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.” 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 Nicaraguan puro is very reasonably priced at around $5-6 per stick. The wrapper is a rich, deep brown with a fair amount of oil and only a few veins. There are a couple of construction problems with both the draw and the burn, and the ash also is not particularly stiff. Nonetheless, what the Casa Magna Colorado Corona lacks in construction, it makes up for in flavor and price. It starts with a burst of pepper and then mellows into a sweet combination of wood, leather, and caramel. The finish is largely coffee-based with some spices thrown in for complexity. Despite the problems with construction, this cigar is plenty enjoyable, particularly at its reasonable price. Definitely check this one out if you are looking for a nice cigar to enjoy on a budget. Having earned four stogies out of five from Patrick A, this one is perfect for regular smoking.

Verdict = Buy.

– Denis, a.k.a. Cigar Inspector

photo credit: Cigar Inspector

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.”

Made in just one size, this limited edition cigar from Joya de Nicaragua celebrates 45 years of the original Nicaraguan cigar company. The puro is the perfect combination of Nicaraguan strength, complexity, and finesse. It features lots of wood, some spice, and hints of dry chocolate and roasted nuts. The construction is perfect. My only wish is for this same cigar in a corona size. Even though I think it may be even better in a slimmer size, I can easily recommend the Cuatro Cinco.

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.”

When I tried a sample of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s new E-Stunner line at last summer’s industry trade show in Las Vegas, I thought it was a unique cigar. But it was a creation from E.P. Carrillo that I didn’t care for. Billed as a powerhouse, the E-Stunner is unlike other cigars in Carrillo’s portfolio. I found more strength than flavor, more punch than pleasure. I hadn’t tried another until the other day, and I’ve since smoked two more in the Siboney format (5 x 50). While the experience was better than my first, particularly in the second half when it smooths out a bit, I’d say give it try only if you really like a kick.

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 year I’ve resolved to try and smoke more old favorites. That may sound silly to some of you—why not just smoke only the cigars you love all the time?—but managing the content for this website requires sampling a lot of new releases and scores of other smokes we haven’t yet reviewed. Woe is me. In any event, to try and make whole on my resolution I recently sat down with an Undercrown, a marvelous cigar that was introduced by the fine folks at Drew Estate a few years ago. It has been a favorite blend of mine ever since. The Gran Toro (6 x 52) always performs beautifully, with a rich, toasty profile of espresso, nut, and earth coupled with Drew Estate’s trademark draw (think copious tufts of smoke with each puff). I snagged a Gran Toro five-pack not too long ago, and I can hardly think of a better way to spend $40.

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.”

 

This very unique limited edition cigar ($15) from RoMa Craft is rolled entirely by hand with a blend that seems to take a bit from each of their regular production lines: Ecuadorian Connecticut and Brazilian Ariparaca wrapper, U.S.-grown Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and Cameroon and Nicaraguan filler. Each box of 10 pyramide-shaped cigars features nine cigars with a closed foot and one without (I smoked the latter). The cigar has lots of dark earth and wood flavors, and a good bit of syrupy sweetness, though not much spice. Even though it’s made without any molds, construction is free of problems. The sweetness and wood go well with a wheated bourbon like the W.L. Weller 12 Year.

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.”

With its Nub-like dimensions, snowflake foil wrapper, and unembellished Christmas tree secondary band, the limited edition Viaje Holiday Blend 2013 will stand out in almost any humidor. It’s also a standout in the taste department. A small, fat torpedo (4 x 60) with all-Nicaraguan tobacco, this year’s Viaje holiday release is a complex, slow-burning delight. Flavors range from pepper and sweetness to leather and cedar. My only complaint: a less-than-stellar burn. It’s also a bit pricy at about $10. But it’s well worth picking up to give yourself a post-Christmas present.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

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.”

After noticing that our recently published list of the best cigars we reviewed in 2013 had two smokes made by RoMa Craft Tobac (Abaddon and Ouroboros), I resolved to better acquaint myself with the company, which is headed by Skip Martin. I could hardly think of a better place to start than the Intemperance BA XXI blend. The vitola called “The Breach of the Peace” (5 x 56) boasts a complex combination of dry wood, espresso, leather, and cocoa, all grounded in a thick, rich texture. Its recipe includes a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper around an Indonesian binder, as well as filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. At $7, this bold, cool-smoking Robusto Extra is easy to recommend. I look forward to sampling more from RoMa Craft in 2014.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys