The Stogie Guys

Sunday was National Bourbon Day, not to be confused with National Bourbon Heritage Month, which is September. So I naturally poured myself some. What was a little unusual was that although bourbon is a most American product (it must be produced in the U.S., though not necessarily in Kentucky), the bourbon I enjoyed isn’t sold in the United States.

Blanton’s is a well-known single barrel bourbon made at the Buffalo Trace distillery. It’s a popular premium bourbon that sells for around $50, is bottled at 93-proof, and comes in a distinctive round bottle with an iconic metal horse perched on the cork top. While Buffalo Trace distills the bourbon, the Blanton’s brand is owned by Age International, a Japanese company.

Outside the United States Blanton’s also sells a Special Reserve version (80-proof), Blanton’s Gold (103-proof), and Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel (SFTB), which is bottled at barrel-proof. Reportedly, “contractual obligations” prevent Age International from selling these other variations within the United States.

Fortunately for me, I picked up a few bottles (700 ml. each, as opposed to the U.S. standard of 750 ml.) in France last year where SFTB sells for 69 euros, or just under $80. Each label gives you information on the particular bottle. For this one, I can see that it was bottled on 7/7/14 from barrel number 225, which is located in Warehouse H on rack number 31. (Mine is bottle 138.)

This barrel comes in a hearty 127.3-proof (though the proof can vary quite a bit from barrel to barrel, generally ranging from 125 to 135). It’s a very dark copper color with a nose that has features strong oak, clove spice, and hints of caramel and wood polish.

On the palate, SFTB features oak, cinnamon, clove, and caramelized sugar. Just a bit of water opens the flavors up nicely revealing fudge, banana bread, and toffee. The finish lingers with sweet wood notes and a dryness on the roof of the mouth.

As for a cigar, it certainly can hold up to a full-bodied, spicy smoke. Flavorful Nicaraguan-forward blends like Aquitaine or Tatuaje Fausto seem ideal; so does the spicy La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet and Fuente Opus X.

While you can find a few places online that will ship this elusive version of Blanton’s into the U.S. for a hefty premium, a better plan is to wait until you, or a bourbon-drinking friend, are heading to Europe or Japan and then do a little research to locate it so you can pack a bottle or two back with you in your checked luggage. It is an excellent bourbon and if you’re a fan of Blanton’s (or Elmer T. Lee or Rock Hill Farms, which are other single-barrel bourbons that use the same mashbill as Blanton’s) it is well worth the effort needed to acquire a bottle of this tasty, flavorful whiskey.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Miró and its brethren brands—Placeres Reserva and Tabacalera Zapata—have only been in the U.S. market for about two years. But with longer histories in international markets, the brands are older and (globally) more popular than you might think.

As the U.S. distribution arm for Compañia Hondureña de Tabacos, Kuuts is working to expand the reach of this Honduran factory in America. The strategy has included a new line that capitalizes on the popularity of Nicaraguan tobacco—simply called the Nicaraguan Blend—and a few new vitolas.

One of the new vitolas is Momentos (4 x 48), a petit corona Miró format that was released in May 2014. It is the sixth Miró size (the first to measure less than 5.25 inches long). The other Miró sizes include Robusto (5.25 x 50), Toro (6 x 52), Torpedo (6.1 x 52), Gordos (6 x 60), and a limited Lancero (7.5 x 38).

Miró is “a balanced cigar with dominant notes of earth and sweet cream complemented by cocoa, spice, and nuts,” according to the Kuuts website. “With fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras, and employing a beautiful Sumatra wrapper, this medium-bodied cigar offers a delicious bittersweet combination.”

It’s hard to examine the aesthetics of the Miró Momentos without first removing the large band that covers much of the wrapper. Underneath the band is a firm, sturdy cigar with ample oils and tooth. The pre-light notes are heavy on earth and walnut.

I was expecting the draw to be stiff given the firmness of the cigar, the somewhat narrow ring gauge, and the tight cross-section of tobaccos visible at the foot and clipped head. Fortunately, the Momentos draws easily.

Once an even light is set, the initial profile is a full-bodied blend of bold espresso, black pepper spice, and a meaty char. Soon, only about a quarter of an inch in, the cigar mellows into the medium-bodied range as flavors of raisin, leather, and oak take center stage. At times, tastes of peanut and cream appear, and this is where the Momentos is most balanced, complex, and enjoyable. When these notes are not present, the cigar can be bitter or a little too rough around the edges.

With decent construction—the burn line requires a touch-up here and there to stay even—the Miró Momentos is a nice little smoke that will run you only $5.50. If only those nutty, sweet flavors played a more dominant (or more consistent) role in the overall profile. All things considered, this petit corona from Kuuts is worthy of a rating of 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.”

I consider myself lucky to live only short drive away from Paul Garmirian’s boutique in McLean, Virginia, which not only carries every PG line, but also has an excellent selection of aged PG cigars rolled in the 1990s. Those well-aged cigars can be outstanding, but I still think the finest offering in the PG humidor may be the 15th Anniversary blend. The cigar features the musty, woody notes normally associated with Davidoff-made cigars, but also added complexity from grass, cocoa, spice, and chalk. It’s a layered, complex, medium- to full-bodied smoke. Construction is just what you would expect from a cigar that will cost you around $16. It’s the kind of cigar that is well worth seeking out.

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.”

This was the next-to-last issue in Eddie Ortega’s 2013 monthly Wild Bunch series. With its sandpapery rough, thick Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper and perfume-scented pre-light aroma, Da Byrdman (6 x 54) makes a strong opening statement. And the cigar lives up to the promise. After aging nearly a year in my humidor, it’s a bit smoother with the Nicaraguan filler melding well with the wrapper, creating a medium-strength smoke. These can still be found here and there for about $9. Pick one up when you can.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

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) The Wall Street Journal recently ran an interesting piece on Fidel Castro, which provides some insight at a time when the Obama Administration is normalizing relations with Havana. The info comes from Juan Reinaldo Sánchez, a former member of Castro’s security detail for nearly two decades—and later a prisoner of Castro’s—who defected to the U.S. and died shortly after publishing a “The Double Life of Fidel Castro.” The article reads: “The legend of Castro as a great revolutionary who sacrifices for his people is preserved by keeping the details about his life a state secret. Sánchez’s account shows the real Castro: vengeful, self-absorbed, and given to childish temper tantrums… Sánchez witnessed firsthand Castro’s indifference to Cuban poverty. The comandante gave interminable speeches calling for revolutionary sacrifice. But he lived large, with a private island, a yacht, some 20 homes across the island, a personal chef, a full-time doctor, and a carefully selected and prepared diet. When a Canadian company offered to build a modern sports-facility for the nation, Castro used the donation for a private basketball court. Wherever he traveled in the world, his bed was dismantled and shipped ahead to ensure the comfort he demanded.”

2) Altadis, which has extensive tobacco operations in the Dominican Republic, is calling the 2014-2015 Dominican tobacco harvest “remarkable.” Sufficient rain overall, coupled with dry period, has resulted in thicker leaves, and light rain and cooler temperatures during the curing process provided ideal humidity levels. “Compared to previous years, the current crop has benefited from generous conditions throughout the year. Experts believe this year’s Dominican tobacco crop will qualify as a very unique and distinctive harvest, achieving both quality (strength and flavor) and crop size.”

3) Inside the Industry: More details have emerged about the new Davidoff cigar, which will be called Escurio. The line will feature a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and a Brazilian binder around a combination of Brazilian and Dominican fillers.

4) Deal of the Week: The Smoke Inn Spring Fun Pack seems like the perfect accessory for summer fun at the beach, on the golf course, or tailgating a concert or sporting event. Just $65 lands you 20 Smoke Inn house cigars, plus a cooler bag to keep your drinks ice cold and a Xikar torch lighter.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

It’s hard to think of a cigar company that has had the success in just over ten years that Tatuaje has enjoyed. Tatuaje has released numerous cigars that have had both commercial and critical success.

That makes the personal cigar blend of Tatuaje brand owner Pete Johnson worthy of extra consideration, which is what his Black Label blend is. The cigar was first released for sale in 2007 in a Corona Gorda size that came in ceramic jars.

I’ve been fortunate enough to smoke quite a few of those original Tatuaje Black cigars (which my colleague gave our highest rating). While (regrettably) I didn’t buy any when they were first available, I’ve been given more than a few over the years from someone who bought multiple jars.

Those cigars were outstanding and one of my personal all-time favorites. But all cigars change a little bit over time due to some uncontrollable variables. And Don José “Pepin” Garcia-made cigars, including Tatueje Black, have also changed slightly due to the lawsuit and falling out between Pepin and his former partner Eduardo Fernandez, owner of Aganorsa S.A. and partner in El Rey del Los Habanos. (Blends had to be tweaked when access to Aganorsa tobacco stopped.)

That hasn’t stopped Tatuaje, or Pepin (who makes Tatuaje for Johnson), from putting out excellent cigars. Nor has it prevented the Tatuaje Black from being reissued in 2011. In recent years a variety of sizes have been released, including this Robusto, which is offered in three-packs at Tatuaje events.

Currently, a Tatuaje Black Petit Lancero is a limited, though regular, release. A new Corona Gorda, this time in a melamine jar, was released last year to celebrate Tatuaje’s tenth anniversary, though you’ll still find that available at some retailers. The Black Label, according to reports, is a Nicaraguan puro with a Criollo wrapper.

The well-constructed Robusto features powdery medium-bodied flavors. Bread, oak, and sweet cinnamon dominate with underlying maple syrup notes. It’s superbly balanced, but the sweetness sets it apart, providing an extra layer of richness that resonates beyond the more traditional layering of earth, leather, and spice.

It has been a while since I smoked the original Tatuaje Black Corona Gorda, so it’s hard to compare the two, except to say (at least in my recollection) the original was superior to this Robusto. I did smoke both the Petit Lancero and Corona Gorda for comparison while working on this review, and I can confidently say I found the Robusto the best of the bunch. (A colleague rated the new Corona Gorda highly last year, although I probably wouldn’t have given it quite so high of a score.)

The Robusto, on the other hand, seems to be the best of the bunch when it comes to the recent-era Tatuaje Blacks. Given that it raises the already high bar, the Tatuaje Black Robusto earns a rating of five stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five stogie-rated cigars can be found here.]

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

After realizing I had one stick left of each of the two cigars I blended in May 2012, I decided this week—almost exactly three years after the Cigar Safari trip—would be a fitting time to fire them up. This little experiment, after all, offers a somewhat unique opportunity to see how time impacts a cigar.

I say “unique” because it isn’t often I smoke a cigar right after it’s rolled, log its impressions, wait three years, then smoke another sample that was rolled on the same day by the same person with the same tobaccos. But that’s the case here. Virtually the only variable is age. In addition, I get to do the same experiment twice: once with a milder Connecticut Ecuador-wrapped cigar made at Joya de Nicaragua (see my article from Monday), and once with a bolder Brazilian Mata Fina Oscuro-wrapped cigar made at Drew Estate.

As a reminder, please note I did not grow, cultivate, ferment, or actually roll any of my cigars. All the hard work was done by the fine folks at Joya de Nicaragua and Drew Estate, respectively. My role simply consisted of some educated guessing, a little trial-and-error, and selecting a wrapper, a binder, and a filler blend from available tobaccos.

Here’s what I had to say about the Drew Estate blend back in 2012:

Drew Estate Blend
Wrapper: Brazilian mata fina oscuro
Binder: Habano Ecuador
Filler: Estelí Seco (33%), Jalapa Ligero (33%), Brazilian Mata Fina (33%)
Size: 5.25 x 42

My objective here was to get a medium-bodied smoke that’s low on spice but big on dark chocolate flavors—something that would pair nicely with a glass of red wine. That’s why I loaded it up with Mata Fina, a tobacco that’s typically sweet and chocolaty. In my blend, though, the Habano Ecuador binder and Seco and Ligero fillers unexpectedly shine though. The result is a profile devoid of chocolate or any sweetness. Instead, the flavor packs dry spice, leather, and oak. I like this cigar, and it is getting a little better each month, but it isn’t at all what I had intended.

Much like the Joya de Nicaragua blend, I smoked through nine of the ten samples of this Drew Estate-made cigar pretty quickly. In fact, I’d wager I (somewhat carelessly) smoked all nine before the end of 2012. So, when I recently lit the tenth and final cigar, I didn’t really know what to expect from a smoke that’s been off my radar for two and a half years.

What I found was a dry, familiar profile of oak, leather, and spice. This trio of flavors was punctuated by significant cayenne heat on the tip of the tongue, especially in the aftertaste. While the cayenne seemed new, a pair of unfortunate traits were consistent with my earlier samples of the blend: an occasional (but brash) bitterness, and a shortage of sweetness to balance out the spice.

Looking back, instead of writing “I like this cigar,” I should have conceded that this blend not only misses its intended mark, but it’s also incomplete, unbalanced, and slightly abrasive. Three years of age have not yielded the improvements the cigar desperately needed.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys