The Stogie Guys

Among the young boutiques that are trying to carve out a niche is Marco V, “the cigar industry’s newest premium cigar brand.” With a lineup that is restricted to vitolas with at least a 60 ring gauge, this unique and affordable manufacturer is positioning itself to become a favorite of lovers of thick smokes.

I’m told this distinctive strategy is more than just a marketing gimmick. Company president Marc Keiser told us in a letter that he designed the vitolas to “exhibit the excellence of the Marco V filler blend.” In the case of the Platinum Label, that blend includes Nicaraguan viso ligero and Dominican piloto cubano and de olor tobacco.

The V. Gigante (5 x 60) has a look similar to the Robusto from Isla de Cuba’s Aged Maduro blend—although it’s much softer to the touch. I wasn’t surprised when the reddish Brazilian arapiraca wrapper leaf cut to reveal a clear draw with a hint of sweetness on the lips. I was, however, caught off-guard by the incredibly potent pre-light notes of dry cocoa.

After taking great care to ensure the foot was lit completely, I was greeted with a hearty taste of black coffee, leather, and a bit of pepper. Each easy puff produced a surplus of smoke, and the cigar continues to chug along like a smokestack when left to rest in the ashtray.

The overall flavor, which is thoroughly consistent from light to nub, is best described as full-bodied but not strong. And it’s worth noting that the typical arapiraca taste of cocoa and chocolate is hardly noticeable; that’s probably a result of the V. Gigante’s high ratio of filler to wrapper tobacco.

Construction is good for a stogie that sells online for $88 per box of 20 or $20 per 5-pack. The large burn diameter only requires a touch-up or two and the ash, although a tad flakey, holds firm for an inch and a half. The handful of V. Gigantes that I smoked were all unwavering in these qualities. This is, perhaps, a testament to Marco V’s commitment to “batch system” operation—controlling the whole supply chain of each limited production cigar to ensure top quality.

All things considered, I give Marc Keiser credit for creating this reasonably priced, high-quality cigar. While the Platinum Label V. Gigante doesn’t have tremendous balance or nuance, it does offer a warm, savory flavor that seems to last for days. That’s why it earns a solid rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

For some years now there have been two blends of the Toraño Exodus: Gold and Silver. But as we reported two weeks ago, Toraño is releasing a new Exodus line, the  3-H blend, in celebration of 50 years since the Toraño family had to leave their homeland of Cuba.

This special release is currently only available in a five-cigar sampler that features two cigars each from the Exodus 1959 (Gold) and Exodus Silver lines. Included are two new exclusive Toraño releases and two sharp-looking torpedos, one each from the original Exodus blends.

The bulk of attention for this sampler, however, will be paid to the new Liga 3-H blend, which is presented in a Salomon (7.25 x 57) vitola. This sharp-looking centerpiece smoke has a dark, oily wrapper with plenty of veins and a slightly bumpy feel.

Of note is a plain white band with “Exodus Liga 3-H” handwritten in ink. It’s really just an inside-out Exodus Gold wrapper—a nice touch at a time when overly ornate bands seem to be the norm.

Once lit, the Exodus 50 Years Blend reveals a chewy flavor with raisin, leather, and even some subtle underlying notes of black cherry. Particularly noticeable in each of the two samples I smoked for this review is a remarkably cool smoke that is miles away from hot or harsh.

As the large perfecto progresses, hints of an underlying cedar spice develops, though not enough to dominate the flavor of raisin and leather. The finish is long with wheat-like, toasty flavor. The cigar also has a slightly salty flavor.

The construction on the two sticks was largely impressive. The cigar had a solid dark gray ash and an easy draw. One stick did need a few touch-ups to fix an uneven burn.

In both flavor and appearance, the Liga 3-H reminded me of a milder version of one of my favorite smokes: the EO 601 Oscuro. The Toraño 50 Years Blend is slightly milder and a bit more complex.

That complexity, combined with a tasty flavor profile and a uniquely cool smoke, makes me think that this new blend exceeds the two previous Exodus blends. It’s a different taste that won’t be for everyone, but I’m sure it will win over some big fans. That innovative taste earns the Toraño Exodus 50 Years Blend Salomon a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As some shy away from the trend for bigger and bigger ring gauges, the lancero seems to have made a resurgence. A perfect example of this is the Cubao No. 3, a slender stick that was created by Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega‘s EO Brands with Don Pepin Garcia. It was introduced at last year’s IPCPR Trade Show.

The appearance of this cigar is pure old school. It has a simple brown band with raised white letters and a rustic wrapper of nearly the same color. While there are no large veins, I encountered lots of tooth in the Ecuador Sumatra oscuro wrapper which surrounds Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

The lancero is one of the most difficult shapes to create, and this cigar shows some serious expertise on the part of the roller. Except for a slightly spongy feel near the foot, it is firm to the touch. The wrapper is twisted and crimped on the head to a create a sharp-looking pigtale.

The freshly cut tobacco reveals some pre-light spice and a firm draw that maintains throughout the seven inch by 38 ring gauge stick. On the nose there is a pleasant woody smell.

Upon lighting, I found a blast a spice that soon faded into the same balanced flavor we described when we smoked the robusto-sized Cuboa No. 4: “a variety of tastes including wheat, oak, and bread,” with the same dryness that George found when he reviewed the No. 6.  Additionally, there is a prominent black coffee flavor that comes and goes over the 75 minutes it took to smoke this stick.

The Cubao lancero is full-flavored with remarkable balance. There is plenty going on with this smoke, but while it does have a bit of spice, that kick doesn’t amount to Pepin’s typical knockout punch.

As previously noted, creating a lancero is particularly difficult, which makes combustion issues unfortunately too regular in this long vitola. While the gray ash was solid enough—holding for half an inch at a time—and the burn was precisely straight, the four cigars I sampled for this review all had a tendency to go out unexpectedly during the last two or three inches. This was particularly disappointing given how much I enjoyed the flavors.

But those construction issues were small compared to all that this smoke has to offer. I can’t stress enough how impressed I am with the balance; the cigar makes you forget how full-bodied it is.

Unlike the rest of the Cubao line, which comes in boxes of 20, the No. 3 comes in boxes of 30 which retail for around $170, or $7 per stick. Considering the complexity it delivers, it’s a fair price, even at a time when everyone is looking to save a few bucks.

I’ve yet to find a Cubao that didn’t impress me, and this lancero is no exception. Just like it’s shorter and thicker counterparts, the Cubao No. 3 earns a 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

My first run-in with this Don Pepin Garcia line was, I’d have to say, not nearly as pleasant as the experience my colleague described about one year ago.

A product of Miami’s El Rey de Los Habanos factory, this five inch by 50 ring gauge Nicaraguan puro is covered in a slightly veiny “habano rosado claro” wrapper. The only information I could find on the filler is that it is a “Cuban-seed corojo 99 blend.”

The overall feel is spongy, but the perfectly applied triple cap clips off easily. The foot lights well and produces an abundant volume of smoke with a draw that’s a little on the loose side. While the initial blast of pepper is quickly replaced with strong flavors of cedar and leather, the first third is characterized by a finish that’s a little too harsh.

Progressing into second half, the cedar-like flavor remains prominent. The harsh finish fortunately mellows into the sort of sweet finish that I’ve grown to expect from cedar-flavored cigars. At this point, the burn starts to go awry and several corrections are needed before the smoke is complete.

It’s also worth noting that the label is adhered too firmly to the wrapper, which ultimately results in cracks. That setback, however, doesn’t seem to affect the cigar at all because the combustion malfunctions start before the band needs to be removed.

Ultimately, while the flavors are consistent throughout, they don’t seem to ever evolve. What’s more, the burn problems and the wrapper cracks combine to present a subpar smoking experience.

That’s why this blend, launched in 2005 before Don Pepin Garcia was a household name, isn’t one of my favorites. And the $7 per stick price point makes it easy to pass up on. For that, the Vegas Cubanas Invictos earns only two and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you’re not familiar with this particular stick, maybe you’ll remember the Edición Limitada 2004. That renowned and elusive cigar helped elevate the status of Hoyo de Monterrey, a Cuban brand that generally takes a backseat to more familiar names from the forbidden island.

The Epicure Especial sprung from its predecessor’s popularity and was launched in 2008 at the Festival de los Habanos (along with the H. Upmann Mágnum 50). Specifics are hard to come by but, from what I can tell, it’s supposed to be based on the Edición Limitada 2004 blend.

Now dubbed “the flagship of the Epicure line,” the five and a half inch by 50 ring gauge frame is said to be in line with today’s vitola preferences. The appearance is simply masterful, save for one large vein that resembles a Frankenstein scar on one of the two samples I smoked for this review.

Oily and soft to the touch, the russet-colored wrapper gives off pre-light aromas of sweet hay and coffee. Then, after toasting the foot, the Epicure Especial begins with a graham cracker spice, some honey, and plenty of earth tones—a flavor profile that’s milder than anticipated but not without a pepper-like aftertaste.

As an unexpected bonus, a touch of sweet caramel fades in and out after the midway point. It isn’t hard to notice this Cuban’s complexity. And while balance is also a virtue it captures well, at times (most notably when the frequency of puffs is increased) the taste can run a tad salty. This interplay between the base flavors, the sweet caramel, and the salt continues until the cigar is too small to hold.

If your experience is anything like mine, you’ll likely have to touch up the Epicure Especial’s burn once or twice to keep things even and running smoothly. Don’t expect any trouble from the ash or the draw, though.

Perhaps it’s cliché to say a new cigar “needs some time” before it comes into its own. But even though this is a fine, noble smoke today, something about the flavor leads me to believe it will be slightly better tomorrow. So I plan to patiently age the rest of my stash with hopes that it will gain some of the nuance and floral notes that have made the Epicure No. 2 so outstanding.

Any cigar that sells for $260-280 per box of 25 is worth the wait. I’ll be sure to let you know how my experiment turns out. For now, the Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With a strained economy (and that’s probably putting it gently), there seems to be a rush to identify that rare gem of a cigar that delivers great flavor at a price point that won’t break the bank. The Punch Pita EMS, which sells for under $4 per stick and often under $3 each if purchased by the box of 25, is a prime candidate for such a value smoke.

I used to fire up this particular cigar regularly when I hit the golf course, but for some reason I hadn’t had one in years until I smoked a few for this review. Perhaps that’s because, when I’ve reached for a Punch, it has been for one of the brand’s newer (and slightly more expensive) lines, like the Rare Corojo or Gran Puro.

Unlike those blends, this six and 1/8 inch by 50 ring gauge toro features only the simple, classic Punch band that is so instantly recognizable. It surrounds a reddish Colorado brown Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, a Connecticut binder, and a three-country filler with tobacco from the Dominican, Nicaragua, and Honduras.

The wrapper is smooth with only a few light-colered veins. Like just about every stick made by General Cigar, this one is firm and well-constructed. Pre-light the Pita has a sweet cedar aroma.

The flavor starts off earthy with a distinct almond nut taste. There is little of the peppery spice that gives Punch its traditional “punch.” That lack of spice didn’t bother me a bit, but I could have done without the bitterness that drifted in and out, becoming particularly noticeable towards the end.

The draw has just the right amount of resistance and the gray ash is sturdy. Curiously, while one of the samples went out with zero warning only an inch into the smoke, this proved to be an amomoly among the samples I smoked, so I’m willing to discount is as a fluke.

While you’re not going to mistake this cigar for the complexity of some of General’s higher-end offerings like the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami we recently reviewed, it fits the bill for a good, reasonably priced smoke. It has a consistently pleasant flavor, good construction, and classic Punch looks. That combination earns the Punch Pita EMS 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

Released a couple of years ago as Drew Estate moved to expand its identification beyond its trademark infused, non-traditional cigars, the Chateâu Real natural line offers a pleasant, mild experience.

Patrick A reviewed this same cigar a year and a half ago, and I’ve recently smoked a few of the various vitolas—though none of the maduros—and found them consistent in taste and construction.

The prelight aroma is grassy, the initial taste a little tangy. After that, it settles into a comfortable mild cigar with thick smoke that’s steady from beginning to the end, where it turned a bit bitter.

There’s something of an odd room aroma I can’t quite put my finger on, but it’s not as strange as the burn. I don’t know if it’s the rolling, tobacco selection, or insufficient filler, but the center of the coal doesn’t appear to combust fully. It’s most apparent in the tapped off ash, where the center is a different shade. On the other hand, it doesn’t seem to affect the overall burn line down the cigar, which is straight and reasonable.

When it comes to information about the cigar, Drew Estate’s website isn’t particularly informative. It refers to the wrapper as simply “Connecticut.” Other sources say it’s grown in Ecuador. The rest of the stick is just called a “balanced blend of well-aged Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos… ” Again, other sources call those two the filler and cite the binder as San Andreas Negro Oscuro from Mexico.

Prices on singles run from roughly $6 to $7. I paid about $6.50 for the Belicoso Favorita, a six inch by 50 ring gauge stick. Not a bargain, but not overpriced either—if you enjoy mild cigars.

For me, the Chateâu Real Belicoso Favorita is an OK cigar for a change. As such, I rate it three and a half out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys