The Stogie Guys

Green candela wrappers were once very popular with American cigar smokers. So much so that candela wrapper leafs—which go through a special quick and hot fermentation process that locks in the green color—were known as “American Market Selection,” as opposed to more traditional brown “English Market Selection” wrappers.

These days candelas are less popular and more of a novelty. Which is why cigar makers who bring American Market Selection cigars to the U.S. market often attach their release to St. Patrick’s Day, where consumers sometimes pair them with green beer (pictured).

If you’re thinking about trying a candela, this weekend (St. Patrick’s Day) is as good a time as any. To that end, here’s a quick rundown of some of the green cigars available:

Black Market Filthy Hooligan by Alec Bradley — This is 2013’s new addition to the candela ranks. It features the same blend as the regular Black Market (Panamanian and Honduran filler with a Sumatra binder) coupled with a candela wrapper. If you like the regular Black Market cigar, this is your best bet.

Illusione Candela — Illusione makes it’s original blend (Nicaraguan binder and filler) with candela in a few sizes. Back in 2011 when it first came out, we found the 88 size to be a pleasant smoke with tea and plenty of sweet flavors, and lacking the bitterness that sometimes defines candela cigars.

Viaje WLP St. Patrick’s Day — Now in it’s third annual release, this Viaje is part of the limited release “White Label Project” series. I’ve smoked a few of the 2012 edition, which features the brightest candela wrapper I’ve ever seen, and found that it equaled the Illusione as my favorite candela.

Camacho Candela Monarca — Many years ago I reviewed this candela by Honduran producer Camacho. One of the first candelas I ever smoked, it features the classic banana peel and grassy notes that I strongly associate with green wrappers.

Don Tomás Candela — My colleague reviewed this candela with some skepticism when the company claimed it was the result of three bales of candela wrappers that had been “lost” for 18 years. Ultimately, though, he found it to be a “respectable” smoke with enjoyable flavors, even if it wasn’t destined to be a regular in his rotation.

Fuente 8-5-8 Candela — Fuente’s regular line is known for smooth, mild flavors produced by Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. I smoked one of these a few years back and recall just that: a mild, balanced smoke with just a hint of classic grassy candela flavors.

Those are the candela cigars we can personally speak to, but there are a few others. La Flor Dominicana recently released their “double claro” (another name for candela). Rocky Patel makes the Edge blend with a candela for St. Patrick’s Day. And for while La Gloria Cubana also made one in a few sizes, it isn’t clear if it’s still produced.

If you’ve considered trying one before, I’d encourage you to use St. Patrick’s Day as a reason to take the plunge. Pick a brand with non-candela smokes that you like, and see what a world of difference a green wrapper can make. Finally, remember that for better or worse, with enough Jameson and Guinness, any cigar is bound to taste good.

–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.”

Given that it’s the St. Patrick’s Day season (apparently it’s a whole season now since I attended a St. Patrick’s Day parade last weekend), I fired up this limited release from last year. More so than any other Candela I’ve smoked, the wrapper isn’t just green, but a bright, shiny, almost kelly green hue. The cigar features roasted flavors with coffee, toast, and black pepper spice. It’s a pleasant cigar even if the balance is hurt somewhat by the grassy notes of the green wrapper. Still, you could do far worse if you want to smoke a candela-wrapped cigar for the St. Patty’s season, or for any other reason.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Jacob Grier (writer, cocktail expert, cigar smoker, and a friend of this site) has a must-read article at The Atlantic‘s website about the FDA’s approval process, or lack thereof, for new tobacco products. Essentially, the FDA is supposed to be “regulating” cigarettes but instead is blocking all new products from reaching the market.

The article describes the impossible delays and bureaucratic hurdles (over 1,000 new products are pending review but none have been approved) thrown up by the FDA under it’s authority under the Tobacco Control Act of 2009, particularly the story of Hestia Tobacco, which tried for over a year to get FDA approval for a new organic cigarette. And while the focus of the article is on cigarettes, a careful reading of Grier’s piece contains some grave warnings for cigars.

Repeatedly during the story Hestia Tobacco founder David Sley describes attempt after attempt at getting a straightforward answer from the FDA, only to be stymied repeatedly. One passage in particular, regarding aging tobacco in cedar, has important implications for cigars:

Also in October 2011, Sley asked whether his plan to age tobacco in cedar, a common practice in the cigar industry, would violate the Tobacco Control Act’s ban on characterizing flavors. David Ashley, director of the Office of Science at the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, replied by merely quoting the statute without clarification. Despite multiple follow-ups, Sley still has not received an answer. In an interview in February, Ashley said that he had not thought about the question. A spokesperson for the FDA has declined any further comment on the issue.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to estimate that the vast majority of handmade cigars are “aged” in cedar in one way or another (think cedar-lined aging rooms, cedar cigar boxes, and cedar sleeves) because cedar’s qualities (especially Spanish cedar) make it ideal for storing cigars. That means that a ruling by the FDA that aging tobacco in cedar violates statutory language against “characterizing flavors” could be one step away from a near total ban on cigars.

And every indication is that other step is only weeks away. As the article notes, the FDA plans to introduce its first rules on cigars by April. Many have speculated that this could include an extension to cigars of the flavor ban that makes flavored cigarettes (other than menthol) illegal. A group of Senators even tried to mandate such a flavored cigar ban last year by attaching it to an appropriations bill.

With the FDA unwilling (after being asked multiple times over the course of 17 months) to foreclose cedar aging being a violation of the flavor ban that is central to the FDA’s tobacco regulatory regime, the coming FDA rules on cigars could leave the FDA dangerously close to banning very common practices fundamental to the creation of the premium handmade cigars you smoke.

–Patrick S

photo credit: EPC

As bourbons go, Noah’s Mill is a mysterious breed. It’s a product of Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD), which until a year or two ago didn’t distill its own bourbon, instead buying bourbon from other distilleries. So the exact origin of the contents of this $50-60 bottle of Kentucky bourbon are unknown. (If you are wondering what bourbons are made where, this is one of the best lists I’ve seen at sorting out the known links between distilleries and bottles.)

Further, while for many years Noah’s Mill held an age statement of 15 years (meaning the youngest bourbon in the bottle was at least 15 years old), the bourbon recently eliminated its age statement. Multiple reports I’ve read (including this one) say that KBD was having trouble securing adequate amounts of 15-year-old bourbon, so they reformulated the recipe with bourbons ranging from 4 to 20 years of age, with a variety of different mash bills.

The result is the most acclaimed member of KBD’s small batch collection, which also includes Rowan’s Creek, Pure Kentucky XO, and Kentucky Vintage. Bottled at a “near barrel-strength” of 57.15% (or 114.3-proof) there is more unknown than known about this bourbon, which lets you simply evaluate it for how it drinks, as opposed to the decades or centuries of bourbon history that accompany many Kentucky spirits.

Noah’s Mill doesn’t have as much alcohol heat on the nose as you might expect from a nearly 115-proof spirit. Instead, the deep reddish-brown bourbon features lots of wood, leather, and brown spice aromas.

On the palate, once again, the lack of heat despite the relatively high proof surprises. Normally I’m one to water down (at least with a few drops) anything much over 100-proof, but this doesn’t need it, which predicably can lead to sneaky results if you have more than a glass or two.

Wood (to be expected given the 20-year age of some of the blend), maple syrup, baker’s spices, toffee, and raisin are all apparent. The finish is very long with woody spice and a hint of mint.

All in all, an excellent bourbon for those who like the woodiness of extra old bourbon. (Mix Booker’s with Pappy van Winkle and you’d end up with something like Noah’s Mill.) And at $50 a bottle (shop around; there’s a wide range of prices) it’s a good deal on a mysteriously tasty spirit.

Recommended cigar pairings include: Cuban Partagas Serie P No. 2, Surrogates Bone Crusher, 7-20-4 Lancero, and CyB Lonsdale Club.

–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.”

The Casa Fernandez Copacabana was introduced at the 2011 IPCPR Trade Show. The value-priced ($4) Nicaraguan puro has a Cuban-seed Corojo ’99 wrapper. The flavors are simplistic: wood, cardboard, and milk chocolate. It’s medium-bodied and well-constructed, but ultimately hardly a complex, sophisticated, or particularly interesting cigar.

Maker’s Mark stunned many in the bourbon world recently by announcing it was reducing the proof of its bourbon from 90- to 84-proof. The bourbon was staying the same (the same mash bill aged the same number of years), except the ABV was dropping from 45% to 42%.

But when the backlash was more than expected, Maker’s Mark said “never mind” on the reduced proof. While that may have been the right decision, it leaves unresolved the problem that the watering down was meant to address: Demand for Maker’s Mark outpaces the supply of fully aged Maker’s (a problem that will take years to fix.)

So fans of Maker’s Mark may have trouble finding their bourbon. Given Maker’s Mark’s “wheated” recipe, which emphasizes sweetness over spice, here are a few other bourbons to try if you can’t find that iconic red wax bottle, or if you just want to try something new.

Maker’s Mark 46 – Instead of going into to the bottling line, some Maker’s Mark is diverted to a second period of aging with a barrel using seared French oak staves. The result is a more complex, more complete bourbon. It’s $10-15 more per bottle, but well worth it in my opinion.

Old Fitzgerald – Whiskey writer Chuck Cowdery says he’s heard stories that Pappy Van Winkle gave Maker’s Mark creator Bill Samuels Sr. his Old Fitzgerald recipe for what would become Maker’s: “Put it in a fancy bottle and charge an arm and a leg for it.” Today Old Fitzgerald is made at Heaven Hill Distillery. The regular 80-proof gold label is slightly less refined than Maker’s but also half the price ($13).

Larceny – This newcomer, also from Heaven Hill, impressed me when I tried it. Just as sweet as Maker’s but richer in character, it’s more my style. And at $25 a bottle it’s the same price as Maker’s.

Old Weller Antique 107 – Weller is the “wheated” recipe from Buffalo Trace Distillery. At 107-proof, this is a bit hot straight. A splash of water opens it up nicely with banana, vanilla, and caramel notes. Also around $25 a bottle, it’s a great substitute for Maker’s Mark.

Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 – This special 18-year-old bourbon is a pricy, limited bottling of some of the last remaining bourbon distilled at the Stitzel-Weller distillery, which closed in 1992 (meaning it’s the pretty much the same stuff that goes into the super-elusive Pappy Van Winkle 23). While $80-100 per bottle makes it a big step up in price, if you want to see what extra long aging can do to a “wheated” bourbon, this is the tasty result.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys