The Stogie Guys

Tomorrow, Californians will vote on Prop. 29, a measure that would increase already-high cigar taxes in the Golden State by a whopping 73%. In the short term, the consequences of the outcome will be confined to the state, and those who own cigar shops will be hardest hit. In the long term, the implications could be national.

Those of us who follow cigar rights issues won’t be surprised to learn that anti-tobacco politicians, groups, and other zealots are aiming to curtail the sale and enjoyment of cigars through radically high taxes—particularly in California. While few will come right out to admit it (at least for now), the goal of many of these extremists is to completely wipe tobacco from the face of the planet.

But that ambitious plan is on hold for a while. Now, the battle is over a massive tax hike that would drive cigar purchases out of state and devastate small tobacconists.

What’s surprising about this proposed tax hike, however, is that the nearly $800 million in revenue it is projected to raise will not be used to stuff state coffers. There is no requirement the collected money be spent in California, and as much as 40% of the funds can go to overhead, as opposed to actual research. That’s particularly interesting because California’s finances are in complete shambles. “California has a $16 billion budget deficit, a $200 billion long term debt, and an 11% unemployment rate, one of the highest in the country,” said Keith Park, founder of Prometheus, a Los Angeles-based purveyor of fine cigars and accessories. “In this dire financial situation, the American Cancer Society, bicycle celebrity Lance Armstrong, and billionaire New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg are sponsoring a people’s referendum…which will make California smokers pay $735 million in new taxes for cancer research for the whole nation.”

You read that right. California can’t keep its own house in order, but Prop. 29 proponents are suggesting the revenue from Californian tobacco taxes should flow out of the state. “The larger problem with Proposition 29 is its pigeonholing of the money for cancer research rather than for immediate needs here in California that are absolutely dire,” writes Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times. “It’s all well and good to say that cancer research benefits everyone, but the real question is whether it should be the absolute top priority for a state that can’t afford to keep its children fed or offer them medical care in the here and now.”

Of course, since we’re talking about California, these matters won’t be vetted though a normal legislative process. Instead, they’ll be put to a popularity contest at the polls tomorrow. “The California premium cigar retailers, distributors, and manufacturers have formed California Citizens Against Wasteful Taxes to defeat Prop. 29,” says Park. “The election is so close that no one can anticipate the final outcome. The voter turnout among cigar smokers will make a huge difference.”

Of National Concern

The typical cigar enthusiast who lives outside California might be tempted to think that this is a non-issue for him. If Californians want to pay outrageous taxes to support medical research notwithstanding their own budget problems, then who am I to complain?

This dismissal would be a huge mistake. States like California and New York, sadly, have paved the way for anti-tobacco measures that are now commonplace nationwide. For instance, California was the first state to ban smoking in most workplaces at a time when such a move was considered radical. Government-imposed smoking bans in restaurants, bars, and most indoor locations across the country are now the rule instead of the exception. So if Prop. 29 passes, don’t be surprised to see a similar bill proposed in a state legislature near you in the coming years.

Given the combination of federal, state, and local taxes levied on tobacco, cigar enthusiasts already pay more than their fair share. So let’s do everything we can to prevent California from setting another terrible trend. If you live in California, please be sure to get out to the polls to vote no on Prop. 29. And if you don’t, I would also urge you to contact your friends and family members in California to urge them to vote a resounding “no” as well.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Defeat Prop. 29

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.”

When my colleague awarded this cigar a rare five-stogie rating in March, I knew I couldn’t wait too long to try it for myself. My first experience was a pleasant one, as the Rogue Rothschild (5.6 x 54) yielded excellent construction, bountiful tufts of smoke with each easy puff, and a solid profile of dark chocolate, nougat, black pepper, dry wood, and spice. I can’t quite affirm my cohort’s high rating, but this Berger & Argenti Entubar V32 is an easy recommendation, even though it costs $11 to $14 each.

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.”

When my colleague awarded this cigar a 4.5-stogie rating in a full review about a month ago, I knew I had to try it soon, especially since I’m a big fan of Pinar del Rio. I was not disappointed. For $7, the Small Batch Reserve Maduro Robusto gets you dark, rich flavors of chocolate, coffee, and creamy nuts and outstanding construction. Fans of Brazilian-wrapped smokes should be especially sure not to pass up this cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select bourbon has been on the market for 15 years. It is known for having a relatively high percentage of rye in its recipe, as well as for having very little sour in each batch to enable the mash to remain crisp.

This spring, Woodford Reserve released its Double Oaked expression. Like Distiller’s Select, it is made at the Woodford Reserve Distillery, a National Historic Landmark that dates back to 1812 when it was called the Labrot & Graham Distillery. The operation is credited with improving such vital bourbon processes as sour-mash fermentation, pot still distillation, and barrel maturation.

Double Oaked is essentially the same bourbon as Distiller’s Select. But after Distiller’s Select is fermented, distilled, and aged in new, charred, white oak barrels, the bourbon that’s designated for Double Oaked bottles is re-barreled in heavily toasted oak barrels at 110-proof for another 6-12 moths—essentially doubling the spirit’s exposure to oak. The final product is 90.4-proof.

“The re-barreling of mature Woodford Reserve…allows the spirit to extract an additional amount of soft, sweet oak character without the aggressive charred notes obtained from typical bourbon barrels,” says Chris Morris, Woodford Reserve’s master distiller. “This unique practice has created bourbon that is rich in honey, chocolate, marzipan, and spiced apple character.”

Double Oaked is a dark amber in the bottle and slightly lighter in the glass. Its aroma is oaky and buttery with faint cinnamon and brown sugar. Once sipped, the flavor reminds me of dry wood, vanilla, apple, candied walnuts, and honey. The complexity is more pronounced than Distiller’s Select, and the smoothness and drinkability of the spirit makes it easy to appreciate the nuances of the taste.

Double Oaked would no doubt be a treat for any cigar/bourbon enthusiast, especially since the flavor pairs so well with a balanced yet full-bodied cigar like the Tesa 312. For me, though, it will have to be an occasional indulgence because the price is often $50 or more per bottle. In fact, the bottle I purchased for this review cost me $66 here in Chicago.

If you’re looking for an everyday bourbon, I’d recommend Distiller’s Select or one of the many other fine bourbons that are available for around $30. If you’re looking for something special, though, Double Oaked is a fine choice that won’t disappoint.

–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.”

This is one of 15 exclusive cigars I received from Tatuaje when I signed up for Pete Johnson’s Saints & Sinners club for $150. Said to be similar to the Verocu, it combines Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos with a Habano Ecuador wrapper. The result is a smooth, medium-bodied smoke with spice, cream, and black licorice. The Proto 4 is a memorable cigar and my favorite among the other Protos I’ve smoked to date.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Dominican-made Romeo y Julieta brand has been a longtime staple in the portfolio of industry giant Altadis. But over the years, even as the brand grew to ten blends of varying strength, Romeo y Julieta always seemed to be associated with the milder spectrum.

The newest Romeo y Julieta blend, called simply Romeo, aims to change that. “A manly cigar, bold and robust, Romeo is an awesome smoke, rich in complex flavor sensations,” reads a marketing pamphlet from Altadis. “It is, quite likely, the finest Romeo y Julieta ever.”

Romeo is certainly the most modern-looking, sporting a unique band that breaks from the traditional motifs of its predecessors. The line’s sleek, curved boxes are definitely not traditional. And Romeo also adopts the contemporary mantra of “big and bold” with large ring gauges and a recipe of tobaccos that’s evidently built for power.

That recipe includes a dark Ecuadorian Habano-seed wrapper, a Dominican olor binder, and Dominican filler tobaccos of the piloto and olor varieties. The line is comprised of four vitolas that are crafted at the Tabacalera de Garcia in the Dominican Republic: Churchill (7 x 56), Toro (6 x 54), Robusto (5 x 54), and Piramide (6.1 x 52). I sampled three Toros for this review, each—in the interest of full disclosure—provided to me free of charge by Altadis.

The Toro is a clean-looking smoke with a hearty weight and a firm feel from head to toe. The foot confirms a tight cross-section of tobaccos. The pre-light aroma is musty and earthy and the draw is moderate.

After setting an even light, the introductory taste is bold yet stale. By this I mean there’s tons of strength from the smoke but very little in terms of identifiable flavor beyond pure heat. My strategy on cigars like this is to let them rest un-puffed for a few minutes to see if they settle into a more enjoyable profile as the foot cools.

Fortunately, the Romeo Toro does. Before crossing the half-inch mark, tastes of leather, dry wood, and espresso become dominant with a bit of nougat on the finish to add sweetness and balance. The resting smoke is quite sweet. Later, at the midway point, I find the body settles back toward the medium spectrum and some nutty notes take precedence over the leather. The final third features a reprise of power. All the while the construction is near perfect.

Altadis has made a considerable effort to get samples of Romeo in the hands of many internet reviewers, so I expect you’ll see much written about this cigar in the weeks to come. It will be interesting to read all the reviews. From my perspective, this is a fine smoke that will do well on the golf course. I would recommend picking up a Romeo as the blend hits the shelves of a tobacconist near you. I think cigar enthusiasts who typically stray away from Altadis smokes will be pleasantly surprised by the Toro, which is worthy 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

Last week Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation that would increase federal taxes on premium cigars. Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are co-sponsoring the bill.

The goal of the legislation, as stated by the senators, is threefold: to bring all tobacco products in line with the relatively higher taxes that are levied on cigarettes, to discourage the use of tobacco products by minors, and to increase government revenue. “The current loopholes in the taxes on tobacco products encourage the use of products like pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and ‘nicotine candies’ as a cheap source of tobacco, particularly among young people,” Durbin said in a statement. “This bill will stop tobacco manufacturers from gaming the system and protect more children and teens from this dangerous habit.”

It is also expected to boost government coffers by $1 billion.

Additionally, the senators aim to make it more costly to purchase premium cigars. Durbin’s so-called “Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2012” would raise the per-cigar tax ceiling on large cigars over 150%, from 40.26 cents to 100.66 cents. It would also establish a per-cigar tax floor at 5.033 cents. This move comes only days after Durbin and Lautenberg publicly encouraged the FDA to regulate cigars and ban “flavored” cigars outright.

Senator Durbin and his cohorts do not have the courage to say that they’d like to regulate and tax cigars out of existence, but that seems to be the outcome they’re shooting for. Cigars are already taxed quite high, especially when you add up the federal, state, and local taxes. And we’ve written before that regulation of cigars by the FDA would be devastating to the industry, which helps provide 85,000 jobs in the U.S. and hundreds of thousands in Latin America. Ingredient disclosure, testing, and marketing restrictions would stifle the development of new cigar blends and eliminate events where cigar makers pass out free samples to cigar shop patrons.

Be sure to take a few moments to effectively contact your senators and urge them to not support the Tobacco Tax Equity Act of 2012.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr