The Stogie Guys

In this special segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I look back at 2013, its new cigars, and the lists we’ll use to judge them by.

Best of 2013 Lists

Now is the time for “Top Cigars of the Year” lists. Lots of them. In fact, a “List of the Best Lists” list is probably not far off. (We don’t have plans for one this year, but we reserve the right to change our minds.) They’re fun, but I don’t pay too much attention to them. Probably because I’m fortunate enough to try most new cigar blends that appear on various lists so I can draw my own conclusions. In fact, I’d estimate I’ve tried in excess of 50 new cigars this year (not including multiple vitolas of the same blend). If you feel strongly about whether we should compose a 2013 list or not, please let us know.

New Cigars… Lots of Them

In case you were wondering just how many new cigars there are, our friend Frank Herrera took a look at the number of trademarks that have been filed that include the word “cigar”. Filings have exploded. From early last century through the 1980s, trademark filings never averaged more than 100 a year, even though many more cigars were smoked at the beginning of the 1900s. This decade, they’re on pace for nearly 1,000 a year, a roughly 50% increase over the decade of 2001-2010. Besides being good for trademark lawyers, like Frank, I think it’s largely good for cigar smokers, too. More competition keeps everyone on their toes, and it lets newcomers try and create their own niches in the market with unique cigars that appeal to small subsets of cigar smokers.

About That Top 25 List

It’s hard to miss Cigar Aficionado‘s Top 25 list. It even generated CNBC segments, though curiously I don’t recall CNBC coverage in a year where the winner wasn’t a Cuban cigar. I looked through previous year’s CA lists, and I find that this one resonates with me far more than previous editions. With the exception of the top pick (the Cuban Montecristo No. 2), I’ve smoked all the blends in the top ten this year (and I’ve smoked plenty of Monte #2s in the past). Kudos especially to Aging Room (#2) and Buenaventura (#7), two under-the-radar gems that made the list.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Don’t be surprised if you begin seeing numerous reviews of the new Romeo y Julieta line, the Nicaraguan RyJ, as well as some giveaways. Altadis, the manufacturer, has engaged not only in the common practice of mailing three-pack samplers to cigar bloggers, it added a twist.

“We wanted this experience to be magical, that’s why the first 15 bloggers who send me the link of their magical, innovative, and creative RyJ reviews… will receive a box of the new RyJ to share with fans and friends,” RyJ’s brand manager wrote in a followup email.

The issue of freebies can be divisive in the cigar world. It led to a flap at IPCPR, some smokers resent bloggers and reviewers receiving samples, and small cigar makers often see them as their best way to gain exposure.

After spending my career at newspapers where ethics was always a concern, I may be a little more sensitive to this issue than many. As with so many things, the more you examine it the greater the complexity.

Flying around the world with the Secretary of Defense? Seems pretty simple that the Defense Department has to be reimbursed. Having a cup of coffee with a university president? Refuse to let him pick up the check and you run the risk of appearing to be a sanctimonious ass.

Most papers where I worked had guidelines on freebies. Often, there was a limit allowing accepting of things valued under $10 or $20 to avoid that cup-of-coffee conundrum. Perhaps the most common freebies were books and musical recordings, which could nearly inundate the newsroom. One placed I worked auctioned the collections off a couple of times a year and donated the proceeds to charity, another gave them to institutions such as VA hospitals.

What to do about cigars can, likewise, be vexing.

First, I must say that the bloggers I’ve met do this because they love cigars and the industry around them, not for what they might get. Frankly, I’d be very surprised if most of those RyJ boxes don’t end up as contest prizes for their readers. (That’s what we’d do with such a freebie.)

Second, I can’t really say how many samples most bloggers get, only that I’ve received a lot at IPCPR and a relative handful throughout the year. Third, without samples there’d be a lot fewer small-label reviews or even knowledge about those cigars. Fourth, my practice is generally to go through my humidor a couple of times a year, cull a pile of smokes, including freebies I’ve received, and dispatch them to the troops.

Here at Stogie Guys, we keep it pretty simple. We don’t go looking for free cigars. Sometimes, they arrive out of the blue; sometimes, manufacturers email first to ask if we’d be interested in doing a review. When we write about cigars, we make it clear if they were samples. (You can read all our policies here.)

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

Here’s a tip of the hat to Davidoff, the storied cigar maker in the Dominican Republic. Introducing one of its new Camacho blends recently, the company sent out a press release that went beyond the typical advertising buzzwords and hype.

Perhaps responding to entreaties like that of Patrick A. last year, who made the case for more specific information, Davidoff went into detail.

Beneath a photo of its new Blackout Limited Edition 2013 cigar that was opened to reveal the components—each labeled with country of origin—were several paragraphs packed with great specifics for the inquisitive mind.

These include the production years of the wrapper, binder, and filler leaves and how long the rolled cigars were aged (two years). Davidoff also revealed where the wrapper came from on the plant and why that is meaningful, as well explaining how that tobacco was fermented.

Sure, many smokers don’t care about these things. They just want to know whether they like the cigar or not. That’s fine. One of the great things about cigar enjoyment is that the field is wide open. But in this new age of great cigars and cigar appreciation, a growing number of passionate smokers crave more. They want to know a lot about what they’re smoking.

And Davidoff has taken a step in the right direction. They deserve recognition and, hopefully, other manufacturers will agree.

–George E

photo credit: Camacho

A recent report on youth smoking and flavored tobacco generated headlines and is likely to become ammunition in the efforts to bring cigars under the Food & Drug Administration.

Now, there’s a lot to look at in the article, but I want to bring out a couple of points that I think could be useful in making the case to exempt premium, hand-rolled cigars from FDA oversight.

First, the cigar component of the study deals largely with what are known as little cigars. These are more or less the same as cigarettes, the biggest distinction usually being the composition of the wrapper. In most places, little cigars are considerably cheaper than cigarettes because of the tax structure and offer a ready substitute for cigarette smokers looking to save money. Little cigars have almost nothing in common with premium, hand-rolled cigars.

Next, I think there’s a big hole in the study: no mention or exploration of young people using cigars to smoke marijuana. A spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control told me the agency “does not have data on cigar use in relation to marijuana use.” I’m no expert on kids and grass, but I think it’s reasonable to assume that a fair percentage of the kids who said they smoked cigars did so after replacing tobacco with marijuana. Again, nothing to do with premium cigars.

Then there’s the whole question of “flavored.” The report is based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey, in which students in grades 6 through 12 note their own activity. Cigarettes flavored with anything other than menthol have been outlawed since September 2009. So how, in a 2011 survey, did more than a third of the youth smokers report using flavored cigarettes? Among the authors’ conjectures: The kids could have confused cigarettes with little cigars, or they could have been referring to menthol cigarettes as flavored. Have you ever smoked, or seen, a menthol premium cigar?

Finally, I think it’s a good idea to keep all this in perspective. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in December that “while 17.1 percent of 12th graders were current (past month) cigarette smokers—the lowest it has been in the history of the survey—22.9 percent were current marijuana smokers.”

I’d be the last to argue that smoking doesn’t have inherent risks, and I see nothing wrong in the public health sector pointing them out. I also believe keeping tobacco away from under-age boys and girls is worth considerable effort. But it’s also important to recognize the difference between premium, hand-rolled cigars and other forms of tobacco, and not simply lump everything under a single umbrella.

By the way, if you’re looking for more on this topic, check the latest Cigar Aficionado. I was flipping through it about an hour after I wrote this and found that the Editors’ Note addresses many of the same points.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

Aside from our sunshine-advantaged friends in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and the like, winter is a tough time for cigar smokers in the U.S. Unfortunately, winter is coming fast.

Humidors will require extra attention to keep from becoming too arid. Shipping cigars will become a riskier endeavor. And, worst of all, the wrath of government-imposed smoking bans will hit the hardest as aficionados clamor for rare indoor refuges from the cold.

In the not-too-distant past, back when I was living in Northern Virginia, there was no statewide smoking ban. This freedom resulted in options. Many bars, restaurants, etc. on their own accord were either completely smoke-free or not welcoming of cigars. I always respected that. But I also appreciated the less-numerous venues that catered to cigar smokers. In the winter, they became havens to escape the cold.

What a novel system. People who wanted to smoke or be around smoke could. People who wanted a smoke-free environment could have that, too. Isn’t choice great?

Nowadays, Virginia’s statewide ban prevents the market from dictating the availability of smoke-friendly locales. My current home of Chicago is no different. And chances are, wherever you happen to be reading this from, your national or local government is imposing laws that prevent business owners from catering to your needs. As I see it, your options for the cold winter months are as follows:

— Tough it out and smoke outside.
— Severely limit your smoking to fewer cigars and/or smaller cigars.
— Purchase a paid membership at a club that allows indoor smoking.
— Smoke at a tobacconist (cigars you purchased at said tobacconist).
— Equip some portion of your home for smoking.

I’ve done the latter, though I still regret the fact that I had to do the latter. I lament that gone are the days when you could cozy up to the bar at a steakhouse for an after-dinner smoke. I hang my head because I know there are destinations in my neighborhood that would allow cigar smoking if the government didn’t prevent them from doing so. I assume you share these concerns.

So what are your plans for the winter?

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Chances are you, like me, are recognized among your friends as somewhat of an expert on cigars. Granted I’m using the word “expert” as a relative term here. And chances are, from time to time, these friends—ranging from occasional smokers to non-smokers—will ask you to recommend cigars for gifts.

This happens to me fairly regularly. The request goes something like this: “Hey, Patrick. You know a lot about cigars. Well I have a [relative, family member, etc.] I want to buy a few smokes for. [He/she] smokes cigars. Can you provide some recommendations?” This request usually comes around Christmas, a birthday, a wedding, a graduation, or the birth of a child. Such timing is a little funny to me because it’s been a long time since I’ve associated cigars with celebrations. I don’t need—and I usually don’t have—a reason to fire up a smoke.

At any rate, I’m always happy to oblige requests like these. Even if, in my head, my first reaction is, “You know I have a website loaded with searchable information, tips, etc., right? Did you happen to look there before asking me?” Of course I never actually say that.

So then I start to pepper this requester with questions. What does this person normally like to smoke? How often do they smoke? Do they own a humidor, or did you just see him/her smoking a cigar at a wedding once? How many cigars did you want to buy? How much are you looking to spend?

As I’m asking these questions, I realize the requester had given no thought to any of this, and has little knowledge of the third party’s perceived interest in cigars. I realize the requester was hoping I’d say, “Go here and buy them this,” and that would be the end of it. And as I think aloud about this, I start to better understand why so many cigar companies are now offering so many pre-packaged gift sets of smokes.

With little knowledge of the third party for whom I’m recommending cigars, and usually working within the confines of a restricted budget, I never suggest a box purchase. I’ll either point to a few legit online samplers of five or ten cigars or, time permitting, I’ll accompany the requester to a local tobacconist and help them select cigars I know almost any cigar smoker will like.

That’s exactly what I did a few days ago when a co-worker asked me to help him pick a few smokes for his stepfather. We strolled over to Iwan Ries & Co., a shop in Chicago’s Loop that’s been open for business since 1857. I actually really enjoyed talking with my co-worker about cigars, answering his questions, and picking out some excellent smokes. I left the shop with the satisfaction of helping someone else—and with a nice little sampler of my own.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Any year now it will be official: Nicaragua will surpass the Dominican Republic as the biggest cigar importer to the United States.

Between January and May this year (the latest published data), 47 million cigars were imported from the Dominican Republic, while just under 43 million were imported from Nicaragua, less than a 10 percent difference. Last year for the same period the Dominican had imported 44.8 million, versus 36 million from Nicaragua, a 20 percent difference.

In other words, the gap is closing, and quickly.

But it isn’t just a matter of numbers. The center of cigar innovation seems to be shifting to Estelí.

For the first time in memory, the top four “hottest brands” (brands retailers report are most in demand) in the Cigar Aficionado retailer survey are all Nicaraguan: Drew Estate, Tatuaje, Padrón, and Flor de Las Antillas.

And the list of new brands coming out of Nicaragua is almost endless. That’s not to say they are all good, but clearly people wanting to bring new cigars to market think Nicaragua gives them the best chance at success with consumers.

Even more telling is that classic Dominican brands are expanding to Nicaragua: La Gloria Cubana, Davidoff, and Romeo y Julieta. Five years ago that would be unthinkable.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Wikimedia