The Stogie Guys

My colleague’s recent commentary about catching up on the releases from last year’s IPCPR trade show reminded me there are a few of those smokes that I have yet to smoke, let alone review. One such cigar was the new La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial, which if I’ve tried it at all was during the haze of the 2008 Las Vegas trade show itself.

The new extension of the Aroma de Cuba line is one of the latest results to come out of the partnership between cigar blender extraordinaire Don Pepin Garcia and Ashton Cigars. Pepin also makes San Cristobal and Benchmade for Ashton. Like the San Cristobal and the mixed-filler Benchmade, La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial is made at Pepin’s Tabacalera Cubana S. A. factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The cigar consists of an orange-tinted Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper surrounding a Nicaraguan filler and binder. The somewhat rustic wrapper is framed by an attractive and ornate band similar to, but with subtle differences from, the original Aroma de Cuba band.

After lighting up this traditionally sized toro (6 x 50), I discover plenty of coffee and cedar flavors. It is a medium-bodied smoke and wholly absent of the pepper that usually stands out in Pepin’s cigars.

A slight leathery bitterness wanders in and out, particularly in the second half, that distracts from the otherwise pleasant flavors. When the bitterness fades, secondary flavors of chocolate and cinnamon make for an excellent flavor profile.

Also distracting is the draw, which was tight on both samples I smoked and, twice during one of the samples, it even contributed to the cigar going out prematurely. Otherwise, construction is admirable. The ash is steady throughout, and the burn, while far from perfectly straight, wasn’t nearly as big of an issue as the sudden need for relights.

The La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial No. 3 is a classic case of a cigar that taunts with moments of excellence, only to be surmounted by persistent flaws that refuse to let the cigar’s obvious potential shine through. Those are problems shouldn’t be happening in a cigar that retails for around $7 apiece. That results in a somewhat surprising and disappointing rating of just three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The new line from Pete Johnson’s Tatuaje, La Verite, will include two vitolas. La Verite, which means “the truth,” will be a Churchill and available in April 2010. It will be offered in cabinets of 100, broken down into smaller boxes of 10, 25, or 50 and retailing for approximately $25 per stick. The other, L’esprit de La Verite, which means “the spirit of the truth,” will be a robusto and available in December 2009 at a retail price of around $13 apiece.

The idea behind this highly anticipated release borrows heavily from the wine industry. All of the tobacco, habano criollo, will be from the one farm in Esteí—making this a Nicaraguan puro—and each year will produce a different “vintage” to mirror the vintage concept in wines. The tobacco will be fermented but, unlike most cigars, it will be rolled without undergoing further aging in bales.

The L’esprit de La Verite is made from the same tobacco as La Verite and designed to be a sample to give a taste of the final La Verite release. Starting in July, futures will go on sale for La Verite at a 25% discount on the retail price, which is similar to the process used by winemakers.

I was fortunate to be given a L’esprit de La Verite to try and, as such, only had the one cigar to smoke for this review. This 5 inch by 50 ring gauge cigar was perfectly constructed with no visual flaws. Pre-light it smells strongly of tobacco with a hint of woodiness.

Just after lighting I am greeted by the familiar spiciness that is typical in many of Pete’s cigars. That bite quickly diminishes and an earthy flavor emerges that ultimately progresses into a woody taste at the halfway point. The smoke is creamy with a clean, crisp finish on the palate.

The burn and draw are perfect, allowing me to focus more on the subtleties of the flavor. While the individual tastes do not change dramatically throughout, the wood flavor in particular is rich and full, offering different nuances with every puff.

Since this is a preproduction release, the verdict is still out on the final product. If this sample, however, is indicative of what’s to come, the future looks promising for the L’esprit de La Verite and its big brother.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable cigar that will likely improve with some time, which is not surprising given the tobacco’s young age. For that, I give the L’esprit de La Verite four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

One of the challenges of reviewing cigars is ensuring that outside interferences don’t skew my judgment of the smoke.  For this review, I smoked two samples in two very different surroundings.

The first time I smoked the Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008, I was sitting on a bench on the Champs-Elysees on a beautiful Spring day in Paris, jotting down notes with a fantastic backdrop of the Tulieries Gardens. Over a month later, in the mundane surroundings of my garage, I tried it again and found that while everything else had changed, the cigar hadn’t.

Back in 2004, Habanos made a splash when it introduced the Cohiba Sublime as a limited edition cigar. The Cuban state tobacco monopoly then returned to the size with the Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008.

Like all the limited edition Cubans, this cigar isn’t cheap. My samples smoke cost me 16 Euros each in France where I purchased them (around $24 each).

The large (6.4 x 54)  smoke features a dark, attractive wrapper with some shine and many noticeable veins. The wrapper surrounds Cuban tobacco with two years of aging. It is slightly soft to the touch and features a well-crafted classic Cuban-style triple cap.

Once lit, I found a deliciously smooth combination of sweet cedar, coffee bean, and earth. The cigar had impressive depth, with a second layer of subtle cinnamon spice and rich cocoa.

As it progressed to the final third I found a bit more spice, but the cigar never became too strong or harsh. The finish was long with bread and dry dark chocolate. Construction was also impressive, with an even burn, easy draw, and an ash that easily held for over an inch.

No matter where I smoked the Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008, I found an outstanding medium- to full-bodied smoke. In fact, I was repeatedly distracted from taking notes by the marvelous flavors. After two very different experiences, I can safely say that this is one of the finest cigars I’ve ever smoked.

Ultimately, it seems “Sublime” isn’t just the size of the cigar; it’s also the perfect description of the Montecristo Sublime Edición Limitada 2008, which earns our highest rating of five stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you’re into ashes, and I know some of you are, you won’t find a whiter one than that produced by the Savinelli Special Selection 2005. If you’re not into ashes, and I know most of you aren’t, you’ll find a fine, peppery cigar at a reasonable price .

Rolled by the Olivia Family in Nicaragua for the Italian pipe maker, this cigar sports a rich Habano wrapper grown in Ecuador with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

At five and a half inches, it’s a bit longer than most robustos; the ring gauge is 50. There’s also a Toro and a Torpedo.

The cigar kicks off with pepper, which begins to fade about halfway through before picking up again near the end. I enjoyed a little coffee and a fair amount of wood flavors as well, particularly when the pepper was in the background.

There’s enough kick to keep lovers of strong cigars interested, while the balance and changes make it interesting for those who want something with a little variety.

Several reviews have focused praise on the Torpedo, including Cigar Aficionado, which ranked it among its top 25 this year. I’ve smoked only one of those vitolas and found it equally good. The Robusto retails for $6.50 a stick. The Toro is $6.75 and the Torpedo runs $7.

I’d recommend you pick up a Savinelli Special Selection if you’re looking for a cigar with a little kick and pepper that’s not compiled along the lines of Pepin’s recipe. I give it four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Savinelli USA

One week ago, my colleague divulged his affinity for the Nestor Miranda 20 Aniversario Oscuro, quipping that you’d be “hard-pressed to find a better way to spend $9 and two hours.” While I haven’t yet tried that version of this new release, I can tell you the Rosado is pretty damn fantastic in its own right.

The Miami Cigar & Co.—distributor of such acclaimed brands as La Aurora, Don Lino, León Jimenes, 601, Cubao, and Mi Barrio—launched both 20 Aniversario blends (one Oscuro and one Rosado) in celebration of two decades of producing a Special Selection line named for company founder Nestor Miranda. Both are crafted by Don Pepin Garcia’s son, Jaime, and made in Pepin’s Nicaraguan Tabacalera Cubana factory.

The 20 Aniversario is a very limited release. Only 2,000 boxes of 20 cigars have been made, 1,000 with that Habano Oscuro wrapper that my colleague liked so much, and 1,000 with a Habano Rosado. Both versions come in only one size: an immense (7 x 56) smoke called the “Danno.”

I smoked more than a handful of Rosados for this review (also an MSRP of $9 apiece), and each featured an anvil-shaped pigtail that sits atop a beautiful, carefully adhered cap. While the wrapper isn’t without its share of veins and noticeable seams, the cigar has the look and feel of a super-premium, especially given its glistening, oily sheen. The cross-sections at the foot and freshly cut head appear on the loose side despite the cigar’s firm feel.

Toasting the foot—an endeavor that requires patience due to the Danno’s wide girth—yields mouth-watering aromas of sweet hay, toffee, and wood. The actual flavor is stronger than that preview, though, with plenty of pepper and spice. It’s almost as if Pepin wants to make his presence known from the first puff.

After the white, well-layered ash winds down the first few inches, the flavor takes a gentle turn and develops a softer profile of hazelnut and coffee with cream and sugar. This is what I’d call the sweet spot, and it lasts almost until the band needs to be removed. The final third sees a reprise of the spice and full flavor that are found in the beginning.

The burn tends to meander a bit—pretty much what you’d expect from such a wide cigar—but not to the point of annoyance. The draw is accommodating and the ash well-behaved throughout the 150-minute smoke.

For these reasons and more, I count myself lucky to have a box of 20 Rosados to call my own. I can’t wait to test drive the Oscuro to see how it measures up. Until then, though, and whatever the outcome of that match-up may be, the Nestor Miranda Special Selection 20 Aniversario Rosado earns a well-deserved rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While you might not of heard of it, there’s a good chance a few of your favorite cigars are distributed by Miami Cigar & Company.  The outfit distributes such acclaimed brands as La Aurora, Nestor Miranda Special Selection, Don Lino, León Jimenes, 601, Cubao, and Mi Barrio, among others.

And to celebrate it’s 20th anniversary, Miami Cigar & Company is putting out a special cigar under its Nestor Miranda Special Selection line, which is named after Miami Cigar & Company’s founder Nestor Miranda. The celebratory cigar is blended by Don Pepin Garcia’s son, Jaime, and made in Pepin’s Nicaraguan Tabacalera Cubana factory.

According to a recent interview, Miranda has been looking to have Pepin make a cigar for the line for some time, but the last time he approached Pepin he was busy setting up his new Nicaraguan factory. So when it came time to create a new cigar for the anniversary line, there was little doubt that it would be made by the Pepins.

The cigar is a very limited release. Only 2,000 boxes of 20 cigars have been made, 1,000 with a Habano Rosado wrapper (the subject of a future StogieGuys.com review), and 1,000 with a Habano Oscuro wrapper. Both versions come in only one size, an immense (7 x 56) smoke called the “Danno.”

The Nicaraguan oscuro wrapper is a bit rustic, with plenty of small veins and a nice shine. The wrapper has been aged three to four years before being rolled around a Nicaraguan binder and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The firm cigar is accented by a pigtail cap.

Once I began smoking, the Danno produces full-bodied earth and bread flavors and an understated peppery core. Beneath those initial flavors is a subtle combination of complexity that includes coffee beans, oak, and cocoa. The finish is long, dry, and toasty.

I was amazed by the copious amount of smoke that this thick cigar produces from its easy draw. It gives off a rich aroma that’s reminiscent of freshly brewed espresso. The even burn and ash, which holds for well over an inch, cap off the cigar’s impressive construction.

The Nestor Miranda Special Selection 20 Aniversarios have an MSRP of $9 apiece, a reasonable price considering its pedigree and when compared to many of the limited release cigars being put out these days. If I had my way, the 56 ring guage might be reduced slightly, as I personally find such girth to be larger than I prefer. But that’s a small complaint against what is  an excellent, interesting, complex, and well-constructed smoke.

All of which is to say that you’re going to be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend $9 and two hours. That’s why the Nestor Miranda Special Selection 20 Aniversario Oscuro earns an impressive rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Desflorado tobacco, from what I understand, is difficult and laborious to grow, which is why sticks that use this finicky leaf are relatively expensive and hard to come by. Our friends at Cuban Crafters, however, have come out with an affordable lineup of cigars that make use of this rich tobacco.

The process of cultivating desflorado tobacco requires a watchful eye and arduous attention to detail. By definition, the buds on these plants are cut off before they flower to give the tobacco “an extra rich and smooth taste.” Then the best leaves are hand selected from the tops of each plant to create the Connecticut desflorado wrapper for this line, a project that was four years in the making.

You can tell this cigar is different right out of the box. With a dark complexion and a reddish-yellow hue, it certainly doesn’t look like it comes from the Connecticut lineage. But, thanks to its neat cap and a clean appearance, it does look like it was rolled with care.

I sampled four or five Toros for this review, and I think this is a smart vitola for the blend. Its slender, six inch by 48 ring gauge physique allows more of the wrapper—the highlight of the blend—and a little less of the Cuban-seed long-filler from the Cupido tobacco fields to shine through in each puff.

Not surprisingly, the Cuban Crafters Cubano Claro doesn’t taste like your average Connecticut, either. It starts with a peppery flavor of olive, clove, onion, and bread, and the wrapper adds a bit of spicy tingle on the lips. Well-balanced, if not slightly dry.

A creamier backdrop of nuts and milk chocolate shifts to the forefront after the first few inches, making the overall taste slightly milder. Seasoned cigar veterans who normally steer clear of Connecticut stogies should take note that there’s still a lot of flavor going on, even when this cigar is at its mildest.

Like many other Cuban Crafters cigars, this blend features excellent construction, including a very even burn, a solid white ash that holds well, and an effortless draw that produces thick smoke.

The Toro sells for $6.30 apiece when bought by the box of 20. I think that’s more than a fair price, especially considering the quality of this cigar and the fact that it’s packaged in vintage cedar humidor boxes.

So, if you’re looking for something a little different, the new Cuban Crafters Cubano Claro Toro should be high on your wish list. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys