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.”

After recently reviewing—and sincerely enjoying—the Sabor de Estelí Habano Robusto from Guayacan, I decided to take another Noel Rojas creation for a test drive: the Guayacan Maduro Toro (6 x 52). Made at Rojas’ Tabacalera Aromas de Jalapa factory in Nicaragua, the Maduro line features a Criollo-seed San Andrés wrapper around Corojo tobaccos. It starts with notes of pepper and campfire, then adds hints of cream, peanut, and just a little cocoa along the way. Construction is excellent. This Toro runs about $9.50. I enjoyed it, but I think it’s a little overpriced and not nearly as enjoyable as the Sabor de Estelí Habano blend.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Nicaragua line was a stark departure for Davidoff when it was launched in 2013, and not just because the black band is different from the white ones that adorn other Davidoffs.

This is Davidoff’s first Nicaraguan line—a Nicaraguan puro, to be exact. “This is a major step for Davidoff to expand to a new territory,” said CEO Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard in a press release. “Davidoff’s mission is to bring aficionados delightful experiences regardless of territory.”

A new direction? Yes. But a predictable one. In recent years Nicaragua has grown to become (arguably) the epicenter of the cigar world. And that means even classic brands with strong identities to other countries of origin—like Davidoff and the Dominican Republic—have to consider cashing in on Nicaragua’s rise in popularity.

Davidoff Nicaragua is offered in four formats: Diadema (6.5 x 50), Short Corona (3.75 x 46), Toro (5.5 x 54), and Robusto (5 x 50). A limited production Belicoso (5.25 x 52) was also made. I sampled three Robustos for this review; each had been resting in my humidor for about a year and a half before being smoked.

For starters, this is a handsome specimen with solid curb appeal. The oily wrapper is smooth and clean with a reddish hue, finished with a neatly executed cap. The pre-light notes remind me of honey, cinnamon, and sawdust. The feel is a tad spongy.

Once lit, the ten-year-old Habano Rosado wrapper, Jalapa binder, and filler tobaccos from Estelí, Condega, and Ometepe combine to yield a medium-bodied profile of oak, cream, and baking spices. There’s some spice on the finish, but it’s more like white pepper than the bold black pepper for which Nicaraguan tobacco is often known. I also find a decent dose of sugary sweetness, particularly on the aftertaste and in the aroma of the resting smoke.

The texture is bready with notes of peanut and mushroom drifting in and out along the way. Throughout, the draw is easy, the smoke production average, and the gray ash holds firmly off the foot. As with the Toro, though, the Robusto does require a few torch touch-ups to keep things burning evenly.

Davidoff is likely never going to be a destination for full-bodied cigars. Nicotine and strength are just not in the brand DNA. But if you’re willing to pay Davidoff prices (the Nicaragua Robusto retails about $13) this creation will bring you a complex, interesting take on Nicaraguan tobacco that won’t leave you disappointed. It earns 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.”

Six months ago I bought a five-pack of J.D. Howard Reserve HR52s (6 x 52), finding them, at the time, to be neither enamoring nor enchanting. Half a year may not be ample time to change a cigar, but I nonetheless decided to fire up the last stick from the pack to see how it had developed. This time around, the Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and Nicaraguan filler combined to yield a profile that’s slightly more subdued. The creamy nutiness is more apparent, and the sour, meaty notes are a little less pronounced. The J.D. Howard Reserve HR52 is definitely better with some modest age, but I still think the $10 price tag is high for what this toro brings to the table.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It’s easy to root for a guy like Noel Rojas. Three years ago, when he moved to Nicaragua from Miami, he made cigars out of his house—with the garage serving as tobacco storage, the dining room reserved for sorting, and a bedroom repurposed as an aging room.

Today, Rojas’ company, called Guayacan, is part of the House of Emilio, which also includes 1502, Bodega, Epicurean, Ezra Zion, and Nomad Cigar Co. His core line is simply called Guayacan, which sports an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. He also makes a Mexican San Andrés-wrapped Guayacan Maduro—as well as a few cigars for other brands—out of his newly constructed Tabacalera Aromas de Jalapa factory in Estelí.

Last summer Rojas added Sabor de Estelí to the Guayacan portfolo. Spanish for “flavor of Estelí,” the line comes in two variations: an oval-shaped Habano and a box-pressed Maduro. Each, as you would expect, features Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos, with the former wrapped in Ecuadorian Habano and the latter in a Mexican San Andrés leaf.

Sabor de Estelí Habano is offered in four sizes: Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52), Gordo (6 x 60), and Corona (6.5 x 42). The Robusto retails for about $8 and has a highly textured wrapper with plenty of tooth and moderate oils. The feel is a little spongy and the cold draw is smooth. Pre-light, the foot exhibits rich notes of dark chocolate, mole sauce, and damp earth. I find the highly traditional, colorful band to be attractive and a nice complement to the dark wrapper.

From the outset, the Robusto produces a spicy, dense flavor with notes ranging from cayenne, black pepper, and cedar, all balanced by some sweetness and a bready component that reminds me of flour tortilla. The texture is leathery, and the finish is a heavy dose of dark roasted coffee bean. At times, I also pick up cream, peanut, and cocoa. I’d classify the body as medium to medium-full.

The samples I smoked for this review, provided to me free of charge by Emilio Cigars, burned beautifully. I ran into no problems with the burn line, draw, smoke production, or ash.

Over time, I hypothesize the Sabor de Estelí Habano Robusto might mellow out. Personally, though, I love the spice-forward flavor this cigar brings to the table now, and I’m not sure I’d want to sacrifice any of that kick. Teeming with taste and abundant in complexity, the Robusto leaves me wanting more by the time I reach the nub—and that’s one of the better compliments I can pay a cigar. I will be buying more for my own personal enjoyment, and I award this excellent smoke four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Most of us think of a sucker punch as an unannounced or unexpected attack, usually a closed fist to the face. “Sucker Punch” is not a bad name for a cigar, especially for one loaded with Ligero and bearing the name of a brand with a longstanding reputation for full flavor.

Sucker Punch debuted in June 2014, made by General Cigar exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop. (Full disclosure: Famous sent me a sampler pack of Sucker Punch cigars to make this review possible. As always, the samples Famous provided in no way impact my assessment of the cigar.)

The Sucker Punch blend includes an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper around a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan Ligero long-filler. It is crafted by Augustin Garcia Lainez, Central American Tobacco Operations Manager for General Cigar. “[Augustin] divides his time between Honduras and Nicaragua,” reads the General Cigar website. “He was instrumental in creating Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado in Cedros, CAO OSA, and CAO Concert, and continues to work diligently to ensure the quality of cigars for all brands under the GCC Central American portfolio.”

There are four Sucker Punch sizes, all of which sell in the affordable $5.57 to $6.80 price range: Critical Condition (7 x 52), King Hit (6 x 54), Lights Out (5 x 52), and Smash Face (6.1 x 60). I smoked a five-pack of King Hits for this review. This thick toro has a clean, pale exterior leaf, pre-light notes of honey and hay, and an interesting band of blue, gold, and red that features a female boxer.

The cold draw is easy and airy with the wrapper imparting a slight sweetness on the lips. After setting an even light, this translates to above average smoke production. The initial profile is similar to what you’d expect from a Connecticut-wrapped smoke, albeit with a little more kick: butter, nut, oak, and sweet cream.

After the first inch, the Ligero starts to make its presence known, imparting notes of black pepper and transitioning from medium-bodied to medium-full. The result is not necessarily heavy, rich, or dense (as I suspect this cigar would taste with almost any other wrapper type). Instead, it smokes like an amplified version of a typical Connecticut. It’s like a bold, full-flavored stick that still leaves room for subtlety. Then the final third is a huge dose of nicotine and spice—the sort of experience you don’t want on an empty stomach.

True to General Cigar form, the physical properties are outstanding. The gray ash holds well off the foot, the burn line stays straight from light to nub, and the draw is smooth.

I give the Sucker Punch King Hit bonus points for being a truly unique Connecticut that’s affordable, full-flavored, and definitely not boring. Save this as an after-dinner companion with your favorite bourbon or scotch. In my book it earns 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.”

The Four Kicks Piramide (6.25 x 52) from Crowned Heads is a study in spice. Not so much your common black, peppery spice. But cinnamon, cedar, and baking spices. Other admirable traits of this affordable, Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped smoke include notes of sweetness for balance, excellent construction, and a medium-bodied profile that’s simultaneously approachable and satisfying. I paid about $8 for this cigar at a local shop, and it was worth every penny.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In the summer of 2013, Camacho revamped its cigar portfolio. Known for producing full-bodied cigars and owned by Davidoff since 2008, Camacho unveiled a new scorpion logo and distributed marketing materials that trumpeted “bold is back with a vengeance.” The likes of Mike Ditka, Matt Booth of Room 101 Cigars (Room 101 is made by Camacho), and screenwriter Rob Weiss were added to Camacho’s new “Board of the Bold.”

Aside from these marketing efforts, Camacho narrowed its offerings from 11 lines down to 6—Corojo, Corojo Maduro, Connecticut, Criollo, Triple Maduro, and Diploma. All but the Triple Maduro and Connecticut were entirely re-blended.

At the time, I remember being pleased that the Camacho Connecticut would remain unchanged. The Toro and Monarca, in particular, were solid smokes, as well as regulars in my rotation. In fact, I had enough of each in my humidors that it was only until recently that I started smoking the re-branded Connecticut. (Full disclosure: Famous sent me a sampler pack of Connecticut Robustos to make this review possible. As always, the samples Famous provided in no way impact my assessment of the cigar.)

For starters, I have to say I prefer the old Connecticut band—which was white, classic, and understated—to the new, bright, modern-looking packaging. That said, once you remove the large, yellow-orange band, you’ll find the Robusto (5 x 50, formerly known as Monarca) looks just like the old Connecticut. The wrapper is clean and golden, the feel is moderately spongy, the cold draw is easy, and the pre-light notes remind me of sawdust and peanut.

After setting an even light, the flavor is familiar, too. The Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper combines with the Corojo binder and Honduran and Dominican long-filler tobaccos to produce a creamy, nutty taste that’s on the mild side—but definitely is no slouch in the flavor department. It’s almost like taking your typical Connecticut-wrapped cigar and adding some black pepper and cedar spice. Very nice balance and complexity.

True to Davidoff form, the Camacho Connecticut Robusto displays excellent combustion properties on a consistent basis. Expect a smooth draw, solid ash that holds well off the foot, average smoke production, and a straight burn line that requires zero touch-ups.

Maybe the best decision Davidoff made when re-launching the Camacho portfolio was to not tweak the blend of the Connecticut. My taste buds can’t tell the difference between the old and the new version, and that’s a good thing in my book. This $7 cigar is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys