The Stogie Guys

One thing’s for certain about Rocky Patel: He makes a heck of a lot of cigars. Rocky’s flashy website doesn’t even bother to mention many of his blends, be they seasonal, limited editions, retailer exclusives, or what have you.

It’s safe to say that some cigar enthusiasts are perturbed by Patel’s ever-expanding lineup. They lament his seemingly countless blends and claim that over-expansion has deteriorated the excellence of the core cigars that made Rocky famous, including the Vintage ’90 and ’92 cigars. But many others couldn’t be happier with the variety of tastes, sizes, and price points offered by Patel. For them, any stick with Rocky’s name on the label is worth trying.

These are two extremes. Whether you’re in either camp or (more likely) somewhere in-between, you may have heard of Xtreme Sumatra, a “value brand” that Rocky produces exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop. This line features an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with a Honduran binder and a two-country filler blend from Nicaragua and Honduras. It is available in three traditional vitolas: Churchill (7 x 48), Toro (6 x 52), and Robusto (5 x 50).

I sampled three Robustos for this review. This frontmark is strikingly attractive with a reddish, silky wrapper, no soft spots, a nice cap, and a beautiful cross-section of tobaccos at the foot. The pre-light aroma is of sweet earth and hay and the draw is perfect.

After an even light is established, a profile of dry wood, orange, and coffee emerges. The finish is long and spicy with pepper and occasional traces of sweetness. After an inch or so, flavors of cream, vanilla, and almond start to emerge. The overall result is one of medium-bodied balance, with occasional bitterness in the final third.

Ashing the Xtreme Sumatra Robusto becomes an afterthought as the gray ash builds wonderfully from the cigar’s even burn. You’d be hard-pressed to find a similarly priced smoke with equal construction—perhaps a testament to Patel’s quality control efforts.

So Rocky detractors beware: While this cigar won’t blow any seasoned enthusiasts away, it’s definitely a well-made, satisfying smoke. Best of all, it can be had for as little as $3.90 apiece. That earns the Xtreme Sumatra Robusto three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cigar maker Litto Gomez is best known for establishing La Flor Dominicana and growing the brand from its humble roots as one of many cigar boom upstarts to a widely recognized, highly successful company. He did so through slow, methodical growth and by building a loyal and passionate following for his strong, innovative smokes.

As his own recognition increased over the years, Gomez also lent his name to a number of smokes made under his direction. Most notable are the Litto Gomez Small Batch cigars that were released between 2008 and 2010. The Small Batch No. 2 and Small Batch No. 3 both received high ratings at StogieGuys.com—particularly the former, which earned a perfect rating in August 2009.

You’ll also find Gomez’s name on a blend crafted exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop, an internet retailer based in Pennsylvania. According to Famous, these cigars are “seamlessly handcrafted with a full-flavored blend of choice Nicaraguan long-fillers and Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed binders rolled inside dark, shimmering Nicaraguan wrappers.” They produce a “creamy smoke teeming with rich, earthy tobacco flavors augmented by an underlying sweetness in the mix.”

Three traditional sizes are available: Churchill (7 x 50), Robusto (5 x 50), and Toro (6 x 50). They range in price from $8.75 to $10.13 per single, not including the price breaks you can get if you purchase a 5-pack or a box of 20.

The Toro is a firm, heavy cigar with a highly mottled, heavily veined exterior leaf. A closer inspection reveals several soft spots, but the oily cigar seems to be otherwise well-constructed. A muted aroma of leather and cocoa is evident off the foot, and the cigar cuts cleanly to reveal a smooth draw.

Once lit, the Famous Signature Series Toro starts as you might expect from any Litto Gomez creation: lots of bold pepper and spice. Leather is dominant with hints of black cherry in the background. The aftertaste isn’t as sweet as advertised; instead, it has a cayenne kick.

Towards the midway point, the Toro makes the transition from spicy powerbomb to a more medium-bodied profile complete with roasted nuts and cream. The finale is characterized by a reprise of the bold flavors that dominate the outset.

With excellent construction and interesting flavors that change enough to keep the cigar interesting throughout the duration of the smoke, the Famous Signature Series Toro will be a welcome addition to La Flor fans’ humidors. But I would recommend buying by the box since the price for a single ($9.50) is too high in my opinion. All things considered, this Litto Gomez smoke is worthy of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The StogieGuys.com team has been writing about cigars daily for well over five years now. Yet in the 1,850 plus articles we’ve authored to date, I don’t think my colleagues or I have ever explicitly stated why we smoke cigars.

Perhaps we don’t need to. I suppose we all have our reasons. I smoke cigars. You smoke cigars. The fellow patrons at your local tobacconist, your herf buddies, perhaps even some of your family members…they all smoke cigars. At the end of the day, we’ve all come to the same conclusion: that a cigar-filled life is better than a cigar-less life. Amen to that.

And so we smoke. Despite the chorus of negative publicity, occasional dirty looks, and mountains of misinformation, we consciously select, buy, and smoke cigars. We keep carefully maintained humidors. We read about cigars. We pay high prices for rare smokes. And we routinely set aside 90 minutes or more to enjoy tobacco. This is what makes us Brothers of the Leaf.

I’ve identified four broad reasons why I love cigars, and why I go to great lengths to make room for premium tobacco in my life:

The taste. Words like leather, cocoa, nuts, pepper, cream, cedar, caramel, floral, etc. appear in just about every cigar review. Does any cigar actually taste like leather? Not really. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten leather. But there are no words in our vernacular that accurately describe the sensation of a fine-tasting cigar. This uniqueness in taste makes cigars indispensable.

Relaxation. I can’t pinpoint exactly why, but premium tobacco seems to soothe my soul unlike anything else. The sense of relaxation I get from an end-of-the-day cigar is priceless. Tobacco may be a stimulant, but what it seems to stimulate in me is peace of mind and clarity of thought.

The hobby. Loving cigars is about much more than the mere act of smoking. The combined efforts of caring for cigars, collecting them, seeking out rare smokes, and reading about the industry amount to a wonderful, dynamic hobby. When I was a kid I used to obsess over baseball cards; now I obsess over cigars.

Friends and family. Above all else, I love how cigars promote gathering and conversation among friends and family. Cigars are the ultimate icebreakers, helping me connect with new and old acquaintances alike. Some of the best, most memorable conversations that I can recall took place over a fine cigar. And nothing like a cigar helps you commemorate a special occasion with some great company.

So that’s why I smoke cigars. Feel free to let us know what you love about cigars in the comments below.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

At first glance, it may seem like P. Benitez Cigars only has one blend. But there are two distinct recipes among the five sizes crafted by the Managua-based boutique manufacturer.

The P. Benitez Lancero, for example, features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper with an Indonesian binder and a filler blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos. While the Churchill and Robusto share these same ingredients, the Torpedo and Maduro3 are made entirely from Cuban-seed Nicaraguan sun-grown tobaccos.

Each of these blends is the result of patient searching by Pedro Benitez, who spent two and a half years sampling blends from different parts of Nicaragua with hopes of creating a new cigar brand. After 18 months of searching, he hand-selected his favorite leaves from Estelí and Jalapa. Then, in January of this year, he officially established P. Benitez Cigars with a factory in Estelí (it has since relocated to Managua, Nicaragua).

Until recently, my only experience with P. Benitez was the Lancero, a fine smoke that combines traditional Connecticut flavors with Nicaraguan zing. I expected something entirely different from the Torpedo, a 6-inch, 52-ring gauge cigar that has a dark, reddish wrapper, a firm feel, and a pre-light aroma of cocoa powder.

Despite the Torpedo’s solid build, you don’t have to clip much tobacco off the cap to obtain an easy draw. Establishing an even light—a delightful process that yields toasty notes akin to s’mores—is simple with a few wooden matches. From there, a profile of dry wood, dark chocolate, and red pepper emerges. The aftertaste is chewy with cherry and some of the sweetness that’s often found with sun-grown tobacco.

This is a complex, balanced profile that lasts the duration of the Torpedo with little variation from light to nub. All the while the physical properties are outstanding. I noticed straight burn lines and solid white ashes across each of the three samples I smoked for this review.

In the end, while comparing the sun-grown Torpedo to the Connecticut-wrapped Lancero may be like comparing apples to oranges, I can’t help but size these two cigars (and these two different blends) up against each other. I’d have to give a slight edge to the Torpedo, which carries a bit more depth and, in my opinion, a more unique flavor. Look for this smoke at retailers in Florida, Pennsylvania, and—hopefully soon—online. It’s worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

About six years ago, the Bolivar Gold Medal was brought back to life by a cigar shop in Cologne, Germany. Prior to that tobacconist commissioning several thousand boxes, this special release had been long discontinued.

Today the Gold Medal is back in regular production. And, while I can only confirm my hunch via anecdotal evidence, it seems to be experiencing a revival among cigar smokers who are paying more attention to the Cuban Bolivar brand due to the success of the Royal Corona—an excellent smoke that earned a five-stogie rating in September 2008. (more…)

As I wrote in a commentary in May, this spring my wife and I packed up our apartment in Virginia, loaded up our belongings, and moved to our new home in Chicago. The move was motivated by a desire to be closer to our friends and family, as well as for new careers.

A few loyal readers sent comments and emails humorously suggesting I had moved to be closer to the Tesa Cigar Company, a boutique manufacturer located on Lake Street just west of the Loop. They correctly recalled how much I enjoy Tesa’s various blends, including Cabinet 312, Havanitas, Gran Cru, and Vintage Especial.

No, I didn’t move back to my hometown city because of Tesa. But having an office relatively near Tesa’s lounge is certainly a nice perk. I plan on visiting the shop more often to get reacquainted with my favorite Tesa blends and to try other Chris Kelly creations that I haven’t had the opportunity to smoke yet.

One such creation is Batch 505. This five-vitola blend (production limit of 90,000 cigars per size annually) sports a light Indonesian wrapper and Nicaraguan filler. The Rothchild (5 x 52) has a firm feel, a tight cross-section of tobaccos, and a perfectly executed pigtail cap. A soft aroma of sweet hay is present off the foot.

From the outset, the flavor is tremendously well-balanced with notes of dry wood, coffee with creamer, and mixed nuts (sometimes I pick up walnut, other times cashew or peanut). Perhaps most intriguing, the long, rounded finish is characterized by caramelized sugar.

About a year ago I asked Kelly what is his best cigar. He said it was a toss-up between the Vintage Especial—which, in his words, is a “mild-bodied Connecticut with a very creamy texture…and subtle yet intricate flavors of almonds and butterscotch”—and the Cabinet 312—which has “big and dark flavors of espresso, bittersweet chocolate, with fleeting hints of citrus.” In terms of body, Batch 505 ranks in-between these two blends. Depending on the time of day or my mood, though, it may not be second to either of Kelly’s favorites.

Like everything else from Tesa, the 505 Rothchild burns extremely well with a solid ash and a nice draw. And while its flavors don’t change much from light to nub, the complexity of this cigar is captured by its balance. This treat is well worth its $6.75 price tag and definitely 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.”

To say that Ernesto Perez-Carrillo has produced some good cigars since leaving La Gloria Cubana to establish his own company would be an understatement. Among his best solo creations in the New Wave Connecticut, his first Connecticut-wrapped line. I picked up the Double Corona (7 x 49) at my local cigar shop for around $6. It displays excellent construction and a textured profile of cream, cashew, wood, and graham cracker. More medium-bodied than most Ecuadorian Connecticut cigars, this is a great buy for those who find typical Connecticut smokes to be too mild.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys