The 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) Cigar taxes, already excessive at the federal level because of SCHIP, are being increased in two western states. Utah passed a hike that skyrockets cigar taxes from 35% of the manufacturer’s sale price to 86%—among the highest in the country. A 51% inventory tax for tobacco retailers was also included in the legislation. Meanwhile, in Washington, state politicians boosted the cigar tax cap from 50 cents to 65 cents per stogie. “The only consolation in this tax increase,” according to a press release from the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, “is the fact that no floor stocks provision was included in the approved legislation.”

2) Noteworthy Events: The Texas Cigar Festival will be held on April 24 and feature the likes of Eddie Ortega, Tim Ozgener, Rocky Patel, Pete Johnson, Litto Gomez, Sam Leccia, Don Pepin Garcia, and many others. Cigar Connection, a B&M in Northern Virginia, will host J. Fuego on April 30. The Tennessee Cigar & Brew Fest has been announced for October.

3) Inside the Industry: There’s been online speculation that, with the introduction of the Ambos Mundos line, Tatuaje would be discontinuing its Series P blend—a medium-filler cigar made with the same tobacco as the Havana VI line.  When asked, Tatuaje creator Pete Johnson told StogieGuys.com this week: “Haven’t made it in a long time. Just using older inventory. Still not sure what I am going to do with the line.”

4) Around the Blogs: Matt’s Cigar Journal is holding a cigar giveaway to benifit Ride for Kids and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Stogie Review lights up the El Tiante La Leyenda. Nice Tight Ash checks out the La Traviata Favorito. Keepers of the Flame smokes a Punch Upper Cut. A Cigar Smoker checks out the Paradigm 262. Cigar Inspector inspects a Fuente Hemingway Short Story.

5) Deal of the Week: Tax Day is as good a reason as any for Cuban Crafters to have a sale. There are a number of deep discounts on our favorites like the Cupido Tuxedo, J.L. Salazar, Cubano Claro, and Miami Medina. The best deal is a box of 25 Don Kiki Brown Label Torpedos for just $55. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I recently had the opportunity to meet Eric  Hanson, the man behind the Second Growth Cigar Company. We met at the historic Georgetown Tobacco shop in Washington to chat about his project while we smoked the result of his work.

Second Growth comes in only one size: an immense (7.9 x 54) smoke that takes a full two hours to enjoy. Produced by Henke Kehlner of Davidoff, the cigar is  mild- to medium-bodied, extraordinarily creamy, and balanced, with subtle notes of cedar and spice. The single sample I smoked had plenty of subtleties and twists to keep an attentive smoker enthralled.

After our talk, I followed up by email to get some more details about his unique project.

Stogie Guys: With so many excellent cigars already out there, why introduce Second Growth now?

Eric Hanson: You’re right, there are a lot of excellent cigars already out there. Second Growth is the elite prestige bracket of the marketplace. What is interesting about the above premium consumer is their desire for unique experiences. Second Growth is blended to be the perfect compliment to a fine glass of Bordeaux or American meritage wines.

SG: Tell us a little about your wine and cigar pairing philosophy.

EH: The philosophy is simple. It is all about complimenting not competing flavors. When paired with Bordeaux blends and American meritage wines, Second Growth provides a perfectly synchronized flavor experience. While the wine flavors emanate from the rear of the tongue majestically working forward through the palate, in perfect harmony, the smoke from Second Growth begins stimulating the front of the palate imparting its flavors while traveling to the back of the mouth. The rich fruit of the wine prepares the palate for the complex interplay of spice, leather, and chocolate notes delivered from this exceptional cigar.

SG: You worked with Henke Kelner of Davidoff on this cigar. How did he come up with this blend for you?

EH: We were at the factory on other business and decided to show Henke Sr. and Jr. the box and concept for Second Growth. Both were fascinated with the concept and immediately we started discussing the type and aging of the tobacco one would need to execute an elegant project like this. For the next few hours we smoked several cigars and reviewed many bundles of unique hybrid tobaccos. Then, like a bolt of lightning, Henke Jr. said he had the perfect cigar for this project. Earlier in the year Alladio (master blender) and Henke Sr. came up with the blend for Henke Jr.’s 36th birthday. What type of cigar do you get for Jr. for his 36th birthday? A Cuban? No! The best filler, binder, and wrapper ever grown from the aging room at Tabadom that is never to be in regular production. We all smoked the cigar and had some Chateau Gruaud Larose and we all realized we had found the perfect cigar. Father and son agreed to let us use HMK 36 and Second Growth was born. There was only enough tobacco for 19,480 cigars or approximately 1,000 boxes.

SG: The presentation of the Second Growth is unique. Tell us about the box and band you selected.

EH: The box is unlike any other vessel for cigars in cigar industry history. Each Second Growth cigar box is hand furnished by Irish master craftsman James Rowe in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We purchased 50 wine barrels from a famous Second Growth classified winery from Saint Julien Bordeaux, France, and had them flown to New Hampshire. The wine barrels had been used during the maturation of a famed vintage. The concentrated fruit aromas emanating from the barrel staves envelope each cigar, imparting a timeless elegance and accentuating the beauty of the wine-stained woodworking. The natural fruit essence from the fine wine mingles with the spice; leather and chocolate notes in the rare aged tobacco create a taste synthesis befitting the most discerning connoisseur. I think you will enjoy this smoke!

Like the box the band is also very unique and has a great story. While the label on a cigar has always acted as both advertising and badge for the cigar maker, it originated to provide a simple, utilitarian function. The cigar band was invented during a time when it was customary for gentlemen to wear white gloves. All original bands were woven from silk or cotton fabric, the band acted as a barrier to prevent the smoker from staining their gloves. We liked the elegance of the story we embarked on a journey to restore this tradition. With Second Growth we liken it to returning to this golden age of cigars by wrapping each with a wide, woven, luxurious band reminiscent of those days gone by. We believe this extra step adds the perfect finishing touch for such a rare offering.

SG: What were some of the challenges you faced bringing this cigar to market?

EH: Helping the press and blog sites to understand whom this product was designed for. The traditional cigar industry insider seems to think that for something to be special it has to be full-bodied or incredibly strong. We disagree entirely…while there is a time for strong cigars we also believe there is equal time for medium-bodied cigars that show time-honored craftsmanship and deep understanding of the interplay of different tobaccos and how to deliver a complete flavor experience with elegance and nuance; a cigar that can be enjoyed alone or with a fine glass of wine or during a great meal. That was our biggest challenge.

SG: $30 is a lot for a cigar. Why should someone buy it?

EH: This box of cigars is for the oenophile and connoisseur. Someone with an excellent palate and taste. It’s an experience of a lifetime and the train is only stopping once.

SG: When you’re not pairing cigars with wine, what is your beverage of choice with a fine cigar?

EH: Have you ever tried Vodka with cigars? H+S vodka is perfect…and yes I am biased because I am the founder of that company and the creator of that product also.

SG: After the 20,000 Second Growth cigars are gone, what can we expect next?

EH: Good question. Projects are in the works…look out for a wildly complex cigar to be paired with Big Napa Cabs and Super Tuscans. God I love this job!

Many thanks to Eric Hanson for taking the time to talk about Second Growth. For more information, visit their website.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

April may seem far too late to be publishing a 2010 wish list. But I tend to think of the industry on a fiscal year, each one beginning with that summer’s International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show. It’s a convenient approach because that annual event is where most new cigars debut.

Whether you consider this article four months early or four months late isn’t all that important. What is important is that I have five cigar-related wishes for 2010—and I want to share them with you. From the highly improbable to the entirely possible, here they are in no particular order:

1. Less is More

With a few rare exceptions, each year every cigar manufacturer feels compelled to come out something new. It has become nearly impossible to keep up with all the new offerings. This can lead to over-extension, inconsistency, consumer confusion, and, as my colleague writes, “lots of just plain duds.” I’d respect any company that shows up to this summer’s IPCPR Trade Show saying, “We don’t have anything new, we’re just focusing on our comparative advantage and maintaining the highest quality control.” That would be nice.

2. Join CRA

Restrictive smoking bans and outrageous tobacco taxes are out of control. With Cigar Rights of America (CRA), everyday stogie enthusiasts finally have a voice. But that voice will only grow in effectiveness and influence if more brothers of the leaf join up. I hope 2010 brings CRA great recruiting success, bolstered by the nonprofit’s discount program and members-only samplers.

3. Quality Over Quantity or Strength

The growing trend towards large cigars and full-bodied powerhouses is somewhat frustrating. Sure, I’ll enjoy a 60 ring gauge cigar or a ligero-filled pepper bomb every once in awhile, but I’m starting to fear the rise of a “bigger and bolder equals better” mindset and how that might impact the market. This year, let’s not forget how fantastic a truly magnificent mild cigar can be.

4. More Attention for Boutiques

Small-batch cigar makers are not to be ignored, especially since many are turning out some of today’s best blends. Regular StogieGuys.com readers will be familiar with the likes of Tesa, Cuban Crafters, Bucanero, and others. There are countless more just waiting to be discovered. So, in 2010, make a commitment to step outside your name-brand comfort zone and uncover a hidden gem.

5. End the Cuban Embargo

When JFK signed the embargo 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. Since then, the U.S. has continued to trade with other communist countries like China and Vietnam, only to see them take marginal steps towards freer enterprise. So it’s time to finally repeal this obsolete law, liberalize trade and travel with Cuba, ease the suffering of the Cuban people who have endured so much under Castro’s tyranny, and make Cuban cigars legal in the U.S.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

Here are a yet more random thoughts about cigars and the cigar industry:

Are Two Wrappers Better Than One?

Once a gimmick, now it seems to be the next frontier of cigar blending. More and more we’re seeing cigars with multiple wrappers, and not of the barber-pole type. Recently, Joya de Nicaragua and La Gloria Cubana both introduced cigars with two wrappers—one for for the beginning of the smoke, one for the end. The concept makes a lot of sense in a way. Just as dinner usually comprises of an appetizer before the main dish, these new cigars offer a progression of two distinct flavors in one cigar.

Cigars Heating Up

We’re getting to the time of year when temperatures are heating up. That’s a good thing if the cold was keeping you from enjoying a cigar in the great outdoors, but it also creates a challenge when it comes to maintaining proper humidity in your humidor. If you’re unsure about the readings you’re getting use this technique to calibrate your hygrometer.

Mexican Tobacco Surging

When Eddie Ortega told me he had never seen Don Pepin Garcia more excited than when discussing the Mexican tobacco used in the new Murcielago, I knew something was afoot. A recent article in Smoke Magazine about the resurgence of Mexican tobacco confirmed the trend. Until the mid-90s Mexican trade policy made it too costly to import tobacco, resulting in only the production of Mexican puros. Fortunately, the Mexican government is finally eliminating some of the red tape and making Mexican tobacco a viable source for multi-country blends.

No Place Like Home

We’ve said it so many times before but, especially in these challenging economic times, I’ll say it again: It’s important to support your local brick and mortar cigar shop. Sure, sometimes you get a better deal online, but there’s no substitute for a helpful tobacconist. If you don’t support your local shop, the next time you drive by it may be for a going-out-of-business sale.

–Patrick S

photo credit: LGC & JdN

Bigger and bolder equals better. That seems to be the mantra of the industry these days, evidenced by the prevalence of 60 ring gauge cigars and the growing infatuation with Nicaraguan tobacco.

It likewise stands to reason that ligero tobacco is in demand like never before. Ligero is the most full-flavored of tobacco leaves due to its concentration of nutrients and direct exposure to sunlight at the top of the plant. Aiming to pack a bigger punch, some cigar makers are cramming more ligero into their blends than was once thought acceptable. Take Sam Leccia, for example, who introduced a “straight ligero” blend last summer.

A year before Cain, CAO released a ligero-laden blend at the IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas. Called Lx2 (“ligero times two”), it features a hearty helping of spicy ligero leaves surrounded by a Honduran binder and a sungrown Nicaraguan wrapper. It is the third installment of the Nashville-based company’s “x2 trilogy” that also includes Mx2 (Maduro) and Cx2 (Cameroon).

The Lx2 Lancero is a dark, slender smoke measuring seven and a half inches with a 38 ring gauge. Its oily, somewhat lumpy wrapper and pigtail cap make a striking first impression, as do its bold pre-light notes of espresso.

Once lit, a sharp peppery taste takes center stage with background flavors of dry wood and bitter coffee. Powerful with a bready texture. Any wishes for a more subdued profile go unheeded until the midway point where a bit of smoothness kicks in.

With no signs of creaminess or sweetness, smoking slowly is absolutely essential to prevent the Lx2 from growing too meaty. The perfect pace can be hard to achieve, though, given the Lancero’s stiff draw. The white ash and the burn line are perfect.

These physical properties were consistent across all ten Lanceros I smoked for this review. What was inconsistent, however, was the intensity of the cigar’s aftertaste. The first few, smoked over six months ago, had a heavy coarseness that rendered them too overbearing. My most recent samples had a more balanced finish.

I’m hoping this stogie ultimately confirms the hypothesis that full-bodied cigars tone down with age. If so, my Lanceros need a bit more maturity before they reach their full potential. Despite that potential, though, I’m judging my experience with the Lx2 Lancero in the here and now. And right now this cigar is lacking in balance. So while those who crave ligero’s unbridled punch are likely to rate this CAO more favorably, I’m giving it three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

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.”

This nine inch, 50 ring gauge behemoth starts out with a burst of pepper before settling into a savory, well-balanced smoke. Dressed in a Colorado brown five-year-old Nicaraguan wrapper, the cigar is a bit bumpy near the foot, but otherwise flawlessly constructed with excellent combustion characteristics. Despite it’s large size, only one match was needed to keep the Celebration lit. As it progresses, subtle cedar flavors create a medium- to full-bodied smoke with notes of cocoa and black pepper. This isn’t an everyday cigar (at around $20 it wasn’t designed to be). But if you’re looking for a special cigar to enjoy for over two full hours, it’s an excellent choice.

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.”

The newest addition to the Trinidad lineup boasts unlit notes of cocoa, a textured Ecuadorian Cubano wrapper, and a binder/filler combination from Honduras and Nicaragua. Its construction, as with most Altadis smokes, is pretty darn good. But the flavor leaves something to be desired. Starting coarse and peppery and developing into coffee and leather, this Habana Reserve (5 x 44) has a chalky, mouth-coating aftertaste. I won’t soon be reaching for another No. 4, even with its wallet-friendly MSRP of $5.25.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys