The Stogie Guys

We know it gets harder all the time to find spots where you can enjoy a cigar outside a shop or your personal smoking space. But that doesn’t mean it is impossible.

I’m starting a campaign to share venues that are cigar-cordial and likely not on the typical list of such places. Hopefully it can be a resource for everyone, from those traveling to an unfamiliar location to folks seeking a new experience right around home. I’ll kick it off with two places in my general area (Tampa Bay) where I’ve enjoyed cigars in a friendly atmosphere.

Skipper’s Smokehouse. This amazing restaurant and concert venue is a Tampa institution, presenting music ranging from Americana to Zydeco. The stage is outside—fans in the summer, heaters in the winter—with chairs, picnic tables, and benches around the dance “floor.” The only comments I’ve had when smoking were inquiries about whether you could buy a cigar there. Alas, no, but it‘s also only a few miles from two large shops, Tampa Humidor and Cigar Castle. So you can stock up on stogies before hitting Skipper’s for a dinner and a show.

Miss Vicki’s. A quintessential Florida burger joint, Miss Vicki’s consists of a covered bar, open-air tables, and a small stage that often features local musicians. But the star of the show is the restaurant’s extraordinary waterside location where the Anclote River enters the Gulf. You’re only yards from the water and facing west for beautiful sunsets. Who could resist lighting up in a setting like this in a place called Holiday? One caution and one hint: Seating is limited and it’s often packed; try the Key Lime pie.

Now it’s your turn. Add your suggestions. Let’s keep this going and create a resource that will make cigar smoking even more enjoyable.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

One of a small number of Miami-rolled cigars, the Canimao is not easy to find. I’ve seen it in only a couple of shops and a few online retailers. But it’s well worth seeking out.

My first came several weeks ago at The Cigar Loft, a warm, welcoming shop in the Grand Central District of St. Petersburg, Florida. It was my good fortune that shop owner Tom Gabriele pointed the Canimao box out to me in the humidor or I might have missed it altogether.

That would have been a shame. I’ve enjoyed this cigar about as much as any I smoked in 2011. It’s distinctive without being odd, different enough to stand out but not so much that you wouldn’t want to smoke it frequently.

Upon lighting up, the immediate and most lasting impression comes from a mix of subtle spices that make the Canimao stand out. Throughout the length of the cigar, other flavors come and go, making for an engaging smoke with a great aroma.

At about $6.75, the cigar is amazingly priced for a U.S.-made product. With an elegant wrapper, the Canimao is a excellently constructed cigar with a fine draw and straight burn. The double corona is a generous 7.5 inches with a nice 50 ring gauge. The name comes from a legendary Indian warrior in Cuba.

According to Canimao’s website the cigar has an Ecuadorian wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and filler from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. In reviews and listings, you’ll see a variety of labels for the Canimao’s strength. To me, it’s in the medium range.

I’d recommend this cigar to just about any smoker, from beginner to grizzled vet. It’s hard to imagine not finding something to enjoy. I rate this four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Canimao 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.”

My first impression of this cigar was that the dark wrapper could pass for leather almost as easily as Connecticut broadleaf tobacco. It’s that thick and heavy looking. Not unexpectedly, it took awhile to get the foot fully lit and the burn was slow from start to finish. The 52-ring gauge stick exhibited the deep, rich, and nearly sweet flavors common to well-fermented maduros. Fans of reasonably priced cigars, maduros, or Ernesto Carrillo should pick one up.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

How often do you get the chance to strike a blow for democracy, support your hobby, and win cigars? Well, step right up. Here’s your opportunity.

But before we get to the contest, I must confess that I had been trying to come up with a giveaway idea ever since I received a two-cigar “Blogger Edition” pack of the new Montecristo New York Connoisseur Edition (review here). I was also thinking about trying once again to generate more support for legislation barring the Food & Drug Administration from regulating premium handmade cigars when—voilà!—I realized could shamelessly combine the two.

If you’re a regular Stogie Guys reader, you know we’re big supporters of this bill. Passage would be a landmark event. And we need everyone to join the effort.

So, how does this contest tie in? Well, it begins with the assumption that Stogie Guys readers are honorable folks because we’ll take your word that you did what needs to be done before you enter. And what do you need to do? Simply contact your representative and/or senators to urge support of the legislation in their chamber and leave a comment here. If both your senators and your representative have signed on (currently possible only in Florida), just note that in your comment. If you’ve already appealed to your elected officials, write that in your comment.

For those who haven’t acted, here are links to make it easy. If you don’t know your representative, go here. You’ll also find a link to the rep’s website that includes contact info. Then, to find out whether he or she is a cosponsor of the bill, known as HR1639, click on Thomas. Go to “Legislation in Current Congress” in the middle of the page, highlight the “Bill Number” button, type HR1639 in the window, and click SEARCH. On the new page, click Cosponsors. If your rep’s name isn’t there, you need to get in touch.

My strong preference would be for you to compose your own email or postal letter, or call the office rather than sign a petition or use a form letter urging support for HR1639. Your own words have much more impact. Again, though, how you do it is up to you. You can find more on the bills by searching Stogie Guys and checking in at Cigar Rights of America.

For the Senate, it’s pretty straightforward. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced the bill (S1461) and his GOP counterpart, Marco Rubio, is a cosponsor. The only others signed on are Democrat Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. You’ll find senators by state with contact information here.

When you’re done, leave a comment. We’ll keep it open for a week and then randomly select a winner of the two Montecristo New York Connoisseur Edition cigars. Please enter only once. Be sure to include your email address in the appropriate field so we can contact you if you win. And if you’re interested, here’s the fine print.

Good luck. This is one contest where we can all be winners.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Last month, we provided some suggestions for finding new cigars. New cigar smokers might get the most out of those tips, but they are lessons even cigar veterans can benefit from.

Similarly, though these five suggestions are aimed primarily at those who’ve recently taken up cigars, I sometimes feel we’re all new smokers at some time or other. I still get a rush walking into a large, well-stocked humidor and a feeling of anticipation lighting up a cigar I’ve not tried before or wondering what experience I’ll find from different tobaccos.

With that in mind, here are five ways to make sure that you get the most out of every cigar experience:

1. Keep your mouth wet. Your taste buds won’t work as well when they’ve dried out. If you’re looking for something that won’t affect the cigar’s flavors try water or club soda.

2. Take time to make sure you have an even light on the cigar’s foot. Keep an eye on the burn as it progresses. If it gets uneven, you won’t experience the cigar the way it was intended.

3. If you find yourself in the proverbial smoke-filled room (and you’re not handing out highway contracts), step out periodically for some fresh air. Too much smoke can overload your senses and dull the experience of your cigar.

4. Try a V-cut or punch when smoking short- or mixed-filler cigars. This can limit the bits of tobacco that end up on your tongue.

5. Enjoy yourself. This might sound silly. But remember that cigar smoking is a hobby of pleasure, not accomplishment. The number of hot new releases you acquire, the size of your humidor, the money you spend or save…all this and more is meaningless unless you find enjoyment in the cigars you smoke.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

OK, I guess this officially marks me as an old fogey or whatever the proper term is these days. But I believe that words matter, and I cannot understand the current trend of naming cigars with distasteful and sometimes offensive names. I also can’t help but worry that it’s a dangerous trend.

The latest to catch my eye and prompt this screed is the Molotov from Quesada, intended to “create awareness of the dangers increased government and taxation…” I have no argument with them promoting their views. But why use a name associated with a deadly device that, while sometimes used in noble causes, such as the Finns and Hungarians, has also been used by terrorists to maim and kill?

Similarly, there’s My Uzi Weighs a Ton, named, I’m told, after a rap song with which I’m unfamiliar. (I read the lyrics online, but I’ve got to admit it still didn’t mean much to me.) Again, why link a cigar with an instrument of war and death?

And that brings me to Hammer & Sickle. I can only guess that there’s some sort of irony intended rather than a celebration of one of the world’s most corrupt and murderous regimes. If there’s irony in the name Donkey Punch, it’s even harder for me to see. Sick, misogynistic, distressing. Again, that’s what I want associated with a cigar?

I can only assume that these sorts of names are intended to make the cigars more appealing to younger smokers. That worries me because I believe it plays into the hands of anti-smoking forces who want to lump all tobacco together and use the fear of youth being corrupted to achieve their goals.

It’s hard to argue that the makers of premium cigars aren’t targeting youth when someone points to names like these. They fit right in with the machine-made, adulterated cigars that, frankly, do appear to be aimed at teens. Don’t be surprised when someone shows up at a smoking-ban hearing with a Donkey Punch or My Uzi as Exhibit No. 1.

Now, I’m not suggesting manufacturers shouldn’t be allowed to call their cigars whatever they want. I’m about as close to a First Amendment absolutist as you’re likely to find. But exercising a right doesn’t mean you escape the consequences. And in this case, I think these marketers are doing the industry and its customers a great disservice.

We say over and over again that premium cigars are for adults and aren’t marketed to kids. Actions need to be as strong as words.

–George E

photo credit: Google

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 a fine cigar, particularly in the five-inch format. It’s sweet and leathery, with excellent construction. Typical of the Toraño approach, the line uses tobacco from four regions of three countries, and the blend is smooth and balanced. As Patrick A noted in his highly positive review of the Short Churchill, there isn’t a lot of development and change from start to finish. What is there, though, is most enjoyable.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A