The Stogie Guys

Rocky Patel launched his Fusion line with a blend of his Vintage 1990 and 1992 tobaccos. This ambitious cigar earned an impressive four-stogie rating from Patrick S. back in July of last year. Recently I came across the latest Fusion offering – a natural and Connecticut combination – and simply had to give it a test drive.

This handsome, 6.2 inch by 52 ring gauge torpedo comes wrapped in an oily, soft Habano wrapper with an Ecuadorian Connecticut binder and a blend of Nicaraguan, Cameroon, and Honduran fillers. At roughly $9 per stick, it’s not exactly a bargain. But, as with many Rocky Patel products, you’ll get fairly high quality for your dollar here. (The Churchill size is pictured at right.)

Construction is solid, if a bit tight. The exterior is almost flawless, with small veins and a nice double cap. The stick is extremely firm to the touch – to a degree that scared me at first. Fortunately, a firm but manageable pre-light draw eased my concerns.

Upon lighting the RP Fusion, the first thing I noticed was a copious amount of thick, creamy smoke. So much smoke, in fact, that clouds of it hung over me for nearly the entire 90 minutes that I enjoyed the cigar. I don’t know how to blow smoke rings, but I imagine smoking a few more of these sticks would be a great way to learn.

The initial flavor and aroma are of lightly burnt wood, pepper, and earth. These notes give way to an intensified peppery taste, and a dash of butter and walnut, as the cigar progresses into its second third. By the finish, the cigar mellows out and allows its initial woody and peppery notes to take center stage. The body is a light to medium, with subtle cedar and pepper flavors lingering on the tongue after each draw.

My burn remained even throughout the experience, with two or three minor touch-ups required. The ash was a tightly coiled, beautiful white that hung on for at least two inches at a time. I imagine the ash would have held even longer had I not tapped it off.

Ultimately, the new RP Fusion is a fine cigar. I enjoyed nearly every minute of my experience, but I was underwhelmed – ever so slightly – by the complexity of the flavor profile. For these reasons, among others, I give the Rocky Patel Fusion four out of five stogies.

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

–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’ll be honest: I couldn’t really go into this stick with neutral expectations. While I always try to mentally erase any pre-conceived notions about a cigar before I light up for a review, that’s simply too much to ask when it comes to Arturo Fuente’s storied Opus X blend.

Maybe that’s because Arturo’s flagship line is so rare. Some retailers call Opus X “inarguably the rarest cigar in the world” (a claim I haven’t taken the time to refute). Still, I think many of us can relate to the fact that these can be pretty difficult to track down and, when you find some, odds are the retailer will limit your order. (more…)

This cigar was part of a free nine-cigar sampler I got from Famous when I ordered a box of another cigar. It’s one of several that Rocky offers only through the Pennsylvania retailer, which promotes it as “almost like getting a fine Cuban cigar without the Cuban price.”

To be honest, I’m no expert on Cuban cigars. But this five and 1/2 inch Robusto did remind me of a couple of Cubans I’ve smoked. Unfortunately, those were machine-rolled sticks I wouldn’t want to try again. I’d have to say the same for this 50 ring gauge cigar.

First, the positives: The draw is good, the cap well-applied, the burn straight, and the ash tight.

The negatives: A severe harshness led me to believe the Honduran ligero filler and the Corojo wrapper were too young. A bitter chemical/medicine taste in the last third was truly awful. The combination completely overwhelmed whatever flavors were present. Altogether, an unpleasant experience.

One interesting aspect I discovered thumbing through the Famous catalog fwas that a box of 20 sells for $87.99 while a five-pack is $16.50. That means you pay almost $22 less if you purchase four five-packs! Intrigued, I spot-checked the catalog and found similar deals on a number of other Famous exclusives, though I didn’t notice this with regular brands.

So, if you plan to order a box of any cigars from Famous, I’d highly advise double checking the five-pack prices first. (And, no, they don’t make up for it on shipping charges. Ground is based on whether the total is over or under $40, and air is one fee regardless.)

As for this cigar, I wouldn’t recommend it. Because of the construction quality, I upped my rating a little and give it one and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“Bold yet noble” says General Cigar, maker of the non-Cuban version of Bolivar. Well, it’s definitely bold.

This particular blend is composed of a San Andreas ligero wrapper from Honduras, a Havano medio tiempo binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Unlike the more familiar Cofradia line from Honduras, this Bolivar is Dominican-made and was just released in 2005.

The six inch by 52 ring gauge Toro is lumpy, relatively dry, and moderately veiny. A quick inspection reveals a few soft spots, the pre-light draw is on the tight side, and the wrapper leaves some sweet tingle on the lips. And for the cost? It’s very reasonable: JR sells boxes of 25 for under $80 and five-packs for $18.

That price is supposed to get you a fuller experience than Cofradia, a line that’s no slouch in the flavor department itself. It does. Unsurprisingly, especially given the type of wrapper leaf, it starts with a big salty taste. The dominant flavor from there on out is of cedar and roasted coffee beans, and the finish is dry.

That’s why I recommend you keep a cool drink close by to even things out (let me suggest dark rum and Diet Coke with lime). Trust me. The sweetness of a molasses-based alcoholic drink will help counter the cigar’s overwhelming, mouth-coating taste – especially as a black pepper bitterness increases in the final third.

A remarkable feature of the Bolivar Toro is how much smoke it produces, even when left resting in the ashtray. The other physical properties are less than astonishing. The burn requires occasional maintenance to stay even, and the ash is slightly flaky and unstable.

Still, for the bargain price, this isn’t a bad two-hour cigar, particularly if you’re into full-bodied sticks with bite. While many will find the dense volume of smoke and the salty aftertaste to be off-putting, I think this makes a pretty decent golf course companion (if you have a drink on hand). That’s why I give the Bolivar Toro three out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While it is hard to be sure, the Cohiba Esplendido is generally considered to be the most counterfeited cigar in the world. Infamous “glass top boxes” are sold every day to unsuspecting tourists looking to partake in this sought after cigar. (Despite their wide availability, Habanos S.A. has never produced this cigar in a glass top box.)

Fortunately, I am confident in the authenticity of the three seven inch by 47 ring gauge Esplendidos I smoked for this review; they checked out based on our guide to spotting a fake and they were procured from an official Casa de Habanos store.

With its classic double corona proportions and veinless medium brown wrapper, the Esplendido is an attractive stick. The wrapper has a slight sheen and is topped off with the traditional triple cap that is found at the head of every handmade Cuban cigar.

After clipping the cap and carefully lighting the foot with nothing but three wooden matches, I was greeted by medium-bodied flavors of wood. Underneath the predominant cedar was subtle earth, spice, and a honey sweetness.

The draw started with just the right amount of resistance and an even burn but, as the cigar progressed, it became a little too tight and difficult, and the burn became uneven and needed constant attention.

Around the same time the construction problems began, the flavor shifted. Halfway through the cigar it became more full-bodied with the earth flavors coming to prominence.

Still, this remained a very smooth cigar – perhaps due to the tobacco’s extra fermentation. The flavors weren’t as complex as the Cohiba Siglo V or VI that were introduced a decade later.

Depending on the exchange rate, the Esplendido will cost around $30 per cigar or more. It is no small price for this very good cigar, but for the same money I would prefer a Cohiba Siglo VI or a Padron 1926. Ultimately, though, this is an impressive cigar with fantastically smooth flavors. Despite some construction flaws, it earns an impressive rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’ve smoked over a dozen of these over the past six months and, during that time, this stick has become my hands-down favorite Cameroon. The reason? It consistently delivers what I consider to be exceptional taste and wonderful physical properties at a bargain price.

Just like Cupido, La Carolina, J.L. Salazar, and Don Kiki – both Brown and White – the Cameroon Toro is made by our friends at Cuban Crafters. Alberto Noguera, national sales director for the Miami-based boutique manufacturer, was nice enough to send up plenty of these cigars for our Smoke Out in March, and the overwhelming feedback from our guests was very positive.

The six inch by 54 ring gauge Toro sports a seamless Cameroon wrapper with a sungrown Cuban-seed habano binder and long filler, each fermented five times. You can pick up a box of 25 for less than $100 – a great price given the cigar’s status as a favorite among Cameroon fans and its impressive 8.9 rating in Smoke Magazine.

The firm-feeling stogie clips cleanly and starts with a burst of earthy spice and rich cedar. Subtle sweet notes complement the experience, a characteristic that’s typical of Cameroons, and each puff produces tons of thick, pleasant smoke. The flavor tends to mellow as the cigar progresses, but its medium body is enough to keep you on your toes.

Construction is admirable with a white, sandy ash that holds well and a draw puts up just the slightest resistance. While I remember the burn on the first few requiring some touch-ups, lately it has been as straight as any cigar I’ve smoked. This suggests that you’re better off locking these away in your humi for a month or so after a purchase.

In all, this is a terrific smoke – every bit as good as the Robusto, which George E named one of his Gold Star Smokes in March. I always have a few on hand, especially since seasoned cigar veterans and newbies alike are quick to tell me how much they enjoy it. That’s one of the many reasons I give the Cuban Crafters Cameroon Toro four and ½ out of five stogies.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. To purchase this cigar from a StogieGuys.com affiliate, click here.]

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Last month I was fortunate enough to be one of the first to review the Isla de Cuba Classic Belicoso. I found it to be an excellent smoke with a delicious flavor profile and an all-around quality feel. Today I examine the other line from the new Tampa-based boutique manufacturer: Aged Maduro.

Like the Classic blend, Isla offers its Aged Maduro cigars in five traditional vitolas – Corona, Robusto, Toro, Belicoso, and Churchill. Both lines first hit retailers after the company launched in February to bring old Havana favorites back to the U.S. market. President Darryl Lieser was nice enough to participate in our Cigar Insider series on May 5, and he’s reportedly working hard to build the brand’s credibility and get Isla’s blends noticed by retailers across the nation.

With a Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper, a broadleaf binder, and proprietary filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, Aged Maduro is clearly the heavier of the two lines. The Robusto measures five inches with a 52 ring gauge and boasts the same quality feel I noticed in the Classic: firm to the touch yet clear in draw. The dark, almost seamless wrapper is dry and a bit granulated.

Isla’s promotional materials say the Aged Maduro cigars are bold with “subtle notes of rich sweetness.” Based on my experience with two Robustos, I’d have to agree. Given its prelight aroma, the smoke starts just as you’d expect with a black pepper spice, some cashew creaminess, and a typical maduro sweetness. I find the whole effect to be akin to the taste of rich espresso. Clove and cocoa bean flavors kick in at the halfway mark, and the smoke remains full-flavored, but never harsh, until the nub.

To the cigar’s credit, its physical properties resemble those of the Classic Belicoso. The burn is either very straight or self-correcting, the foot stays lit when left unattended, the draw is true, and the white ash is solid and strong.

I am impressed with this blend and the brand as a whole, and I think pessimists who question Isla’s prices will be pleasantly surprised. With a price tag of $146.25 per box of 25 at JR, the Aged Maduro Robusto may not be the very best value in all of cigardom, but it’s certainly a damn good one. I give it a well-deserved four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys