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.”

Since I examined the Double Robusto in God of Fire’s Serie B line—a cigar that earned a 4.5-stogie rating—I have been looking forward to trying the smaller Robusto size (5.25 x 50). In addition to being half an inch shorter and slightly thinner than the Double Robusto, the Robusto has an entirely different wrapper: a dark Ecuadorian sun-grown leaf. Compared with the Double Robusto, which boasts a Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper, it has a denser flavor of espresso, raisin, and cocoa that’s a little heavier on spice and a little lighter on sweetness. The overall profile is balanced, complex, powerful, and memorable, which is what you’d expect from a cigar with a $21 price tag.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

My colleague recently listed five bourbons Maker’s Mark fans should try, in light of that spirit’s announcement—and subsequent retraction—that it was reducing its proof from 90 to 84. It was a timely article because demand for Maker’s will outpace the supply of fully aged Maker’s, which is why officials wanted to water down the bourbon in the first place.

I like my colleague’s list, but one addition immediately came to mind: Basil Hayden’s. Maker’s is known for a smooth taste that emphasizes sweetness over spice. Likewise, Basil Hayden’s has built a reputation as an approachable bourbon with crispness over heat. So it stands to reason that many Maker’s fans might also like Basil Hayden’s, which is sold at a comparable cost ($35-40 per 750 ml. bottle).

Basil Hayden’s is the lightest bourbon in the Small Batch Bourbon Collection that’s made by Jim Beam. It’s 80-proof, as opposed to Knob Creek (100-proof), Baker’s (107-proof), and Booker’s (121- to 127-proof). And it probably has the most unique bottle of the bunch.

Basil Hayden’s is aged for eight years and has a high concentration of rye. That’s how Basil Hayden Sr.—a Catholic from Maryland who moved to Kentucky in the late 1700s—crafted the bourbon, when “Kentucky was but four years old and George Washington was president,” according to the bottle. “Today, we make Basil Hayden’s using the same skill and care that made it a favorite among America’s frontier settlers.”

Given the spirit’s low proof, I prefer to sip Basil Hayden’s with Whisky Stones which, unlike ice, won’t dilute it further. In the glass it has a light amber color and a clean nose of tea, eucalyptus, mint, and spice.

The flavor is predictably soft with only traces of pepper or heat. Instead, it’s characterized by honey, citrus, and some floral notes. The finish is brief and clean.

I’ve heard Basil Hayden’s classified as a bourbon for non-bourbon drinkers. I don’t think that’s fair. I consider myself a bourbon drinker, and I happen to appreciate it as a fine accompaniment to a mild, Connecticut-wrapped cigar. No, it doesn’t have the depth or complexity as, say, Booker’s. But it’s a nice change of pace and a smooth-tasting option for the open-minded.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Vintage Especial by Tesa is one of the finest, most complex mild cigars on the market—and currently my favorite Connecticut smoke. Its only drawback is its price.

So I was intrigued when Chris Kelly told me he was bringing a value-priced Connecticut blend to Tesa, a Chicago boutique with a portfolio of fantastic house blends. Picadura King, as the new blend is called, is made with a Connecticut shade wrapper and Nicaraguan long-filler mixed with short-filler scraps (called picadura).

The difference in cost between Vintage Especial and Picadura King is striking: the robusto-sized Vintage Especial Rothchild runs $14, whereas the Picadura King Robusto is about $4-5. Three other Picadura King sizes are available: Churchill (7 x 50), Toro (6 x 50), and Super Toro (6 x 62). Each also comes in a Maduro variety.

I grabbed a handful of Robustos at Tesa in early February, seeing them prominently on display within the shop’s walk-in humidor. Each has a closed foot and a delicate, pale wrapper with a few larger viens. Faint notes of sweet hay are apparent pre-light. The density is consistent from head to foot and stiffer than you might expect a mix-filler cigar to be.

After lighting the Robusto and taking a few introductory puffs, I can’t help but smile. The familiar taste is very reminiscent of the Vintage Especial: oak, sweet hay, cream, and roasted nuts. Mild, harmonious, and well-balanced with an interesting interplay between the sweetness of the smoke and the lingering spice on the finish.

For me—a cigar enthusiast who strives to smoke milder cigars about 30% of the time—the Picadura King Robusto, like the Vintage Especial Rothchild, hits all the right notes. It’s mild enough to be smoked any time of day. It’s flavorful and complex enough to keep my interest. And it never succumbs to the pitfalls of many other Connecticut smokes (namely papery or chemical-like tastes).

Construction is outstanding, which is what I’ve come to expect from Tesa’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The burn is perfectly straight. The draw is smooth. Each puff releases plenty of smoke. And the ash holds pretty well given the filler mix.

Time will tell if Picadura King can be an outright replacement for Vintage Especial in my rotation. I need to smoke a few back-to-back to see if the former has all the complexity of the latter. I suspect it doesn’t (though maybe I’m just thinking it can’t given the price difference). Either way, the Picadura King Robusto is an excellent mild cigar that can firmly stand on its own legs, one that’s worthy 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

“Put a chill in your whisky without diluting the dram of your dreams.” That’s the clever tagline for, and the concept behind, Whisky Stones, a product distributed by Teroforma.

Some of us, myself included, prefer our whisky colder than room temperature. Others like to add a splash of water to round the edges and open up the flavors. And still others are looking for both.

For folks in the latter category, ice is the preferred solution. But what if you want to chill your whisky without adding any water? Or what if you want to carefully control how much water gets added? That’s where Whisky Stones come in. They chill liquid without melting or adding flavors. And they definitely spark conversation if you’re entertaining.

Whiskey Stones ($25 for 9 cubes) are made from soapstone in Vermont. “The stones are non-porous and will impart neither flavor nor odor,” reads the package. “More gentle than ice, Whisky Stones can be used to cool down your favorite spirits just enough to take the edge off without ‘closing down’ the flavors.”

Before use, Whisky Stones are supposed to be placed in a freezer for at least four hours. After use, they can be rinsed, dried, and returned to the freezer. The talc-based soapstone is “particularly effective at retaining temperature for extended periods of time.”

Three stones are recommended for each serving of whisky, with the liquid height barely exceeding the height of the stones (as seen in my picture). In my experience, after about five minutes this makes the whisky noticeably colder—but not as cold as a similar volume of ice would have made the drink. If you are impatient and drink the whisky in less than five minutes, you may not experience much change in temperature at all. But if you take your time, and if you’ve ever accidentally killed your drink with excess melted ice, Whisky Stones are worth looking into.

Truthfully, I enjoy having them in the house, and especially like them when I have friends over for a cigar and some whisky or rum. Hopefully the effectiveness of the stones doesn’t wear off over time. I’m not fond of the name, though; I don’t like to be reminded of the existence of kidney stones—especially when I’m relaxing with a drink.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When I reviewed the Grimalkin Toro by Emilio Cigars back in 2011, I liked everything about the cigar. Everything, that is, except for the name and the creepy band.

Gary Griffith must have gotten similar feedback pretty regularly, or perhaps he just had a change of heart about the best way to market this stellar creation. Whatever the case, he decided to re-brand the line as La Musa Mοῦσα, which—as Cigar Fan eloquently describes—may be a nod to the first line of Homer’s The Odyssey.

La Musa Mοῦσα features a Habano Rosado wrapper and is handmade in Estelí with production “based on harvest conditions,” according to the Emilio website. It is available in a limited Lancero vitola, along with traditional Robusto, Torpedo, Corona, and Toro formats.

The latter retails for $8-9 apiece and measures six inches long with a ring gauge of 50. It boasts an oily, reddish wrapper with nary an imperfection and wonderful notes of milk chocolate and nut off the foot. Moderately firm throughout, the Toro is downright beautiful with (what I think is) a significant improvement in the band.

La Musa Mοῦσα is “designed for the refined palate with an appreciation of subtle nuance in texture and flavor of the smoke.” Fittingly, the initial profile is neither monolithic nor overbearing—even though many have speculated this smoke is made by Don Pepin Garica, a cigar maker with a knack for powerful, peppery introductions. Flavors of almond, caramel, cocoa, and cream emerge in a balanced, medium-bodied taste.

And that’s pretty much how the Toro smokes from light to nub, save for some increases in spice down the stretch. Not surprisingly since the blend is the same, I’ll agree with my previous assessment of the Grimalkin Toro that the “balance and syrupy texture stand out as the most memorable characteristics of the smoke, imparting a uniqueness that’s lacking from other cigars that take on a more predictable profile.”

Also not surprisingly, the combustion qualities are the same as the Grimalkin—an excellent draw with large volumes of smoke, a straight burn line, and a solid ash.

When Grimalkin was introduced, I nodded in agreement as I read positive review after positive review. The quality, subtlety, and balance of the blend cannot be denied. And so is the case with La Musa Mοῦσα Toro, my favorite of Gary Griffith’s creations to date. It’s worthy 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.”

Billed as an “old-world, medium-bodied, Cuban-style” cigar by Tatuaje’s Pete Johnson, La Riqueza (Spanish for “riches”) is a unique and wonderful smoke. The No. 4 (5 x 48) delivers a sweet aroma with a balanced, powdery flavor of dry wood, cocoa, and leather. The finish is spicy. The robusto-sized smoke also boasts a dark Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos, a slight box press, and excellent construction. Pick one up for about $8 and I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Before working on this review, I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I fired up a Gurkha. And that’s saying a lot for a guy who needs to smoke a wide variety of cigars.

It’s also saying a lot because of the excessive number of unique blends Gurkha produces. On its website, Gurkha lists no less than 13 “core brands,” 10 “limited edition” blends, and 2 lines under its “East India Trading Company” umbrella. And these listings apparently aren’t even comprehensive. The blend I’m reviewing today, for example, is nowhere to be found on the website. I’m sure it isn’t the only one missing.

No matter. The Gurkha Legend is pretty easy to come across. It features an aged Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and eight-year-old Dominican filler tobaccos. The Robusto (6 x 50) retails for about $10 (and can sometimes be found for considerably less when on sale or thrown into a sampler pack).

I found a couple Robustos at the bottom of one of my humidors. No telling how long they had been buried there, but the cellophane on each had started to yellow. Once exposed, the cigars gave off potent pre-light notes of cocoa and hay. Each felt very firm in some spots and soft in others, inconsistencies that often foretell construction issues.

After torching the foot, a profile of dry wood, musty earth, and coffee emerges. Cinnamon and syrup add spice and sweetness, respectively. The texture is coarse and the body is on the lighter end of medium. Each puff leaves a long finish on the palate with a spicy tingle on the tongue.

Moving into the midway point, the flavor stays consistent but the aroma of the resting smoke becomes decidedly sweeter. The final third witnesses a slight increase in intensity with occasional bitter notes. All the while the Robusto’s combustion performs better than I imagined. The draw is smooth, the smoke production is solid, the burn is straight, and the gray ash holds well.

True, the Gurkha Legend Robusto can hold its own. But it’s also a far cry from memorable. While I won’t be forking over $10 for one of these in the future, I won’t mind picking up a few at bargain prices, or as inclusions in sampler packs. This cigar earns three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys