The 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.”

In January, MBombay began shipping a new Torpedo (6 x 52, $11.95) as part of its Classic line. The finished cigars are aged for more than 14 months and include an Ecuadorian wrapper and binder around filler tobaccos from Peru, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. The resulting profile is mild- to medium-bodied with a complex array of creamy, salty, and crisp notes. Cashew, cedar, cinnamon, white pepper, clove, and citrus are among the bouquet of individual flavors. Construction is excellent.

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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

This large torpedo from the original 2013 La Gloria Trunk Show release was the blend created primarily by Jhonys Diaz (hence “JD”). The entire line uses homogenized tobacco for the bands, in this case dye-cut with the La Gloria logo. The cigar has an aged Sumatra wrapper around undisclosed binder and filler and features lots of spice (baking spices, cinnamon, and cayenne) layered over a core of cedar and cream. It’s an enjoyable medium- to full-bodied cigar.

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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Much of what I smoke is dictated by which cigars need to be examined for this website. But I also try my best to keep up with old favorites, too. Earning a spot in this select rotation is perhaps one of the highest marks I can give a cigar—a true testament to quality, consistency, and performance. The Intemperance BA XXI A.W.S. IV from RoMa Craft Tobac has been in this elite group for a few years now. This Arapiraca-wrapped lonsdale (6.5 x 44) is the perfect format to enjoy the outstanding Intemperance BA blend, which also includes an Indonesian binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. For the very fair price of about $7.50, you get a well-balanced profile of red and black pepper along with notes of cocoa, sweet cream, roasted nut, and dry wood. Construction is outstanding. A word of warning: If you give this cigar a try, you’ll find yourself buying a lot more.

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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Introduced a couple years ago to update Nat Sherman’s Metropolitan series that dates to the 1990s cigar boom, the Habano is a stronger Nicaraguan puro. It makes that heritage known quickly with a spicy start. That continues to dominate through the first half and then becomes mixed with some sweetness and a bit of nuts and wood. Rolled by Plascencia, construction and draw are excellent. Priced at about $7, the Toro (6 x52) is well worth picking up.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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.”

“Much like a single vineyard wine, La Vérité showcases the soil where the tobacco was grown… The seed varietal varies from year to year based on the crop planted and the tobacco yielded.” That was the pitch for La Vérité when it was introduced, and the original 2008 edition featured tobaccos all from the Garcia’s La Estrella farm in Estelí. A decade since the tobaccos were grown, the Churchill (7 x 47) features notes of graphite, leather, oak, cinnamon, and pepper spice. I’m not certain it’s continuing to improve with age, but the well-constructed cigar is certainly enjoyable.

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.”

If appearance were the standard, the Serino Wayfarer Corona Gorda (6 x 46) could compete in any contest. Rich, oily Ecuadorian Corojo ’99 wrapper. Perfectly placed triple cap. Nicely done band. Even the first few puffs are pleasing. Unfortunately, the rest of the cigar doesn’t measure up. This was primarily due to a sourness that, while not overwhelming, was too prominent to allow other flavors to make their mark. The sour note also lingered on the finish. I plan to try one or two more in the line, perhaps different sizes, because I feel like there’s promise. But until that promise is better fulfilled, it’s difficult to recommend a buy.

Verdict = Hold.

–George E

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.”

All things being equal, I’m not a big fan of cigars that employ Mexican San Andrés wrappers. But this Churchill-sized Illusione, which has over three years of age and also uses Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 and Corojo ’99 tobaccos, is no average Mexican Maduro. It features a medium-bodied combination of oak, cocoa, slight clove, wood, and leather. The complex smoke has a flawless burn, including a sturdy ash that holds for a full two inches.