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.”

I don’t know that I’ve ever had a smoother cigar. From start to finish, this expensive stick is a delight. Flavors weave in and out; the more attention you pay, the greater the reward for your palate. The Cameroon wrapper and Dominican filler and binder are an exquisite combination. With a mild to medium strength, this Fuente deserves all the praise it receives and is worth the high price tag. There’s no better celebratory cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

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.”

Ever since Sam Leccia’s departure from Oliva, the brands he was primarily responsible for—Cain and Nub—have been in search of an identity. This Cain F Lancero, introduced as part of the Studio Tobac portfolio, is part of that move. It’s a full-bodied smoke with plenty of spice that’s clearly geared towards the full-bodied cigar smoker. It’s a sneaky strong Nicaraguan puro, with heavy bread and leather flavors. The construction was excellent, which is always particularly appreciated in the hard-to-produce Lancero size.

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) Legal restrictions on tobacco by those who claim to know what’s best for us is hardly a new phenomenon. Today’s anti-tobacco lobbyists take many cues from the Anti-Saloon League which, over 100 years ago, pushed prohibition to ban all alcohol. That makes the latest documentary by Ken Burns on the push for, and failure of, Prohibition of interest to cigar smokers concerned about protecting their rights.

2) Las Vegas has a thriving cigar scene, but it hasn’t always been that way. This article details the ups and downs of the cigar business in Vegas over the past two decades, including interviews with Michael Frey, the man behind Casa Fuente.

3) Inside the Industry: Tatuaje has announced which 13 retailers will be receiving its highly sought-after Halloween cigar. This year’s cigar will be the Wolfman. You can find the list here. Wolfman will be a torpedo (7.5 x 52) reportedly based on the Cojonu 2009 blend, with Nicaraguan filler and binder and a Sumatran wrapper.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews a La Flor Dominicana Colorado Oscuro. Smoking Stogie smokes a Cain Daytona 646 Maduro (pre-release). Nice Tight Ash checks out La Caridad de Cobre Maduro. Cigar Fan fires up the Camino Real.

5) Deal of the Week: This weekly special features 10 flavorful robustos for just $30 (or double up for $50). The deal includes five Ricky Patel Vintage 1990 cigars and five Punch Rothchild Natural cigars.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: PBS

In a move many industry leaders have indicated was much needed, this week Cigar Rights of America added another full-time employee. Mike Copperman has been named Legislative Director for Cigar Rights of America. Previously CRA had only two full-time employees.

Copperman was the longtime owner of the Bethesda Tobacco shop just outside Washington, where he spent countless hours educating people on the artisan aspects of premium cigars. (Notably, he graciously conducted a highly educational cigar tasting with the founders of StogieGuys.com many years ago when this website was just getting started.)

Copperman will be concentrating on the CRA federal effort to advance legislation that will exempt premium cigars from regulation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Specifically, he is a noted authority on the healthcare debate surrounding tobacco, and will be a leading expert challenging many pseudo-scientific  reasons given for extending smoking bans and tobacco taxes that hurt consumer choice.

In a statement released announcing his appointment, Copperman stated, “As a professional tobacconist, it was and is important to respond to the erroneous health claims put forth by those in the field of Tobacco Control, and to do so with sound science, and the use of epidemiological evidence to support our arguments. That effort will be critical to the effort to pass H.R. 1639 and S. 1461.”

FDA Exemption Bill Adds Support in Congress

The push comes as CRA’s central legislative effort continues to add support in Congress. CRA and other pro-cigar associations continue to lobby members of congress to support the “Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011,” which would protect cigar consumers and cigar manufacturers from crippling FDA oversight.

Since its introduction in April 2011, the “Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011” (H.R. 1639) has added 81 cosponsors in the House. The companion bill in the Senate (S. 1461) has three co-sponsors: both Senators from Florida (Democrat Bill Nelson, the lead sponsor, and Republican Marco Rubio) as well as Senator Pat Toomey (Republican) of Pennsylvania.

To further efforts to push for this legislation, Cigar Rights of America has recently added a webpage to make it easy for cigar smokers to contact their representatives in support of H.R. 1639 and S. 1461. Concerned cigar consumers should contact their elected officials here.

–Patrick S

photo credit: CRA

Cigar clubs are a great way to get together with friends, try some new cigars and spirits, check out a local cigar shop that you’ve never found time to visit, and sit and bond with your fellow cigar enthusiasts. Women have book clubs, men have cigar clubs. I recently sat down with Paul Medenwaldt, president of The Havana Nights Cigar Club from the Twin Cities, who gave me the lowdown on running a cigar club.

The club meets on the first Tuesday of every month at a shop called Little Havana Tobacco in Anoka, Minnesota. Started by a group of guys who wanted to get together with like-minded people and try new cigars, it also became a vehicle for a local cigar shop to bring more people through its doors—people who otherwise might have never stopped by.

When I asked Paul about the club’s membership and their experience as cigar smokers, he had this to say: “Most of the cigar club members are not guys that hang out on a frequent basis at cigar shops. This is their one day a month to get together with friends they may only see once a month. Most of the cigar members are beginners, but have been developing their palate over the years with the introduction to new cigars that the club smokes.

“We try to get new cigars that come to market that the members normally would not know about or try. A lot of them know what they like and only smoke those cigars, but if they enjoy a cigar the evening of the club, they will then search it out at their local shop or online.

“There are only a handful of guys who are hardcore cigar smokers that frequent local cigar shops multiple nights a week and know what cigars are available in the market. The same can be said for the spirits we sample. We do our best to present the members with unique whiskeys they would not have in their own collection, like Ardbeg or Highland Park.”

When it comes to picking cigars, like a book club would pick a book, the club tries to focus on new cigars that have come to market. “After the yearly IPCPR event,” says Paul, “I will search out cigars that manufacturers are introducing to the market. This October we are featuring the new CAO OSA Sol. It’s the first release from CAO since being acquired by General Cigar.”

But with so many new cigars to choose from, how do they decide on only one per month? “The difficult part is trying to select from so many new blends. I almost wished we met on a more frequent basis so we could have the opportunity to try all the new cigars. Our club for years voted on the following month’s cigars and spirits. The last few years the club members have put that decision in the hands of the president.”

It’s easier for one person to pick the cigar than for 30 people to decide. And some of the members don’t really care what gets smoked, they just want to socialize and try new things. There are monthly dues which go towards the purchase of cigars and spirits, so when you arrive on club night, your cigars and drinks are already there. The club also holds raffles for cigars and cigar accessories.

When I asked Paul for advice on starting a cigar club, he offered the following words of wisdom: “It’s finding like-minded people who can make a commitment once a month and are willing to try cigars they may not of tried otherwise.”

He continued: “Decide on what the purpose of the club will be. Is it an evening where people get together and just smoke a cigar and have a spirit? Will the focus be to review the cigar you are smoking and to publish those results for the rest of the world to see?

“Starting with core members who are dedicated to cigars, the word will get out and others may be interested in joining. Have the club meetings on a weekday. It may sound weird, but more people are available on weekday evenings (they are then less likely to get stinking drunk because they have to get up the next morning). But the focus should be on the cigar.”

The Havana Nights club often works with local cigar shops that are open to hosting a meeting. Some shops may be willing to stay open later if it means new cigar smokers will be visiting their shops. Shops will always have new cigars they are willing to promote to new people the evening of the cigar club.

“My experience is that I am selective when it comes to new members. You want to make sure they are there for the cigar and fellowship and not just for an evening of drinking. Start with core members who are knowledgeable and then find people who may be novices to cigar smoking but are willing to learn about new cigars. The challenge will be getting to those novices because they probably don’t hang out on a regular basis at a cigar shop and may only walk in and walk out of a cigar shop with their purchase or are online only purchasers.

“It’s about getting the word out there that a cigar club is available in a local area and using a simple website and social media to provide people with information about the club. Work with a local cigar shop, hang flyers in the shop promoting the club, and explain how it will differ from their regular visits to the cigar shop. You have to give the people a reason to show up. And write a simple constitution for the club so new members can read what they expect to get out of the club.”

Once a club is up and running it pretty much takes care of itself. Paul will arrive early to make sure all the cigars and spirits are ready for when the members arrive and greet each member as they walk in.

I had the pleasure of spending an evening with the Havana Nights Cigar Club and found it to be a very relaxed atmosphere dedicated to discussing cigars, sports, food, and whatever it is men talk about when they get together. You can imagine that I had a pretty good time. If anyone would like advice on starting or running a cigar club, Paul Medenwaldt welcomes your emails.

–Mark M

photo credit: Flickr

What could be better or more appropriate these days: I’m writing this as I listen to the call of playoff baseball on the radio, the game’s oldest form of electronic communication, via iPad, one of the newest.

I’m enjoying a cigar as the Yankees play the Tigers, whose late broadcaster, Ernie Harwell, noted in his Hall of Fame induction speech that the things that make up the game, include “cigar smoke, hot roasted peanuts, The Sporting News …”

Nothing seems to go together more than sports and cigars. And for most of the country this is a golden season, whether you are actively participating or simply observing.

For observers, playoff baseball is obviously hard to resist. Football at all levels is getting interesting. If you like to participate, in most places the weather’s great for golf, tennis, softball, fishing—just about whatever you like.

A cigar can make it even better, whether you are lighting up as you walk the back nine, choosing your favorite stick from the humidor before settling in with your friends to watch the big screen at a neighborhood B&M, or celebrating a win in any contest with a victory smoke.

Of course, myriad restrictions have made lighting up these days nowhere near as easy as it was in Ernie’s heyday. A stadium where you can smoke is about as rare as an unassisted triple play. Many other venues are off-limits as well.

But that doesn’t mean it is impossible to have a cigar while you enjoy or pursue sports. And cigar pleasure is worth celebrating, even if you have to go a little out of your way to do it.

So, enjoy the fall and your favorite sport with a good cigar. Or two.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

Unless you have the day off work, you might not realize that today is Columbus Day. Still, and particularly if you have the day off , it’s worth revisiting the story of how Columbus and his crew brought tobacco back to Europe and kick-started what would become today’s cigar industry:

Columbus (right) is widely credited with introducing the tobacco plant to Europe, which set in motion a series of events that culminated in the cigar industry we see today. It was during Columbus’ voyages to the new world that Europeans first encountered the tobacco plant.

According to history, it was two of Columbus’ crew members who were most responsible for bringing tobacco to Europe. Both, Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres, took a liking to tobacco after seeing native Americans smoking the leaf.

After arriving in Cuba in November 1492, which Columbus thought was the Asian coast, Columbus sent Torres and de Jerez inland to explore the country and to contact its ruler. The two men were received in an Indian village where they saw the native custom of drying leaves, inserting them in cane pipes, burning them, and inhaling the smoke.

Upon his return to Spain, Jerez continued smoking and introduced his habit to his home town of Ayamonte. The smoke reportedly frightened some of his neighbors, resulting in the Spanish Inquisition imprisoning him for his use of the “devil’s weed”—making Jerez the first victim of anti-tobacco laws. He spent seven years in prison for his “sin,” only to be released as smoking was becoming an accepted activity in Spain.

And so a member of Columbus’ crew was not only one of the first Europeans to enjoy the simple pleasures of tobacco, he was also the first victim of anti-tobacco persecution. It’s a story worth remembering, particularly on Columbus Day, and preferably with a fine cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Wikipedia