The Stogie Guys

In 2008, Pete Johnson launched a limited release around Halloween called “The Frank.” It came in coffin-shaped boxes of 13 cigars. Only 13 tobacconists nationwide got to carry these rare, treasured cigars, each of which sold for $13.

Johnson followed up the blend’s success with two new monster-inspired cigars in 2009: “Drac,” a fang-shaped torpedo (6.75 x 52) with a red and black band around the foot, and “Boris,” a Churchill that was marketed as “Frank out of costume” (because of its non-green band). Both highly sought-after cigars sold out quickly and are now being hoarded by collectors.

This year’s monster release is called “The Face,” a Mexican-wrapped, chubby cigar that Johnson calls “real ugly.” The band will be made of tobacco, enabling customers to smoke the cigar all the way through. Only 666 boxes will be shipped for an October 13 delivery, then another 1,300 boxes of 10 will be available on the week of Halloween.

Before “The Face” becomes the talk of the town—and quickly sells out—I wanted to examine the Tatuaje Boris. This cigar measures seven inches long with a ring gauge of 49. It sports a rustic Ecuadorian Sumatra rosado wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

Prior to sampling the two Boris cigars I smoked for this review, I had read that they smell like mint candies. I would have to agree. The pre-light aroma of this oily, firm-feeling smoke reminds me of the Frango Mints that Marshall Field’s used to make in Chicago. That takes me back.

After toasting the foot and establishing an even light, the first thing I notice is the texture of the smoke, which is simultaneously creamy and dry. Flavors include herby spice, leather, roasted nuts, and a sweet baseline of subtle mint. Superbly balanced, the Boris has a unique profile you can get lost in as its mild flavor slowly intensifies to the medium-bodied spectrum.

The cigar’s excellent physical properties allow you to do so without interruption. The white ash is sandy yet solid, the draw is easy, and the burn is straight—exactly what you’d expect from a $13 smoke. My only complaint is that, on both of my samples, at least one re-light was required.

As it concludes, the Boris stands as a wonderful example of Pete Johnson’s immense talent. This Halloween release is barely shy of tremendous after only one year of aging. So count me as one of those Tatuaje fans who will snatch up “The Face” while it lasts. Meanwhile, this rare gem is worthy of four 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.”

I received this Room 101 Conjura “Harsh! LTD” at the Twitter Brothers of the Leaf event held during the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans. The slightly veiny rosado wrapper isn’t much to look at, but the box-pressed smoke is highly aromatic with strong barnyard notes. Once lit, the Conjura reveals a spicy blend with cinnamon and a creamy core. Meaty flavors are also prevalent, especially in the second half. This is a full-bodied smoke, but not with the knock-your-socks-off strength I thought I might be in for.

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.”

This small figurado (4.6 x 49) from La Gloria Cubana packs a lot of flavor into a short format. Although starting with an unpleasant ammonia-like taste, the Connecticut broadleaf-wrapped blend quickly transitions into flavors of dry cocoa and pepper spice. And the combustion qualities are a pleasure to observe as they unfold. This is an easy recommendation for only $4-6 apiece.

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) Michigan bar owners aren’t taking their state’s smoking ban sitting down. With hopes of changing the law, they formed a 3,000-member group called “Protect Private Property Rights in Michigan – Amend Michigan Smoking Ban” and plan to hire a lobbyist. The group claims bar and restaurant liquor sales are down almost $2 billion since they law was enacted on May 1, a troubling trend given the Wolverine State’s abysmal unemployment rate of 13%.

2) The Ryder Cup, a biennial golf competition between the United States and Europe, kicks off today. It promises to be a cigar-filled event for one of Team Europe’s golfers. Miguel Angel Jimenez, a 46-year-old from Spain who loves working on his red Ferrari and smoking premium tobacco, recently said, “I don’t know if the number [of cigars] is going to increase or not, but I will enjoy, anyway. Today as soon as I finish, I’m going to start another one.”

3) Inside the Industry: Many of the new cigars from the 2010 IPCPR Trade Show will begin to appear on store shelves this month, including the Art Deco, La Aurora Guillermo León, Macanudo Cru Royale, and Room 101 Conjura LTD.

4) Around the Blogs:  Stogie Review reviews a Casa Gomez Maduro. Tiki Bar kicks back with a La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Chisel. Smoking Stogie fires up a Viaje Satori. Nice Tight Ash checks out an Avo Heritage. Cigar Fan smokes the Esencia.

5) Deal of the Week:  This special sale from Cuban Crafters features great deals on the Don Kiki White Label. Boxes of 20 are available in four different sizes for only $50-60. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

With an emotional back-story, a newly introduced hybrid wrapper, and lots of publicity surrounding its release earlier this year, the Quesada Tributo is unquestionably an interesting cigar. Fortunately, it’s also a good one.

This four-vitola line was created by the latest generation of this tobacco family as it continues to move its Matasa operation from behind-the-scenes work to putting its name on cigars. In a nod to the past, they named each size for a family member or close associate, three of whom died in a 2002 airplane crash.

To make the Tributo taste something special, the Quesadas used a hybrid wrapper created from four tobaccos and grown in Ecuador. Then, they packed it full of strong ligero leaf. Even the binder is a Honduran ligero leaf, with the filler a combination of leaves from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

I’ve been smoking the robusto called the Julio (5 x 50) after Julio Fajardo, a family friend and Matasa executive killed in the crash. It’s a standout cigar, with a dark wrapper and an enticing pre-light aroma. And it makes a statement from the first mouthful of smoke: spicy and strong.

About halfway down, the stick begins to change. The spice level drops, replaced by a darker, heavier taste laced with a little coffee. I appreciate the change but I enjoyed the second half a little less than the first.

When you pick up one of these cigars, you might be concerned about the draw because of its solid, heavy feel. But every one I’ve been through has had a near-perfect draw. I can’t say the same for the burn. As is often the case with ligero-laden cigars, getting an even, steady burn is not a given. That’s true with the Tributo, though most of those I’ve smoked have been OK. So far, only one has required numerous touch-ups and fiddling.

At under $7, this is a good cigar, and one I’d recommend, especially to fans of Pepin Garcia’s creations. On the Stogie Guys rating scale, I give it four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: SAG Imports

Last year, I elevated Cruzan Single Barrel to “regular” status in my rum rotation. It earned that spot due to its affordability, availability, and balanced, rounded taste.

I’ve never been disappointed by this high quality, complex spirit. So, when Cruzan announced they were expanding their light, dark, and flavored rum portfolio in July with a new spiced rum, my interest piqued. Called Cruzan 9, the blend is named for the nine spices which comprise its recipe: vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mace, allspice, pepper, and juniper berry.

“Nine” also references St. Croix’s nine districts. The Cruzan name (pronounced kru-shun), after all, is derived from the island’s inhabitants—called “Crucians.” Cruzan began producing rum on St. Croix eight generations ago and, even though cane is no longer grown there, the island remains a naturally fitting locale for rum production.

“With its unique blend of nine all natural spices, Cruzan 9 is true to its heritage of premium craftsmanship, while confronting rum fans with a bolder, more dramatic spirit,” reads a press release from Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., Cruzan’s distributor. “Spiced rum is one of the fastest growing distilled spirits, yet consumers didn’t really have an option if they were looking for higher quality. The industry is full of gimmicks and pirates when it comes to spiced rum, but Cruzan 9 offers a ‘real’ rum experience.”

It does so inexpensively. At only $13-16 per 750 ml. bottle, Cruzan 9 is priced to compete with the likes of Captain Morgan. Slightly lighter in appearance than its competitor, it has a bright amber hue and a nose of muted vanilla and herbs.

The back of the bottle says this spirit is “perfect neat, on the rocks, or quintessentially Cruzan—over ice with cola and a squeeze of lime.” While I enjoy this rum, it, like many spiced rums, doesn’t quite have the subtlety or depth to be sipped neat or on the rocks. But its smooth taste of vanilla, dried fruits, and cinnamon does work well in a mixed cocktail, with ginger beer, or with Diet Coke.

And that’s probably what the good folks at Cruzan intended when they dreamed up this new offering—an approachable mixing spirit that will capture some of the spiced rum market. In that regard, they succeeded. Cruzan 9 is better than Captain Morgan and worth a try the next time you want to relax with a libation and a cigar.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In the latest issue of our “Random Thoughts from the Humidor” series, I ruminate about the end of a partnership, the cigar community’s support of charities, and a new way cigar makers are helping cigar shops hit hard by taxes:

A Collaboration Ends

It’s sad to see Nosotros, the joint project of Illusione Cigars and Drew Estate, ending. The announcement came when Illusione’s Dion Giolito told Cigar Aficionado, “Illusione cigars will no longer participate in the Nosotros brand project with Jonathan Drew DBA Drew Estate…The Nosotros brand/trademark dies in the Drew Estate Factory as per contractual agreement, and will not be made outside the factory it originated.”

While we may never know exactly why this promising and well-received project fell apart so suddenly, it’s fair to speculate that it may serve as a warning for anyone considering a similar collaboration in the future. Cigar makers are not only a passionate bunch, the successful ones are also very particular about their product. Getting a release up to snuff so that one cigar maker will put his name on it is difficult enough. But you can imagine that meeting the standards of two particular makers would be infinitely more difficult.

What the News Doesn’t Report

You won’t see it in the newspaper when biased reporters are demonizing the tobacco industry, but there’s no denying that the cigar community is a most charitable bunch. Nearly every cigar maker supporters multiple charities, and many have their own charitable foundations. The giving spirit was certainly on display this Friday for W. Curtis Draper’s annual Little Puff event in DC. While an official total hasn’t been released, those in attendance saw tens of thousands of dollars raised for a three local charities, including one in honor of a Navy SEAL killed in action.

[UPDATE: Draper’s tells me the final total will be approximately $55,000 raised for the three charities, an impressive outpouring of generosity from the attendees.]

A New Way to Support Tobacconists Under Siege

A recent trend for cigar manufacturers has been to release cigars for sale in brick and mortar shops only. The idea is to protect stores that have to charge high sales tax on their products, while online and catalog cut cut margins and costs. Now Alec Bradley is taking that concept to a new level. Since New York retailers were just hit with a record high 75% tax on cigars, company president Alan Rubin is introducing a New York-only blend. It’s a good sign that cigar makers are going out of their way to support those hardest hit by anti-cigar legislation.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Drew Estate/Illusione Cigars