The 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

Declaration’s website makes no bones about where its inspiration comes from. “A cigar created with purpose and passion, Declaration embodies our independent spirit and inspires a statement about personal liberty, ‘Smoke to be Free.'”

A creation of the Jameson Cigar Co., this isn’t the only cigar to draw inspiration from the fight for the freedom to smoke. Before Declaration there was Defiance, a project of Xikar and Jesus Fuego, that sent a portion of sales to fight anti-cigar legislation. More recently, Paradigm 262 by Revolution Cigars takes aim at anti-smoking forces with its “262 Manifesto” in defense of the freedom to smoke.

Along those lines, Declaration only comes in one size: the 5 and a half inch by 50 ring gauge “Iniquity.” The name works on two levels. Defined by Websters as “a gross injustice” or a “wicked act,” anti-smoking activists may see smoking as an iniquity, while cigar smokers see iniquities in the smoking bans and tobacco taxes those same activists push.

Whatever the context, Iniquity features a muted brown habano ’98 wrapper with just a bit of oily shine. The Dominican puro uses a criollo ’98 binder and with “select filler tobaccos from the prime growing regions of the Dominican Republic.” It is firm to the touch and, pre-light, reveals coffee flavors.

The long robusto starts with a bit of sweet grass, but evolves quickly to reveal coffee, woody, and toasty flavors. A bit of pepper goes in and out and there’s also a hint of leather.

Throughout the smoke I repeatedly noticed a dominant dark coffee flavor. Occasionally that manifests as  bitter notes of burnt coffee grounds, while at other times it had the richness of a dark french roast.

With ever changing flavors, complexity abounds. It isn’t the most balanced smoke, but deep burnt flavors make it a unique medium- to full-bodied creation. The draw can be a bit tight and the burn needs a few  touch-ups but, on the whole, construction is above average.

I’m a sucker for declarations of liberty, so if I were to rate the Declaration on it’s “Smoke to be Free” concept there’s no doubt this smoke would get a perfect score. But this is a cigar review, not test of one’s devotion to freedom. Fortunately, the Declaration Iniquity has a lot to offer as a cigar too, and it earns a most respectable rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Too many smokes, too little time. With the industry vibrant, creative, and—for better or worse—always in search of the next best thing, one man simply can’t effectively sample everything. I suppose that’s a good problem to have.

I’m never surprised when I completely miss the boat on new cigars, even those produced by tobacco giant Altadis. Such has been the case with the H. Upmann Reserve Maduro. This blend was introduced two years ago to diversify the non-Cuban H. Upmann portfolio.

Called “the darkside of one Upmannship” by Altadis, it is intended to add a “rich and savory maduro to the legendary line of cigars.” The Reserve Maduro recipe includes a Nicaraguan binder, a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos, and a toothy San Andreas morrón wrapper. It is handmade at the La Flor de Copan factory in Honduras.

Six vitolas are available: Belicoso (6.1 x 52), Corona (5 x 44), Robusto (5 x 54), Sir Winston (7 x 50), Titan (6 x 60), and Toro (6 x 54). I recently found a stash of Coronas at the bottom of one of my humidors—probably gifts from my colleagues when they covered the 2008 IPCPR Trade Show.

Each clean cigar boasts an oily, lightly veined appearance with a neat cap. The feel is hard in some places and soft in others, but the overall impression is one of quality and care. I snipped the very edge of the cap to reveal a smooth draw.

Once an even burn is established, soft pre-light notes of cocoa transition into a powerful blast of peppercorn and espresso. Don’t let this bold, spicy intro scare you off. Just as soon as it arrives, it moves over to make way for a much softer profile of dark chocolate, nuts, and sweet wood.

That’s about where the Reserve Maduro stays through the midway point and beyond. Sure, you can pick up other, subtler flavors if you really put your mind to it, but don’t try to over-think this straightforward cigar. If you do so you’ll miss out on its sugary, charming simplicity.

That said, and notwithstanding the Corona’s near-perfect combustion qualities, this $5 cigar smokes like a $5 cigar. It delivers consistent, user-friendly enjoyment with none of the thrills of more complex, more balanced cigars. Somewhere between captivating and disappointing, the H. Upmann Reserve Maduro Corona earns three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Few holidays cry out for a cigar-related gift like Father’s Day. Fathers and sons have been enjoying cigars together for virtually as long as cigars have been in existence. After all, it’s hard to beat premium cigars, fine spirits, and good conversation for some quality father-son bonding.

Now, I could write numerous articles with recommendations for fine cigars for you to give to your cigar smoking dad, but you’d be better off browsing our Reviews Archive and finding a highly-rated cigar that fits your dad’s taste and your budget. So instead of just a list of cigars, here are a few cigar-related gifts your cigar smoking dad might not be expecting:

Scotch – Many consider Scotch to be a quintessential accompaniment to a fine smoke. There are no shortage of fine scotches out there, but two particularly fine whiskeys I’ve tried lately are from Dalmore. Both tremendously smooth and balanced, the Gran Reserva is extremely old (10-15 years) with citrus, vanilla, and a bit of spice. The even older Dalmore King Alexander 1263 features an exotic blend of complex flavors imparted by whiskey aged in six different types of casks.

Playboy Book of Cigars – Sure, it’s got a few photos of the lovely ladies that Playboy is known for, but there’s a lot more to this book than that. The perfect coffee table book for the father with a cigar den, this book written by veteran cigar journalists Aaron Sigmond (founding editor of Smoke Magazine) and Nick Kolakowski (deputy editor of The Cigar Report) features extensive information about the cigar making process. My favorite parts are the numerous large format photos (by Ian Spanier) of cigars being made in various cigar-making countries.

Fuente Añejos – Like I said, there are plenty of fine cigars out there to give to dad, but in the mind of many cigar aficionados the Añejo by Arturo Fuente will always be connected to Father’s Day. That’s because, along with Christmas, Father’s Day is the only time of the year that the Añejo is released. With a maduro wrapper aged four to six years (including six to eight months in cognac barrels) the Añejo is considered by some to be the finest that Fuente has to offer.

Cigar Rights of America РIf dad is a cigar lover, then he should care about his freedom to continue to enjoy cigars. Cigar Rights of America was created to fight for the rights of consumers of premium cigars. So what would be better than to sign your cigar-loving father up for a membership? This sampler of exclusive cigars (including such rare versions of the Fuente Forbidden X, La Aurora 100 A̱os, Ashton VSG, and Diamond Crown Maximus) comes complete with a one-year membership to CRA.

–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.”

This large, rare, limited edition perfecto (6 x 58) is the combination of two of La Aurora’s most exclusive lines: 100 Años and Preferidos. It features an oily Dominican corojo wrapper surrounding Dominican binder and filler. After a creamy start with woody flavors, it soon develops some classic corojo spice. The well-balanced, medium-bodied smoke ends with a long, smooth finish. Construction is flawless. Despite its $16 price, this is an excellent value and an excellent example of the fine cigars La Aurora produces.

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.”

I’ve been working my way through a stash of these skinny (5 x 37) cigars for well over a year. This offering from Por Larrañaga, a second-tier Cuban brand, offers a smooth, creamy taste of dry oak that’s mild and pleasant, albeit not terribly complex. True, it may not be much to look at. But with consistently solid construction and a price tag just over $3 apiece, the Panetela is a nice alternative to more expensive creations from Castro’s communist isle.

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) Facing a budget shortfall of nearly $9 billion, New York Gov. David Paterson wants to double the state’s wholesale tax on cigars. The move, which would also impact other non-cigarette forms of tobacco, would increase the tax from 46% to 90% of the wholesale price. Paterson’s administration claims the tax hike will bring an additional $40 million to state coffers. But not if, as WNYT reports, “no one is still in business.” Speaking at a gathering of concerned retailers near Albany, Eric Josten, owner of Queensbury Cigar & Pipe, said, “Even though we’re competitors we both know that we’re going to go down on this ship together if New York State has their way.”

2) Speaking of taxes, syndicated columnist Deroy Murdock highlights the connection between high tobacco taxes and terrorism in his latest column. As Murdock explains: “Tobacco taxes create a perfect arbitrage opportunity that radical Muslims exploit to collect money for terrorist groups that murder Americans and our allies.” Murdock then goes on to cite numerous examples of suspected terrorists financing their activities by smuggling cigarettes into high tax states and selling them with counterfeit tax stamps.

3) Inside the Industry: Gurkha has acquired Cojimar, an inexpensive flavored cigar brand from the Dominican Republic. Rocky Patel is celebrating 15 years in the business with his 15th Anniversary blend that features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos; it will be created with the entubar bunching method and a Cuban-style triple cap. Following the success of the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill, Habanos has announced the newest Cuban Romeo: the “Wide Churchill” (5.1 x 55).

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews a La Reloba Selección Habano. Tiki Bar kicks back with a Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta. Smoking Stogie smokes a Padrón Legacy 110 Maduro. Keepers of the Flame fires up with a Troya Classico LXIII. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Cuban Punch Corona.

5) Deal of the Week: Fathers Day is coming soon, which means a Fathers Day Sale at Cuban Crafters. Boxes of the La Carolina are just $70, boxes of the Contraband are $50, and boxes of the Cubano Claro are $90. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr