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.”

This house brand for the Orlando-based Corona Cigar Company is made by Avo. The Toro (6 x 52) features a Connecticut broadleaf maduro leaf that, while not as dark as many wrappers of that variety, has plenty of oils. The filler is a combination of Dominican Olor, Cubano, and San Vicente tobaccos. The well-constructed, medium-bodied smoke displays a combination of roasted flavors, peanuts, and café au lait.  Even at $10, this is an excellent buy and a reminder that house blends need not be a cheap bundled smokes.

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.”

Like the original Hammer + Sickle, this Connecticut broadleaf-wrapped maduro is crafted by Davidoff master blender Henke Kelner and features Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. Only 10,000 cigars were made, packaged in black crystal ten-count boxes. The thick toro (6 x 54) is perfectly constructed. The flavors are a classic full-bodied maduro, with coffee, wood, and earth. As such, the line is a radical departure from almost everything else blended by Kelner. Even if Moscow City is a bit pricey at over $10 each, it’s an interesting smoke worth a try, particularly for those who enjoy full-bodied maduro cigars.

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.”

Originally released in 1995, the ultra-rare Partagas 150 features a Cameroon wrapper that is over 30 years old. It shows no ill-effects from its age, with firm construction, an excellent draw, and perfect combustion. The cigar features surprising strength, with plenty of medium-bodied Cameroon spice and sweetness, combined with a myriad of subtle flavors including earth, cocoa, honey, and oak. Back in 1995 this sold for around $12 per stick, but the one I smoked featured a price tag of around $50. Despite the considerable cost, when you factor in the opportunity to smoke a piece of history, connoisseurs should consider picking up this exquisite smoke.

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.”

In partnership with Felipe Sosa, Charlie Toraño has produced a real winner with his new Master blend. This four-vitola line includes a silky Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The Robusto (5 x 52), a firmly packed cigar that retails for around $5, sports excellent construction and a smooth, medium-bodied profile of cedar, caramel, and milk chocolate. It’s a welcome addition to the Toraño portfolio.

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 limited edition version of Pete Johnson’s El Triunfador is made for Seattle-based J&J Cigars. The corona especial (bottom) is an inch and a half shorter than the original Triunfador lancero (top) and, depending on your source, is either the exact same or a slight variation of the original blend. It features coffee and strong cedar notes in a full-bodied, well-constructed smoke. No matter the particulars of the blend, it certainly is very similar in flavor to the lancero;  that’s not an unfavorable comparison since the original is a most enjoyable smoke.

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.”

The price on this thick toro varies significantly depending on where you buy it. In my case, it was free—a gift from my father. That’s a pretty good deal. With a chalky, medium-bodied profile of cedar, cream, powdered coca, and honey, this Ecuadorian-wrapped smoke from Avo displays all the nuance you’d expect from a cigar that normally retails for as much as $12. Coupled with good construction, the Compañero (6 x 54) is a wise purchase.

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.”

I picked up this oak barrel-aged Belicoso (6.25 x 52) at a local tobacconist for about $8. It got off to a good start with a medium-bodied profile of molasses, coffee, and clove. Spice and meaty notes joined in at the midway point. But while the cigar’s flavor featured an interesting interplay between dry wood and sweetness throughout, its physical properties left much to be desired—especially in the second half. The burn required consistent maintenance and the ash was flaky and difficult to control.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys