The Stogie Guys

[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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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 new size of Davidoff’s Winston Churchill line is a well-constructed belicoso (4.5 x 46) version of the small Spitfire vitola. Medium-bodied and well balanced, the Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper imparts warm buttery flavors. It’s a tasty smoke with coffee bean, warm tobacco, and oak notes. Selling in tins of four for $23, this cigar a good way to enjoy the Winston Churchill blend in a compact, less time-consuming format.

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 interestingly shaped pyramid (5.5 x 58) comes complete with a box press, Nicaraguan wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It burns well, sporting flavors of cedar and spice. I mostly like the Campana Chica Torpedo, but it isn’t quite memorable enough to merit its asking price, which usually hovers around $11.

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) Passed one year ago, a ban on the direct shipment of cigars to consumers in Maryland went into effect on May 1. In an email alert dated May 9, Craig Reynolds of Cigars International, an Internet retailer based in Pennsylvania, wrote, “Unbelievable as it may seem, Maryland legislators took away your right to choose where you buy your cigars. We at Cigars International, like many others in the cigar industry, believe this to be an un-American affront to freedom—and will increase the cost of a cigar to you.” Reynolds went on to encourage cigar enthusiasts to contact Comptroller Peter Franchot in an effort to help overturn the anti-cigar legislation.

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[Editors’ Note: The following was written by Mark McGinty, author of The Cigar Maker. His work has appeared in Cigar City Magazine, Maybourne Magazine, and La Gaceta. You can contact him at mmcginty_32@yahoo.com.]

Cuba’s one and only cigar company, known in the industry as Habanos, was created in 1994 to oversee the distribution of all Cuban cigar brands. Cohiba, Partagas, Montecristo, and H. Upmann all belong to Habanos. And due to strong brand names that are synonymous with Cuban cigars, Habanos did not suffer the same degree of economic setbacks that other industries faced during the recession of 2008. Cigar sales declined but remained a relatively affordable product that consumers continued to purchase. While the market for $25,000 watches or $200,000 automobiles fell considerably, folks still felt comfortable spending $20 on a stick, even if they were a bit stressed economically.

The biggest question facing the Cuban cigar industry is the future of the U.S. embargo. What happens if and when the embargo is lifted?

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When Patrick A awarded a five-stogie rating to the Avo Limited Edition 2011 Diademas, a reader wondered what other cigars had garnered such a great grade.

So, I thought it was time to round up the top-rated cigars from 2010. You can catch up on previous years here and here. Going through the Stogie Guys Review Archive, I found four fives in 2010.

The limited-edition Davidoff Colorado Claro Short Perfecto was reviewed by Patrick S, who found it subtle and full of flavor. “In so many cigars, saltiness is a sign of a lack of balance—but here that flavor contributes to what makes it such a distinct and enjoyable smoke,” he wrote.

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