The Stogie Guys

From time to time I browse my local liquor store (which, unfortunately, is a state-run Virginia store) in search of something new or exciting to try. The bourbon and rum sections are my favorite, and the last time I dropped by I was pleased to find the Elijah Craig 18 Year Old bourbon sitting there, on “sale” for $43.

The standard Elijah Craig was always a dependable good bourbon, and so I had high expectations for it’s most rare expression, the 18-year-old, single barrel variety. Made at the Heaven Hill Distillery, this bourbon is crafted side-by-side with another favorite of mine: Evan Williams Single Barrel.

The Elijah Craig 18 is a slightly cloudy amber-colored bourbon. The nose is distinctly sweet, with toffee, nut, and caramel. The flavors are that of a well-aged bourbon: oak and char from extensive aging combined with vanilla, butter, oak, corn, and smoke. It’s a very intense flavor, but there’s only a hint of spice on the finish and an overall smoothness that’s very enjoyable.

It’s the type of bourbon that can hold up well when paired with a full-flavored cigar. I smoked one of the new Tatuaje Faustos with it and found an enjoyable pairing. Also recommended would be the EO 601 Green, Fuente Opus X, Roman Allones Specialy Selected and PG 20th Symphony. (more…)

In April, a bi-partisan group of members of the House of Representatives introduced the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act (H.R. 1639) to make explicit that the FDA is not authorized to regulate traditional handmade cigars. This past week, a Senate version (S. 1461) of the bill was introduced by the two Senators from Florida: Democrat Bill Nelson and Republican Marco Rubio.

The new Senate bill marks an important milestone in the movement for cigar rights, where after over a decade of exclusively playing defense, cigar smokers finally have a national bill (introduced in both houses of Congress) to support their rights. The FDA is currently authorized by the 2009 Tobacco Control Act to regulate cigars if it wants, even though the bill doesn’t require cigar regulation.

So far the agency hasn’t expanded its authority to include cigars (cigarettes and smokeless tobacco are currently under the FDA’s regulatory authority) but the agency has initiated a rulemaking procedure to expand its authority to include handmade cigars. (more…)

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.”

Back when I first reviewed it, I gave this annual release (every year the plan is for a new Singulare blend and size) from Illusione high praise. Since then, I’ve only enjoyed the cigar more, even picking up a second box before the 1,000 box run sells out. It’s a wonderfully complex, medium-bodied smoke, with cream, cedar, toast, and honey. With excellent construction, this is a cigar that benefits from, and deserves, your full attention.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

 photo credit: Stogie Guys

Churchills, toros and lanceros are great, but finding the time can be difficult. A well-made Churchill (seven inches long with a 47-50 ring gauge) should take over 90 minutes to smoke. If you’re done far sooner then you’re smoking too quickly and ruining the cigar’s flavors.

Even robustos and coronas can be hard to find time for. Particularly now that smoking bans make it so difficult to enjoy a cigar indoors when it’s too cold or too hot to be outside. That’s why more and more I find myself lighting up cigars that will take only around 30 minutes to enjoy. These aren’t cigarillos, but fully formed and blended cigars, just in a smaller format. Here are five small cigars that I’ve been enjoying lately:

Tatuaje Petite Cazadores Reserva – Introduced in 2010, this is the original Tatuaje “Brown Label” blend with a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper in a 4-inch, 40-ring gauge size. It’s well-balanced, medium- to full-bodied, and features a tasty combination of earth, spice, and dark chocolate.

La Flor Dominicana Carajos Oscuro – The smallest cigar on this list (4 x 36) but perhaps the most powerful. It’s a firecracker with all the boldness of La Flor’s Double Ligero line packed into a small package.

J. Fuego Origen Originals – This little perfecto (not pictured) comes pre-clipped in a unique five-cigar paper-wrapped “softpack.” It features spice, coffee, leather, and only costs around $12 for the package. (more…)

Though I haven’t gotten around to reviewing any of them, Kurt Kendall’s 7-20-4 cigars have become staples in my humidor. The “Dogwalker” size has particularly become a favorite as it delivers full cigar flavors in a small size (4 x 40) that takes less than 30 minutes to smoke.

So when I heard Kendall was introducing a new line at this year’s industry trade show, I was looking forward to trying it. It is called 1874, which commemorates the opening of the 7-20-4 factory in Manchester, New Hampshire. Two years ago Kurt Kendall, who runs the Twins Smoke Shop in New Hampshire, re-introduced the 7-20-4 blend (and resurrected the trademark) which had been made at the Manchester factory until 1963. (more…)

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.”

Haven’t heard of Lou Rodriguez Cigars? Neither had I until recently when I tried the Reserva blend, which features a notably smooth San Andreas wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The little “Bom Bom” has flawless construction. It’s a medium- to full-bodied blend with lots of earth and just a hint of sweetness. The well-balanced cigar even reminds me of the dependably tasty Padrón Serie 1926. This is a very pleasant introduction to Lou Rodriguez Cigars; I’m looking forward to trying more from this brand.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

After a hectic trip to the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Trade Show in Las Vegas, I’ve finally had a few days to reflect on what was my fourth consecutive show. All in all, it was successful show, and a healthy industry is a good for cigar fans.

I asked Chris McCalla, legislative director for the IPCPR, about the exact figures, and he said attendance was up about 20% from last year’s show in New Orleans (although he cautioned that because Las Vegas is closer to West Coast shops it always tends to draw more attendees). This year over, 1,000 retail shops were represented (New Orleans 2010 had 755) and nearly 2,000 retail badges were picked up (compared to 1,786 last year). There were 5,000 attendees in Las Vegas.

More importantly, the consensus among those on the show floor selling cigars seemed to be that although foot traffic was down (compared to what was expected) those who did attend were there to buy. Even after the initial rush on day one, sales held for most cigar makers on the all-important day two.

While individual cigar makers each will judge the show on their own bottom line, I wanted to look deeper at the trends that I saw from one booth to the next. To that end, three trends were particularly notable from this year’s show:

Small Smokes — Cigar makers have taken notice. With increasingly busy schedules and smoking bans forcing cigar smokers outside into the summer heat or winter cold, we often don’t have time for robustos and coronas, let alone Churchills or toros. The answer seems to be lots of new cigars that are smaller sizes (i.e., 4 x 40, 4 x 42, etc.). Larger than a cigarillo, these little sizes do their best to combine the flavors and complexity of a large premium cigar in a shorter 20-30 minute smoking time. (It’s also worth noting that the uncomfortably large super toro size (6 x 60) has become a staple of the industry because—as more than a few people told me—even though few people in the industry seem to smoke them regularly, they continue to be a big seller.)

Connecticut is Back — In the past few years, cigars with shade-grown Connecticut wrappers have gotten a reputation (unfairly in my humble opinion) for being simple, mild, beginners’ smokes. But, like so many things, these trends tend to be cyclical. This year I noticed many new Connecticut-wrapped smokes. However, unlike past versions of many Connecticut cigars, new releases this year tended to be more medium-bodied than mild. I think it’s a reflection of the fact that many of the hardened smokers who used to smoke only full-bodied flavor bombs are now looking for more balance. Cigar makers are hoping that these more flavorful versions of Connecticut-wrapped cigars will be a welcome new addition. Whether it’s successful or not, only time will tell.

Less News, More Sales? — I certainly didn’t get to stop by every booth, but more than in past years I didn’t feel that stopping by every booth was necessary. That’s because more than in previous years, cigar makers had announced (or “leaked”) what was coming ahead of time. Part of it is because Cigar Aficionado‘s long-held monopoly on cigar news has been broken by the online cigar media (a trend we’re fans of here at StogieGuys.com). But I also think cigar makers see the role of the Trade Show as place to open new accounts, rather than sell new releases to existing accounts. To that end, paradoxically, even though the largest cigar companies with the largest booths pay the most to be at the annual convention, it is the smaller cigar makers who need the convention the most to grow their businesses and add accounts.

Next year the show moves to Orlando, and it will be interesting to see if the IPCPR can prevent a drop-off, as Las Vegas always seems to attract a great crowd. Orlando certainly has plenty to offer those who use the show as a chance for a family vacation, but the extent to which California (and other West Coast) retailers are willing to make the long trip across the country is not clear. One prediction I feel comfortable making: The well-stocked bar at the downtown location of IPCPR Board Member Jeff Borysiewicz’s Corona Cigar Company will be very busy.

Beyond that, the only thing left to do is smoke all the new releases. That alone will determine for me the real winners from the 2011 Trade Show. Look for plenty of reviews of the new releases in the next few months.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr