The Stogie Guys

Known in Nicaragua as “the kids of Estelí,” Andy Wood and Rafael Guillen are committed to making their mark in the rough and tumble cigar world. As with many cigar makers, there’s a family history in tobacco, but that’s about the only conventional aspect to the story of GDW Cigars.

The pair met in Oregon when Rafael was attending college on a scholarship. They later worked to put together a farm and factory in Nicaragua, only to be crippled by Hurricane Felix in 2007. They persevered, and their Reserva Miraflor has lately received several positive online reviews and comments.

Intrigued by their story, I exchanged several emails with Andy and Rafael to get some details about their company.

“It’s definitely a family operation,“ Rafael says, listing off the brothers and sister involved, as well as Andy, the sales manager who is “like my brother.” They all took a risk, sinking their money as well as their economic futures into the project. They recognize the difficulties, but refuse to be cowed.

“We still have the same determination in our work because we know that even if the economy goes down, if the product is really good, as the Reserva Miraflor, people will buy,” Rafael says. “Because we are small, and we are not producing a lot of cigars, we have 11 people making cigars: five of then rolling, five bunching, and one selecting the wrapper and binder. But we hope to grow and give more people jobs in the near future.”

For Andy, the significance of marketing and how difficult it can be to get their cigars in people’s hands has been an eye-opener: “Our products are great, but unless people pick them up…no one will know.” Right now, he’s focused on getting their website up and running. The cigars are also at some shops, which you can find by searching for Reserva Miraflor. (You’ll also likely find the firm referred to as Guillen Cigars.)

The name Reserva Miraflor, incidentally, came from a nearby park known for its beauty and diversity. The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro blended to be a medium- to full-bodied, flavorful smoke. They’re also producing a line known as Goviado and have done a few private labels.

I chanced across the Reserva Miraflor at a local shop and wrote about it in a Quick Smoke this summer. You’d have to be pretty hard-hearted not to pull for a small operation like this. They may lack some of the experience and big-money backing of others, but I can’t imagine any operation could best GDW on enthusiasm.

I, for one, hope they find great success.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In the mid-nineteenth century, about 15 years before founding Hoyo de Monterrey, Don José Gener y Batet opened a factory in Havana and began producing a line of cigars called La Escepción. The brand was ultimately confiscated by the Cuban government and discontinued in 1989 due to falling demand for strong, full-bodied cigars.

This summer, however, General Cigar introduced a new, Honduran-made incarnation of La Escepción in New Orleans. General, after all, is no stranger to naming their non-Cuban creations after brands from the embargoed communist isle. Examples include Bolivar, Cohiba, La Gloria Cubana, Partagas, Punch, and—yes—Hoyo de Monterrey.

The new La Escepción sports the world’s first binder from Ometepe, a volcanic island rising out of Lake Nicaragua with a tobacco production exclusive to General (the Macanudo 1968 also features Ometepe leaves). La Escepción is finished off with Nicaraguan tobaccos and a Honduran habano Talanga wrapper.

“To capitalize on such a classic entity as La Escepción, we chose to develop a cigar that speaks of balanced spiciness and complexity,” said Debo Mukherjee, vice president of marketing for General Cigar, in a press release. “Our intent was to provide consumers with an extremely flavorful cigar, with a sophisticated taste that honors the brand’s lineage, and I believe that we have delivered that in spades.”

Three sizes are available: Gran Gener (6.25 x 54), a figurado called Batet (5 x 54), and Excepcionales (5.5 x 52). The latter has an MSRP of $5.99.

My two Excepcionales aren’t the prettiest cigars in the world. They’re both crooked and lumpy with at least one large vein running the length of the cigar. The feel is firm, the draw slightly tight with some sweetness on the lips, and the pre-light notes of earth are muted.

Once underway, the smoke is thick and chalky with a heavy dampness. The taste—akin to walnuts, black coffee, and leather—is full-bodied yet smooth with little bite on the finish. Settling at the midway point, the toned down flavor becomes nuttier and creamier before taking a bitter turn at the final third.

It’s here I realize that La Escepción, while satisfying and well-built, lacks any distinguishing characteristics.

So even though I mostly enjoyed this cigar’s taste, burn, draw, and ash, and even though I could see myself lighting up another at a herf or on the golf course, I won’t go out of my way to seek this new blend out. It just isn’t as memorable, craveable, or complex as I’d like, resulting in a rating of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Fuente fans can be a ravenous bunch. Between Opus X, Hemingway, Anejo, and others, Fuente has a loyal following for its expertly-blended, full-flavored smokes.

For that reason I was somewhat surprised by the lack of buzz surrounding the launch of Fuente’s new Rosado Sungrown Magum R line. Maybe the blend’s billing as a more medium-bodied smoke left it a few notches below what many hardcore Fuente fans like best.

Rosado Sungrown Magum R debuted in early December with three sizes: 52 (5 x 52), the 54 (6.25 x 54) and the 56 (5.6 x 56). Carlos Fuente Jr. said these cigars were rolled over a year ago and have been aging ever since.

According to Fuente, the Ecuadorian wrapper was grown 8-10 years ago by John Oliva when Fuente first created their Sun Grown line. The Magunm R’s wrappers, however, are from much lower on the plant, which accounts for its milder character.

The wrappers on the thick, robusto-sized 52s I sampled for this review had a reddish hue, but were not particularly shiny or oily. Curiously, I noticed a smear of glue on the bottom of both , though the construction was otherwise excellent. Of particular note was a perfectly solid snow-white ash that accompanied a flawless burn.

Much as advertised, I found the Magnum R to be very balanced. It began as a mild-medium smoke with light cedar, roasted nuts, and cream flavors. There were also some slightly less enjoyable damp earth notes.

There wasn’t much evolution as the cigar progresses. But as the burn inched closer to the ornate, gold-trimmed band, it did become a bit more medium-bodied, as a subtle pepper spice kicked in along with some tannic flavors.

All in all, while the Sungrown Magnum R is not the most interesting smoke from Fuente, it does provide a pleasant flavor profile—albeit not as lively as some of my favorite Fuente smokes. And it does so at the very reasonable price of under $7 per stick. That combination earns the Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R 52 a rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–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.”

Recently named the best smoke of 2009 by Cigar Aficionado, this new Nicaraguan puro commemorates the 45th anniversary of Padrón Cigars. It exhibits good construction, a slight box press, and a full, balanced profile of coffee, cocoa, and spice. I’d certainly agree with my colleague’s choice of words when he called it “decadent” in a November review. But with a price tag of $25 for a single, I’ll have to save the Padrón Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro for rare occasions.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.”

This dark blend is a beautiful creation that, as my colleague wrote of the Salomon, is rolled in memory of the Toraño family’s 50-year exile from Cuba. Typical of Toraño’s propensity for multi-nation blends, it sports a Brazilian arapiraca sungrown wrapper, a binder from Honduras, and Nicaraguan filler from Estelí and Pueblo Nuevo. I’m a little surprised the wrapper doesn’t create more spice. In the Torpedo (5.5 x 52), leather is the dominant taste, highlighted by some cocoa and toast. I’d rank it below the Silver—my favorite Toraño—but recommend a spot for the Exodus 50 Years Blend Torpedo on your to-try list.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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) In a development that may set the tone for future battles, a judge this week dismissed portions of a new federal law that grants the FDA regulation over tobacco. The ruling, from a federal district court in Kentucky, says the FDA can’t prevent tobacco companies from using color or graphics in ads. Judge Joseph H. McKinley Jr. “also struck down a provision that bars tobacco companies and others from implying that a tobacco product is safer because it is regulated by the FDA,” reports the Wall Street Journal. He did, however, uphold new warning label requirements and new bans on tobacco sponsorship of “athletic, social, or cultural events.” While many still view the FDA’s newfound authority over tobacco as a cigarette issue, cigar makers, retailers, and consumers have started to recognize the immediate threat the bureaucracy’s oversight poses to premium cigars.

2) If you haven’t already signed up for our Free Email Newsletter, now is a great time. We’ll soon be sending out our list of the Top Ten Cigars We Reviewed in 2009, as well s our Top Five New Cigars of 2009. These rankings are exclusive to our newsletter subscribers. Signing up will also automatically enter you to win spectacular prizes like boxes of top brands and cigar accessories.

3) Inside the Industry: Jameson Cigars is giving away a beautiful handmade humidor from Vanderburgh Humidors along with a box of its new Declaration Iniquity cigars. CAO is looking for a regular smoker to star in its “CAO Real” ad campaign and will bestow a year worth of cigars on the winner. La Flor Dominicana is debuting a new full-flavored smoke called the “Air Bender” with a habano wrapper and Dominican binder and filler tobaccos.

4) Around the Blogs: Keepers of the Flame reviews the Romeo y Julieta Museum Edition. The Cigar Haus examines the Camacho Triple Maduro. At Stogie Review, Lindsay Heller looks at cigar and spirit pairings. Toasted Foot gives away a box of the new Exile Maduros. Nice Tight Ash lights up a Special Selection Coffee Break.

5) Deal of the Week: Cuban Crafters is having an unpublicized sale on some of our favorite smokes. Included are the Cupido Tuxedo, Cubano Claro, Medina Miami 1959, and two sharp humidors, all for well below normal prices. The best buy is a box of 20 Limited Edition Don Kiki  White Labels (Harvest of 2001) for just $55. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Master blender Don Pepin Garcia is, without question, prolific. Aside from producing his own eponymous brand, this Cuban-born entrepreneur currently crafts cigars for such clients as United Tobacco, 5 Vegas, and Tatuaje, among others, from his perch at El Rey de Los Habanos in Miami. It goes without saying that much of his work is highly acclaimed.

Before he became a major commercial success, Ashton hired Garcia in 2007 to make a new line of cigars called San Cristobal (he also makes La Aroma de Cuba and Benchmade for Ashton). Constructed entirely from Nicaraguan tobacco, the blend consists of eight sizes. My colleague awarded the torpedo-shaped Fabuloso four stogies for its complexity and profile of earth, spice, and bitter chocolate.

Still going strong with Ashton, this summer Garcia introduced a San Cristobal offshoot at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans. It is called “Selección del Sol” (Spanish for “Selection of the Sun”) in honor of the sungrown wrapper that surrounds this three-vitola line of Nicaraguan puros.

The leaf is worthy of distinction because it is from Garcia’s Estrella farm in Estelí. “Estrella sits on a picturesque plot of land surrounded by green hills, where sunlight abounds and the soil is as thick and as dark as coal,” says Ashton’s website. “Pepin and his son, Jaime, hand-selected these beautiful wrappers from the first crop of tobaccos harvested from Estrella explicitly for this cigar.”

“Beautiful” may not be the best word to describe Selección del Sol. Once you remove both flamboyant bands, you’re left with a dry, somewhat listless leaf, a rough cap, and prominent veins and seams. But beauty does not a good cigar make.

To determine this cigar’s real value, I smoked three Robustos, each of which cost $6.50 at my local tobacconist. These five inch by 52 ring gauge sticks start with pre-light notes of cocoa and coffee creamer. After lighting, they yield a profile of dry cedar, honey, and an undertone of spice. The overall effect is one of a mild- to medium-bodied smoke that’s more traditional-tasting than the bold cigars for which Garcia is known.

Rather than being disappointed, though, I’m pleasantly surprised. And the physical properties—including a solid white ash, a perfect burn, and an effortless draw—make the Selección del Sol even easier to like. The delightful aroma of the resting smoke is an added bonus.

So even though this Robusto bears little resemblance to other Garcia smokes (or other sungrown-wrapped cigars, for that matter), count me as a fan. I’m going to pick up more of these to stash in my humidor. For its sweet and enticing flavor and excellent construction, I’m happy to award the new Selección del Sol Robusto four stogies of out five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys