The 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 is the latest Pete Johnson release in a line that goes back to 2003, and it lives up to both the name and the Tatuaje reputation. It is a full-powered, full-flavored smoke that is smooth and exciting on the palate. The 2012 edition comes with a twist: It is available in three wrappers, with the Ecuadorian Habano shipping only recently. I have yet to try the Ecuadorian Sumatra or the Connecticut broadleaf versions, but I cannot imagine they’re better. I also cannot imagine anyone smoking this strong cigar on a regular basis, unless Iron Man has become a BOTL. But as an occasional treat, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable cigar for $13.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

When I first ran across this line a few months back, I was impressed by a single Presto. Now, I’ve been able to smoke quite a few of the Mezzo (6 x 54). If anything, I like it even more.

My shorthand description is that smoking this cigar is akin to lighting up a spice rack. Not the hot, peppery spices that burn, but the exotic tastes that light briefly on your tongue. By no means, though, is that all this limited-run cigar offers. Devote care and attention to it and you will find yourself rewarded with all sorts of flavors, from light, sugary caramel to thick wood and many others.

It’s a fairly fat stick, not a ring gauge I’d usually select. But the additional size adds to the complexity and variety of the cigar, making for an even more satisfying experience. I paid around $8 for an individual purchase.

For me, it’s hard to believe this is an all-Dominican cigar, though many blenders such as Litto Gomez and the Fuentes have shown it’s a mistake to pigeonhole Dominican tobacco. Still, the Aging Room’s punch and pop do make me stop and think. Strength is in the middle range, with virtually no nicotine bite in the well-aged tobacco.  There’s lots of thick, rich smoke, and the draw is excellent.

I have experienced burn problems with a couple I’ve smoked. They weren’t major, mostly just an occasional wrapper going a tad off kilter.

I would recommend this cigar to almost any smoker, from newcomer to veteran. There are some, though, who I think should definitely give it a try. If you’re attempting to expand your palate and see if you can find more flavors, a trip to the Aging Room should be just the sort of graduate school assignment you’re looking for. Or if you’re someone who has gone over the deep end for strong cigars, take a break and try an Aging Room M356. See if you aren’t pleased at what you find.

Speaking of finding, that isn’t always easy with this line. Designated “small batch,” Oliveros (which has recently be renamed Boutique Blends Cigars) says production is limited by the tobacco available, and when it’s all used, it’s over. At the IPCPR Trade Show they told me that while they are introducing two new sizes of this blend, the tobacco stock to make these is dwindling. There are two new Aging Room blends coming and we can only hope they are as tasty.

An excellent cigar, the Aging Room M356 Mezzo is close to the storied five-stogie mark, though burn problems knocked it down just a shade to four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I read, or at least flip through, a lot of magazines. Good ones. Bad ones. Those devoted to topics about which I have much interest, and those exploring areas I care little about.

Invariably, I find something of note. It may be a stunning photograph in Birds & Blooms, a fascinating tale of accomplishment in This Old House, or a thought-provoking review in Stereophile.

One thing I’m struck by is how often what I’m reading seems to relate to cigars. (You were wondering when we were going to get to that, weren’t you?) Like the other day when I was perusing the September issue of Men’s Health.

There are few people farther from the magazine’s target demographic than I: old, balding, overweight, arthritic, exercise-averse. But there’s usually something to catch my eye. In this case, it was an article about the power of money in our lives and ways in which we can exert control over it.

The article cited a fascinating study that revealed much about how little we understand our sense of enjoyment. Asked whether they preferred a massage with or without interruptions, 73% said without. “Yet those who then received an interrupted massage valued it twice as much,” according to the article.

Why, you ask. Well, the researcher, NYU professor Tom Meyvis, explained that the key is savoring. Experience too much and you adapt to the experience, failing to appreciate it. Break it up, though, and “you reduce adaptation and increase sensitivity,” Meyvis said, adding in the article, “I’d also suggest that instead of buying one big thing make little purchases over time to repeat that initial enjoyment effect.”

So, back to cigars. The implication seems pretty obvious to me: when you find a cigar you absolutely love, don’t buy a box. That would lead you to smoke them more regularly, become accustomed to them, and reduce your enjoyment of them. Instead, buy singles and you’ll have the pleasure of anticipating the purchase, smoking the cigar, and thinking about when you’ll smoke it again.

And with that I offer a doff of the chapeau to the good professor. I have no idea whether he’s a cigar smoker, but I plan to email him a copy of this commentary and see if he has any thoughts to offer. If he does, I’ll be sure to pass them along.

In the meantime, savor your cigars. Think, and grow, happy.

–George E

photo credit: Men’s Health

It was only a few years ago that the hot cigar company, the one with the buzz, the edgy promotions, and presentations, the intense interest in every new release, was CAO. Vision. The Sopranos. The America with its barber pole. Mx2. Lx2. And of course La Traviata.

Think Drew Estate nowadays: Liga Pravada. Undercrown. T52.

For CAO, though, it seems that what was once a leading edge cigar company has been dulled by ownership and management changes, a headquarters relocation, and being tucked inside one of the world’s largest tobacco conglomerates.

But the folks at General are applying the whetstone. Their first CAO release, the OSA Sol, was accompanied by lots of hype. Concert is the latest to get the treatment. And the full treatment it is.

The Concert’s box looks like an amp, its band is built around images of a guitar pick and Stratocaster-like guitars, and cigar promotions will be tied to musical events. Introduced at this month’s IPCPR Trade Show, the cigar is scheduled to ship in September.

Concert comes in four sizes. I smoked several of the Roadie, which I received at the convention. Its MSRP is $6.75, and it measures 5.5 inches long with a 54-ring gauge. Interestingly, all of the CAO Concert sizes are 5.5 inches long, with four varying ring guages: 46, 50, 54, and 60.

The first impression comes from a beautiful wrapper. The thin Ecuadorian Habano rosado leaf has few veins and almost glistens with an oily sheen. A Connecticut broadleaf binder encases “a special combination of four different Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers not previously used in any other General Cigar offering,” according to the press release.

I didn’t find much pre-light aroma and lit it using cedar, which added to a healthy kickoff. The draw was just the way I like it, a tad deliberate while easily delivering a mouthful of thick, creamy smoke.

The Concert is a complex, smooth cigar. The first third or so is peppery and fairly strong before it transitions into a more mellow and varied middle marked by a citrus flavor. The strength actually seems to go down a bit in the final third, as there’s some sweetness along the way.

Construction was fine, except in one of those I smoked. It developed a small tunnel about halfway down and the tobacco didn’t fully combust for a bit. That cut down on the smoke volume and created a dusty taste for a number of puffs.

This cigar has a lot going for it, from flavor to value. I’d recommend giving Concert a try. Whatever your musical taste, I think it will likely fit your cigar palate. And for that, I give it four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Here’s a deal: Help us get more readers, and we’ll give you a chance to win a terrific prize.

First, the prize. It’s a pack of three robustos specially made to be handed out at Don Pepin Garcia events. The blend, I’m told, is that of the old El Centurion that is no longer produced. I can’t tell you what they taste like because, when I got this pack a few months ago, I thought immediately that it would be a great Stogie Guys prize, so it remains unopened.

And if that wasn’t enough, the box is signed by none other than cigar legend Don Pepin Garcia himself.

Now, what does it take to win this little package?

All you have to do is urge your fellow cigar smokers to take a look at StogieGuys.com. You can do it in person, send an email, post on your favorite forums, etc… Whatever method you choose is OK with us. And feel free to do it more than once.

Then, after you’re done, post a comment on this post telling us what you did. That’s it. We trust you. You should enter only once. Check all the rules and fine print here.

We’ll leave it open for two weeks and then choose a winner at random from among all the entrants. Just be sure to leave your real email address (unpublished) when you submit your comment so we can contact you for your mailing address if you win.

Good luck, and remember: You’re on the honor system!

–George E

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’ve smoked only a few Room 101 cigars, but when I saw this year-old release on the shelf I had to try it. Touted as more powerful than other Room 101 cigars, it reminded me of the first 601 Red I experienced: spicy hot and nearly lip-numbing. I was hooked. I was smoking the 6.5-inch, 54-ring gauge vitola. I couldn’t find much about this line, except that it has a Rosado wrapper, Honduran binder, and filler from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, and that it comes in four sizes. Whichever one you see, give it a try.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

In this segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I look at rare displays of honesty, seasonal changes, and why new releases may be good for your wallet.

Telling the Truth

Sometimes the truth will come out. Check out these descriptions from a recent Holt’s catalog about two of its bundle offerings:

• “Below average flavor and construction”
• “Mild and non-descript”

Then there’s the pitch from Corona Cigar Co. for its cleverly named bundle, Don Nobody: “Well here’s the truth…I ain’t no Cuban and these cigars aren’t made by somebody claiming to be Fidel Castro’s personal cigar roller.” You gotta love it.

Summer’s Here

Remember that the changing seasons can mean different things for your humidor. With summer now fully upon us, you may need to think again about humidity levels, temperatures, and humidor placement. Air-conditioning can suck moisture from the air similar to what many heating systems do, possibly reducing the level in your room to as low as 40%. It’s a good idea to frequently check whatever type of humidification system you use. If you have a cooler spot in your home, such as a cellar or basement, that’s often a good location for the humidor. Use a thermometer to measure the ambient temperature rather than rely on the thermostat that’s probably several rooms away. And, remember, fans don’t lower the temperature.

New Cigars, Better Deals?

Buckle up for an onslaught of new cigar releases. With the annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Trade Show less than a month away, cigar makers will be presenting new lines, new extensions for old lines, new sizes, new tobaccos, new, new, new. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and caught up in the hype. Don’t worry, though, if you can’t find some special cigar you want to try. If it’s any good, it’ll show up sooner or later. (If not, why’d you want to smoke it anyway?) Sometimes August and September can be good for bargain hunters. Some shop owners, fresh from placing orders and anticipating new stock, need to clear out space. They may mark down sticks that haven’t been selling well or are being dropped. So keep your eyes open.

–George E

photo credit: Holt’s Cigar Co.