The Stogie Guys

About a month ago, Joya de Nicaragua announced the reintroduction of the Clásico line to the U.S. market. The move to bring back “the first Nicaraguan cigar ever” seems fitting at a time when the company is celebrating its golden anniversary.

“Clásico goes back to America at a moment when we have reached the highest quality standards at the factory in our 50-year history,” said Mario Perez, sales director for Joya de Nicaragua. “But we kept the same blend that the founders of the company created, the blend that once captivated world leaders when it was the official cigar of the White House back in the 70s.”

In a departure from the powerful smokes for which the company is known, Joya is marketing Clásico as “mild” and “creamy.” There are 6 formats, each packaged in 25-count boxes: Churchill (6.9 x 48, $8.50), Toro (6 x 50, $8.15), Consul (4.5 x 52, $7.00), Torpedo (6 x 52, $9.50), Número 6 (6 x 41, $6.50) and Señorita (5.5 x 42, $5.50).

The recipe remains the same as it did decades ago. The wrapper is Cuban-seed Ecuadorian Connecticut, and the binder and filler tobaccos are, of course, Nicaraguan.

I sampled the Toro for this review. In addition to traditional, understated, and—in my opinion—beautiful bands that nicely highlight the golden color of the smooth, buttery wrapper, this cigar has bright, crisp pre-light notes of sweet hay at the foot. The cap clips cleanly to reveal a smooth cold draw.

Once an even light is established, I find a creamy texture and a medium body to the smoke. The flavors include white pepper, oak, and café au lait. Roasted peanut comes to the fore after half an inch; this is the most enjoyable segment of the cigar.

About a third of the way in, there is a notable decrease in what was already a soft spice, and the creaminess ramps up. The profile teeters between mild and medium once you reach the halfway mark. Here, the roasted peanut is now a creamier peanut, and the former base of white pepper and oak is mostly oak. At times, I can pick up hints of melon.

The finale is mellower than I expected. There is no spice, and the overall taste is somewhat papery with a subdued creaminess. As a result, I found myself setting the cigar down earlier than I do with most smokes.

The construction is in line with the standards that are characteristic of Joya de Nicaragua: straight burn, smooth draw, sturdy ash, and voluminous smoke production.

I enjoy mild cigars, but mild cigars need to have flavor. The Clásico Toro has flavor. At times it shines, and at times—especially the final third—it falls a little short. I’m going to try the other sizes to see if this is true across the board, or if other formats behave differently in this regard. For now, I’m awarding the Joya de Nicaragua Clásico Toro three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This is the second of La Palina’s debut offerings in its Numbers line that I’ve reviewed. There was no reason that I went in reverse order, it just happened that way.

While the two lines share a modernistic approach to packaging and presentation, the cigars themselves are quite different.

The No. 1 is a four-country blend: Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Costa Rican binder, and Nicaraguan and Honduran filler tobaccos. Like the No. 2, it comes in four sizes, though they aren’t all the same dimensions. The No. 1 Robusto is a 5.5-inch parejo with a ring gauge of 50 (the No. 2 Robusto has a 52 ring gauge), and it retails for $9.50.

My first impression came from the smooth wrapper’s enticing pre-light aroma. To me, it seemed a little like perfume, making me wonder what I’d experience when I lit it.

I tasted none of the perfume. What I did find initially was a little spice, and a little bite—not the pepper often associated with Nicaraguan tobacco. Farther into the smoke I got leather, some sweetness, and pepper on the retrohale.

There was a nice balance to the flavors throughout. Strength was firmly in the medium range. Rolled at the Plascencia factory in Honduras, each of the Robustos I smoked for this review performed perfectly. The burn was sharp, the ash tight, the draw just right, and the smoke production excellent.

La Palina has been an interesting company since Bill Paley revived the brand in 2010 by introducing a high-end, high-priced cigar at a flashy New York party. Since, Paley has significantly expanded his offerings to include a wide range of cigars that run the gamut of strength, size, and price.

The Numbers line is yet another addition and one well worth trying. I rate the No. 1 Robusto three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I recently moved from the city to Oak Park, a close suburb of Chicago. The whole process, to say the least, has been stressful and time-consuming. Under normal circumstances, it’s hard enough to find time for a cigar when you’re working full-time and raising two small children (with a third on the way). When you add in the daunting task of unpacking about 75 million boxes… well, you can see where this is going.

I know I’m not the only one with a challenging schedule. Chances are you, too, find it difficult to set aside the requisite time to thoroughly enjoy a fine cigar.

Fortunately, if you need to pack a premium cigar experience into a short amount of time, cigar legend Ernesto Perez-Carrillo has your back. In 2016, he launched Interlude, a line of two different blends, each presented in two time-friendly formats: Carrillitos (4 x 38) and Rothschild Jr. (3.75 x 48).

The Natural version of “Ernesto’s shortest cigar ever made” sports a Connecticut wrapper (same as the New Wave Reserva) around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The Maduro boasts a Mexican San Andrés wrapper (same as La Historia) around an Ecuadorian binder and Nicaraguan filler. Given their small size, both were challenging to blend “because the dimensions limit the amount of tobacco that can be used,” Ernesto Perez-Carrillo shared via email. “So the proportions have to be just right to get the flavor profile sought.”

I smoked a handful of cigars in the Interlude Natural Rothschild Jr. format for this review. This cigar is neatly presented in a regal, compact five-pack that retails for $16.25 (or $3.25 per cigar). Unlike the Maduro version—which has a rustic, highly mottled wrapper that’s wrinkled, veiny, and rough around the edges—the Natural has a clean, dry surface. A standard guillotine cut reveals a smooth cold draw. At the foot, I find pre-light notes of honey and graham cracker.

A cigar of this size needs to get off to a fast start. The Natural Rothschild Jr. does just that. The first few puffs are a medium-bodied burst of white pepper, dry oak, and cereals. The texture is bready. A bit of cinnamon spice helps to add balance.

Into the midway point, while the cigar settles a bit in terms of body and spice, the core flavors remain the same. Not much changes in the finale except for an increase in intensity and heat. Throughout, the combustion properties are excellent. The burn line is straight, the smoke production high, and the draw is easy. Notably, the light gray ash holds really well off the foot; on average, I only had to ash once per cigar.

As expected, the Interlude Natural Rothschild Jr. is a solid choice if you’re low on time but high on desire for a premium cigar experience. I’m not rating the Natural version quite as high as the Maduro—which, in my opinion, is more interesting from a flavor perspective—but this cigar still earns an admirable 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

Over two years ago, I examined a pre-release sample of the new La Conquista line from Gran Habano. I found the Gran Robusto to be well-constructed but a little flat.

Flash forward to this spring when my colleague favorably wrote about the same cigar. His conclusions prompted me to revisit the blend, this time in the Robusto size.

La Conquista was introduced in 2016. At that time, it had an understated band of black, cream, and gold with a simple image of a cross. Now, the band is larger and considerably more ornate, featuring a depiction of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas. It is further accented by a cedar sleeve emblazoned with “La Conquista” and a foot ribbon.

The golden, toothy Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper comes into full view once the cedar is removed. On its surface you’re likely to find at least one thick vein and perhaps some harmless green splotches of discoloration. Otherwise, though, the wrapper is attractive.

At the foot, the Nicaraguan Corojo binder combines with filler tobaccos from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Colombia to yield sweet, grassy pre-light notes. The well-executed cap clips cleanly to reveal a smooth cold draw.

After using the cedar sleeve to establish an even light, the Robusto (5 x 52, under $7 when bought by the box of 24) starts with a medium-bodied, spice-forward profile of dry cedar, cinnamon, and cereals. The texture is bready. In the background, I find a pleasing, balanced note of café au lait.

As the Robusto progresses, the bready, cedary core remains while new flavors come and go. They include vanilla bean, oak, cashew, and a fleeting, incredibly sweet, bright taste that reminds me of candied cherries.

All the while, the construction is impeccable. Even under windy conditions I found a straight burn that required no-touch ups, along with an easy draw, solid ash, and good smoke production.

Gran Habano offers two other sizes in the La Conquista portfolio: Gran Robusto (6 x 54) and Imperial (6 x 60).

I’m glad I gave this blend another try. Either my tastes have changed, the difference in format (Gran Robusto vs. Robusto) has a big impact, the tobaccos have been treated differently, or perhaps all three. Whatever the case, I’m awarding the Honduras-made La Conquista Robusto an admirable score of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Over two years ago, my colleague reviewed the Casa Fernandez Anniversario Corojo 2015. He was underwhelmed, especially by the poor construction. Despite (or in spite of) that, I decided to check out its predecessor, the Casa Fernandez Aniversario Serie 2014 (6.5 x 52), a box-pressed large toro dubbed Ares.

The Anniversario addition to the Casa Fernandez portfolio started in 2013. That year, 20,000 limited edition cigars were made, and Casa Fernandez decided to make the same amount in 2014. (In 2015, the most recent release of the series, two different sizes were released, but total production was limited to under 15,000 cigars.)

The cigar is made from 100% Nicaraguan Aganorsa tobaccos. (For more on the Casa Fernandez-Aganorsa history, see this recent review.) It features a smooth, medium-brown Corojo wrapper dressed in dual bands, plus a custom paper wrap from band to foot.

Unlike my colleague’s experience with the 2014, I found the construction to be flawless on the 2015 edition. The draw was perfect, and the burn and ash were excellent.

The cigar starts out with a velvety mouthfeel that layers bread and roasted notes on top of oak and very slight pepper spice. As it progresses, the medium-bodied smoke features cafe-au-lait and light leather flavors.

The Casa Fernandez Aniversario Serie 2014 retailed for $12.50 per cigar, but a few years later you may be able to find it for far less. (I paid under $50 for a box of 10 on a prominent auction site.) While price isn’t factored into our rating, needless to say, at $50 for a box, it offers far better value than at $125 for ten cigars.

Balance is the word that most comes to mind in this cigar that now has over three years of age. A look around and you’ll find this cigar didn’t get rave reviews when it was introduced, but with time the Casa Fernandez Aniversario Serie 2014 Ares has earned a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you’ve been smoking cigars for a while, lighting up La Palina’s No. 2 might seem like visiting with an old friend. From the first puff, it brings forth the flavors, mouth texture, and feel of maduros before Mexican San Andrés tobacco became the maduro wrapper of choice.

Interestingly, the wrapper on the No. 2 is from Costa Rica, not a more traditional maduro wrapper, such as Connecticut Broadleaf. In fact, the overall blend is a bit unconventional, with a Honduran binder and filler from Nicaragua and Honduras.

The No. 2 (you’ll also see it referred to as the 02) was released along with the No. 1 last year in what has been referred to as La Palina’s Number series. Both stand out from other La Palina brands with bright, colorfully modernist box packaging and bands.

Each comes in four vitolas and both are rolled by Plascencia in Honduras. The No. 2 sizes are Gordo (6 x 58, $11), Toro (6.5 x 54, $10), Robusto (5 x 52, $9.50), and Petit Corona (4.5 x 44, $7.99).

Ever since he brought back his grandfather’s La Palina brand in 2010, Bill Paley has displayed a willingness to experiment. Along the way, he’s produced quite a few memorable cigars.

I smoked three of these dark Robustos. The draw on each was excellent. I would have liked a little more smoke production, though the level wasn’t bad. The only negative was the necessity for an occasional touch-up, not unexpected with such a thick, oily wrapper.

The No. 2 kicked off with a rich taste of espresso and a light spice. Both remained through much of the length of the cigar, moving from forefront to background as other flavors emerged. Those included cocoa, a bit of charred wood, and some tobacco sweetness.

I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar and would recommend it highly, especially to those who have smoked primarily maduros with Mexican wrappers. It’s a different experience.

I believe the La Palina No. 2 is a cigar suited to smokers at any level of experience. I rate it four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

About a month ago, Villiger unveiled a new 7,500-square-foot factory in Bahia, Brazil. Called Villiger Do Brasil, the facility makes Villiger puros for both the U.S. market (San’Doro Maduro) and the European market (Celebration and Corrida). More Brazilian cigars are expected from Villiger in the future, though I’m not sure they will all be puros.

Villiger has been making cigars in Brazil since the 1970s. This newer, bigger factory (30 rollers, with the capacity to add 20 more), however, signals a redoubled commitment to the country and its tobaccos. Villiger Do Brasil—along with the recent relocation of U.S. corporate headquarters to the Miami area—is further evidence of Villiger’s interest in expanding its presence in the premium cigar market (Villiger is a major player in the machine-made realm).

My colleague reviewed the Villiger San’Doro Maduro Toro a couple years ago, finding it to be well-constructed, tasty, and balanced. The cigar I’m reviewing today is the same in makeup—a Mata Fina wrapper, Mata Norte binder, and Mata Fina and Mata Norte filler—but this one is made at Villiger Do Brasil.

The single-vitola blend is presented in a Toro (6 x 50) format and retails for about $8.50—a price that is, as far as I can tell, unchanged since the cigar was introduced in 2015. The Toro’s dark, toothy exterior is complemented by dual bands of gold, green, and red. The cap is a bit sloppy, but it clips just fine to reveal a tight cold draw.

I find pre-light notes of cherry, cocoa powder, and molasses at the foot. After setting an even light, the sweet cherry shines through in the flavor, accented by leather, coffee, and roasted cashew. There is a bit of cayenne heat in the background, as well as a subdued cedar spice and a damp, musty taste that’s difficult to describe.

Towards the midway point, the medium-bodied profile enters a phase that can best be characterized as natural tobacco sweetness. The individual flavors, put plainly, seem to be rounded off. The taste stays in this ballpark until the finale, which has a reprise of cherry and coffee.

I sampled three Toros for this review. Each had a tight draw resulting in a low volume of smoke production. I found this to be both frustrating and intrusive, though two of the three seemed to open up a bit at the midway point. The burn line was always straight, and the ash held well off the foot.

Some may read this and conclude my samples were stored in conditions featuring excessive relative humidity. After receiving my five-pack in the mail from Villiger, though, I stored the cigars in one of my closely monitored humidors for a month.

I will let the remaining two San’Doro Maduro Toros rest for awhile before giving this cigar another try. I’ll be sure to post an update when I smoke another, probably in six months or so. For now, I would be remiss if I scored this Villiger cigar any higher than two stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys