The Stogie Guys

La Flor Dominicana president and founder Litto Gomez has an ad in the latest issue of Cigar Aficionado that passionately makes the case against anti-cigar legislation.

The two-page ad features a message and pictures of unhealthy foods, wine, whiskey, coffee, and cigars surrounding a photo of Litto Gomez smoking. The message reads:

It’s Time to Speak Up

Every single one of the foods or substances you see here may end up killing you…if you abuse them. But if we take them with moderation, they are harmless and make our lives really enjoyable. For some draconian reasons, our law makers have singled out cigars. Why? I remember the reason was secondhand smoking. But, in parks? in the open air?…what is this!! If we let them get away with it, they will continue to take away pleasures of our life. As adults, we have the right to choose our lifestyle. As I recall, it was called freedom, and that’s what makes America the best country in the world. If you don’t smoke and think that this does not concern you…think again, because one day, after they are done with cigars, a fat congressman while munching on his french fries will write a bill taxing your favorite food. We should not let them legislate our lifestyle. It’s Time To Stop Them.

I am Litto Gomez.

This is my personal opinion. I am a concerned citizen that believes in freedom of choice. I teach this to my children.

Ads like this cost well over $10,000, so it speaks volumes that Litto chose to run the ad. And demonstrating that the message is what’s most important, he didn’t even identify his company in the ad.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Let’s face it: As much as we deplore snobbery, we’re all guilty of various forms of cigar arrogance from time to time. Even the most tolerant of cigar enthusiasts is bound to scoff at something (flavored cigars, for example).

But not all cigar-related condescension is justified. Some things from the cigar world have amassed undeserved reputations. Below, in no particular order, are my top five:

1. Inexpensive lighters and cutters. In my experience, wooden matches, modestly priced cutters, and other cheap accessories often get the job done just as well as their expensive counterparts. Does it look ridiculous to clip a $20 smoke with a double guillotine cutter that cost $12? Maybe. But not nearly as ridiculous as losing a $100+ cutter between your couch cushions. Understated, easily replaceable cigar accessories are the mark of a true aficionado.

2. Altadis and General Cigar. I’ll be the first to admit that my favorite cigar manufacturers are small, boutique operations. But that doesn’t change the fact that two of the biggest premium tobacco outfits also make a lot of tasty, widely available, well-made, relatively inexpensive cigars. So it’s a mistake to outright dismiss everything made by Altadis or General.

3. Mild cigars. Some cigar fans condemn all mild cigars and elevate most bold, full-bodied powerhouse sticks to legendary status. This practice can only be perceived as a misguided attempt to prove one’s manhood. Mild cigars, as my former colleague once wrote, “can and should remain part of a well-balanced collection. We should not consider ourselves too macho, too old, too cool, or too proud to smoke mild or medium sticks.”

4. Online cigar retailers. In these discouraging times of restrictive smoking bans and outrageous tobacco taxes, it’s vital to support brick and mortar tobacco shops. Heck, many new cigars are purposefully relegated to tobacconist shelves. While this is a noble cause, let’s not forget that online retailers serve an important role. They provide competitive auctions, affordable deals, and enable customers to buy smokes from the comfort of their homes. They also make some rare smokes easier to find. So frequent your local shop and lose the guilt when you occasionally buy via the web.

5. Bundle cigars. Cigar boxes are truly a work of art, elevating the importance of presentation to a level unrealized in other industries. If cost is your concern, though, consider buying by the bundle. Many good cigars come bunched in bales of cellophane instead of colorfully decorated Spanish cedar boxes. However untraditional and unattractive, this strategy cuts on cost, and the savings are often passed on to you, the consumer. Nevermind the connotation that great cigars have to come from beautiful boxes.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Don Pepin Garcia burst on the scene when Tatuaje, a cigar made for Pete Johnson, first started garnering high praise and plenty of buzz. By the 2007 industry trade show, Pepin, formerly a top cigar man in Cuba, had established himself as one of the most prolific makers of non-Cuban cigars. That meant he was ready to release his first solely produced limited edition cigar.

Called El Centurion, the blend was originally available in just three sizes: Guerreros (robusto), Gladiadores (toro), and Emperadores. The latter is a belicoso that measures 5.5 inches with a ring gauge of 52. It features a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan-grown Cuban seed criollo ’98 and corojo ’99 leaves that have been aged three years.

It’s a very attractive smoke with a few veins and muted sheen. The large red, orange, and gold band is ornate, and notable because only a very small script signature lets you know that this is a Don Pepin Garcia smoke.

Just 850 boxes of each size were ever produced, all of which reportedly sold out on the first day El Centurion became available. Few remain today. A handful of places still sell them for $12-15 each. (I got mine from CitizenCigar.com, which sells boxes for $230.)

El Centurion starts off with plenty of cedar along with cream and graham cracker sweetness. Adding to the complex blend are subtle pepper, paper, coffee, and bread flavors. The profile is medium-bodied but dense with flavor. It’s a deliciously complex cigar that is is well-rounded and balanced from start to finish. Time seems to have done wonders.

Each of the three samples I smoked before writing this review demonstrated excellent physical qualities. Particularly notable was a razor thin black burn line, a sign of a well-aged smoke.

This cigar reminded me of a cross between two others made by Don Pepin Garcia: My Father and the Tatuaje Reserva SW. Those are two fine smokes. And while I’ve sampled nearly all of Garcia’s creations, I must conclude that this is his finest masterpiece. (The only line I’ve yet to smoke is the new My Father Limited Edition.) With high priase like that you can probably guess how this cigar review ends. This is a special cigar that unfortunately will never be made again. That’s why it earns five stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five stogie-rated cigars can be found here.]

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A.J. Fernandez made his mark on the industry by producing top-selling cigars for the likes of Rocky Patel, Padilla, Graycliff, Gurkha, and others. This year he broke the mold and released his first nationally-distributed solo cigar.

The blend, San Lotano, was once a pre-Castro Cuban line. “Retired for decades, the line is being reintroduced by A.J. Fernandez, whose grandfather first started the brand in San Luis, Cuba,” reads a press release. Fernandez says that “San Lotano has been a project many years in the making for me, and it is made to honor the tradition of cigar making that I learned from my father and my father’s father.”

San Lotano is handmade at the Tabacalera Fernandez factory in Estelí, which turns out nine million cigars annually. The series is available in three wrapper variations: Habano (already being hailed in cigar circles), Maduro, and Connecticut. The latter features an Ecuadorian-grown outer leaf, a Nicaraguan binder, and a three-country filler blend from Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.

The Robusto (5 x 52) retails for about $6 apiece. It has a golden, toothy wrapper that’s nearly flawless, a firm feel, and a foot that reveals a cross-section of tightly packed tobacco. The pre-light aroma is faint and nutty. The cold taste exposes an easy draw and some sweetness on the lips.

After lighting, the initial flavor is of hay, creamy coffee, and citrus. Flavorful, yet very similar to many of the other Connecticut-wrapped smokes on the market. Notes of almond and subtle peppery spice soon add depth. Thereafter, the profile takes on warm tobacco flavors.

The physical properties, as I’ve come to expect from A.J. Fernandez, are superb. The burn line is even, the white ash builds wonderfully off the foot, and the draw remains clear throughout the 50-minute smoke. If only every cigar smoked this well.

Still, is the San Lotano Connecticut remarkable? No. I can’t imagine many seasoned cigar veterans being blown away by this blend. But while I’ll save my high praise for the Habano version of this tobacconist-only line, I must say that this Robusto compares favorably to some of my favorite Connecticuts, including those made by Camacho and Oliva. For that, it earns four 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.”

In 2008, Davidoff surprised many industry observers by introducing its first ever maduro. That Robusto was followed in 2009 by a Corona, and this year they rolled out the toro-sized Maduro T. Wrapped in a deep brown San Vicente wrapper, it’s an attractive, well-constructed cigar with contrasting black and white bands. The smoke opens up with dry cocoa and leather flavors. It’s medium-bodied and balanced. As the cigar develops, some oak is evident along with notes of green banana, making for an interesting, well-rounded smoke.

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.”

Far too often, dark cigars that look, feel, and smell like this one turn harsh, meaty, or stale in the final third. But this Robusto (5 x 50) from Pinar del Rio’s Oscuro blend manages to avoid that trap while still featuring a full-bodied profile. Its Brazilian-grown oscuro wrapper combines with a criollo ’98 Dominican binder and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos to produce tastes of creamy espresso, cocoa, and nuts. The combustion qualities are fair and the sub-$6 price tag is more than reasonable.

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) In May, when Indiana politicians rejected legislation that would have criminalized smoking in Hoosier State bars, restaurants, and other “public” places for a third time, Chris McCalla of the IPCPR said that “if the issue is raised again…we will be ready once again to defend our rights and the rights of all the state’s citizens and help defeat any such bills.” The time has already come to mount a defense. Anti-tobacco zealots are storming the statehouse with hopes of prompting new statewide regulations. Representative Charlie Brown, a Democrat from Gary who is presumably unrelated to the cartoon strip character, says he is authoring a bill that may ban smoking in cigar bars.

2) A new book, The Cigar Lover’s Compendium, chronicles the history of cigars, offers drink pairings and tips, and lists America’s best tobacconists and lounges. Author Lawrence Dorfman also provides a “Cigar Smoker Hall of Fame” and cigar-related jokes. You can order your own hardcover copy at Amazon.

3) Inside the Industry: The Padrón Family Reserve No. 46 was launched this week at a New York City event. Davidoff is introducing a limited “Special XXVI Edition 2010” Griffin’s cigar (6 x 56) available in boxes of 10 glass tubos for $115.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Toraño Single Region. Nice Tight Ash checks out a J. Fuego Origen. Stogie Fresh fires up a PG Gourmet Lonsdale. Smoking Stogie smokes the Guillermo León by La Aurora. Cigar Fan toasts a Saint Luis Rey. A Cigar Smoker torches an HC Habano Colorado.

5) Deal of the Week: Football season brings this unpublicized cigars special from Cuban Crafters. Included are the highly-rated Miami Medina 1959 and J.L. Salazar blends, but our favorite bargain is a box of La Carolinas for just $50.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Indiana.gov