The Stogie Guys

One of my very favorite cigars ever was the original Illusione Singulare 2010 Phantom. It was excellent when I first reviewed it, and it has only gotten better as I’ve smoked through four boxes in the past few years.

Because of that, I’ve always looked forward to trying new Singulare cigars—even if sometimes they’ve come out well behind schedule. Maybe the Singulare 2010 Phantom is unfair standard, but it’s only natural to compare an annual release to its predecessors.

While both the 2011 and 2012 Singulare cigars were very good, neither were quite as exceptional as the original. (Of the two, the 2012—which has a Mexican wrapper—came closest to that very high bar.)

Prior Singulare cigars all came in a toro format (with either a 50 or 52 ring gauge). The 2013 Singulare Rose Croix (French for “pink cross”), on the other hand, comes in a format that’s slightly narrower than a traditional Churchill size (7 x 46).

Like the 2012 Singulare, Rose Croix was made at the TABSA factory in Jalapa, Nicaragua. Prior to 2012, all previous Illusione cigars had been made at Raices Cubanas in Honduras. Since then, new Illusione projects (including *R* Rothchildes) have been going to TABSA.

The Nicaraguan puro features a reddish-brown wrapper with numerous visible veins. Of the three I smoked, one was marred by a seriously uneven burn. Otherwise, construction was without incident, although the ash was at times less sturdy than you’d expect.

The Singulare 2013 is dominated by wood and leather notes with just a bit nutmeg and clove spice. There’s also a slight metallic-vegetal tinge that I can best describe as bell pepper-ish (it took a while to identify, but once I did I couldn’t shake the description). This sensation was particularly pronounced in one of the three cigars I smoked.

At it’s strongest, it’s a medium-bodied cigar, although a very balanced one. The finish is notably short and clean.

The inconsistency in construction and flavor is worrisome, but I still think this cigar has good aging potential. As for what the cigar demonstrates today, it has some real question marks you wouldn’t expect from Illusione (especially for a cigar that runs almost $13). It still earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

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.”

Vita Nova is the follow-up cigar to the original Dante line, and this corona (6 x 42), which features a short pigtail cap, is a special edition of the Vita Nova line made in limited quantities for the DC Cigar Tweet-Up event held at cigar shops in the greater Washington area each year with proceeds donated to charity. The cigar has a unique lineup of flavors with sourdough bread, banana peel, slight saltiness, and just a bit of pepper spice. It produces a very heavy, thick smoke that can make the medium-bodied cigar seem more full-bodied than it is. At times, the draw is slightly tight, but it’s not too problematic, and otherwise the cigar has admirable construction. I found it to be heavier than the regular Dante Vita Nova vitolas, which I slightly prefer, but this is an enjoyable and unique smoke.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Allow me to take a brief break from writing about rye whiskey to focus on a new staple bourbon in my collection. Rick Hill Farms has been around for a while, but I had never actually tried the spirit until recently (in part because, in my home state of Virginia, it is a “special order” item not regularly stocked by Virginia’s state-owned liquor stores).

Rock Hill Farms is made by Buffalo Trace, which crafts many well-known bourbons, from Blanton’s to Eagle Rare to George T. Stagg. Buffalo Trace makes bourbon with three different mashbills (this chart has the details). Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel is one of five made with the high rye mashbill, which features 10-12% rye and a small amount of malted barley along with a majority of corn. (Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, Ancient Age, and Hancock’s all derive from the same mashbill.)

Rock Hill Farms doesn’t have an age statement, but reports list it as 8-10 years before being bottled at 100-proof. A 750 ml. bottle costs $50-60, roughly the same as the 93-proof, more widely available Blanton’s. (The bottle is a square decanter that an imaginative mind will have no trouble finding use for after its contents are gone.)

Rick Hill Farms is a lovely deep amber color. The nose has a rich combination of rock candy, honey, baking spices, and just a bit of oak. On the palate, it’s a velvety combination of caramel, dried fruit, fudge, and creaminess. It has a restrained intensity that’s easy to appreciate and worthy of drinking straight. The finish is long and full of apples and spice.

As far as cigar pairings go, it’s a versatile bourbon that can stand up to all but the spiciest cigars. A rich Nicaraguan cigar like a Tatuaje Brown Label or Drew Estate Liga Privada goes as well as a more subtle cigar like a Cohiba Behike or Davidoff Colorado Claro.

The obvious comparisons for the Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel are Blanton’s and Elmer T. Lee, both of which are single barrel selections made from the same mashbill. For value, it’s hard to beat Elmer T. Lee, which is $20 less than the other two. But compared to Blanton’s, the higher proof Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel is a slight step above, perhaps due to the added intensity of its higher proof. That’s why it recently became a regular on my bourbon shelf and is a must-try for bourbon fans.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Launched less than 18 months ago, the Sindicato Cigar Group had a lot of things a start-up cigar brand could only dream of. In addition to industry veteran Jim Colucci as CEO, the company had the backing of of a handful of the best-known cigar shops in the country right from the outset.

Sindicato has been busy in its first year launching three lines: Affinity, Hex, and their “premium bundle” Cassa Bella. Now the company is following up with its eponymous lines: Sindicato and (coming this fall) Sindicato Maduro.

I received two samples of the Sindicato blend when it began shipping to stores in early May. I smoked the Corona Gorda (5.5 x 48), one of six box-pressed sizes (MSRP $10.95).

The cigar is made by Casa Fernandez in Nicaragua under the direction of it’s master blender Arsenio Ramos. Although the press materials don’t say it, it almost certainly is made completely of Aganorsa tobacco (one of the premier Nicaraguan tobacco growers and suppliers, owned by Casa Fernandez owner Eduardo Fernandez.)

The Nicaraguan puro blend uses a shade-grown Corojo wrapper grown in Jalapa, dual binders from Estelí, and a combination of Jalapa and Estelí filler tobaccos. The wrapper is slightly mottled and reddish-brown in color.

Sindicato features classic woody spice that fans of Casa Fernandez will recognize; it’s a quintessentially Nicaraguan profile. In addition, I picked up flavors of roasted nuts, black coffee, and some graham cracker towards the second half.

It starts out very full-bodied but eases back towards medium in the second half when a little creaminess reveals itself. Construction was excellent throughout.

I smoked an early prototype of this at the IPCPR Trade Show last year given to me by Jim Colucci, and whether it’s a tweaked blend or just time, it has improved greatly since then. Back then it was very strong and harsh. Now it’s far more balanced, and only medium- to full-bodied.

It’s a good cigar, and fans of Casa Fernandez lines will certainly enjoy this one (although I do wonder if they provide slightly better value given the similarities). Still, there’s plenty to like in the Sindicato cigar, and I think it may continue to get better with time. Even in it’s current state, it earns a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

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.”

Sometimes you find a cigar in your humidor and you’re just not sure how it got there or where it came from. This Falto Terruño Hermanos, made in the Dominican Republic at La Aurora’s Santiago factory, is one of those mysterious cigars. The well-constructed robusto consists of a Dominican Corojo wrapper and binder around Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Cameroon filler. It features an interesting combination of chalky and woody flavors with a decent amount of red pepper spice, especially at the start, and a bit of sourness that fades in and out. It’s definitely dominated by the the distinctive Dominican Corojo flavor, so if that’s up your alley you’ll want to give it a try.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In April the FDA took a big step towards regulating cigars in a way that could be devastating to the handmade cigar industry, and initiated a public comment period that will run until August 8. With time running out to submit your comment, here are a few tips to use when you register your comment here.

Don’t Lose Sight of the Goal

The point here is to protect cigars, not just vent anger at the FDA. If your comment includes lots of words in ALL CAPS, multiple exclamation marks, or frequent references to nazis and fascism, it may make you feel better when you hit submit, but it will probably be more easily dismissed by the bureaucrats at the FDA. Unfortunately, the FDA has already been granted the authority to regulate cigars, so the only questions now are if it will use that authority, and, if so, what form the regulations will take and what exemptions the FDA may create.

Don’t Bury the Lede

I doubt I’m going to single-handedly disillusion any readers about our government here, but odds are your comment won’t individually get a careful, thorough consideration. Rather, the FDA uses the comment period to hear from prominent stakeholders and to generally gauge the opinions of those who take the time to comment. So be clear upfront about your position. And feel free to repeat it at the end.

Emphasize the Key Points

Cigar Rights of America has a helpful list of message themes here. You should definitely read the whole thing and feel free to borrow from it while writing your comment. (There are no extra points for originality.) To their excellent points, I would add two additional ones. First, there is no reason for treating flavored or infused cigars differently from non-flavored premium, handmade cigars (for more on that point check out this piece I wrote a few weeks ago). Second, given the FDA’s limited budget and the fact that it has only ruled on 34 of thousands of outstanding new tobacco products waiting for approval, the agency’s resources would be better off focusing on products other than handmade cigars. Of course, most of all, be sure to point out that you are a responsible adult who smokes in moderation.

Pause Before You Hit Submit

Proofreading is important. A comment full of spelling or grammatical errors or, worse yet, sentences that don’t make sense, will undercut your message. As someone who edits quite a bit of writing, I can tell you it’s always tougher to edit and proof your own writing, so don’t hesitate to ask a friend to look it over.

Don’t Wait Until Tomorrow

A rhetorical masterpiece complete with citations to relevant scientific research is great if you can pull it off, but lets not kid ourselves: This is in large part a numbers game. A short, to-the-point comment is infinitely more helpful than the long, in-depth comment you never get around to actually submitting. To that end, if you know someone who would be willing to submit a comment but probably doesn’t have the time to write it up, send them a comment they can use along with the link where they can submit it.

–Patrick S

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.”

I’ll admit, I hadn’t realized this Cigar International smoke was no longer made by the Garcias until I was sent a sample by its new maker, G.R. Tabacaleras Co., which is run by Goerge Rico. (Then again, the 5 Vegas website still has the old version listed.) Now made completely in Miami (the old version had only one size made in Miami, while the rest were produced in Nicaragua) this is a traditional Toro (6 x 50) featuring a slightly mottled Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan filler. It’s medium-bodied and nicely balanced with cocoa and coffee. The draw is a touch loose, but overall I have no complaints about the construction. With a price around $5 by the box, it’s a good value on a well-made cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys