The Stogie Guys

Up until a few years ago, straight rye whiskey distilled from a mash bill consisting of 100% rye was exceedingly rare. That much rye is difficult to distill, which is why many ryes use only slightly more than 50% rye. And up until recently, 95% rye was quite unusual. (You can look through previous rye write-ups here.)

But as the American appetite for rye grew, older rye was suddenly difficult to find, especially if the whiskey company didn’t have their own distillery. So people began turning to unusual sources. One such source was Canada, where this 100% rye was distilled to be blended into Canadian whiskey.

That 100% Canadian rye found its way into three ten-year-old ryes: Jefferson’s, Whistlepig, and Masterson’s. Each has its own character, but the family resemblance is apparent side-by-side.

Masterson’s is the most expensive at $65 to $80. It comes in an elegant bottle adorned with a photo of old west lawman Bat Masterson, whose relationship to the whiskey is tenuous at best.

The 90-proof Masterson’s is light copper-colored and features a nose with clean floral notes and a subtle honey sweetness.

On the palate, there’s more floral notes, rubber band, licorice, and burnt caramel. The finish is long and floral with a hint of apple and lots of spice on the back-end.

In a way, Masterson’s is a test of your devotion to rye. If you really like the quintessential rye flavors (floral notes, a bit of spice, a lack of sweetness) Masterson’s will probably be right up your alley. If you just want sweet bourbon notes with a little extra spice, the 100% rye mash bill of Masterson’s probably won’t be for you.

Personally, I’m a fan. And although, for the price, I’d rather have the $40 Jefferson’s (which, unfortunately, has been discontinued), on taste alone it may be my favorite of the Canadian 100% rye trio.

As for a cigar pairing, I think a Cameroon-wrapped smoke is perfect for the floral spice of Masterson’s. Specifically, try it with the Drew Estate Nirvana, Fuente Hemingway, or La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I write this acutely aware that none of you (save for Patrick S) will ever get to try this cigar. In fact, right now I’m smoking the second-to-last of its kind. And the final specimen is resting comfortably in my humidor. It will almost assuredly be smoked by no one other than me, probably in the not-too-distant future with a serving of Four Roses Small Batch.

But this is not a cigar review, and I’m definitely not doing this to brag. In the interest of cigar education—and for the benefit of those who have never had the opportunity to blend their own cigar—today I’m bringing you my findings from the blend I chose at Drew Estate’s 2014 Cigar Safari. Only ten of these cigars were made, nine of which I brought back from Nicaragua (the tenth was traded to my colleague for a sample of his blend).

For starters, I’d like to point out this is my third blend from Cigar Safari over the past several years. In each case I chose a different wrapper. I chronicled the results of my Connecticut Ecuador and Brazilian Mata Fina blends here.

Each time I’ve blended a cigar, the process has been similar. I’m presented with a menu of pre-selected, pre-fermented, aged tobaccos (so all the hard work is already done). They are organized by filler, binder, and wrapper. Based on the vitola format of my choosing, I’m told how many filler leaves I’ll need. And while barber poles and double-binders are certainly on the market these days, I’m instructed to select just one wrapper and one binder. I wrote more about this process here.

Fortunately, I don’t have to actually roll my cigars. I’m just selecting the tobaccos, and the professionals do all the actual craftsmanship. A cigar bunched or rolled by my own hands would be unsmokable. But, in true Drew Estate fashion, all of my samples exhibited perfect construction, including a solid ash, smooth draw, even burn, and good smoke production.

Here’s what I chose for the actual blend, for which I elected a Toro format (6 x 50):

• Cameroon wrapper

• Connecticut Habano binder (a leaf grown specifically for Drew Estate in Enfield)

• Four filler tobaccos in equal parts

o Seco Piloto Cubano from the Dominican Republic
o Viso Ometepe from the volcanic island in Nicaragua
o Ligero Estelí
o Ligero Jalapa grown specifically for Drew Estate

My intention was to create a spicy smoke with equal parts saltiness and sweetness. I was aiming for the medium-bodied spectrum, counting on sweetness from the wrapper, coupled with spice and strength from the binder. The Seco was added for its fruitiness and aroma, the Viso for its richness and texture, and the Ligero fillers for their power and sharpness.

I’m really pleased with the result. The profile tastes of crème brûlée, cinnamon, cedar, black pepper, and coffee. The texture is coarse—almost sandy—and the finish is long and spicy. I’d say the strength is medium to medium-full. My only concern is a creeping sour meatiness that comes and goes if you smoke too quickly.

While I think this is by far my best effort to date, I’m not entertaining any delusions of Drew Estate putting it into regular production. That said, this was one of the most rewarding and educational exercises in my tenure of writing about and studying cigars, and I thank you for indulging my desire to write about the experience.

Tomorrow we’ll get back to writing about cigars you actually have a chance of smoking.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

One of my very favorite cigars ever was the original Illusione Singulare 2010 Phantom. It was excellent when I first reviewed it, and it has only gotten better as I’ve smoked through four boxes in the past few years.

Because of that, I’ve always looked forward to trying new Singulare cigars—even if sometimes they’ve come out well behind schedule. Maybe the Singulare 2010 Phantom is unfair standard, but it’s only natural to compare an annual release to its predecessors.

While both the 2011 and 2012 Singulare cigars were very good, neither were quite as exceptional as the original. (Of the two, the 2012—which has a Mexican wrapper—came closest to that very high bar.)

Prior Singulare cigars all came in a toro format (with either a 50 or 52 ring gauge). The 2013 Singulare Rose Croix (French for “pink cross”), on the other hand, comes in a format that’s slightly narrower than a traditional Churchill size (7 x 46).

Like the 2012 Singulare, Rose Croix was made at the TABSA factory in Jalapa, Nicaragua. Prior to 2012, all previous Illusione cigars had been made at Raices Cubanas in Honduras. Since then, new Illusione projects (including *R* Rothchildes) have been going to TABSA.

The Nicaraguan puro features a reddish-brown wrapper with numerous visible veins. Of the three I smoked, one was marred by a seriously uneven burn. Otherwise, construction was without incident, although the ash was at times less sturdy than you’d expect.

The Singulare 2013 is dominated by wood and leather notes with just a bit nutmeg and clove spice. There’s also a slight metallic-vegetal tinge that I can best describe as bell pepper-ish (it took a while to identify, but once I did I couldn’t shake the description). This sensation was particularly pronounced in one of the three cigars I smoked.

At it’s strongest, it’s a medium-bodied cigar, although a very balanced one. The finish is notably short and clean.

The inconsistency in construction and flavor is worrisome, but I still think this cigar has good aging potential. As for what the cigar demonstrates today, it has some real question marks you wouldn’t expect from Illusione (especially for a cigar that runs almost $13). It still earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Since the company was introduced at the 2010 industry trade show, my colleagues and I have been reviewing cigars from Reinado, a boutique manufacturer that prides itself on its “original and closely guarded signature fermentation process.” We have been impressed.

The original Reinado line (Spanish for “reign”) is no slouch—particularly in the smaller Habanito format. But our favorite Reinado creation to date is Grand Empire Reserve. It’s a five-vitola Nicaraguan puro made in Condega with a “select Habano maduro” wrapper. In his review of the Elegidos size, my colleague called Grand Empire Reserve “a cigar smoker’s cigar: full-bodied, gritty, with plenty going on and not too similar to anything else available.”

So when Reinado owner Antonio Lam told me he was coming out with an “Ecuador Edition” of the Grand Empire Reserve, I was excited to try it. This offshoot features the same Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from the original Grand Empire Reserve, this time wrapped in a golden, three-year-old Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf. “With the explosive consumption of our exceptionally rated Grand Empire Reserve line, we sought to introduce a complementary profile that delivers a rich, toasty, and distinctive flavor…” said Lam.

The Ecuador Edition took one year to blend. As with Grand Empire Reserve when it first came out, it will be offered in only one vitola—a Petit Lancero (6 x 38)—with additional sizes to come at a later date. Cheers to Lam for choosing the Petit Lancero as the inaugural format. This is a size that will excite cigar fans. And it makes a great first impression, what with its beautiful pigtail cap and elegant stature.

After taking note of the spongy cigar’s easy cold draw and pre-light notes of sweet hay and caramel, once lit a profile of cream, roasted nut, spicy cedar, and coffee emerges. The body falls in the mild to medium range yet there’s plenty of flavor going on. This is definitely not one of those Connecticut smokes you can accuse of being papery or tasteless. The flavors of sweet cream and dry, spicy cedar are especially pronounced, giving the Petit Lancero wonderful balance and an enjoyable bouquet.

With top-notch construction and ample smoke production, the Grand Empire Reserve Ecuador Edition—Reinado’s first cigar that isn’t a Nicaraguan puro—has to be one of the best Ecuadorian Connecticut-wrapped smokes I’ve had in a long time. Keep an eye out for the Petit Lancero at your local Reinado retailer; it is expected to cost $8.99 and be packaged in boxes of 10. I’m awarding it four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

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.”

Vita Nova is the follow-up cigar to the original Dante line, and this corona (6 x 42), which features a short pigtail cap, is a special edition of the Vita Nova line made in limited quantities for the DC Cigar Tweet-Up event held at cigar shops in the greater Washington area each year with proceeds donated to charity. The cigar has a unique lineup of flavors with sourdough bread, banana peel, slight saltiness, and just a bit of pepper spice. It produces a very heavy, thick smoke that can make the medium-bodied cigar seem more full-bodied than it is. At times, the draw is slightly tight, but it’s not too problematic, and otherwise the cigar has admirable construction. I found it to be heavier than the regular Dante Vita Nova vitolas, which I slightly prefer, but this is an enjoyable and unique smoke.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.”.

I was looking forward this new cigar from legendary blender José Seijas, but I was, unfortunately, quickly disappointed. I smoked two of the 6.5-inch, 54 ring gauge sticks at $8.50 each. The taste was good—Dominican spice, some coffee, and floral notes—and there was lots of smoke. But on the first Matilde Renacer Toro Bravo the Ecuadorian Habano wrapper exploded shortly after being lit. And, while the second stayed together, the burn was so bad it negatively impacted my experience. While I realize it’s likely these two smokes were an anomaly, I can’t recommend a cigar that performed so poorly.

Verdict = Sell.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

Tomorrow is Independence Day, which means we won’t be posting our regular Friday Sampler. Instead, we’re posting a two notable news items today that normally would be featured in the Friday Sampler.

Will FDA Regulations Close Tampa’s Last Cigar Factory?

Tampa’s last operating cigar factory—J.C. Newman’s El Reloj in Ybor City—now sports a banner urging passersby on I-4 to “Save This Factory” by registering their support for the industry with the FDA. Newman also set up a website (www.savecigarcity.com) that details the history of the family and the factory, as well as looks at the proposed regulations and their potential impact. This news report includes an interview with Aleida Sanchez, a longtime worker in the Tampa cigar industry, who would be one of the many victims if the FDA regulations force the factory to close.

British Doctors Lobby Says Ban Smoking for Those Born in 21st Century

The powerful British Medical Association voted at their annual conference to support a prohibition on smoking for those born after the year 2000. While currently everyone born after 2000 is a minor, and thus it is already illegal for them to smoke, the policy would eventually lead to 30- and 40-year-old adults being carded to determine if they, despite being adults, are too young to be allowed to smoke.

The speaker who proposed the resolution called it a move to “denormalise” smoking, and a step towards “the tobacco end game,” while another advocate of the radical policy suggested “it made no sense to allow smoking and ban drugs such as heroin.” While the resolution passed, not everyone agreed. According to the BBC, one doctor who is an ear, nose, and throat specialist spoke against the motion, calling it “a headline-grabbing initiative that would bring ridicule to the profession.”

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: N/A