The Stogie Guys

I have a lot of respect for Tabacalera Perdomo. When politicians raised federal taxes on “large” cigars by 700% for SCHIP, the folks at Perdomo responded by dropping their prices and absorbing the tax hike on most of their portfolio.

“We’re all in this together in these tough economic times,” said Nick Perdomo, the company’s president. “You should be able to afford great cigars at great price points.” So, in 2009 and 2010, Tabacalera Perdomo made many of their best-selling brands more affordable. Today, Perdomo creations are, generally speaking, a great value given the quality of the tobacco and the fine craftsmanship.

The Habano Corojo Robusto (5 x 52) is no exception. One of seven sizes in the line (which is also available in Maduro and Connecticut varieties), this smoke retails for $4 to $6 apiece. It comes adorned with ornate double bands, the larger of which honors the three different growing regions of Nicaragua: Estelí, Condeda, and Jalapa. This is, of course, a nod to the fact that the cigar is comprised of Cuban-seed tobacco from each of these regions.

The Robusto has a matte exterior leaf with several light-colored veins. Consistently firm from head to foot, the cap is applied nicely and it clips easily to yield a moderate draw. The pre-light notes are potent and reminiscent of earth, caramel, and peanut.

Once lit, the cigar has a medium-bodied flavor of spice, oak, and a tart taste on the finish. A gentle sweetness is also present that contributes balance. The overall effect isn’t terribly complex, but it’s satisfying and straightforward.

Don’t expect too many changes in flavor along the way, but you can count on the physical properties to be excellent. All three samples I smoked for this review displayed straight burn lines and solid ashes. The draw is tighter than most other 52-ring gauge cigars, but not to the extent that it causes smoking difficulties.

While I don’t foresee seasoned cigar veterans being blown away by the Habano Corojo Robusto, you can’t deny the value this Nick Perdomo creation brings to the table. I always seem to have at least a handful of these in my humidor to fill the need for a solid everyday smoke. That’s ultimately why this Perdomo 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

ROME ― Back in June, I wrote that a “cigar vacation” can be two different things. It can be a trip to a cigar-producing country like Honduras, Nicaragua, or the Dominican Republic, where you learn about the artisan craft of handmade cigars, visit factories and fields, and learn about premium tobacco in its native environment.

Conversely, a cigar vacation can be a trip to anyplace—cigar-producing or not—where you simply allow ample time to enjoy cigars in outstanding settings. That’s what I did when I traveled to St. Thomas. And that’s also what I’m doing as I write this from Italy.

When you think of cigars and Italy, CAO’s Italia line may come to mind. That blend has a bit of Italian-grown tobacco in the filler (and is otherwise mostly Honduran). Notwithstanding this anomaly, premium tobacco from Italy is quite rare. In the hours I’ve spent driving between Rome, Sorrento, and other locales in this country, I’ve seen plenty of vineyards and fields of olive trees, but I have yet to come across a single tobacco plant.

Still, I would argue Italy is a wonderful destination for a cigar vacation. The culture here in October is very outside-oriented, meaning all of the action is in piazzas, outdoor cafés, on balconies, at open-air markets, parks, and at seaside sidewalks. So even though an unfortunate smoking ban is in effect for indoor spaces, you’ll want to be outside anyways. That’s where you get the best views and the most entertainment.

Smoking is widely accepted outside. I’ve spent afternoons sitting at a sidewalk café with a glass of wine or a cappuccino, people-watching and enjoying a fine cigar. Space may be at a premium in Rome, Sorrento, or Naples, and the tables may be packed in tight, but the locales don’t seem to mind cigar smoke. They’re all too busy puffing away at cigarettes to notice.

Another reason Italy is a great cigar locale: The food is amazing, and nothing follows a great meal like a great smoke. The best cure for a belly full of cheeses and meats is a long stroll and a good smoke. You can’t argue with that.

I’m not sure I’ll ever be back in Italy. It’s crazy expensive, and there are so many other places I’d like to visit in the world. For the short time I’m here, though, I’m going to enjoy every moment and enjoy the premium cigars I brought along. And in my book that definitely qualifies as a cigar vacation.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Several years ago, I picked up a five-pack of cigars from La Aurora. The small white box, fashionably adorned with lions, contained one Robusto from each of the five Preferidos blends: Connecticut, Ecuador, Cameroon, Corojo, and Maduro.

The Preferidos series debuted in 1998 to honor Eduardo León Jimenes, the man who founded La Aurora in 1903. Initially, all Preferidos cigars were perfectos. About five years ago, though, La Aurora began to offer Preferidos in standard parejo shapes.

Since trying each of the Preferidos Robustos in the five-pack, I later bought several more to be able to write reviews. I reviewed the Cameroon in January, and now it’s on to the Connecticut, a golden-colored smoke with a shade-grown wrapper, a Dominican piloto binder, and filler from Brazil, Cameroon, and the Dominican.

The Connecticut Robusto has a dry, clean wrapper with a nice cap at the head and a tight cross-section of tobacco at the foot. The pre-light notes are classic Connecticut: sweet hay with a touch of almond.

Once lit, the cigar has a surprisingly spicy kick that reminds me of ginger. In the foreground of the profile is a hearty dose of dry oak. Some meaty flavors come and go, but there’s little of the traditional Connecticut taste, which usually includes nuts and cream.

Towards the midway point, the spice fades a bit, the oak becomes more dominant, and some of the flavors I had been anticipating—including almond—emerge. But the dry woodsy flavor remains an unwavering centerpiece.

Throughout the smoke, the physical properties exemplify the high standard that I’ve come to expect from La Aurora. The burn line is near perfect, the gray ash holds strong, and the draw is smooth.

The three Connecticut Robustos I bought for this review cost about $10 apiece at my local tobacconist. Notwithstanding this cigar’s outstanding construction, I simply don’t think it’s worth that price. I don’t mind that it doesn’t taste like other Connecticuts on the market but, at this price level, I expect more balance and a little less dryness and meatiness. Since you can spend $10 or less on many finer cigars—including cigars made by La Aurora—I’m giving the Preferidos Connecticut Robusto two and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Longtime readers may recall my two previous articles on two other Angostura rums: 1919 and 1824. Both are wonderful, but there are some important differences. The former costs around $35 and has a sweet and spicy profile, while the latter runs in the $50-60 range, is more full-flavored, and carries the title of Angostura’s flagship rum.

Like 1919 and 1824, the Seven Year Old is made by the same Trinidad & Tobago-based company that’s better known for its highly concentrated food and beverage flavorings than its rum. Angostura’s beginnings can be traced back to 1824 when a surgeon general in Simón Bolívar’s Venezuelan army sought to improve the appetite and digestive well-being of the soldiers. It wasn’t until 1947 that Angostura began to ferment, distill, age, blend, and bottle rum in Laventille, Trinidad. According to the company’s history, today Angostura produces over 600,000 cases of rum each year, most of which is shipped to America, Great Britain, and other islands in the Caribbean.

The Seven Year Old is made from rums aged 7-10 years in American oak bourbon barrels, filtered through charcoal, and then blended and returned to barrels to allow the various light and dark rums to marry. It is less expensive than its 1919 and 1824 brethren, costing about $22 per 750 ml. bottle (40% alcohol by volume).

The nose of this spirit reminds me of rich caramel, banana, and butterscotch. It has very little alcohol tinge and carries a light copper hue in the glass. The lightness of the Seven Year Old is also apparent in the taste. Each sip begins with a muted introduction that slowly builds into a warm, tingly finish. Flavors include smoke, butter, and chocolate. Leaning toward the mild range of rums, this Angostura is creamy and lacking in spice.

Truth be told, I remain unconvinced that this is a suitable sipping rum. It’s much more serviceable mixed in a rum cocktail. I don’t dislike the Angostura Seven Year Old, but I’d much rather pay the additional $13 for a bottle of 1919 since to get what is—in my opinion—a much finer rum.

That said, don’t let my lack of enthusiasm dissuade you from trying this spirit for yourself. If you don’t care for it, you aren’t out too much money; conversely, if you find it surprisingly good, you’ll have a rum that meets your needs and is easy on the pocketbook. Either way, be sure to pair the Angostura Seven Year Old with a mild- to medium-bodied cigar that won’t drown out its soft profile.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Antonio Lam launched Reinado in the summer of 2010, a line of Nicaraguan puros that’s aged up to five years. “What makes this cigar very special is the fact that it’s got a unique fermentation process being employed, making the flavors extremely rich and smooth for a Nicaraguan puro yet letting a nice spice run right through it,” Lam told me.

Reinado, Spanish for “reign,” is gaining traction at tobacconists across the country as more and more cigar enthusiasts become exposed to the brand through mainstream cigar publications and the online community. I’ve been a fan since last October. That’s when I reviewed the Torpedo, a great smoke with notes of leather, espresso, and cherry.

So when Lam told me he was introducing a new size to the Reinado lineup—a Habanito that measures 4 inches long with a ring gauge of 38—I was more than interested to give it a try. Like the Torpedo, the Habanito has an oily Habano rosado wrapper and a classic-looking maroon and gold band.

Lam tells me he created the Habanito for two reasons. “I wanted to have a shorter smoke for cigar enthusiasts that do not have the time to finish a long smoke,” he says. “Secondly, I wanted to have the Reinado blend in a more compact, concentrated format where the flavors and spices could take center stage.”

The spices definitely take center stage from the outset, driving a taste that’s reminiscent of cayenne pepper and allspice. As these sensations tend to hit the tip of the tongue, the rest of the palate experiences flavors more in tune with the aforementioned Torpedo, including cherry and espresso. The profile becomes more rounded as the Habanito progresses. Conscientious smokers will notice the additions of leather and floral hints in the final third.

Throughout the short—yet slow-burning—smoke, the construction is excellent. I noticed even burns, moderate draws, and solid, finely layered ashes across the samples I smoked for this review.

Lam tells me he’s thinking about making the Habanito with a Connecticut wrapper in the near future. “The combination may be incredible,” he says. I’d enjoy trying that, too. For now, though, I can’t help but sing the praises of the Reinado Habanito, an excellent way to get tons of spicy, balanced flavors in a short format. For bringing a big taste right from the starting line and not overstaying its welcome, this 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

Last Friday I did something I should have done a long time ago, something most people take care of while they’re in high school or college. I had my wisdom teeth yanked out.

I didn’t really have anything against these three impacted bastards per se. For years I was aware that they were in there, and for years I was told by dentists that the choice to leave or remove them was my own. Since I’m no fan of oral surgery, I decided to let them be. That is until I started to get headaches in my temples and pain in my jaw. That’s when I (eventually) manned up and scheduled the same procedure that so many women and children have survived before me. How courageous.

Now, five days after D-Day for the wisdom teeth, my mouth is starting to heal. The headaches persist, but I expect them to subside as my jaw slowly gets used to all the extra space in my face.

As the healing process runs its course, I must abstain from cigars. There are certain things all post-extraction patients must avoid for at least a week, including straws, tortilla chips, booze, and popcorn. But top of the list is smoking. Smoking in the days following oral surgery can cause complications the likes of which I want no part.

I knew this ahead of time. That’s why, in the days leading up to the surgery, I lit up some of my favorite smokes, including the Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8, Tatuaje L’Espirit de Vérité 2009, Tesa Cabinet 312, and the PG 15th Anniversary.

I haven’t smoked anything in a week now. So far that’s going fine. Cigars are nothing like cigarettes when it comes to addiction (or anything else for that matter). Would I love to spark something special right now to celebrate my reemergence into the world of premium tobacco? Of course. But that would be premature. I’m holding off until I’m back to normal.

But this run of consecutive cigar-free days brings up some interesting questions: What’s the first cigar I should light up when the hiatus is over? What’s the longest you’ve gone without a cigar since becoming a true cigar enthusiast? What other cigar related activities should I engage in while I’m not smoking—organize my humidors, catch up on reading, etc.? I’d love to see your feedback in the comments below.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Imgur.com

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.”

While no one enjoys trying new cigars more than I do, I’m trying to make a more concerted effort to routinely revisit some of my favorites. The Flor Fina 8-5-8 from Arturo Fuente is one such favorite that I hope to get back in touch with. This affordable, accessible smoke has a wonderful profile of pine, herbs, toast, and roasted nuts, and the Cameroon wrapper adds a nice sweetness. With excellent construction, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better everyday cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys