Cigar Review: Berger & Argenti Mooch Loll
22 Jun 2011
Like Entubar, Clasico, and Exile Wired, Mooch is a product of the merger between Albert and Michael Argenti of Cuban Imports and Don Kiki Berger, creator of several lines for Cuban Crafters. The blend was introduced at last summer’s industry trade show as a more affordable addition to the Berger & Argenti portfolio.
“Mooch is a medium-bodied, rich and creamy smoking experience that…represents the best value in the premium long-filler cigar market,†reads a Berger & Argenti press release. “Produced with a flavorful Nicaraguan Cuban-seed filler and binder crop and enveloped in a sun-grown Ecuador Connecticut-seed wrapper, Mooch is aimed to appeal to the ‘everyday’ cigar enthusiast with suggested retail price points ranging from $3.99 to $5.79 per cigar, offering superior value and indisputable affordability for a completely handcrafted, long-filler cigar brand.â€
Four uniquely named Mooch sizes are available: Minnie (4.75 x 42), Schnorr (5 x 50), Loll (6 x 52), and Windbag (7 x 49). They are packaged in Spanish cedar boxes of 30. “I wanted this fantastic new brand to have 30 cigars in a box because of the ‘mooch factor’ when entertaining friends and colleagues,†said Albert Argenti.
The belicoso-shaped Loll is a pale cigar with a dry, virtually veinless wrapper and a sharp cap. Several green “frog eyes†spots are visible on the surface, as they are on many cigars that have delicate claro wrappers. But such splotches are merely harmless imperfections that do not impact a cigar’s performance.
And they certainly didn’t adversely affect the way this fine cigar smoked. From the outset—after clipping the head, toasting the foot, and setting an even light—the Loll displays a bright profile of sweet grass, coffee, and hazelnut. It also boasts loads of cream, which I’ve always considered to be the hallmark of a good mild cigar.
The phrase “excellent value†comes to mind as the belicoso progresses. The burn is straight and precise, the ash holds remarkably well, and the draw is clear with the slightest resistance. Meanwhile, the flavor holds consistent, only increasing in spice during the final third.
You have to appreciate a cigar that tastes so good and is priced so affordably. No, the Berger & Argenti Mooch isn’t the most complex stick around. But it’s exactly what it was designed to be: a fine everyday smoke. For that, it earns four stogies out of five.
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photo credit: Stogie Guys
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
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George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Hi, Is belicoso a new size or shape? Looks like a torpedo to me.
This is a solid cigar for the money. I've met Al a couple of different times, and he is always fun to talk with. Great mild/medium cigar when you want smooth and creamy flavors.
After winning a box of Windbags on The StogieShow.com, I have really enjoyed smoking the Mooch. It has a mild creamy flavor, nut and natural tobacco are predominant. The price point is great, and you get a quality stick for the low cost. With a box of 30 to smoke, these will be in regular rotation for a while.
I have a Green Frog cigar box that I would like to sale but I am unable to find a web site that purchases this type of item. Do you know of anyone who buys old boxes. The box is over 100 years old. Unfortunately part of the top is gone. The cigars were produced in Hanover , PA. The box indicates they were 3 for 5cents. What a bargin!
My e-mail address in my last comment was incorrect.