Fonseca, established in 1974 when the Quesada family opened a Dominican factory, has built a reputation for mild-tasting cigars anchored by its original Connecticut shade blend. These days their portfolio is a bit more diversified.

Their collection includes Habana Selección, a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos wrapped in a habana criollo ’98 leaf. I reviewed the robusto-sized Cosacos in March and found it to be uncomplicated and, frankly, rather dull.

Hoping for a better outcome, I’ve set my sights on the Serie F, a three-vitola line launched in 2003 by Manuel Quesada to attract fans of fuller-bodied cigars. It features a Connecticut wrapper with a Mexican binder and Cuban-seed ligero filler—a blend that is said to be only slightly stronger than the original Fonseca. Quesada, after all, is no fan of brute power.

Handmade at the Manufactura de Tabacos S.A. factory in Santiago, the Serie F Toro measures six inches with a 50 ring gauge. It is a sturdy stick with a well-packed cross-section of tobacco, a firm feel, and several prominent veins and protruding seams. The golden, triple-capped exterior yields only the slightest pre-light aroma of sweet hay and sawdust.

The “F” in “Serie F” stands for fuerte, which is Spanish for “strong.” And while the blend is certainly stronger than the original Fonseca, it is a far cry from the bold cigars that have grown in popularity in recent years. I would even venture to say that the Toro leans to the milder side of the medium-bodied spectrum.

But it certainly isn’t without flavor. The profile is characterized by a dry, biting saltiness with warm tobacco and plenty of cedar and spice. A vegetal flavor—one that I can best describe as green pepper—dominates the lingering aftertaste and the aromatic resting smoke. The whole effect is interesting yet lacking in nuance.

As far as the physical properties are concerned, the Toro earns high marks for its solid white ash, straight burn, and clear draw. You’d be hard-pressed to find a cigar in this price range with better construction.

Still, I can’t see myself reaching for another Serie F Toro in the near future. Despite its wallet friendly price tag of $4-6 apiece, it is too salty, occasionally hot and bitter, and, although unique with hints of sweetness here and there, not balanced enough to hold my attention. I therefore award this Fonseca two and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Another trade show from the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is almost upon us. If you’re like me, though, you still haven’t tried a number of the new releases from the 2009 convention.

Such is the case with Prensado, an offering from Alec Bradley that was introduced last August. In my estimation, and given the accolades it has received, this blend may be the most prominent 2009 debut I have thus far overlooked. I decided to rectify that oversight by sampling three Robustos for this review.

The highlight of Prensado is its wrapper, a corojo leaf grown in 2006 in Trojes, Honduras. Alan Rubin, Alec Bradley’s founder and president, first tried it in 2008. It took Rubin and his team another six months to decide to pair the wrapper with the right blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos. The result is a five-vitola blend that’s made at the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras, the same site that furnishes cigars for Illusione, Casa Fernandez, Padilla, and others.

The five inch by 50 ring gauge Robusto is a dark, slightly veiny cigar with a triple cap and glistening oils. It sports a slight box press (prensado is Spanish for “pressed”) and pungent pre-light notes of powdery cocoa off the foot—the sort of aroma that’s simultaneously mouth-watering and sneeze-inducing. A great fragrance.

From the outset it’s easy to see why Rubin calls Prensado his strongest blend to date. It starts with a hearty, chalky flavor of spicy pepper and black coffee. Sheer power with little depth or balance. The profile settles quickly, however, to include a creamy caramel sweetness.

The taste remains consistent from the second third through the finale as the gray, sandy ash builds off the foot. Each easy puff yields loads of thick, mouth-coating smoke, and the imperfect burn requires few touch-ups to remain even.

I enjoy this blend, but it leaves me underwhelmed in terms of complexity. Sure, while the interplay between bold peppery notes and creamy sweetness is interesting, I’m looking for more intricacy from a cigar that retails for just under $10 apiece. That’s ultimately why this Alec Bradley offering earns three stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This cigar, blended by Jaime Garcia, stands out from the myriad sticks produced by My Father Cigars. For starters, it sports a dark, oily maduro Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, used only occasionally by Jaime and his father, Pepin Garcia.

And when you smoke it, you’ll find a flavor profile that differs significantly from what you expect from the house of Pepin.

The 54 ring gauge Toro does kick off with spicy notes. Mixed with the thick, woody flavor of the wrapper, though, it is a deep and sharp taste. From the start, the smoke is thick and profuse. The spice drops off after about half an inch and an earthy, damp hay taste takes over.

The taste changes aren’t finished yet. About halfway down the  six inch stick, you’ll begin to notice more and more of that typical maduro sweetness. The spice reemerges, too, and creates an interesting combination.

It’s a little difficult to find a lot of definitive information on these sticks. Having been introduced to the market late last year, but hitting most retailers’ shelves only recently, the My Father Cigars’ website doesn’t appear to even list them. The company’s site appears to be undergoing extensive work, though, and doesn’t have much information about anything.

I think it’s clear, though, that the filler is Nicaraguan. One site described it as a blend of tobacco grown by the Garcias and by the Oliva Tobacco Co. Despite some sites listing the binder as Nicaraguan, a press release about the cigar’s launch event at the Cigar Inn in New York confirms that it is Ecuadorian.

On the other hand, there’s no dispute about quality. It’s first rate, from appearance and construction to flavor and price. I paid $6 for the Toro, a small investment for a top-flight experience. I give this cigar four and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Only a select few cigar outfits have impressed me like Tesa, a boutique manufacturer run from a fashionable lounge in Chicago. From the Gran Cru and the Havanitas to the Vintage Especial and the Series Finos, I’m a big fan of these naked, tiger-endorsed blends made by atypical cigar maker Chris Kelly.

“I’m a 24-year-old Irish kid from the South Side of Chicago,” Kelly told me in an interview. “My father bought a building in Nicaragua and offered to let me make cigars. At 18 I said, ‘Hell yes!’ and have been doing it ever since.”

Listening to Kelly talk about the challenges of blending and the difficulties of operating as an outsider in Nicaragua is an eye-opening experience. But no one can doubt that he caught on to the trade quickly. Tesa has grown a loyal following, earned a well-deserved reputation for quality and consistency, and scored very well in our reviews.

The Cabinet 312 blend is no exception. Named for Chicago’s best-known area code, this line sports a criollo ’98 maduro leaf wrapped around Nicaraguan tobaccos from Estelí and Jalapa. It is available in five cifuentes-capped vitolas and one torpedo size called the Series G.

I sampled two Series Rs (4.75 x 52) for this review. Each had a textured, somewhat lumpy surface but was devoid of any real physical imperfections. The tightly packed robusto is firm in the hand and draws well on the cold taste. Pre-light notes of sweet wood are subtle.

In the spring Kelly told me this cigar is one of his favorites and among his best-sellers. It’s easy to see why from the first puff. The Cabinet 312’s full-bodied flavor is of warm spice and dry cocoa with sugary, creamy undertones. While it has characteristics of other criollo-wrapped smokes, the Series R is more refined than others I can recall in terms of balance and complexity.

As the solid gray ash builds off the foot, the burn line tends to wave down the cigar. A few touch-ups are needed here and there to keep things running on schedule, but construction is otherwise top-notch and worthy of a smoke of this depth and flavor.

It goes without saying that criollo fans need to add the Cabinet 312 to their must-try list. Seek out the $10 Series R for a fine example of everything a great criollo cigar should be. For its memorable, complex profile that’s spicy yet smooth, this Tesa creation earns four and a half stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you’re a cigar smoker, I can virtually guarantee you’ll be impressed by the wrapper on Casa Gomez. The Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut leaf is a beautiful warm brown with barely a vein visible from head to foot. The pre-light scent is light, reminiscent of outdoors with hints of grasses.

From the first puff, it’s apparent that Casa Gomez is a mild to medium smoke. But that doesn’t mean it’s light on taste. The blend was recently tweaked to add a little more zip, with Nicaraguan tobacco being added to the Dominican filler that’s encased by a Honduran binder. The stick’s first half has a little stronger kick than the second.

The pre-light aroma is reflected in the flavors, which present a little straw and hay, some pleasant grassiness and, in the final third, a touch of sweetness. Nothing is overpowering, creating an overall sense of balance and equilibrium.

The Benjamin, named for the current head of Casa Gomez, Benny Gomez Jr., is a torpedo (6.5 x 54). Others in the four-vitola line also sport family monikers (i.e., “Lorens” and “Junior”). Dominican rolled, the cigars have first-rate construction and produce volumes of thick, creamy smoke.

Casa Gomez isn’t an easy cigar to find. I was given several samples at an event promoting the label recently at my buddy Arnold Serafin’s shop in Spring Hill, Florida. Retail prices for the four sizes range from $5.50 to $6.50.

Gomez and his son, Loren, told me they’re gearing up to get their sticks in more shops and will again have a booth at the upcoming International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers convention. They said they’re also working on the firm’s website and hope to have it more functional soon.

This is a fine cigar, well worth searching for. If you are a fan of milder smokes, it will hit the spot; if you generally prefer stronger sticks, the Casa Gomez will give you a satisfying change of pace. I rate it four stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“I’ve been able to come up with a good product at a price that people can afford,” said Abe Flores of Pinar del Rio Cigars when he talked to us at the 2010 Cigar Expo. “I wanted to do a premium cigar that wouldn’t hurt the average guy. People still need to be able to buy tobacco…Tobacco has been part of American and Latin American culture for many, many years.”

Aside from his desire to create high-quality, affordable smokes, one thing about Flores became abundantly clear during our interview last weekend: He has a keen enthusiasm for tobacco. “Tobacco is part of my background. My grandfather grew tobacco and coffee,” he says. “It’s probably in my veins. This has always been a passion for me, and people who smoke my cigars they feel the passion and the time I put into this. And the company has been growing every year.”

With a loyal following and a base at the Tabacos Don Leoncio factory in the Dominican Republic, some anticipate that Pinar del Rio is on the verge of becoming the next big thing. But it is still a young company, launching only a few years ago with two inaugural lines: Oscuro and Habano Sun Grown.

The latter is a gorgeous cigar with two intricate bands and a red ribbon across the foot. While these features enhance the cigar’s presentation, the Robusto’s (5 x 50) real beauty lies in its oily, reddish, Dominican-grown wrapper. Impressive, especially for a stick that sells in the $5-6 price range.

After clipping the triple cap and establishing an even burn across the blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos, the Habano Sun Grown’s pre-light aroma of pepper and hay transitions into a bold taste of leather, herbal spices, and creamy sweetness. Flores was right when he told me this cigar has “leathery tones to it” and “spice on the nostrils and the tip of the tongue.”

With plenty of balance and subtlety, I don’t count the Robusto’s consistency in flavor as a shortcoming. I find myself interested—and at times captivated—by the full-bodied profile, especially the interplay between spice and sweetness. The only drawbacks of the two Robustos I smoked for this review were wavy burn lines and occasional bitter flavors toward the end. But this is still a very easy cigar to enthusiastically recommend.

I realize I’m arriving late to the Pinar del Rio party, perhaps too late to be fashionable. I suspect many of you are already dedicated fans of Abe Flores’ work. As for the rest of you, consider this review your invitation to join in on the fun. For its charismatic, old school Cuban flavor and approachable price tag, the Habano Sun Grown Robusto earns four stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cohiba. Montecristo. Romeo y Julieta. Hoyo de Monterrey. These and a few others are the brands most think of as quintessential Cuban cigars. Beyond the familiar names and recognizable logos, however, Castro’s communist isle still has plenty of other cigars to explore.

For instance, it would be a great disservice to your taste buds—and indeed your wallet—to ignore Juan Lopez. This brand continues to fly under the radar despite a loyal following of cigar enthusiasts who appreciate its consistency, quality, and relatively affordable price tag.

Juan Lopez was born when a Spanish businessman named Juan Lopez Diaz established the Flor de Juan Lopez factory in 1876. He was intent to make his fortune in the Cuban tobacco trade. It wasn’t long until he died, however, and his cigar operation passed on to his kin before it was eventually swallowed up by the Cuban government.

Today, Juan Lopez cigars are handmade in the west-central Cuban town of Guira de Melena with Vuelta Abajo tobacco and long-filler leaves. Production is limited. Juan Lopez fans point out that the brand occasionally disappears from the market, supposedly due to high quality control standards.

Those standards were apparent in the physical attributes of the six Juan Lopez cigars I smoked for this review. Sampled in the Selección No. 1 (5.6 x 42) format, they featured well-applied triple caps, a firm feel, and a pre-light scent of graham cracker. Each demonstrated a clear cold draw.

I was pleased to find that the graham cracker aroma carries over to the flavor. Remember eating Golden Grahams for breakfast as a kid? Well, if that General Mills product were a cigar instead of a square-shaped cereal, it would be a Juan Lopez. The rich, fluffy smoke tastes a lot like brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup. Light and delicious.

But there’s more to the Selección No. 1’s profile. Its sweetness is offset by an earthy, woodsy core, and there’s also some creaminess to tie the whole thing together. Sure, while the Juan Lopez isn’t as masterfully balanced as some cigars on the market, I find it to have more than enough nuance and equilibrium to keep me interested without distractions.

That’s why, despite some minor burn issues, I am impressed by this lesser-known Cuban. The Juan Lopez Selección No. 1 is well worth its asking price of $8-10 apiece and definitely worthy of a rating of four stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys