The 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.

I don’t know what it is about these Don Pepin Cuban Classics, but they’ve been difficult to figure out—at times excellent, other times just fair. Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of the better cigars I’ve smoked from what is, in my experience, Don Pepin’s most inconsistent blend. The smoke was woody and full-bodied but lacking the complexity and balance that accompanies some of the Pepin Blacks I’ve most enjoyed. Along with the woodiness was a hint of bitterness that wandered in and out. Despite that, the construction was excellent, and this cigar is certainly worth a look as one of Pepin’s most affordable creations.

Verdict = Hold.

–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.

When I reviewed the shorter Piramide No. 3 two years ago to the day, I found its harsh flavors and numerous combustion flaws to be less than enticing. Thankfully, the six and a half inch by 54 ring gauge Piramide No. 2 doesn’t fall into the same traps. But with a dry, unbalanced flavor that remains consistent to a fault, it is very forgettable. I’d save this modestly priced blend of Ecuadorian, Dominican, Brazilian, and Nicaraguan tobaccos for the golf course or the poker table.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

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.

This 6 inch by 56 ring gauge cigar, an all Nicaraguan puro, is the result of a joint effort by Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plascencia. It is wrapped in an appealing dark red Criollo ’98 viso wrapper that Quesada calls Colorado. Construction is almost perfect with only a small bump in the wrapper visible just below the band, and the taste offers up a creamy earth flavor at first that is slowly replaced with cedar and a hint of caramel sweetness. The finish lingers on the palate. With the Robusto in this line garnering “Cigar of the Year” for 2008 from Cigar Aficionado this blend has a lot to live up to. The Gran Toro has great flavors and construction with only the one burn problem, and at less than $6 per stick it’s a great value.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick M

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.

La Flor’s comparative advantage seems to be producing premium sticks with lots of flavor, and this pigtailed Churchill (6.9 x 49) undoubtedly reaffirms that specialty. It consists of a full-bodied taste of leather, spice, and earth—a standard profile among today’s stronger cigars—and decent physical properties. Light one of these $7.50 stogies up next time you need to kill 120 minutes after a good meal.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

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 following is a Guest Quick Smoke, submitted by a StogieGuys.com reader. If you’d like to submit your own for publication, please contact us.

This is a well-constructed Robusto with a blemish-free “café au lait”-colored wrapper. Easy draw and light with a consistent burn. Ash is flaky but holds for about an inch. While the first inch of this mild- to medium-bodied stick had a hay flavor, the taste evolved to stronger notes of wood and cream. The second half had a few harsh puffs that quickly faded into a smooth, creamy smoke which was abundant with a pleasant aroma. One drawback is price; I paid $11.50 for a single at my local cigar shop, and I’m not quite sure I’d want to pay that amount again for this stick. I paired this with a hot milk chai and I recommend that combo. This stick will be best enjoyed by lovers of mild smokes who want something a bit stronger but still creamy.

Verdict = Buy.

-Submitted by Marc from Pasadena, CA

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

As Darryl Lieser told us, the name for this Isla de Cuba blend “was conceived as something that was fun, edgy, and reminiscent of the good times.” And that’s pretty much the way this five and a half inch by 50 ring gauge perfecto smokes. Expect top-notch construction and flavors of leather, nut, and cocoa. With a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper and binder, as well as a four-country filler blend, this slow-burning $6 smoke is a great way to spend 90 minutes.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

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.

Made by pre-cigar boom legend Paul Garmirian, this toro (6 x 50) is about as affordable as PG creations get. Sold for around $150 per box, this Connecticut shade-wrapped stogie is oily and rustic with a few veins. It starts off with an initial burst of grass that soon fades into a woody smoke with a hint of anise and excellent balance. As I’ve come to expect from PG, the construction is virtually flawless. Overall, a fine smoke that provides the subtlety and balance of of PG at a more reasonable price point. It pairs perfectly with a well-made Gibson.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S