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.”

Even though Cigar Aficionado dubbed the Prensado the “Cigar of the Year,” I must confess I haven’t smoked one in at least a year. Unintentionally, my colleague posted some skeptical thoughts about the cigar the day after the best-of-2011 announcement, which garnered considerable support in the comments. Still, when this Churchill-sized version of the Prensado (it’s not clear if this is different at all from the normal Churchill size) showed up in my CRA Sampler, it was one of the first cigars I lit up. Featuring rich dark flavors, including distinctive molasses notes along with cocoa, pepper, and black coffee, it’s not hard to see why the Prensado has garnered high awards, even if the price ($10) is a little steep. Is it the cigar of the year? Probably not if I’m picking. But I still think the Prensado is a very good cigar.

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) Though many believe California’s Prop. 29, the misguided proposal to dramatically raise tobacco taxes in the Golden State, was defeated at the polls June 5, victory is far from certain. In fact, the margin is now a razor-thin 15,852 votes—less than a half of a percentage point—out of almost 5 million counted at the time of this writing. Election officials aren’t likely to finish completely checking provisional and mail-in votes for a week or two. About 280,000 ballots remain uncounted, with three counties comprising nearly 65% of the uncounted ballots: Los Angeles (131,177), Fresno (24,500), and Sonoma (23,350). On election night, LA was split almost evenly, Fresno was about 60-40 against, and Sonoma the reverse. If the yet-to-be-counted ballots in those three counties break that way again it would likely be enough to ensure Prop. 29’s defeat. But it’s almost certain to be tight right to the end, and a recount is nearly assured.

2) This week, a widely circulated Associated Press article appeared in top newspapers across the country entitled “Cigar lovers to FDA: A cigar isn’t just a cigar.” As its title suggests, the piece outlines the industry efforts to protect premium handmade cigars from disastrous FDA regulations. Bill Spann, CEO of the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, was quoted heavily. “If you’re going to focus your efforts on regulating tobacco products to meet the spirit and intent of the Tobacco Control Act, where is best to spend those scarce resources—on a tenth of a percent of the market or on a huge chunk of the market?” he asked. “You don’t have a middle-schooler or high-schooler standing on the corner with a $15 Davidoff sticking out of their mouth.”

3) Inside the Industry: In addition to Christian Eiroa’s own brand, CLE Cigars, his Tabacaleras Unidas factory will also be producing Asylum Cigars. Asylum will be launching with three blends, due out in cigar shops soon: Asylum (a medium-bodied Nicaraguan puro), Asylum 13 (a full-bodied smoke), and Schizo (a mixed-filler bundle smoke). Meanwhile, Eiroa’s former brand, Camacho, has launched a new website that the brand is calling “the most dynamic and fully integrated brand website our industry has ever seen.”

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Explorer explores an E.P. Carrillo Short Run No. 4. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Partagas 1845 Corona Extra. Stogie Review reviews a Romeo by Romeo y Julieta. Cigar Inspector inspects an H. Upmann Magnum 48 2009 EL.

5) Deal of the Week: Certain cigars are rarely if ever discounted. But by using some of the coupons on this page you can get 15% off any purchase over $150, including on brands like Illusione, Tatuaje, Viaje, and La Flor Dominicana. (Hurry, the discount expires in 2 days.)

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Defeat Prop. 29

When it heats up in the summer, a beer can be a tremendous refreshing beverage to enjoy with a cigar. But while I enjoy a Mexican beer with lime as much as the next guy, when it comes to pairing up a cigar with a summer beer, I prefer something more flavorful.

On a recent trip to the store, I browsed the seasonal section in search of summer beers that could be simultaneously refreshing and flavorful. Two distinct styles stood out as possessing both characteristics.

Saisons, light pale ales often bottle conditioned and unfiltered, were first brewed in Belgium so farm workers would have something to drink during the late summer harvest, making them excellent summer beers. Meanwhile, Altbiers are a German beer first brewed in the Rineland area that take on many of the lighter, crisper qualities of a lager but maintain some fruity notes.

I selected three Saisons and two Altbiers by American craft brewers, none of which I had tried before, to see how they paired with cigars:

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace

Made by Brookly Brewery, a favorite beer maker of mine (no doubt in part because of my Brooklyn roots), it’s made with rare Japanese Sorachi Ace hops and sells for $8 a bottle (22 oz.). The pour is a hazy golden color and it features citrus, hops, subtle coriander spice, and grass flavors. It’s lemony, crisp, rich, and refreshing. At 7.6% ABV, it’s no lightweight, but it keeps a dry balance that make it an excellent summer beer to pair with cigars.

New Holland Golden Cap

This Saison ($2 for a 12 oz. bottle) features a hazy appearance, medium carbonation, and almost no head. It is heavier than the Sorachi with more hops to accompany pine, lemon, grapefruit, wheat, and yeast. Less complex and crisp than the other Saisoins, it would be a good choice with a yard gar.

Yards Brewing Saison

Brewed by Yards Brewing Company in Philadelphia, this Saison ($2 for a 12 oz. bottle) pours a yellow straw color and generates a medium amount of foam. From my experiences with Saisons, it’s a pretty traditional rendition of the style. Zesty, citrusy, bready, and spicy. It’s far from the most complex beer I’ve ever tried but I think it’s an excellent candidate for pairing up with a medium-bodied Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapped-smoke.

Lagunitas Lucky 13 Alt

If it didn’t have “alt” in the name I certainly wouldn’t associate this May release ($6 for 22 oz.) with the style. Instead, it’s a classic hoppy brew (8.9% ABV) from Lagunitas, who is known for intense, hop-dominated beer. A powerful aroma is followed by a lively combination of caramel, grapefruit, and malt flavors all in excellent balance. This will be a beer I return to often, most likely with a broadleaf maduro cigar.

Full Sail Phil’s Existential Alt

This member of Full Sail’s Brewer’s Share collection is a far more classic interpretation of the Altbier style than the Lagunitas with a 5.1% ABV and a $5 price. Copper-colored and malty, it’s very balanced with hints of caramel, coffee, toast, and citrus. This would make an excellent introduction to anyone who has never before tried an Altbier. As for cigars, something about this works perfectly with a Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped blend.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I don’t like to be a complainer. I have way too much to be thankful for than to spend my time griping about this and whining about that. As a writer, reader, and lover of cigars, though, I recognize that sometimes grievances need to be aired. Today is one of those times.

In a previous listing of my top cigar pet peeves, I noted that while I consider cigars to be one of the great joys of my life, there are a number of cigar-related problems that continually irk me. Some are trivial, others not so much. In any event, I list a handful of them here:

Cigars with a Poor Draw

The more cigars I enjoy, the more I realize that I’m an enthusiast who wants the smoke to come free and easy. There’s nothing like a great-tasting stick that smokes like a chimney, emitting bountiful tufts of flavorful, aromatic smoke. I have a low tolerance for cigars that are tight, or cigars that draw inconsistently from stick to stick. A straight burn and a solid ash are important to construction, but these days I’m all about the draw.

The Government

The biggest threats to the cigar industry are the meddling politicians in Washington and in state capitals across the country. Tobacco taxes, smoking bans, and the potential of stifling regulations from the FDA all spell trouble for cigar companies, those who depend on cigar jobs at home and abroad, tobacco shops, and every cigar smoker. I believe many of the best cigars that have ever been made are in production today. Yet our so-called “leaders” are doing everything they can to make cigars too expensive, make smoke-friendly establishments illegal, make limited edition blends impossible to roll out, and make boutique manufacturers a thing of the past.

Shops with Bad Customer Service

Is it too much to ask for a tobacconist to have a basic understanding of his inventory? Or to be attentive to his customer’s needs? Or to act like he actually appreciates your business? Even though many B&Ms are average to excellent in terms of customer service, that still leaves far too many with a lot of room for improvement. It’s crummy to have a bad experience in a shop, especially when you can probably buy the same cigars online for a fraction of the price.

Guys Who Only Smoke Cubans

Every so often I run into a guy who says he only smokes Cubans. I can’t understand this. While Cuba produces some fine cigars, I continue to encounter inconsistency issues with many Cuban smokes, and the prices are often too high for what you get in return. Meanwhile, countries like Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic are turning out awesome blends and leading the industry in quality control. This guy may think he’s better than everyone else, but he’s missing out on the best tobacco in the world.

So those are my gripes for today. Feel free to share your feedback, or your own cigar pet peeves, in the comments below. It’s Wednesday, and today is a good day to complain.

–Patrick A

photo credit: N/A

Back when I first smoked a My Uzi Weighs a Ton I noted that while I found it to be a “nice smoke,” I thought “maybe a smaller ring gauge would better fit my palate.” Back then My Uzi came only in three sizes, all with a 60 ring gauge (5, 6, and 7 inches long).

Since, the team at Drew Estate Subculture Studios and Joya de Nicaragua has obliged with the Bait Fish size. Since late last year, the Bait Fish (4 x 44) was exclusive to online-only New Havana Cigars, but in May it was announced that the line would be going national. And if the sample I smoked during my visit to Nicaragua is any indication, another more traditionally-sized MUWAT is on the way soon (toro-sized, if I recall).

A quick refresher: The Uzi is made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory with leaf mostly from Drew Estate, including a San Andreas maduro wrapper, Connecticut capote binder, and Brazillian mata fina filler, along with Nicaraguan filler from Joya de Nicaragua’s tobacco stocks. It’s rolled at Joya de Nicaragua but was blended by Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate.

The original lines came in brown paper-wrapped 10-pack “bundles” and sold for $8-10 a smoke. The Bait Fish comes in a handy pocket-size five-pack and sells for about $6 per stick. According to New Havana’s site, the blend was tweaked with more ligero to create a blend they call the “EF” for extra fuerte (extra strong).

The cigar’s wrapper is a bit darker and more oily than I remember the original Uzis being. The cigar is well-constructed, firm to the touch, and it produces an easy burn and solid ash.

The Uzi Bait Fish is full-bodied, much more so than the original. It features loads of earth, oak, black coffee, and a bit of milk chocolate, creating a complex, full-flavored smoke.

I certainly like the Bait Fish more than the original Uzi, but I’m kind of curious why. Is it the tweaked (ligero-heavy) blend or the effect of the small size? I, for one, would still like to see a smaller (non-60 ring gauge) version of the original blend, if for no other reason than to see how it compares to the Bait Fish. Still, this is the type of cigar that appeals to me. Focused, intense, flavorful, and well-made. It’s enough to earn Drew Estate’s My Uzi Weighs a Ton Bait Fish a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This new cigar line is made by Oliva for Famous Smoke Shop and highly touted for strength. It’s also getting a public relations push, with samples being sent out by Famous for reviews, which is how I came to smoke these.

“Vindicator by Oliva cigars are an all-Nicaraguan blend of triple-fermented ligero and viso long-fillers in Habano-seed binders and wrappers,” reads the Famous website. “The smoke is full strength and impressively bold up front. Settling into the medium-plus range of body, they become almost deceptively smooth, with dark tobacco flavors balanced by a light sweetness.”

The Robusto (5 x 50) is a nice looking cigar, though the band strikes me as a little cheesy, like something you’d find drawn by a junior high school student on his notebook.

I didn’t detect much aroma from the Habano wrapper or from the foot before lighting. The performance of those I sampled was fine, with an even, steady burn, a strong ash, and good smoke production.

If I hadn’t known in advance, though, I would not have guessed Oliva as the manufacturer. The Vindicator had a harshness and a sharp edge I don’t associate with Oliva cigars. It also lacked the depth of flavor typically found in Oliva’s best.

The Vindicator line comes in two other sizes, a Toro (6 x 50) and a Churchill (7 x 50). Prices for the Robusto range from $5 for a single to $3 each in a box of 20.

The Vindicator is not a bad smoke. It just isn’t a really good one, either. If you’re the sort of cigar smoker who runs through several sticks a day, you might find an occasional spot for this one. Or if you want something while you’re working in the yard or garage, this could be worth a try.

I give it three stogies out of five.

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

–George E

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.”

I first reviewed the Artesanos Retro Especiale Club back in October, only a month after the cigar hit the market. While I liked it then, I remember finding the initial profile a little too salty and some stale notes that occasionally interrupted an otherwise nice flavor of peanut, cedar, cream, black coffee, and citrus. I’m pleased to report several months of age have improved this cigar significantly. Gone is the overt saltiness, and the stale notes are nowhere to be found. What’s left is a cigar that burns perfectly, draws nicely, and has a balanced, nuanced taste and aroma. Purchasing a 25-count box for $175 is a solid investment that will pay dividends after only minimal age.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys