The Stogie Guys

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

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 was a big fan of the 2010 version of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s Short Run cigar, enough to secure a box before they sold out. So I was  excited to try the 2011 edition. It’s a medium-bodied smoke with woody notes, pleasant cafe au lait flavors, and a slight sourness. Construction was good up until the end when the wrapper fell apart on me. The 2011 Short Run is not a bad cigar, but the obvious comparison is to the 2010 Short Run, which I found to be a superior cigar.

Verdict = Hold.

-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.” The following is a Guest Quick Smoke, submitted by a StogieGuys.com reader. If you’d like to submit your own, please contact us.

The Partagas Serie D No. 5 was released as a limited edition in 2008 and, format-wise, it’s basically a shorter version of the bestselling Serie D No. 4. Rumor has it that it will be available as a regular release this year (although I haven’t seen it in B&Ms yet). Flavor-wise, however, it’s definitely a different blend. In 2009, I found it rather rough, whereas Patrick S was more than satisfied, giving it 4.5 stogies. Today, I am happy to report that the flavors on my samples have settled down a bit and, even though the cigar obviously has more room for aging, the Serie D No. 5 is ready to be enjoyed. Give it a try if you can.

Verdict = Buy.

-Submitted by Denis, a.k.a. Cigar Inspector

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) Rocky Patel’s Burn Lounge—which currently has one location in Naples, Florida—may be coming to Washington’s Capitol Hill neighborhood next year. “It would be great to have a venue [on Capitol Hill] where congressmen and senators or aides could appreciate the art form called cigar smoking,” Patel told the Washington Post. It would ostensibly be frequented by Patel on his many visits to Washington (Rocky works fastidiously to lobby for cigar rights), and the lounge may help lawmakers better understand premium cigars.

2) The same article reports on other developments in Washington’s cigar scene. A new private locale called “Puff Restaurant and Lounge” is opening in the Georgetown area (with memberships going from $1,000 to $10,000 each) in November. Also mentioned is W. Curtis Draper‘s new downtown location with an expanded lounge across from the U.S. Treasury building.

3) Inside the Industry: General Cigar is officially releasing La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale, which includes a new cross-bred Connecticut-seed wrapper that’s grown in Honduras. “The maiden crop yielded a hearty, golden wrapper as noteworthy for its color as it is for allowing each of the cigar’s components to enjoy equal bearing on the overall taste of the cigar,” reads a General Cigar press release. “Despite the golden appearance of the wrapper, the blend is brash in its full flavor and engages the entire palate.” The new line’s four sizes, which range in price from $7 to $8.15, are now hitting tobacconists across the U.S. (Photos of the new cigar can be seen in our IPCPR coverage.)

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews a Big Pipe Connecticut. Smoking Stogie smokes a My Father Le Bijou Torpedo. Cigar Inspector inspects a Fonseca No. 4 RE. Stogie Fresh checks out the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2010. Tiki Bar tries a Panacea Corojo (White).

5) Deal of the Week: Octoberfest may be wrapping up in Munich, but there’s still time to get the Quesada Octoberfest cigar. Smoke Inn has boxes of 20 available for $140.

-The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Burn by Rocky Patel

A quick look through our reviews archive and you’ll see that Paul Garmirian cigars have been a favorite of ours. And personally, living only 15 minutes from their home shop, I appreciate my ready access to all their blends (including cigars with nearly 20 years of age), which in many areas are tough to find.

So I was excited to learn earlier this year that PG was coming out with a new blend called Artisan’s Passion. The blend is a “sister cigar” to PG’s Artisan’s Selection cigar, and like the Artisan’s Selection it aims to provide the PG experience in a more value-conscious offering.

Unlike the mild Artisan’s Selection, Artisan’s Passion is a more full-bodied line, which fits in with PG’s two previous releases: the Symphony 20th and the 15th Anniversary blends. Unlike those cigars (which command as much as $20 each), this sells in the $7-9 range.

The cigar comes in three sizes: a Short Robusto (4.5 x 52), a Super Robusto (5 x 54),  and a Toro (6 x 52). I smoked three Toros for this review. Each features a rough but oily wrapper of Dominican origin. Interestingly, a version with an Ecuadorian wrapper was also tested, but ultimately this Dominican wrapper won out.

The cigar is dominated by leather and wood and accompanied by a mustiness that many who smoke cigars made by Davidoff master Henke Kelner will recognize. Artisan’s Passion is not as complex as the PG Symphony 20, but the flavors are similar with peppery spice and oak.

It’s full-bodied as advertised, though the strength fades slightly at the end. Construction is good, with an easy draw, solid ash, and even burn.

For those looking for an introduction to PG cigars, but have been scared off by the often double digit prices, the PG Artisan’s Passion is well worth a try. Just don’t think this is as good as it gets for PG cigars. Both the Symphony 20 and the 15th Anniversary offer similar flavor profiles to but with more complexity, nuance, and balance.

Despite not quite measuring up to those extraordinary though higher-priced blends, there is a lot to like about this new addition to the Paul Garmirian portfolio. That’s why the Artisan’s Passion Toro earns a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

-Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Longtime readers may recall my two previous articles on two other Angostura rums: 1919 and 1824. Both are wonderful, but there are some important differences. The former costs around $35 and has a sweet and spicy profile, while the latter runs in the $50-60 range, is more full-flavored, and carries the title of Angostura’s flagship rum.

Like 1919 and 1824, the Seven Year Old is made by the same Trinidad & Tobago-based company that’s better known for its highly concentrated food and beverage flavorings than its rum. Angostura’s beginnings can be traced back to 1824 when a surgeon general in Simón Bolívar’s Venezuelan army sought to improve the appetite and digestive well-being of the soldiers. It wasn’t until 1947 that Angostura began to ferment, distill, age, blend, and bottle rum in Laventille, Trinidad. According to the company’s history, today Angostura produces over 600,000 cases of rum each year, most of which is shipped to America, Great Britain, and other islands in the Caribbean.

The Seven Year Old is made from rums aged 7-10 years in American oak bourbon barrels, filtered through charcoal, and then blended and returned to barrels to allow the various light and dark rums to marry. It is less expensive than its 1919 and 1824 brethren, costing about $22 per 750 ml. bottle (40% alcohol by volume).

The nose of this spirit reminds me of rich caramel, banana, and butterscotch. It has very little alcohol tinge and carries a light copper hue in the glass. The lightness of the Seven Year Old is also apparent in the taste. Each sip begins with a muted introduction that slowly builds into a warm, tingly finish. Flavors include smoke, butter, and chocolate. Leaning toward the mild range of rums, this Angostura is creamy and lacking in spice.

Truth be told, I remain unconvinced that this is a suitable sipping rum. It’s much more serviceable mixed in a rum cocktail. I don’t dislike the Angostura Seven Year Old, but I’d much rather pay the additional $13 for a bottle of 1919 since to get what is—in my opinion—a much finer rum.

That said, don’t let my lack of enthusiasm dissuade you from trying this spirit for yourself. If you don’t care for it, you aren’t out too much money; conversely, if you find it surprisingly good, you’ll have a rum that meets your needs and is easy on the pocketbook. Either way, be sure to pair the Angostura Seven Year Old with a mild- to medium-bodied cigar that won’t drown out its soft profile.

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Every once in awhile, my list of cigar industry observations gets long enough that I feel compelled to pull them together so I can turn the page and start anew:

Sloppy websites. This is especially galling from online cigar retailers. Misspellings, dead links, and typos tell customers you lack a commitment to quality. Sure, we all make mistakes. That’s why we all need an editor. Hire a good one to go over your site and review every new posting. It’s money well spent.

House brand discounts. How is it possible to have an MSRP on a cigar made for you that you then mark down? Some no-name bundle packaged for your site or shop and never seen anywhere else has a “list price”? And you’re “discounting” it? Where’s George Carlin when you really need him…

Padrón praise. This company sets an industry standard, thriving without hype or chasing what happens to be hot. With a full line of excellent cigars, Padrón resists trends–like constantly issuing line extensions or “new” blends–and operates with consistent quality and consistency. New entrants in the business could set no higher goal than to emulate Padrón.

Box data. Why aren’t the country origins of wrapper, binder, and filler listed on cigar boxes, at least by those manufacturers who put them on their websites? How is a smoker to make a decision about a cigar he’s not seen before in a shop without some information? We aren’t all walking around yet with a smart phone and a cigar app.

OK, what’s on your list? Let us know.

-George E

photo credit: Flickr