The Stogie Guys

Today Cigar Rights of America launches a four-day, five-city whirlwind “Freedom Tour” in Chicago. The event will be followed by tour stops in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and New York before a final gathering in Orlando on Friday. The list of cigar makers attending the events reads like your dream humidor: Toraño, Ozgener, Rocky Patel, Padilla, Padrón, Avo, Drew, Oliva, Fuente…you get the idea.

In late May we first got word of the formation of Cigar Rights of America (CRA), a new organization whose stated goals are “to fight unjustified tax increases and halt smoking bans.” The organization’s logo (which looks like a silhouette of George Washington holding a cigar) and rhetoric hearken back to America’s founding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The website announces:

“On a daily basis, your freedom to enjoy a cigar is being stripped away by an overzealous, anti-smoking movement. Their tactics are varied; be it through supporting onerous cigar taxes or lobbying government for restrictive smoking bans. The anti-smoking movement will stop at nothing short of the complete prohibition of tobacco.”

I recently spoke with Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of the three Corona Cigar Company locations, who described the details, goals, and challenges of the new organization, which aims to be the consumers’ voice against cigar taxes, bans, and other regulations.

Legally the CRA is a 501(c)(4), which means it is a grassroots membership organization that can advocate for or against legislation but cannot accept tax-deductible donations. Examples of other 501(c)(4) organizations include The National Rifle Association, MoveOn.org, and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

Borysiewicz describes some “friction” from other industry groups, particularly the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association, but he thinks they now see the value of a new organization that focuses exclusively on representing cigar smokers, as opposed to retailers or cigar manufacturers. He envisions the CRA, the IPCPR, and the CAA (Cigar Association of America) as an Army, Air Force, and Navy ready to defend the rights of cigar smokers against harmful taxes and regulations.

While the CRA is currently dependent on industry sources for funding, the idea is for it to be completely self-sufficient within a few years. The aim of the “Freedom Tour” is to recruit 4,000 members. Within a year or two, Borysiewicz says the goal is a hundred thousand members or more—all fully activated and involved in fighting for their rights.

For details on the CRA “Freedom Tour” visit CigarRights.org.

–Patrick S

photo credit: CRA

You won’t find a ton of information on the web about this blend that debuted at the IPCPR Trade Show in July, but here’s the bottom line: The Arganese ML3 makes for a tasty, slow-burning alternative to other fuller-bodied blends that command a much higher price.

Now don’t expect to find the complexity and balance that you would in a super-premium like the Opus X; with a price around $5 per 5 inch by 50 ring gauge Robusto, such a feat would be astounding. But if you’re into sticks with a kick, this needs to be on your short list of cigars to try.

That kick is the result of an all-ligero tobacco blend. Ligero leaves are situated atop tobacco plants, and their unrestrained exposure to sunlight gives them a strong taste and an unhurried burn. ML3, after all, stands for “maduro ligero times three”—an homage to its Brazilian maduro ligero wrapper and Dominican ligero binder and filler tobaccos. Arganese also came out with a CL3 blend in July (corojo ligero), and company head Gene Arganese calls both “cigars to the third power.”

The ML3 Robusto boasts few veins, smooth seams, and a firm stature. The flashy band is a departure from more traditional, family-crested Arganese smokes, and the rich aroma and dark appearance sets the stage for the experience that’s to come.

I smoked two ML3 Robustos for this review and was impressed with both from the start. The initial taste is thick with notes of dark chocolate and black coffee. The flavor mellows to nut, birch, and cream after the first inch, only to hit its zenith of bitter espresso and peppercorn in the last half of the 90-minute smoke.

While 90 minutes is a long time to smoke a classically sized robusto, that’s what you get with ligero tobacco. And, since ML3 is made by Arganese—a manufacturer I’ve come to appreciate for its consistency in construction—you also get an even burn, a clear draw, and a pretty solid ash.

All told, if you’re a fan of bold cigars, I’d recommend picking up a stash of these to have on hand (about $98 per box of 20). The price is right, the flavor full and interesting, and the physical properties solid. That’s why I give the new Arganese ML3 Robusto four 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.

With a Brazilian wrapper that’s grown in the shade instead of the sun, this blend doesn’t capture the chocolaty flavors I’ve come to expect from mata fina tobacco. The Green Label’s toasty sweetness, however, makes the 5.5 inch, 44 ring gauge Corona tantalizing in its own right. The strength charts somewhere between the mild White Label and the mighty Brown Label, and the construction is nothing short of superb. I think you’ll find this cigar well worth the $33 per bundle of 25 price tag.

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.

I picked up this rustic looking torpedo at the Morton’s/PG dinner I attended in July. Like most PG cigars I’ve sampled, I found impressive depth and complexity. Along with a warm tobacco flavor, there’s subtle fruit undertones (like a smooth Red Burgundy wine) and plenty of earth. Combined this flawless construction, and I can heartily recommend this cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: 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 snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Cigar Rights of America kicks off its “Freedom Tour” on Tuesday in New York City. The national membership drive will also sweep into Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Orlando next week to raise awareness of CRA’s mission to combat the influential anti-smoking movement. Cigar celebrities like Rocky Patel, Tim Ozgener, Charlie Toraño, and Jorge Padrόn will be in attendance.

2) Despite a recent setback when a judge refused to temporarily stop enactment Iowa’s state smoking ban, a group of Iowans have formed Choose Freedom Iowa. The grassroots organization is leading the charge to repeal the ban that went into effect on July 1.

3) Around the Blogs: Her Humidor reviews the Arganese Double Wrap Churchill. Cigar Monkey lights up a Alec Bradley Tempus. Stogie Review smokes the VigilantE by Rocky Patel. Keepers of the Flame checks out the Reyes Family Premier. Cigar Jack tries the 5 Vegas Miami.

4) Deal of the Week: Here’s a special deal just for you StogieGuys.com readers: Duque Cigar Company is offering 5% off everything.  Just enter the discount code “stogieguys” at checkout. We’d particularly recommend using the code with this deal on the Oliva Serie G or this one on the Don Pepin “Black” Cuban Classic.

– The Stogie Guys

photo credit: CRA

One of the great things about being a cigar smoker these days is the incredible wealth of information available on the Internet. I couldn’t begin to name all the sticks I’ve enjoyed, and the many more I plan to try, because of something I read on a cigar site.

This 5.5 inch, 42-ring gauge corona is a perfect example. It’s a cigar I almost certainly would never have tried if I hadn’t read a review on Keepers of the Flame earlier this year. Now, their reviews are always interesting, nicely written with top-flight research—with this stick, for instance, they point out a couple of fascinating links to Pepin Garcia—and great insight. After reading what they wrote and discovering that Famous offers a box of 20 for $49.99, free shipping, and a nine-stick house brand sampler thrown in for good measure, I was hooked.

These coronas have been in the humidor about three months, and I’ve probably smoked a half dozen. I’ve found them surprisingly consistent in both taste and performance. Keepers recommends aging and, though I’ve seen no impact from the short period I’ve had them, it seems the blend might benefit from time.

What you get for $2.50 is a spicy, peppery smoke with some leather and even an occasional taste of nuts. It’s neither terribly complex nor a competitor for Cigar of the Year. But it goes well with coffee and can stand up to a heavy meal. I find it ideal for those occasions when I’m looking for a cigar I can enjoy but know I won’t be able to devote the time and attention a top-flight smoke deserves.

With today’s economy, lots of us are looking for an inexpensive cigar, and I can recommend these. Famous offers five-packs, but by the time you pay shipping, it’s probably a far better bargain to buy a box.

And if you’ve had good luck with other low-priced house brands—from Famous or elsewhere—let us know. It’s another way to help keep the golden age golden. For me, the Famous Nicaraguan Corojo Corona gets three and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Smoking a cigar is pretty simple. Ignite. Draw. Exhale. Of course, there’s quite a bit more that can enhance the experience, from pushing smoke through your nostrils to choosing a complementary drink. Here are a few suggestions you might want to explore if you haven’t already given them a try.

Swirl the smoke. First, I recommend you try this one when you’re alone. Otherwise, you’re liable to look a little silly. Fill your mouth with smoke. Swirl it around, expand and collapse your cheeks, force the smoke into every area of your mouth. Hold on to the smoke longer than usual. Engaging the smoke in this manner will almost certainly reveal new flavors. When I did this recently with a cigar I smoke fairly often I got a heavy taste of nuts that I had barely noticed before.

Concentrate on physical. Really examine the cigar from the moment you decide to smoke it. Note everything you can about the wrapper, from veins and color variations to how well it’s twisted and applied. Check the cap. Look at the foot and see if you can tell how the filler leaves were prepared (rolled or folded), whether there’s adequate space for the burn, and varied hues that indicate different tobaccos. As the cigar burns, pay attention to the cone and the ash. A well-rolled cigar is truly something to behold. Concentrating on the aesthetics will increase your appreciation for the extraordinary craft involved in bringing cigars to market.

Look for certain flavors. Read several reviews of a cigar you haven’t smoked and note specifics about flavors the writer encountered. You might want to look for a cigar with a flavor profile unlike those you routinely smoke. Keep your notes handy as you smoke and stay alert for those flavors. You may find them or you may not. But by heightening your awareness at the start you’ll almost certainly get a deeper taste experience.

Try three. Choose a cigar you enjoy and smoke it the next three times you have one. Look for similarities and differences in each one, whether physical or in the taste. Again, this heightens appreciation for the individual nature of hand-rolled cigars and, frankly, the amazing ability to achieve significant consistency in quality sticks. You can also learn by smoking different sizes of the same cigar in succession.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr