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.”

I’ll admit that while I’ve always enjoyed the Punch Rare Corojo line, I haven’t smoked many in recent years. But when my colleague recently reviewed the Rare Salomones size, I thought I should revisit the line. Salomones are one of the most impressive-looking sizes, and this is no exception with its reddish wrapper and double bands. Once you get past the initial couple minutes, the large format produces plenty of smoke. It features leather, earth, and fruit notes and is medium- to full-bodied. It’s an elegant smoke worth paying attention to for a full 90 minutes.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When it comes to style, most humidors are pretty much the same: stained wood, the occasional glass-top, and brass trimmings. That’s why, with it’s grey slate stone exterior, the Adorini Black Slate Deluxe L stands apart from the crowd.

 

In fact, I’ve had one on display for a few months while I tested it out and more than once I had someone ask me what it was, because it doesn’t look like any humidor you’ve probably seen before. As noted in the Cigar Aficionado‘s write up of the same humidor (one of three other sites that have recently written about this humidor, but the only to not to say if they received it free to write about from Humidor Discount), the slate can even double as a chalk board – even though I’m not sure it befits such a stylish cigar storage unit.

I don’t claim to be an expert on interior design, but it occurs to me that stylistically this is a versatile humidor. It goes equally well in a dark-stained wood and leather decor as it would in a more modern, minimalist style.

There’s no doubt it’s a sharp looking but frankly, I’m more interested in how it keeps my cigars. After three months, there’s no question that it keeps them well, as the seal is perfect.

While larger (you could comfortably store over 100-125 cigars) than the Adorini humidor my colleague tested out last year, the basics are mostly the same. It holds humidity very well and has more than a few notable features that make it function better than most humidors. (more…)

Thursday marks the start of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, the only time of year where sports gambling and scoreboard watching seem to be acceptable in the American workplace. (Personally, I think this may be the year Arizona gets the job done, as long as they can hit their free throws. Or you can ask Nate Silver.)

But it’s not just me. Everyone seems to be an expert handicapper for March Madness. Fortunately, now you can prove it. Only instead of running our own bracket and giving you a handful of cigars, we’re pointing you in the direction of several free-to-enter NCAA pools where your good picks can earn you boxes of free cigars:

Take on Rick’s Picks! Join the ‘Fans of CAO Cigars’ group: http://t.co/tlT5I5bZKv Password: CAORick

— CAO Cigars (@caocigars) March 18, 2014

It’s bracket time! Join my Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick’em Pool, “Miami Cigar & Company” http://t.co/eZFfiSmJlt

— Miami Cigar & Co. (@MiamiCigar) March 18, 2014

Enter our Bracket Challenge for a chance to win some great prizes! Fill out your bracket here http://t.co/8fwiQWv97L pic.twitter.com/AARyUz3FYD

— Espinosa Cigars (@EspinosaCigars) March 17, 2014

Know of other free-to-enter NCAA pools where you can win cigars? Let us know in the comments.

–Patrick S

photo credit: N/A

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 Nicaraguan puro is made for Miami Cigar & Co. by My Father Cigars. With a very dark, oily Oscuro Habano wrapper and a slight box-press, it’s a handsome smoke. The Añoranza continues to be one of the most full-bodied cigars in my regular smoking rotation. It features a powerful combination of dark earth, charred oak, unsweetened cocoa, and a bit of spice. There’s not a lot of nuance here, but plenty of intense flavor, which is why I enjoy it.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’m in the middle of a series of Cigar Spirits articles about rye, with the intention being a guide to rye along the lines of our A-Z Guide to Bourbon (part 1 and part 2). Today I’m tackling two ryes from Wild Turkey: the standard 81-proof variety, and the Russell’s Reserve Small Batch 6-Year-Old Rye.

Russell’s Reserve Small Batch 6-Year Rye ($30-38) is named after Jimmy Russell (and his son Eddie), the longtime master distiller at Wild Turkey. According to the back of the bottle, it “has a crisp, lively taste that they believe to be the perfect 6-year-old rye.” The $25 81-proof standard Wild Turkey Rye is the most basic version of the Wild Turkey rye recipe, which has a mash bill of 23% corn, 65% rye, and 12% malt barley.

The two represent the two easiest-to-find rye whiskeys made by Wild Turkey. Wild Turkey also sells a 101-proof rye, but it’s limited in quantity, available only in certain states, and reportedly only comes in 1-liter bottles. Along with the 101 Rye, they make for an interesting case study in the difference age and proof can make.

Wild Turkey Rye 81 is a light golden color with a muted nose of floral and oak notes. On the palate it has buttery smoothness with hints of wood spice, pine, and honey. The finish is soft and short. Overall, it suffers from its diluted low-proof nature, but nevertheless is a pleasant, easy-drinking, value-priced rye.

The 90-proof Russell’s Reserve Small Batch Rye has a darker copper color and an inviting nose with baking spices and wood. On the palate it’s a rounded combination of oily intensity, floral notes, and spice with hints of dried fruit. The finish is long and spicy. It’s miles more complex and interesting than it’s 81-proof cousin, a fine ribeye steak to the regular Wild Turkey 81’s burger.

Both are solid pairings for a cigar, but Russell’s Reserve can stand up to a wide variety of mild, medium, or full-bodied cigars, while the standard variety is likely to be overwhelmed by a cigar that’s full-bodied. Both are good rye whiskeys, but the Small Batch variety is particularly noteworthy as a classic rye to enjoy neat.

–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.”

When 7-20-4 debuted (technically relaunched after a nearly 50-year hiatus) in 2009, it struck a chord with it’s throwback packaging and unique blend. The cigar has a Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, a Colombian binder, and filler from Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras. I recently picked up a Robusto to see how it compares to the other sizes in the line. The Robusto is dominated by woody notes, combined with molasses, cinnamon, and clove. Medium- to full-bodied with excellent construction and a reasonable $6-7 cost, it’s easy to recommend.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When he was running for president in 2008, Senator Obama promised not to raise “any taxes” on families making less than $250,000. Fifteen days after being sworn into office, he broke that pledge by signing the SCHIP bill that included a major increase in federal tobacco taxes.

Now, five years into his presidency, Obama (himself a longtime cigarette smoker) has proposed raising taxes further. His proposed budget for fiscal year 2015 includes a 94% increase in tobacco taxes.

For cigarettes, the federal rate would jump from $1.01 to $1.95 per pack, up from 39 cents per pack in 2008. The new excise tax rates would then be increased annually to account for inflation. The rate on cigars, which is a percentage of sales as opposed to a per-unit tax, would increase proportionally, presumably with the tax cap jumping from 40 cents per cigar to upwards of 75 cents.

According to an IPCPR statement, in FY2015 the proposed tax hike is estimated to raise $78.217 million over 10 years, which the budget says would be used to fund pre-K education.

Analysis

Fortunately, this budget has pretty much zero chance of passing in its current form. As the IPCPR notes in its statement, “IPCPR does not expect this proposal to be approved by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, but it does demonstrate that the entire suite of tobacco products is going to be on the table when legislators are searching for revenue to fund unrelated programs.”

And that is exactly the key takeaway. President Obama has repeatedly promised that tax hikes wouldn’t impact anyone not in the highest income percentiles. But, like so many areas, there’s an unwritten asterisk when it comes to tobacco.

Tobacco taxes disproportionately impact lower income income Americans, and that doesn’t include the lower income people in other countries who would lose their jobs as consumption is reduced by the high prices of increasingly climbing taxes. Yet, even a president who says he only wants to target the wealthiest Americans with higher taxes feels free to target those with lower incomes if they smoke.

Ultimately, the key point is that cigar smokers (and other tobacco users) need to make it clear to their elected officials that they are taxed enough already. If something (whether it be pre-K education or anything else) is worth paying more taxes for, then they should seek to pay for it out of taxes that impact everyone, not taxes targeted at a minority that already pays more their than their fare share.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Lisa Jack