The Stogie Guys

I don’t consider myself a big horse racing fan, but who can resist the pageantry and excitement of the Run for the Roses? Besides, if nothing else, the Kentucky Derby always provides a great opportunity to smoke a cigar and sip some bourbon.

So with “The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports” coming up on May 1, now is an appropriate time to examine the official bourbon of the Derby: Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select. This widely available product, according to its website, is recognized as “one of the finest, most complex small batch bourbons on the market today.”

Distiller’s Select is made at the Woodford Reserve Distillery, a National Historic Landmark that dates back to 1812 when it was called the Labrot & Graham Distillery. The operation is credited with improving such vital bourbon processes as sour-mash fermentation, pot still distillation, and barrel maturation in the mid-1800s. Today, the refurbished distillery in Versailles, Kentucky, is surrounded by fields of bluegrass and scenic thoroughbred farms.

The current incarnation of Woodford Reserve was introduced in 1996 as a super-premium spirit. Its grain recipe is composed of 72% corn, 10% malted barley, and 18% rye. “That 18% figure for the rye is pretty high for a bourbon, and that’s an investment in the flavor of Woodford Reserve,” says Chris Morris, Woodford’s master distiller. “Rye is an expensive grain, but it allows Woodford to have a spicy, feisty character.”

Another unique aspect of Woodford Reserve is that every batch contains less sour than any other bourbon to enable the mash to remain crisp. Then, following a five-day fermentation process, Distiller’s Select is distilled and matured in new, charred, white oak barrels.

The care and craftsmanship that goes into making Woodford Reserve (about $30 per 750 ml. bottle) is evident before the first sip. Right from the nose, as you appreciate the bourbon’s copper color and legs, you get a bold aroma of dry wood, charcoal, and cherry. This is a fitting introduction for the flavor that’s to follow.

The taste, bold and powerful yet approachable for bourbon fans, features an interesting interplay between butterscotch, peppercorn, and vanilla. The pepper seems to win out, especially during the bourbon’s long and spicy finish.

That means Distiller’s Select, when sipped neat, has no trouble standing up to full-bodied cigars. Of those I’ve been smoking lately, the LFD Air Bender, Oliva Serie V Maduro, and the Illusione 2 have proven to be the best complements. But the pairing possibilities are endless and you only have nine days to make your selection before the Derby—so get busy experimenting.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

For fans of Arturo Fuente’s  Hemingway Maduro line, Christmas comes twice a year. The blend, like the rare Anejo, is released annually at Christmas and again usually before Father’s Day.

Produced in limited quantities, the Fuente Hemingway Maduro features the same blend of Dominican binder and filler as the regular Hemingway line, but with a broadleaf maduro wrapper instead of  Hemingway’s characteristic Cameroon wrapper. The leaf is almost jet black with plenty of tooth and oils.

The Hemingway Signature is a six inch by 47 ring gauge perfecto (all the Hemingways are perfectos). It has a very firm feel, an easy draw, and, once lit, produces an abundance of thick, white smoke.

The Hemingway Signature begins with classic maduro sweetness. Dry chocolate and roast coffee flavors are dominant while initial notes of leather quickly fade.

The medium-bodied smoke is exquisitely balanced. In the second half of the cigar, subtle undertones of fruit reveal themselves. The burn is even and the layered gray ash is sturdy for at least an inch.

All in all, the Hemingway Signature Maduro is a rich smoke. Compared to the original Hemingway, the maduro is more savory and complex, while maintaining the same balance that Hemingway fans have come to appreciate.

With such interesting, rich, and savory flavors combined with excellent construction and impressive balance and depth, the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature Maduro earnes a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. Cigars for this review were provided by CigarsDirect.com.]

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If your cigar collection is anything like mine, there’s usually a surprise lurking. Sometimes it’s a cigar I swear I’ve never seen before, other times it’s the long forgotten survivor of a box purchase.

But even in my generally disorganized state, there’s one piece of information I almost always have at hand: how long the cigar’s been sitting in my humidor. That’s because I have a system I’ve actually managed to keep up with. It’s simple, cheap, and quick. Although I’m incredibly impressed with computerized databases, I know my limitations. I might start off OK, but I’d never keep up.

I’ll acknowledge up front that my system does have a drawback. It really doesn’t work on single cigars that aren’t sheathed in cellophane. But that’s a limitation I’m willing to live with.

Let’s start with boxes. It’s hard to get any easier. I just take a Sharpie and write the purchase date on the bottom.

For individual cigars, I simply take any sticky label laying around, write the purchase date on it, cut the label if necessary, and stick it to the cello. I know some smokers use a Sharpie to write the date on the cellophane itself. That works, but I’ve always worried the odor from the ink could seep through and infect the tobacco.

Of course, you’ll still have to hunt for your cigars. But when you find a stick you want, you can quickly decide whether it’s one whose time has come or whether it should have more time in the box.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Barber pole cigars were all the rage back in 2007. Sure, many dual-wrapper, diagonally striped sticks are still around. But I’d argue they hit their peak three years ago when CAO released America, Camacho introduced its ’07 Liberty, and everyone seemed to be talking about other barber pole smokes from Felipe Gregorio, Gurkha, and Arganese.

Now the “dos capas” trend has shifted away from diagonal and towards two contrasting wrappers stacked on top of each other. This is evidenced by the new Artesanos de Tabaqueros from La Gloria Cubana, which features a Connecticut wrapper at the foot and an Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper at the head.

Not to be outdone, this year Joya de Nicaragua launched its own two-wrapper line: Cabinetta. It is rolled completely in a golden Ecuadorian wrapper and topped off with a dark Nicaraguan leaf at the head. The goal is to impart a creamy, mellow taste and add a sweet spiciness to the lips.

Aside from its two wrappers, Cabinetta marks a departure for Joya de Nicaragua. The 42-year-old brand has built a reputation for power and strength anchored by its bold Antaño line. Cabinetta, however, is intended to have a mild to medium body with, according to its website, an “elegant and attractive look but also a complex and particular taste.”

Four Cabinetta sizes are available for approximately $5-6.50 apiece. The toro-sized No. 7, measuring six inches with a 50 ring gauge, has a soft feel, faint pre-light notes of sawdust, and a somewhat lumpy terrain. All three of my samples suffered from superficial aesthetic imperfections like small tears.

Once lit, the initial flavor is more papery and bready than creamy. Slowly, though, as the effortless draw produces ample tufts of smoke, the medium-bodied taste develops with hazelnut and coffee. Not terribly complex but certainly not boring—especially as the creaminess increases into the midway point.

From what I can gather, the dark second wrapper isn’t necessarily intended to be smoked. Curiosity got the better of me, though, and I pushed ahead past the band to see how the profile changes. What I found was a stub that’s too short to smoke and a flavor that’s only marginally intensified.

Nevertheless, with near-perfect physical properties, a wallet-friendly price, and a pleasant taste with aromatic resting smoke, the Cabinetta Serie No. 7 shouldn’t be dismissed as a mere gimmick. It works as a respectable complement to a morning brew or an afternoon beer. And it earns three and a half 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.”

Before I lit it up, I knew little about this Dominican-made smoke that comes in a distinctive red individual box. The box tells me the cigar features a Connecticut wrapper, Dominican binder, and filler from Brazil, the Dominican, and Nicaragua. It’s medium-bodied smoke with bready flavors, a hint of sweetness, and a subtle metallic taste. The finish is long and savory and the construction is superb.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

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 extension of Fuente’s popular Chateau Fuente line was introduced in 2005. It has since been a regular resident of my humidor. Measuring six inches with a 55 ring gauge, the belicoso-shaped King B develops nicely with notes of cedar, earth, pepper, and a pleasantly sweet finish. Construction is excellent. I’m a big fan and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

Verdict = Buy.

–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. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Cigar taxes, already excessive at the federal level because of SCHIP, are being increased in two western states. Utah passed a hike that skyrockets cigar taxes from 35% of the manufacturer’s sale price to 86%—among the highest in the country. A 51% inventory tax for tobacco retailers was also included in the legislation. Meanwhile, in Washington, state politicians boosted the cigar tax cap from 50 cents to 65 cents per stogie. “The only consolation in this tax increase,” according to a press release from the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, “is the fact that no floor stocks provision was included in the approved legislation.”

2) Noteworthy Events: The Texas Cigar Festival will be held on April 24 and feature the likes of Eddie Ortega, Tim Ozgener, Rocky Patel, Pete Johnson, Litto Gomez, Sam Leccia, Don Pepin Garcia, and many others. Cigar Connection, a B&M in Northern Virginia, will host J. Fuego on April 30. The Tennessee Cigar & Brew Fest has been announced for October.

3) Inside the Industry: There’s been online speculation that, with the introduction of the Ambos Mundos line, Tatuaje would be discontinuing its Series P blend—a medium-filler cigar made with the same tobacco as the Havana VI line.  When asked, Tatuaje creator Pete Johnson told StogieGuys.com this week: “Haven’t made it in a long time. Just using older inventory. Still not sure what I am going to do with the line.”

4) Around the Blogs: Matt’s Cigar Journal is holding a cigar giveaway to benifit Ride for Kids and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Stogie Review lights up the El Tiante La Leyenda. Nice Tight Ash checks out the La Traviata Favorito. Keepers of the Flame smokes a Punch Upper Cut. A Cigar Smoker checks out the Paradigm 262. Cigar Inspector inspects a Fuente Hemingway Short Story.

5) Deal of the Week: Tax Day is as good a reason as any for Cuban Crafters to have a sale. There are a number of deep discounts on our favorites like the Cupido Tuxedo, J.L. Salazar, Cubano Claro, and Miami Medina. The best deal is a box of 25 Don Kiki Brown Label Torpedos for just $55. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys