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.”

Especially before the Cuban embargo was loosened, Cuban tobacco in a cigar that could be legally sold in the United States was a good way to get consumers to pay attention, even if some weren’t all that good. Camacho came into a supply of pre-embargo Cuban tobacco that reportedly originated with DWG Cigar Company of Ohio (which later became the Wendy’s fast food chain). The since-discontinued cigar uses a Corojo wrapper, Honduran binder, and filler from Honduras, Nicaragua and Cuba (though the percentage of over half century-old Cuban tobacco isn’t disclosed). Price varies greatly, but originally these cigars sold for $20 each (now half that is the norm). Flavors in the medium-bodied toro include salt, pepper, hay, and tea. Construction was excellent, even if the flavors were somewhat uninspired.

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.”

In 2015, Camacho introduced American Barrel Aged, a “complex and intense” cigar with “bourbon barrel-aged Corojo at its heart.” The first release under Camacho’s Master Built Series, the blend is “constructed almost entirely of American-grown tobacco including a Broadleaf wrapper, binder, and filler, along with maduro filler tobacco from Pennsylvania” and Honduran Corojo. The Toro (6 x 50) retails for $11. It is a bold, full-bodied, well-constructed cigar with intense flavors of leather, black pepper spice, espresso, warm tobacco, and, yes, bourbon. That said, despite its strength, the profile can sometimes come across as medicinal and maybe even a little stale.

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

While I’ve smoked only a few of Pete Johnson’s Broadleaf Collection, this vitola is so far the best of the batch. It seemed to be amped up a bit in strength yet remains a smooth smoke. Pepper weaves in and out along the way, mixing with flavors like cinnamon, dark fruit, and espresso. Smoke production is superb. As I put it down at the end, I would have liked to light up another. Highly recommended.

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.”

Earlier this year, we learned Dunhill—a storied, historic brand owned by British American Tobacco and distributed in the U.S. by General Cigar—is planning to exit the cigar and pipe business. A quick online search suggests there are still plenty of Dunhill Heritage cigars to be had, however. The Honduras-made Heritage debuted in 2015 with a recipe including an Ecuadorian wrapper around a Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras. The Robusto (5 x 50) is box-pressed and solidly constructed with mouth-watering pre-light notes of dark chocolate and peanuts. The full-bodied profile is oily in texture with coffee, roasted nuts, cinnamon, and leather. While the list price is a little over $10 (a good value, given this cigar’s quality), it can now be found in the $6-7 range, which makes it an easy recommendation. Pick these up while you can; I may grab myself a whole box.

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.”

When this line was released in 2010, it constituted a major advancement for Rocky Patel among many smokers who previously hadn’t given his cigars much consideration. Clearly a premium smoke, this box-pressed blend of Nicaraguan binder and filler under an Ecuadorian wrapper is rich with a little spice and notes of dark coffee bean and chocolate. While I prefer Rocky’s Twentieth Anniversary, I highly recommend the silver-banded Fifteenth.

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.”

Like many of today’s baseball-bat sized smokes, this immense stick gets a bit tiresome unless you have something else to distract you. The tobaccos are all from Nicaragua, with the wrapper receiving additional aging in bourbon barrels, which may account for the slightly funky finish in the first third. The flavors are OK, but nothing special: a little wood, a little leather, mostly straight tobacco. And no real changes along the way. Burn, draw, and smoke production are fine. I’d recommend a smaller vitola, but there really aren’t any. Each of the four others in the line has a ring gauge of 54. At $8-9, the Gordo is reasonably priced, but, for me, there is nothing to make we want to pick up another.

Verdict = Hold.

–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.”

This gritty-looking cigar is loaded with flavor and packs a punch from start to finish. Part of a special Tatuaje creation introduced last year, this Pete Johnson blend features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. My colleagues have already reviewed a few of the ten Broadleaf Collection sizes. This vitola (5.5 x 50) is a treat with a pleasant mix of wood, pepper, and sweetness.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys