wrapped cigar in early February, praising its construction and calling its flavors balanced yet somewhat lacking in complexity. I agree. The Mederos Fifty 1 demonstrates promise with a sweet core of cedar and cinnamon. I look forward to discovering how this cigar’s profile—particularly its meaty aftertaste—reacts to a bit of aging. For now, though, it earns its $6 price tag.

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) Keith Meier, founder and CEO of Cigars International, took to the pages of the Allentown Morning Call to oppose the effort to increase Pennsylvania’s cigar tax: “My company, Cigars International, just announced a $10 million  investment on a brownfield site in Bethlehem. As a result, we will preserve 175  jobs and create more than 50 new positions…In 1996 we brought Cigars International to Pennsylvania to escape crushing taxes from neighboring New York and New Jersey. Since then we have grown and expanded, adding employees and generating ever-greater state tax revenues. This economic activity would not have happened had cigar taxes been in place, and we certainly would not have invested so heavily in Pennsylvania this year had Gov. Rendell’s call for cigar taxes passed last year. Like many small and mid-sized businesses in America, Cigars International is creating jobs.”

2) One week ago, members of the cigar community met with members of Florida’s Republican party to tell them of the government-created challenges to their industry. According to Cigar Rights of America, during the event, “members of the Florida legislature were provided a tour of the J.C. Newman Cigar Company, while being briefed on what the Florida cigar industry means for local employment, with over 250 retail establishments and 60 family-owned manufacturers, leaf dealers, importers, and cigar corporate headquarters operations throughout the state, equating to over 5,500 jobs. It was further noted that over 70% of the cigars sold in the United States are either made or imported through Florida.”

3) Inside the Industry: Don Pepin Garcia’s first-Dominican-wrapped cigar, Dominicano, debuts at the historic Racine & Laramie cigar shop in San Diego on March 12. Other in-store events in New York and Florida will follow. This new release, available in rosado or oscuro variations, is notable because it represents a collaboration between Garcia, Nestor Miranda, and Guillermo León of La Aurora. Dominicano will come in five sizes and retail for $6-8.

4) Around the Blogs: The Stogie Guys, via The Daily Caller, feature the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill. Stogie Review lights up a Fuente Rosado Magnum 52. Cigar Inspector fires up a Liga Privada No. 9. The Cigar Nut smokes a Liga Privada T-52. A Cigar Smoker reviews the Gran Habano Azteca. Cigar Spy investigates the Perdomo Habano. Nice Tight Ash reviews the Don Pepin Garcia Blue.

5) Deal of the Week: They call it a Contraband Sale, but we call it just plain good deals. The best buys are on our favorites: the  J.L. Salazar box of 25 for $70 and the Cuban Crafters Cameroon box of 25 for just $60. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: lehighvalleylive.com

A couple of years ago, I took a look at the cigars rated five stogies out of five. Now, well into 2010, it’s appropriate to  examine the best of the best from 2009 and consider the interesting mix of sticks rated at the top of the Stogie Guys’ scale.

One thing to bear in mind is that we try to review a wide range of cigars and provide variety. And when you consider our ratings system, I think you’ll see that we try to judge cigars on their own rather than making it a competition.

The list has a real mix, ranging from one of the most widely praised to a brand that’s likely unknown to many readers. If there’s one common characteristic that jumps out, though, it’s that these superb cigars were produced in small amounts, certainly when compared to top-selling sticks.

There’s only one Cuban, a Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008, which Patrick S called “one of the finest cigars I’ve ever smoked.” He also awarded top rank to the Arturo Fuente Opus X Perfecxion No.2 and said it “lives up the hype.” His other top pick was Don Pepin and Pete Johnson’s Cabaiguan Robusto Extra.

Patrick A praised the “great complexity and construction” of the Berger & Argenti Entubar Torpedo. He also had the rare privilege of enjoying an 18-year-old Paul Garmirian Gourmet Belicoso Fino ‘91 and found it to be a masterpiece. He introduced us to the Tesa line, citing the Vintage Especial Rothchild as “an absolute treasure…if you’re a smoker who can appreciate milder creations.”

Patrick M awarded the Litto Gomez Diez Small Batch No. 2 top honors. That cigar that later was selected as the StogieGuys.com top reviewed cigar of 2009. (That list was sent out exclusively to email subscribers.)

As for me, well, it seems I didn’t find a cigar worthy of five stogies last year. I confess I’m a little surprised. But it provides an easy New Year’s resolution: Look a little wider and smoke a little more.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys