The Stogie Guys

Over the next week and a half, because of the holidays, we’ll be taking a day or two off and filling in the remaining days with Quick Smokes. Think of it as our winter vacation, only we’ll be posting something nearly everyday—and each Quick Smoke gives you an opportunity to win one of the more unique cigar prizes we’ve ever given away.

Between writing about cigars, attending shop events, and the annual trade show, I end up with a lot of promotional items: T-shirts, hats, and almost anything else you can think of. So for a unique prize, I’ve decided to give away a collection of cigar swag that’s been sitting in a box in my closet unused and unopened, including four T-shirts, four hats, and an assortment of other unique items.

• Two Tatuaje XL T-shirts (one black, one white) and a Tatuaje Saints & Sinners hat
• SWAG Puro Dominicano T-shirt
• CAO Concert XL T-shirt, hat, and can coozy
• Two Cuba Aliados hats
• Crowned Heads pre-release announcement poster
• Romeo deck of playing cards
• Handful of Cuban Crafters guillotine cutters

To win, you need to do two simple things. First, sign up for our free email newsletter (either using the form next to this article or the one on this page). Second, leave a comment (using the email address you signed up with for the newsletter) on any of our Quick Smoke reviews that we publish between now and the new year, letting us know what you think of the cigar we wrote about. You get credit for an additional entry for each Quick Smoke you leave a comment about.

In January, we’ll announce the randomly-selected winner in our email newsletter. (Standard contest rules here.) Good luck and happy holidays!

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The key difference, in my opinion, between cigarettes and cigars is what they deliver. Cigarettes are manufactured to deliver nicotine. Cigars are created to deliver flavor.

With that in mind, e-cigarettes make sense. They deliver nicotine in the form of water vapor without smoke, tar, or other impurities ending up in your lungs (because, unlike cigar smoking, cigarettes are inhaled into the lungs). And even though the anti-tobacco zealots at the FDA won’t admit it, e-cigarettes are almost certainly healthier than inhaling real cigarettes.

Which brings me to a product I yet don’t get: the electronic cigar. I’ve had some online e-cigar sellers offer to send me a sample, but I never saw any reason to give one a try. I’m guessing whoever invented these things isn’t an actual cigar smoker. If they were, they’d know that flavorless water vapor misses the point of a product that’s all about flavor, balance, and complexity.

Plus, the best part of a cigar is that it forces you into a slower pace. Smoke it too fast and it burns hot. A slower, more contemplative pace is a necessity, as is sufficient time. All that is ruined by the on-off switch on an electronic cigar.

I don’t begrudge anyone who just wants some nicotine. This is a free country and they should be free to make that decision. Further, I feel some solidarity with cigarette smokes who are oppressed by the same anti-tobacco laws that persecute cigar smokers.

But personally, five minutes of nicotine doesn’t do anything for me. I’d smoke cigars if they didn’t have an ounce of nicotine. So you won’t find me trying any e-cigars, which eliminate the very reasons I choose to smoke cigars in the first place. I just don’t see the point.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr

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.”

Recluse by Iconic Leaf is one of the more unique cigars to have been released at the recent IPCPR Trade Show. Made in the Dominican Republic, the blend utilizes a Brazilian maduro wrapper, Cameroon binder, and Dominican filers. The Robusto (5 x 52) features an oily, textured wrapper. Clove, leather, coffee, and molasses all stand out in this well-made cigar that produces thick, powdery smoke. Unique and flavorful, it’s definitely worth a try.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Larceny is the new bourbon from Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. “Old Fitzgerald” has been (and still is) an old name in bourbon going back to the 1880s. According to the story, John E. Fitzgerald was a bourbon maker who opened up shop in the 1870s. But that turns out to be fiction; the real story is much more interesting.

John E. Fitzgerald was a U.S. treasury agent who developed a taste for bourbon that he satisfied by stealing from the bonded warehouse he was given keys to in order to ensure taxes were properly collected. According to the story, he had a knack for finding the best barrels in the warehouse to thieve from, which eventually become known as “Fitzgerald barrels” (since no one was particularly interested in attempting to report a bonded treasury agent to the authorities).

Owned and made by Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle—a name bourbon fans no doubt recognize—the bourbon was one of the first successful wheated bourbons (using wheat instead of rye as the second grain along with corn). Introduced earlier this year, Larceny follows a similar wheat-heavy recipe and is made at Heaven Hill distillery, which makes some other impressive, if under-rated, bourbons like the Evan Williams Single Barrel, Parker’s Heritage, and Elijah Craig 18 Year.

The new whiskey comes in a distinctive bottle that plays up the story that inspired its name with a see-through keyhole. Made of bourbon between 6 and 12 years old, it’s bottled at a hearty, but not overwhelming, 92-proof and sells in the most reasonable $25-30 range. (Further, to induce people to try the new spirit, the bottles I’ve seen have all had an offer of a $10 rebate, making it a most affordable spirit.)

The nose of the copper-colored bourbon features a sweet nose with lots of butterscotch and toffee, and hints of oak and cherry. The first sip reveals quite a bit of heat but, by the second and third, I’m enjoying a sweet, smooth combination of toffee, melon, dry cinnamon, and apples. The finish has honey and bread, and fades away at a medium speed that prompts you for a quick follow-up.

While rye is known for adding spicy qualities to bourbon, wheat tends to result in a smoother blend, and that’s certainly true of Larceny. But it’s far more interesting and lively than another similarly-priced wheated bourbon, Maker’s Mark, which as I’ve gotten more and more into bourbon I’ve found trades a little too much character for it’s easy-drinking qualities.

As far as cigar pairings go, Larceny is versatile, though I’d stay away from Connecticut wrappers if there is even a hint of bitterness, and also overly spicy or very full-bodied smokes. The Tatuaje Havana line, Illusione Epernay, CAO Concert, and My Father line all seem to fit the bill nicely.

For the money (especially if you have the patience to send in for the rebate) it’s hard to not be impressed with Larceny. It’s perfect for a Maker’s Mark sipper starting to explore all that bourbon offers, but can be enjoyed by the most seasoned enthusiast. It actually is not all that dissimilar, except for price, from the highly sought-after Van Winkle Family Reserve. You might even call it a steal.

–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.”

Released just before St. Patrick’s Day earlier this year—it has been aging in my humidor since then—this Candela features a notable bright green wrapper, with a shiny appearance that is a stark contrast from most double claro wrappers, which tend to be dry and matte. The cigar has roast nut and coffee flavors, and a bit of intermittent black pepper spice. While feint, the vegetable, grassy quality that is characteristic of Candela wrappers is apparent. Still it’s an enjoyable, well-made cigar, even though I can’t help thinking the same blend with a traditional wrapper (or even without the wrapper) might be even better.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With so many cigars out there, cigar companies are looking for every edge to persuade smokers to give their cigars a shot, even having professional athletes promote their smokes.

Ted’s Cigars is doing this with one of the best-known race car drivers in the world, Dale Earnhardt Jr. The company, which makes officially licensed Gran Marnier and Maker’s Mark flavored cigars, in addition to their non-flavored Ted’s Made by Hand line, announced today that they are releasing an officially licensed Dale Jr. “88” Cigar.

Curiously, the toro-sized cigar itself isn’t new. It’s the same blend that has been sold for some time as the Ted’s Made by Hand Connecticut Shade Tube (one which received an 88 rating, the same number as Jr.’s car). The new packaging, however, features Dale Jr.’s signature and 88 logo. The cigar comes in single cigars, three-packs, boxes of 10 and 25, and will sell for around $11 each.

Also joining the celebrity athlete cigar endorsers is legendary Hall of Fame NFL player and coach, Mike Ditka. Under a partnership with Camacho, “Da Coach” will develop a series of new cigar lines carrying the Ditka name, which will be made at Camacho’s Tabacos Rancho Jamastran in Honduras.

The first Camacho-produced Ditka cigar (Mike Ditka has had multiple other cigars sold under his name) is being introduced at a dinner at Ditka’s Chicago restaurant next Friday where he will be signing boxes for all those in attendance. Three blends are being introduced, with one box included with the purchase of a ticket to the launch dinner.

For those wondering, this isn’t a new phenomenon. Other athletes with their own cigar lines include Dennis Rodman, Luis Tiant, Gary Sheffield and Sonny Jurgenson.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Does “single malt” and “Texas” sound strange to you? It certainly does to me. But with my Texas roots (nearly half of my family lives in the state) I figured it would be worth a shot—even with a price tag just under $70.

Plus, it’s not like Balcones Distillery hasn’t won any awards. In addition to being named “American Craft Distillery of the Year” by Whisky Magazine, their various spirits have racked up accolades including a handful of prizes for this single malt from the Lone Star State.

On their website, Balcones describes their “1” Texas Single Malt, which was first released in 2011, like this: “A unique style of malt whisky, Texas made, Texas proud. This product is born of hundreds of years of distilling tradition transformed by a deep sense of place. Mellow notes of sautéed pears and ripe fruit mixed with a lingering toasty malt character.”

With all that in mind, I got down to business to try this 106-proof creation from the Waco, Texas-based operation. “1” Texas Single Malt is a medium copper color. The nose is surprisingly traditional (scotch-like), with burnt sugar, dried fruit, and a little oak barrel and vanilla.

On the palate, it has a rum-like sweetness (not that unlike the Edradour 10 I recently wrote about), along with roasted pecans, grain, and maltiness. The finish is short and leaves the mouth a bit dry, while anticipating the next sip.

Complex, yet surprisingly classic, the “1” Texas Single Malt is best paired with a mild or medium-bodied cigar. I’d particularly recommend a Connecticut-wrapped Davidoff Grand Cru or E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys