The 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) A Congressional proposal to stop attempts to ban tobacco sales on military bases and ships could be decided later this year, Politico reports. California Republican Duncan Hunter, a reservist and author of the provision to keep the Defense Department—whose review of tobacco policy is expected next month—from ending tobacco sales, told Politico that “it’s not curbed for anyone else… Leave us the hell alone. We’re out here fighting for your freedom, and you’re taking away ours.” Meanwhile, a group of Democratic senators wrote the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus (pictured), supporting his proposal earlier this year to ban tobacco sales on ships and naval bases. “Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the smoking rate for service members is 10 percent higher than that of the general population,” according to Politico.

2) Fresh off the Toraño brands being acquired by General Cigar, Roberto P. Duran Cigars has hired Jack Toraño, formerly the director of marketing for the now-defunct Toraño Family Cigar Company. Jack will oversee the company’s sales in Florida and the Caribbean. “I wanted to take the time to find the company that matches my vision,” said Jack Toraño. “I am excited to be working with Roberto Pelayo Duran, who is as passionate about cigars as I am. Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars is truly a boutique cigar company which owns its tobacco fields and creates their own cigars. The fact that we will be involved in everything from tobacco field all the way to the valued customer is what brought me here.”

3) Inside the Industry: A number of cigars that debuted at the IPCPR Trade Show this summer are just now starting to ship to cigar shops, including the Rocky Patel Super Ligero and Decade Cameroon, the La Aurora Untamed, and La Palina Black Label.

4) Deal of the Week: If you’re looking to try Crowned Head’s latest cigar, Jericho Hill, this line sampler is a great way to do it.Only $30 gets you one each of the four sizes and, for a limited time, you can get it with free shipping.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Wikipedia

When it comes to spirit pairings, I’m an unabashed fan of bourbon and rye. No matter the season, fine American whiskey works.

As for other spirits, I’m more seasonal in my preferences. The tropical-influenced rum is ideal for the warmer months, but when it gets a little cooler I’m inclined towards scotch whiskey.

Something about the smokey, warming qualities of a single malt hits the spot. And yet, all that time with American whiskey has left me finding most of the 80- or 90-proof scotch lacking in intensity.

Fortunately, a few scotches have a higher proof. And lately, cask-strength scotches have become some of my favorites. (Unlike American whiskey, where cask-strength can mean 130-proof or higher, cask-strength single malt tends to be in the 110-120 range.) Glenfarclas 105 is one of those cask-strength single malts, weighing in at a hearty 120-proof (60% ABV). Its Highland distillery is one of the few truly independent distilleries left in Scotland, and also one of the few that produces a cask-strength scotch that is readily available in the U.S.

Glenfarclas ($80-90) has a deep golden color. The nose is an inviting combination of toffee with pear and cherry fruit.

On the palate, Glenfarclas really shines. It’s multi-layered on the palate with more pear, lots of sherry, and a slight smokiness. It has a nice, full-bodied creaminess, and a finish that fades off nicely with oak and subtle smoke.

The 105 is very even-keeled for 120-proof. It has plenty of intensity without being over the top. The richness of sherry with a champagne-like balance.

Drink it with a medium- to full-bodied cigar. Think a Cabaiguan, Davidoff Colorado Claro, Intemperance, or Tatuaje Black.

I’m sure cask-strength single malt isn’t for everyone. But if, like me, you like higher proof bourbons and ryes, but still find the smokiness of scotch up your alley, give the Glenfarclas 105 a try.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Introduced at this summer’s industry trade show, the JFR XT was designed as an addition capable of providing “added strength and body” to Casa Fernandez’s regular JFR line.

That the blenders succeeded is evident from the nice peppery start. The XT is, by no means, a powerhouse, but rather a medium- to full-bodied Nicaraguan puro that’s a pleasure to smoke.

The Corojo wrapper is smooth and has a warm, roasted nut pre-light aroma. The XT isn’t particularly complex, though flavor shifts a bit as the pepper dies down after the first half inch or so. Then there’s a pleasant rich tobacco taste and enough punch to keep it interesting.

I had three samples provided by Casa Fernandez and found them remarkably consistent. Construction is absolutely top-notch, with a straight burn, good draw, and tons of smoke.

The XT is a lightly box-pressed smoke with an untrimmed wrapper that’s folded over the foot, which is covered by an identifying foot band. The head sports a little pigtail. They are rolled at the Casa Fernandez factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The MSRP is a reasonable $6.92. Two other large ring gauge sizes are available: 6 x 60 ($7.30) and 7 x 70 ($8.80). Maduros with a Mexican wrapper are sized the same and cost a few cents more. All are packed in boxes of 24.

The XT is slated to hit retailer shelves this month, according to the company. I’d recommend this as a good choice for someone who’s been smoking milder cigars and wants to try a stronger smoke. Those who have a regular rotation that includes more powerful cigars should also give it a try to see whether it might find a slot.

I rate the JFR XT 654 a solid three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Finalized FDA rules for regulating cigars are many months away, but they still hang over the industry like the Sword of Damocles.

It’s safe to say that looming FDA regulation is encouraging industry consolidation. The risk involved in developing new cigar lines is no longer just that consumers won’t buy enough of your cigars at a price where you can turn a profit.

The bigger risk now is the government might render your product illegal, or at least subject it to an incredibly burdensome, lengthy, and expensive approval process. So if you don’t want to bet the house on the FDA rules not being overly burdensome, now is the time to sell.

Surely impending regulation isn’t the only reason the Toraño and Leccia Tobacco lines were acquired by General Cigar, but it had to have been a factor. I’ve heard Toraño has had success with its value-oriented lines Brigade and Loyal. These are the lines most likely to be hit by FDA rules, even if they include a more reasonable price exemption than originally proposed.

Sam Leccia was critical in developing innovative cigars like Nub and Cain for Oliva, before splitting with the company in a legal spat that went ugly. His new cigars included Leccia Black, which was one of the first cigars to sport fire-cured tobacco. The problem is, under an FDA approval regime, innovation is a risk that would make potential approvals more difficult. (Whether the use of fire-cured tobacco would count as a characterizing flavor under proposed FDA rules is an open question.) And the less money you have for scientists, lawyers, and lobbyists to push a new product through the approval process, the bigger the risk it is.

Which brings us back to General Cigar and other large companies (Altadis USA, Davidoff) who might be buyers. While they all oppose FDA regulation and would likely feel its bottom-line effects, large companies are nearly always better able to adapt to government regulation than their smaller competitors. (Sadly, this is why cigarette giant Phillip Morris broke from the rest of the industry to back FDA tobacco regulations to begin with.)

With the rumor mill churning about other possible consolidations, it’s fair to ask if this is positive or negative for the industry. While initial reactions to a smaller company being bought by a larger one are usually negative, I’d argue on a whole the results have been good.

Perhaps counter-intuitively, cigar industry consolidation has often led to more competition. Large companies have every reason to continue and maintain popular brands they shell out big bucks for. While frequently the seller would use the proceeds to launch a new, smaller, and more niche company (think Ernesto Perez-Carrillo or Christian Eiroa) as their non-compete agreement runs out.

What’s worrisome to me is not that more small companies may be bought by larger ones. Rather, the concern is the talent being bought out may not choose to reinvest in the cigar industry because of FDA rules that favor big companies.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Wikipedia

Buena Vista is back. After a short stint in the U.S. market in 2011, the brand disappeared due to “circumstances beyond the manufacturer’s control,” according to a press release from MGM Cigars, which now controls Buena Vista. But the brand’s reintroduction was officially declared on June 19, backed by 200,000 cigars that had been carefully stored as they patiently awaited their opportunity to be sold and smoked.

“The MGM Cigars project and first brand, Buena Vista, was nothing more than a dream in 2009. It quickly caught flight, only to be put to bed for a short while. I am thankful to have relocated to the United States where I am free to forge ahead with our project,” said José E. Borges Batista, founding partner and current president of MGM. “We look forward to re-introducing the Buena Vista brand, which pays homage to all who, through music and from one generation to another, have kept the Cuban traditions, values, and joie de vivre alive.”

The Buena Vista Reserva 2008 blend consists of a Habano ’98 wrapper from Ecuador around Dominican filler tobaccos that had been aged between 2008 and 2010 before they were rolled into cigars for the original 2011 release. Nine vitolas are available: Prominente (7 x 49), Sublime (6.3 x 54), Piramide (6.3 x 52), Doble Robusto (5.5 x 52), Robusto (5.3 x 54), Corona Larga (4.8 x 50), Corona (5.1 x 46), Petit Pyramid (4.9 x 52), and Short Churchill (4.3 x 54).

The Churchill-sized Prominente retails for $10 and, like its brethren, sports double bands of black, dark red, and chrome. It has an incredibly oily exterior with three or four prominent veins dividing an otherwise smooth surface. The pre-light notes are of subtle leather and earth, and the cold draw is moderate to moderately resistant.

The blend is marketed as a “well-balanced cigar of medium strength” that has benefited from ample aging in cedar conditioning rooms. My single sample, which was provided free of charge by Buena Vista, starts with a medium-bodied profile of red pepper, mushroom, roasted nut, and cream. On the aftertaste, a spicy heat lingers on the tip of the tongue.

As the Prominente progresses, the smoke seems to become less spicy and more creamy, with some caramel notes becoming prominent. In the final third, the overall intensity increases slightly, but the Churchill remains solidly in the medium-bodied spectrum. All the while, the physical properties are good, including a draw that opens beyond the first third, a straight burn line, and a solid gray ash.

Overall, this is an impressive cigar, and one to put on your radar if you’re looking for something off the beaten path. For its complexity and depth of flavor, the Buena Vista Reserva 2008 Prominente earns four 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.”

I consider the Cameroon Cabinet line to be La Flor Dominicana’s most underrated cigar, likely overlooked because it doesn’t fit into the same full-bodied profile the company is known for. The robusto-sized No. 5 features the same woodiness and light spice that I’ve come to enjoy from this line, but it lacks some of the cream and cocoa depth that made the No. 1 size my favorite. Construction is excellent. Maybe time will bring out the some added complexity in this robusto, but for now I couldn’t recommend the No. 5 ahead of he lonsdale-sized No. 1.

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 corona-sized Dirty Rat may not be my favorite Drew Estate cigar—that honor actually might go to the Velvet Rat—but it’s up there. If you can track down this rare cigar, you’ll be rewarded with a balanced, full-bodied profile of dark chocolate, cream, black pepper spice, and earthy tones. The flavors are derivative of a Connecticut Havana-seed wrapper around a Brazilian binder and a filler mix of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos. Construction is perfect, including Drew Estate’s trademark draw with copious smoke production.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys