The Stogie Guys

Thomas Jefferson wasn’t from Kentucky. Then again, neither was Sam Houston. But that hasn’t stopped one Kentucky-based distiller from naming its creations after these two celebrated Americans.

Crafted in Bardstown—the Mecca of bourbon—Jefferson’s Reserve and Sam Houston bourbons are made in “very small batches” from corn, malted barley, and rye. The distiller “marries a mere 8-12 barrels of various ages to produce the best tasting bourbon possible…”

Jefferson’s Reserve sells for as little as $35 and as much as $50. It is, according to its handsome, knob-topped bottle, “very old.” I’m told as much as 50% of each barrel evaporates during the 15-year aging process.

“Like the accomplished third President of the U.S., this bourbon,” according to its website, “is complex, elegant, and sophisticated.” Apparently numerous critics agree. Jefferson’s Reserve has amassed impressive accolades in recent years, including a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute and a ranking among the “Best 50 Spirits of 2008” from Wine Enthusiast. Robert Plotkin, author of The Bartender’s Companion, called it “a sterling example of how great an American whiskey can be. This is a superlative American whiskey.”

Jefferson’s Reserve has a light, yellow-tinted color in the glass (as opposed to more of a reddish copper tone in the bottle). Good legs. Notes of pear, vanilla, and butterscotch make for an inviting nose that’s sweet and lacking in alcohol tinge.

The taste is a bit bolder than expected, though still on the subtle side of most bourbons and therefore remarkably easy to sip. Fronted by tangy hickory and citrus, the profile is set against a background of classic bourbon flavors: syrup, sweet corn, and dry oak. The finish is light and watery at first, only to ramp up a few seconds later with a long, peppery finale.

While such contrasts make for a versatile pairing partner, mild- to medium-bodied cigars are the best complements. Try the H. Upmann Signature, Illusione Epernay, and La Caya Cameroon on for size. I don’t know for sure, but I’d imagine these are the cigars Thomas Jefferson would choose to pair with his eponymous bourbon.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you’re like me, you probably thought this past Monday was Memorial Day, a day for pausing to think about the men and women who gave their lives to protect the freedoms we take for granted. As I did, you may have also celebrated the unofficial start of summer with some time spent outdoors, around the barbecue, and enjoying a fine cigar or two.

But, for the bureaucrats at the World Health Organization (WHO), May 31 wasn’t Memorial Day. Rather, it was “World No Tobacco Day“—a day for promoting the policies they call “Tobacco Control.”

No time to celebrate freedom, the WHO issued a Call to Action, with such action items as implementing a complete ban on advertising of tobacco; enacting total workplace smoking bans that presumably include restaurants, bars, and even tobacco shops; and creating “gender-specific tobacco control policies.”

For those of you at home counting, those are calls to violate such fundamental American principles as freedom of speech, property rights, and equal protection under the law, respectively. And it’s all part of the international organization’s “Tobacco Free Initiative” which, as it sounds, seeks to stamp out the so-called “tobacco epidemic.”

The contrast couldn’t be starker. The day we honor U.S. soldiers who gave their lives for our country, often fighting against authoritarian dictatorships, anti-tobacco forces seek worldwide enactment of laws designed to strip citizens of their choice to enjoy even an occasional cigar.

One can’t help but look back through history, when America sent soldiers to battle with a daily ration of tobacco. In World War II, a K-Ration, or daily combat ration, included four cigarettes. On the other side of the battle field, Hitler despised smoking (which he saw as a filthy Jewish habit) and led Nazi Germany to enact the first modern smoking ban.

No, they aren’t Nazis, but in today’s struggle between freedom and oppressive collectivism, international bureaucrats use the projects like the Tobacco Free Initiative at the United Nations to infringe on fundamental individual rights. Meanwhile, our troops continue to put themselves in harms way as they seek to uphold their oath to the Constitution and the individual liberties that it stands for.

That’s why I hope you joined me in honoring our troops on Memorial Day. And if you also happened to smoke a cigar as part of your Memorial Day, then all the better. Now, why not take the opportunity to donate some cigars to the troops? That’s what the last Monday in May is supposed to be all about, not stamping out our freedom to smoke.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back in 2008, General Cigar held an “election” between two cigars vying to become the newest addition to the Punch lineup. Upper Cut, revealed at the 2009 IPCPR Trade Show, crossed the finish line as the result of nationwide taste-testing, consumer feedback, and subsequent blend adjustments.

“Upper Cut by Punch boasts a taste reminiscent of the base brand punctuated by a profound flavor that highlights the cigar’s Nicaraguan components,” said Debo Mukherjee, vice of president of marketing for General Cigar, in a pre-IPCPR press release. “Considering that this blend was test-smoked and personally selected by tenured cigar smoking consumers nationwide, we are confident that it has all the makings of a ‘knockout’ at retail.”

This presumed “knockout” includes a rustic, oily Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Underneath are leaves from Ometepe, a volcanic island rising out of Lake Nicaragua with a tobacco production exclusive to General (the Macanudo 1968, La Escepción, and Hoyo de Tradición also feature Ometepe leaves). The outcome, according to General, “is a cigar that reveals an intriguing of range of flavors at the first draw and delivers a rich, balanced finish.”

Three sizes are available: Grand Corona (6 x 45), Toro (6.6 x 54), and Robusto (5.25 x 50). After removing the foot band from the sweet-smelling Robusto—General really seems to be boasting their Ometepe access—I’m struck by how different Upper Cut looks from the rest of the Punch lineup. From Deluxe and Gran Puro to Rare Corojo and Grand Cru, every other Punch blend comes dressed in a traditional and recognizable red and gold band. But General seems to be positioning Upper Cut as a distant cousin of Punch rather than a full-fledged family member.

I smoked three Robustos for this review. Once lit, each exhibited a wonderfully pleasant flavor of sweet wood, cherry, coffee creamer, and leather. Balanced and subtle with a warm, tingly spice on the finish. I would have loved the Upper Cut to maintain this profile to the nub.

But all good things must come to an end. As the trustworthy burn works toward the middle and the white, powdery ash holds beautifully off the foot, the taste begins to devolve. First the sweet wood begins to dissipate. Then a bold, meaty charcoal taste starts to overshadow the Upper Cut’s finer traits. The final third is a mere shadow of the Robusto’s promising beginning.

Only time will tell if age will improve this cigar’s second half. For now, taking into account its excellent construction and approachable price of $5-7 apiece, the Punch Upper Cut Robusto 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.”

With a slightly splotchy wrapper, this 7 inch by 47 ring gauge cigar by Dion Giolito of Illusione Cigars isn’t all that much to look at. Fortunately where it matters most, the Cuchillos performs admirably. It’s a combination of leather, pepper, and earth flavors that is very savory, even if the salty notes leave it a bit off balance. Despite being a mixed filler cigar the ash and draw are flawless, helped in part by the fact that two binders are used. At 4 cigars for $18, it could be my new go-to golf cigar, but it’s also good enough to pair with some Cruzan Single Barrel rum after dinner.

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.”

Available only as part of Cigar Rights of America’s exclusive sampler, this toro-sized creation of the Newman and Fuente families features an exquisite sun-grown Ecuadorian wrapper selected from the top priming. It’s a balanced medium- to full-bodied smoke that features plenty of earth and savory flavors with undertones of clove and dry cocoa. The Diamond Crown’s flawless construction produces an abundance of thick smoke.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

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) Yesterday, Cigar Rights of America announced the “Smoke the Vote Grassroots Network,” an effort to inform smokers of their candidates’ stances for office on critical cigar issues. CRA Executive Director Glynn Loope described the initiative an email to members: “For the last twelve months, we have all been working to build the needed infrastructure to get to this moment. Now, CRA has members in all 50 states, we have CRA member tobacconists in 47 states, and membership is up 98% from this time last year. We need to build upon that success, learn from other interest groups that also exert their political muscle, and work to build new coalitions with other like-minded groups and allies.”

2) In a rare victory for cigar smokers, yesterday Massachusetts lawmakers voted to prohibit local health departments from banning smoking in cigar shops. The vote was a response to Boston’s law that would have forced all of the city’s cigar bars to close in ten years.

3) Inside the Industry: For the first time, Macanudo is designating a Maduro “Vintage” with the release of the Macanudo Maduro Vintage 1997, which features a distinctive metal band. Father-son team Guillermo and George Rico have reunited to create Azteca, a four-size line utilizing Mexican San Andreas wrapper and binder tobaccos. Reports cite that Arturo Fuente is expanding the sizes in the Rosado Magnum line at the upcoming IPCPR Trade Show in August.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Caliber 58. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Alec Bradley MAXX Traditional. Keepers of the Flame fires up an Oliva Connecticut Reserve. The Tiki Bar kicks back with a 262 Paradigm. A Cigar Smoker smokes the La Aurora 1495 BME. Perfect Draw tries a Cuban Stock Royal Selection.

5) Deal of the Week: Cuban Crafters is having an unpublicized Memorial Day Sale. Boxes of the Cupido Criollo and Cubano Claro (both rated 4/5 stogies) have dropped in price to just $60. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It’s hard to appreciate the cigar making process unless you’ve seen it firsthand. This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit La Aurora’s factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

After a tasting seminar with José Blanco, La Aurora’s marketing director, he gave Patrick M, a handful of other cigar writers, and me a tour of La Aurora’s operation. Hopefully the following photos give you some idea of just how much care and attention goes into every premium handmade cigar that we often take for granted:

Tobacco from all around the world arrives at the La Aurora factory where it is aged until it is ready.

José Blanco examines Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf in the fermentation room, where tobacco is exposed to 120-degree temperatures for days at a time to bring out the flavors we’ve come to appreciate in cigars.

Before being sorted for rolling, tobacco goes into a special room where moisture is added to the leaf. La Aurora uses this special machine (which is also used in Cuba) to moisten tobacco in just over an hour. In most factories this process takes two days.

In preparation for being rolled into cigars, tobacco is sorted. Note the rum barrels in the background where tobacco for La Aurora Barrel Aged cigars are aging.

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