The Stogie Guys

Oliva has been making good cigars for years, but only recently has the company gotten the credit  it deserves among connoisseurs of fine smokes. Part of that newfound recognition comes from Oliva’s popular (and highly-rated) Serie V.

But the Serie V isn’t the most limited cigar that Oliva makes. That honor belongs to the Master Blends 3, or “Liga Maestra.” This offering is described by Oliva as “specifically blended to deliver the richest characteristics of Nicaraguan ligero fillers and broadleaf sun-grown wrappers.”

The Robusto (5 x 50) is a Nicaraguan puro with a Nicaraguan habano binder. The dark, oily wrapper is nearly vein-free. Box-pressed, the smoke is firm to the touch and, while the wrapper on one (pictured) seemed a bit hastily applied, it certainly didn’t affect the way the cigar smoked.

Once lit, the Master Blends 3 reveals rich coffee, chocolate, and cedary undertones. It features that classic Nicaraguan “zing” that leaves a distinctive flavor on the roof of the mouth.

The Robusto yields thick, lush smoke.  It starts medium- to full-bodied but grows to full strength by the midway point, with a bit of earth joining the complex group of flavors.

It certainly is not hard to see why Oliva touts this as their most luxurious blend. With excellent balance and rich flavors, Master Blends 3 is reminiscent of that other highly touted box-pressed Nicaraguan puro: the Padrón Anniversary.

As for exclusivity, unlike the earlier Master Blends, the third version seems to be widely available, including on a host of internet retailers where it sells for around $12 each, although you can often find it discounted for less.

But even if it isn’t as limited as its predecessors, it’s still a fine smoke. That’s why the Oliva Master Blends 3 Robusto earns a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

You may have heard about the re-launch of La Palina, “a storied cigar brand famously linked to the early and fortuitous beginnings of CBS Broadcasting.” In recent weeks its revival has been covered by the likes of Cigar Aficionado, the Wall Street Journal, and others (including an ad on this web magazine).

La Palina is being brought back to life by Bill Paley, grandson of the founder of the Congress Cigar Company. The outfit dates back to 1896. La Palina was its flagship brand, marketed over radio waves—hence the connection to CBS.

Now Paley hopes he has a new flagship cigar with the aptly titled “1896.” According to a La Palina press release, it is a “blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobacco with an Ecuadorian wrapper and a Costa Rican binder. This signature cigar (4.75 x 52) will retail for $19 per cigar or $190 for a box of 10.”

I am told that W. Curtis Draper in Washington and Davidoff of Geneva in New York are the first two La Palina retailers. The brand is expected to be available nationwide soon.

Taste the New Cigar for Yourself

StogieGuys.com is pleased to announce that we have secured two pairs of tickets to the exclusive La Palina re-launch on Thursday. The event, held at Morton’s in Washington, DC, will feature cocktails, canapés, and La Palina cigars. It will run from 6:30-8:30pm.

To be entered for your chance to win a pair of tickets, simply leave a comment on this article that reads: “Get me to La Palina.” All eligible comments received before midnight will be entered into a random drawing. Two winners will be selected, each receiving two tickets.

As a courtesy to your fellow StogieGuys.com readers, please enter only once and only if you can make the event. You’re all on the honor system. Also, please be sure to include a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Good luck!

–Patrick A

photo credit: La Palina Cigars

When it comes to cigar news, the highlight of each year is the annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show. Nearly every cigar maker introduces new cigars at the annual event as retailers and media get to try new products for the first time.

Manufacturers set up intricate displays (like the one right) that may cost tens of thousands of dollars in hopes of getting hundreds of retailers to commit to carry their products in the upcoming year. Here’s just one example of the high costs of the show: One cigar maker told me that just to hang a display from the ceiling cost many thousands of dollars due to bureaucratic convention work rules.

In addition to the already significant costs, at last year’s show in New Orleans, cigar makers were required to pay Louisiana taxes on the thousands of samples they distributed. The 20% (on wholesale) tax that we reported on last year from the trade show was costing makers as much as $1 per sample. Numerous manufacturers complained about the added financial burden of the tax and a few even said they limited the number of highly sought-after samples they brought.

In light of that burden, the IPCPR announced this week that the 20% tobacco tax, as well as the 4% sales tax ,would not apply to cigar samples handed out during the show. The state taxes on cigarettes remain.

IPCPR Legislative Director Chris McCalla announced, “Understanding the financial stress exhibitors faced last year in dealing with the tax issue, the IPCPR’s Legislative Office and our Louisiana state lobbyist have been working on this exemption since last fall, finally securing this critical tax legislation.”

The legislative exemption comes in the context of the trade show moving back to Las Vegas next year. IPCPR left Las Vegas after a smoking ban there would have banned smoking on the trade show floor. But a special exemption for tobacco-related conventions cleared the way to bring the show—and the millions of dollars of revenue that come with it—back to Sin City.

After two years in New Orleans, the show has committed to a two-year run in Las Vegas for 2011 an 2012, leaving New Orleans without the substantial tourism revenue that the show brings. That move was praised by many of the people I spoke with at last year’s show, in part because of the tax on samples in Louisiana. Now, with their own trade show exemption in place, it seems New Orleans has placed itself back in contention for the IPCPR trade show in 2013.

UPDATE: By email I asked Chris McCalla about the impact of the tax exemption of on the future location of IPCPR Trade Shows. While he reminded me that ultimately it is up to the IPCPR Board where the show is, he did say that the exemption “provides an incentive for cities who are convention-business focused to assist us in deciding what cities may make that short list.” McCalla concluded by noting: “Other factors are considered, but this one is an important one.”

–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 Oliva Connecticut has received many positive reviews, but it recently occurred to me that I had yet to smoking one myself. The Robusto I lit up featured a classic veinless golden Connecticut wrapper. The smoke revealed pleasant flavors of cream, wood, and roast nuts. Construction was flawless, with a sharp black line leading an even burn and sturdy ash. With it’s balanced mild flavors and  lack of the acidic bitterness that holds back so many Connecticut-wrapped cigars, it’s no wonder the Oliva Connecticut has been so well-received.

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.”

Crafted by Rocky Patel exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop, Cruz Real is comprised of a Mexican binder and long-filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The Sumatra Robusto (5 x 50) has a salty, peppery introduction that transitions into a creamer profile of peanut and leather. Bold and aromatic yet lacking in balance or complexity. Still, with impressive construction, this cigar’s current asking price of $73 for a box of 20 makes it a decent purchase.

Verdict = Hold.

–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) Anti-smoking zealotry isn’t confined to the present and future. Some do-gooders are actually trying to change the past. Such is the case at a museum in London, where curators have airbrushed a cigar right out of Churchill’s mouth in a famous photo.

2) Massachusetts is gearing up to post pictures of human organs, purportedly damaged by smoking, in 9,000 locations where tobacco is sold. The effort is financed by a federal stimulus grant of $316,000. “That hardly contributes to job creation and economic recovery in the state,” reads an IPCPR press release. “First the federal government expands the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and expects increased tobacco taxes to pay for it. Then it gives hundreds of thousands of dollars to support efforts to reduce smoking,” said Chris McCalla, IPCPR legislative director. “Talk about mixed messages!”

3) According to reports, the Treasury Department office responsible for enforcing the ban on Cuban cigars may have been busy, but not with infractions of the Cuban Embargo. So far this year, only one penalty has been imposed for violating the ban on Cuban cigars: a $525 fine announced in early March.

4) Inside the Industry: The next Montecristo Cup, a pro-am golf tournament which benefits the Montecristo Relief Organization, will be held at the Atlantis resort in December. With inspiration from a famous song, Newman Family Cigars is expanding its Brick House line with a new size called the Mighty Mighty (6 x 60).

5) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews a D’Crossier Golden Blend. Tiki Bar kicks back with a 13th Floor Foundation Series. Smoking Stogie smokes a Fuente Flor Fina 858 Rosado. Cigar Inspector inspects a Punch Small Club RE. Nice Tight Ash checks out the La Escepción 2009.

6) Deal of the Week: With full-bodied spice and Cuban-like depth, people are turning to Nicaraguan smokes more and more, and this Nicaraguan Blends Sampler shows why. Included are two each from Padilla Habano, Man O’ War, Rocky Patel Fusion, and Gurkha Park Avenue, all for under $30. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[Editors’ Note: The following is a guest article authored by Chris Verhoeven, a friend of StogieGuys.com who is studying at Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam.]

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down and enjoying an Oliva Serie O Maduro with the owner/operater of Tin Tin’s Cigar Bar, David Ze, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. We talked about cigars and the all-to-present encroachment of anti-smoking laws, which certainly stretch beyond U.S. borders.

Tin Tin’s is currently the only cigar bar in The Netherlands, a feat made possible by Ze’s efforts to maintain opposition to the laws within the court system, as well as by being the sole employee of the bar. Recent developments, however, have changed the status quo for Dutch smokers and made life more difficult for those who wish to preserve the tradition.

I had a conversation with Ze between the hustle and bustle of his lively, leather couch-equipped establishment. Among other things, we talked about the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the crosshairs of government regulation.

Stogie Guys: Do you remember your first cigar?

David Ze: I remember it was about 16 years ago. I can’t recall what brand it was. One of the Dutch ones.

SG: Do you have a favorite cigar?

DZ: Not really, too many good smokes. Depends on the hour of the day, what you had for dinner…When it’s 11 in the morning you don’t start with a Romeo y Julieta Churchill. You just don’t do that (laughs).

SG: What made you decide to open a cigar bar?

DZ: As a consumer I thought it was something missing in Holland. When I was in the Caribbean and the U.S. it was normal to have a cigar bar. These laws…People in the Netherlands think that around the world you can’t smoke. But even in the U.S. there are places like this. A nice place to have something to smoke and a nice drink.

SG: As a bar owner, what do you find you like to recommend drinks to pair with a fine cigar?

DZ: In the European Union people are used to drinking cognac and whiskey, but I like to advise them on rum. It’s more unknown here.

SG: Tell us a little bit about the Dutch smoking laws and how you and your bar are impacted by them.

DZ: It’s very easy. If you have a premises with a liquor license you are touched by the laws. There were some court cases where places with one owner and no staff were left out of it. [But] there was a high court ruling recently that said businesses like me, you’re not allowed to smoke anymore. The thing is, we’re going to have elections with a new government and things can change again. So if a government civil servant comes in now and gives me a fine I can take my case to court and see what happens.

In our less structured conversation, it was apparent that the change in the laws was frustrating Ze. “If you’re a vegetarian, there’s no reason to go to the butcher,” he says. But, joking aside, Ze stated that the recent court case truly has made things more difficult by changing the previous “safe work environment” laws to more strict “health code” laws, under which he currently operates under the constant threat of fines.

Ze finds intrigue in the creative measures cigar bar owners take to help secure their livelihood. He is inspired by a bar on one of the French-owned islands that was able to have their establishment declared an embassy with “sovereign soil,” on which the French smoking laws have no authority. Ze aspires to such autonomy and vows to continue to fight for the freedom to enjoy cigars in The Netherlands.

–Chris Verhoeven

photo credit: Stogie Guys