The Stogie Guys

The H. Upmann brand got its start when, in the mid-nineteenth century, a German banker named Herman Upmann moved to Cuba to try his hand at cigar making. Today the brand is among the oldest in the industry with a dozen regular production vitolas and two limited edition releases.

The first limited edition, the Magnum 50, came out in 2005. It was a double robusto-sized smoke that received excellent ratings in the mainstream cigar media. Cigar Aficionado, for example, awarded it a 90 and named it a Top 25 cigar of the year. The magazine’s editors praised the cigar’s “powerful, almost raw smoke” and said they’d “like to see this as a regular vitola in the Cuban stable.”

In 2008 they got their wish. That’s when Habanos SA, Cuba’s state-owned tobacco monopoly, released a regular production Magnum 50 at the Habanos Festival—an annual showcase of Cuban distributors and products. Like its predecessor, the newer Magnum 50 is handmade with Vuelta Abajo tobaccos and sold in the double robusto format (6.3 x 50).

The cigar features several large veins, double bands, and a reddish, rustic wrapper with an assortment of large bumps. The pre-light aroma is of faint graham cracker.

After clipping the Magnum 50, taking note of its firm draw, and toasting the foot, I find a flavor of woodsy spice and syrup. Nice but a far cry from exceptional or unique. With a short finish of charred meat, the overall effect is dry and on the lighter side of medium-bodied.

Moving into the second third, as the draw opens, a black pepper spice emerges. Here the cigar develops much more complexity. Notes of honey, coffee, cedar, and leather add depth. Graham cracker spice is the predominant flavor in the final inches, the tastiest segment of the smoke.

While many Cubans have fallen victim to poor combustion qualities in recent years, the Magnum 50 smokes like a champ. All three of the samples I examined for this review exhibited straight, maintenance-free burns and stable ashes. I wouldn’t accept anything less from a cigar that retails for $11 to $15.

The Magnum 50 is a smart buy at the lower end of that spectrum, especially given its potential to improve with age. For now, given its enjoyable transitions and depth-building profile, this cigar is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When it comes to spirits, the “angel’s share” is the portion that evaporates over time, escapes the barrel, and ascends to the heavens. The new Angel’s Envy bourbon sets out to create a finished bourbon that makes those angels envious.

The Angel’s Envy project may be new, but Lincoln Henderson, the man behind it, certainly isn’t a bourbon novice. Before founding the Louisville Distilling Company, Henderson was in charge of operations at the Woodford Reserve and Old Forrester.

His first solo offering is Angel’s Envy 10/10, an aged, small-batch bourbon that’s finished in port casks. Named for the October 2010 release date, Henderson is planning future versions that will use different barrels for finishing.

Currently, Angel’s Envy is available in just a few states. But I was able to secure a sample of the unique bottle ($45 at retail). The sample I tasted has a light bronze color and was bottled at 86.8 proof.

The nose boasts a port barrel finish along with sweet toffee. As for taste, I find cream, nut, apricot, pine, and oak. The bourbon coats the palate and leaves your lips with a tingle of red pepper spice. The long finish starts out with honey and ends with a reminder of the port barrels.

All in all, based on the sample I tasted, this is an interesting and welcome addition to the already numerous fine bourbons being produced. It deserves to be tasted neat and pairs well with a good cigar.

As for that cigar, I found the spice of a Honduran or Nicaraguan smoke to be an excellent accompaniment, as the Angel’s Envy certainly has the structure to stand up to a full-bodied smoke. Recommended smokes include the Room 101 Conjura, Tatuaje Unicos, and San Lotano Habano. For those more Cuban-inclined, I’d go with the Ramón Allones Specially Selected or Bolivar Royal Corona.

I don’t claim to know what angels drink, and I’m certainly no angel myself. But I do know that I certainly wouldn’t turn down a glass of Angel’s Envy with a fine cigar, and I’m very much looking forward to the next Angel’s Envy “expression.”

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Luca del Toro is the newest release from Los Nietos Cigars, which is owned and operated by Ron Andrews. Los Nietos Cigars are only available online and at Andrews’ cigar store in Punta Gorda, Florida.

The Luca del Toro blend is made for Los Nietos by George Rico of Gran Habano Cigars. The Toro Grande (6 x 54) features a milk chocolate-colored Nicaraguan habano hybrid wrapper and Honduran filler and binder tobaccos. Construction appears to be excellent with no soft spots and very few veins.

Pre-light, the cigar gives off a woody, slightly sweet aroma with just a hint of spice at the end. The initial puff yields a complex sweetness and good amount of spice. After about half an inch the spice fades and is barely noticeable, but the sweetness remains.

The ash is dark gray and very sturdy with a thin burn line. The cigar gives off a good amount of smoke that yields sweetness reminiscent of brioche and caramelized sugar. There is also a woody flavor that reminds me of pine bark and sourness like relish.

Overall, the Luca del Toro is an incredibly complex and impeccably balanced cigar. The flavor profile doesn’t really change and the balance makes it difficult to isolate single flavors. The complexity, however, more than makes up for the lack of transitions. Only towards the very end did my interest  start to wane.

The Luca del Toro is a bargain at $6.50 per cigar, and an excellent way to spend a couple of hours. One of the most complex and balanced cigars that I have smoked in recent memory, the Toro Grande earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

At 80 East 7th Street, in Manhattan’s trendy East Village, you’ll find the Velvet Cigar Lounge, a self-described “comfortable, welcoming place to relax, unwind, and share a story.” It’s also a place to find a house brand called Velvet Cigars.

Launched four years ago, the brand has sold over 50,000 cigars online and in the Lounge. Each blend within the brand—including Tompkins, Astor, and Cooper—is named for locations in the East Village.

Released in September, the Bowery “is named after the New York City thoroughfare of the same name, just a few short blocks from the Velvet Cigar Lounge,” according to a press release. “Once considered New York’s Skid Row, the Bowery has gone through an incredible transformation, becoming a center for culture and nightlife.”

“For our newest release, we wanted to offer something very different and spent ten months on the development of the blend and manufacturing of the cigar,” said Dan Bsharat, managing partner of Velvet Cigars. Dan and his colleagues came up a recipe of four-year-old Nicaraguan and Honduran filler tobaccos beneath a dark Ecuadorian wrapper.

The Bowery is offered in four box-pressed vitolas: Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6.5 x 52), Torpedo (6 x 52), and Churchill (7 x 52). Boxes of 20 retail for $195 to $230.

The Robusto is a smooth, oily specimen with a soft box press and a slightly spongy feel. It boasts a pre-light aroma of sweet chocolate and a clear cold draw that imparts spice to the lips.

Once lit, powerful notes of dry wood, black cherry, and powdery cocoa emerge. The smoke is voluminous and chalky—the sort of texture that pairs well with coffee, or cabernet sauvignon. Spice is evident in the aftertaste.

Moving into the second third, the profile transitions from medium to full as a bold taste of leather takes the forefront. A nicotine kick surfaces. This segment of the Robusto has undeniable heft, requiring patience between puffs to keep the foot from overheating and becoming harsh.

As it progresses with a near-perfect burn, this cigar rewards patience and punishes eagerness. A delightful flavor of caramelized walnut is only apparent when smoked slowly. Conversely, if smoked too quickly, the taste gets stale.

That makes this a nice cigar if you can give it the time it deserves. After smoking three samples for this review, the Bowery Robusto, which retails a bit out of its league at just under $10, is worthy 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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

These days some seem to have forgotten about the original La Traviata, predecessor to the recently introduced La Traviata Maduro. But this 2009 release has a lot to offer—and it seems to be getting better with age. The Divino (5 x 50) now has a little less pepper than I remember and more pronounced notes of sweet cedar, cream, and roasted nuts. That makes it any easy recommendation, especially with the cigar’s superb construction and $5 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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

One of Dion Giolito’s most recent projects is Singulare. Singulare is a limited edition line that will feature a new blend and size every year. This year’s cigar, the Phantom (6 x 50), is a Nicaraguan puro. The Phantom is on the lighter side of medium-bodied and produces a thick, creamy smoke. The cigar changes frequently, offering up a varying mixture of caramel, cedar, wheat, honey, and some floral notes with a slight spice. Retailing for between $10 and $12 apiece, the Phantom is an excellent smoke and well worth the investment.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

StogieGuys.com will be taking tomorrow and Friday off to enjoy that most American of holidays: Thanksgiving.  (We’ll return Saturday with your regularly scheduled Quick Smoke.) Known for food, family, friends, and football, Thanksgiving is a perfect time to enjoy a fine smoke. So as we did the previous three years, today we’re listing the one cigar we’ll each fire up after the big meal.

Patrick A: This year I’m picking the J. Fuego 777 Corojo Robusto, a Brazilian-wrapped smoke with a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. I’m betting its balanced notes of dry wood, pepper, citrus, and cream will pair well with a post-meal cup of coffee and a slice of pumpkin pie. Consistently well-constructed, this cigar won’t let me down on my favorite holiday.

Patrick S: I’ll be visiting family, which means I plan on lighting up a smaller cigar since I’ll be outside in the chilly northeast air. The small Padrón Serie 1926 No. 35 Maduro fits that bill perfectly. Its decadent and rich coffee, earth, and chocolate notes will go perfectly with a cup of coffee, before I head back inside to watch some football and relax.

George E: This year, I’m going to break with tradition and smoke a Cuban, which I’ve had in the humidor for a few months: a Romeo y Julieta Churchill Tubo. It was a gift from a friend who picked it up on a European trip and I’ve been saving it for a special occasion. I think the strength should work well after a big meal, and the size will give me plenty of time to enjoy it on what the weather forecast predicts will be a beautiful day. And, as always, I’ll be thankful for great cigars.

Patrick M: Thanksgiving brings to mind all sorts of comforting thoughts. Time with family, good food, football, and a break from the day-to-day grind. When I think of comfort as it relates to cigars I think of Padrón Anniversary. I never have any construction issues and the balance and complexity are superb. This Thanksgiving after the meal and most of the family has left I plan to sit down and enjoy a Padrón Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro. I think it will be the perfect combination of power to cut through the food, and comfort, to end the day.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr