The Stogie Guys

What could be better or more appropriate these days: I’m writing this as I listen to the call of playoff baseball on the radio, the game’s oldest form of electronic communication, via iPad, one of the newest.

I’m enjoying a cigar as the Yankees play the Tigers, whose late broadcaster, Ernie Harwell, noted in his Hall of Fame induction speech that the things that make up the game, include “cigar smoke, hot roasted peanuts, The Sporting News …”

Nothing seems to go together more than sports and cigars. And for most of the country this is a golden season, whether you are actively participating or simply observing.

For observers, playoff baseball is obviously hard to resist. Football at all levels is getting interesting. If you like to participate, in most places the weather’s great for golf, tennis, softball, fishing—just about whatever you like.

A cigar can make it even better, whether you are lighting up as you walk the back nine, choosing your favorite stick from the humidor before settling in with your friends to watch the big screen at a neighborhood B&M, or celebrating a win in any contest with a victory smoke.

Of course, myriad restrictions have made lighting up these days nowhere near as easy as it was in Ernie’s heyday. A stadium where you can smoke is about as rare as an unassisted triple play. Many other venues are off-limits as well.

But that doesn’t mean it is impossible to have a cigar while you enjoy or pursue sports. And cigar pleasure is worth celebrating, even if you have to go a little out of your way to do it.

So, enjoy the fall and your favorite sport with a good cigar. Or two.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

Every once in awhile, my list of cigar industry observations gets long enough that I feel compelled to pull them together so I can turn the page and start anew:

Sloppy websites. This is especially galling from online cigar retailers. Misspellings, dead links, and typos tell customers you lack a commitment to quality. Sure, we all make mistakes. That’s why we all need an editor. Hire a good one to go over your site and review every new posting. It’s money well spent.

House brand discounts. How is it possible to have an MSRP on a cigar made for you that you then mark down? Some no-name bundle packaged for your site or shop and never seen anywhere else has a “list price”? And you’re “discounting” it? Where’s George Carlin when you really need him…

Padrón praise. This company sets an industry standard, thriving without hype or chasing what happens to be hot. With a full line of excellent cigars, Padrón resists trends–like constantly issuing line extensions or “new” blends–and operates with consistent quality and consistency. New entrants in the business could set no higher goal than to emulate Padrón.

Box data. Why aren’t the country origins of wrapper, binder, and filler listed on cigar boxes, at least by those manufacturers who put them on their websites? How is a smoker to make a decision about a cigar he’s not seen before in a shop without some information? We aren’t all walking around yet with a smart phone and a cigar app.

OK, what’s on your list? Let us know.

–George E

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.”

This addition to EO Brands‘ popular 601 line has been overshadowed by the firm’s new dynamo, La Bomba. And there’s some confusion because the 601 line had included a now-discontinued stick with a Connecticut wrapper. The new Natural—also known as the 601 White Label—is a stouter smoke, with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos providing pepper, particularly in the first half. I also picked up some of the hay and grass often associated with Connecticut tobacco, as well as pine and cedar. A tasty cigar, if not all that distinctive from several similar concoctions already on the market.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

[Editor’s Note: “Cigar Face-Off” is a new feature where we compare and contrast cigars that share at least one important attribute. Please let us know what you think about the new feature in the comments below, and feel free to suggest two cigars for a future Face-Off.]

Pete Johnson and Don Pepin Garcia continue their buzz-heavy collaboration with the recent release of the über-potent Fausto and the intriguing La Casita Criolla U.S. broadleaf puro.

Fausto FT 150 Toro

I found the strength to live up to the hype. Even so, it snuck up on me the first time because the blend is very smooth with the sort of deep, rich flavors common to Tatuajes. Kicking off with heavy pepper, there were also some hay notes that I tend to associate more with Connecticut than Nicaragua, which is the home for the filler and binder. Perhaps they came from the Ecuadorian Habano maduro wrapper.

About one third of the way down the six-inch stick, the pepper lightened up a bit, allowing some dark fruit to come through. And in the final third, there was a thick woody component. With a 50-ring gauge the Toro is a comfortable smoke. At about $8.50 a stick, it’s slow burning treat.

La Casita Criolla HCBC Corona Gorda

This is a cigar about which I expect most smokers will have a strong opinion. It certainly stands out, from the rough, thick wrapper to the dark, gray ash. Not to mention the taste, which I found to be earthy, somewhat sharp, and occasionally harsh.

I’ve only smoked a couple and don’t know if I’ll go back for more. At around $7 for the Corona Gorda (5.6 x 46), the price is reasonable.

Conclusion

These two new releases are a result of Tatuaje’s willingness to experiment and create new tastes and experiences for smokers. I think that’s great.

Of course, every cigar isn’t going to please everyone. But you’ll be missing out if you don’t give these a try. I preferred the Fausto, though its power will probably make it an occasional choice. La Casita was more unusual, and I thought it lacked the depth and nuance of most Tatuaje smokes.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

For the first inch of this pressed perfecto, you may wonder whether you’re smoking a cigar or if you accidentally lit up the pepperpot. (Similarly, I couldn’t help but wonder about the band: Is that a cigar with wings or a flying railroad spike?)

While the recently introduced Avion is said to be the same blend of Nicaraguan filler and binder in an Ecuadorian Habano maduro wrapper common to the four other Fausto sizes and shapes, I found it fairly different from the two vitolas I’ve tried. And every bit as enjoyable.

The Avion’s size, varying in ring gauge from 48 to 52 ring gauge along its 6.75-inch tapered length, may help to mitigate the Fausto’s strength somewhat and create a more balanced experience. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still powerful, just not quite a haymaker.

After the pepper began to fade a bit, the more prominent tastes in the second third were wood, nuts, spice, and a tobacco sweetness. In the final third, the strength picked up and the pepper made a comeback. I did find it rather dry, especially by the end, and I‘d recommend liquid accompaniment.

The cigar does not feel particularly heavy in the hand, sometimes a warning of a loose draw and a quick burn. Neither was apparent in the Avion. The draw and the burn were peerless. I like the small foot which can easily be lit without a high-watt flame. Smoke production was first rate and the ash something to behold: tight, fine, and remarkably white.

At $10, the Avion is less expensive for its size than some other high-end Tatuajes. I recommend giving it a try after a meal and with a drink that can stand up to it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I give the Tatuaje Avion 11 cigar four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Tatuaje Cigars

StogieGuys.com has long extolled the virtues of the humble match. Oh, sure, we appreciate a fine butane lighter that throws an exquisite flame hot and heavy enough for a bit of spot welding. And no one can discount the difficulties of trying to use matches on a windy day.

Still, it’s difficult to dismiss the long list of positive traits found in the centuries-old match. Cheap, transportable, replaceable, consistent, just to name a few. One that should be on the list — ubiquitous — is, alas, not nearly as applicable as it was in decades past. Recognition of that fact is the reason for this request of every cigar shop where people gather to smoke: Please put matches around for your customers to use.

I know most shops have lighters out with cutters, and I appreciate that. I also appreciate that owners frequently find those same implements disappear from the counter, prey to the five-finger discount. So proprietors are certainly justified in being reluctant to spread them throughout their establishment.

But having lighting implements at hand is often necessary in a cigar shop. Those ceiling and floor fans, heating and air-conditioning units, and air-moving machines that make the lounge a pleasant place also create breezes that can lead to uneven cigar burning and the need for touch-ups. Add in the growing use of tough-burning ligero tobacco and you’ve got even more cigars that need extra care after the initial lighting.

I’m still puzzled why every cigar shop doesn’t use matches as advertising. They’re not particularly expensive and present a great opportunity to create something special. If you can’t afford to design your own matches, talk to your suppliers. Is there a smoker out there who’s never picked up a box of Cuesta-Rey matches?

I’m not picky. Like most cigar smokers, I’d prefer the long cedar matchsticks that are ideally suited to the task. But I’ll settle for the shorter, conventional-length matches, though its essential they be wooden in a box rather than cardboard in a book.

Of course, match privation ranks pretty low on the scale of world issues. Yet it is an easy way to make smoking life a little more pleasant. And it seems fitting that the recommendation to light a candle rather than curse the darkness supposedly originated with the Chinese. After all, they’re the ones credited with inventing matches.

–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.”

This new line extension from Ashton and Don Pepin Garcia sports a flawless Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut wrapper around Nicaraguan filler, a combination that creates a tasty medium-strength cigar. Flavors shift several times throughout the smoke and include wood, toast, nuts, and a bit of floral notes laced with occasional spice. A pleasing cigar at about $7.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A