The Stogie Guys

Finding wonderfully blended and constructed cigars that won’t put a dent in your budget is a top priority for me. That’s why it gives me such pleasure to review the Cupido Criollo.

Like J.L. Salazar, Don Kiki (Brown and White), La Carolina, Cabinet Selection, and Cameroon, this is another fine, under-priced Cuban Crafters product from the fields of Estelí. It is made with a criollo wrapper and Cuban-seed habano long leaf binders and fillers.

The Corto vitola sports a unique perfecto shape with a slight box press, and measures four and ½ inches with a 56 ring gauge at its widest point. With a metallic, Valentine-inspired band, a near flawless wrapper, and a distinctive form, this is the kind of gorgeous cigar that makes you really appreciate the fine art of rolling tobacco.

Establishing an even light is as easy as touching a flame to the tiny foot. I am immediately greeted with rich coffee and wood flavors and a smooth, nicely rounded spice.

At its widest girth, the flavor is well-balanced and medium-bodied with a slightly bitter finish. It picks up down the narrow stretch, but never becomes harsh or hot. The smoke is cool, abundant, and floral.

The physical properties are also impressive. It is a great joy to watch the firm, finely layered ash build off the foot in the cigar’s unique shape – I only ashed once during the 45-minute smoke. The burn starts and remains fairly even to the nub, and it stays lit even when left neglected. The band removes easily and without incident.

These flavor and construction characteristics were completely consistent for the six Cortos I smoked for this review. Amazing, especially since they sell at the low price of $65 for an individually numbered box of 25 ($2.60 per stick). Only 9,000 boxes are manufactured each year.

I am convinced this is one of the best sub-$3 cigar experiences I’ve ever had. If you like criollo tobacco and don’t have a lot of time, this should be your new everyday smoke. I give the Cupido Criollo Corto four and ½ out of five stogies.

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–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As a coffee lover, it’s only natural that I gravitate toward maduro cigars. The dark, rich, earthy tones of a good maduro pair perfectly with a steaming cup of black coffee (or a nice glass of rum, depending upon the time of day).

Recently I found myself searching for the perfect accompaniment to several pounds of ludicrously expensive and rare Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans I’d been given by an old friend. Coffee aficionados will know instantly, at the mere mention of the Jamaican Blue Mountain appellation, that these are no ordinary coffee beans. And they demand no ordinary smoke to match them.

Ordinarily, I stock my humidor with plenty of 5 Vegas Series A’s. Inexpensive, yet phenomenal, they’ve been my everyday smoke for many months now. But for this special occasion, I decided to be a bit more adventurous, and I splurged on some Montecristo Media Noche No. 2s. At roughly $15 per stick, or $230 for a box, the No. 2 is not the kind of cigar I should have bought on impulse. For many of us, that’s quite a hefty price to pay on a whim – especially for Montecristo’s first foray into maduro territory. For all I knew, they might have screwed this one up.

A quick physical assay of the cigar in question, however, put my fears to rest. Dark, oily, and impeccably wrapped, the Media Noche is quite the show pony. Had Plato smoked cigars, he might have considered this handsome torpedo the archetypal image of ‘cigar-ness.’ To take this stogie in hand is to see and smell the luxury of well-oiled leather. The pre-light aroma gave off deep and striking notes of espresso, leather, and earth. I couldn’t wait to light up this impressively sized, 6.1 inch by 54 ring gauge beauty and find out if my senses weren’t deceiving me.

I wasn’t dreaming. The cigar lit beautifully and maintained a very firm, but manageable draw. The burn was even throughout, producing a light gray ash that contrasted beautifully with the darkness of the Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper. For such a powerful-looking cigar, the Media Noche began with a whisper: a rich, peppery, but decidedly mellow flavor, slowly building up as the smoke progressed. This richness gave way to notes of vanilla and even cream as the cigar reached its final third – a delicate landing after a smooth takeoff and enjoyable flight.

I give this fine cigar a near-perfect four and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In all honesty, I’ve pulled fewer sticks from the humidor with lower expectations. The combination of a silly name and a girth that seems more appropriate for a billy club isn’t what I look for in a cigar.

On the other hand, I have read and heard good things about this line. So, with some serious reading to do, I thought I’d give the Maxx a try.

I got the five inch by 58 ring gauge “The Fix” at the 2007 Cigar Artisans a couple of months ago. According to Alec Bradley’s website, the blend is a complex one. The wrapper is a lovely Nicaraguan Habano; the binder from Costa Rica; and the filler is a four-nation mix from Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras.

I’ve seen different listings for the single stick price. Some sources put it at $4.75, others at $5. Boxes of 20 appear to run around $90.

Keeping up the theme of honesty, I have to say that the cigar was much better than I anticipated. It took a bit to get it lit, which wasn’t a surprise given the ring size. But it burned evenly through most of the smoke, even though I put it in the ashtray frequently.

The taste was smooth and the draw was fine. While not a particularly complex cigar — not as full-bodied as its advertising touts — it was satisfying, with a nice tobacco taste and touches of sharp cocoa and coffee.

If a large cigar is what you like, I suggest you give the Maxx a try. For me, however, the ring size is just too big to be comfortable and, because of that, I feel I can give it a rating of only three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It’s difficult to decide what makes the strongest first impression with the Padrón 7000: the massive size or the extraordinary weight. But after you’ve been smoking a while, you’ll find it more striking that a six and 1/4 inch by 60 ring gauge behemoth can burn so evenly and draw so well.

Drop a couple of these massive sticks in your shirt pocket and you’ll soon find yourself in position to apply for the bell ringer’s job at Notre Dame. Keep the huge Padrón 7000 in your mouth very long and you might develop an irresistible urge to bark orders at longshoremen and stevedores.

The latest entry in Padrón’s “thousands” line of Nicaraguan puros, the 7000 does not disappoint. From the dark, milk chocolate wrapper to the spice left on the lips, this is an impressive and full-bodied smoke. It isn’t complex. I found the predominate flavors to be leather and wood with the spice diminishing after the first third. Overall, it is remarkably balanced and smooth. From start to finish, there was never a bit or harsh finish.

The only disappointment came at the final third when the fire began to diminish (though it never went out) and the smoke thinned out. The burn line deteriorated as well. My guess is that with such a large cigar, quite a bit of tar and moisture collected and had a significant effect.

Like all the cigars in this line, the price is reasonable for the size, consistency and quality provided. A box of 26 sells for about $162, which is less than $6.25 per stick. Unfortunately, you won’t find anything about this cigar on Padrón’s website. They haven’t even gotten around to putting up data on the 6000 yet.

For my personal taste, the 7000 is too big. I’m not a fan of massive ring gauge cigars. But that did not significantly detract from my enjoyment, and if you’re looking for a cigar to enjoy throughout a poker night, spring baseball game, or afternoon of fishing, the Padrón 7000 might be just what you’re looking for.

On the StogieGuys.com scale, this cigar earns a rating of four out of five stogies.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. Cigars for this review were provided by CigarsDirect.com. To purchase this cigar, click here.]

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As soon as you slide one of these out of the cellophane, rich aromas of milk chocolate and cinnamon permeate the air. The sensation is almost like taking a whiff of a candy bar. “What enormous potential this cigar has,” I remember thinking to myself before smoking my first Power by Felipe Gregorio.

Advertised as sweet and light, the line is a three-nation blend. The wrapper is Costa Rican, the binder Nicaraguan, and the filler a mixture of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos.

The Special R vitola measures five inches with a 52 ring gauge. It earned an impressive rating of 91 in the March 27 issue of Cigar Insider. Oily and attractive – albeit a bit rustic – the two sticks I smoked for this review seemed slightly box-pressed and a little flat.

Given the heavy pre-light aromas and the line’s confident name, the initial taste is much lighter than you’d expect. The smoke is airy and mild, but I also notice a zesty cinnamon aftertaste. That spice gets stronger and more pronounced the quicker you smoke.

A sweetness begins to fade in and out after the first inch, but it isn’t the chocolate I detected before. It’s accompanied by a woody, smoky cedar flavor. This trend fails to build down the home stretch, rendering the Power unexpectedly subtle and soft.

The physical properties are decent on all counts. The burn requires some early touch-ups to get things off on the right foot, but it takes care of itself from there. The white, flakey ash holds fairly well, and the draw is almost too easy.

I’ve seen 26-count boxes of Special Rs go for as little as $153, but most sell for as much as $9 to $10 apiece. That’s a little steep, in my opinion, for a cigar that’s no doubt fine but probably not excellent.

So, for subtle flavors that don’t live up to the expectations of its pre-light aromas (or its name), I give the Felipe Gregorio Power Special R three out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

You would hard-pressed to find a list of today’s top cigars that didn’t include the Cohiba Siglo VI. This thick Cuban toro (also known as a canonazo) features generous six inch by 52 ring gauge proportions.

Prior to the three I smoked for this review, my last Siglo VI was on New Year’s Eve a few years ago in Barcelona. That cigar was the most expensive I’ve ever purchased – over 50 US dollars – a function of a bad exchange rate and the inflated prices of a fancy hotel bar.

While never inexpensive (if someone offers you a great deal on one of these be very wary…Cuban deals that are too good to be true usually are), fortunately the Siglo VI is can normally be had for far less than $50 each. Packs of three, presented in cedar-lined aluminum tubes, can be found online for about $75, and boxes of ten or 25 cost around $220 and $480, respectively.

For this review I sampled the Siglo VI that’s presented in an ornate gold and black aluminum tube. Inside I found a wrapper with a beautiful caramel brown color. These particular sticks have a bit of age on them as evidenced by a fine layer of plume.

Pre-light I found an aroma of cedar, barnyard, and a subtle fruit taste that reminds me of cognac. The cigar is firm to the touch and the wrapper has only a few small veins.

After lighting up the canonaza I find a full-flavored smoke with earth, subtle spice, and plenty of cedar. While similar to the flavors found in the Cohiba Robusto or the other Siglo vitolas, the Siglo VI is more full-flavored.

It is also is more complex than the Cohiba Robusto. In addition to the initial flavors, I found that underneath the Siglo VI has deep coffee, earth, Burgundian fruit, and even some creaminess creating a remarkably complex, yet smooth, flavor profile.

The construction was equally impressive. The draw was firm and the solid gray ash was sturdy. On occasion the burn became a little uneven, but never to a distracting level.

This Cuban certainly lives up to its reputation as one of the best cigars in the world. Accordingly, the Cohiba Siglo VI earns an impressive rating of five out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If my six years of Español serve me correctly, la prueba translates into English as “the quiz.” Well, boys and girls, this is one quiz you don’t want to take.

La Prueba is produced in the lush San Andreas Valley of Mexico by the Turrnet family, makers of Te-Amo and suppliers to such well-known outfits as Macanudo. Like so many cigars, it is said that the 178-year-old brand was once the favorite of Winston Churchill. The current incarnation of La Prueba must be much different than the sticks he enjoyed.

Today’s Robusto measures five and ¼ inches with a 50 ring gauge and is sold exclusively through Thompson for $49.00 for a box of 20 ($2.45 apiece). Its building blocks include a Mexican binder, second priming filler tobaccos, and a three-year-old Connecticut Shade wrapper with a few large veins. The whole thing is a little too soft and doughy to the touch.

Establishing an even burn is vexing, particularly since some parts of the foot want to burn quickly and others slowly. But once you even things out with your matches or torch it takes care of itself.

The flavor starts surprisingly rough with a salty bitterness that’s akin to burnt popcorn. Not terribly appetizing. After an inch or so, it settles down to a super mild level and stays that way for the remainder of the disappointing smoke. Barely discernable, what little flavor I can pick up resembles paper with a biting spice aftertaste.

Contributing to the mild taste is a very loose draw that produces tons of airy smoke with each tiny puff. The ash will hold firm at times and drop off unexpectedly and prematurely at others.

Unless you’re merely looking for something to chew on while you mow the grass or clean out the garage, I would stay away from this cigar. I understand it’s a value stick at a low cost, but there are many far superior smokes in this price range. That’s why I’m giving the La Prueba Natural Robusto only two out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys