The Stogie Guys

Awhile ago, we shared our invitation to the traveling debut of the newest Partagas cigar, the Benji Menendez Master Series Majestuoso. And even though there wasn’t an event in my area, I was able to obtain three samples for this review.

Born in Havana in 1936, Benji Menendez has a cigar pedigree that few can match. His grandfather, father, uncles, and great uncles were considered the royalty of the cigar business during the pre-revolution heyday of Cuban cigars, having developed world-class Cuban puros including Montecristo, H. Upmann, and Por Larrañaga.

Now with General Cigar, Menendez is celebrating 57 years in the business with a  new limited edition Partagas: the Benji Menendez Master Series Majestuoso, which comes only in a six inch by 46  ring gauge corona gorda.

The cigar features a dark, oily Cameroon wrapper wrapped around Connecticut  habano binder and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It is solidly constructed, and a quick slice with my guillotine cutter reveals an effortless draw.

Once lit, the Benji Menendez Partagas Master Series Majestuoso reveals a medium-bodied combination of leather, licorice, and bread. It has a woody finish.

While the flavor profile doesn’t change a whole lot, a slight peppery finish develops in the second half and a hint of nutmeg also emerges. Despite the relatively small change in flavor, it is still a complex smoke with extraordinary balance.

Only 5,000 boxes of this special Partagas are being released. The Benji Menendez Partagas Master Series Majestuoso sells for around $10 each, a reasonable price for an excellent smoke that earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Even though Tatuaje recently eclipsed the Fuente Opus X as the most in-demand cigar in America, for most smokers the Opus X needs no introduction. Made by Fuente in the Dominican Republic, this Dominican puro regularly sells for well over its suggested retail price.

Fortunately, I was able to find two of these cigars for $11 each at Holt’s in Philadelphia, but a quick spot check of internet sites shows this six and a quarter inch by 39 ring gauge smoke selling for $20-30 each. The short lancero is well-packed and features a torpedo head.

Like all Opus X cigars, the Petit Lancero has a Dominican rosado wrapper, grown specially on Fuente’s tobacco farm then cured in rum barrels prior to being rolled. Today there are many Dominican puros on the market (in part due to the success of Opus X), but when the Opus X was introduced in the mid-1990s the idea of using Dominican wrappers was pretty revolutionary.

Of the two cigars I sampled, one had a large soft spot that foreshadowed some serious burn issues. While very uncharacteristic of the various Opus X cigars I’ve smoked, this flaw created a horribly uneven burn that required numerous touch-ups just to remain smokable. Fortunately, the other sample had good construction with a deliberate draw and a sturdy ash.

The flavors of these cigars are classic Opus X: loads of leather, spicy pepper, and cedar. It’s not very balanced, or nuanced for that matter, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t enjoyable. The long finish is particularly nice, with sweet wood and a hint of pepper.

All in all, the petit lancero is much of what I’ve come to expect from Opus X. While it’s a bombshell of flavor, it doesn’t have the complexity of my favorite Opus X, the torpedo-shaped Perfecxion No. 2. So while the Arturo Fuente Opus X Petit Lancero loses a point for a lack of nuance and some uncharacteristic construction issues, it still earns an impressive four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Two entirely different cigars were introduced at this summer’s IPCPR Trade Show bearing the year 1961. One was the Frank Llaneza 1961 by Altadis, which commemorates the year the master blender began crafting cigars. And the other was the Rocky Patel 1961, which honors the year the cigar superstar was born.

Nothing but an odd coincidence. Names aside, the latter was one of three new blends launched by Rocky Patel in New Orleans this August (the other two being Patel Bros. and Corojo Especial). It is the first to be made at the Tabacalera Villa Cuba, Rocky’s newest factory in Nicaragua.

The Rocky Patel 1961 is built with Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, a Honduran binder, and reddish, oily habano-seed wrapper from Ecuador. It comes in four traditional sizes. Included are a Corona, Toro, Torpedo, and a five inch by 50 ring gauge Robusto that sells for approximately $6-8 apiece.

The first thing you notice about this cigar is its unique double band. The top half, displaying a tobacco plant with an intricate root system, spills over onto a maroon background band, making for a distinctive presentation.

Also distinctive is the 1961’s vigorous pre-light aroma. You don’t have to get your nose too close to the textured wrapper or the coarsely packed foot to get a heavy dose of cocoa, earth, and a bit of spice.

That spice is likewise evident on the lips for the cold taste, which pulls through smoothly despite the Robusto’s firm feel. Then, after establishing an even burn, the initial flavor takes on characteristics of black pepper, dry wood, and nutmeg. Powerful and full-bodied, to say the least.

I am thankful that, after a half inch or so, the profile starts to settle down, enabling more nuance and complexity to shine through. The new tastes include sweet candied nuts and cream—excellent compliments to the bolder base flavors. Everything stays on an even keel as long as you maintain a relaxed smoking pace.

Meanwhile, expect this Robusto’s combustion qualities to be superior to most other Rocky Patel blends. While I’ve consistently encountered the need to fix the burns on several of his lines, this one is better behaved. That adds a lot to the enjoyment of the 75-minute smoke.

So the 1961 Robusto is worthy of my recommendation, especially if you prefer big flavors. It may seem like Rocky comes out with something new every week, but don’t let this fall off your radar. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A few weeks ago, I spent a pleasant evening at Arnold Serafin’s cigar shop smoking and chatting. One of the sticks I enjoyed was Arnold’s eponymous production. I left with several others, thinking I could give them a more objective evaluation in another setting. I don’t know about you, but I usually find that when I’m having a good time, every cigar seems just a bit better.

So, I’ve now smoked several Serafin de Cubas in various sizes. With Ecuadorian wrappers around a mix of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos, which Arnold told me he purchases from Oliva Tobacco in Tampa, these are well-crafted cigars rolled on site. They produce a ton of smoke and burn evenly.

While not particularly complex, they do offer changes from head to foot, with a little grass, nuts, and a buttery smoothness on the finish. As with many cigars, I favored the Robusto vitola, but not by a lot. I was reminded a little of one of Stogie Guys’ favorite house blends, Ybor City Handmades, though each is a distinctive smoke.

If you happen to be in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, you can stop by Arnold’s shop in Tarpon Springs. (And I noticed on his recently revamped website that he’s added a spot to the north in Spring Hill, Florida.) Stop by on the weekend and you can usually pick up a Serafin de Cuba freshly rolled by the Cuban roller who produces these cigars. But if you can’t make it down this way, call Arnold and he’ll personally take care of you.

These cigars are value priced: Six of the seven sizes come in bundles of 25 for $100, with the seventh, a 6.5-inch by 54 ring gauge “Giant Torpedo,” going for $25 more.

If you like milder cigars, want some quality sticks on hand for the occasional smoker who stops by, or simply desire the experience of a truly small-batch smoke, give these a try. I know I need to get back up the street and buy more from Arnold. I give his cigar, the Serafin de Cuba Robusto, a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Cien Años line was launched in 2003 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of La Aurora, the oldest cigar maker in the Dominican Republic. It was a limited blend that came in four sizes: No. 4 (corona), Robusto, Churchill, and Belicoso. The latter scored rating of 93 in Cigar Aficionado in 2005.

According to La Aurora, this Lancero is not officially part of the Cien Años line. Rather, it is a new cigar using the remaining Cien Años tobaccos. Like the original blend, though, it is a limited release, with only be 800 boxes of 25 ever to be made.

The Lancero (6.9 x 40) will cost you about $11—if you can find one, that is. Locating this elusive cigar can be very difficult due to its rare tobaccos. It is a Dominican puro, using an aged corojo wrapper over aged Dominican corojo and piloto cubano filler.

The wrapper is slightly bumpy, with the outlines from the binder’s veins underneath apparent from the outside. Firm to the touch with a moderate pre-light draw, it has a gentle aroma of milk chocolate and cashew.

The profile opens with notes of bread, bran, and dry wood. Tasty and traditional. You could almost call the flavor fairly mild until the peppery finish kicks in, which is long with a spicy tingle.

At the midway point, a custard flavor with a slightly salty bite develops. Here, the draw opens nicely with each airy puff producing lots of thick smoke. The spice tends to dissipate in the final third, which is also marked by tastes of tea and hops.

On the whole, the 100 Años Lancero is a well-balanced, medium-bodied smoke that will reward those who seek it out. Its only drawback is a slight ammonia flavor that fades in and out, particularly if smoked too quickly—a blemish that may improve with just a bit of aging.

As you’d expect from La Aurora, this cigar’s combustion qualities are quite good. The burn line is even with a shiny black mascara and the gray ash holds well for about an inch. Don’t push it much beyond that, though, or you’ll find yourself with a lap full of ash.

This is still a high-quality smoke, however, with a complex, classic taste. Go ahead and grab a Cien Años Lancero by La Aurora if you get the chance. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A & Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This summer, I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Davies at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans. He was in town to debut his first cigars, the result of years spent scouring Central America for quality land and tobacco.

One of the first things I asked Davies was why he settled on the name “José Carlos Cigars.” He told me the story of how, during his exploits in Nicaragua, he met an orphan named José Carlos whose parents had abandoned him for a better life in America.

“What I saw in that young man was amazing…Not a bitter, angry, or mischievous boy, but a happy, well-mannered, polite little man,” writes Davies on his website. “That young man gave me the inspiration to find a way to manufacture excellent quality cigars in a very difficult environment.”

Genuinely thankful for his blessings and intent on giving back to the orphaned children in Nicaragua, Davies built the foundation for his premium boutique cigars in Estelí. “My philosophy is simple: Do things right, not fast,” he says.

His new lineup of cigars, grown on land tested by the Nicaraguan Agriculture University with limited amounts of fertilizers, is a result of those efforts. It is offered in three different wrappers: Connecticut, Corojo, and Habano.

The six inch by 52 ring gauge Habano Toro has a smooth, reddish Nicaraguan sungrown exterior leaf with only a few skinny veins. It is impressively firm to the touch and the draw pulls through with moderate effort.

After toasting the foot, pre-light notes of sweet sawdust give way to a medium-bodied flavor of oak, cream, and cereals. A good amount of spice is also present—especially on the finish—that tastes of dry cedar and black pepper.

The overall effect is a classic habano taste from beginning to nub with hints of sweetness.

With a solid white ash and a straight burn, the physical properties are excellent. And, like a well-made cigar should, this Toro smokes slowly, taking almost two hours to complete.

Currently, information on price and availability of José Carlos Cigars is hard to come by. But if you love traditional-tasting habanos with top-notch construction, seek this blend out. The impressive Habano Toro earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’m always a bit leery of cigars bearing the name or likeness of a movie character, celebrity, or TV series. Are big-name endorsements necessary if you’ve got a solid product made from quality tobacco?

But El Tiante Cigars, crafted by Cuban-born pitching legend Luis Tiant, have proven time and again to be excellent smokes. Since it was launched in 2007, my colleagues and I have written favorably about each of the company’s three main blends: Natural, Corojo, and Maduro.

It seems as though Mr. Tiante, know by many simply as “El Tiante,” is determined to follow his successful baseball career—229 career wins—by crafting exemplary boutique cigars. And now he’s adding a fourth series to the lineup.

“La Leyenda” celebrates Tiant’s 1968 season with the Cleveland Indians, a year in which he won 21 games and posted an earned run average of 1.60. No major league pitcher has since come close to that head-scratching ERA.

The blend is, according to El Tiante Vice President Kevin Anderson, intended to “demonstrate in a cigar what Luis accomplished on the mound in 1968.” It features a Sumatra-seed Ecuadorian wrapper and a Nicaraguan habano binder. The filler sports three different ligeros from Nicaragua and seco tobaccos from both Nicaragua and Honduras.

With white bands silhouetted by Tiant’s unique windup, La Leyenda comes in four traditional sizes that cost in the $6-9 range. The Pyramid (6.1 x 52) is coarse with plenty of tooth and pre-light notes of cocoa.

The first puff of this textured, oily cigar is extremely spicy. Then, after a few more smooth draws, the edges round nicely to include flavors of black coffee, dark chocolate, dry cedar, and herbs. Another pleasant taste is also present—one that I’ve found in other El Tiante creations but, frustratingly, can’t quite put my finger on.

At times, especially in the middle and end of the Pyramid, a meaty flavor fades in and out. So does an airy sweetness that’s akin to powdered sugar. While the former tends to build on the medium- to full-bodied profile, the latter counters it nicely with a softer balance.

I enjoyed the La Leyenda Pyramid for this complexity and nuance. The burn may require a few touch-ups, but the unique flavor is enough to make up for any construction flaws, earning this El Tiante four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys