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.”

I recently found myself at a cigar lounge on an empty stomach midday looking for something affordably priced with ample flavor that wouldn’t bowl me over. I settled on the Intemperance EC XVIII blend from RoMa Craft. The torpedo-sized The Industry (5.5 x 54) ran me about $8 (including ridiculous Chicago taxes). It hit the spot. Construction was impeccable, and the dry, woodsy, medium-bodied flavor of cedar, pepper, vanilla, and honey really hit the spot. This is an easy recommendation.

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.”

If you’re in the market for a cigar with a whole bunch of shiny, elaborate bands, look no further than the Espada Estoque from Montecristo. This well-dressed cigar debuted last year as Altadis’ follow-up to the 2014 Montecristo Espada. The Plasencia Family made only 5,000 boxes of 10 in a torpedo (6 x 50) format, the only vitola offered. The tobaccos include a 2013 Jalapa wrapper, 2002 Criollo Jalapa binder, and three filler leaves from Estelí (Corojo 2009), Ometepe (Criollo 2013), and Condega (Criollo 2013). I found a single Espada Estoque in one of my humidors, where it had likely been resting over a year. The initial profile is deliciously nutty with a toned-down black pepper spice and some espresso. Thereafter, the nuttiness fades while pepper and leather come to the fore. The texture is gritty and papery. Construction is excellent, but I expect more from a cigar with an MSRP of $14.50.

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.”

Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. burst onto the cigar scene with Leaf by Oscar, which came wrapped in a tobacco leaf instead of cellophane. The Oscar Habano maintains the same unique packaging, this time with a Candela leaf covering the aqua-colored band. The dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper surrounds Honduran binder and Nicaraguan and Honduran filler. The resulting smoke features oak, bread, cream, pepper, and earth. It reminds me a lot of the original San Cristobal (a cigar I enjoy), but with an added Honduran grittiness and red pepper spice. Even with a price tag of $11, I’m very impressed by The Oscan Habano.

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.”

One of the newer lines from Kristoff Cigars, this is a dark, gritty-looking cigar. From the first puff, that theme continues with a rough, dirty taste typical of its Mexican San Andrés wrapper. The Pistoff Kristoff website lists the other ingredients as an Indonesian binder and Nicaraguan filler. Even after getting past the sophomoric name, I couldn’t find much to like. Though, if you’re a San Andrés fan and like stronger cigars, you might want to give it a try. The Corona Gorda (5.75 x 48) lists for $8.70.

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

Adapting a Spanish technique sometimes used in aging various alcoholic and other liquids, Aging Room’s Rafael Nodal created Solera, a new line of cigars with four different wrappers. All feature Dominican fillers and binders. I smoked the Sun Grown Festivo, a 4.7-inch smoke with a ring gauge of 52. The Solera process involves mixing tobaccos together as they age after fermentation, rather than the more common method of aging tobaccos separately. I can’t say how much difference it made, but I did find the Solera smooth, balanced, and tasty with a long finish. Well worth a try.

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 take on a single cigar.

Reviewers, including my colleague, raved about Steve Saka’s debut release from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust: Sobremesa. Although I enjoyed that cigar, something about it didn’t quite hit my palate right (I consistently found a slight metallic flavor detracted from otherwise excellent flavors). My experience with Saka’s second release, Mi Querida, however, has given me no such hesitations. Made with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler, the cigar produces rich flavors with wood, roasted notes, and just a bit of subtle sweetness. Construction is excellent from start to finish. The Churchill-sized (7 x 50) SakaKhan is slightly mellower than the smaller sizes I tried (more medium-bodied than medium- to full-bodied) but it is highly enjoyable and easy to recommend.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys