The 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.”

My exposure to the Cuban version of the Trinidad brand has been severely lacking, but I’ve remedied that lately with a few Robusto Extras. This vitola, which measures six inches long and comes complete with a pigtail cap, is a joy to smoke. Creamy notes are abundant and complemented by traces of cocoa and mint. Notably, though many Cubans seem to be plagued by inconsistent construction these days, this cigar always seems to burn well.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.”

The Cameroon Cabinet line is not La Flor Dominicana’s most acclaimed line, but it might be its best. With a Cameroon wrapper, Dominican binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, the Cameroon Cabinet No. 1 is a medium- to full-bodied smoke with immaculate balance. This corona (6.5 x 44) features classic Cameroon sweetness along with cocoa bean, leather, and cream. As it progresses, some cedary spice reveals itself. With an even burn and solid ash, it’s a most enjoyable and complex cigar.

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. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Following this year’s IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas, the show will move to Orlando in 2012. Jeff Borysiewicz, IPCPR Board Member and owner of Orlando’s Corona Cigar Company, confirmed the move for StogieGuys.com. The posh downtown Corona Cigar location, featuring an unparalleled collection of vintage whiskey and pre-embargo Cuban cigars will undoubtedly be one of the after-hour hot spots while the trade show is in town.

2) The two events we reported on last week aren’t the only demonstrations going on next week to protest the outdoor smoking ban going into effect next week in New York City. NYC CLASH (Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment) is holding a “Smoke in the Park” gathering in Brighton Beach (on the Boardwalk at Brighton and 6th Street) on May 28th at 2pm. Smokers of all kinds wanting to show their anger at this unjust law are welcome to join. In their press release, NYC CLASH says: “We smoked at these outdoor locations before May 23rd and we’ll damn well smoke there after May 23rd. When a law is just so wrong and enacted on the whim of the biased with the power to do so who cannot be reasoned with then it calls for civil disobedience.”

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I’ve had mixed results with Cuban limited editions over the years. On one hand, despite being a bit young (by Cuban standards), the Montecristo 2008 LE Sublime was one of the finest cigars I’ve smoked. Others, like the Cohiba Pirámides Edición Limitada 2006 (while not bad) were underwhelming given the high price.

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Maryland made news recently when a law went into effect that banned the direct sales of cigars, along with other non-cigarette tobacco products in the “other tobacco products” (OTP) category, by out-of-state retailers to the state’s residents. The law, which was introduced at the request of the state comptroller, passed in 2010 but took effect on May 1.

Only days later, Pennsylvania-based online and catalog retailers Holt’s and Cigars International reportedly sent emails to their Maryland customers criticizing the bill and asking them to contact the State Comptroller who pushed for its passage. Cigars International called the bill “anti-choice, anti-freedom, and anti-American.”

Cigars International also accused Maryland lawmakers of trying to protect cigar shops from out-of-state competition. Statements from Maryland officials deny such charges, but do say that banning shipments will help them collect OTP taxes.

Still, it’s true that the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) doesn’t oppose such legislation. Chris McCalla, legislative director for the group, says the group is “neutral” on the issue of shipping bans. Apparently, the brick and mortar cigar shops that make up most of the group’s membership were split on the issue in the past.

That some store owners think making out-of-state competition illegal would benefit them is no surprise. But the question isn’t if store owners can gain an advantage from interstate shipping bans, it’s whether such bills are good for cigar smokers and the industry. To get prospective, I asked some people in the industry for their thoughts on the issue.

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[Editors’ Note: In celebration of the five-year anniversary of StogieGuys.com, we’re updating and re-publishing some of our oldest articles, many of which focused on cigar basics. Our hope is to encourage a discussion among readers and reacquaint the community with important cigar fundamentals.]

Giving cigars as a gift, even to a known cigar fan, isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Smokers’ tastes in cigars vary widely. Some are averse to specific brands based on bad past experiences, some only like very mild or very strong cigars, some are maduro smokers or Cuban snobs, and some will try any handmade cigar at least once. Unlike buying cigars for yourself, buying cigars for friends, relatives, acquaintances, and co-workers is an entirely different animal. So to help you out, here are three tips for good cigar gift-giving:

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After five years of publishing daily, my colleagues and I would like to welcome loyal readers and first-time visitors alike to the new and improved Stogie Guys. We hope you like what you see.

This cleaner look and improved functionality is the result of months of research, soliciting feedback, and trial and error. Many thanks to those of you who took the time to provide us with comments and constructive criticism along the way.

Let me first say that, as far as content and format are concerned, not a lot has changed. It was never our intention to completely deviate from the format that has worked well since May 2006.

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