The Stogie Guys

Xikar is primarily known as a leading purveyor of cigar accessories like cutters, lighters, cases, and humidification devices. But this Kansas City-based company is also in the business of crafting premium cigars.

Xikar’s cigar-making partner is Jesus Fuego, a Cuban expat with a master’s degree in agronomy and five generations of tobacco cultivation in his blood. Today he has his own cigar outfit in Miami where he produces such gems as the 777 Corojo and the Origen.

In early 2009, Xikar and Fuego teamed up to launch the HC Series. Named for Xikar’s Havana Collection, the line boasts three blends: Connecticut Shade, Criollo, and Habano Colorado. “No matter your time, mood, or your preference, the HC Series has the perfect blend for every cigar lover’s palate,” said Fuego in a press release.

Each HC cigar is handmade at one of Nestor Plasencia’s factories. The four-vitola Criollo line features a two-country filler blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos along with a sun-grown criollo binder and a five-year-old Nicaraguan shade-grown criollo wrapper. The Robusto (5 x 50) is a clean, silky cigar with a pre-light aroma of earth.

After toasting the foot and studying the initial taste, I find a nicely balanced profile of leather, dry wood, and tea with a bit of sweetness and some chili pepper on the finish. The flavor is full but the strength is subdued, resulting in that all-too-elusive combo of bold spice and velvety texture.

The second half has a little less leather and a little more cream and roasted nuts. The transition is a welcome one, serving as a reprieve from the preceding spice. As the Criollo Robusto progresses, the construction remains excellent: an effortless draw, a tight ash, and a straight burn.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the HC Connecticut Shade, my only reservation was that its $7.50-9 price tag rendered it slightly overpriced—especially considering the other great Connecticut-wrapped smokes on the market. Not so with this Criollo, which is similarly priced but packs a more interesting profile. A terrific smoke, it is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Though you may not have heard of him, chances are you’ve enjoyed one of A.J. Fernandez’s smokes. The prolific cigar maker has crafted stogies for Rocky Patel, Padilla, Graycliff, and Gurkha, and he’s also made limited distribution lines like 5 Vegas AAA, Man O’ War, Diesel, La Herencia, and Sol Cubano.

Fernandez, who has as much cigar blending talent as anyone his age, has made quite a name for himself in recent years. So it wasn’t completely surprising when he announced just before this year’s industry trade show that he would be producing his first solo nationally distributed cigar. The San Lotano brand originated with Fernandez’s grandfather in San Luis, Cuba, but has not been made in decades.

The brand is being released in three versions: Connecticut, Maduro, and Habano. On the latter, beneath the shiny Brazilian Habano wrapper is a Honduran binder and Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

Each blend is released in four sizes: Churchill (7 x 52), Robusto (5 x 52), Toro (6 x 52), and Torpedo (6.5 x 52). The Toro that was the subject of a Quick Smoke and each of the three Robustos I sampled for this review were notably firm.

The San Lotano features an impressively complex combination of flavors. Warm tobacco, spice, toastiness, cedar, meaty char, and roast coffee are all apparent in the full-bodied blend.

It’s not knock-you-on-your-ass full-bodied, but there’s a lot going on here, including a certain “crunchiness” that is hard to describe properly, but easy to enjoy. The hour-long smoke features excellent construction as the firm cigar has a deliberate, but not difficult, draw.

Having sampled all three of the San Lotano blends, I can definitely say that while none are disappointing, the Habano is my clear favorite. And at $6 apiece, it provides good value.

The San Lotano doesn’t change much from beginning to end, but it doesn’t need change to be enjoyable, as the interplay between the flavors keeps the smoker plenty interested. That complexity, combined with excellent construction and solid value, earns the San Lotano Habano Robusto four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Among the new brands that debuted at this summer’s IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans is Reinado. It’s not crafted like your typical Nicaraguan puro.

Created by Antonio Lam, Reinado is a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos aged up to five years. “What makes this cigar very special is the fact that it’s got a unique fermentation process being employed, making the flavors extremely rich and smooth for a Nicaraguan puro yet letting a nice spice run right through it,” says Lam.

Reinado, Spanish for “reign,” is still a young company, but Lam is happy with his brand’s reception. “We’re in the early stages and the initial response has been excellent, from online reviewers to in-store customers at events.”

As you might imagine, Lam is hard at work expanding the number of Reinado retailers and trying to achieve more widespread recognition of his cigars. His attractive, easy-to-navigate website and solid grasp of social networking media will help. He’s also counting on the online cigar community.

Eager to try Reinado for myself, I smoked a handful of Torpedos (6.1 x 52) for this review. This vitola, one of three in the Reinado portfolio, features an oily Habano rosado wrapper with few veins and virtually invisible seams. The pre-light aroma is bold and woody.

After establishing an even burn, a full-bodied profile of leather, espresso, and cherry quickly emerges. Rarely do cigars smoke with such strength right out of the gate. The Torpedo, however, sports an unapologetically intrepid flavor from the get-go, one that’s more refined than harsh. Its balance includes a sweet aftertaste and a floral-smelling resting smoke.

Consistent from light to nub, the cigar neither mellows nor intensifies. All the while the construction is outstanding. Expect a straight burn, a clear draw, and a solid ash.

Would I smoke the Reinado Torpedo every day? No. After the occasional heavy meal, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better selection if you’re craving something bold and brawny. That’s why this $9 cigar earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With little fanfare, Ashton cigars released La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor at this year’s industry trade show in August. The five-vitola line is the third La Aroma de Cuba blend in Ashton’s portfolio.

La Aroma has undergone quite the transformation in the past few years when Ashton handed the brand over to Don Pepin Garcia. The original Honduran recipe (which was made by Altadis) was re-incarnated as a Nicaraguan blend with a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, and a new Edición Especial was added, featuring an Ecuadorian wrapper.

The new Mi Amor uses a dark Mexican San Andreas wrapper along with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The box-pressed line sells for $150-$180 per box of 25, or $6-8 as a single. The  Robusto (5 x 50) costs a reasonable $5.

To introduce the new Mi Amor blend, Ashton is conducting a series of tastings at cigar shops. These events feature almonds, coconut, dark chocolate, and Zaya rum, which are tasted in progression to bring out the flavors of the cigar. I was fortunate enough to participate in such a tasting at a local shop and would definitely recommend the event as an excellent way to sample the Mi Amor while developing your palate.

Not surprisingly, many of the flavors featured in the tasting are found in the cigar. Most prominent are coffee and roasted earth. But there’s a also bit of dry bittersweet chocolate and a hint of nuttiness.

The Robusto creates plenty of dense smoke that leaves the cigar’s profile lingering on your palate. There’s not much variation in taste as the cigar progresses, although the roasted flavors seem to pick up towards the end.

The Mi Amor is solidly medium- to full-bodied throughout. Construction is excellent, with the box-pressed smoke burning evenly while producing a solid, stable ash.

Over a year ago, I remember hearing that Don Pepin Garcia was very excited about the wrappers being grown in the San Andreas region of Mexico. This new La Aroma is proof that that his excitement was well-founded. The resulting blend earns the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Robusto four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“The name Jesus (IhsouV) adds up to 888 in Hebrew numerology called Gematria. Each letter is assigned the corresponding number. ‘Necessary and Sufficient’ both describes the balance and profile of this cigar. It also represents to not go wanting, He is all I need, He is necessary and sufficient.”

That’s the explanation Illusione creator Dion Giolito gives on his website about the name of this Churchill-sized cigar. Each of the 12 vitolas in the original Illusione lineup have unique names—including cg4, 2, and hl—and each refers to either Giolito’s faith, a significant year in his life, or his favorite numbers at the craps table in his native Las Vegas.

The Illusione name itself is a nod to conspiracy culture. Whether you’re enchanted or annoyed by the mysterious nature of Illusione, odds are you’re a fan of the cigars themselves. I rarely hear such universal praise for a brand from tobacconists, reviewers, and cigar enthusiasts alike.

In a 2008 interview, Giolito told us he established Illusione to replicate the flavor of pre-Sandinista Nicaraguan cigars. “Nicaraguan tobacco has always had my attention from the beginning,” he said. “Joya de Nicaragua was, and still is, one of my favorite cigars, particularly the original blends.”

The Illusione 888 (6.75 x 48) is an oily, milk chocolate-colored beauty that is visually striking. It is dense yet easy to draw on with faint pre-light notes of cocoa.

After establishing an even burn, a task that takes hardly any effort, a flavor of dry earth, leather, and spice emerges. Creamier tastes of chocolate, marshmallow, and oak add depth in the second third. As the cigar progresses, it intensifies in spice and boldness, smoking more and more like the Nicaraguan puro that it is. All the while, though, the profile maintains a harmonious, complex balance that’s far from overbearing.

I smoked three 888s for this review, two of which exhibited poor burn lines that required a fair amount of maintenance. The third was just about perfect—on par with what I’ve come to expect from Illusione. Great burn, solid ash, and an effortless draw.

When this cigar is smoking properly it’s one of the finest full-bodied Churchills available for less than $10. I always seem to have a few in my humidor as they make excellent post-dinner companions on slow, relaxing nights. So, despite some constriction flaws, the Illusione 888’s outstanding flavor earns it four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Kinky Friedman’s Utopian cigar is easy to root for. Profits from the smoke are donated to the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, the “never-kill” animal shelter Kinky Friedman sponsors.

Friedman, the charismatic musician and politician, is also easy to like, particularly after running a  gubernatorial campaign as a staunch opponent of smoking bans and fighting for the “de-wussification” of Texas. Long a cigar lover, he unleashed his own line of cigars in 2007.

With names like the Kinkycristo, Governor, Texas Jewboy, and Big Richard, it’s clear Kinky had a bit of fun creating his cigars, which use Honduran wrappers and Costa Rican binders with Honduran and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. But the Utopian (6 x 52) isn’t a joke; Kinky doesn’t make any money selling these $6-7 cigars, instead using his profits to help abused and abandoned animals.

The Honduran wrapper has a nice oily shine. The cigar is firm to the touch and constructed well. According to the official website, the Utopian uses the time-consuming entubar method, which creates an easy draw. It lights easily with just two matches.

The cigar starts off with roasted coffee flavors. There are also slightly bitter meaty and leather notes, but those begin to fade halfway through. At that point the cigar begins a more interesting phase, with roasted nuts and a creamy base combining for what is almost a peanut butter flavor. A rich milk chocolate flavor emerges as the leathery bitterness recedes.

The Utopian isn’t exactly perfectly balanced, but it has a pleasant medium- to full-bodied taste with plenty of rich roasted flavors. So, for being an enjoyable cigar benefiting an excellent cause, the Kinky Friedman Utopian earns a commendable rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When I think of the non-Cuban Montecristo brand, the one made by tobacco giant Altadis, several blends come to mind. Among them are Classic, White, Cabinet Selección, and the standard self-titled line

But there are three others, including the five-vitola Reserva Negra line. This blend was launched in 2008 as the first Montecristo to sport a maduro wrapper—a dark San Andres Marrón leaf from Mexico. As the Robb Report pointed out in 2009 when it named the Reserva Negra to its “Best of the Best” list, however, cigar enthusiasts should leave their preconceived notions about Mexican tobacco at the door.

I kept that in mind as I examined the Corona (5 x 44). With a dry, coarse exterior leaf clad with various bumps and several protruding veins, it doesn’t look like a $7 smoke. The faint pre-light aroma and tight draw are also causes for concern.

Keeping an open mind, I touched fire to the foot, igniting the Nicaraguan binder and two-country filler blend from Honduras and Nicaragua. These tobaccos, combined with the flavorful maudro wrapper, produced a high octane profile of spicy black pepper and thick espresso.

This intensity retreats after about five minutes. Here, several additions to the profile round off the hearty baseline. They include notes of sweet cocoa, cream, and a bit of caramel. The overall effect reminds me of a crème brulée, a tasty sensation that lasts until bold, meaty flavors dominate the finish.

I prefer to think of the Reserva Negra Corona as an NFL game. The opening kickoff is violent and fast, the second and third quarters feature masterful passes and a few trick plays, and the final drive is a hard-nosed running attack with big hits and some injuries.

And if this cigar is a football game, the game is played well with few penalties. The Corona, after all, boasts solid physical properties like a slow burn pace and a solid white ash. If only the draw were slightly looser and the burn slightly straighter.

While the Reserva Negra Corona has a lot going for it, it also has several deficiencies. Chief among them is a tendency to turn sour here and there. Still, serving as an example of the potential of Mexican cultivated tobacco, it’s worth a try. I award it three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys