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. 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.

Can you say special occasion cigar? At roughly $17 a pop, the price for this small cigar may seem hard to swallow. But, with the flavor combination of chocolate, leather, cedar, coffee, and a nice spicy aftertaste, this cigar has become my go-to special occasion cigar. Add in the effortless draw and razor-sharp burn, you can’t find a better cigar. Plus, this little number has a surprising kick.

Verdict = Buy.

-Submitted by Jason T

photo credit: Jason T

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

If you’ve been smoking cigars for a few years you’ll no doubt remember when Joya de Nicaragua ruled as the king of kick, the sultan of strength, the potentate of power. (OK, OK, I’ll stop. You get the drift.) These days, though, the jewel of Nicaragua rarely gets polished. The Celebración is Joya’s low-end stick, with a criollo wrapper providing less power than the Antaño. The 6 inch, 50 ring gauge Toro runs between $4 and $5. I found it to be an OK smoke with some pepper and an overall medium strength. I wouldn’t want a steady diet of these, but it’s not a bad cigar to occasionally mix into your smoking lineup.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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

Flor de Oliva bundles are often among those mentioned when smokers discuss worthwhile inexpensive smokes. I paid only $2.30 for this 6 inch by 50 ring gauge maduro with Nicaraguan filler. Sensing that it might be light in taste, I used a cedar strip to light it, which seemed to impart some nice cedar notes for the first few puffs. After that, though, I was disappointed. The smoke was thin and generally tasteless. What began as a mild cigar quickly became a nearly non-existent one. As an Oliva fan, I’ll likely try others in its low-price line, but not another maduro.

Verdict = Sell.

–George E

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.

I am quite the fan of the Double Chateau Sun Grown and, as you might expect, also enjoy this shorter cigar. At 4.5 inches with a 50 ring gauge, it packs decent physical properties and the same tastes of peppercorn, syrup, and cedar into a shorter format. If you don’t mind touching up the burn now and again this is a good buy at about $75 for a box of 25.

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.

One year ago, I wrote about this Camacho line as a fine cigar but nothing special. Since I’ve been enjoying many Cameroon wrapper cigars lately, I thought I’d give it another try. This time I had a 48 ring gauge, 6.5 inch Churchill. Quite honestly, I am less impressed than before. The smoke and finish are unusually dry, there are few of the enjoyable Cameroon flavors I’ve found in other sticks, and I encountered harshness at several points along the way. All in all, I think you can easily find far better Cameroons.

Verdict = Sell.

–George E

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

Few cigars have garnered more praise and acceptance from smokers and reviewers than the full-powered Serie V line from Oliva. This Nicaraguan puro boasts of a rare combination of full body and smooth finish—and it delivers. The five inch by 54 ring gauge Double Robusto is a rich cigar, though not particularly complex. Construction is good, the burn OK (though a little ragged), and the smoke production excellent. Tastes include nuts, dry coffee, some dryness, and a bit of hay. I paid $6.25 for the stick and would gladly smoke more. I think you’ll feel the same.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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

In January, Robert Spoden of Bucanero Cigars told us about his company’s philosophy of focusing its resources on making great sticks, not marketing. The six inch by 54 ring gauge Treasure Belicoso is a good case in point. This Costa Rican puro boasts a smooth, leather-like flavor and excellent construction. You can expect to pay between $90-100 for a cedar chest of 16.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys