The Stogie Guys

La Aurora has grabbed its share of headlines lately, launching highly anticipated (and well-marketed) blends like Guillermo León and 107. But let’s not forget that the Dominican’s oldest cigar maker offers plenty of other wise investments for smart enthusiasts.

Among them is the Preferidos series, a collection of smokes that debuted in 1998 to honor Eduardo León Jimenes, the man who founded La Aurora in 1903. Initially, all Preferidos cigars were perfectos. About five years ago, though, La Aurora began to offer Preferidos in standard parejo shapes.

Today you can find five-packs of Preferidos in the Robusto size, each pack with one cigar from the line’s five blends: Connecticut, Ecuador, Cameroon, Corojo, and Maduro. These blends are also sold individually or by the box.

The Cameroon Robusto (5 x 50) features an oily, water-spotted wrapper with Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. All of these components were aged up to three years before spending additional time in rum barrels. This strategy is intended to speed up the fermentation process, not infuse the tobacco with a rum taste.

So it isn’t surprising that this cedar-smelling cigar’s profile doesn’t include molasses or any other flavors that I associate with rum. Instead, it starts with a dry woody taste, hints of black pepper, and a sugary finish that’s commonly found in African Cameroon tobacco. The overall effect is straightforward yet well-balanced.

At the midway point and beyond, the Robusto develops strength—making it decidedly medium-bodied—and some creamy tones. These additions play nicely off the sweet and salty flavors that remain in the foreground. All the while the construction is near perfect. Expect a firm ash, a straight burn line, and a smooth draw.

I enjoyed all three Cameroon Robustos I sampled for this review. Still, at $8-11 apiece, this cigar’s value doesn’t compare favorably against some of the other Cameroons on the market, like the Cuban Crafters Cameroon or the H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon, just to name a couple. But for its harmonious flavor, aromatic resting smoke, and outstanding combustion qualities, the La Aurora Preferidos Cameroon Robusto shouldn’t be ignored. It earns 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 limited edition version of Pete Johnson’s El Triunfador is made for Seattle-based J&J Cigars. The corona especial (bottom) is an inch and a half shorter than the original Triunfador lancero (top) and, depending on your source, is either the exact same or a slight variation of the original blend. It features coffee and strong cedar notes in a full-bodied, well-constructed smoke. No matter the particulars of the blend, it certainly is very similar in flavor to the lancero;  that’s not an unfavorable comparison since the original is a most enjoyable smoke.

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.”

The price on this thick toro varies significantly depending on where you buy it. In my case, it was free—a gift from my father. That’s a pretty good deal. With a chalky, medium-bodied profile of cedar, cream, powdered coca, and honey, this Ecuadorian-wrapped smoke from Avo displays all the nuance you’d expect from a cigar that normally retails for as much as $12. Coupled with good construction, the Compañero (6 x 54) is a wise purchase.

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 federal court has struck down a New York City ordinance that required tobacco retailers to display graphic anti-tobacco posters. Judge Jed S. Rakoff (pictured) of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan found the ordinance to be “well-intentioned” but ultimately in violation of the law, which places regulations on tobacco warnings and advertisements under the purview of the federal government. Back in November, in his first CRA TV webcast, Cigar Rights of America Executive Director Glynn Loope said that the legal challenge to the ordinance was important not only for New Yorkers, but because a favorable ruling would limit other cities that are considering similar measures.

2) The Cohiba Behike BHK 52, a fat robusto that retails for $75 apiece, was named Cigar Aficionado’s top smoke of 2010. “Cohiba has long been a marquee name in Cuban cigars,” says the magazine. “This new smoke has done what no special release Cohiba has done before: win critical acclaim as well as commercial success.” Although technically a limited production blend, Cuban officials say they plan to make new Behike cigars annually.

3) Inside the Industry: Cubatabaco, Cuba’s government-controlled tobacco monopoly, is suing a U.S. cigar retailer because the retailer’s Michigan shop, Casa de La Habana, is said to be too similar in name to La Casa del Habano. Gurkha plans to release a box of 50 cigars (encased in a pure silver) that will cost $250,000 for a box of 50. To promote its new Single Region cigar, Toraño will be hosting a series of events at stores across the country featuring coffee from PT’s Coffee.

4) Around the Blogs: Smoking Stogie smokes the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill. The Tiki Bar smokes the Zino Classic Embassy Selection 2010. Stogie Review picks their Top 10 of 2010. Nice Tight Ash checks out the San Cristobal Classico. Cigar Fan fires up a Padilla Dominus. Tatuaje Reserva, EO 601, and AVO Heritage are the top cigars at YourCigarRatings.com.

5) Deal of the Week: Check out this Don Pepin Elite Selection sampler. It includes two each from the Tatuaje Havana, 5 Vegas Miami, Cuban Classic, and San Cristobal, all for under $40. Grab yours here.

-The Stogie Guys

photo credit: New York Times

As popular as the Dominican-made La Gloria Cubana line has been for General Cigar, the Cuban incarnation is less visible than most of its Havana brethren. Case in point: Habanos SA, Cuba’s state-owned tobacco monopoly, relegates La Gloria to “local brand” status.

That’s a step below “niche brand” (i.e., Trinidad and San Cristobal), two steps below “multi-local” (i.e., Bolivar and Punch), and a far cry from “global” (i.e., Cohiba and Montecristo). I’m not sure these classifications mean much in the grand scheme of things. Do they indicate production volumes? Quality?

At any rate, La Gloria isn’t as prominent or widespread as the likes of Romeo y Julieta or Hoyo de Monterrey. But this brand is no newcomer. Cigars started being produced under the La Gloria Cubana name 125 years ago. Since then, the brand has weathered three ownership changes and one Cuban revolution. Today, it boasts seven commercially available vitolas, each made at the Partagas Factory using tobaccos from the Vuelta Abajo region.

The Médaille d’Or No. 2 (6.75 x 43) is one of four cigars in La Gloria’s slender Médaille d’Or series. It is a lonsdale-shaped smoke that fetches around $15 apiece. Caramel in color and relatively firm to the touch, it has a lumpy, rough-looking wrapper with a few prominent veins and noticeable seams. Not much to look at.

Once lit, the cigar’s pre-light fragrance of hay and honey transitions to a medium-bodied profile of graham cracker spice, roasted nuts, and sweet cedar. There’s also an aftertaste present that I can only describe as a tang—a unique sensation that can also be found in other smokes like the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill.

At the midway point and thereafter, it becomes clear that the Médaille d’Or No. 2 isn’t going to transition much. I can see some enthusiasts being dismayed by this, especially in a long, slow-burning cigar that requires a significant time commitment. But the flavor’s balance easily keeps me satisfied throughout the smoke despite its consistency.

Do the construction characteristics leave something to be desired? Yes. Like many Cubans these days, the Médaille d’Or No. 2 requires touch-ups to maintain an even burn. And the draw varied somewhat between the three cigars I examined for this review. Notwithstanding its physical faults, however, this La Gloria Cubana is a fine selection if you’re looking for a Cuban that’s outside the mainstream. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cigar smokers interested in the politicized (and often outright phony) “science” that anti-tobacco activists use to fuel their push for expanded smoking bans, higher tobacco taxes, and more burdensome regulation of tobacco products should make Dr. Michael Siegel’s Tobacco Analysis blog a daily read.

Dr. Siegel is a professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health with over 25 years of experience in the field of tobacco control, much of it advocating workplace smoking bans. However, in recent years, Dr. Siegel has spent his time debunking exaggerated claims put forth by anti-tobacco zealots.

As part of his work, Dr. Siegel documented the ten worst lies of 2010. The entire list is well worth a read. Especially noteworthy is the top “lie of the year” by the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office:

The Lie: (1) “Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause cardiovascular disease and could trigger acute cardiac events, such as heart attack.”; (2) “Inhaling even the smallest amount of tobacco smoke can also damage your DNA, which can lead to cancer.”

The Rest of the Story: It is simply not true that even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause cardiovascular disease. Luckily, it takes many years of exposure before the process of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) can occur. Fortunately as well, inhaling the smallest amount of tobacco smoke does not lead to cancer. While the Surgeon General is correct in asserting that the tiniest amount of tobacco smoke can damage your DNA, it simply is not true that someone who inhales the tiniest amount of tobacco smoke may well develop cancer because of it. There is certainly no evidence to support such a statement.

The United States Surgeon General’s Office (part of the U.S. Public Health Service) is funded entirely by taxpayers and is the most prominent advocate for public health in the country. It was this that lead Siegel to conclude that the Surgeon General’s lie was the most egregious: “Given the influence of the Surgeon General’s statements on anti-smoking groups and the prominence of the Surgeon General’s statements in the media, the assertion that even a brief tobacco smoke exposure can cause heart disease and lung cancer is likely to be used successfully by anti-smoking groups to support an ever-increasingly aggressive agenda of banning smoking just about everywhere.”

-Patrick S

photo credit: Wikipedia

Robert Levin founded Ashton Cigars in 1985 when he left Holt’s Cigar Company, a Philadelphia retailer his parents founded in the late ’50s. He has since grown Ashton into one of the world’s most respected cigar manufacturers.

Today, in partnership with the Fuente Family, the company’s portfolio extends well beyond the Ashton brand, including San Cristobal, La Aroma de Cuba, and Sosa. The latter rarely shares the limelight with the other two, and it definitely doesn’t command the attention of such Ashton notables as Cabinet Selection, Virgin Sun Grown, and Estate Sun Grown.

But Sosa, made by the Fuentes in the Dominican Republic, is a fine selection if you’re looking for Ashton quality but don’t want to pay Ashton prices.

That’s what you get with the Wavell Natural (5 x 50). It can be found for less than $5, especially if you’re buying by the box. It features an oily, sepia-colored Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, Dominican binder and filler tobaccos, and soft pre-light aromas of honey and cinnamon.

The cinnamon note carries over to the first puff, where it is accompanied by flavors of dry cedar, cashew, and earth. This is a satisfying, albeit familiar, combination that’s toasty and medium in body.

Sweetness, ginger, and graham cracker spice help expand the Wavell’s profile past the first third. Here, the robusto-sized smoke displays a balance that’s lacking from many cigars twice its price. As an added bonus, the resting smoke is fragrant enough to keep my mouth watering between puffs.

Complementing the taste are top-notch physical properties. The band removes easily, the burn progresses evenly without touch-ups, the draw remains consistent and smooth, and the white ash builds solidly off the foot.

Despite short flickers of bitter notes in the final third, the Sosa Wavell Natural is a wonderful value and a strong candidate for a box purchase. I look forward to sampling Ashton’s two other Sosa varieties: the Ecuador Sumatra-wrapped Exclusive Series and the Mexican maduro-wrapped Super Selection. Meanwhile, this affordably priced creation earns four stogies out of five.

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

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys