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.”

Introduced about one year ago, the Swag Brown Connecticut line from Aging Room Cigars boasts a beautiful, golden Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper around Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. Crafted at the Tabacalera Palma factory, the Lavish (5 x 54) retails for about $7 and includes a mild- to medium-bodied flavor of dry oak, butter, peanut, and a soft white pepper spice. Construction is impressive, as is the cigar’s smooth texture and complex, balanced flavors. If you’re looking for a morning or mid-afternoon smoke to pair with iced coffee this summer, you should give Swag Connecticut a try.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While the so-called Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act—the bill giving the FDA the power to regulate cigars—didn’t pass until June 2009, the legislation controversially set February 15, 2007 as the cutoff date for tobacco products to be grandfathered as exempt from needing FDA approval before being sold or marketed in the United States. There were hopes the FDA would modify that date, but they did not. As a result, products introduced past that date will be subjected to the FDA approval process.

We don’t yet know what that approval process will look like—or how long it will take, or how expensive it will be—though I wouldn’t hold out much hope for anything reasonable. The FDA has made clear they have no intention to be sensible when it comes to handmade premium cigars. Therefore, we may soon need to come to terms with a (severely) narrowed selection of cigars, cigars that have been on the market for over nine years.

With a release date of October 2006, the Tatuaje Havana VI just barely makes the cut.

If, like me, you hadn’t smoked (or thought about) this line for years, let me provide a little background. The Nicaraguan puro sports a Corojo ’99 wrapper and is intended to be a wallet-friendly, more medium-bodied alternative to other Tatuaje smokes. It originally came in six sizes—Hermosos (5.6 x 46), Angeles (4.6 x 42), Victorias (6 x 38), Artistas (6.1 x 52), Nobles (5 x 50), and Almirante (7 x 47)—with the first letter of each spelling “Havana,” the name of one of Tatuaje founder Pete Johnson’s dogs.

The Churchill-sized Almirante can be found for around $7-8. It’s a beautiful, slightly reddish, somewhat dark specimen with plenty of oils. The perfect triple-cap clips cleanly to reveal an easy cold draw. Pre-light aromas at the foot remind me of sweet hay and cocoa powder.

The first third of the cigar is characterized by flavors of spicy cedar, a little white pepper, dry oak, and a satisfying sweet creaminess. Caramel, red pepper, and roasted nut join the fray after an inch. Then, at the midway point, the Almirante begins to shine. Cocoa, cream, and peanut take center stage, rendering the smoke less spicy yet full of interesting flavor. The final third brings about the reappearance of dry wood and cedar spice with some black pepper.

With excellent construction throughout—including a solid white ash, a straight burn line, good smoke production, and a smooth draw—it’s clear this cigar brings considerable quality and enjoyment to the table, all at a reasonable price. FDA awfulness aside, the Havana VI line is worth another look if you haven’t smoked this blend in a while. The Almirante is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In early March, it was announced Drew Estate would be expanding its popular Herrera Estelí line by launching the Herrera Estelí TAA Exclusive, which began shipping to Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) members in April. (TAA works to “maximize professionalism and success” among its 80 associated retailers through training and the sharing of best practices; you can find a TAA shop near you here.)

The Drew Estate Herrera Estelí TAA Exclusive is presented in a single vitola, a toro (6 x 52) that retails for $144 per 12-count box, or $12 per cigar. Whereas the original Herrera Estelí features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around a Honduran binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua, the TAA Exclusive—also blended by Willy Herrera—sports a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Brazilian Mata Fina binder, and Nicaraguan fillers.

“This is my first blend since joining Drew Estate that utilizes Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco,” said Herrera in a press release. “Drew Estate fans know that we’re famous for our use of Connecticut Broadleaf tobaccos, especially in our Liga Privada No. 9 and Nica Rustica lines. I’ve been experimenting with blends that incorporate this incredible wrapper since coming on board and finally have a blend I’m really excited about.”

The Herrera Estelí TAA Exclusive is handsomely appointed with dual bands of red and gold that make this extension easily differentiated from the original Herrera Estelí blend. Even without the bands, though, you’d never confuse the two. The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper on the core line is light and golden, whereas the TAA Exclusive is dark. In typical Drew Estate fashion, the cold draw is ultra-easy. The pre-light notes remind me of chocolate and cedar.

Once underway, I find cocoa with black pepper spice and abundant leather. The texture is coarse and gritty. The potent vegetal notes that are so common among Connecticut Broadleaf smokes from Drew Estate are also apparent, especially in the plentiful resting smoke. Other noticeable flavors include damp earth, vanilla, cream, and a dash of cinnamon. At the midway point and beyond, I start to notice some sour, meaty notes from time to time—nothing terribly concerning, but certainly worth pointing out.

As far as the physical properties are concerned, this cigar is expertly rolled and a complete joy to smoke. The burn line is straight and true throughout, the smoke production well above average, the draw smooth, and the gray ash holds very firmly off the foot.

If Willy Herrera’s objective was to blend a full-bodied cigar that smokes cool with plentiful flavor, I’d consider the Herrera Estelí TAA Exclusive a job well done. I especially appreciate the fleeting tastes I uniquely associate with Drew Estate Connecticut Broadleaf tobaccos, and how they are coupled with an overall profile that’s differentiated from the likes of Liga Privada No. 9 or Nica Rustica. This well-crafted cigar is worth seeking out—even with its lofty price tag—and deserving of an admirable rating of four 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.”

Not to be confused with The Jekyll, which was Tatuaje’s Halloween smoke in 2014, The Jackal hit the market last summer as an exclusive to Chicago-area retailer Casa de Montecristo. It boats a beautiful Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos. Only about 10,000 Jackals were made in a single vitola (6.75 x 56) with a torpedo-style cap and an unfinished foot. The profile is dry and oaky with cedar spice and hints of cocoa, black pepper, and creamy peanut. The only downside is the price tag of $13.90; you’ll get your money’s worth, though.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A little over a year ago, it was announced Casa de Montecristo (CDM)—a successful three-location tobacconist in Chicago—would be receiving two exclusive sizes of Quesada’s Selección España blend. These vitolas joined eight other Selección España frontmarks, some of which are regular production, others limited to as few as 600 total cigars.

The two CDM sizes are Fabulosos (7 x 54, $12) and the subject of today’s review, a cross between a belicoso and a lancero called Beli-Lance (7 x 40, $12). CDM received 3,000 of each size from Quesada. Each comes complete with an Ecuadorian Arapiraca wrapper, a Dominican Broadleaf binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

“The Spanish Market has always been dominated by Cuban cigars, but lately high unemployment and the high cost of Cuban cigars has driven the Spanish to search out alternatives,” reads an un-dated explanation on the Quesada website about the origins of the blend’s name, which was likely written around 2010. “To address this new demand, the Quesada family brought Spanish tobacconists to the Dominican Republic to work a cigar exclusively for Spain, and after a week of blending the Quesada España was born.”

Clearly, Selección España is not exclusive to Spain. Quesada’s retailers in the U.S. got a hold of some samples when the cigar was being introduced in 2010, liked them, and ultimately got approval to bring the blend to the American market.

The Beli-Lance from CDM sports a lancero frame topped by a sharply pointed cap. The cap clips uneventfully to yield a clear cold draw, which is somewhat surprising given the thin ring gauge and firm feel. The unique wrapper (Arapiraca is typically grown in Brazil, not Ecuador) is moderately textured and reddish with a few large veins and tight seams.

Once lit, pre-light notes of molasses and hay transition to a woody, meaty profile with hints of oak, char, peppery spice, clove, and leather. The body is medium and the smoke texture is thick and chewy. After a quarter-inch, the spice increases, but traces of sweet cream and roasted nuts fade in and out for some balance. At times, the resting smoke is incredibly aromatic and mouth-watering.

As the Beli-Lance progresses, the draw tends to tighten and the flavors take a turn towards a bitter, somewhat stale, version of their former selves. From the midway point on, I find myself in a struggle to keep the cigar lit while preventing the taste from becoming too hot or too harsh as the foot heats up from my frequent puffs and touch-ups. I was rarely able to regain the pleasant, balanced profile that characterized the beginning.

Notwithstanding the high regard in which many hold Quesada Selección España, I did not have a satisfactory experience with the Beli-Lance, a size I thought I was destined to thoroughly enjoy. All things considered, this cigar earns a disappointing rating of two stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Whether by design or coincidence, Nica Rustica feels like a discount version of the immensely popular Liga Privada No. 9. Both feature Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers (Liga uses “Broadleaf #1 Darks” while the Nica Rustica uses a “Broadleaf Medium”), and both debuted in just one size—a toro—before later growing to multiple vitolas.

Continuing to follow in Liga’s footsteps, last year Drew Estate expanded Nica Rustica with two new sizes: the immense Belly (7.5 x 54) and the Short Robusto (4.5 x 50). They join the original El Brujito vitola (6 x 52), which is named for an ancient image found on a rock in Estelí. The image depicts a Pre-Columbian shaman—thought to be one of the earliest users of tobacco for “ceremonial and medicinal rituals,” according to the Drew Estate website.

In addition to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, each Nica Rustica format includes a Mexican San Andrés Negro binder (which is also the wrapper on Undercrown) with Nicaraguan filler tobaccos from the Estelí and Jalapa growing regions. Intended to be “medium- to full-bodied,” “rustic,” and “un-polished and unrefined,” Jonathan Drew calls the blend a tribute to the people of Nicaragua.

With its dark, oily, toothy, slightly reddish wrapper and generous proportions, Belly is an intimidating cigar. Before the first puff, you can sense the flavors are going to be rich and heavy, and the pre-light notes of leather, cocoa, and earth seem to validate those expectations. The imperfect cap clips easily enough to reveal an ultra-easy cold draw.

After setting an even light to the closed foot, the first thing you’ll notice is the voluminous smoke production. The thick, dense smoke seems to ooze from the foot virtually effortlessly, which helps you dive head-first into the bold tastes of dark chocolate, roasted nuts, white pepper, and espresso. The texture is chalky. A fleeting vegetal note is particularly noticeable on the retrohale—a sensation that should be familiar to fans of both Liga Privada No. 9 and Undercrown.

There are few profile changes throughout, rendering the beginning, middle, and end of this huge cigar all very similar, save for an increase in intensity at the finale. If you’re a fan of how the Belly tastes at the outset, chances are you’ll be fine with the consistency; that said—especially for such a large cigar that takes at least two and a half hours to burn from light to nub—a shift in flavor or texture would have been welcome.

In terms of construction, the Nica Rustica Belly doesn’t live up to the high standards set by Drew Estate. While the ash is solid, the draw smooth, and the smoke output extremely high, the burn leaves much to be desired. Frequent touch-ups are necessary to keep the cigar burning evenly.

Even so, this is still a good bang-for-the-buck at around $8, especially considering the size and big flavors. Add this to your list if you’re looking for a large time-filler with bold, dense flavors. In my book, the Belly earns three 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.”

Joya de Nicaragua calls its Antaño Dark Corojo blend “the embodiment of the Nicaraguan ‘power’ cigar.” I am inclined to agree. This oily, toro-sized (6 x 52), Corojo Oscuro-wrapped cigar doesn’t hold back on richness, nicotine, or flavor. Black pepper, roasted nuts, black coffee, and woodsy spice dominate the palate, while background hints of cream and dark chocolate add balance. Expect to pay around $9 for this Nicaraguan puro. And—if strength is what you seek—expect to be satisfied.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys