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) Nebraska’s eleven cigar bars can continue to allow smoking, at least for a short while longer. Last August, the state Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional a longstanding exemption from the state’s indoor smoking ban. For now, paperwork and bureaucracy are delaying enforcement of the ban at the bars in question. In addition, “some lawmakers said there will be an effort to allow for cigar bars this upcoming session. Sen. Tyson Larson, who’s running to be chairman of the General Affairs Committee, believes they’ll come up with a proposal that is constitutional,” according to the ABC affiliate in Omaha.

2) Love it or hate it, you can’t deny Cigar Aficionado’s recent list of the Top Cigars of 2014 will have an impact on sales (and probably also influence the behavior of retailers and manufacturers). Highest honors went to the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado—the first time Oliva has topped the list. The top ten included the E.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III, Illusione Fume d’Amour Clementes, Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial Tubo, Rocky Patel Royale Toro, Fuente Fuente OpusX PerfecXion X, Padrón Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro, Ashton Estate Sun Grown 22-Year Salute, Monte Jacopo No. 2, and A. Flores 1975 Serie Privada Capa Habano SP52.

3) Inside the Industry: Jordan Alexander III Cigar Company will be shipping it’s new Corojo cigar next month. The cigar—made with a Dominican corojo wrapper, Dominican binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican filler at the Quesada factory—will come in four sizes with suggested prices ranging from $7.95 to $9.75. Also shipping in February is the new Room 101 Master Collection Three. The Camacho-made cigar will feature an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Dominican binder, Nicaraguan filler, and will come in five sizes.

4) Deal of the Week: AVO’s upcoming rebranding/reblending will result in some excellent deals on the current AVO offerings. These deals from Emerson’s are no exception. Buy any box of AVO cigars and you recieve a 10-pack of AVO Classic No. 2 cigars (valued at over $100). We’d particularly recommend the AVO Heritage line, which starts at just $112 for a box (plus the bonus 10-pack).

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Wikipedia

In this latest segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I think about what the new year will bring for Cuban policy and the FDA, plus the potential impact on the cigar industry of a new Nicaraguan canal construction project.

Watching, Waiting on the FDA

Since passage of the FDA bill in 2009, we have been warning of the danger it poses to the cigar industry. Last year, when the Deeming Document and proposed rule were released, more people finally caught on to the disruptive potential. Now we wait.

This chart explains the nine-step process. It’s important to remember the FDA is currently on step 7, which includes reviewing all the public comments. But that process doesn’t take place in a vacuum. Politics will play a role, along with science, public opinion expressed in the comments, and the legislative mandate.

That’s why continuing the push for legislation to exempt handmade cigars from the FDA remains critical. While having the bill become law would obviously be great, even without passing the legislation it can influence the FDA to think twice about going against the wishes of a significant number of members of Congress. So with a new Congress starting earlier this week, let your representatives hear from you today.

Could the Nicaraguan Canal Impact Cigars?

Here’s a story to keep an eye on. Construction has just begun on a $50 billion construction project to build a canal across Nicaragua. The murky Chinese-funded project is projected to be completed in five years and will allow ships too large to pass through the Panama canal to cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic by traveling through a series of canals connected through Lake Nicaragua.

So what’s the cigar impact? Too early to tell exactly, but it could be significant. The canal could make shipping cigars from Nicaragua to the U.S. even easier, and it could result in more Nicaraguan cigars being exported to other countries, especially China. However, there are potential downsides too. Some have raised concerns about the environmental impact, especially on Lake Nicaragua, which is where the volcanic island of Ometepe is located, also one of the four notable growing regions for Nicaraguan cigar tobacco. Thankfully, no one is proposing using nuclear bombs for construction of the canal this time.

I Heard they Legalized Cuban Cigars

I expect retailers will get questions from occasional cigar smokers asking about Cubans. That’s because the announcement just before Christmas wasn’t particularly clear, nor did the media do a good job reporting what it meant. (We clarified everything here, but the short version is, unless you are visiting Cuba with the explicit permission of the U.S. government, nothing has changed.)

As for more action on the Cuban embargo, I would be shocked to see any in the next two years. Ending the embargo takes an act of Congress and the president’s signature. Plus, as long as Florida remains a key swing state for presidential elections, changing Cuban policy will be a risky play for anyone with national ambitions. So any talk that the recent announcement was the first step towards a quick end to the embargo is unwarranted.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr

StogieGuys.com was born from a love of cigars. Its founders created the site (over eight years ago!) as an outlet to share their passion, and it has grown and evolved through the years, though cigars remain at the core.

I’ve spent some time reading through all our entries for 2014. In addition to scores of reviews, we’ve covered topics that range from tips for beginners to author interviews, from guides on great libations to exploring pertinent legislation. And many, many others, including reports from overseas.

As we head into a new year, it seems appropriate to do a little reassessing. To ask, as former New York City Mayor Ed Koch was fond of inquiring, “How am I doing?”

That’s where you come in.

Tell us what you’d like to see at StogieGuys.com in 2015.

Should we cover more of the growing number of high-end releases? Or scout for worthwhile low-priced sticks? Do you like to see interviews with industry leaders, or has the explosion of social media made them so visible that interviews aren’t really necessary nowadays?

One issue we struggle with is, when you’ve been doing this as long as we have, there’s a danger of being repetitive. Still, many readers are newcomers and could benefit from information or advice that may have been presented years ago.

Another big item for discussion: For the first time in years, we didn’t cover the 2014 IPCPR Trade Show in person. Our absence, mind you, wasn’t a protest; it was simply a reflection of the fact that (1) our site founders have day jobs and family obligations, and (2) travel accommodations are not inexpensive. Did you miss us not covering the event live? Or did we still give you enough reporting on the new releases and activities? Do you think it’s essential we cover this summer’s convention in New Orleans in person?

We’ve dabbled a bit into the world of pipe smoking. Should we do more?

Looking back, one area I’m particularly proud of is our coverage of federal legislation and regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We’ve also tried to rally readers to the cause. The outcome has the very real potential to dramatically alter—even destroy—every cigar smokers’ ability to continue enjoying cigars. Too much? Not enough? Just right?

I could go on. As you can see, I have barely scratched the surface of areas of interest.

So, if you would, take a minute or two and leave a comment, or send us an email, with your thoughts about Stogie Guys in 2015. And trust that we really value your feedback.
I can’t promise we’ll be able to satisfy everyone, though we will certainly consider all of your replies carefully.

And I will guarantee one thing: Cigars will always be front and center. We still love them.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

Small barrels can be a bit controversial when it comes to American whiskey. Some say small barrels are the key to making young whiskey taste like old whiskey, while others say it just makes lousy whiskey.

My feeling on the matter is a little more nuanced. Small barrels don’t necessarily make lousy bourbon, just a different style. But small barrels certainly aren’t a substitute for extended traditional barrel aging. With that in mind, I was looking forward to trying this new 86-proof release from Jim Beam. (I wrote about the regular offering to the Signature Craft series, the 12 Year Bourbon, here.)

Although Beam’s new limited release Quarter Cask Finished Bourbon ($40) has finished in the name, it isn’t used the way you’d come to expect, like the way Angel’s Envy is bourbon finished with a period of aging in port barrels. Rather, Beam’s Quarter Cask is a blend of traditional barrel bourbon and bourbon aged in smaller barrels.

Here’s how Beam explains it in a press release: “[It] starts with premium Jim Beam Bourbon aged at least five years and is finished with a variety of fine quarter cask bourbons, and all aged at least four years in smaller barrels. By building on a base of mature liquid and finishing it with quarter cask aged liquid, the inspired distillers at Jim Beam were able to craft just the right balance of rich vanillas of a mature bourbon profile and the extra oak notes of the quarter cask bourbon.”

The deep gold bourbon features a nose with vanilla and candied orange. On the palate it has that classic Beam yeasty funk, vanilla, and sweet corn, but with the added depth of roasted nuts, oats, woodiness.

There’s a lot a vanilla sweetness here (no surprise since it’s a defining characteristic of Beam bourbons from standard White Label to Booker’s 25th Anniversary), but it also is nicely balanced between sweetness, grain, and dry wood. The finish is surprisingly long with a woodiness that lingers on the roof of your mouth.

The profile pairs well with a medium-bodied cigar with a little woodiness. I found that the E.P. Carrillo 5th Anniversary Limitada is an excellent accompaniment.

While Jim Beam Signature Craft Quarter Cask Finished Bourbon won’t blow you away, it’s a nice bourbon and an excellent reminder that Beam is about a lot more than its ubiquitous White Label rail bourbon. This expression is plenty drinkable neat and does nothing to deter me from wanting to try future Signature Craft offerings.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While there are surely exceptions, seasoned cigar smokers generally tend to steer clear of Macanudo. “America’s best-selling premium cigar” is often viewed as a gateway brand that should be dismissed for heartier, more complex creations as one graduates from occasional smoker to full-blown cigar veteran status.

That said, I believe Macanudo’s reputation is largely a result of the ultra-mild Macanudo Café line. There are seven other lines listed on General Cigar’s website—Gold Label, Robust, Vintage, Estate Reserve, Maduro, Cru Royale, and 1968—and not all of them are geared towards beginners. I also believe, in addition to the reputation, regular smokers tend to scoff at Macanudo simply because it’s made in large quantities by a huge corporation.

But it’s good to get out of your comfort zone every once in a while. So, while I admit Macanudo cigars (of any variety) can rarely be found in my humidors, today I’m going to examine the Macanudo Vintage 1997. This blend includes a Connecticut Shade wrapper from the 1997 harvest, a Mexican binder, and Dominican Piloto Cubano filler tobaccos.

Full disclosure: Online retailer Famous Smoke Shop sent me a four-pack of Vintage 1997s in the No. 5 format (5.5 x 50) to make this review possible. As always, the samples Famous provided in no way impact my assessment of the cigar.

Several things struck me about this Robusto before I lit up the first sample. First, the wrapper looks old (no surprise there). It’s marked with wrinkles, a few bumps, and it has a rustic, dry feel. Second, the foot exhibits an ultra-tight cross-section of tobacco. Finally, and inconsequentially, two of my samples had the slightest amount of filler/binder extending beyond the cut of the wrapper leaf.

Once lit, pre-light notes of sweet hay and honey transition to a toned-down profile of cedar spice, black coffee, and syrup. The resting smoke is sweet and the finish is characterized by a soft, lingering spice on the tip of the tongue. The draw is too firm for my liking, requiring significant effort to get minimal smoke production. I’d classify the body as mild-medium.

After half an inch, the draw begins to open, increasing the smoke volume and making it a little easier to detect some complexity in the flavor—including floral notes and some citrus. The final third witnesses a slight increase in intensity. Throughout, the burn line is razor sharp and the white ash holds incredibly well.

As you might expect from a cigar with a wrapper bearing over 17 years of age, the Macanudo Vintage 1997 No. 5 is not inexpensive. Famous sells 5-packs for $74.99. That’s about $15 per cigar. Ultimately, while this robusto has some good things going for it—including a milder, well-balanced profile that remains interesting—I have a hard time reconciling the cost. There are too many excellent smokes that sell for a fraction of the price.

So, after careful consideration, I believe the most appropriate score for the Vintage 1997 No. 5 is three 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.”

In September I reviewed the Tatuaje WCD 127, the cigar made by Tatuaje exclusively for the Washington-based W. Curtis Draper cigar shops. The large vitola (7.6 x 56) boasts an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler. The additional aging time has only made this cigar better. It still features plenty of roasted flavors: coffee, leather, and a bit of pepper spice. There’s also a charred savoriness to the oversized double corona. If you’re offered one, jump at the opportunity to try it.

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.”

The Nicaraguan puros in the original Padrón line always have such mouth-watering pre-light fragrances. Creamy nut and rich chocolate come to mind, especially when you smell the foot. Once lit, the 5000 Natural (5.5 x 56) transitions from this enticing preview to feature flavors of oak, cocoa, coffee, and leather. But the flavor is considerably milder and less concentrated than the (many) formats in this line that sport smaller ring gauges. While I remain a steadfast fan of the so-called “Thousands Series” from Padrón, I don’t think the 5000 Natural is the best showcase of the blend.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys