The Stogie Guys

A rarity among today’s manufacturers, PG Cigars maintains a singular, unwavering mission: to blend and age classic-tasting cigars to meet the most discriminating of palates. That’s what they’ve been doing since the company launched in 1990.

But their dedication to traditionalism and disdain for slick marketing and gimmickry—documented in our Cigar Insider with Paul and Kevork Garmirian—hasn’t prevented this McLean, Virginia-based boutique from launching new lines from time to time. Such was the case when, in 2005, they celebrated their debut with a 15th Anniversary Belicoso Extra. At first they only made 15,000 available to the top 50 authorized PG retailers.

According to their website, however, “the response…was so great that the 15th Anniversary blend is now available in a new PG line composed of ten sizes.” These full-bodied cigars include Nicaraguan wrappers, Dominican binders, and filler leaves from the Dominican farms that grew tobacco for the inaugural PGs.

Back in February, I bought two Robustos (5 x 52) for $14.55 apiece at PG’s headquarters. They have been a sight to behold in my humidor since. The Colorado wrappers are toothy and oily, the feel is very firm from head to toe, and the pre-light aromas include notes of hay, earth, and cocoa.

When lit, according to PG, this blend “represents a kaleidoscopic range of tastes” that are “reminiscent of old style Cuban puros from the mid-1950s.” I may not be lucky enough to know the latter but I can certainly appreciate the former. And the Gourmet 15th Anniversary Robusto certainly features a balanced myriad of flavors.

While some of the tastes are common among cigars—including cedar, pepper, and dark chocolate—this base is augmented by more unusual flavors. Everything comes together in such harmony that it can be difficult to identify these rarer notes. But I was able to put my finger on a few of them, including cherry, melon, cinnamon, and pine.

This tremendous profile is complemented by good construction, which is especially welcome in a complex cigar like this because it enables the smoker to focus on the taste. I only wish the burn required fewer touch-ups.

That aside, this fantastic smoke is built to impress longtime cigar enthusiasts—and it comes through. While its cost is high, so too is the level of enjoyment it delivers. That’s why the Gourmet 15th Anniversary Robusto 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

These days everyone is looking for a value, and one way to find more affordable cigars is to look for ones with mixed filler.  The theory is, because they use the otherwise unusable clippings of premium cigars, you get the top level tobacco in a value price.

If ever there were a cigar to test that theory it would be the Tatuaje Series P, which combines one of the top names in premium, boutique smokes with mixed filler theory. According to reports, the Series P uses the same filler as Tatuaje’s medium-bodied Havana VI line (we’ve reviewed the Verocu No. 1 and No. 2 vitolas) , but at less than half the price—around $3.75 each.

Like all Seris Ps, the Robusto (5 x 50) is a Nicaraguan puro. While the wrapper is similar to the Havana VI line, it is a little more rustic with some water spots and more veins.

Not surprisingly, because it’s a mixed filler smoke (60% medium-filler and 40% long-filler, to be exact) this cigar is softer and more spongy than what you’re use to from Tatuaje.  That manifests itself later with an overly easy, airy draw and an unstable ash.

While the construction is a predictable step down from the Havana VI line, the drop-off was far less pronounced when it came to taste.  Medium-bodied earth and nut flavors combine to produce an enjoyable, if not all that complex, blend.

Everyone will have to make their own decision when it comes to trading the lower price point for lesser construction and complexity, but it isn’t hard to see why this is a popular smoke. After all, how else can you get a box of 31 Tatuajes for under $4 per stick?

Ultimately, everyone needs to try the Series P versus the regular Havana VI line for themselves. However, when judged on it’s own merits, the Tatuaje Series P2 Robusto earns a respectable 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

Among the newest additions to the cigar world, Nestor Miranda’s Special Selection 20 Aniversario line ranks near the top. My singular complaint has been that the line, both the Rosado and Oscuro blends, is only available in one immense (7 x 56) vitola called the “Danno.”

I can complain no longer. In June, Miami Cigar & Co.—distributor of such acclaimed brands as La Aurora, Don Lino, León Jimenes, 601, Cubao, and Mi Barrio—brought a new, more manageable size to market: a five and 5/8 inch by 52 ring gauge figurado called “Ruky” (Miranda’s childhood nickname).

As with the Danno, this 20 Aniversario vitola celebrates two decades of producing a Special Selection line named for company founder Nestor Miranda. It is crafted by Don Pepin Garcia’s son, Jaime, and made at Pepin’s Tabacalera Cubana factory.

The Ruky likewise features Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, an Estelí-grown binder, and an oily Nicaraguan habano oscuro wrapper. Its form and precision imparts an appreciation of craftsmanship, as does its well-executed pigtail cap.

Once lit, the cigar’s pre-light notes of dark chocolate and damp earth give way to a much fuller profile of pepper, bread, and spice. The draw is firm as the gray ash builds down the narrow foot. Each puff yields a decent volume of smoke.

Only a quarter inch in, the burn requires a slight touch-up to stay on track. Then, as the Ruky builds to its widest point, the taste takes on a smooth and creamy contour, only to grow in intensity shortly thereafter with notes of wood and coffee beans. Whether resting or puffed, the rich smoke fluffs off the foot effortlessly.

I was won over before midway point. Both samples that I tasted for this review serve as good reminders that, given the right blend in the right hands, it’s entirely possible to create a full-bodied, balanced stick without harshness. The satisfactory combustion qualities and unique shape only add the cigar’s performance and character.

Like the Danno, the Ruky is intended to be sold exclusively at tobacco shops, not through online retailers or catalogues. It is available in boxes of five with an MSRP of $8 apiece. That cost, in my book, is worthwhile given the Ruky’s complex flavor and high attention to detail. I won’t hesitate to reach for another Nestor Miranda Special Selection 20 Aniversario Oscuro Ruky the next time I’m looking for a powerful after-dinner companion. It 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

Not long ago I gained a newfound respect for Drew Estate. Following a bad experience with an Acid flavored (or “infused,” as they say) cigar, I unfairly wrote off the company as a producer that just wasn’t for me.

Recently, however, I took another look after enjoying a few of their smokes last month, including appreciating—even if it still isn’t my style—a Drew Estate Acid.

With that in mind, I decided to try out the Chateâu Real Maduro. I’d previously tried and enjoyed a Natural that features a Connecticut wrapper and creamy, mild flavors.

This six inch by 52 ring gauge toro-sized smoke features a San Andreas broadleaf wrapper. It is a lovely maduro with just a bit of oily shine.

The predominant flavor is dry dark chocolate and chewy cashew nut. But there’s also an unsettling herbal, vegetal flavor of moist grass that distracts from the otherwise balanced medium-bodied smoke. It’s a combination that persists unchanged from start to finish.

The combustion qualities were quite impressive. An even burn produces thick, dense smoke, and the ash holds for an inch.

While there is a lot to like about this smoke, it is held back somewhat by the herbal and vegetal flavors described earlier.

That earns the Chateâu Real Maduro Gran Templar a 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

Since it debuted in May as the company’s first Connecticut-wrapped blend, I’ve heard mixed things about Camacho’s Connecticut line. Some folks love it. Some, including one of my local tobacconists, think Camacho invested too much into marketing and too little into quality control. And some think the smaller sizes are great while the larger vitolas are more average. Love it or hate it, it was high time I tried this blend for myself.

Camacho Connecticut represents a new direction for this Miami-based company. From Corojo and Camacho Select to Triple Maduro and Coyolar, Camacho is known its full-bodied smokes. This line is their “response to countless consumer and retailer requests for something on the other side of the strength spectrum.”

With six vitolas, this blend is intended to fill the niche for a “spicy yet milder mannered Connecticut-wrapped cigar with superb balance and signature Camacho body.” Aside from the smooth, dry, and delicate Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed wrapper, Camacho Connecticut includes a Honduran binder and filler tobaccos from Honduras and the Dominican Republic. It is manufactured by the Eiroa family at the Tabacos Rancho Jamastran in Honduras.

I paid $5.65 apiece in a local shop for two Monarcas (5 x 50). Both include faint pre-light notes of nuts and sawdust off the golden wrapper leaf. The cold taste reveals a clear draw with some tingle on the lips.

Devoid of much resemblance to Connecticut tobacco, the first half inch sports a lot of that Camacho punch, including flavors of black pepper, dry wood, and plenty of spice. Not overwhelming, but definitely attention-grabbing.

Then, as the cigar comes into its own, some of the tastes you’d expect—including cream, hay, and almond—join in to add complexity and smoothness. The interplay between the lighter wrapper and the heavier binder and filler tobaccos is the defining characteristic of this blend. As the even burn progresses and the tight ash builds off the foot, the spice slowly re-builds without overcoming the softer tones.

So, between the love it or hate it extremes, I’m leaning definitively in the complimentary direction. This departure for Camacho, in my book, proves to be a winning strategy—and cigar enthusiasts who appreciate more subtle cigars should put this on their wish lists. For its interaction of mild and medium tobaccos, abundant smoke, and good combustion qualities, the Camacho Connecticut Monarca earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I have yet to be impressed by a cigar that bears the Te-Amo name. With lackluster performances from the Nicaragua Blend and the Cabinet Selection lines, let’s just say this Altadis brand hasn’t exactly relieved my skepticism of Mexican tobacco.

But I need to give Te-Amo a fair shot. After all, my experience with the standard Mexican puro series is very limited. And with the economy the way it is, I owe it to my wallet to see if anything from this value brand is worthwhile.

So I recently tried several samples from the Dominicana Blend, part of Te-Amo’s World Selection Series. This line debuted at the 2007 IPCPR trade show (then the RTDA) in an effort to improve and diversify the brand’s portfolio. According to Altadis’ marketing, it is “where the great tastes of the world’s premier tobacco-growing nations come together in one magnificent collection of truly fine cigars.”

The World Selection Series includes four different country-named blends: Cuba (criollo), Honduras (corojo), Nicaragua (criollo), and Dominicana (Connecticut shade). All four feature Mexican San Andreas binders, which is where these cigars are crafted by the Turrent Family.

The six inch by 54 ring gauge Dominicana Toro is fairly attractive for a cigar that sells for around $3 apiece. It has few veins, a healthy sheen, and delicate pre-light notes of hay and grass. Noticeably soft to the touch and easy on the draw.

It opens with a full, somewhat coarse flavor of salt, dry wood, and spice. I was expecting a much milder profile given the Connecticut shade wrapper and Dominican filler combination. The early sandiness of the ash also caught me off-guard, as it has a tendency to suddenly separate from the foot before the first half inch is through.

At this point, I noticed the resting smoke’s aroma was a good deal more appealing than the cigar’s actual taste. Fortunately, the flavor starts to mirror those scents into the second third with more of a creamy, nutty characteristic. Some bitter, medicine-like tastes crop up from time to time, though. And the combustion qualities—including a burn that requires several touch-ups to keep even—leave much to be desired.

Despite its faults, this mild cheapie has its place; it may be well-suited to complement a slow day on the golf course or a weekend afternoon in the yard. Just don’t expect the Te-Amo Dominicana Blend Toro to wow you with complexity or charm. For that, it deserves two and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Rolando Reyes Sr. embodies the very essence of perseverance. Born in Cuba in 1924, he made his dream of becoming a “tabacalero” true when, at age 21, he established his own cigar factory—only to have his “Los Aliados” trademark and properties seized by the communist government. Then, when he refused to work at the nationalized El Rey del Mundo factory, he was forced to labor in rice fields.

A lesser man might have given up. But Don Rolando moved to America to get his feet back on the ground, working in textiles by day and rolling cigars by night. By 1989, after overcoming a trademark setback, he had his own cigar operation again, this time with an office in Miami and a factory in Danlí, Honduras.

Today, Reyes Family Cigars turns out 75,000 sticks daily, including the popular Puros Indios and Cuba Aliados brand names. The latter was expanded this year with the three-vitola Miami Edition line. (A Sumatra-wrapped Miami version, which, according to Marketing Director Frank Santos, “is not commercially ready,” may be available soon.)

In what seems to be a growing trend among successful cigar operations, Cuba Aliados Miami brings former Cuban rollers to Miami to craft a premium, limited edition blend in small batches. Only 300 are made per day.

The Toro Viejo size (6 x 53) features a smooth and seamless Cuban-seed Nicaraguan Habano wrapper with a subtle red hue. The cap is perfect, the stick is firm from head to toe, and the pre-light notes of earth and sweet wood are delightful.

I was really looking forward to firing up my two samples, especially since this blend has been overwhelmingly embraced by the online cigar community over the past few months. Finally touching fire to the foot, the Dominican binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos combine to produce flavors of cedar, pepper, and leather. Cherry and cream round off the medium-bodied profile.

I don’t think the taste is particularly unique. What makes this blend stand out, however, is the way in which its classic flavors come together to yield simplicity yet subtlety. And newbies and brothers of the leaf alike will appreciate the balance. The only downside is an occasional bitterness that drifts in and out of the final third.

With good combustion qualities—including a moderate draw, a sturdy ash, and a maintenance-free burn—I’m glad Rolando Reyes Sr. didn’t let his life’s obstacles stand in the way of his dream. The Cuba Aliados Miami Habano Toro Viejo is a good buy in the $6-8 range and, keeping with the trend, it earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys