The Stogie Guys

Booker Noe, Jim Beam’s late grandson, introduced Booker’s in 1992 as the “highest grade bourbon” made by the James B. Beam Distilling Co. Today it still holds that title and serves as the pinnacle of the Small Batch Bourbon Collection, a lineup that includes Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s, Booker’s, and Knob Creek.

Aged six to eight years in charred American white oak barrels, this spirit “is the first ever bourbon bottled straight from the barrel—uncut and unfiltered.” Before it was made commercially available, Noe is said to have crafted the bourbon in this fashion as a holiday gift for his closest friends.

These days Booker’s is widely available for $50-60 per 750 ml. bottle. Each comes handsomely packaged in a wooden box that bears the name “Claremont, Kentucky,” which is the home of Jim Beam. Inside is a dark, wax-dipped bottle adorned with ribbon and a unique label with cursive script, presumably a representation of Booker Noe’s handwriting.

Once poured, the bourbon maintains its dark copper color in the glass as it exudes a powerful fragrance of butterscotch, vanilla, oak, and zesty barbecue. This aroma is simultaneously intense and intriguing, setting the stage for the bold flavor that follows.

The taste is forceful yet refined, extremely warm on the lips, in the mouth, and down the throat. This warmth lingers for an incredible amount of time, as does the syrupy flavor of honey, dried fruits, and caramel.

A bourbon like this can be paired with just about any full-bodied cigar without fear of one overpowering the other. I tried a number of combinations in my “research” for this article, and smokes like the Avo Heritage, La Sirena, and San Lotano Habano made the best pairings. I look forward to discovering others.

As always, I recommend you undertake some experiments of your own. I also recommend you pick up a bottle of this outstanding bourbon. Despite its price, Booker’s is an unforgettable spirit that’s unique, bold, smooth, delicious, and worth every penny.

–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 cigar has been sitting in my humidor since the 2010 IPCPR Trade Show. The well-constructed robusto features a Nicaraguan wrapper, a Dominican binder, and a combination of Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos, as well as flavors of cedar, earth, coffee, and a bit of sweet toffee. It is medium-bodied smoke and relatively well-balanced. Given the approachable price point of about $5 per stick, I’m impressed with what the Augusto Reyes Sixth Generation Robusto has to offer.

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.”

This stubby little stick packs quite a bit of flavor into four and a half inches. A Nicaraguan puro, it’s a little less powerful than you might expect. And a bit more complex, laying spice, coffee, and roasted nuts on the tongue. A great choice when you feel pressed for time.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Joya de Nicaragua

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) One week after politicians in New York voted to criminalize smoking in the city’s parks, beaches, and other outdoor areas, two Boston city councilors are proposing a similar law for their city. “Mayor Thomas M. Menino [pictured], a strong supporter of smoking bans in bars and restaurants and of the elimination of cigarette sales in pharmacies, has not taken a public position on the councilors’ proposal,” reports the Boston Globe. “In an interview, the mayor’s top health aide, Barbara Ferrer, was noncommittal about the possible restriction but said she and the mayor are ‘excited to hear more.’”

2) Whoopie Goldberg’s one celebrity who isn’t pleased with New York City’s new outdoor smoking ban. “I’m tired of being treated like some damn criminal,” the actress said on The View, where she’s a regular. According to an article in the Toronto Sun, Goldberg noted that smokers deserve some respect: “You can’t keep treating people like they don’t matter.”

3) The fourth annual ProCigar Festival took place this week in Santiago. The event is the Dominican Republic’s version of Cuba’s Festival del Habano (which kicks off later this month) with factory tours, golf, educational seminars, cuisine, and plenty of cigars. This year’s sponsors included Davidoff, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, La Aurora, El Credito, and many others.

4) Inside the Industry: Fonseca announced it’s 120th Anniversary cigar, a one-size line made with Dominican wrapper and binder tobaccos with a mix of Dominican and Nicaraguan filler. Habanos S.A. has announced the appointment of Jorge Luis Fernandez Maique to the position of co-president.

5) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor. Smoking Stogie smokes the Graycliff Espresso Elegante. Your Cigar Ratings features the 601 Blue Robusto. Cigar Inspector inspects a Monte Pascoal. A Cigar Smoker checks out La Aurora Gran 107.

6) Deal of the Week: This Hurricane Sampler includes 12 cigars for just $40. Included are sought-after cigars from Diesel, Man O’ War, Gurkha, and Padilla.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

In an effort to help New York retailers who have been saddled with a 75% tobacco tax, several manufacturers have created blends that are intended to be sold exclusively at tobacconists in the Empire State. One such blend is the Broadway Series by La Aurora, which is currently offered in only one size: “Sumo Toro” (5.75 x 54). The MSRP, including the tax, is $12.25.

The Broadway Series has an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, dual binders from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, and a filler blend with Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos. The construction is excellent with no noticeable imperfections. It is moderately toothy with some rather large veins. Pre-light, the only smell I am able to detect is that of tobacco with maybe a slight hint of sweetness.

The first thing that strikes me is how much stronger this cigar is than the last few offerings I’ve smoked from La Aurora. The Sumo Toro definitely starts off in the full-bodied range with initial flavors of cracked white pepper, earth, and candied almonds. It burns well through the first third with a solid ash and an almost perfect draw.

As the cigar progress, the white pepper spice fades and a slight hint of dark chocolate enters the mix. There’s also a flavor of fresh ground coffee, but the taste is dissimilar to brewed coffee. Throughout the last third, the aforementioned flavors come and go in varying quantities.

As my friend Barry mentioned when he reviewed this cigar, I’m not sure how a $12 exclusive cigar is going to help boost New York retailers’ overall sales. Maybe La Aurora intends to attract out-of-state buyers to New York retailers. Still, wouldn’t New York retailers and cigar enthusiasts alike be better served with a solid smoke in the $5-7 range?

All this aside, I really enjoyed my samples of the Broadway Series. The Sumo Toro reminds me of a much stronger Guillermo León, which isn’t a surprise given the similarities of the blends. While the added strength of the Broadway Series makes it more upfront and slightly less nuanced, I am awarding this extremely enjoyable smoke four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Write a review about an expensive cigar and one question will be inevitably asked, almost without fail: Is it worth the price?

That’s a fair question, and one that I often ask myself. After all, cigars cost money, and buying one stick usually means less left over to spend on others. And yet, in my reviews, you won’t find the answer to that question. It’s not that it doesn’t occur to me; it’s just that I don’t think my personal answer would (or should) be helpful to readers.

First, each person’s financial situation unique. A college student is going to be far less likely to buy an $20 cigar than a millionaire. Meanwhile, some collectors are perfectly willing to shell out thousands of dollars for a box of vintage Cubans. Personally, when I first started smoking cigars in college, $5 seemed like an awful lot to spend. Now I consider that to be a pretty inexpensive sum to pay for a smoke. (And if I won the lottery tomorrow, I may suddenly think that $30 or $40 isn’t all that much for a cigar.)

But the means to pay for a cigar isn’t the only aspect that impacts whether a cigar is “worth the price.” One’s palate and preferences can have just as large an impact.

Many but not all cigar smokers find that their palates become more refined over time, and what they value in a cigar’s flavor changes. I appreciate complexity and subtlety much more now than back when I first started smoking. Practically speaking, that means I’m more willing to shell out a few extra bucks now for a more complex smoke than I would have been a few years ago.

In other words, what people value in cigars is as varied as their financial situations. This isn’t to say that some cigars aren’t worth the price. Sure, there are still some cigars that I wouldn’t recommend for anyone; but these days, with higher quality the norm, such cigars are fewer and farther between.

Which brings us back to cigar reviews: If you read a cigar review thinking it will tell you whether or not a cigar is worth buying, I think you’ll be disappointed. The truth is, only you can know if a cigar is “worth the price.” But by reading a detailed review written by a reviewer you trust, you’ll have a better chance of finding those cigar that are best for you.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr

When I reviewed this bargain smoke shortly after its introduction in 2008, I wondered whether Don Pepin Garcia’s operation would be able to maintain consistency and quality in a mixed-filler cigar. Based on several recent examples, I needn’t have worried.

The latest Benchmade is every bit the cigar its predecessors were and still manages to come in with a price tag under $3. Frankly, I found no more difference in this line over time than in most long-filler cigars that cost two or three times more. Mind-boggling.

For those who haven’t tried this cigar, here are the basics: It’s a Nicaraguan puro made in five sizes by Pepin for Ashton. The Cazadore is 6.5 inches with a ring gauge of 46. All have pigtail caps and are said to utilize some long-filler at the head to minimize tobacco bits on the tongue common to short-filler cigars.

As you’d expect, the burn is fairly quick, the draw is loose, and the ash doesn’t hold particularly well. You’ll need to smoke slower than with a long-filler cigar or you’ll almost certainly overheat the tobacco and spoil the taste. The Benchmade has some of the taste and pepper found in many of Pepin’s sticks, but lacks the complexity, smoothness, and depth of his top lines.

This isn’t the cigar you’ll reach for when you want to sit quietly and luxuriate in a great smoke or celebrate a milestone in your life. But if you’re looking for one to enjoy on the golf course or to get you through watching the fourth quarter, you could hardly do better.

As I did before, I continue to recommend you give it a try, and give the Benchmade Cazadore three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys