The Stogie Guys

With the economy still sputtering, many cigar lovers continue to find themselves strapped for cash. We’ve provided quite a few suggestions for savings in the past and continue to look for ways to assist readers. Here’s the latest installment that we hope will help you reduce expenditures and increase the enjoyment odds:

1. Buy parejos. This is the typical cigar shape: straight sides, rounded head with a cap or pigtail, and an open foot. It’s the easiest shape to roll, so it’s the least costly. Figurados such as torpedos, perfectos, and other irregularly shaped sticks require greater skill to roll properly. So you’ll either pay more for a well-done figurado or risk a poorly rolled cigar.

2. Ignore novelty. When you’re trying to save money and buy good cigars, you need to steel yourself against the latest fad (those double-wrapper cigars look interesting!) or creation (Should I try that new anniversary stick or the latest blend?). They may be terrific cigars, but you’re taking a risk, and shepherding resources is all about reducing risk.

3. Don’t buy bundles blindly. No-name bundle sticks can be a bargain. But, let’s face it, odds are they’ll be mediocre at best. When you’re smoking, do you want your mind focused on a pleasant experience or busy trying to convince yourself that this cigar you can barely tolerate is OK because it didn’t cost much? Personally, I wouldn’t buy more than five sticks of any cigar I hadn’t previously smoked and liked.

4. Just say no. Make sure you have a good cutter, punch, and/or V-cutter. If you have a lighter, use it. That’s all you need. If your lighter breaks, don’t go looking for a new ST Dupont or Bugatti. Wooden matches will do just fine. If you really want a butane torch, get a sub-$3 Ronson. And don’t even think about things like golf course cigar holders or three-finger ostrich skin cases.

5. Reputation means a lot. One great trend lately has been top-flight manufacturers—Pepin, Fuente, Newman, Perdomo, and others—bringing lower-priced cigars to market. These companies have access to excellent tobacco, good rollers, and top blenders; they put their names on the line with every cigar. And they’re on the shelves at most tobacconists, so you can easily try them out one at a time. No, these low-end cigars aren’t as rich, smooth, or complex as high-dollar cigars, but smoking them will, once again, increase the odds you’ll be pleased.

-George E

photo credit: Flickr

As the economy struggles to hit its post-recession stride, some sympathetic cigar makers are cutting us a break by introducing modestly priced blends. Case in point: the new “1989” from Nestor Miranda.

It celebrates the year Miranda founded Miami Cigar & Co., distributor of such brands as La Aurora, Tatiana, Don Lino, and Miranda’s eponymous Special Collection. It also celebrates frugality. “While we do not have any cigars in the Nestor Miranda Collection that are expensive, we wanted to offer an excellent smoke at a very reasonable price point,” said Rene Castañeda, vice president of Miami Cigar. “It has become obvious that smokers, like everyone else, these days, are seeking to restrain their spending.”

When I think of restrained cigar spending I don’t think of the combined talents of Nestor Miranda and Don Pepin Garcia. But, for $5 per cigar, that’s exactly what you get in the 1989 blend. To make it, Miranda commissioned Garcia to develop a cigar based on his desired flavor profile and Garcia concocted a recipe of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos.

Available since May, 1989 is handmade at Garcia’s My Father Cigars in Estelí with one third medium-filler and two thirds long-filler. Three vitolas are in production: Belicoso (6.1 x 52), Robusto (5 x 50), and Toro (6 x 50). Each comes in either a Habano Rosado or Oscuro wrapper.

I sampled three Oscuro Belicosos for this review. This is a dark, mottled cigar that’s bumpy, dry, and a bit veiny. Spongy in the hand with a clear pre-light draw, it sports an ornate band (with Miranda’s name in super-small script on either side) and a wonderfully pungent aroma of cocoa.

The first puff reveals a taste of damp earth, black pepper spice, and coffee beans. While the Oscuro is billed as medium- to full-bodied, the airy texture of the smoke seems to diffuse the concentration of flavors, resulting in a lighter profile than anticipated. Things get more interesting after the first inch. Here, a creamy nuttiness develops to offset what was once a predominantly salty taste. The ensuing balance is a welcome addition until it seems to fade down the home stretch.

On construction, the 1989 delivers over and above what you’d expect from a $5 sandwich-filler cigar. The gray ash holds together well and the burn requires hardly any touch-ups to stay even.

Notwithstanding these notable physical properties, I doubt this new Nestor Miranda creation will blow any seasoned cigar veterans away. But it probably isn’t supposed to. While its taste may be a bit monotonous at times—even a tad papery now and then—the Belicoso offers consistency and a straightforward profile in an affordable package. A respectable everyday selection, it earns 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.”

Just introduced at last week’s IPCPR Trade Show, this new extension of the La Aroma de Cuba line is made in Nicaragua by Don Pepin Garcia, like the other La Aromas. The box-pressed Magnifico (6 x 52) features a nearly flawless Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut broadleaf wapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. After an initial burst of heavy spice, it settles into a medium- to full-bodied profile with dry bittersweet chocolate, cream, and earth. It’s a tasty cigar reminds me of a slightly less complex version of the Padrón Serie 1926 Maduro—hardly a bad reminder. Construction and combustion qualities are excellent in this $8 smoke. Try it with some Zaya Gran Reserva, which will be featured as a pairing at Ashton events this fall.

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.”

When I reviewed this cigar one year ago, I found it to be agreeable yet slightly disappointing given its pedigree and price point. Time has neither improved nor diminished the El Acere. It still carries a salty, airy flavor that overshadows its tastier notes of cedar and dark chocolate. It burns well enough but, for a cigar that retails for around $10 per single, I can think of many better balanced smokes worthy of my time and money.

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) The 78th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association  (IPCPR) Trade Show wraps up today. This year’s event saw the introduction of hundreds of new cigars, jazz smoking lounges, a seminar on cigar rights, and a speech delivered by Rocky Patel in which he encouraged retailers to educate their legislators about the adverse consequences of government intervention. “Obviously we have to do a better job of getting our fellow retailers…to put aside their differences and have a unified fight,” he said. For more information about the Trade Show, click here for our on-location reports from New Orleans. And be sure to check back throughout the year as we review the newest cigars on the market.

2) On the international front, China’s government is pushing for a nationwide ban on indoor smoking starting in January. But, as the Associated Press reported on Wednesday, the development of the ambitious law faces an ironic conflict of interest: “The organization that sets tobacco policy and enforces the rules is the same [government] agency that controls the China National Tobacco Corporation, the world’s largest cigarette maker.”

3) Inside the Industry: Foot traffic at the IPCPR Trade Show declined quickly after the initial burst on Tuesday. About 600 retailers attended, down from 700 last year. Nearly every manufacturer we spoke with expects next year’s show in Las Vegas to be busier.

4) Around the Blogs:  Stogie Review reviews the El Primer Mundo Liga Miami. Cigar Inspector inspects the Prometheus Sencillo. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Pinar del Rio 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura. Las VegAsh TV smokes a Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary.

5) Deal of the Week: There’s an email-only special going on at Cuban Crafters this weekend. The best deal is a box of 25 Cuban Crafters Cameroon Pyramides for just $75 (just $3 per cigar). Grab yours here.

-The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[Editors’ Note: NEW ORLEANS — Stogie Guys staffers Patrick S and Patrick M are reporting live today from the 78th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show. This convention is where cigar makers from around the world come to showcase their products and debut their new creations. Check back throughout the day for live updates.]

6:00am Central: Yesterday, Bruce Lewis of the Toraño Family Cigar Company told us that the recent changes at the his outfit have been very well received by retailers. The company is releasing three new lines (detailed in our interview with Charlie Toraño last month): Brigade, Master, and Single Region. In addition, Toraño is expanding the Exodus 50 Years series to include a box-pressed robusto size. We also learned that the Signature blend has become a private label exclusive to Famous Smoke Shop.

6:05am Central: Also yesterday, Pinar del Rio’s Abe Flores reported that the new 1878 Capa Madura is doing very well, with 8,000 boxes sold since it launched just over two months ago. Priced around $5 each, he hopes the blend will introduce smokers to Pinar del Rio and his other lines.

12:05pm Central: A quick chat with Litto Gomez revealed some exciting news from la Flor Dominicana, including that Airbender was La Flor’s “most successful release ever.” Debuting at the show is the new Airbender Chisel with a stronger, darker, and thicker wrapper because, according to Gomez, “the Chisel deserves respect.” Also new is the Maduro Soloman. Litto told us that the LG Vintage 2010 and Small Batch No. 3 would be shipping soon. Additionally, new 5-cigar samplers were also available including a maduro sampler with never-before released Coronado Maduro double coronas and Airbender maduros.

12:15pm Central: As expected, CAO released the new La Traviata Maduro in three sizes. I smoked one this morning and found a medium-bodied smoke with lush chocolate and espresso notes. I’m predicting that, much like the original La Traviata, this will be a hit, particularly at its $5-6 price point. Also out for the show are a number of line extensions including a small Cameroon perfecto, a large (6 x 60) Lx2, an Lx2 box press (4 x 45), and four-inch cigars in tins of five for both the Lx2 and La Traviata.

12:25pm Central: My Father will be releasing a Limited Edition line extension that will be personally rolled by Jamie and Pepin Garcia. The Limited Edition will come in coffins of twelve and only 2,000 boxes will be released. MSRP on the Limited Edition will be somewhere between $20-$25 per cigar and will be available in mid to late September.

12:30pm Central: Viaje debuted last year with their Oro and Platino lines and have since followed up with a bunch of micro lines. The line available at the show this year is Sartori, which means “enlightenment. ” Sartori’s MSRP is $12 per cigar and only 450 boxes will be produced. Also new from Viaje is a 50/50 Red Label with two different fused filler blends. Only 450 boxes will be produced.

12:40pm Central: We stopped by El Primer Mundo to talk with owner Sean Williams, who told us about the new Liga Miami that is being handmade in Miami at El Titan de Bronze. The blend is rolled “entubado,” meaning all of the filler leaves are rolled individually instead of being bunched and rolled at once. Then the filler is wrapped with two binders to provide extra support. Liga Miami features a Nicaraguan binder, Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero fillers, and an Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper with an MSRP of $9.50 per cigar.

-The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[Editors’ Note: NEW ORLEANS — Stogie Guys staffers Patrick S and Patrick M are reporting live today from the 78th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show. This convention is where cigar makers from around the world come to showcase their products and debut their new creations. Check back throughout the day for live updates.]

11:30am Central: Before the floor closed yesterday we were able to find out about the latest releases from General Cigar. Headlining were two new Macanudos, both seemingly designed to challenge America’s best selling cigar brands’ mild image. Already announced was the Macanudo Vintage 1997 Maduro, a first for Macanudo, which features a metal band/cigar holder that will ship with the first 70,000 cigars. Also announced (for an early October release) is the Macanudo Cru Royale, featuring an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, proprietary Dominican binder, and Nicaraguan,  Dominican, and Brazilian mata fina filler. The blend was created by master cigar maker Benji Menendez and originally designated for General’s Partagas line before the decision was made to release it under Macanudo.

11:45am Central: Also from General Cigar are two new La Gloria Cubana blends. Artesanos de Obelisco is a box-pressed pyramid inspired by the “Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration” obelisk in Santiago. The cigar ($9 MSRP) comes in a distinctive semi-circle box and uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Connecticut broadleaf binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. Meanwhile, La Gloria Serie N is a new Nicaraguan heavy line of four sizes with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Rounding out General’s new cigars is the Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros, which uses a proprietary aging process designed to impart extra cedar flavors. It sells for $6.50-$7 each and comes in three sizes. Also of note from General is that the Cameroon-wrapped Hoyo Excalibur 1066 is changing names and bands, and will now be known as Hoyo de Monterrey Cameroon.

11:50am Central: Most of Davidoff’s new products are accessories. Two of the most interesting are the Davidoff Lacquer White Palladium Series, which includes a Prestige Lighter, Double Cutter, and Round Cutter. The second accessory is a new set of porcelain ashtrays called Mosaic and Phoenix. On the cigar front, Davidoff will be introducing a Maduro Toro to compliment the Robusto and Corona already in the line. They are also adding a Maduro to the Primeros line. Primeros Maduro will have an Ecuadorian Sungrown wrapper. Earlier in the year Davidoff rolled out a new line, Puro d’Oro, which they say is continuing to do really well. We inquired about the Colorado Claro and were informed it may be as long as 10 years before we see it again as it takes that long to store up enough tobacco to make a release.

11:55am Central: The Joya de Nicaragua camp is adding a box-pressed Toro (6 x 52) to both the Dark Antaño and regular Antaño lines.

12:05pm Central: Drew Estate has launched the Dirty Rat as part of the regular production of a new line, Unico Serie, under which all of the company’s unique cigars will fall. Contrary to what many have believed, the Dirty Rat doesn’t share a blend with either the No. 9 or the T-52. It will be sold in boxes of 12 at an MSRP of $12 per stick. Steve Saka, president of Drew Estate,  said the “Dirty Rat isn’t a limited release, it’s just a pain in the ass to make.” Drew Estate will also be adding a Belicoso and a Corona Doble to the T-52 line, as well as a 3,000-box run of the T-52 Flying Pig. In the Acid line, “Toast” will now be available nationwide. Lastly, Drew Estate has partnered with Starbuzz and will be releasing a line of Acid Shisha for Hookah Smokers.

1:35pm Central: Kurt Kendall, owner of 7-20-4, gave us the scoop on this dead trademark for a brand of clear havanas that was produced in a factory in Manchester, New Hampshire. About four years ago, Kurt started the process of obtaining the expired trademark and is now producing cigars under the name again. The cigars are made in Honduras with a Brazilian mata fina wrapper, Costa Rican binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran, Mexican, and Colombian tobaccos. 7-20-4 introduced two new sizes: a Londres and the “Dog Walker,” which is about the size of a petit corona.

1:50pm Central: Dion Giolito of Illusione doesn’t have any new products this year other than the Singulare, which will be a yearly, limited release that will change sizes and blends every year. Dion said that Singulare is the mildest cigar that he makes. He described it as being very light on the palate with most of the taste coming through the nose. The Cruzado Domenicos is being phased out and replaced with a Domenicos Extra: a 6 inch by 56 ring gauge cigar. Under the Illusione line, he also has an HL Maduro and an HL Candela. When asked about why he chose to make a candela, he replied that he loves them and always smokes them and wanted to make one of his own. Epernay gets the Le Matin as a box-pressed line extension. Nosotros will be getting a facelift with the addition of a second band on the cigar and the Illusione warranty seal on the boxes.

3:00pm Central: As expected, Avo debuted their new Heritage line. A spicier, more full-bodied blend than Avo smokers may be used to, it uses the LE 2009 “compañero” wrapper from Ecuador and a Dominican San Vincente binder with filler consisting of Dominican ligero, Dominican seco, and Peruvian seco. It is being launched in four sizes that will sell for $7-9.50.

-The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys