The Stogie Guys

Here are a few more random thoughts about cigars and the cigar industry:

Time to Stop Being Rational

Cigar smokers are an accommodating bunch, sometimes to a fault when it comes to fighting the anti-tobacco lobby. The anti-cigar forces have learned to never ever be happy with the status quo no matter how anti-tobacco that status quo already is. Case-in-point is Santa Cruz, California, where anti-smoking zealots have passed one of the most oppressive smoking bans in the country. The law covers all “public” indoor and outdoor spaces including parks, beaches, restaurant patios, and sidewalks.

Despite that, when smoking ban lobbyist group ALAC (American Lung Association in California) was handing out grades for cities, it gave Santa Cruz a “D” for not sufficiently being against so-called second-hand smoke.

Czech Cigars?

When I visit websites with foreign languages Google asks me if I’d like to translate them into English, which is helpful enough. At times, however, it wants to translate pages that are already in English. For example, Google wants to translate our Stogie Reviews Archive from Spanish to English, which is understandable given the hundreds of cigars listed there with Spanish in their names. More mysterious is why Google has repeatedly tried to translate pages on a certain online auction site (known to some as the “devil site”) to French or even Czech.

Hot Cigars

Be careful when relighting the nub of your cigar; even the best smoke is ruined by singed nose hair. Along the same lines, if you can’t hold a cigar anymore without burning your fingers, it’s time to put it out. (And, sorry, but roach clips don’t have any business being near fine tobacco.)

Magnificent Mild Smokes

While there has certainly been a trend towards bolder cigars in recent years, I’m also seeing a counter trend among some cigar enthusiasts. An excellent mild cigar, with all the subtleties it can have, is one of the most challenging cigars to blend. That makes such a superb mild smoke all the more impressive.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr

Every cigar has a story. This one is no exception, and it starts way back in 1935.

That was the year Alonso Menéndez founded Montecristo at the Particulares Factory in Havana. A quarter century later, like so many outstanding cigar makers who resented his government’s takeover of the industry, he fled the island to take his popular brand beyond the reach of the Cuban Revolution.

His first stop was the Canary Islands. But Habanos SA, Cuba’s state-owned tobacco monopoly, slammed him with copyright litigation. Cuba had, of course, confiscated Menéndez’s trademark and continued production under the Montecristo name to capitalize on its reputation. So he moved again in the mid-1970s, this time to La Romana in the Dominican Republic. This new location would enable him to sell directly to the U.S. market—where Cuba’s rights to the brand aren’t recognized.

Now owned by Altadis, Montecristo is celebrating 75 years since it was established in Cuba. This occasion, of course, calls for a special Aniversario blend, which was introduced at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans last summer.

The new Montecristo 75th Aniversario line is handmade at the Tabacalera de García factory under the watchful eye of master blender José Seijas. Available in five vitolas with suggested retail prices ranging from $10 to $18.50 apiece, this “super-premium” features a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and a filler blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos.

The Lancero (7.5 x 40) starts with a heavy, chalky flavor that’s both spicy and abrasive. Quickly, however, it transitions into a smoother, earthier profile of cocoa and dark chocolate. This is a nice, albeit familiar, taste that’s satisfying on the palate.

Moving past the first inch, the biggest surprise from the 75th Aniversario is that there aren’t any surprises. This 100-minute smoke is amazingly straightforward and consistent in flavor all the way to the nub. If you’re really into the way it tastes, you’ll love it; if you aren’t enthralled, you’ll likely find the Lancero a bit monotonous—even towards the end when it becomes meatier and the finish takes on a peppery spice.

What you won’t find are any problems in construction. The slow burn is perfectly straight, the gray ash holds well, and the draw has just a bit of resistance. This is exactly the way you’d expect a cigar that sells for $15 apiece to smoke.

I remain unconvinced, however, that the flavor profile is worth the cost. At $7, yeah, I could make an easy recommendation. But this price level requires more complexity and development. So, while I enjoyed the two Lanceros I smoked for this review, I can’t give them a rating higher than three and a half 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.”

This representative from the seemingly endless line of Altadis’ Romeo y Julieta lurks at the lower end of the price scale. Unfortunately, it’s also at the lower end of the taste scale. With a fairly dark Nicaraguan wrapper and a mix of Nicaraguan and Honduran filler, the Habana Reserve seems to be an attempt to add a stronger smoke. And it is relatively strong. But the Toro (6 x 56) is also bland, one-dimensional, and bitter.

Verdict = Sell.

–George E

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.”

Making appearances on our lists of the Top Ten Cigars We Reviewed in 2009 and the Top Five New Cigars of 2009—both of which were recently emailed to our free newsletter subscribers—this Pepin-made cigar is a must-try. It sports a creamy, mouth-watering flavor of hazelnut and coffee with pepper on the finish. Balanced and well-constructed, the Rosado Danno (7 x 56) is well worth its MSRP of $9.

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) Seattle politicians are considering a new law that would criminalize smoking in the city’s parks. Washington already has a restrictive statewide ban on indoor smoking and within 25 feet of doors and windows. But this outdoor ban is justified, say anti-tobacco zealots, for very familiar reasons: preference of the majority, junk science, and the notion of legislating away “bad” habits.

2) Ron Jaworski, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst, held a cigar and Johnny Walker tasting party in Miami during last weekend’s Super Bowl. Mike Ditka, Jon Gruden, and other ESPN personalities were among the attendees, all of whom helped raise money for the United Way.

3) Inside the Industry: In its latest survey of retail members, the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association found that the best-selling cigar size was a toro and the best-selling average price for a cigar was $7.The IPCPR also chose a new lobbyist to represent cigar smokers’ interests in Washington.

4) Around the Blogs: The Stogie Guys, via The Daily Caller, feature the Davidoff Millennium Blend Robusto. Keepers of the Flame lights up the H. Upmann Reserve Maduro. Nice Tight Ash fires up a Grand Habano Cabinet Selection. Stogie Review reviews the Tatuaje Boris. Cigar Inspector inspects the La Aurora 1495 Robusto. Stogie Fresh checks out the Mombacho Long Robusto.

5) Deal of the Week: They call it the “Rare Air” sampler because it includes ten smokes that are hard to find  for just $35. Included are the Man O’ War Ruination, Rocky Patel Puro Cubano, Cocinero, La Princessa de Cuba, and Gurkha Micro-Batch VH-7. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Like it or not, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. This Sunday to be exact. And whether you’re shopping for her, shopping for him, or just looking to celebrate your individualism, finding the perfect gift can be tough.

Cigar enthusiasts can be easy to buy for, if you have the right information. There are countless sticks and cigar accessories available in almost every price range. But maybe cigar-related gifts are a bit too predictable, or maybe you just want to give that cigar fan something a little different this year. So, instead, below are three unique ideas that the average cigar enthusiast would love.

Chocolate-infused bacon. Vosges, a Chicago-based purveyor of sweet treats, carries a line of yummies that combine chocolate and applewood smoked bacon (pictured). From chocolate bars and toffees to a pancake mix and a flying pig, these delicacies are a manly take on a traditional Valentine’s day gift. Prices range from $2.50 to $62.

French press gift set. Coffee is widely considered to be a cigar complement, and no self-respecting coffee drinker should be without a French press. This method is preferred by many “brothers of the bean” because it is said to capture more flavor and more oils in each brew. This gift set includes a French press and two insulated highball glasses for only $40.

Mad Men-esque barware. Even if you don’t watch Mad Men, you can’t deny that vintage barware is pretty badass. So you’ll be pleased to learn that a Virginia-based retailer has created a line of drinking accessories inspired by the popular AMC drama. Included are flasks, travelling bar sets, muddlers, and classic roly poly glasses. Prices vary.

Hopefully these unique gift ideas make it easier to get through what many consider to be a crummy holiday. Good luck, and happy shopping.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

United Tobacco’s 601 line is a favorite of mine and my colleagues here at StogieGuys.com. Two of the four, Red and Blue, scored four stogies in reviews, while the powerhouse Green garnered four and a half.

It seemed only right that we round out the series with a look at the Black. It may not be Don Pepin’s most discussed creation, but it continues to rank among his best.

Covered by a light brown Connecticut leaf grown in Ecuador, some smokers might fall for the oft-repeated fiction that such a wrapper is the mark of a mild smoke. They’d be just as wrong as those who assume dark cigars are powerful. In this case, I think most smokers will find the Black more powerful than its darker sibling, the Blue.

But it is taste, not simply strength, that makes the 601 line outstanding. And the Black doesn’t disappoint. The 5 inch by 50 ring gauge Robustos I’ve smoked are a delight to the senses. It begins with a luscious pre-light aroma of nuts, adds a bit of pepper to that flavor in the initial third, and then mixes in hints of clove and rich tobacco sweetness.

I’ve probably smoked a dozen or so and have had no construction problems. The draw is consistently excellent and the cigars produce copious amounts of smoke. The only real drawback I could name is that they tend to burn a little fast.

Bought individually, these sticks run around $7 or $7.50, though they’re often considerably cheaper in 5-pack or box deals.

Just like its brethren, this stick from Erik Espinoza and Eddie Ortega is worthy of a strong recommendation and a high rating. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Wikipedia