Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

I hadn’t smoked any El Tiante cigars since around the time of my review of the Maduro Torpedo last fall. If my memory serves me well, this attractive Torpedo has benefited from six months of aging. Like the Maduro, this cigar has a flavor profile that is unlike most of the new cigars being created by the industry these days. The medium-bodied flavors include cedar, grass, earth, and floral notes. The construction is flawless.

Verdict = Buy.

-Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

The R4 is generously packed full of Nicaraguan tobacco and adorned with a silky oscuro wrapper. But that’s about where the fun stops and the pain begins. Overly tight construction leads to numerous burn problems, a stiff and unforgiving draw, and a steady buildup of tar. The thin, ropelike wisps of noxious smoke offended me and my female friend, herself a cigarette smoker, who likened the aroma to that of “burning rubber.”

Verdict = Sell.

-Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

The name Petrus carries a lot of weight in the world of fine wines, and while I realized Petrus cigars (by Felipe Gregorio) bore no connection to the French chateau, my expectations were high. Calling a cigar Petrus is like calling a boat Ferrari; intellectually, you know there’s no real connection or guarantee of quality, but, emotionally, you make that connection anyway. Unfortunately, I should have listened to my brain on this one. The burn here is horrendously uneven, the packing is loose, and the flavor is bitter and unbalanced. Very disappointing.

Verdict = Sell.

-Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

There isn’t too much for me too add to the full review done by my colleague Patrick A.  This is a rich, flavorful, attractive, and well-constructed smoke.  Quintessentially maduro, this box-pressed toro features chocolate, earth, and roasted flavors.

Verdict = Buy.

-Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

While many boutique and even mass-market premiums can very be hit-or-miss (Gurkha, for instance), I find most CAOs to be consistent, enjoyably challenging, and almost always rewarding. CAO’s L’Anniversaire Cameroon line is no exception. The robusto packs a stunning degree of complexity into a relatively small, box-pressed vitola. Gentle aromas of cedar and straw belie a multifaceted and medium-bodied flavor profile. I was able to taste cream, almond, lots of cedar, an excitingly full amount of pepper, and even some cinnamon in this lovely little stick.

Verdict = Buy.

-Jon N

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

This six inch by 44 ring gauge stick is made by Altadis, which lists the binder as Nicaraguan, the filler as Nicaraguan and Honduran, and the wrapper as Mexican morron maduro. It’s cheap; I found a box of 50 for about $65 on the web. Even so, my initial impressions were favorable. It felt fine, had a nice tobacco aroma at the foot, and began with a pleasant, fairly typical maduro taste. After an inch or so, though, it was bitter and harsh. Just past the halfway point, a rough finish kicked in as well, and I soon put it down with no thoughts of picking up any others.

Verdict = Sell.

-George E

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

A friend gave me this Honduran puro, which is better known in Europe than in the U. S. Wrapped in a light caramel brown wrapper, the Churchill was pleasantly aromatic. The flavor was mild with honey, sweet cedar, and some underlying pepper spice. With flawless construction, it is not surprising that this is Europe’s best selling Honduran cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

-Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys