The Stogie Guys

[BREAKING NEWS: According to Cigar Rights of America, the SCHIP tax increase will be higher than originally reported. Read the press release here for details.]

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) For better or worse, Tuesday marked a new era as Obama was sworn in as America’s 44th president. Not a brother of the leaf himself (though he occaisonally smokes cigarettes), he occupies a position once held by many cigar enthusiasts. According to this list, 18 former U.S. presidents have routinely enjoyed cigars, from Adams and Madison to JFK and (cough) Clinton.

2) Some policymakers in Denver are moving to ease Colorado’s smoking ban. Responding to pleas from bar and casino owners who cite “massive losses of business since the ban was enacted,” the new measure would expand ban exemptions and remove a stipulation that prevents the opening of new cigar bars.

3) Inside the Industry: To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Miami Cigar and Company—distributor of brands such as La Aurora, 601, Don Lino, and Cubao—is planning an eight-month tour of in-store events. CAO will expand the distribution of the LX2 Lancero in March.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews a CI Legends Orange. Keepers of the Flame lights up an Alec Bradley Tempus Genesis. Stogie Info smokes an Illusione 88. Cigar Inspector checks out a Partagas Shorts.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Stellar Toro Sampler” features ten top toros for $39.99 (free shipping on the entire order). Included are cigars by Don Pepin Garcia, Perdomo, Rocky Patel, Partagas, Gran Habano, Toraño, and La Aroma de Cuba. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

From smoking “dawgs” to R&B music, the unique Zino Platinum website makes clear its cigars are for “fashionable and entertainment-driven smokers who are stylishly aware of their heritage and ethnicity.” Famous even uses the word “phat” to describe this Davidoff offshoot’s unique shapes and sizes.

If I focused solely on advertising, I’d quickly conclude that Platinum cigars aren’t for me. Let’s just say I’m not exactly hip or urban. I’m more interested, however, in how these sticks smoke than to whom they are marketed.

So, scrolling past all the graphics and fluff on the website, I was able to determine that the Scepter blend is composed of a one-year-old Ecuadorian wrapper, a four-year-old Connecticut binder, and filler tobaccos from Peru and the Dominican Republic. The other Platinum line, the heartier Crown Series, is made up of ligero tobacco.

I smoked two Scepter Pudges for this review. Stubby with a few soft spots, this four inch by 50 ring gauge cigar is vein-free (yet moderately wrinkled) with a light and sweet prelight fragrance.

After toasting the foot, I found the first few puffs to be hollow, uninviting, and chemically. The taste quickly takes a turn for the better, though, exhibiting mild flavors of creamy butter and sweet hay.

The smoke, which only lasts for about 35 minutes, is at its best in the middle when undertones of spice creep in to provide a salty dynamic. Balance is the name of the game. All of the tastes add up to produce a gentle, soothing aroma that reminds me of the smell of fresh sawdust.

Anytime you have more ash than un-smoked tobacco left on a cigar, you’re likely enjoying supreme construction. Such is the case here. The burn is as straight as possible with a dark, thick mascara. The ash is concrete and finely layered. And each effortless draw yields plenty of smoke.

All told, despite the funky marketing, this is a nice little morning smoke. But as my colleague pointed out in a Quick Smoke, I don’t think the Zino Platinum Scepter Pudge deserves its lofty $7 price tag. It does deserve three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It wasn’t until I picked up one of these dark, oily sticks that I realized how long it had been since I smoked a maduro. A few years ago, it seemed at least two of every three cigars I lit were maduros.

Maybe all those spicy Pepins and mellow Cameroons I’ve been enjoying have just crowded out most of the rest of the field. If so, I need to reconsider. This maduro reminded me how good they can be.

At five inches and a fat 52 ring gauge, the thick wrapper and a mix of Nicaraguan fillers creates a complex, satisfying smoke. At first, there’s a bit of pepper, but that tends to fade fairly soon, setting up the palate for the taste array to follow. You’ll notice the cocoa and coffee common to maduros, and you’ll also find some wood, leather and nuts. Back in 2007, a guest reviewer did a Quick Smoke on the Toro and was equally enthusiastic, rating it a “Buy.”

I’ve found construction on all the Robustos I’ve smoked to be excellent: good draw, fine burn, lots of smoke, and an extremely tight ash. Another plus is the price, as low as under $4 per stick for a box of 20. About the only complaints I had with the cigar were that the finish can be a bit dry and the two huge bands are overkill.

On the other hand, I did find the Perdomo website less than useful. It’s set up to provide information in PDF files, and every one I downloaded was blank. Maybe that has something to do with my system (a Mac), or maybe it was a temporary glitch. Whatever the reason, it was annoying not to be able to get authoritative information about the cigar easily from Perdomo.

Then again, it’s cigars we smoke, not bits and bytes. And for that the Perdomo Habano Maduro Robusto deserves four stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. Cigars for this review were provided by Cigars Direct. You can purchase Perdomo cigars from Cigars Direct here.]

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Coffee is a favorite beverage of mine to pair with a fine cigar, as is a good flavorful beer. With that in mind I was excited to try the Pipeline Porter, a limited release from the Hawaii-based Kona Brewing Company. As soon as I saw it I quickly scooped up a six-pack for $8.

I’ve previously tried Kona’s flagship beer, the Longboard Lager, a crisp refreshing lager that sometimes makes an appearance at my local grocery store but doesn’t quite have the intensity of flavor to hold up to most cigars. A deep coffee-flavored porter, however, seemed just the ticket for a cigar pairing.

And Kona isn’t kidding when they highlight the Kona coffee that goes into this American-style porter. Apparently the coffee beans are mixed in with the malt during the brewing process, and the result is a beer that has the aroma of sweet Cuban coffee.

On the palate, the Pipeline Porter has classic malty flavors with a roasted taste and a touch of chocolate. Two notable characteristics are a low level of carbonation and a short, crisp finish that quickly melts away. The beer isn’t as thick or heavy as many other porters.

And yes, the Pipeline Porter goes well with a fine cigar. Surprisingly for a beer, I found it pairs quite well with full-bodied smokes. The Alec Bradley Tempus was a winner, as was the EO 601 Green. In fact, most medium- to full-flavored cigars are bound to pair well with Pipeline, provided you like the beer.

And that’s the only caveat. Ultimately, this isn’t a beer for everyone. Porters are an acquired taste (or at least one that not everyone shares), and a porter made with coffee isn’t likely to be a universal hit. However, if you’re like me and enjoy coffee and interesting, flavor-filled beer, the Kona Brewing Company’s Pipeline Porter is definitely worth a try.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

After the introduction of the Jameson Cigar Co. last March, and bolstered by a generous web offer of two sticks and a T-shirt for the cost of postage, it seemed like the entire online cigar community was writing about the new cigar outfit. So Jameson’s strategy had worked. The only problem, however, were the mixed reviews of the company’s original blend.

As Jameson President Brad Mayo told me via email, that Sumatra-wrapped line, now called the Red Label, was re-blended “due to several factors, including changes at the factory and problems with the wrapper. It now consists of an all Dominican filler, Honduran binder, and Ecuadorian wrapper.”

While StogieGuys.com has yet to try Jameson’s new Red, today I set my sights on the Black Label, a “rich, complex cigar that delivers bold flavors.” It boats a Brazilian ariparaca leaf that’s dark, textured, and unrefined. Such traits are characteristic of tobacco from South America’s largest nation, including mata fina, one of my all-time favorites.

The five inch by 44 ring gauge Corona sports a reddish hue and dimensions that are perfect for outdoor smoking during the winter months. The three I smoked for this review averaged about 40 minutes from light to nub.

Well-received by cigar website reviewers, the Black Label starts with a rich taste of black coffee and leather. The voluminous smoke that pours from the clear draw has none of the sweet cocoa flavors that I’ve come to expect from mata fina. Instead, this hearty cigar is intense, especially following the addition of peppercorn after the first inch.

From a straight burn that requires no touch-ups to a firm and sandy ash, I also noted excellent physical properties. This is the sort of stick you can light up and simply enjoy without the worry of maintenance.

To heighten that enjoyment, let me recommend you spark this Corona with a sweet, powerful drink. The taste of El Dorado 12 Year Old pairs well because the sugary rum helps offset this cigar’s spice and bitter notes.

Laying down $5 for a Black Label Corona is a good bargain, particularly if you let these young cigars rest awhile. I have a feeling age will improve their balance. For now, with or without the free T-shirt, this tiny powerhouse 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 take on a single cigar.

This caramel-brown Connecticut shade Robusto (5 x 52) was even better yesterday than when we reviewed it almost one year ago. Eleven months of humidor time seems to have improved the burn and married the creamy tastes of marshmallow, chocolate, spice, and graham into one balanced flavor. If you haven’t tried this 2007 release yet, pick up a few and employ your self-control to let them settle—the wait will be worth it.

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 take on a single cigar.

If you’re a fan of mild smokes like the Dominican Montecristo, I suggest you give Crème de Jamaica a try. Made in the Dominican by General and sold by Famous, the solid Connecticut-wrapped blend is enhanced by a free shipping box price as low as $3.12 per stick. This 5 and ¾ inch by 42 ring gauge cigar isn’t overly complex, but the smoke is thick, the burn straight, and the construction adequate.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E