The Stogie Guys

Like many of you, my cigar tastes tend to run to stronger smokes. Those spicy Pepin powerhouses, ligero bombs from La Flor Dominicana, Camacho‘s intense creations, and the like. They keep me engaged and leave me a happy herfer.

But not all the time. Occasionally, I look for a milder cigar and, when I have a good one, I’m always struck by how satisfying it can be. This came home to me again recently when I pulled an Oliva Serie G Toro from my humidor and lit it up. It is an excellent, subtle cigar with a great Cameroon wrapper that blends well with the Nicaraguan filler.

My next milder smoke was a Bahia Blu Toro, which came in some sampler or other. It was the first I’d tried and it, too, provided a good experience: tasty, smooth, and very inexpensive.

I find it interesting that cigars I generally classify as mild are often referred to as medium by manufacturers. Of course, such categories are all relative and subjective.

I rarely, if ever, smoke what I consider to be really mild cigars, such as the original Macanudo and Dominican Montecristo. Again, like many of you, I find those too lacking in flavor and heft.

Part of what I enjoy about cigars is the exploration and surprise that comes from experimenting, though it certainly comes with the risk of disappointment. But I don’t want to get in rut. That can happen by limiting selection to a narrow range of strengths, just as it can with restrictions on wrapper leaf, sizes, or blenders.

One added benefit of smoking some milder cigars is that they usually require greater attention and focus to fully enjoy them. And that can be a nice reminder: The act of smoking a cigar is, in itself, an activity well worth pursuing.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I have a lot of admiration for Tabacalera Perdomo. When politicians raised federal taxes on “large” cigars by 700% for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the folks at Perdomo responded by dropping their prices and absorbing the SCHIP hike on most of their portfolio.

“We’re all in this together in these tough economic times,” says Nick Perdomo, the company’s president. “You should be able to afford great cigars at great price points.” So, in 2009 and 2010, Tabacalera Perdomo made their best-selling blends more affordable, including dropping prices on their popular Lot 23 line by $15 per box.

Lot 23 was born ten years ago when Nicolas Perdomo, Sr. and his son, the aforementioned Nick Jr., cleared a lot of virgin soil near their factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Six years later they were cultivating tobacco from this fertile land to make the original Lot 23. Connecticut and Maduro versions were added later in a variety of sizes.

Among the newest vitolas is the Punta Gorda (5 x 60), a stubby torpedo that verges on Nub dimensions. The Maduro incarnation comes complete with a toothy broadleaf wrapper that’s dark and oily. Its sharply pointed cap clips to reveal an effortless draw. Despite having little pre-light aroma, the Punta Gorda Maduro starts with a zesty, medium-bodied profile of cedar, espresso, and a bit of barbecue tang. Each easy puff yields an abundance of thick, white smoke.

After the first inch, as the textured, finely layered ash works its way down from the foot, the flavor begins to border on full-bodied. Spice, leather, and rich molasses come to the forefront. Still, the taste is more smooth and nuanced than overbearing or powerful. It stays that way until the last puff.

With outstanding construction—including a near-perfect burn—the Lot 23 Punta Gorda Maduro is a great value at under $5 apiece. Perdomo deserves much credit for the way they’ve kept their prices down in tough times, and this particular cigar deserves a rating of 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.”

Despite only being “officially released” for little more than a week, there are already plenty of reviews of the new limited Tatuaje Anarchy (created by Tatuaje for the Florida-based Smoke Inn). With a unique tapered shape, flattened pigtail cap, and oily wrapper, the Anarchy (6.125 x 48-52) makes a good first impression. Like my colleague who wrote up a full review of some pre-release samples, I noticed a lack of the peppery spice that often accompanies Pepin-made smokes. But this is a fine full-bodied smoke with bready flavors, leather, coffee, and meatiness.

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.”

Where Illusione is predominantly corojo with one component of criollo tobacco, Dion Giolito’s Cruzado line—launched in 2008—is predominantly criollo with one component corojo. The result is a blend that’s less aggressive. The Churchill-sized Marios vitola (7 x 47) has a medium-bodied, balanced profile of leather, coffee, cream, and nutmeg spice. Its wonderful combustion qualities and two-hour smoking time make this complex creation worthy of its $9 price tag.

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) A new report from the U.S. Surgeon General is being challenged by a renowned member health community and the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR). The report claims that brief exposure to secondhand smoke can lead to cancer, DNA damage, and heart trauma. But Prof. Michael Siegel of Boston University’s School of Public Health says, “It is simply untrue to assert that brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause such results. If there is no safe level of exposure to any carcinogen, that would include exposure to automobile exhaust, the sun’s rays, benzene, radon in homes, arsenic in drinking water, and many other everyday items.” Chris McCalla, legislative director of the IPCPR, also points out a key conflict of interest in a recent press release: Dr. Regina Benjamin (pictured), the current Surgeon General, previously worked for a foundation that supports smoking bans and anti-tobacco groups.

2) Inside the Industry: Despite the partnership between Drew Estate and Illusione being severed, The Cigar Feed reports that Drew Estate is offering Nosotros “seconds” to a handful of retailers who will sell the cigars for $4-5 each in bundles.

3) Around the Blogs: Illusione and Tatuaje are currently dominating the top 10 at Your Cigar Ratings. Cigar Fan fires up the Don Diego Fuerte. Tiki Bar kicks back with a La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Obelisco. Smoking Stogie smokes the Viaje Holiday Blend 2010. Stogie Review reviews the Casa Fernandez Arsenio Maduro.

4) Deal of the Week: Looking for a last-minute cigar gift? This holiday sale features deals on some excellent boxes, including the Cuban Crafters Cameroon, Miami Medina 1959, Cupido Tuxedo, and J.L. Salazar.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: SurgeonGeneral.gov

And now for something completely different: puffing and picking.

Yes, that simple cigar box—like the ones you’ve got in the closet, the garage, and tucked who knows where—can make beautiful music beyond the joyous symphony of smoke the contents provide.

Just ask Steve Cinnamon. He’s a 64-year-old former ad exec living near Sarasota, Florida, who got involved in the old-time craft of cigar box guitars while recovering from a heart attack in 2009. He’s sold quite a few and been featured in newspapers and magazines.

Cigar box guitar history goes back at least to the Civil War. Pickers range from Lightnin’ Hopkins and Carl Perkins to Tom Waits and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. You can hear numerous performances on YouTube and get lots of information, including DIY instructions, at the Cigar Box Guitars website.

Steve says his favorite boxes are Punch and Fuente. “Others work as well also,” he wrote me in an email, “but these seem to be some of the best sounds.”

His approach is a combination of traditional and contemporary. He favors the acoustic three-string model with frets over electric models. “I can make both,” he wrote. “However, I prefer not to make them electric, and it would lose the authenticity of the 150-year-old tradition.”

But he also utilizes resonators (sink drains) and modern designs, such as one that appears to be based loosely on the famous Gibson Flying V. He will build what a customer wants, though he said “most of the time my clients trust me to do the right thing.”

If you’re interested in one of Steve’s creations, he said he’s still working on his website but you can email him.

[View more photos of Steve’s cigar box guitars here.]

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

La Aurora cigars were among the first I smoked. I enjoyed them then and have since continued to look favorably on the Dominican firm’s products, though many of its releases in recent years have had fairly stratospheric prices.

Not so with the new double-banded Corojo. Priced to appeal to bargain smokers, this line features substantial cigars for under $7. I paid about $6 for the 6.5-inch Gran Corona; the inch-longer Double Corona (both have a 50-ring gauge) is only 50 cents more, while the Robusto (pictured right) runs just under $6.

And what do you get for your money? Well, it’s not the prettiest cigar at the party. The reddish-brown Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper is a bit lumpy, sports quite a few veins, and has a cap that won’t win any prizes. But the wrapper’s pre-light bouquet is sweet and inviting. There’s not much aroma from the filler, which is a combination of Dominican Cubano and Olor along with Nicaraguan Habano.

Where it really counts—taste—is where the Corojo shines. It kicks off with a bit of the spice you expect from corojo tobacco. I used a cedar spill on one and, to me, that woody flavor mixed wonderfully for the first few puffs. The cigar generates a lot of smoke and features a good draw.

While not an overly complex smoke, the Corojo does create some variations along the way, including a little sweetness and leather, with a rich, full tobacco flavor predominating.

Negatives are only a few. The ash doesn’t hold. You need to be on alert to tap off frequently. The burn also isn’t particularly straight and can require an occasional touch-up.

Still, at the price, it’s difficult to complain. This well-balanced cigar would be a good deal at a couple of dollars more. Since its summer-time introduction, the La Aurora Corojo has garnered positive online buzz and quite a few favorable reviews. I think you’ll agree. I rate this three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys