The Stogie Guys

Nearly everyone knows the obvious elements that make for a good cigar shop. Selection, comfort, prices, welcoming atmosphere, etc. But there are a few things that I think make a good shop and an outstanding one—the sort you want to frequent again and again. And they’re not necessarily what you might think. Here are five attributes I check for:

1. Dust. Cigar shops attract it like almost no other. Smoke adheres to just about every surface, creating a vast, virtual dust magnet. I’m not just talking about the cigar boxes, either. Counters, windowsills, fan blades—you name it and it’ll get dusty without nearly constant attention. A shop owner who’s careful about dust is almost certain to be just as careful about everything else, from maintaining his stock to customer relations.

2. Hot water. Yes, this is kind of silly. But it does turn me off when the restroom has only cold water running in the sink. I have to wonder: If the shop’s pinching pennies at this level, where else is the eagle being squeezed?

3. Inventory awareness. Good owners know which cigars are selling. No one—not even the largest retailers—can stock every cigar. It’s a basic law of cigar physics: To get more in, you have to move some out. Boxes that remain full month after month mean new sticks aren’t arriving. Creative owners find ways to get those old ones out.

4. Light. People come in to enjoy a smoke for all sorts of reasons. Reading, whether it’s the newspaper, a book, a magazine, or an electronic device, is one of those reasons. I always appreciate at least a nook carved out with good lighting and good seating.

5. Wi-Fi. I put this one last because it’s probably the most obvious. With the proliferation of smartphones, tablets, laptops, and e-readers, providing good, free Wi-Fi these days should be de rigueur.

If you’re a store owner or work in one, what do you think? Is this reasonable, and are there things I’m missing? Similarly, I hope you customers out there will comment as well.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

I don’t generally make New Year’s resolutions for the simple reason that I know that I, like most people, won’t keep them. But thinking about cigars has tempted me to come up with a few goals for 2013.

Keeping the list short and approaching it this way will, I believe, increase my chance of success. And if I don’t succeed in crossing the goal, perhaps I can at least get in the Red Zone. Here they are:

1. Concentrate more on the cigar I’m smoking. This should be easy, but because cigars are such a wonderful accompaniment to so many pleasant activities (reading, conversing, watching or listening to sports, just to name a few) I often multi-task to what is undoubtedly a loss of attention to the cigar. Right now, for example, I’m smoking a lovely Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau while typing.

2. Check out more limited editions. These are proliferating and are adding many terrific smokes to the shelves. Unfortunately, they aren’t always easy to find. So, I’m going to try to search harder. They are a great opportunity to sample some standout cigars, even though it may be a one-time thing.

3. Smoke more mild and medium strength cigars. I seem to invariably gravitate to powerhouse sticks, which I enjoy. But when I do light up a top-notch cigar that’s less potent, I almost always relish the experience. So, I need to remind myself that power isn’t the only path to pleasure.

What are your plans for the year? Let us know in the comments section (and be sure to vote in our question of the month). Perhaps you’ll inspire the rest of us.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

I said goodbye to an old friend the other day. After more than seven years of faithful service, my worn Ronson Jetlite torch gave up the ghost. I’m not sure, but I think it was the ignition system that sputtered away.

Think about that. Seven years. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of cigars torched and touched up. Filled with butane that ranged from the cheapest drug-store no-name brands to fancy quintuple-filtered fuel, a $3 Ronson performed perfectly time after time.

If you’re a regular StogieGuys.com reader, you know we’ve long extolled the virtues of this simple, reliable lighter. My recent experience reinforced that view.

After the Jetlite died, I went rummaging through my cigar accessories stash and found several other lighters. The first one I tried—a thin, stylish lighter I’d rarely used—came apart when I tried to light it. A couple of others, admittedly cheapies, either wouldn’t ignite or did so erratically. The only reliable lighter was a BenzOmatic micro-torch that holds a ton of butane and fires up every time. But it has two problems. It requires another flame to light it, and the flame is unbelievably hot.

So, I went to the cigarette counter at my local Walmart and picked up another Jetlite. There have been a few changes since I bought my first. The price is up about $1 (still a bargain). And Zippo bought Ronson a couple of years ago. But in appearance at least, the lighter seems to be the same.

One thing I didn’t notice before, though perhaps it was there, is a line on the packaging that the lighter is “Excellent for Pipes and Cigars.” Yes, it’s excellent for cigars. But I hope no one would be foolish enough to risk severe damage to a pipe by using a torch lighter of any kind.

So, I’ve met my new friend. Here’s to what I hope is a long and happy relationship.

–George E

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

As the year draws to a close, it seems everyone’s making best-of lists. Rather than try to pinpoint and rank-order the best of the 2012 releases, I thought I’d look back at the cigars StogieGuys.com rated five stogies out of five this year. You’ll find a complete alphabetical list of the cigars that earned the rare five-stogie rating going back to 2006 here.

This year, there were five, and they represent a wide range of cigars. Perhaps the most notable is Drew Estate’s widely anticipated Liga Privada Único Serie Velvet Rat, which Patrick A. was wowed by at a pre-release event. It isn’t expected to be in regular release until 2013 and will almost certainly be at the top of everyone’s gotta-get-but-hard-to-find list.

Another new cigar getting five stogies is the Aging Room F55 Quattro Concerto that I thought was great. Patrick S. similarly raved about the Berger & Argenti Entubar V32 Rogue Rothschild, a pricey limited edition.

The other two that received five stogies in 2012 have been around for a while. The Illusione Epernay Le Matin came out several years ago, and an EO 601 Serie “Blue” Toro was a maduro that had been in my humidor for two years.

We have high standards for handing out five-stogie ratings, and a glance through previous years seems to confirm that. Five in a year, out of scores of sticks reviewed, seems to be close to the average. In past years, we’ve had as many as seven and as few as three.

Of the 36 smokes that made the list over the years, only 7 are Cuban. Among those made elsewhere, top manufacturers and blenders represented include names such as Pete Johnson, Don Pepin Garcia, Paul Garmirian, Litto Gomez, and Rocky Patel.

You’d expect to find an Opus X and Padrón Serie 1926 listed, and they are. But I think you might also find a surprise or two. Take a look. Let us know what you think of our selections and what cigars you find worthy of five stogies.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In this latest segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I ponder newspaper names, one of my favorite new cigars, fancy humidors, and pre-light aromas.

Just What this Country Needs

As a retired journalist, I’m always interested in newspapers. Recently I came across the first mention I’d seen of a college paper that’s my new favorite: The Good 5¢ Cigar. It’s the student paper at the University of Rhode Island. According to Wikipedia, the paper was born after an earlier paper printed in 1971 a blank edition with only the words: “This is what you deserve.” That paper was shuttered and the new one got its name when editors recast Vice President Thomas Marshall’s famous line to “All this campus needs is a good five-cent cigar.”

Magnificent Melanio

It’s nice to have your opinions validated, and I felt that way when flipping through the latest issue of Cigar Snob magazine. Leading off the coverage of the summer’s industry trade show was its choice of the best new cigar. They chose Oliva’s Melanio. Although I didn’t get an opportunity to visit Oliva when I was at the show, I’ve been most enthusiastic since encountering Melanio.

High-End Humidors

I don’t remember how I came to view the Website for JR-Quality, woodworkers extraordinaire. The two Austrian artists, based in Chicago, do restoration as well as create an array of items from furniture to cigar humidors. Although they may be beyond the price range of most of us, their humidors are wonderful creations. Take a look. That way you’ll be ready when you win the lottery.

Appreciating the Fragrance

One of the most satisfying and, I fear, least indulged aspects of cigar appreciation is the pre-light aroma of the wrapper. “Barnyard” seems to be the most frequent description, a wonderful bouquet but by no means the only one. I thought about this recently when I ran a San Cristobal under my nose and was knocked out by the sweet mixture of fragrances. A CyB produced similar delight with an altogether rich and different experience. I find some cigars have most distinctive wrapper aroma. The Padrón 1000s series, for example, always reminds me of nuts. Before you light up again, take a moment to appreciate the olfactory properties.

–George E

photo credit: Wikipedia

In this latest segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I ponder the evolution of Drew Estate and if larger cigar companies that buy smaller ones are getting good value.

Rebirth of Drew Estate

Drew Estate’s tagline is “the rebirth of cigars,” but the most impressive rebirth is that of Drew Estate itself. It’s easy to forget, but no cigar company has changed more in recent years than Drew Estate. I was recently searching for some information and found a thread on a message board consisting almost entirely of seasoned cigar smokers complaining about Drew Estate.

The complaints consisted of rants about gimmicky flavored cigars (though Drew Estate calls their cigars “infused”).  Today that complaint would be inconceivable, but back then Drew Estate hadn’t introduced Chateau Real yet, let alone Liga Privada or Undercrown. For me, reading through that thread was a stark reminder of how Drew Estate has reinvented itself in a relatively short period of time to become a leader in the industry when it comes to “traditional” cigars, while still dominating the “infused” cigar market.

Thinking About Industry Consolidation

Along with the emergence of Drew Estate, we’ve seen many cigar makers reemerge from “retirement” to start their own companies. Some—Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and Cristian Eiroa—”retired” after selling their brands to larger companies. The newer, smaller, family-run companies are now creating innovative cigars, but my question is: Do the large cigar companies (General Cigar and Davidoff, in these examples) left owning their original brands (La Gloria Cubana and Camacho, respectively) get good value even after the principles who built the brands leave?

Certainly they feel the brands they purchase fill a void in their portfolio that they want to fill, and if they can keep the quality of the cigars high, they will keep a significant percentage of the customers who are loyal to those brands at least for a while. I suspect, though, that this type of consolidation isn’t as profitable as it once was. These days cigar smokers, particularly those that smoke cigars with the most regularity, are less loyal to any particular brand, and seem more interested in trying different cigars.

If the people most responsible for creating the identity of a given brand are no longer active in the brand (or even creating cigars for another company) is buying a smaller company still worth it? It seems perhaps that four or five years later all they are left with is a trademark and a list of customers. I don’t discount the largest cigar companies’ marketing expertise and distribution advantages, but I’d wonder if that is enough to make shelling out millions for a smaller brand worthwhile.

Maybe the future isn’t buying cigar brands or factories wholesale for millions of dollars, but partnering with companies to help them market and distribute their cigars. One example is Don Sixto, made by Plasencia and marketed and distributed by General Cigar. This may be a template for future partnerships.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Drew Estate