The Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, 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 what the press calls “the most significant change in Cuban-American relations since the Kennedy administration,” Obama this week made it easier for exiled Cubans to visit their families on the forbidden island nation. This policy shift, which we have been following since February, won’t directly change the 47-year-old embargo, but it may prove to be a step towards decriminalizing Cuban cigars.

2) On Tuesday, cigar makers and retailers in Tampa took to the streets to protest Florida’s proposed tobacco tax increase. Industry leaders say the tax would be doubly harmful given the massive federal tax hike that went into effect on April 1. The bill’s passage is not certain, though, especially since Gov. Charlie Crist has been “reluctant to impose new taxes.”

3) Inside the Industry: CAO’s “Rock N Rolled” tour is returning with more events this summer, including a kickoff event on April 23 at Cigar Factory Outlet in Troy, Michigan. If you’re attending tomorrow’s Big Smoke at the MGM Grand in Connecticut, you can also attend Cigar Rights of America’s exclusive members-only party afterwords. Reeling from the lost revenue of two lost tobacco conventions (IPCPR Trade Show and Tobacco Plus Expo), Nevada politicians have introduced a bill undoing provisions of the state’s smoking ban. For iPhone users who want information on over 1,700 cigars at their fingertips, there’s an app for that too: Mobile Stogie.

4) Around the Blogs: Keepers of the Flame lights up a Fuente Hemingway Short Story. Stogie Review reviews the CAO Mx3 Escaparate. Cigar Inspector inspects the Ramon Allones Eminencia RE. Cigar Command lights up a Padrón 5000.

5) Deal of the Week: Whether starting up your cigar collection or just expanding, who couldn’t use more humidor space and lots of top-notch cigars? For only$120, you get a 50-count humidor, 25 cigars (including sticks by Gurkha, Graycliff, Don Pepin Garcia, and Rocky Patel), and everything you need for proper maintenance. Pick up this “Cigar Lover’s Gift Set” here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Before the Miami, Series A, or any Limitada, at all started for 5 Vegas with the Classic. This moderately priced blend has since built a loyal following of smokers who enjoy its consistency and traditional medium-bodied taste.

Also known as the “Reserva” or “Red” line, 5 Vegas Classic is not without impressive critical acclaim, the most prominent of which originates from a position of prestige in the industry. I refer, of course, to the well-publicized claim that Cigar Aficionado gave this line the highest rating for a non-Cuban cigar in a blind test.

I’ll take this blend’s ratings of 90, 88, and 87 with a grain of salt. I can’t help but hope, however, that the folks over at CA are on to something, especially because the Torpedo (6 x 54)—the most intriguing vitola in the Classic lineup—sells for only $70 per box.

With a towering point, this sharp-looking smoke (pun intended) looks like it could be dangerous if used improperly. The fairly smooth Sumatra wrapper gives off mouth-watering pre-light notes of cocoa and herbs.

I was pleasantly surprised to find an easy draw after snipping off just a quarter of an inch from the cap. Once lit, the concentrated smoke pulls through to reveal plenty of spice with accompanying flavors of roasted nuts, damp earth, and warm tobacco.

The taste becomes slightly bitter as the burn progresses through the Nicaraguan binder and the Cuban-seed filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Then some charred steak-like qualities enter the equation after the midway point. And while this cigar is no elite treat with copious subtleties or complexities, it still offers plenty of character for the money.

Handmade in Estelí, the Classic Torpedo consistently makes a combustion comeback unlike any other smoke I’ve seen. Each stick I sampled started with a finicky burn that required constant touch-ups only to completely even out after the first 15 minutes. You’ve got to be happy with a cigar that rallies to finish strong.

All told, I may not be as enamored as the reviewers over at Cigar Aficionado, but I can certainly see where they were coming from. With a solid gray ash that holds well for over two inches, a nice yet simple flavor, and a comfortable price point, I feel confident recommending this as a low-cost everyday cigar. That’s why I give the 5 Vegas Classic Torpedo three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Combining the talents of master Cuban cigar blender Don Pepin Garcia and Pete Johnson, the man behind Tatuaje, the Cabaiguan (pronounced kah-bei-gWAHN) comes to the table with high expectations. With such a pedigree, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that it retails for around $10 per smoke.

The Cabaiguan was the first cigar made by Johnson’s Tatuaje company that didn’t bear the Tatuaje name. Instead, the cigar, which is made in Don Pepin’s El Rey de Los Habanos factory in Little Havana, was named after the the town of Don Pepin’s birth in Cuba. It features a Connecticut seed shade-grown Ecuadorian wrapper, which surrounds Nicaraguan binder and filler leaves.

The wrapper, which is almost completely vein-free, is a classic representation of an attractive Connecticut leaf. Of the three Robusto Extras (5.25 x 50) I sampled for this review, one had a few spongy spots, but otherwise they were firm. Each cigar had excellent construction.

While there was no distinctive pre-light flavor, this long robusto provided an abundance of flavor once lit, most notably a rich, creamy taste of what seemed like roasted pecans. Underneath were some toasty notes and subtle bread flavors.

Later, some subtle spice creeps in (particularly when smoked through the nose), but it doesn’t overwhelm the Cabaiguan’s excellent balance. The finish is long and toasty.

Overall, this medium-bodied cigar has none of the chemical flavors that sometimes plague Connecticut-wrapped smokes. And nothing in the construction of the cigar—with its even burn and easy draw—distracted from its complex flavor profile.

With bold, rich spice being the trend (a trend led by Don Pepin himself), I must say the Cabaiguan impressed me most for its subtlety. It’s plenty flavorful and complex, but also nimble and refined. I’ve heard the Cabaiguan compared to the Partagas Serie D No 4, but I think another top Cuban, the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill, might be a better comparison.

Either way, that’s high, well-earned praise. That’s why the Cabaiguan Robusto Extra earns our highest rating of five out of five stogies.

[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

Smoking cigars is far too enjoyable to let any one aspect of the hobby upset you very much. Still, there are a few things I see over and over again that get my goat, even if only momentarily. Here’s a handful. Feel free to add your own.

1. Bands applied too tightly or too sloppily. Having to struggle to break the glue bond and remove the band, only to have it tear the wrapper, is inexcusable. It makes me wonder about all that loving care cigar makers talk about when they don’t pay enough attention to this critical element.

2. Catalogs with different prices for the same cigars. Usually, you’ll spot this with five-packs. They’ll be listed at one price in the advertisement that features the cigar and then listed with another, frequently lower, price in a section promoting five-packs. Is this simply slipshod work or deliberate deception?

3. Retailers who charge $4 or $5 for empty boxes. Let’s get real. With few exceptions, most cigar boxes are cheaply made and assembled. I think that’s good. They protect the cigars during shipment and on the shelves without adding significantly to the price. And selling them is surely better than throwing them away. But shouldn’t the price be close to the value?

4. Shoppers who buy online based solely on price and then complain about service. How do you think they can sell at those prices? Skimping—or virtually ignoring—some things is one of the ways they save money. Service is likely to be high on the hit list. So, don’t be surprised if you have trouble getting emails answered or telephone calls returned.

–George E

photo credit: econedlink

Among the young boutiques that are trying to carve out a niche is Marco V, “the cigar industry’s newest premium cigar brand.” With a lineup that is restricted to vitolas with at least a 60 ring gauge, this unique and affordable manufacturer is positioning itself to become a favorite of lovers of thick smokes.

I’m told this distinctive strategy is more than just a marketing gimmick. Company president Marc Keiser told us in a letter that he designed the vitolas to “exhibit the excellence of the Marco V filler blend.” In the case of the Platinum Label, that blend includes Nicaraguan viso ligero and Dominican piloto cubano and de olor tobacco.

The V. Gigante (5 x 60) has a look similar to the Robusto from Isla de Cuba’s Aged Maduro blend—although it’s much softer to the touch. I wasn’t surprised when the reddish Brazilian arapiraca wrapper leaf cut to reveal a clear draw with a hint of sweetness on the lips. I was, however, caught off-guard by the incredibly potent pre-light notes of dry cocoa.

After taking great care to ensure the foot was lit completely, I was greeted with a hearty taste of black coffee, leather, and a bit of pepper. Each easy puff produced a surplus of smoke, and the cigar continues to chug along like a smokestack when left to rest in the ashtray.

The overall flavor, which is thoroughly consistent from light to nub, is best described as full-bodied but not strong. And it’s worth noting that the typical arapiraca taste of cocoa and chocolate is hardly noticeable; that’s probably a result of the V. Gigante’s high ratio of filler to wrapper tobacco.

Construction is good for a stogie that sells online for $88 per box of 20 or $20 per 5-pack. The large burn diameter only requires a touch-up or two and the ash, although a tad flakey, holds firm for an inch and a half. The handful of V. Gigantes that I smoked were all unwavering in these qualities. This is, perhaps, a testament to Marco V’s commitment to “batch system” operation—controlling the whole supply chain of each limited production cigar to ensure top quality.

All things considered, I give Marc Keiser credit for creating this reasonably priced, high-quality cigar. While the Platinum Label V. Gigante doesn’t have tremendous balance or nuance, it does offer a warm, savory flavor that seems to last for days. That’s why it earns a solid rating of 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 take on a single cigar.

My initial reaction to this un-banded, un-cellophaned stick was to wonder if it really was an LFD. Smooth and medium strength at most, despite owner Litto Gomez’s comment to Cigar Insider that it reflects “more of a full body.” I’m not complaining. I like this spicy, sweet, and elegantly complex six and a half inch cigar. At about $7 it’s reasonably priced, though it can be hard to find since production is rather limited.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

This six inch by 54 ring gauge torpedo is a product of the Tesa Cigar Co., a Chicago-based boutique that harvests tobacco from the fertile fields of Estelí. It features top-notch combustion qualities and a pleasantly mild taste of creamy cashew and toasty clove. Those attributes make the Connecticut shade-wrapped Series Finos F500 a wonderful morning or mid-afternoon smoke. And even if you’re a bit reluctant to pay $7.55 for a mild, relatively unknown cigar, you can take comfort in the fact that Tesa gives 10% of its profits to benefit the housing, education, and sustenance of the Nicaraguan people.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys