The Stogie Guys

On the heels of my colleague’s thoughtful commentary that encouraged us to “not consider ourselves too macho, too old, too cool, or too proud to smoke mild or medium sticks,” I bring you this light-bodied creation from CAO.

Introduced in 1999 to celebrate the company’s first 30 years of business (1968-1998), the Cameroon blend sports a Cameroon wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The series was preceded by a L’Anniversaire Maduro version in 1998. Both have received high ratings from Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Insider—with several vitolas over 90 points—and both are considered to be box-pressed pioneers.

The Cameroon blend is touted as a mild to medium-bodied experience with “unique and distinctive notes of caramel, nuts, and sweetened coffee.” I was surprised to see several websites claim the series is one of the “most sought-after” premium cigars on the market.

The 5 inch by 50 ring gauge Robusto is characterized by a handsome, sepia-colored wrapper that often includes one prominent vein. It has a pseudo-spongy feel and an easy pre-light draw, but a cross-section reveals tightly packed leaves.

After toasting the foot and establishing an even light, the stick gets off to a worrisome start with a bland, paper-like taste and just a hint of the sweetness you’d expect from other Cameroons. The flavor thankfully builds over the next few inches to include notes of almond, graham, and honey.

While the overall effect is still pretty light and airy, there’s certainly plenty to taste, especially when a cedar spice adds into the mix down the stretch. The physical properties are admirable and in line with what I’ve come to expect from CAO. My take is this cigar’s smooth creaminess is well-suited to accompany a morning cup of coffee.

My only complaint is the price. Two of my favorite Cameroons, one from Cuban Crafters and the other from H. Upmann, sell in the $4-5 range; this Robusto goes for about $7.50 apiece or $115-130 per box of 20. Still, if you’re looking for something mild—as you probably should from time to time—this isn’t a bad investment. I give the CAO L’Anniversaire Cameroon Robusto three out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

No suspense here. It’s one terrific cigar, a full-bodied corona gorda that more than matches the hype. From the Tatuaje-decorated ceramic container to the unclipped foot and simple cap, this cigar is designed to stand out.

Limited production and the luster of being Pete Johnson’s “personal cigar” put the Black on par with other highly sought sticks such as the Opus X and Ashton’s VSG. But with a price tag around $13, this Nicaraguan puro is far more affordable.

Prelight, I found surprisingly little aroma from the wrapper or the nearly closed foot. The brown wrapper was smooth with no large veins and the cigar felt a little soft from head to foot, but nothing stood out.

When lit, the cigar kicked off, as do so many of Pepin Garcia’s blends, with pepper. But what a pepper—not just hot, but full, rich, biting, and interesting. It was a taste that would build, fade, and build again throughout the cigar’s five and 5/8 inches. The flavors were complex and shifted often. Among those I encountered were leather, hay, dry cocoa, hints of ginger, and even at one point honey. Individually, the tastes would have been enjoyable; woven through with the pepper, they were great.

The draw on the 46 ring gauge stick was nearly perfect from beginning to end. The burn, which left a jet-black ring, was straight and required no attention. The ash was so tight that it required a tap to loosen it in the ashtray.

Perhaps most surprising was the fact that the Black never got harsh. And the finish was long and satisfying.

If you like full-strength cigars, smoke the Black if you can find it. I can’t imagine you won’t like it. I certainly did. In fact, I’d put it up among the best cigars I’ve had. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want it for my daily diet, even if I could afford it. There’s just a little too much power. Nonetheless, I can’t think of a cigar I would enjoy more occasionally. So, I can’t see how the Tatuaje Black deserves anything less than five out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Vitolas.net

On Monday my colleagues ran into Kinky Friedman, “a uniquely American character,” at the 76th Annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show in Las Vegas. The famous singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, and former Texas gubernatorial candidate was showing off a new size of his self-titled line of cigars and introducing a bundled blend called “Kinksters.”

As with all things Kinky—composer of such hits as “Get your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed” and “They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore”—I look forward to checking out these new creations myself. But, for now, I thought I’d review a cigar that came out at last year’s IPCPR event: the creatively named Kinkycristo.

This torpedo-shaped stick measures in at 6.25 inches with a 52 ring gauge. Kinky says the shape “concentrates the flavors to the tip of the tongue, rolling sweet spiciness around the roof of the mouth finishing with a leathery freshness.” Handmade in Honduras with a habano wrapper, a Costa Rican binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras, it costs $150 for a box of 20 or $30 for a three-pack.

I smoked two Kinkycristos for this review and found that one of the caps (pictured) was a bit rough and unrefined. After clipping, I removed the top band immediately because it was glued too close to the head. Take care not to tear the fragile wrapper, which sports some lumps but few veins and virtually invisible seams.

While the texture and shape reminds me of the Montecristo Cabinet Selección Belicoso, the Kinkycristo is much less subtle and much more hearty. The flavor kicks off with bite and a tingly, spicy finish. It quickly notches up to resemble leather, warm tobacco, and charred steak—a manly experience that almost makes you want to lasso something—then builds again to a medium- to full-bodied finish with some bitterness.

Resist the temptation to touch-up the meandering burn with your matches or torch during the 90-minute smoke; it will correct itself in time. The easy draw produces heavy clouds of rich smoke, and the ash holds well for up to two inches.

When you get right down to it, after subtracting the gimmicks of the celebrity appeal and the gaudily designed band, this is an enjoyable outdoor smoke that’s unfortunately a tad overpriced (unless the novelty of smoking a Kinky creation is worth $5 to you). The Kinkycristo’s more admirable qualities earn it three out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’ve always had good, if not stellar experiences with Avo Uvezian cigars. They tend to be very straightforward. Not that there’s anything wrong with a smoke that’s quick and to the point, but something about me—call it my artistic temperament—prefers a bit more complexity in my smokes.

This is why I find “traditional” tasting cigars like Avos, Punches, and others to be solid doubles, or even triples, but rarely homeruns. They get most of the details right, but the big picture isn’t as beautiful as it could be. I could continue mixing and expending various, increasingly clichéd metaphors here, but I think you get my point: I like a challenging cigar.

I’d never tried an Avo Maduro before, and so it was only logical that I pick one up before consigning the whole Avo brand to the “good, but not necessarily my kind of cigar” graveyard. I am very glad I did.

The Avo Maduro Piramide is a handsome and dignified 7 inches by 54 ring gauge figurado. It’s wrapped up neatly and smoothly, with some bumpy tooth here and there that adds a great deal of character to the boot-leather-brown leaf. There cigar is firm, oily, and smells of rich tobacco and freshly sanded wood. The pre-light and fully lit draws are perfect. Just rolling this cigar around in your fingers, lighting it carefully and methodically, and taking your first puff is a tactile treat.

As for the flavor, it’s definitely straightforward. But if any cigar makes a great case for straightforward flavor, it’s this one. It’s blustery and blunt, full of leather and that indescribable, “classic tobacco taste.” There’s not a lot of chocolate or spice to this stick and, frankly, I’m glad. Let 90% of high-end maduros have their cocoa overtones. The Avo Maduro would feel awkward and out of sorts with any sort of sweetness. This stogie is all about the rough, masculine flavors of tobacco and little else. I could easily picture my literary idol Ernest Hemingway chewing on a cigar like this one, perhaps on the deck of his boat off the coast of Cuba.

Perhaps, as Hemingway reminds me, I could stand to trim some excess and needless complexity from my cigars, my life, and my work. After all, a stogie full of flourish and surprise is certainly welcome. But sometimes there’s great beauty in simplicity.

For uncomplicated, yet intriguing flavor, a great aroma, and near-perfect aesthetics, I award the Avo Maduro Piramide four stogies out of five.

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

–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The first wrapper grown by the Toraños on their own plantation? Tobacco from Panama? These two unique traits help define the distinctive character of the Toraño Virtuoso line.

Advertised as the brand’s strongest blend, Virtuoso is “a testament to the Toraño family’s Cuban heritage.” It sports a Nicaraguan sungrown wrapper, a Honduran binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua, Honduras, and Panama.

The 4.75 inch by 52 ring gauge Encore vitola—rated 89 in the February 2006 issue of Cigar Aficionado—is a tasty-looking treat. While you’ll find plenty of veins, some messy seams, and a hastily-applied cap, the stick is nonetheless as smooth as it is solid.

Another unique feature apparent in the two Encores I smoked for this review is the presence of a slight box press. Maybe my tobacco-laden mind is starting to play tricks on me, but the circumference appears to take on somewhat of a flat oval shape. Or maybe not.

No matter. One thing I’m certain about is the delicious prelight aroma that pours out of the foot and off the sienna-colored wrapper (which is lighter than most sungrowns). George E wrote about these “earthy, vegetal” notes in a Quick Smoke of the larger Forte size.

Once lit, those tastes carry over for the first inch or so. The dominant flavors, however, are of black coffee, pepper, oak, and nut with a little bit of cocoa sweetness adding balance. Balance is especially important on a stick like this with a flavor profile that remains very consistent during the 85-minute smoke.

The finale sees no increase in harshness or spice—or anything else for that matter—even when the nub gets too hot to hold. Don’t get me wrong, though; despite its uniformity, the full-bodied taste never left me bored.

Like most Toraño creations, at least in my experience, the physical makeup of this stick is above average. The burn is straight, the white ash strong, and the clear draw produces ample tufts of thick, rich smoke.

While this cigar isn’t quite as tasty as those from Toraño’s Signature line (face it: I’m a sucker for Brazilian wrappers), it’s still well-built and delicious. You won’t be disappointed if you pick up a box of 25 for the going rate of just over $100. That’s my justification for giving the Toraño Virtuoso Encore four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

For the past few years, online retailing behemoth Cigars International has been selling a premium house brand known as the “Legends” series. These cigars, each one made by a different boldfaced name in the business, represent what CI declares “the very best for the money” (a roughly $5-per-stick price tag). For a mere $5, you can enjoy the equivalent of a much pricier Don Pepin Garcia, or Graycliff, or Perdomo, etc.—or so the marketing goes.

Curious to see if these off-label premiums lived up to their brand-name equivalents, I lit up the Purple Label, a 5.7 inch by 54 ring gauge stick blended by Graycliff mastermind Avelino Lara. The Purple Label is a good-looking cigar whose smooth appearance, slightly spongy texture, and sweet aroma certainly bring the Graycliff Crystal PGX to mind.

Unfortunately, that’s about all this offering has in common with its Graycliff cousin. I can only surmise that the Purple Label is made with inferior tobacco to that found in the name-brand Crystal PGX, because the flavor is only superficially similar. Both are mild-bodied cigars, but the Crystal PGX offers a lot of complexity to belie its gentleness.

The Purple Lable, however, is a study in bland repetition. From start to finish, I tasted a single flavor note—basically what I’d describe as the essence of wet and slightly moldy hay. This is not a very enticing flavor to encounter in one puff of a cigar, much less a hundred or so. But that’s what I got from the Purple Label: Puff after boring puff, this cigar played a symphony in the key of blah. I was all too happy to toss the nub of my first stick, and when sampling my second, I was just as pleased to put it to rest.

I suppose it’s worth mentioning that the Purple Label is a mechanically decent cigar. The draw is a bit too tight, but forgivable. The burn is sharp and even. The ash holds true for inches at a time. But do these qualities really matter when you’ve got no interest in what you’re smoking? I’d almost get the same experience just pretending to puff on the Purple Label for an hour and change, never lighting the foot.

Bottom line: If you want to smoke a Graycliff, you’re unfortunately going to have to pay for the real thing. This cigar is no substitute. Still, for solid aesthetics, competent handling and ennui-inducing flavor, I give the CI Legends Purple Label a very generous two out of five stogies.

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

–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The “short Churchill” format strikes me as a very Cuban concept. After all, as far as the size goes, it’s really nothing more than a classic robusto size. By naming this robusto a Short Churchill, it calls to mind a longer, less rushed smoking experience that characterizes the 7 inch Chuchill size.

The Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill was introduced in 2006 at the 8th annual Habanos Festival in Havana, Cuba. It has dimensions similar to that of a robusto: 4 and 7/8 inches by 50 ring gauge. This is different from the classic Romeo y Julieta Exhibición No. 4 which, while also a robusto, is a slightly longer and slightly thinner 5 inches by 48.

The Cuban features double gold-embossed bands that give the cigar a regal appearance and frame a shiny, golden caramel-colored wrapper. The leaf is attractive despite some prominent veins, and the well-proportioned cigar is firm to the touch.

Once I lit, the Short Churchill greets me with a medley of flavors including coffee, cream, leather, honey, and graham cracker. It is medium-bodied and tremendously well-balanced. An easy draw makes it easy to enjoy.

As the cigar progressed, I found strong cedar notes moved in, but never so much as to overpower the rest of the flavors. The smoke lasted for close to an hour and never became bitter or harsh, even as I carefully removed both bands and smoked it down to the nub.

The construction was equally impressive. The ash was solid gray and firm, and the burn was even with a black shiny mascara leading the way.

I’ve read reports that production problems have plagued Romeo y Julieta, and I have even heard that later versions of the Short Churchill featured a box press. However, I found none of these problems in the four cigars I smoked for this review.

I did find that aging helped this cigar become even better. After six months of humidor time, the cream and coffee notes were even more pronounced, adding another layer of depth to this already complex smoke.

Like most Cuban cigars, this one isn’t inexpensive (especially with the inflated American dollar). But for just around $10 per cigar ($111 for a box of ten, or $221 for a box of 25) the price is more than fair for this exquisite smoke.

As much as I try, I can’t find anything wrong with this cigar. The format is fantastic, the blend sweet and complex, and the construction flawless. For all that and more, the Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill earns a rating of five out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys