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.”

The five-vitola MBombay Habano line made its debut in 2015, joining several other blends from Mel Shah’s house-brand-turned-national-release. It is made at Tabacos de Costa Rica with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Ecuadorian Criollo binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Peru. The Gordo (6 x 60, $12.50) has a balanced bouquet of flavors ranging from warm tobacco and roasted nuts to cream, caramel, and a gentle woodsy spice. It smokes OK, though the burn line tends to meander and the draw is a tad tight, especially for such a thick cigar. I suspect I will appreciate the other MBombay Habano vitolas considerably more; my enjoyment of this cigar is limited by its excessive girth.

Verdict = Hold.

–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.”

This toro-sized (6 x 54) smoke has the kind of salty flavor I sometimes crave, though I think that same saltiness also makes it unsuitable under certain circumstances. Fortunately, I knew what to expect before lighting up and prepared accordingly, keeping myself within arm’s distance of light sipping rum and a glass of cold water. I was rewarded with a satisfying experience: a medium-bodied profile with a salty taste that’s accented by notes of sweet cream, cedar, café au lait, and traces of trademark Davidoff mustiness. Construction was solid (notably, the Legato burns with an ultra-thick mascara). The Avo XO—which features an Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut-seed wrapper around Dominican binder and filler tobaccos—may not be for everyone all the time, but it’s a good asset to keep on hand if you know how to use it correctly.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Earlier this summer, I reviewed the Robusto format of the new Drew Estate Florida Sun Grown line. I mentioned that, in addition to the four Brazilian-wrapped standard vitolas, there is also a Limited Edition Trunk-Pressed Toro with its own unique blend, and that’s the subject of today’s review.

To bring you back up to speed, two years ago we broke the news that, for the first time since 1977, long-filler cigar tobacco was being grown in Florida. Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of the Corona Cigar stores and a partner in the Sindicato cigar company, began growing tobacco on land he had purchased—out of love of the leaf, and to avoid paying residential taxes on the land, which is outside Orlando.

At the time, while we knew Drew Estate had been selected as Borysiewicz’s partner, it was unclear how the tobacco would be incorporated. In May, we learned it would be used in a blend from Drew Estate aptly called Florida Sun Grown (FSG). Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera paired the Floridian filler tobacco with Nicaraguan leaves, a Mexican binder, and a Brazilian wrapper.

As I mentioned above, however, the Trunk-Pressed Toro (6 x 52) sports a different blend. It has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Mexican binder, and filler tobaccos from Florida, Nicaragua, and Honduras. It retails for $15 and is packaged in boxes of 10 (the standard four vitolas retail for $11.50 to $15 and come in 20-count boxes).

The FSG Limited Edition Trunk-Pressed Toro has a beautiful exterior leaf that’s dark, moderately oily, slightly reddish, and covered in a network of (mostly) thin veins. The foot exudes pre-light notes of green raisin and cocoa powder. The cold draw is smooth and clear. Just like the standard vitolas, it is adorned by a handsome band of teal, orange, and gold that interestingly makes no mention of Drew Estate, nor does it designate the cigar as a limited edition in any way.

After establishing an even light, I am immediately struck by how much more Mexican-tasting the Trunk-Pressed Toro is than the regular-production Robusto. This is a gritty, dirty cigar with a highly chalky texture. Background notes include espresso, black pepper spice, and a touch of the sweet grassy sensation that’s prevalent in other Broadleaf-wrapped smokes from Drew Estate. Full-bodied from light to nub, the profile picks up some creaminess at the midway point, only to grow spicier and more intense down the home stretch. Cayenne heat fades in and out throughout.

The gentle box-press renders the Toro almost oval in shape, which I find very comfortable and unique. Combustion qualities are superb, including a straight burn line, solid ash, and an easy draw that yields above-average smoke production.

For now, FSG is only available at Corona Cigar stores, or at Corona Cigar’s retail website. However, rumor has it Borysiewicz would like to see FSG go national. If that happens, the exclusivity at Corona Cigar will likely be remembered as a soft launch.

Either way, you need to get your hands on this cigar. It’s expensive yet highly enjoyable and supremely satisfying, especially if you’re not averse to Mexican tobacco. The Florida Sun Grown Limited Edition Trunk-Pressed Toro is a joy to smoke and worthy of an admirable rating 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.”

Last year, Boutique Blends introduced the Aging Room F59 Quattro, the follow-up to the F55 Quattro (very highly rated by my colleague in a 2012 review of the Concerto size). The F59 Quattro is a Dominican puro that’s marketed as medium- to full-bodied. It’s comprised of Cuban-seed tobaccos that are aged for ten years. The box-pressed, torpedo-sized Maestro (6 x 52) retails for about $10 and features solid combustion qualities with rich, oily flavors of black pepper, cream, coffee, and peanut with cayenne spice on the finish. The strength is evident in the first third, impactful down the final stretch. Pick up the Maestro if you’re looking for a heavyweight companion to a high-proof sipping bourbon after a full meal.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve written about this cigar, and it probably won’t be the last, either. Because as much as it’s important to try the exciting and new, it’s equally important to connect with old favorites—particularly those smokes that offer great bang for the buck. The Flor Fina 8-5-8 (6 x 47) from Arturo Fuente costs around $5, yet it boasts a spicy, toasty aroma with notes of pine, nuts, and herbs. Construction is excellent. Work this smoke into your rotation the next time you have the chance, even if it isn’t sexy or trendy.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In 2013, two of my favorite cigars happened to be Abaddon and Ouroboros, both of which are made exclusively for Blue Havana, a tobacconist in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago (not far from where I live). They were blended by Chris Schedel with help from Skip Martin of RoMa Craft Tobac. Both are made at Martin’s Fabrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño in Estelí. And both are to blame for sparking my admiration for RoMa—a healthy obsession that continues to this day.

RoMa’s fine cigar brands—including Intemperance, CroMagnon, and Aquitaine—are available at many tobacconists (a number, I’d bet, that’s growing, if Skip Martin’s Facebook posts from the just-concluded IPCPR Trade Show are any indication). For a time, Abaddon and Ouroboros could only be purchased in-person at the Chicago shop. Now, fortunately, everyone has access to these exclusive blends via Blue Havana’s online store.

That’s definitely good news.

Abaddon is named for the dwelling place of the dead in the Hebrew Bible and features a Nicaraguan hybrid (Criollo/Corojo) wrapper. Ouroboros is named for an ancient symbol of a dragon eating its own tail and is wrapped in a Brazilian Mata Fina leaf. Until last fall, both were only available in a single size (6.25 x 52). Now they are also available in a Lancero format.

Covering the Ouroboros Lancero’s Indonesian binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic is a rustic, lumpy wrapper with few veins and highly visible seams. Pre-light notes of smoky molasses emanate from the closed foot. A V-cut is all that’s needed at the head to reveal a smooth cold draw.

The opening flavor is gritty with ample pepper spice and black coffee. The sandy texture fades after a half-inch, giving way to a creamier mouthfeel while still maintaining full body. Espresso, roasted nut, cayenne heat, earth, and paprika come and go.

Like the original Ouroboros size, the Lancero does not increase in intensity in the final third; rather, the finale is characterized by the welcome additions of cream and cedar. That’s a nice change of pace. And I think most seasoned cigar veterans will agree this cigar is teeming with strength, balance, and complexity.

With superb combustion properties and a price tag around $9, this isn’t a cigar you want to miss—especially if, like me, you’re a fan of RoMa Craft Tobac. I continue to love this blend, and the thin, elegant format serves it well. The Ouroboros Lancero is worthy of a stellar rating 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.”

This robusto-sized cigar had been in my possession for about 18 months. That modest amount of time seems to have done it some good. The Renegade (5.25 x 54) is creamier and nuttier than I remember, though all of the other flavors from my April 2015 review still hold true: bread, woody spice, earth, and a touch of bitterness on the finish. I paid $9 for this well-constructed Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped Dominican. That’s a fair price, and it’s a good value if you can exercise some patience. (For what it’s worth, if this were a full review, I would bump up my rating from three-and-a-half to four stogies out of five.)

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys