The Stogie Guys

Though you may not have heard of him, chances are you’ve enjoyed one of A.J. Fernandez’s smokes. The prolific cigar maker has crafted stogies for Rocky Patel, Padilla, Graycliff, and Gurkha, and he’s also made limited distribution lines like 5 Vegas AAA, Man O’ War, Diesel, La Herencia, and Sol Cubano.

Fernandez, who has as much cigar blending talent as anyone his age, has made quite a name for himself in recent years. So it wasn’t completely surprising when he announced just before this year’s industry trade show that he would be producing his first solo nationally distributed cigar. The San Lotano brand originated with Fernandez’s grandfather in San Luis, Cuba, but has not been made in decades.

The brand is being released in three versions: Connecticut, Maduro, and Habano. On the latter, beneath the shiny Brazilian Habano wrapper is a Honduran binder and Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

Each blend is released in four sizes: Churchill (7 x 52), Robusto (5 x 52), Toro (6 x 52), and Torpedo (6.5 x 52). The Toro that was the subject of a Quick Smoke and each of the three Robustos I sampled for this review were notably firm.

The San Lotano features an impressively complex combination of flavors. Warm tobacco, spice, toastiness, cedar, meaty char, and roast coffee are all apparent in the full-bodied blend.

It’s not knock-you-on-your-ass full-bodied, but there’s a lot going on here, including a certain “crunchiness” that is hard to describe properly, but easy to enjoy. The hour-long smoke features excellent construction as the firm cigar has a deliberate, but not difficult, draw.

Having sampled all three of the San Lotano blends, I can definitely say that while none are disappointing, the Habano is my clear favorite. And at $6 apiece, it provides good value.

The San Lotano doesn’t change much from beginning to end, but it doesn’t need change to be enjoyable, as the interplay between the flavors keeps the smoker plenty interested. That complexity, combined with excellent construction and solid value, earns the San Lotano Habano Robusto four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The other day I fired up a special cigar. It was a limited release super-premium that’s no longer in production. Expectations were high.

I had looked forward to trying this rare, fairly expensive smoke for the first time, especially given its plethora of accolades and impressive pedigree. I remember slowly selecting it from one of my humidors and taking great pleasure in the pre-smoke ritual. I took note of the aroma. I examined the exterior leaf with a careful eye. And I admired the cap before making a precise cut.

True, as a reviewer, I go through this routine often. But I was smoking this cigar for sheer enjoyment, not as “research” for an article. While I make a point to examine the sights and smells of each and every cigar I smoke, I can’t say I always fully live up to that commitment when I’m merely smoking for relaxation.

I did, however, with this special cigar. I made sure to invest the time to build anticipation given my high expectations. And I was pleased when those expectations were met. This particular smoke was creamy with a graham cracker sweetness, excellent construction, and a finely balanced profile.

So the special cigar ended up being, well…special. That got me thinking: Did I find the cigar special because it was truly outstanding? Or was it outstanding because, before I lit the first match, I thought it was going to be special?

I hope it was the former. I pride myself on being an unbiased judge of premium tobacco, trying my best to prevent expectations from influencing my judgments.

But isn’t it naïve to think that expectations played no role in my assessment of this cigar? Perhaps I enjoyed it so thoroughly because I made a conscious effort to savor all of its qualities—an effort that was motivated by expectations.

In the end I guess it doesn’t really matter. If I enjoyed it, I enjoyed it. Period. The best cigar is the cigar you like the best, regardless of reasoning.

The question of how expectations influence outcomes is a fair one to raise, though, especially when those outcomes are intended to inform decisions. It’s helpful to keep that in mind while reading reviews.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

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.”

Around this year’s industry trade show, Pete Johnson announced multiple new sizes for his Tatuaje lines, including this “7th” size, which is the first full-size Seleccion de Cazador to be made in Don Pepin’s Nicaraguan factory instead of in Miami. The well-constructed vitola (5.6 x 46)  features classic Pepin woody spice along with toasty and meaty notes. For those of you worried that not being crafted in Miami may mean this is a lesser Tatuaje, rest assured. This new size is every bit as good as the original six cigars in the blend.

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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Made under the direction of Luis Sanchez, this Corona Gorda (6 x 50) comes dressed in a Spanish cedar sleeve with a clean Ecuadorian wrapper, a Honduran binder, and a two-country filler blend from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The cigar has a light profile of vanilla, cream, almond, and woodsy spice. With absolutely flawless combustion qualities, this is an excellent offering from La Tradicion Cubana—especially considering its $4 price tag.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Cigar Rights of America announced that General Cigar President Dan Carr and cigar enthusiast Mark Brownlee have joined the organization’s Board of Directors. Brownlee, who lives in Illinois, was among the first to be appointed as a CRA Ambassador. “CRA was created to serve the cigar enthusiasts across the United States…to counter the oppressive legislation confronting those that simply want to enjoy a great cigar,” said Jeff Borysiewicz, a CRA board member. “Naming a cigar consumer to the board was the next logical step in the organization’s evolution.”

2) Smoking Ban Alerts: South Dakota voters will decide on Tuesday whether or not to expand the state’s smoking ban to bars and casinos. All four candidates vying for the Kansas governorship say their state’s smoking ban is too restrictive. Meanwhile, a court ruling found that Kansas City health department workers, while not law enforcement officials, have the legal authority to issue smoking citations.

3) Inside the Industry: Rocky Patel is opening a high-end cigar lounge in Naples, Florida, called “Burn.” Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s six-size Core Blend is now arriving at tobacconists nationwide.

4) Around the Blogs: Smoking Stogie smokes a Fuente Sand Shark. Stogie Review reviews a Nestor Miranda Art Deco. Cigar Inspector inspects a Liga Privada No. 9. Cigar Fan fires up a Puros Huerfanos. Tiki Bar kicks back with a La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet Chisel.

5) Deal of the Week: There are some scary good deals in this unpublicized Halloween sale. Our favorite features bundles of the Cuban Crafters Cameroon blend in the Torpedo and Robusto varieties for $65 and $50 respectively.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: CRA

Last week I wrote about how cigar smokers can protect their rights on Election Day. Between now and then cigar smokers should focus on identifying and supporting local politicians who will vote against tobacco taxes and smoking bans.

Going forward, the bigger challenge is creating a stronger alliance in our fight for cigar rights. Reaching out to other smokers is one way to do that, but an often neglected way to create a stronger pro-cigar coalition is making sure that those who should be on our side are fighting the anti-tobacco lobby.

No one is more impacted by anti-cigar legislation than tobacconists who sell cigars to make a living. And yet some cigar shop owners are content to let others fight legislation while they stand on the sidelines hoping for the best.

Tobacconists, along with cigar makers, should be leading the charge for cigar rights. Not only is this battle in their self-interest, but they owe it to their customers whose rights are on the line. Fortunately, as cigar smokers and customers, we have the power to insist that those who get our hard-earned dollars use a small portion of those funds to protect our rights.

So the next time you visit your favorite local tobacconist, ask him one simple question: What are you doing to protect cigar smokers’ rights?

While there’s no single right answer to that question, simply having an answer is important. Maybe it’s being active in local politics, supporting the IPCPR in their campaigns to fight smoking bans and tobacco taxes, or educating shop visitors in the importance of supporting CRA.

Some shop owners contribute to the IPCPR’s Political Action Committee, which supports federal candidates who take pro-cigar positions. I was pleased to see some names I recognize—including Gary Pesh of the Old Virginia Tobacco Company, Mike Copperman of Bethesda Tobacco, and Jeff Borysiewicz of the Corona Cigar Company—on the list of recent IPCPR PAC contributors.

Ultimately, though, how they are fighting for cigar rights is less important than if they are taking action. Remember: We must be vigilant to beat back anti-tobacco zealots who won’t be happy until cigar shops are out of business and most  smoking is prohibited by law. If cigar shop owners won’t fully enlist in the battle for our rights, then we have no chance of winning.

And if your local tobacconist still refuses to take action to protect our rights, then it’s probably time to find a new place to spend your hard-earned money on cigars.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Cigar Label Blog

Among the new brands that debuted at this summer’s IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans is Reinado. It’s not crafted like your typical Nicaraguan puro.

Created by Antonio Lam, Reinado is a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos aged up to five years. “What makes this cigar very special is the fact that it’s got a unique fermentation process being employed, making the flavors extremely rich and smooth for a Nicaraguan puro yet letting a nice spice run right through it,” says Lam.

Reinado, Spanish for “reign,” is still a young company, but Lam is happy with his brand’s reception. “We’re in the early stages and the initial response has been excellent, from online reviewers to in-store customers at events.”

As you might imagine, Lam is hard at work expanding the number of Reinado retailers and trying to achieve more widespread recognition of his cigars. His attractive, easy-to-navigate website and solid grasp of social networking media will help. He’s also counting on the online cigar community.

Eager to try Reinado for myself, I smoked a handful of Torpedos (6.1 x 52) for this review. This vitola, one of three in the Reinado portfolio, features an oily Habano rosado wrapper with few veins and virtually invisible seams. The pre-light aroma is bold and woody.

After establishing an even burn, a full-bodied profile of leather, espresso, and cherry quickly emerges. Rarely do cigars smoke with such strength right out of the gate. The Torpedo, however, sports an unapologetically intrepid flavor from the get-go, one that’s more refined than harsh. Its balance includes a sweet aftertaste and a floral-smelling resting smoke.

Consistent from light to nub, the cigar neither mellows nor intensifies. All the while the construction is outstanding. Expect a straight burn, a clear draw, and a solid ash.

Would I smoke the Reinado Torpedo every day? No. After the occasional heavy meal, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better selection if you’re craving something bold and brawny. That’s why this $9 cigar earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys