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) Changes for U.S.-Cuban relations were announced by President Obama in December, but they fell short of ending the trade embargo outright or legalizing all travel to the island. Americans still need to be officially licensed to legally travel to Cuba, and such licenses are restricted to purposes such as education, religion, government business, and visiting family members. However, bipartisan legislation—S. 299, the “Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act”—was recently introduced in the Senate to repeal all restrictions on travel by Americans to Cuba, and a House version of the bill is expected shortly. The American Society of Travel Agents estimates “at least two million additional Americans would visit Cuba by 2017 if there were to be a full lifting of travel restrictions in 2015.”

2) This week the Miami New Times published an article titled “The End of the Embargo Could Kill Miami’s Cuban Cigar Industry.” While the headline may be sensationalistic, bordering on absurd, the story contains some fascinating history, in particular an in-depth interview with José Orlando Padrón. Padrón describes his fascinating and often tumultuous life experiences, which include: having his family’s Cuban tobacco farms seized by Castro’s government; meeting Castro and even sharing a cigar with the dictator while on a trip to push for the release of 4,000 political prisoners after the communist revolution; the violent backlash he faced in Miami and Nicaragua for being seen as too close to Castro after a newspaper published a photo of Castro smoking a Padrón cigar; meeting Nicaraguan strongman Anastasio Somoza who showed Padrón the potential of Nicaraguan tobacco; and fleeing Nicaragua for Honduras after the Nicaraguan Sandinista revolution led to his factory being burnt down. The whole article is worth reading for Padrón’s story alone.

3) According to Reuters: “Dr. Margaret Hamburg, who as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for almost six years has overseen public health initiatives ranging from tobacco control and food safety to personalized medicine and drug approvals, is stepping down, the agency said on Thursday. Hamburg, 59, is one of the longest-serving FDA commissioners in the modern era. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2009 and last year was named the world’s 51st most powerful woman by Forbes magazine… Dr. Stephen Ostroff, the FDA’s chief scientist, will fill Hamburg’s position until a new commissioner is named.”

4) Inside the Industry: Viva Republica is set to launch what will certainly be one of the most bizarre cigars of 2015. Called Jailbreak, it’s a lancero buried inside a larger cigar. “The cigar features a double-wrapper (Dominican Corojo and Ecuadorian Habano), undisclosed double-binder, and features ten different filler leaves,” according to a press release. “The lancero/center-chamber is rolled and aged prior to being re-rolled into the 6 x 58, which is then aged again.” Only 300 20-count boxes will be made. Jailbreak will retail for $12.50.

5) Deal of the Week: As we noted a few weeks ago, AVO’s re-branding/re-blending has resulted in some excellent deals on older AVO offerings. These deals from Emerson’s are no exception. Buy any box of AVO cigars and receive 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: Flickr

On Monday, Florida Congressman Bill Posey introduced the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2015 (H.R. 662). The legislation, which Posey also introduced in 2011 and 2013, would prevent the Food and Drug Administration from regulating handmade cigars.

The FDA is close to finalizing a rule that would subject cigars to FDA oversight, including a pre-approval requirement that would likely halt the introduction of new cigars. (One FDA proposal would apply all cigars to the pre-approval process, while another would exempt non-flavored cigars over $10.)

The 2011-12 version of the bill gained support from a majority of the House of Representatives, while the 2013-14 version had 145  co-sponsors. Posey’s 2015 legislation was introduced with 34 original co-sponsors, which groups like the IPCPR and CRA will seek to build on over the next two years.

Even if the bill isn’t passed and signed into law, significant Congressional support would send a strong message to the FDA that many elected officials in Congress, which has oversight and funding authority over the legislation, don’t want the FDA to to extend its authority over handmade cigars.

The following bi-partisan group of Representatives are the 34 original co-sponsors of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2015:

Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-12]
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7]
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1]
Rep Buchanan, Vern [FL-16]
Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-42]
Rep Cardenas, Tony [CA-29]
Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-14]
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1]
Rep Cole, Tom [OK-4]
Rep Collins, Chris [NY-27]
Rep Costa, Jim [CA-16]
Rep Diaz-Balart, Mario [FL-25]
Rep Foxx, Virginia [NC-5]
Rep Graves, Sam [MO-6]
Rep Grayson, Alan [FL-9]
Rep Griffith, H. Morgan [VA-9]
Rep Harris, Andy [MD-1]
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-20]
Rep Hunter, Duncan D. [CA-50]
Rep Jolly, David W. [FL-13]
Rep Kelly, Mike [PA-3]
Rep Kinzinger, Adam [IL-16]
Rep Murphy, Patrick [FL-18]
Rep Murphy, Tim [PA-18]
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-9]
Rep Pompeo, Mike [KS-4]
Rep Rogers, Harold [KY-5]
Rep Roskam, Peter J. [IL-6]
Rep Ross, Dennis A. [FL-15]
Rep Royce, Edward R. [CA-39]
Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32]
Rep Westmoreland, Lynn A. [GA-3]
Rep Wilson, Frederica S. [FL-24]
Rep Yoder, Kevin [KS-3]

If your Congressman is already a co-sponsor, contact them and thank them. If not, contact them and demand they become a co-sponsor. (Unsure who your representative is? Find out here.) Read an example of a letter to Congress in support of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act here.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Best Price Cigars

One of the most difficult distinctions in judging a cigar is separating the cigar from the cigar experience.

For example, the other day I spent several hours on the phone with an insurance company trying to straighten out my Medicare application. I was smoking a cigar but I can’t even recall what it was. But I assure you it could have been a $500 Davidoff Oro Blanco and I wouldn’t have enjoyed it.

On the other hand, I’m confident most of us can recall a smoke in a great environment that seemed wonderful, only to disappoint when returned to less stellar conditions.

That is one reason why, when reviewing a cigar, we smoke more than one, and why we often remark on the circumstances if they’re anything out of the ordinary.

Speaking of our reviews, you’ll find an explanation of the StogieGuys.com system here and an archive of those cigars we’ve judged to be the best here.

When assessing a cigar, one of the most difficult things to do is to recognize your personal preferences. Not eliminate them, because that’s impossible. But you need to be aware of them.

The poster child for this is, of course, Macanudo. There’s no shortage of smokers who’ll tell you what a lousy cigar Macanudo is. Of course, it’s nothing of the sort. You may not enjoy it—you may not be able to stand it—but it’s by no stretch of the imagination a bad cigar. It’s a mild stick with remarkable consistency, excellent construction, and a nearly unparalleled sales record.

Since cigars are an object of pleasure and enjoyment, there’s no standardized scale on which they can be measured. Everyone’s tastes are different, and most people’s tastes evolve and change as they continue to smoke cigars. Cigars I once thought extraordinary I now find quite ordinary; if you’ve been smoking a while, I imagine that’s true for you as well.

A truly great cigar, for me, creates an almost transcendent experience, one where you are nearly lost in the act of smoking. I know that sounds pretty highfalutin for burning a bunch of rolled up leaves, but I can feel it when it happens.

But that isn’t all it takes. To be great, a cigar must perform that way consistently. Cigar people will tell you making one great stick isn’t nearly as tough as making them that way again and again and again.

Construction plays a role, too. The draw must be right, the burn even and complete.

Personally, I don’t assign a lot of importance to aesthetics, though they are usually good when the cigar is top-flight. But I wouldn’t let an ugly band—or no band—weigh heavily, just as the choice of a glossy, lacquered box or simple cardboard makes little impression.

When I’m reviewing cigars my goal is simple: provide information and impressions to help you make choices.

I prefer smoking and writing about good cigars far more than dissing bad ones. And when I come across a great one, it’s even more fun. I’m eager to spread the good news. Fortunately, there are more and more opportunities to do just that.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

Who among us does not relish a great cigar? But, then again, who among us can agree on just what makes a cigar great? I started thinking about this several weeks ago, and I’ve been turning it over in my mind ever since.

It started when I lit an Oliva Serie V Toro, a one-time favorite I hadn’t smoked in ages. Less than an inch into it, I thought, “Wow, this is a great cigar. Why haven’t I been smoking more of these?”

As I continued burning it, my enjoyment didn’t diminish. But my assessment did.

Why? Well, I reflected on the circumstances. The Serie V came in the wake of cigars I had smoked the previous two days that I found disappointing. By comparison, the Oliva was wonderful. But trying to approach it a little more objectively, I had to admit that, while the Serie V is a very good cigar, it failed to attain the elite status of great. While the stick’s flavors and performance were excellent, it came up a tad short in complexity and smoothness.

That led me to begin examining what qualities make for a great cigar, what accounts for a bad or mediocre cigar, and which attributes don’t really matter in any judgment.

It is fairly easy, I think, to agree on things that make for a lousy cigar. Descriptions like harsh, plugged, tasteless, bitter, and wildly inconsistent come quickly to mind. Mediocrity is a little tougher to judge, since one man’s bland can be another’s tasty.

Generally, I think, mediocre cigars are those that have nothing special, nothing that stands out. They’re not bad, they’re just not that good.

Judgments also can be clouded by considerations that I would classify as personal preference. These sometimes enter into the discussion, though I believe they often should not.

Size, usually ring gauge, is one of the most common. While many ardent smokers disdain today’s massive ring gauges, there is certainly nothing that makes them inherently bad cigars. Personally, I find myself drawn more and more to smaller sticks these days, both in ring gauge and length. Again, though, that is preference, not a standard by which to establish quality.

Another factor can be price. Too often, I believe, some smokers equate high prices with hype and nothing else. As in, “No cigar is worth (fill in your own price tag).”

Sure, that’s true sometimes. But far from always. Growing tobacco is a costly and risky enterprise, but one that can help ensure high quality and consistency, as well as stimulate creativity. Aging and stockpiling tobacco is an expensive investment, but a necessary one for those who wish to create extraordinary blends. Quality control can boost operational costs without an immediately visible effect on the bottom line. Talented workers command higher wages.

Conversely, it is extremely difficult to produce a great cigar at bundle cigar prices.

There are two common cigar-smoking mantras: “Smoke what you like, like what you smoke” and “If you like it, then it’s a good cigar.” Who could argue with either sentiment? On the other hand, can anyone honestly contend that a Ron Mexico, say, is equal to a Padrón Family Reserve, regardless of personal preferences?

The truth is, in our current Era of Magnificent Cigars we encounter a lot fewer lousy sticks than there were years ago. There are also a lot more good and very good cigars on the shelves, too.

In the second part of this commentary (tomorrow), I’ll discuss what I think makes for a great cigar.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

The most obvious characteristic of this cigar is size. At only 3.5 inches long with a ring gauge of 46, it obviously isn’t very big. Judged by flavor and performance, though, this opera-inspired La Bohème vitola brings down the house.

As a full-blown fan of cigars coming from Rafael Nodal and Hank Bischoff, I always expect good things when I light a cigar from their Boutique Blends. So it was no surprise that I liked La Bohème, even though I was a bit unsure of what to expect from the small Mimi. After all, even Nodal has said he wasn’t too sure about it at first.

But, lighting this up, it was immediately apparent I was smoking something special.

Rich spices and red pepper lead off and continue throughout. As the Mimi progresses, those flavors are joined by cedar and wood, with nutty overtones. And nearer the foot, there’s a warm sweetness that weaves its way in.

Construction, burn, and draw are top-notch. While it’s necessary to smoke such a small cigar slowly, none of mine got hot as the burn approached the head. The ash is nearly porcelain white and hangs on as if it were glued to the foot.

The wrapper is Ecuadorian Habano, with Dominican binder and filler. Its large band is artistically striking, coming from a nineteenth century Cuban brand, according to Nodal.

La Bohème is available in three other sizes, each named after a character in the Puccini opera. So far, Mimi is the only one I’ve seen. It retails for about $6.50, which might seem high considering the size. But with Mimi you’re purchasing 45 minutes to an hour of wonderful smoking. And it would also translate to about $13 for a Churchill.

All in all, La Bohème Mimi is another virtuoso performance for Boutique Blends. I rate it four and a half 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 picked up this smoke based solely on Ben Lee’s praise in his Stogie Review posting a few weeks back. It’s a fat robusto, coming in at the typical five-inch length but with a ring gauge of 56. The line is rolled from tobacco grown on Perdomo’s Nicaraguan farms, with the wrapper leaf aged 14 months in bourbon barrels. The result: a tasty, spicy smoke that satisfies from start to finish, with a good draw and even burn.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Perdomo Cigars