The Stogie Guys

David Garafalo, owner of Two Guys Smoke Shop in New Hampshire, recently posted an interesting editorial entitled “Here Come the Copy Cats.” He writes about the longstanding practice in the cigar industry of copying the successful innovations of others.

The case Garafalo lays out is indisputably true. If you create something successful in the cigar industry, someone else will come along and knock it off. Whether it is the marketing of a certain production technique (barrel-aging tobacco), the use of a certain tobacco in a blend (double Ligero or double Corojo), or a cigar shape (the fuse-style cap), if it helps sell cigars you can expect others to come along and copy it.

Garafalo, a brand owner and seller of cigars, is understandably frustrated by this. He correctly points out that when it comes to trademarks, people are often over-litigious and in such trademark disputes often deeper pockets will prevail, regardless of merit.

Still, I want to push back against the idea that the copycat nature of the cigar industry is a bad thing. Of course a cigar brand owner doesn’t like that his innovation will get copied by the less original, but overall I think it is a good thing for cigar consumers.

What is so great about the non-Cuban cigar industry is the competition. (Cuban cigar brands are centrally controlled, which is why you don’t see nearly as much innovation there, and why there is no true boutique Cuban cigar.) When one cigar company comes out with a new hit cigar, other companies soon follow with their own version of what they think makes that cigar a hit. If barrel-aged tobacco sells a lot of cigars for Camacho, expect more companies to be experimenting with barrel-aged tobacco.

For consumers, this is a great thing. If Camacho does it the best, their cigars will sell the best. But if next year Altadis or someone else comes out with an even better cigar highlighting its use of barrel-aged tobacco, then consumers will have another excellent cigar to buy. Quality and value will drive out those that can’t compete on either.

If a copycat can create the same experience at a lower price, cigar smokers should be thankful. The alternative, which Garafalo seems to concede is just not feasible, would be a legal prohibition to the free market forces that give consumers maximum choice.

Should the Opus X be the only cigar with a Dominican wrapper because Fuente was the first to successfully grow and market a Domincan wrapper? Should Joya de Nicaragua be the only producers of Nicaraguan puros because they did it first? Of course not. Even though it would be a benefit to the innovators, it would stifle consumer choice and all the innovations that follow.

This is true of any competitive industry. Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada may have been among the first to realize American consumers would pay a premium for flavorful beer. Think of the loss to the beer-drinking world had others not been allowed to follow. The same could be said of cellphones. Think of the loss if Apple and Android hadn’t been allowed to improve upon Blackberry’s innovations.

We should be thankful cigar innovations are, except for a few small exceptions, not subject to patent laws preventing competitors from building on the innovations of others. Trademarks do prevent consumers from being confused about brand names, but they don’t stop competitors from creating a cigar that tastes similar or looks similar to a highly sought-after cigar.

This competition (and, yes, even copycat behavior) is an unmitigated win for consumers who get more variety at a better price than would ever be possible if such activity were prevented. We should be thankful for it, and we should fight efforts by the FDA and others to stifle such competition and innovation.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Two Guys/Espinosa/Viaje

As I was perusing the selection at a tobacconist recently, a five-pack of Bait Fish caught my eye. After all, you don’t see too many cigars packaged in brown paper bundles.

I picked up a pack for several reasons. One, I know when I’m buying a Drew Estate product I’m going to have a good experience. Two, I don’t have enough smaller cigars in my regular rotation. Three, in most cases, I much prefer the concept of a five-pack to a full box of 20 or 25 smokes. And finally, the price point ($31.95, or $6.39 per Bait Fish) provides affordable access to high quality.

When My Uzi Weighs a Ton (MUWAT) was announced a few years back—presumably named for the Public Enemy song—MUWAT only came in three sizes, all with a 60 ring gauge (5, 6, and 7 inches long, respectively). Since, the team at Subculture Studios has released the smaller Bait Fish size (4 x 44). At first, Bait Fish was exclusive to online retailer New Havana Cigars, but in 2012 the line went national.

A quick refresher: MUWAT is made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory with leaf mostly from Drew Estate, including a San Andrés Negro wrapper, Connecticut Capote binder, and Brazillian Mata Fina filler, along with Nicaraguan filler from Joya de Nicaragua’s own tobacco stocks. It’s rolled at Joya de Nicaragua but was blended by Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate. This is probably why the Drew Estate name isn’t featured on the soft pack or the band; instead, you’ll find “Subculture Studios” and “by Subculture Studios and JDN.”

According to reports, the Bait Fish size in particular was tweaked to add more Ligero to create a stronger smoke. It certainly has the look of a little firecracker. The wrapper is oily and dark with a slight Colorado hue. The feel is moderately firm from cap to foot, and the pre-light notes feature cocoa, coffee, and earth.

After using a punch cut—the guillotine would likely remove too much tobacco from such a small smoke—and setting an even light, the Bait Fish opens with a medium- to full-bodied profile of chocolate, dry oak, natural tobacco, and faint white pepper spice. The taste remains mostly the same, but the intensity ramps up after only a half inch.

From there, this is definitely a full-bodied smoke, and a great way to get big flavor in a short amount of time. Construction is fantastic throughout, including an effortless draw, straight burn line, and massive smoke production.

When my colleague reviewed the Bait Fish three years ago, he called it “focused, intense, flavorful, and well-made.” I completely agree. I’d also add “good value” to the mix, even though some might say $6.39 is a lot to pay for a small smoke (I personally think that’s a fair price for this cigar). In my book, this little gem is worthy of 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.”

New Havana Cigars (NHC) has always had a close relationship with Tatuaje owner Pete Johnson (NHC owner Dan Welsh is a partner with Johnson in L’Atelier) which has always made its house blends notable. This particular limited release was a cigar rolled in 2013 but with four varieties each with a different wrapper added only recently, including this Connecticut Sol wrapper, which is also used on the Cabaiguan Guapo.  The cigar is medium-bodied with a combination of coffee, black tea, clove, and cedar. Construction is perfect. While $9 (the cigars come in 5-packs for $45) is a bit more than many house blends, this is a standout, complex smoke.

–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.”

This blend from Abe Flores’ Pinar del Rio sports an oily, Dominican-grown Habano wrapper around a Dominican Criollo ’98 binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The Robusto (5 x 50) can be found for under $6 and has a bitter, leathery profile with hints of spicy herbs. Pinar del Rio makes some great, affordably priced smokes, but this one doesn’t quite hit the mark for me. When I smoke it, I always find myself hoping for some sweet creaminess to add balance and depth.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

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) Tatuaje Anarchy is back. Smoke Inn is reintroducing the retailer exclusive that debuted in 2010 as the first cigar in its Microblend Series. “Tatuaje Anarchy fans spanned the globe and when the one-time run was gone, emails flooded Smoke Inn for more of the product. While demand continued to pour in, timing and available tobaccos prevented re-production of this highly sought-after store exclusive,” reads a Smoke Inn press release. “Last year Smoke Inn approached Pete Johnson in the hopes of remaking the popular Tatuaje Anarchy again. After discussing the project with the Garcia Family, all were convinced the cigar could be reproduced in 2015.” Only 666 15-count boxes will be made, each retailing for $149.85, or $9.99 for a single. The vitola is the familiar cinnamon bun pigtail figurado (6.25 x 48-52). Pre-orders will begin June 29 and ship nationwide on July 13.

2) This week Drew Estate announced the second “Tienda Exclusiva by Willy Herrera,” a “concept cigar” made in “extremely small batches” at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate. Each Tienda Exclusiva (Spanish for “store exclusive”) will be crafted for one particular retailer. The second retailer to win this distinction is Riverside Cigars in Jeffersonville, Indiana (the first was Barrister Cigars in Union, New Jersey). The blend includes an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and binder around Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. It will sell in the corona larga format (6.375 x 46) with an MSRP of $13.50 starting on July 11.

3) Inside the Industry: Oettinger Davidoff AG—parent company of Davidoff, Camacho, Avo, Zino, Room 101 and other brands—reports it set new records for revenue and production in 2014 “thanks to strong growth in sales of Davidoff cigars.” The company reports a 12% increase in global revenue and a 13.1% increase in cigar production from 2013 up to 44 million cigars. Davidoff increased staff 4.9%, mainly due to new hires in the Dominican Republic and Honduras where it created created more than 170 new jobs.

4) Deal of the Week: The limited edition L’Atelier Côte d’Or is hitting shelves now and if you want a box ($144) you should probably move quickly. The cigar, only available to TAA retailers, features an Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus wrapper and a small amount of the rare, and notoriously difficult to grow, Pelo de Oro filler.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Tatuaje Anarchy

This cigar attracts attention. The white and copper colors in its two bands—one of them extra large—stand out against the dark wrapper.

After lighting up, the first impression might be a little off. The Legacy begins a bit unpolished, presenting a little back-of-the-throat sharpness. Fortunately, that doesn’t last long, quickly replaced by much more pleasant flavors of pepper and coffee.

One of two recent offerings from Tabaclera El Artista, the Legacy is available in two vitolas. The Gran Robusto I smoked is a 5.25-inch stick with a ring gauge of 54. The other size is a 6.5-inch Gran Toro with a ring gauge of 56. Prices are extremely reasonable, with MSRPs just $4.50 and $5.50, respectively, according to the company.

The Dominican company started in the 1950s and uses its own tobacco. The filler in the Legacy is Dominican Criollo ’98 and 1900, an El Arista exclusive. The wrapper is also the 1900, while the binder is described as “Dominican wine-fermented Criollo ’98.”

Three samples were supplied by El Artista, and they’ve been sitting in my humidor for a few months. I was most impressed with the higher-priced sibling, giving the Exactus Puro Ambar a stellar rating in a review earlier this year.

The Legacy, while enjoyable, wasn’t up to that level. As you’d expect, the Legacy was not a complex cigar. Medium in strength, the dominant flavors remained fairly consistent throughout.

Performance was something of a problem. One of the three I smoked developed a tunnel and didn’t smoke right for about a third of the length, while another required numerous relights.

I’d recommend giving the Legacy a try. El Arista appears to be adding additional retailers so you should check its website to see if there’s one near you. I rate this cigar a respectable three stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In the summer of 2011, Miami Cigar & Co. debuted Casa Miranda, a “small-batch, ultra-premium” line comprised of an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos. Shortly after the cigar was unveiled, the man responsible for blending the highly anticipated release, Willy Herrera, left El Titan de Bronze—the Miami factory where the cigar was made—for Drew Estate before Casa Miranda even came to market.

Notwithstanding Herrera’s departure (and subsequent success with the Herrera Estelí line), Miami Cigar introduced Chapter Two in 2013. Unlike Chapter One, Chapter Two is made at the My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. It boasts a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper around tobaccos from Brazil, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.

Four sizes are available: Robusto (4.5 x 50), Corona Gorda (6 x 46), Toro (5.5 x 54), and Gran Toro (6 x 60). The Robusto retails for $6-7 and, like the other Chapter Two sizes, has a dark, beautiful wrapper that’s almost chalky in texture with a fair amount of oils. The feel is pretty firm throughout, which is interesting since the foot shows a less-than-tight packing of tobaccos. The pre-light notes are reminiscent of cocoa and earth. Overall, the Robusto looks and feels like a well-built smoke. And, for what it’s worth, I particularly like the band, which is understated and detailed.

The flavor gets off to a fast start with a medium- to full-bodied taste of espresso, dark chocolate, peanut, and dry wood right at the outset. There are also some sweet background notes of dark cherry and nougat. The texture is light and billowy, and the smoke production is excellent.

While the balanced flavors don’t change much—save for the introduction of leather in the final third—the intensity of the profile definitely evolves as the Robusto progresses. After the medium-plus start, the body is decidedly full-bodied by the midway point. And by the time you reach the nub, this little smoke has tons of Nicaraguan strength and spice.

With excellent construction observed across several samples, an approachable price point, and big, bold flavor condensed in a smaller format, there’s a lot to like about the Casa Miranda Chapter Two Robusto. It’s worthy of a very admirable rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys