The 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. The following is a Guest Quick Smoke, submitted by a StogieGuys.com reader. If you’d like to submit your own for publication, please contact us.

I paid $25 and change for a box of 10 of these large (6.25 x 54) Hondurans from JR, and it was well worth it. The reddish-brown wrapper is similar to the Partagas Spanish Rosado Familia but better. Very complex, full flavors of leather, spice, and pepper. This is my all-time favorite cigar, especially after a Mexican dinner. Once you smoke one of these you will never find a better value.

Verdict = Buy.

-Submitted by Brian Weseman of Olean, NY

Just as we have the past two years, today we take a look back at the highlights from the last 365 days of cigar coverage. Our regular Friday Sampler will return next week. Here are some highlights from the third year of StogieGuys.com:

-On January 3 Patrick A enjoyed the CAO America.

-On January 10 Patrick S interviewed Robert Spoden of Bucanero Cigars.

-On January 17 Patrick A tried the new Zippo Blu lighter.

-On January 23 George E gave a Tatuaje Havana VI a five-stogie rating.

-On January 31 George E took a look at which rare smokes get a five-stogie rating.

-On February 20 we asked if it was time to re-evaluate the Cuban embargo.

-On February 25 Patrick S gave the Cuban Cohiba Siglo VI five stogies.

-On February 27 we spoke with Don Giolito of Illusione cigars.

-On March 3 we named three Gold Star Smokes.

-On March 5 Patrick A interviewed Tim Ozgener of CAO Cigars.

-On March 10 we recapped the DC Stogie Guys Smoke Out.

-On March 20 Patrick A and George E reviewed the Fuente Double Chateau Sun Grown.

-On March 25 Patrick A reviewed the EO 601 “Blue” Maduro.

-On April 1 a Dutch Master earned a perfect 5 coutesy of April Fools Day.

-On April 7 Patrick A gave the Cuban Cohiba Pyramide 2006 EL four stogies.

-On April 15 Jon N gave tips on enjoying cigars during a recession.

-On April 28 George E gave the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu No. 1 five stogies.

-On May 5 George E interviewed Darryl Isler of Isla de Cuba Cigar.

-On May 12 Patrick S smoked the Fuente Anejo Shark.

-On May 28 Patrick A gave the Fuente Opus X four stogies.

-On June 4 Patrick A reviewed the famous Cuban Montecristo No. 2.

-On June 17 George E said, with cigars, quitting is the difference.

-On June 30 the Cuban Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill earned a 5-stogie rating.

-On July 3 George E implored us not to forget our local B&Ms.

-On July 15 Patrick S and Jon N concluded their IPCPR Trade Show coverage.

-On July 21 Jon N wrote in defense of mild cigars.

-On July 22 George E gave the Tatuaje Black a rating of five stogies.

-On July 24 we paired up the winning combination of Morton’s steak and PG cigars.

-On August 6 Patrick S tried the Johnnie Walker Gold Label.

-On August 13 George E gave three tips for enhancing your smoking experience.

-On August 27 Patrick A asked, “Is the Cuban cigar hype justified?”

-On September 2 Patrick S looked at cigar/golf gadgets.

-On September 17 George E gave the Cubao No. 6 four and 1/2 stogies.

-On September 24 we listed 9 reasons to buy more cigars.

-On September 29 Patrick A gave the Cuban Bolivar Royal Corona a 5-stogie rating.

-On October 6 Patrick A wrote don’t overlook boutique cigars.

-On October 21 Patrick S interviewed Eddie Ortega of EO Cigars.

-On October 27 we looked at the presidential candidates’ stances on cigar issues.

-On October 29 we editorialized and urged our readers to “vote for cigar rights.”

-On November 4 Patrick S reviewed the new Cohiba Puro Dominicana.

-On November 5 Patrick A recommended Jameson Irish whiskey.

-On November 17 Patrick S gave the Arganese Edición Especial our highest rating.

-On November 18 George E wrote that older cigars aren’t always better.

-On December 1 we published a video interview with Kevork and Paul Garmirian.

-On December 4 Patrick A sampled the Jameson Gold Reserve Irish whiskey.

-On December 8 Patrick S reviewed the Davidoff Maduro R.

-On December 9 George E  wondered about pipes and green wrappers.

-On December 29 we offered up three more Gold Star Smokes.

-On December 30 Patrick S evaluated the influence of Cigar Aficionado.

As you can see, once again we’ve had quite a year. Be sure to keep reading in 2009 for more informative and entertaining articles from the world of cigars. And if there’s something you’d like to see us cover, please let us know.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Not long ago I heard a radio interview with famous wine critic Robert Parker. Parker’s influence is so great that wines rated above 90 in his Wine Advocate, and particularly above 95, can increase in value many times because of the rating. According to one Bordeaux shipper, “The difference between a score of 85 and 95 [for one wine] was 6 to 7 million Euros” and a “bottle rated 100 can multiply its price fourfold.”

Because of this extraordinary influence many people have bemoaned what is called the “Parkerization” of wine. Some winemakers, including in the famous Bordeaux region of France, reportedly blend wines to Parker’s palate—which is described as favoring robust, fruit-forward wines. The huge influence wielded by Parker has resulted in stories of him being offered sexual favors of the daughters of two chateau owners, and also being attacked by a winemaker’s dog in response to a poor rating.

With such a singular palate exerting such influence over the wine industry, one can’t help but wonder might there exist a similar “Parkerization” of the cigar industry?

If there is, surely the source of such influence is Cigar Aficionado. By far the most widely read cigar magazine, CA is widely cited as one of the driving forces for the cigar boom of the 1990s that brought premium cigars back into popular culture and drastically increased the number of smokers.

One well-respected industry source told me that he thinks that some cigar makers actually design cigars with the preferences of Cigar Aficionado’s tasters in mind. And there is no doubt an extremely high rating in CA can drastically increase the demand of a cigar. One retailer told me the 95 rating for the Rocky Patel Decade earlier this year led to a serious shortage of the cigar, as consumers scooped up the highly-rated smoke.

But such influence isn’t necessarily bad if it accurately reflects the good and the bad. The problem is that cigars are so subjective. One must wonder if a tasting panel of a handful of people can rate cigars without their personal biases effecting the rating. My own take is that CA seems to place too much value on bold, forward flavors while discounting the subtlety that I believe differentiates the best cigars.

This subjective nature of rating cigars means that it is unwise for someone attribute much to the difference between an 88 and a 90-rated cigar. And quite frankly I’d feel sorry for the person who only smoked 93 and up rated cigars as determined by CA, as they would be missing out on so many fantastic smokes.

So whether reading our reviews, Cigar Aficionado‘s, or any other publication’s ratings, it is important to use the ratings only as guideposts—not gospel. Identifying a truly poor cigar isn’t all that hard, but separating the good from the exceptional is not nearly as easy and is far more subjective. We try and deal with that here at StogieGuys.com by giving not just a cigar’s name, a sentence or two, and a numerical rating, but by providing the depth that gives an insight into our thinking about the cigar we’re reviewing. (We also attribute every review to a specific writer so, over time, you might learn how a particular reviewer’s palate and tastes corresponds to your own.)

Ultimately, there’s a reason we have a saying around Stogie Guys: “The best cigar is the one you like best.” And to find the cigars you like the best, there’s no substitute for educating yourself about cigars, being willing to try new smokes, and learning not only what you like, but why. Cigar Aficionado may be a piece of that puzzle; making that publication the only piece, however, does the true cigar aficionado a disservice.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Cigar Aficionado

It’s been over nine months since the StogieGuys.com team published a new list of Gold Star Smokes. As you might recall, this special designation celebrates cigars that we feel are worthy of strong recommendations. They don’t necessarily have to be five stogie-rated—just commendable smokes we turn to time and again.

In our previous two Gold Star Smokes articles, we’ve highlighted cigars like the Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Torpedo, El Rey Del Mundo Robisto Larga, Punch Champion, EO 601 Serie “Green” La Fuerza, Montecristo Petit Edmundo, and the Cuban Crafters Cameroon Robusto. Today we select three more.

Co-Founder & Editor in Chief Patrick A

The Blend 376 Robusto Extra from boutique manufacturer Isla de Cuba is a stunning cigar with an uncanny resemblance to an upscale Padrón. This box-pressed beauty features a full-flavored yet smooth taste of nuts, leather, and coffee and impressive construction. Don’t think twice about picking up this blend of Mexican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan tobaccos for about $7 apiece.

Co-Founder & Publisher Patrick S

Fuente makes some great smokes, including some exceptionally rare ones. My favorite, though, is the King B. This well-proportioned, cedar-wrapped torpedo is the best from Fuente’s impressive, under-appreciated Sun Grown line. With equal parts cedar, sweetness, and spice, it is both full-flavored and exquisitely balanced. And for around $6 each it punches well above its weight class.

Tampa Bureau Chief George E

With a line that seems to encompass an endless array of vitolas, La Gloria Cubana’s Medaille d’Or No. 1 Maduro isn’t the easiest to find. But it’s worth the search. A long, thin cigar, it produces an array of flavors including earth, leather, and coffee. They’re also very reasonably priced; a box of 25 can be found for less than $70.

–The Stogie Guys

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.

I recently had occasion to light up this beauty and was once again stunned by what a magnificently flavorful and balanced cigar this  Cuban is. Its shiny wrapper hides a medium-bodied smoke with coffee, honeycomb, and cedar notes. And like my other experiences with the Short Churchill, the construction was impeccable. Anyway, you probably see where this is going; after all, there is a reason this is one of my all-time favorite cigars.

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 take on a single cigar.

This assertive Toro had a highly ornate double band wrapped around an oily greenish-brown wrapper. The 6 inch by 52 ring gauge smoke had a predominant flavor of coffee bean and earth with an oaky finish. Unfortunately, it also had a consistent and unpleasant bitterness. Combined with a burn that was uneven and a draw that was a bit too firm, I’m afraid this smoke didn’t make a good first impression with me.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick S

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 snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) A cigar wholesaler, several retailers, and a cigar enthusiast are challenging the tobacco ban recently passed in Prince George’s County, Maryland (just outside the District of Columbia). The law bans selling cigars individually and in certain instances even classifies cigars as drug paraphernalia.

2) No surprise to most people, it seems that celebrities like smoking cigars, or at least they like being seen smoking cigars. And from the cigars we can identify from this collection of celebrity stogie pictures, it seems that many enjoy Cuban cigars. The exception being actor Jeremy Piven (right) who appears to be smoking a Padrón 1964 Anniversary.

3) Inside the Industry: Felipe Gregorio has decided to sever ties with Miami Cigar which had signed on to distribute the Dominican company’s cigars only three months ago. The Fuente and Newman families have set the date (July 14-16, 2009) for the 12th Annual Cigar Family Celebration, which features tours of the facilities and of the work done by the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation.

4) Deal of the Week: It’s not too late to take advantage of  these Christmas Specials from Cuban Crafters. Most of our favorites, including J.L. Salazar, La Carolina, Miami Medina, and the CC Cameroon, are on sale. One particularly good deal has a box of the 4.5 stogie-rated Don Kiki Brown Labels available for just $29.99 (down from $90). Get them all here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: TMZ