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.

As my colleague wrote in his October review, this monstrosity (6.4 x 60) features a medium-bodied flavor of tobacco and earth that persists for what seems like days. And that’s ultimately The Freak’s downfall: a consistently one-dimensional taste that often overstays its welcome. But with good construction and a reasonable cost of about $5 per stick, this Nicaraguan-wrapped stogie makes a decent golf course or barbeque companion.

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 4.75 inch by 54 ring gauge robusto features an attractive Connecticut wrapper and prelight grassy notes with a touch of graham cracker. The flavor is mild and pleasant with honey and grass.  Construction is flawless, just like when I last wrote about this cigar for a Quick Smoke. Also impressive is the price, considering at times I’ve seen this cigar available for well under $40 per box.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

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

At a bargain price of $3-4 per stick, this Cameroon-wrapped classic is much more accessible than Fuente’s high-priced Hemmingway, Anejo, Don Carlos, and Opus X lines. It features a straight burn and charismatic flavors of nut, pine, herbs, and toast. If you ask me, the Flor Fina 8-5-8 (6 x 47) is the tobacco equivalent of homemade chicken soup—inviting, reliable, and downright comforting.

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.

Olivas are highly regarded in the cigar community—and deservedly so—for their consistency, quality, and value. But something just wasn’t quite right about a five inch by 54 ring gauge Belicoso I recently bought and smoked at a Chicago B&M. The burn required constant touch-ups and, after the halfway mark, the full-bodied profile of leather and black coffee transitioned into a biting bitterness. Not nearly as pleasant as I had hoped.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A

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 6 and 1/8 inch by 52 ring gauge torpedo is rolled at José Pepin’s Tabacalera Cubana S.A. factory in Nicaragua. Made with all Nicaraguan tobaccos, the Havana VI line is blended to reflect traditional Cuban cigar making. And, in true Tatuaje and Pepin style, it is well-constructed with a solid feel and no soft spots. The taste starts with a blast of pepper and spice that mellows slightly after the first inch. With emerging cedar and hay flavors, I would classify this as a solid medium-bodied smoke and a great buy in the $7-8 price range.

Verdict = Buy.

-Submitted by Patrick Mize of Gainesville, FL

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

It has been almost a year since I reviewed this smoke, and thankfully it hasn’t changed much in that time. While not quite as full-bodied as I remembered, the classically-sized toro still has plenty of cedar, leather, clove, and pepper. This makes for an interesting, complex smoke. Despite a burn that at times needs touching up, the physical qualities are above average.

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 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 Robusto has a beautiful and toothy Honduran habano wrapper. Construction is good and the initial flavors offer up some woodiness and spice. As the smoke progresses, the spice mellows and some creaminess emerges along with a hint of sweetness on the finish. The burn is perfect from start to finish and the flavors are complex. With a price of just over $7, this is definitely worth a try.

Verdict = Buy.

-Submitted by Patrick Mize of Gainesville, FL