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.”

This is the first cigar from the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show I had a chance to smoke when I got home from Las Vegas. I got two samples of this dark Nicaraguan puro, the 5.5-inch with a 54 ring gauge that retails for bit under $8. I was thoroughly impressed. Cafe Noir is a fine, complex production with rich flavors that morph and shift throughout. Strength is moderate. It’s a cigar that you’ll want to spend time with.

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.”

Another limited edition from Viaje, Hang Time is a variation of the Late Harvest blend that uses a wrapper from a higher priming, which, according to Viaje, “allows for more time on the stalk resulting in a more intense smoking experience.” The outcome is a less earthy smoke than the Late Harves 648 (2012), which I’ve smoked quite a bit. The medium- to full-bodied profile features cool smoke with hints of black licorice, grass, and a tinge of metallic flavors. It’s well-constructed and interesting for sure, but at the price (about $9) I prefer the regular Late Harvest blend.

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.”

The Cameroon wrapper has a few spots, but perhaps that can be overlooked given that this is a wrapper that was grown 33 years ago. The cigar is balanced, creamy, and toasty with a decent bit of wood (more oak than cedar). The medium-bodied smoke is dominated by a sour-sweet-spice combination that’s quintessentially Cameroon, showing that even this old wrapper from 1980 can unload a lot of flavor. The construction is superb. Yes, while $25 each is a lot for any cigar, given how rare it is to smoke a cigar with a wrapper grown before I was born, it’s not outrageous.

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.”

Tatuaje’s La Casita Criolla is a line I never really gave a fair chance, for one reason or another. So I recently decided to light up a Corona Gorda (5.6 x 46) that had been resting in my humidor for about six months. What I found was a cigar that burns well, produces ample aromatic resting smoke, and tastes of dry, gritty earth. Often sharp and sometimes a bit hot and harsh, this Connecticut broadleaf puro isn’t a bad smoke, but it probably won’t be working its way into my regular rotation anytime soon.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A

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.”

If Jim Carrey’s Riddler from the horrifically campy Batman Forever designed a cigar band, it would look something like this. It’s about as far as you can get from the traditional Trinidad look. Introduced last summer, the 6-inch, 54-ring gauge, box-pressed cigar’s blend—Dominican binder, Nicaraguan filler, and Mexican Criollo ’98 wrapper—is also unusual. The profile has a unique syrupy sweetness, along with hints of coffee and cream. Construction is perfect. This is a unique, pleasant, medium-bodied smoke that may surprise you.

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.”

I liked the original Casa Miranda quite a bit, but I always got the feeling the cigar didn’t do as well Miami Cigar had hoped. Maybe the wind was taken out of the sails when Willy Herrera, who blended the cigar, left El Titan de Bronze where it’s made in the time between when the cigar was announced and when it hit the market. I was looking forward to this cigar and was pleased to have been given a sample at the recent industry convention. Chapter Two is made at Don Pepin’s factory in Nicaragua and carries a more reasonable suggested price. (The Robusto (4.5 x 50) is $6.35.) I found it to be a well-made, medium- to full-bodied cigar with dry dark chocolate, coffee, and subtle cedar notes. It’s a tasty sequel.

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.”

Available at the Ohio-based online retailer New Havana Cigars, this Pete Johnson creation measures 6.75 inches long with a ring gauge of 42 and costs about $8 per stick. It is manufactured by My Father Cigars with a slight box press and a nice triple-cap. Sweet pre-light notes transition to a balanced bouquet of flavors including caramel, coffee, black pepper, and dry cedar. Construction is solid with the only downside being an overly airy draw that burns rather quickly and makes this enjoyable smoke a little too brief. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself lighting up another after the first NHC Selección Limitada leaves you wanting more.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys