The Stogie Guys

Back in 2012, I wrote a less-than-flattering review of the 1502 Emerald Torpedo, calling the cigar slightly bitter and underwhelming in the flavor department. Not only have I not tried another Emerald since, but—up until recently—I also haven’t smoked any of the other blends from 1502. Apparently that was a mistake.

The House of Emilio-distributed 1502 brand, which is owned by Enrique Sánchez Icaza’s Global Premium Cigars, has several other lines worthy of consideration. Among them are 1502 Black Gold, 1502 Nicaragua, and 1502 Ruby. Each pays homage to the year Christopher Columbus discovered Nicaragua.

The 1502 Ruby is marketed as a medium-plus creation that ranks between the Emerald and Black Gold in terms of power. It features an Ecuadorian wrapper around tobaccos from the Jalapa and Estelí. Seven box-pressed sizes are available, each made at the Plasencia Cigars S.A. factory: Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 50), Torpedo (6.5 x 52), Perfecto (6.1 x 50), Conquistador (6 x 56), Lancero (7 x 38), and Corona (5.5 x 42).

The Lancero costs about $8 and has a dry, slightly lumpy exterior with only the thinnest veins and tight seams. The handsome specimen is adorned with a traditional band, a well-executed cap, and a semi-closed foot. Pre-light notes include sweet hay and cocoa. A simple V-cut is all that’s needed to reveal a cold draw that’s easy, especially for a lancero.

Right out of the gate the 1502 Ruby boasts a well-balanced, tasty profile with hints of dry wood, red pepper, sweet cream, and mixed nuts. The texture is a combination of leather and bread. At times, hints of lightly roasted coffee come and go. Body and strength are both decidedly medium. As the Lancero progresses, the intensity gradually ramps up while the flavors remain mostly consistent. I’d describe the finale as medium- to full-bodied. Any potential bitterness or heat can be controlled by taking your time and not smoking too quickly.

The physical properties are excellent from light to nub. Across several samples I witnessed straight burn lines, solid gray ashes, good smoke production, and moderate draws. While crafting a well-constructed lancero is no easy task, the Plasencias have succeeded here.

I’m not sure what the 1502 Black Gold or 1502 Nicaragua have in store, but I mean to find out. The 1502 Emerald may not have been up my alley—perhaps it’s time for a revisit?—but the 1502 Ruby Lancero is really speaking my language. For interesting flavors, especially ample red pepper spice offset by sweetness, this cigar earns 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

So far this year I’ve reviewed three interesting smokes from United Cigar: the Atabey Ritos, an expensive cigar that’s complex and nuanced; the Garofalo Robusto, a mild-mannered smoke that’s affordable, flavorful, and satisfying; and the Byron Serie Siglo XX Londinenses, a handsome $30 stick that’s memorable and harmonious.

All three creations are impressive, not only in their performance but also in their packaging. So I’ve made it a point to try and smoke my way through the rest of the United Cigar portfolio, which includes Fleur de la Reine, La Gianna, and Bandolero.

Here’s the origin of the Bandolero name from United Cigar: “Between 1717 and 1817, the Spanish Crown prohibited cigar production in the Caribbean and the rest of the American colonies, and although its precious leaves continued growing on the other side of the ocean, the ‘puro’ cigar rolling that we all know today could only be done at the Sevilla Royal Factory… [This] led to the rising prices of tobacco and the birth of the Bandolero, an intrepid figure that hid on mysterious roads with tobacco leaves rolled in other countries…”

The Bandolero Bravos is part of the so-called Premium selection of five vitolas that are packaged in humidified tubes (tubes that, by the way, make excellent reusable single-stick travel humidors). This size measures 5.25 inches long with a ring gauge of 52. It is only available in a special gift pack that includes five Bandolero cigars and costs $159.99. (A similar size, the Picaros (5.5 x 54), runs $12.79 for a single.) The Bandolero blend makeup is not disclosed.

Once out of the tube, the Bravos is certainly dressed like a super-premium with its banded cedar sleeve foot, and another two bands near the head with glossy, raised fonts and graphics of gold, silver, black, and red. Beneath is an oily, milk chocolate-colored cigar with thin veins, virtually invisible seams, and a well-executed cap. The feel is consistently spongy throughout, but the foot shows a cross-section of tightly packed tobaccos. The cold draw has just a little resistance.

Once lit, pre-light notes of hay and coffee give way to a medium-bodied profile of coffee, leather, oak, and some faint citrus. The core is natural tobacco and the texture is bready. Spice and nicotine strength are both minimal. The resting smoke is an enticing blend of roasted nuts and cream.

Construction—as I’ve grown to expect from United Cigar—is consistent with the characteristics you should demand from a stick priced in the super-premium range. The burn is straight, the ash holds firm, the draw is smooth, and the smoke production is slightly higher than average. Put plainly, the Bravos is a beauty to watch burn.

Given the cost, I was hoping for a memorable, complex experience that would make me reach for this cigar to celebrate special occasions. The Bandolero Bravos falls a little short of those lofty expectations. While I enjoy the flavors, I think the complexity isn’t quite there, and that results in a rating 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

Memorial Day is a great for barbeque, relaxation, and smoking a few cigars with family and friends. It’s also an important day to remember the brave men and women who have fought and died for our country. So, if you have the day off, why not use some of the extra time to show your appreciation for the troops by sending them some cigars?

We’ve written about donating cigars to the troops many times before. If you’ve never done it, today’s a great day to start. There are plenty of avenues, but we’d recommend Cigars for Warriors. “Our top priority is collecting then dispersing premium cigars and accessories to troops serving in combat zones, as well as filling requests from United States military personnel on Forces Afloat in Combat Zones,” reads the Cigars for Warriors website. “Our second priority is for long term deployments OCONUS in 3rd world environments and other appropriate Areas of Operations to be dealt with on a case by case basis. It is our way to honor, show respect, and thank those putting it all on the line for us back home. We have received requests from many soldiers who have no one here in the U.S. to send care packages to them, and would otherwise receive nothing.”

To get started, please click here. You can mail cigars, bring your cigars to a donation center, or make a cash donation. Thank you in advance for your support of this important cause.

–Patrick A

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.”

As we reported yesterday, Drew Estate has announced a new Nica Rustica size called Belly (7.5 x 54, $7.95) that will be available nationally in September. For now, the only size in the blend is El Brujito (6 x 52), a toro that boasts a rich, full-bodied profile of black pepper, coffee, and leather with some vegetal notes and excellent construction. This Connecticut Broadleaf-wrapped smoke is an excellent way to help satiate that Liga No. 9 craving at a fraction of the price. Of course, Nica Rustica isn’t quite the cigar Liga No. 9 is, but it’s nice to get some similar flavors and textures without worrying about cost or scarcity.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The premium cigar industry’s annual trade show is just around the corner, and that means we’ll all soon be bombarded with a bevy of new releases, marketing hype, and dozens of cigars claiming to be the next best thing. Earlier this week, my colleague penned a thoughtful piece about keeping things in perspective this time of year. For me, it was a reminder to revisit some old favorites before the mad rush to sample and size-up the many new blends.

That same colleague also recently reviewed the Churchill vitola from La Aurora 1495, a blend that’s been around seemingly forever. It prompted me to dig through my stash, where I was pleased to discover a five-pack of 1495 Robustos that had been aging for at least a year (probably more like three to four years). In the spirit of revisiting old favorites, I decided a review was in order.

By way of background, La Aurora 1495 commemorates the founding of the city of Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic (no, the oldest cigar maker on the island hasn’t been crafting cigars for 520 years—more like 112 years). “Made from six different types of tobacco, Aurora 1495 is ideal for connoisseurs who prefer a medium- to full-bodied smoke that combines a variety of aromas and offers a flavor of incredible complexity and richness,” according to La Aurora’s website. It boasts an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper around a Dominican Corojo binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua, Peru, and the Dominican Republic.

The 1495 Robusto (5 x 50) can be found for about $3-4 when bought by the box of 25, or about $5 when bought as a single. Despite those prices, in no way does this cigar look cheap once out of the cellophane. The dark, mottled, sun-grown wrapper has a tremendous oily sheen and great texture. The feel is consistently firm, and the pre-light notes remind me of raisin and cocoa.

The flavor starts with black pepper, leather, and tea, buoyed by a core of natural tobacco and a medium dose of Ligero strength with some spice on the aftertaste. Smoke production is slightly above average. After an inch, the spice calms a bit to make way for oak and a creamy sweetness, both of which add balance. At times some bitterness creeps in. The finale witnesses a return to spice.

The physical properties are befitting a cigar from La Aurora. Expect an even burn, solid gray ash, and smooth draw. I found these characteristics to be consistent across all of my samples.

La Aurora’s 1495 Robusto isn’t going to blow anyone away, but it offers a well-balanced, classic profile with medium strength and enough changes along the way to hold your interest. Keep it in mind if you’re looking for a respectable, cost-effective smoke. It earns three 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.”

In August 2013—about a month before this RoMa Craft creation was launched as an exclusive for Blue Havana, a Chicago tobacconist—I published a glowing review of Abbadon. In December 2014, I found myself buying a 12-pack. I’m glad I did. Six months of age haven’t changed the cigar much, and that’s OK with me. Abbadon (6.25 x 52, $8.15) still packs a good punch, and it brings a lot of complexity to the table. The Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, coupled with a Brazilian Mata Fina binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, yields a supremely enjoyable taste of coffee, roasted nuts, leather, and a touch of sweetness. There’s probably good aging potential here, but I’m probably not patient enough to find out for sure.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In this edition of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I ponder the proper way to let a cigar die, a method to repair wrapper damage, and beetle season.

Die an Honorable Death

We’ve all read—and probably also heard it said—that you should never stub out your finished cigar. Rather, you should simply let the cigar rest in an ashtray until it has extinguished itself from a lack of puffing. The reasoning behind this, it is said, is that mashing the cigar like a cigarette will produce a stale odor, and the practice is therefore impolite. Perhaps there’s a chemical justification for this policy. I’m not sure. But I decided to do my own personal experiment (albeit with a small sample size) and found that, yes, on the margin, cigars that are stubbed tend to produce a slightly foul odor, whereas cigars that breath their last breaths on their own tend to smell much as they did when they were fully lit. The difference, however, is usually negligible. That said, I never like to stub out my cigars regardless. I just don’t like to see a hand-crafted work of art get crushed into oblivion. I like to think each well-made cigar deserves an honorable death.

Wrapper Damage

As much as we try to avoid it, sometimes a cigar’s wrapper will tear or crack, or the seam will start to unravel a bit. Sometimes this is the result of shipping damage. Sometimes (frustratingly) it occurs when you remove the band while smoking. Sometimes it’s the result of poor storage. Whatever the reason, wrapper damage is going to happen from time to time. If you’re lucky—and if the tear is small—a little saliva could do the trick. If not, you may want to try more drastic measures. For these situations, keep a little pectin or vegetable glue on hand. This is the same non-toxic stuff cigar makers use to glue the bands on their cigars. Having some may mean the difference between smokable and non-smokable.

Meet the Beetles

Temperatures are warming up across most of the country. For cigar smokers, that means it should be a little easier to maintain humidor humidity. But it also means temperature needs to be monitored in order to prevent an outbreak of the dreaded tobacco beetle. Remember: High temperatures, particularly those above 75 degrees Fahrenheit, are conducive to eggs hatching, so keeping your humidors below 70 degrees. The best way to deal with tobacco beetles is to prevent them in the first place. If you’re unfortunate enough to experience an outbreak, you can read our materials on how to battle the beetles here and here.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr