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.”

A few years ago, these Serie B cigars were easily found online for around $4. That’s not much to pay considering the blend supposedly contains pre-embargo Cuban tobacco that was “found” in excellent condition in a warehouse. That story isn’t east to believe, but if the cigar is good who really cares, right? The attractive smoke is surrounded by a notably dark wrapper and it has excellent combustion qualities, including a solid white ash. The flavors are relatively simplistic with charred oak  and earth dominating the medium-bodied profile. A few  bursts of bitter notes also surface. It’s not going to blow you away, but between the good story and the reasonable price, I can’t really complain.

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.”

One of four differently wrapped cigars in the “Premiere Selection” lineup from Los Blancos, the Criollo offers some pop and softer spice. With Nicaraguan filler, the $7 Torpedo (6.5 x 52) is a slow-burning cigar that fits comfortably in the mid-range of strength. A fine complement to a cup of coffee and a colorful sunset.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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) Jose Oliva, CEO of the Oliva Cigar Co., has announced his candidacy for the Florida House of Representatives as a Republican. Oliva is a “founding sponsor” of Cigar Rights of America and, according to his campaign website, an advocate of lower taxes, smaller government, and business-friendly policies. The election to fill the vacant seat for which Oliva is vying will be held May 24.

2) Cigar Rights Alerts: New York lawmakers rejected a proposed cigar tax cap, which would have limited state excise taxes to $1 per cigar. An Indiana Senate committee has killed a proposed smoking ban bill. Louisiana politicians are clamoring for a 10% tax increase for cigars. Anti-cigar zealots in California aim to increase tobacco taxes by 70% and dismantle premium cigar shops’ exemption from the statewide smoking ban. South Carolina legislators are mulling a variety of smoking ban proposals.

3) Gary Arzt RIP: On Saturday, the cigar world lost Gary Arzt, a tireless and passionate advocate for cigars. Gary (1941-2011) wrote regularly about cigars and was fiercely loyal to his friends, as evidenced by his guest commentary written for our site. Everyone who knew him can attest to the fact that his passing is a great loss for the cigar community.

4) Inside the Industry: Tabacalera de Garcia, the world’s largest cigar factory, is now open for tours. The factory in La Romana is where the Dominican version of such brands as Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, and many others are made. Details can be found here.

5) Around the Blogs: Smoking Stogie fires up a 10-year-old Padrón 1964 Maduro. Cigar Fan smokes an Alec Bradley Prensado. Stogie Review reviews an Avo 85th Anniversary Limited Edition 2011. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Avalon Numbers Series 46. The Illuione 68 is now the number two cigar at YourCigarRatings.com.

6) Deal of the Week: This special from the Corona Cigar Co. features the Montecristo White and Punch, both in tubos. $29 gets you 5 of each, or $50 gets you 10 of each.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Cigar Rights of America

When the man who made La Gloria Cubana a household name started his new family-run company in 2009, few “cigar people” I spoke with at the time doubted that he would be successful in his new venture. That Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, the passionate tobacco man and “mad genius” (as one industry insider described him to me), has another hit cigar is no surprise to anyone.

But few would have predicted Carrillo would produce not one or even two, but a handful of well-regarded cigars., in just two short years. Yet when you look at his many cigars (Edición Inaugural 2009, 2010 Short Run, Core Line, Edición Inaugural 2010, and Elencos) the Carrillos seem to have had the magic touch since day one.

With such an impressive line of hits, the occasional miss is to be expected. And so I tried a few samples of the new E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut, which is hitting shelves this month. E.P. Carrillo’s first Connecticut cigar features an Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The pale wrapper is veiny but the cigar is firm in the hand.

I sampled the Divinos size (6 x 52), which sells for $6.25. New Wave Connecticut also comes in a Robusto (5 x 50, $5.25), Corona (5.1 x 42,  $4.50), and a Double Corona (7 x 49, $7.00).

The Divinos starts off with with a delicious velvety richness. It’s a creamy smoke with lots of roasted cashew and buttery flavors. Quickly dispensing the “Connecticut wrapper equals mild” myth, the medium-bodied smoke has a lot going on with cedar, earth, and graham cracker notes underlying the dominant nut and cream flavors. It has a density of flavor not often found in Connecticut-wrapped cigars.

The cigar is well-constructed with an even burn, easy draw, and a sturdy salt and pepper ash. The Divinos doesn’t change much from start to finish, but there’s enough depth and complexity in the blend to keep you more than interested.

And that’s what will make the New Wave Connecticut yet another hit for the Carrillos, instead of the dud that they seem to be due for. It’s a Connecticut-wrapped cigar that even those who don’t usually enjoy Connecticut-wrapped cigars will enjoy. That’s why the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut Divinos earns a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

La Floridita is a Famous Smoke Shop exclusive that, according to a company representative, “has been performing very well for us. The name is well recognized by our customers as an outstanding value for their money.”

Given the success of the established La Floridita lines, including the Fuerte (Habano viso wrapper) and the Limited Edition (mata fina wrapper), it was a “logical line extension” to release a version with an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. Hence La Floridita Gold, which was introduced in March.

This blend comes complete with a Honduran binder and long-filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras. Like its brethren, it’s made by Nestor Plasencia and priced to move.

The Robusto (5 x 50), one of three traditional sizes, sells for $80 for a box of 20, $16 for a 5-pack, or $5.25 for a single.

This cigar doesn’t come at a super-premium price, and it certainly doesn’t make a super-premium first impression. But it also doesn’t look half bad, either. The exterior leaf has moderate oils and minimal veins, the feel is firm from head to foot, and the pre-light aroma is of honey and almond.

Once lit, the initial flavor is somewhat grassy with a base of cream, cashew, hay, and vanilla. The overall effect is mild with a taste akin to coffee with hazelnut creamer. While not complex, the profile is nice for the price.

If I were one to complain, I’d say the Gold Robusto tastes a bit green at this point. I’d be interested to see how it develops after a few months, or even after a year. Even so, today it tastes pretty good for such an inexpensive smoke.

That value is further illustrated by the combustion qualities, which are exceptional. The burn line is straight as they come, the white ash holds sturdily off the foot, and the draw is just about perfect. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Plasencia.

In full disclosure, Famous Smoke Shop did furnish the five Robustos I smoked for this review. But I always judge a cigar on its merits—presentation, aroma, flavor, complexity, construction, etc. In this case, the merits of the La Floridita Gold earn it a rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Sometimes you see something and you have to try it. Such was the case during a recent visit to the local spirits store. I hadn’t planned on picking up any scotch, but decided to check out the scotch section to see if anything new had arrived.

When I saw a Talisker I hadn’t seen before, I knew I would be picking it up. Talisker, from the Isle of Skye, has long been a favorite of mine with it’s distinctive smokey and peaty flavors.

Talisker 1996 is a unique expression of the Talisker Single Malt. Distilled in 1996, after its normal aging it is finished in an Amroso sherry cask. Not inexpensive, though not extremely pricey by scotch standards, it sells for $80.

The scotch is a deep chestnut brown color. The nose is peaty with tar and fruit notes.

As is characteristic of Talisker, peaty and smokey flavors dominate. But underneath is an added sweet element, with rich dried fruit and toffee. The finish is long and spicy with a hint of chocolate.

All in all, this distinctive single malt is a new favorite of mine. With it’s double cask aging, it simultaneously has the classic salt water peat flavors I’ve come to expect and enjoy from Talisker coupled with a hint of sweetness that reminds me of a fine bourbon.

Not surprisingly, the Talisker Distillers Edition 1996 makes for an excellent pairing with a fine cigar. The rich but balanced flavors go well with a diverse group of premium smokes. Mild- to medium-bodied cigars like the Cuban H. Upmann No. 2 or the Berger & Argenti Entubar Natural work well. So do refined, full-bodied smokes like the Paul Garmirian Symphony Connoisseur or Tatuaje La Verite.

If you’re a fan of full, peaty scotches like Talisker or Laphroaig, I highly recommend picking up the Talisker Distillers Edition 1996, pouring yourself a few fingers neat, and lighting up your favorite cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Miami-based Berger & Argenti company was established in 2009 as a partnership between brothers Michael and Albert Argenti and Enrique Berger. The outfit’s first lines included Exile Wired, Clasico, and Entubar.

The latter, Berger & Argenti’s flagship blend, made quite an impression on me when I reviewed it after returning from the 2009 IPCPR Trade Show. It had balance, complexity, and interesting flavors. It also had outstanding construction, due in no small part to the “entubar” process, which involves creating delicate “scrolls” of filler tobacco to ensure “chambers” of air flow.

The newer Entubar Quad Maduro—so named for its “cuadrado” press and maduro wrapper—was introduced at the 2010 IPCPR Trade Show. This line makes use of the same painstaking “entubar” procedure but employs a new, bolder blend of tobaccos. Included are Nicaraguan (viso and ligero) and Dominican (seco) filler leaves, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Jalapa-grown maduro wrapper that has been “aged eight years in seasoned oak barrels,” according to a press release.

Like the original Entubar, the Quad Maduro has a “channel” of ligero tobacco that extends a quarter inch beyond the foot, which creates “a startlingly unique ‘fuse like’ appearance that assures a superior draw, flawless conical burn with a long white ash, and a myriad of complex flavors channeled directly onto the palate.” A band around the bottom advises enthusiasts to “thoroughly toast entire cigar foot before smoking.”

It’s easy enough to establish an even light on the Double Corona (7.63 x 54). Once set, the dark cigar produces a full-bodied taste of earth and peppery spice. The profile then settles to include less heft, less spice, and flavors of nuts, leather, cream, and dark chocolate. Quite enjoyable with a chalky texture.

At the midway point and beyond, the Double Corona is decidedly medium-bodied. The flavors never really seem to change all that much, they just moderately intensify and retreat (depending on how quickly you smoke the cigar). Construction, as expected, is superb throughout the two-hour experience, with a near-perfect burn, a solid ash, and an easy draw that yields bountiful smoke.

Quad Maduro comes packaged in cedar boxes of 20 cigars and is available in three other sizes sizes: Corona Macho (4.63 x 48), Robusto (5.38 x 54), and Torpedo (6.88 x 56). The Double Corona retails for $12 apiece. This price point, in my opinion, is an accurate reflection of the quality of the tobacco and the labor-intensive “entubar” process. For its harmonious flavor, beautiful aroma, and notable combustion properties, the Entubar Quad Maduro Double Corona deserves four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys