The Stogie Guys

With the fourth quarter just around the corner, it seems like a good time to check in on how I’ve been doing with my 2013 cigar goals.

There were three:

1. Concentrate more on the cigar I’m smoking.
2. Check out more limited editions.
3. Smoke more mild and medium-strength cigars.

I’d give myself a “C” on the first one. I think I’ve done better, helped by my efforts at achieving the second goal. But I’m still not where I’d like to be. As for No. 3, I flunked. I’ve had a few more of these, but not many. But I’ve also come to believe that this isn’t a realistic goal when I rarely smoke more than one cigar a day.

It’s goal No. 2 where I made considerable progress. I’m only guessing, since I don’t keep records on what I smoke, but probably a third of my 2013 cigars have been limited editions, including nearly every one I smoke at my local B&M.

I’ve had quite a few cigars I might not have tried otherwise, though I couldn’t bring myself to pull the $30 trigger on the 2013 Fuente Don Carlos Limited Edition 2013.

But others—from the Viaje Satori 2013 that was an unusual mix of spice and low power to La Flor Dominicana Chapter 1, where I found the chisel “cut” worked well for a change—were good experiences. You’ll likely see some here evaluated as “Quick Smokes.”

I haven’t liked them all by any means, but I have appreciated most. Whether the blend is truly limited or unique, for me, the cigars encourage a focus on the individual stick.

A good example is Eddie Ortega’s Wild Bunch series. I’ve had several and liked each one. Perhaps my favorite has been Wild Bill, a six-inch, oily stick with a pigtail cap and a light finish. Is it radically different from many other cigars? No. But does Wild Bill distinguish itself with fine taste and construction that repays attention? Absolutely.

And, after all, isn’t that what cigar smoking is all about?

–George E

photo credit: Ortega Cigars

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.”

After more changes than Lady Gaga in concert, the 601 Red Label Habano is back to its glorious origin. While it would no doubt take a professional cig-archaeologist to adequately evaluate the band evolution, to my eye it looks a lot like the original, perhaps a brighter red. But what matters is the cigar. And Erik Espinosa has returned the lovely Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan filler to full strength and flavor. The opening reminded me of my first 601 Red, with a great pepper blast whipping my tongue like a rented mule. After a half inch or so, it settles down a tad while remaining a tasty treat to the end. If you haven’t tried the new 601 Red, you’re missing an excellent cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Espinosa Cigars

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 isn’t a cigar. It’s a time machine. From the first puff this Nicaraguan stick transported me back to the first Tatuajes I smoked. My taste buds were engulfed in a wonderfully smooth combination of spice, pepper, and warm tobacco flavors. This lovely $10 cigar (5.4 x 52) is simply terrific: strong without being overpowering, complex yet steady, and expertly constructed. I’d call this a must-try if you enjoy cigars from Tatuaje or Don Pepin Garcia.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

This annual release from Quesada continues to impress, beginning with an extraordinarily oily wrapper and ending, for me, with a nubbed cigar. I recommended the line last year and I do the same in 2013.

The Bavarian, whose named honors the home of Oktoberfest, is a 5.5-inch beauty with a mix of Dominican filler leaf that creates a sometimes sweet, sometimes spicy stick. Exhaling occasionally through the nose adds another dimension to the tastes.

A leader in expanding the expectations of Dominican tobaccos, Quesada has certainly imbued this puro with more power, punch, and complexity than the stereotypical mild cigar from the Dominican.

In those I’ve smoked, construction has generally been fine. I have had to touch up the burn a time or two, but the problems were relatively minor. The draw was right on target, and the smoke production excellent. The ring gauge of 52 is comfortable.

The limited edition has grown this year to 6 sizes, including a Corona (5 x 43 ). With the small number of cigars produced, though, I’d be surprised if many shops carry all sizes.

My one small complaint is that I’d prefer Quesada to include the production year somewhere on the band, which, frankly, I’d like to see on all limited editions.

Quesada set out to create a cigar that would match the Märzen style of Bavarian beer associated with Oktoberfest. I have no doubt it will. But I think you’ll enjoy the cigar no matter what drink you pick up.

For me, this year’s Oktoberfest, like its predecessor in 2012, is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: SAG Imports

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 got a shot at this limited release sooner than I expected, as a local shop scored several boxes at the IPCPR Trade Show. It’s a remarkable concoction of sweetness and strength, satisfying from beginning to end. My only complaint is a somewhat erratic burn, caused, no doubt, by the thick Mexican maduro wrapper. That’s the only flaw in this box-pressed torpedo that weighs in at 6.5 inches long with a ring gauge of 52. If forced to choose, I’d opt for the original Melanio, but this is a great cigar to put in the mix. It runs about $13 per stick and comes in 10-count boxes.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

One of the most enjoyable aspects of attending the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show is the opportunity to meet new people in the cigar industry and see the fruits of their labor. Their enthusiasm and passion is infectious.

At this summer’s show, I met lots of people I didn’t know. I was, for example, mightily impressed by the men behind Table 36. Listening to them tell their story with so much zest and spirit was amazing.

Sitting down over a cup of coffee with Gary Griffith of Emilio Cigars was simply a great experience. You don’t get to meet such a genuine, smart, and engaging person—whatever their field of endeavor—very often.

Another new contact was John Staurulakis of Veritas Cigar Co., a Wilmington-based firm that was introducing three blends at this year’s show. No one talked with more zeal about their cigars than John, the company’s national director of sales. He eagerly handed me one to smoke while we talked.

Sitting at the booth, John explained what the company had been up to in the past year. The first thing they did was decide to drop the cigars they had been offering, he said. “We spent the last year blending three new blends to debut here.”

When they got what they wanted, their new Torch line was born. Offered in five sizes, the cigar comes in three variations.

John laid out the details: One sports a sun-grown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan filler from Jalapa and Ometepe; another features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over an Indonesian binder around Jalapa filler; and the Ecuadorian Habano maduro wrapper on the third is matched with a Nicaraguan Habano binder and Nicaraguan filler from Jalapa and Estelí.

John said he got into cigars in school and spent lots of time at a favorite cigar shop before jumping into the business.

At IPCPR, he added, Veritas signed up about 18 new shops and, he emailed me later, “that number just keeps getting larger every day.”

If you spot a Torch, give it a try. One thing I can guarantee: They’re produced with passion.

–George E

photo credit: Veritas Cigar Co.

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 is the first cigar from the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show I had a chance to smoke when I got home from Las Vegas. I got two samples of this dark Nicaraguan puro, the 5.5-inch with a 54 ring gauge that retails for bit under $8. I was thoroughly impressed. Cafe Noir is a fine, complex production with rich flavors that morph and shift throughout. Strength is moderate. It’s a cigar that you’ll want to spend time with.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys