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 Liga Privada T52 from Drew Estate has been a staple in my humidor for a couple years now. Those of you who smoke it regularly know why. It consistently delivers expert construction with bold, full-bodied flavors of spice, coffee, leather, and black pepper. And the unique stalk-cut “American Habano” Connecticut wrapper is always mouth-watering. The Robusto (5 x 54) may be expensive at around $12, but it delivers time and again.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This summer, Iconic Leaf will go after some of the milder premium cigar market with a new Recluse offshoot called Amadeus. Select retailers will soon receive shipments of the product, but the full release won’t take place until the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association Trade Show in Las Vegas in July.

Since the company was established in 2012, Iconic Leaf has erred on the side of secrecy. At its inception, the identities of its principals were left a mystery, and we were only told the operation was founded by two “well-respected legends in the cigar industry” who have “chosen to keep their identities private in a pursuit to make the very best premium boutique cigars that can be found anywhere in the world without the influence of their names.”

In addition to secrecy, innovation seems to be another Iconic Leaf theme. The Doral, Florida-based company has pioneered the “Sidewinder” cigar shape—a flattened oval with a slight box press and a bit of a taper at the cap—as well as the “Kanu,” which has a head-turning kayak-like shape. In a sense, Iconic Leaf has taken a page out of the book of Litto Gomez, who created the “Chisel” shape for La Flor Dominicana.

So far, Iconic Leaf’s core blends—Recluse and Recluse Draconian, respectively—have sported darker wrappers (Brazilian Maduro for the former, Ecuadorian Maduro for the latter). Recluse Amadeus will help diversify the company’s portfolio with a light Connecticut Ecuadorian Shade wrapper surrounding a proprietary binder and a filler blend of Dominican and Connecticut tobaccos.

Six Recluse Amadeus sizes will be available ranging in price from $7.50 to $10.50: three box-pressed, and three of the Sidewinder variety. The Toro (6.25 x 50) is spongy and box-pressed with a golden wrapper and faint notes of honey and hay. The cold draw is smooth, as one would expect from an entubar-crafted cigar.

Once lit, a traditional Connecticut profile of cream, soft cedar spice, almond, and coffee emerges. The texture is silky and the body is decidedly mild to mild-medium. The Toro becomes more interesting around the midway point as spice and roasted nut flavors build in intensity. In fact, while I typically pride myself on smoking cigars slowly to guard against heat and harshness, with the Recluse Amadeus I find myself smoking a little quicker to drive home the flavor with more force.

I smoked two pre-release samples for this review, both provided by Iconic Leaf, and found them each to have excellent construction. The Toro smokes as well as you’d expect from any cigar. The burn is straight with a thick, black mascara, the ash holds well off the foot, the draw is easy, and the smoke production is above average.

If, like me, you enjoy mild Connecticut Shade cigars, you’ll want to give the Recluse Amadeus a try when it becomes more widely available. Try it with a cup of black coffee in the morning and let the flavors grow on you (as they most assuredly will after the first inch). This new release is worthy 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.”

Every time I light up this Abe Flores creation I find myself wondering why I took so long to come back to it. I may not light up a Cubano Especial Capa Natural Robusto (5 x 52) very often but, when I do, this Ecuadorian Connecticut-wrapped smoke never disappoints. It has a tremendous flavor of dry oak, vanilla, nuts, and cream that’s complemented by some floral notes. And the construction is outstanding. For its $5 retail price, this is a steal.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A few weeks ago, Drew Estate announced the naming of Willy Herrera as “master blender.” The move does not place Herrera in charge of La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate; rather, he will maintain current blends, produce new ones, and report directly to Jonathan Drew.

“This represents a major change for Drew Estate, marking the first occasion where someone of Cuban descent has held a top-level position at the company,” read a press release. The news came just a few days after Nick Melillo left Drew Estate, where he served for 11 years with responsibilities ranging from purchasing and fermentation to quality control and shipment planning.

To date, Willy Herrera’s biggest contribution to Drew Estate has been Herrera Estelí, a five-vitola line of Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped cigars with a Cuban-esque flavor profile. The blend has been well-received within the online cigar community, and also in mainstream publications. The Herrera Estelí Piramide Fino was named the eighth best cigar of 2013 by Cigar Aficionado.

Due out soon is Willy’s follow-up to Herrera Estelí: the Herrera Estelí Norteño. Norteño translates to “northerners,” which is what people in Nicaragua call those who live around Estelí, which is in the north of the country. It will come in six box-pressed sizes and feature a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, a Honduran binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. Like the core line, Norteño will be manufactured at Drew Estate, despite earlier reports it will be made at Joya de Nicaragua.

When I was in Nicaragua earlier this year, Willy gave me a single Herrera Estelí Norteño sample (4.75 x 48). It’s a flattened box-pressed smoke—almost rectangle-pressed, if you will—with a dark, dry exterior and pungent pre-light notes of cocoa and earth. Given the unique format, I decided to use a punch cut, and that was enough to yield a smooth draw.

Herrera’s highly anticipated sophomore effort is a chalky, chocolaty smoke with espresso, cashew, and a lingering spice on the tip of the tongue. Red pepper and cocoa seem to fight for control of the palate. The texture is heavy and coarse, and the body straddles the border between medium and full.

On the single sample I smoked for this review, I needed to touch up the burn with my torch several times to keep the cigar burning straight. The other combustion qualities leave no room for criticism. The draw is very easy, the smoke production above average, and the sandy, white ash holds well off the foot.

Given the quality and popularity of Herrera Estelí, I expect large numbers of cigar fans to actively seek out Norteño and take this blend for a test drive. They won’t be disappointed, though they may be surprised by the lack of Cuban-eqsue-ness given Willy Herrera’s reputation. My take is Norteño is a unique line that fits nicely into the overall Drew Estate portfolio, and it showcases the range of Herrera’s talents. I’m awarding this pre-release sample a solid 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.”

In my experience, Cuban cigars—more than cigars from any other country—require extra aging post-purchase. Holding on to this Partagas Serie P No. 2 (6.1 x 52) for about two years was a smart move. Then, I liked the cigar fresh from the box. Now, the flavors are more developed as the profile is teeming with roasted nuts, white pepper, syrup, hay, and cream. Expect to pay north of $15, and expect to be wowed as long as you can be patient. I recommend a box purchase, or splitting a box of 25 with a buddy, and hiding the smokes away for a few years, if possible.

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.”

From Sindicato—a unique cigar company founded by a group of veteran tobacco retailers—comes Casa Bella, a five-vitola line that won’t break the bank. For just a couple bucks you can try the Gran Toro (6 x 60), a huge smoke featuring an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper around an Indonesian binder and a filler blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Clearly, this blend is positioned to compete in the value space of the market. Yet the bland, nutty, sometimes buttery, sometimes papery flavor of the Gran Toro makes me wish I would have spent more on a better, more interesting cigar. For me, when I smoke Sindicato, I’ll be focusing on Hex and Affinity.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It’s hard to believe Sam Leccia’s Leccia Tobacco outfit has only been around for about a year. I know many people who consider his Black and White blends to be regulars in their rotations, and the new Luchador series, a Mexican-wrapped smoke that debuted on Cinco de Mayo, is already making inroads (we’ll have a full review on Luchador shortly).

Before getting Leccia Tobacco off the ground, Leccia, formerly of Nub and Cain fame, couldn’t stay away from the industry any longer than he was legally obligated to. He originally tried to jump back in the business in 2011 with a Toraño-distributed brand called Debut, which prompted a lawsuit from Oliva and postponed his return until 2013.

With the conclusion of his non-compete agreement with the Oliva Cigar Co., his former employer, Leccia’s return was formally announced in April 2013, and last June he unveiled his new company at the IPCPR Trade Show. Its two inaugural blends—Black and White—are distributed by Toraño.

The Black is made in Nicaragua and features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan Rosado binder, and a filler blend of Dominican Ligero, Brazilian Mata Fina, and some fire-cured tobacco. White is made in the Dominican Republic with a Cameroon wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and a filler blend that includes Pennsylvanian tobacco.

The White 446—also known as “Little Guy”—is about $7 and measures 4 inches long with a ring gauge of 46. The small cigar is dry, toothy, and nearly vein-free with pre-light notes of sweet caramel and milk chocolate. The cap, which seems hastily applied, clips cleanly enough to reveal an easy draw.

In my experience, this smaller format of the White blend is the spiciest. Whereas the larger Double Toro, Toro, or even Robusto have more of a doughy texture, the 446 is drier and more cedar-forward with background notes of roasted nuts, cream, coffee, and white pepper. The finish has a sweetness (almost marshmallow) that’s characteristic of Cameroon tobacco.

Construction is excellent with voluminous smoke production, a straight burn, solid ash, and smooth draw. But, as I’ve written before, the White blend burns quickly, so it’s advised to take your time to savor the flavor and keep the smoke from getting hot or harsh.

Looking for a mild- to medium-bodied stick that’s perfect for walking the dog, pairing with a morning cup of coffee, or fitting in during a lunch break? The Leccia Tobacco White 446 fits the bill. For its harmonious combination of flavors and solid value, this Little Guy earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys