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.

This 6.1 inch by 52 ring gauge pyramid cigar has a taste as rugged as its dark maduro wrapper. Earthy, leather notes dominate the flavor profile, and a unique, rustic aftertaste is the result of the Dominican, Mexican, and Brazilian long-filler. The burn requires a few touch-ups, and the ash is anything but stable. Still, for only $4.50, the Te-Amo Cabinet Selection Belicoso isn’t a bad smoking experience; it’s just nothing special.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

Tags: cigars

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

This short and fat (four and 1/2 inch by 52 ring gauge) smoke has a thick and toothy deep brown wrapper. A Honduran puro, it has a somewhat tight draw, but a perfectly even burn. Flavor wise it was inconsistent – at times it was a majesticly full-flavored and complex, but other times it was dull. Still, there is much potential in the Grand Puro Santa Rita, so I expect a better performance from this cigar in the future.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

Tags: cigars

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

With its blend of five tobaccos, including the extremely dark Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, this Honduran line is a viable contender in the seemingly endless release of powerful cigars. But it doesn’t sacrifice strength for taste or deliver a high nicotine punch. The Dark Sumatra provides a smooth experience with a good tobacco taste that’s laced with coffee, cocoa, and leather. While I have enjoyed all the vitolas, I find the Espresso – the smallest at four and ½ inches by 50 ring gauge – the most satisfying. The flavors seem to last just long enough. If you want to give it a try, they go for considerably less online than the $3.70 MSRP.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

Tags: cigars

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

In addition to the Dona Flor and Alonso Menendez cigars I’ve come to love, Brazil Cigars & Tobacco also makes Aquarius. The five inch by 52 ring gauge Robusto can be found for about $6, and you can get it draped in either a Connecticut or Mata Fina wrapper. Mine had the former, which yielded an interesting honey-glazed spice. With a firm, white ash, a perfect burn, and an effortless draw, I’d be less hesitant to light up another if it weren’t for the frailty of the wrapper. I’m willing to bet the Mata Fina Aquarius will hold up better.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

Tags: cigars

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

Back in September I gave the the El Rey Del Mundo Robusto Larga an impressive four stogies. Recently, I revisited this cigar for a quick smoke. Wrapped in its obscuro wrapper, the toro-sized El Rey Del Mundo still packs a punch with an abundance of rich chocolate and deep espresso flavors. The draw on this cigar was a bit tight, but it burned well producing thick aromatic smoke and a firm white ash. Available at less than $3 a cigar when purchased in a five pack, this stick is a fantastic bargain that I continue to recommend.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

Tags: cigars

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 here.

Since I’m not yet able to smoke too large of a cigar on my own, I made a stop at a local B&M on my way home from work and picked up a few pint-sized stogies to enjoy. One of which was the Macanudo Gold Label Somerset, a five inch by 54 ring gauge stick with a golden Connecticut Shade wrapper. At $6.50, I hoped that it would have similar flavors to the other milder Macanudos I’ve come to enjoy – just in a smaller package. It did, and it also has a smooth sweetness that stays on your lips and no harsh spice.

Verdict = Buy.

–Submitted by Melissa Cook from Arlington, VA

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

This cigar is on nearly everyone’s list of best bargain smokes. It had been a while since I smoked one of these, but I’ve enjoyed many over the past few years. This time, though, was a disappointment. The wrapper displayed a couple of ugly bumps, the cap unraveled a bit when cut, and the foot was difficult to light. An initial bitterness soon leveled off and the thick smoke was generally smooth, with some spicy undertones. General Cigar’s website lists it at $3.25, but I paid only $2.49 for the 4 ½ inch by 50 ring gauge stick. At that price, it remains a better bargain than a smoke.

Verdict = Hold.

–George E

Tags: cigars