The 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.”

Much of the talk about the Hammer + Sickle cigar seems to focus on the use of a symbol used, even though the creator of Hammer + Sickle  insists the name, which comes from the brand of vodka he owns, is about the Russian people—not communism. Sensitivities in the area are understandable given the Cuban history that permeates cigars, but when I grabbed this Robusto (5 x 50) from my humidor the only thing that concerned me was if the cigar was any good. It’s a distinctly mild smoke, but a complex combination of cashew, cream, subtle cedar, and pepper makes it interesting. With excellent construction, the $7 Hammer + Sickle is a strong buy for fans of mild cigars.

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.”

Introduced in late 2009, this Robusto (5.25 x 52) is composed of Nicaraguan tobaccos dressed in a dark Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper. It has a bold, spicy flavor of pepper, dry wood, and espresso with acceptable construction properties. This is a fine smoke from Don Pepin Garcia’s son, but it misses out on the nuance that’s characteristic of other creations from My Father Cigars—and I’m unconvinced that its monotone profile is worthy of the $6-7 asking price.

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) It was announced on Wednesday that Miami Cigar & Co. and Don Pepin Garcia have partnered to release a new blend. Called “La Sirena” (Spanish for “mermaid”), the five-vitola line will sport a Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper, a dual binder of habano and corojo tobaccos, and a filler comprised of criollo ’98 corojo ’96 leaves. “We are very happy to finally have that full-bodied cigar in our portfolio,” said Rene Casteñeda, vice president of sales for Miami Cigar. “We have never produced a full-bodied cigar of out the My Father Cigars factory until now.” La Sirena will be introduced at Casa de Montecristo in Chicago on November 19; it is expected to retail in the $8-10 range.

2) The Honduran Association of Tobacco Growers and Cigar Makers is hosting a five-day cigar event in February. Called the “Humo Jaguar Festival” in honor of an ancient Mayan ruler, the event will feature seminars on tobacco blending and guided tours of the country’s cigar factories. Tickets cost $1,250 per person and include hotel accommodations, meals, and excursions.

3) Inside the Industry: Sam Leccia will be leaving the Oliva Cigar Company. With Leccia gone, Nub and Cain will remain owned by Oliva and become part of it’s new Studio Tobac project. Details about Studio Tobac can be found here and at its recently launched Twitter feed.

4) Around the Blogs: Smoking Stogie smokes a Liga Privada JD No. 4. Stogie Review reviews a Tatuaje Verocu 5. Cigar Inspector inspects a Tatuaje Black Tubo. Cigar Fan fires up a Nosotros. Tiki Bar examines the Casa Fernandez Aganorsa Leaf.

5) Deal of the Week: Rocky fans may want to jump at this Rare Rocky Patel Blends Sampler. For just $50, you get four cigars each from the 1961, Patel Brothers, and Signature blends. Grab your here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Miami Cigar & Co.

Last night, Cigar Rights of America held their first “CRA TV” webcast. The broadcast streamed live from CRA headquarters and featured CRA Executive Director Glynn Loope speaking about CRA’s important mission and how the group, which is less than two years old, is working to accomplish its goals.

Loope described the founding of CRA, citing a profound need for the voice for cigar consumers during the SCHIP tobacco tax battle. He then provided a comprehensive list of the states where CRA has been active in the past two years fighting smoking bans (NC, SD, CO, KY, NE, IN, PA, AL, MI, TX, LA, VA, KS, CT, WI, and NV) and fighting tobacco taxes (KY, AR, HI, CA, NH, OR, PA, UT, MI, FL, NY, WA,  and MA).

Loope reminded viewers that these battles are important not only for the states directly affected, but because opposition sends a message to those considering similar measures elsewhere. For example, he sees a legal challenge to the New York City law mandating graphic anti-smoking propaganda posters be displayed whereever tobacco products are sold as critical not just for New York but because Boston and possibly other cities are considering similar measures.

Loope also reported on the ongoing rule-making process regarding FDA oversight of cigars. According to Loope, there is “no greater threat” to the cigar industry than FDA regulation of cigars.

Also addressed were the results of the recent election. CRA had endorsed four candidates for governor, 18 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, and two candidates for the U.S. Senate. According to Loope, all of these candidates won their races (except for two in the House), although two of the gubernatorial races were too close to call at the time of the broadcast.

When it came to endorsements and other actions by the CRA, Loope stressed that these issues are not partisan. He noted that there are “just as many Republican governors signing smoking bans as Democrat governors.”

Loope  announced that the CRA TV broadcast would become a regular weekly way of communicating with members and cigar consumers. Next week’s show, scheduled for Friday, will be live from Casa Fuente in Las Vegas; the exact time has yet to be announced.

Two other announcements were made on the broadcast: First, a new CRA Cigar Sampler will be coming soon. Like past samplers, revenues will support Cigar Rights of America. It is expected out for the holidays. Second, a consumer advisory council will be formed to further ensure that cigar consumer voices are heard, although no details were released about the board’s composition.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Cigar Rights of America

Xikar is primarily known as a leading purveyor of cigar accessories like cutters, lighters, cases, and humidification devices. But this Kansas City-based company is also in the business of crafting premium cigars.

Xikar’s cigar-making partner is Jesus Fuego, a Cuban expat with a master’s degree in agronomy and five generations of tobacco cultivation in his blood. Today he has his own cigar outfit in Miami where he produces such gems as the 777 Corojo and the Origen.

In early 2009, Xikar and Fuego teamed up to launch the HC Series. Named for Xikar’s Havana Collection, the line boasts three blends: Connecticut Shade, Criollo, and Habano Colorado. “No matter your time, mood, or your preference, the HC Series has the perfect blend for every cigar lover’s palate,” said Fuego in a press release.

Each HC cigar is handmade at one of Nestor Plasencia’s factories. The four-vitola Criollo line features a two-country filler blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos along with a sun-grown criollo binder and a five-year-old Nicaraguan shade-grown criollo wrapper. The Robusto (5 x 50) is a clean, silky cigar with a pre-light aroma of earth.

After toasting the foot and studying the initial taste, I find a nicely balanced profile of leather, dry wood, and tea with a bit of sweetness and some chili pepper on the finish. The flavor is full but the strength is subdued, resulting in that all-too-elusive combo of bold spice and velvety texture.

The second half has a little less leather and a little more cream and roasted nuts. The transition is a welcome one, serving as a reprieve from the preceding spice. As the Criollo Robusto progresses, the construction remains excellent: an effortless draw, a tight ash, and a straight burn.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the HC Connecticut Shade, my only reservation was that its $7.50-9 price tag rendered it slightly overpriced—especially considering the other great Connecticut-wrapped smokes on the market. Not so with this Criollo, which is similarly priced but packs a more interesting profile. A terrific smoke, it is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Though you may not have heard of him, chances are you’ve enjoyed one of A.J. Fernandez’s smokes. The prolific cigar maker has crafted stogies for Rocky Patel, Padilla, Graycliff, and Gurkha, and he’s also made limited distribution lines like 5 Vegas AAA, Man O’ War, Diesel, La Herencia, and Sol Cubano.

Fernandez, who has as much cigar blending talent as anyone his age, has made quite a name for himself in recent years. So it wasn’t completely surprising when he announced just before this year’s industry trade show that he would be producing his first solo nationally distributed cigar. The San Lotano brand originated with Fernandez’s grandfather in San Luis, Cuba, but has not been made in decades.

The brand is being released in three versions: Connecticut, Maduro, and Habano. On the latter, beneath the shiny Brazilian Habano wrapper is a Honduran binder and Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

Each blend is released in four sizes: Churchill (7 x 52), Robusto (5 x 52), Toro (6 x 52), and Torpedo (6.5 x 52). The Toro that was the subject of a Quick Smoke and each of the three Robustos I sampled for this review were notably firm.

The San Lotano features an impressively complex combination of flavors. Warm tobacco, spice, toastiness, cedar, meaty char, and roast coffee are all apparent in the full-bodied blend.

It’s not knock-you-on-your-ass full-bodied, but there’s a lot going on here, including a certain “crunchiness” that is hard to describe properly, but easy to enjoy. The hour-long smoke features excellent construction as the firm cigar has a deliberate, but not difficult, draw.

Having sampled all three of the San Lotano blends, I can definitely say that while none are disappointing, the Habano is my clear favorite. And at $6 apiece, it provides good value.

The San Lotano doesn’t change much from beginning to end, but it doesn’t need change to be enjoyable, as the interplay between the flavors keeps the smoker plenty interested. That complexity, combined with excellent construction and solid value, earns the San Lotano Habano Robusto four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The other day I fired up a special cigar. It was a limited release super-premium that’s no longer in production. Expectations were high.

I had looked forward to trying this rare, fairly expensive smoke for the first time, especially given its plethora of accolades and impressive pedigree. I remember slowly selecting it from one of my humidors and taking great pleasure in the pre-smoke ritual. I took note of the aroma. I examined the exterior leaf with a careful eye. And I admired the cap before making a precise cut.

True, as a reviewer, I go through this routine often. But I was smoking this cigar for sheer enjoyment, not as “research” for an article. While I make a point to examine the sights and smells of each and every cigar I smoke, I can’t say I always fully live up to that commitment when I’m merely smoking for relaxation.

I did, however, with this special cigar. I made sure to invest the time to build anticipation given my high expectations. And I was pleased when those expectations were met. This particular smoke was creamy with a graham cracker sweetness, excellent construction, and a finely balanced profile.

So the special cigar ended up being, well…special. That got me thinking: Did I find the cigar special because it was truly outstanding? Or was it outstanding because, before I lit the first match, I thought it was going to be special?

I hope it was the former. I pride myself on being an unbiased judge of premium tobacco, trying my best to prevent expectations from influencing my judgments.

But isn’t it naïve to think that expectations played no role in my assessment of this cigar? Perhaps I enjoyed it so thoroughly because I made a conscious effort to savor all of its qualities—an effort that was motivated by expectations.

In the end I guess it doesn’t really matter. If I enjoyed it, I enjoyed it. Period. The best cigar is the cigar you like the best, regardless of reasoning.

The question of how expectations influence outcomes is a fair one to raise, though, especially when those outcomes are intended to inform decisions. It’s helpful to keep that in mind while reading reviews.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr