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.”

The size of this monster of a cigar (5 x 62) makes me skeptical, but knowing the other fantastic cigars made by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, I had to try it. The large ring gauge format features an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It’s very earthy and full-bodied with dark chocolate and a little spice. The fat cigar features excellent construction and produces loads of thick smoke. I picked this cigar up from Emerson’s (where you can pickup a four-cigar sampler of the line for $35) and despite the unwieldy size I’m pleasantly surprised.

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.”

Boutique Blends Cigars, a company formerly known as Oliveros, released the SWAG SoBe blend this summer to honor (in both name and style) the Miami neighborhood of South Beach. It is comprised completely of ligero Habano tobacco from the Dominican Republic. But with a medium-bodied profile of black pepper, dry wood, and a fair amount of spice, the VIP (4.5 x 48), as advertised, has a more powerful stature than you might expect from a Dominican puro. Construction is excellent. And the price of about $6 for a single is more than fair, making this an easy recommendation.

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.”

Erik Espinosa’s new factory in Estelí, “La Zona,” is now the home of 601, Murcielago, and Mi Barrio. It’s also producing “Espinosa,” which was released at the 2012 IPCPR Trade Show, a Nicarauan puro featuring a medium brown Habano wrapper. The cigar starts off a bit hot with a sawdusty edge, but very quickly becomes more balanced and pleasant. At its core, it’s a medium-bodied smoke with lots of dry wood and hints of spice, hay, and earth. Construction is good and the price ($6) is reasonable.

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

I remember a lot of cigar enthusiasts being, well, enthusiastic about the value-priced CAO La Traviata Maduro line when it was introduced in 2010. Since, I haven’t heard much about the blend, which features an Ecuadorian wrapper around a Cameroon binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. So when I came across a Luminoso (4.5 x 50) in my humidor that had been resting for about two years, I couldn’t help but fire it up. What I found was a cigar with excellent construction and a surprisingly spicy profile of red pepper, leather, cocoa, nut, and warm tobacco. You can’t argue with that for $5.

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.”

Recently introduced, this new Nicaraguan puro is made for 262 Cigars at Plasencia’s factory in Estelí. According to a press release, the cigar features “a wrapper from the Jalapa Valley, a double binder of both Jalapa and Estelí tobaccos, and a rare combination of Estelí, Condega, and Jalapa seco, viso, and ligero for the filler.” The resulting cigar costs about $8 and  is earthy with coffee, chocolate, and roasted flavors. It’s full-bodied and well-made.

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.”

Early this year, my colleague gave the Toro in this line a sterling four-stogie rating. The 5-inch, 50-ring gauge Robusto is right there with it. Blended by Don Pepin Garcia, this smoke has some of his familiar touches, such as spice and pepper. But it’s no one-dimensional cigar; the array of flavors and changes create a terrific smoke. El Tiante cigars aren’t available everywhere, so don’t miss the chance to try one when you get it.

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.”

My colleague already reviewed this new release from recently-formed Iconic Leaf. With a Brazilian maduro wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, it’s an interesting blend, distinct from most else on the market. The result is a unique cigar with lots of winter spices (nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon), coffee, and leather. Construction is excellent on the Toro (6.25 x 50). With medium to full body and balanced, unique flavors, the Recluse is a welcome new addition to the premium cigar world.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys