The Stogie Guys

And there, at the bottom of one of my humidors, were three Palma Real Connecticut Lonsdales, each of which, by my best estimation, had been resting in my possession for at least two years.

I had no idea how they got there. And I knew very little about the brand. To make matters worse, when I started researching for this review, I couldn’t find much information about Palma Real, except for the brief promotional paragraphs published by the likes of Cigars International and other online retailers.

Here’s what I’ve been able to gather after a lot of (mostly fruitless) research: Palma Real is a value line that’s available in six sizes—Lonsdale (6 x 44), Porky (6 x 60), Presidente (7.5 x 50), Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 50), and Torpedo (6.5 x 52). Each comes in either a Connecticut or Maduro wrapper.

The Connecticut Lonsdale features a dry, lumpy exterior leaf, a binder from the Dominican Republic, and Dominican long-filler tobaccos of the Olor variety. It can be purchased for less than $2 apiece when bought by the bundle of 50 online.

This cigar isn’t much to look at, and several of its aesthetic imperfections give me cause for concern. For one, the firmness of the Lonsdale varies depending on where you grip it, foretelling potential construction problems. Second, the lack of oils or pre-light fragrances leads me to believe that the flavor, once lit, will be hot, harsh, and papery.

While it isn’t hot or harsh, the initial taste is definitely papery. The profile, which verges on bland, encompasses notes of cardboard with a cayenne spice on the aftertaste. At best the Lonsdale is uninteresting. At worst it’s downright offensive to the palate. After the first inch, a few of the usual suspects—cedar, nuts, cream—waft in and out. But they never hang around long enough to make the thick, chalky smoke appealing.

Sure, the Palma Real Connecticut Lonsdale has pretty decent construction for a budget cigar. If you decide to purchase this smoke, expect the burn to be fairly even, the draw to be smooth, and the ash to hold well off the foot.

But don’t expect to be wowed by the flavor. I certainly wasn’t. While I never expect much from cigars that cost so little, I also don’t expect them to have a flat, insipid flavor that prompts me to immediately grab a different cigar just to get the taste out of my mouth. Unfortunately, that’s what I found with this stick, which is why I’m rating it one stogie 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.”

Someone generously gave me this value-oriented Holt’s house blend, which sells by the box for under $2 per stick. With a dark Nicaraguan wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and filler from four countries (Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Brazil), the Boardwalk Pyramid has the potential to punch above its weight. Ultimately, it features mostly earthy flavors with an unpleasant sour taste that goes in and out. And the medium-bodied smoke has nothing in the way of balance or finesse.  For the price I didn’t expect much (and it does have solid construction) but this cigar’s flavors just don’t deliver.

Verdict = Sell.

–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 Dominican puro was originally available in only one vitola: the robusto-sized “Iniquity.” Since, two frontmarks have been added, including “The Reason” (6 x 58). It features a Habano ’98 wrapper, a criollo ’98 binder, and a profile of dark coffee and cedar. While enjoyable, and despite its good construction, I can’t fully recommend this $6 cigar because, at times, it displays an overly meaty profile that detracts from its otherwise pleasant flavor.

Verdict = Hold.

–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. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) For cigar enthusiasts, New York may be the most inhospitable major city in the country. Politicians in the Big Apple this week voted to ban smoking in many outdoor areas, including parks, beaches, and Times Square. “The smoking ban will cover 1,700 parks and 14 miles of public beaches plus boardwalks, marinas, and pedestrian plazas…,” writes the Associated Press. “The expanded smoking ban will give the city’s Parks Department the power to slap violators with quality-of-life summonses, which are tickets for minor offenses…that typically carry fines of under $100.” Smoking inside bars and restaurants has been illegal in New York City since 2003.

2) Meanwhile, in Connecticut and Maine, the right to enjoy cigars in private clubs is under attack. Lawmakers in those states have introduced bills that would ban smoking in the few places where smoking is still permitted. One Connecticut politician said the move is intended “to insure the public is protected.”

3) Inside the Industry: Gary Hyams stepped down as chairman of CAO on Monday, becoming the fourth executive to depart the company in three months. Ashton is releasing a new La Aroma de Cuba size called “Marquis”. La Aurora is adding another 107 vitola called “Gran 107” (7 x 58). Last night,  former quarterback and current ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski hosted a pre-Super Bowl cigar party to benefit the Jaws Youth Fund, which partners with the United Way to help at-risk youth.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up a Warlock. Tiki Bar tries the Viaje Holiday Blend 2010. Smoking Stogie smokes the Drew Estate Double Signature. Stogie Review reviews the Oliva Master Blends 3. Cigar Inspector inspects an Avo Tesoro. Stogie Fresh lights up My Father Le Bijou.

5) Deal of the Week: We’ve rated the Cubano Claro four out of five stogies, and now is your chance to pick up this cigar at a deep discount: a box of 20 for just $59.99.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Details on the Forbidden X, which isn’t mentioned on Fuente’s website, aren’t easy to come by. But this much is clear: The cigar was released as a “Cigar in a Bottle”—which had a Forbidden X encased in a bottle of Grand Pommier XS Calvados.

The pairing wasn’t a coincidence. The tobacco, which comes from the same Fuente Dominican farms as the tobacco from the Opus X, is aged for five years and finished in Calvados barrels imported from Normandy, France.

The samples I smoked were part of the Cigar Rights of America (CRA) sampler series. I smoked two for this review (one from the second sampler and the other from the holiday sampler).

Both samplers, which include ten cigars and yearlong memberships in CRA, sold for $100, which would be a fair price just for the cigars (it’s an even better deal considering the worthy cause). According to CRA’s website, the holiday sampler is still available.

Even though the tobacco is sourced from the same farms that produce Fuente’s popular Opus X, the Forbidden X offers a distinctive and unique flavor profile. The wrapper is lighter in color (because it is shade-grown) and not nearly as rustic as Opus’ reddish rosado sun-grown wrapper.

The toro-sized Forbidden X is far more balanced than the standard Opus X, lacking the sometimes overpowering spice of the Opus. More medium-bodied (although it ramps up in the final third), it has hints of salt and pepper, with dominant paper and cedar notes. Occasionally, I pick up subtle fruit, oak, and brandy notes, imparted, I suspect, by the Calvados barrels.

As one would expect from a smoke that, if you can find it outside the CRA sampler, will sell for well over $30, the Forbidden X has excellent construction. The burn is razor sharp, the light gray ash easily holds for an inch, and the draw is easy.

Cigars like the Forbidden X are special. Perhaps it isn’t the most complex smoke around, but the flavors are interesting and, most notably, perfectly balanced. That’s why the Forbidden X earns a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

La Aurora, as far as the (mostly traditional) cigar industry goes, is highly involved in social media. Both company president Guillermo León and director of sales José Blanco are engaged on Twitter.

This involvement in the Twitter community led to the eventual release of the Lancero vitola of the 107, a blend that was released in 2010 to celebrate the 107th anniversary of the oldest cigar maker in the Dominican Republic.

After much discussion and pleading from the masses via the web, La Aurora decided to produce 300 boxes of 107 Lanceros, a cigar that measures 7 inches long with a 40 ring gauge.

The 107 blend features an Ecuadorian wrapper, a Dominican binder, and a two-country filler blend from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Being a fan of the 107 line in general, especially the Corona, I was excited to sit down and smoke the Lancero.

The construction of the Lancero is, not surprisingly, excellent. It has no visible imperfections. Pre-light, the predominate smell is of hay with just a hint of spice detectable.

Once lit, the cigar opens up with a core of cedar and hazelnut. As it progresses, a creaminess is introduced and the hazelnut flavor increases. The ash on the cigar holds for about an inch at a time and the burn wavers but doesn’t require any correcting.

As the cigar nears the end, the creaminess continues to increase, although it is balanced out by flavors reminiscent of kettle-cooked potato chips.

Overall, I am impressed by the 107 Lancero. While I am not, generally speaking, a fan of the lancero format, this cigar is intricate and well-constructed.

And with an MSRP of $7, it is certainly worth a try, especially of you like smaller ring gauges. I think the Corona remains my favorite 107, but the Lancero is a close second, earning four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With a self-diagnosis the other day, I discovered that I suffer from two cigar maladies: extreme aging disorder (EAD) and specialosis occasionism (SO).

These conditions can induce feelings of confusion and indecision, create overcrowded humidors, and limit smoking enjoyment. Perhaps you, or someone you know, is afflicted by one or both of these and may not even be aware of it. But don’t despair. There is hope. These infirmities can be cured.

Bear in mind that EAD and SO are related and can strike individually or in unison. And, like many dangers, they often start with good intentions, only to later develop into full-blown maledictions.

First, let’s look at EAD. Those who are afflicted often say something like this: “Oh, no, I can’t smoke that. It’s aging.” This despite the fact that the cigars in question have been in the humidor since Jimmy Carter was in the White House.

Aging cigars, of course, isn’t a bad thing in and of itself. However, what happens with a person suffering from EAD is that the part of the brain that recognizes cigars are supposed to be smoked becomes crippled.

This change can be charted with brain scans and sometimes leads to the individual morphing from a cigar smoker to a cigar collector. Their humidors are often stuffed with names such as Opus X, Cuban Montecristo, and Padrón Anniversary.

Sufferers of SO usually have a far-off look in their eye as they anticipate something like a wedding, anniversary, or special birthday. Such occasions are the only time they’ll light up a high-quality stick. “Oh, no, I’m saving that one,” you may hear them say when they open their humidor.

Just like their brethren beset by EAD, those with SO sustain brain changes, too. It’s just in a little different spot, the area that controls the capacity to enjoy the 350 or so days each year that have no major significance.

Now, let’s talk about cures. They can be simple and effective, especially when applied consistently.

When faced with EAD, the first step is to ask forcefully: “Which one do you want to get too old to smoke first: you or your cigars?” Then point out that some cigars don’t improve with age. Finally, lift a cigar from the box and gently say, “Even as you smoke this one, all the others are still getting older.”

For those with SO, the prescription is considerably simpler. Apply and repeat as necessary: “A great cigar makes any day a special occasion.”

Though EAD and SO can be serious conditions, in most cases they can be treated successfully. And, of course, success should be celebrated with a cigar.

–George E

photo credit: Wikipedia