The Stogie Guys

The brand new Tatuaje K222 could make for an interesting test case for the reasonableness of the “substantially equivalent” pathway for approval under the new FDA rules regulating cigars. The blend is a combination of the Tatuaje Cojonu 2003 and the Reserva J21, both of which were sold prior to the February 2007 grandfather date. Under any normal interpretation of “substantially equivalent,” it should meet that test.

Whether the FDA would be so reasonable is another matter. Plus, the small-scale production of the K222 (around 100 boxes a month made in Miami) means if the FDA process proves too costly, there might not be an application submitted to sell the cigar past 2018. Like many cigars produced in small numbers, if the cost of an approval runs into six figures, the math simply won’t work to keep a cigar on the market that only sells tens of thousands per year.

The K222 was released two months ago as a tribute to Pete Johnson’s late dog, Kona, who passed away at 2:22 PM on April 26, 2015. Like the J21 and Cojonu 2003, it features a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The toro-esque size (5.9 x 52) comes in boxes of 25 with a retail price of $14.

The wrapper is dark enough to pass for Connecticut Broadleaf, and the cigar is slightly spongy to the touch, although the three samples I smoked exhibited good construction. (If you’re curious about Tatuaje’s use of the “Reserva” secondary band, note that all Reserva cigars made in Miami use an Ecuador Habano wrapper, while Nicaraguan-made Tatuajes designated Reserva have a Broadleaf wrapper. I’m told soon the Broadleaf-wrapped Tatuaje Brown Label cigars will denote Broadleaf on the secondary band to help with the confusion.)

Before firing up the K222, there is little in the pre-light draw (slight grass and a little spice on the lips) that warns of the full-bodied experience to come. Once lit, you’ll find loads of powdery smoke with lots of oak, unsweetened chocolate, earth, and pepper spice.

There is a slight bitterness that reminds me of banana peel. But just as it gets to the edge of the bitterness line, a slight sweetness reveals itself as it settles into a full-bodied cigar with sneaky strength.

Given that Cojonu essentially means ballsy, it isn’t surprising that the K222 (based in part on the Cojonu 2003 cigar) is a full-bodied smoke. Perhaps if you were expecting a more refined smoke you would find the K222 trades balance for full flavors. But if complex, full flavors are what you seek, Kona’s cigar delivers in droves. With excellent construction, deep, enjoyable flavors, and a subtle yet sneaky punch, the K222 earns a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While the so-called Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act—the bill giving the FDA the power to regulate cigars—didn’t pass until June 2009, the legislation controversially set February 15, 2007 as the cutoff date for tobacco products to be grandfathered as exempt from needing FDA approval before being sold or marketed in the United States. There were hopes the FDA would modify that date, but they did not. As a result, products introduced past that date will be subjected to the FDA approval process.

We don’t yet know what that approval process will look like—or how long it will take, or how expensive it will be—though I wouldn’t hold out much hope for anything reasonable. The FDA has made clear they have no intention to be sensible when it comes to handmade premium cigars. Therefore, we may soon need to come to terms with a (severely) narrowed selection of cigars, cigars that have been on the market for over nine years.

With a release date of October 2006, the Tatuaje Havana VI just barely makes the cut.

If, like me, you hadn’t smoked (or thought about) this line for years, let me provide a little background. The Nicaraguan puro sports a Corojo ’99 wrapper and is intended to be a wallet-friendly, more medium-bodied alternative to other Tatuaje smokes. It originally came in six sizes—Hermosos (5.6 x 46), Angeles (4.6 x 42), Victorias (6 x 38), Artistas (6.1 x 52), Nobles (5 x 50), and Almirante (7 x 47)—with the first letter of each spelling “Havana,” the name of one of Tatuaje founder Pete Johnson’s dogs.

The Churchill-sized Almirante can be found for around $7-8. It’s a beautiful, slightly reddish, somewhat dark specimen with plenty of oils. The perfect triple-cap clips cleanly to reveal an easy cold draw. Pre-light aromas at the foot remind me of sweet hay and cocoa powder.

The first third of the cigar is characterized by flavors of spicy cedar, a little white pepper, dry oak, and a satisfying sweet creaminess. Caramel, red pepper, and roasted nut join the fray after an inch. Then, at the midway point, the Almirante begins to shine. Cocoa, cream, and peanut take center stage, rendering the smoke less spicy yet full of interesting flavor. The final third brings about the reappearance of dry wood and cedar spice with some black pepper.

With excellent construction throughout—including a solid white ash, a straight burn line, good smoke production, and a smooth draw—it’s clear this cigar brings considerable quality and enjoyment to the table, all at a reasonable price. FDA awfulness aside, the Havana VI line is worth another look if you haven’t smoked this blend in a while. The Almirante 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.”

Ask and ye shall receive… a cigar. In my full review of the impressive PG 25th Anniversary, I wrote, “For now, this is a single-vitola blend, but PG’s 15th and 20th Anniversary blends were later expanded into multiple sizes, and I certainly hope the same happens for the 25th.” Sure enough, PG has already rolled out a Short Robusto size, with very limited numbers being sold at the brand’s flagship shop in McLean, Virginia, and a wider release to come later this year. As you might imagine, the flavors are nearly identical to the toro-sized Connoisseur, including oak, bread, savoriness, and a hint of sweetness. While I’d recommend starting with the Connoisseur if you’ve never had the PG 25th Anniversary blend before, the Short Robusto features all the depth and complexity of the toro in a short, more concentrated version.

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.”

First, it’s necessary to get past the gimmicky wrapped-in-a-cigar-leaf packaging. Fortunately, that’s not difficult. Just tear it off and, voilà, there’s a cigar. What I found was a nice-looking Honduran puro with typical toro dimensions (6 x 50). Billed as mild to medium in strength, the Leaf by Oscar Corojo brimmed with the leather and earth often associated with Honduran tobacco. Smoke production was excellent, as were the draw and burn. It’s not a flavor profile I’d want to smoke routinely, but a stick to reach for when something a little different would fill the bill.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Leaf by Oscar

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) Enrique Sánchez Icaza, CEO and Founder of Global Premium Cigars (GPC), has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). At at high level, the suit alleges the FDA’s recently announced deeming rules are cost-prohibitive for GPC, a small business known for its 1502 line of cigars. “When I joined this beautiful industry, I promised myself that I would do whatever was necessary to make the cigar industry better, and leave a legacy for my kids to carry on in life,” said Icaza in an email released yesterday. “Today, that dream is in jeopardy due to the FDA’s deeming regulations, and I feel I have the obligation to protect our industry, lifestyle, consumers, clients, friends, and our family from these terrible threats. It’s time for action! Talking belongs in the past… In the few next days, we will be giving you more information in how you can support, and help us with the tools to fight with strength.” GPC’s lawsuit is likely the first of many to be brought by a cigar maker against the FDA. The suit alleges the FDA’s actions violate the Regulatory Flexibility Act, designed to protect small businesses from over-burdensome regulations, and the Administrative Procedure Act, which sets standards that agencies engaged in rule-making must follow, as well as the First and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. The suit has been assigned to Judge Darrin P. Gayles, an Obama nominee.

2) Davidoff is expanding its Brazilian-inspired Escurio line by adding new sizes, including a Corona Gorda (6 x 46), Gran Perfecto (5 x 60/51), Primeros (4.25 x 38), and Mini Cigarillos (3.3 x 20). Escurio was launched in 2015 with three sizes that feature an Ecuadorian Habano-seed wrapper, a Brazilian Cubra binder, and a filler blend that includes Mata Fina and Cubra tobaccos from Brazil paired with Dominican leaves. Several years prior, the Davidoff Nicaragua blend marked Davidoff’s first departure from its Dominican roots.

3) Inside the Industry: This week Camacho announced the details of its 2016 Liberty Series limited edition cigar, set to be released tomorrow. According to the announcement, “the core of 2016’s edition are two high-octane Ligero tobaccos from Mexico and Nicaragua, making up over half of the tri-country filler blend… Combined with two Seco tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic for added complexity, the 2016 Liberty displays the perfect balance of intensity and finesse.” The cigar sells for $18 and will be the first Camacho Liberty release to also be distributed to Europe.

4) From the Archives: Introducing cigars to someone who hasn’t tried them before, or only smokes them on extremely rare occasions?  Check out this helpful article from 2010: Five Rules for Introducing Someone to Cigars. The tip provides a few easy-to-follow suggestions, but also makes the important point that smoking a cigar is meant to be an enjoyable experience. Overwhelming a newbie with too many rules will detract from the goal of an enjoyable, relaxing experience.

5) Deal of the Week: StogieGuys.com recommends Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items delivered to your door for just $55. Past boxes include barbecue accessories, shaving kits, everything you need to make great coffee, and exclusive cigars from E.P. Carrillo paired with custom accessories. You can select a box each month or skip the month entirely. Click here to sign up today.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Global Premium Cigars

If the cigar industry needed any more bad news, it could be found recently in a couple of unrelated developments that involve sugar rather than tobacco.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen turned down a request by the powerful American Beverage Association for a temporary injunction against San Francisco’s requirement that some soft drink advertising include warnings about the dangers of consuming drinks with added sugar.

An abridgment of freedom of speech? No. A potentially fatal and unfair blow to the industry? No. Regulation in the public interest? Yes.

Then the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced its new nutrition facts food label with an additional category: added sugars.

Now, to be clear, there is a world of difference between these actions involving sugar and the FDA’s tobacco restrictions. And there is sure to be more court action on the soft drink front, as there will be against the FDA’s tobacco rules.

But I believe the moves on sugar are indicative of the legal trajectory.

Here’s why I think the cigar fight against the FDA is, sadly, doomed. (Remember, this is just my view. No one else’s from this site.)

First, despite the outcry that government regulations are taking away our rights, there’s little doubt that there is no “right” to smoke tobacco, and certainly not one that can’t be curtailed. Legal challenges to smoking prohibitions based on a recognized constitutional right (be it privacy, property, or equal protection) have generally failed.

Additionally, the legality of a product doesn’t shield it from restrictions or a ban. Just ask those who live in one of the United States’ remaining dry counties. Up until 1914, cocaine was legal. Caffeinated alcohol drinks were legally sold a few years ago until the government decided they shouldn’t be.

Examples are endless.

Then there is the frequent complaint of a “war on tobacco.” There isn’t a war. There was a war. Tobacco lost. We’re now in the aftermath.

Petitions underway in the cigar community seem, to me, unlikely to accomplish anything. One, urging the White House to act, may garner enough signatures, though I doubt it. But even if successful, it will induce only reconsideration, not action. A reversal or exemption would require a monumental change. The chances of that are slim and none, and, as they say, Slim already left town.

(By the way, are you looking to the future? It’s hard to distinguish which presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, dislikes tobacco more.)

Demanding congressional action also appears dubious. Congress didn’t approve an exemption in the past when it would have been much easier. Why expect it to do so now?

Cutting off funding for enforcement, as has been proposed, seems to me little more than a replay of the earlier Congressional move to include an exemption in its funding bill: a bargaining chip to be traded for something else. And even if a funding halt were to be approved, the FDA could likely go right back to work with new funding in the future.

I think the most likely outcome to the FDA regulations is legal action that slows, but doesn’t stop, the process.

Perhaps my years in Washington made me too cynical. Maybe I am just too negative in general.

I hope so. I can’t think of anything that would bring me more joy than writing another piece with the headline: I Was Wrong.

–George E

photo credit: N/A