The Stogie Guys

Those of you who are interested in cheap, mild, everyday smokes are probably already familiar with Rafael Gonzalez. For everyone else who hasn’t been introduced to the somewhat reclusive brand, let’s get up to speed.

Rafael Gonzalez was launched in 1998 out of the Villazon factory in Honduras. It should not be confused with the 80-year-old Cuban brand of the same name, a blend of pure Vuelta Abajo tobaccos developed by Marquez Rafael Gonzalez.

Predictably, the Honduran line is sold to the American market as “a classic Cuban reborn.” While the Habano has a reputation as one of the mildest sticks around, “this Honduran-made edition is more medium-bodied in flavor, yet retains the smoothness, excellent balance, and inviting aroma for which Rafael Gonzalez is known.”

Sounds good enough, especially at the price. I paid about $3.25 apiece for the two Toros (6.125 x 50) I smoked for this review.

Unfortunately, one of those cigars got off to a terrible start as the top portion of the delicate Connecticut Shade wrapper separated from the Connecticut Broadleaf binder when I cut the head. (I used the same reliable cutter, mind you, that I use for all of my reviews.) I was able to correct the problem with some trusty saliva.

Aside from this defect, I have to say these cigars are quite attractive for value smokes. The wrappers are smooth and a bit oily, and while the seams may not be perfect, a cross-section of the firm stick reveals some masterful rolling.

I was pleased to find a heavy aroma of roasted almond off the three-country filler blend, even before lighting. From there the flavor begins very mild with a nutty cream taste and just a little spice in the finish. An uneven burn requires several touch-ups, and the cigar never transforms into the medium-bodied smoke it’s advertised as.

Judging it on its own merits, though, I’m still not too impressed, especially when you consider some of the really outstanding mild cigars that are available on the cheap (the Don Kiki White Label and the Ybor City Handmades come to mind). That’s why I can give the Rafael Gonzalez Toro only two out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If cigars won awards for beautiful wrappers, this Romeo y Julieta would be a big-time contender. The light brown, thin Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade tobacco is definitely ready for its close-up.

Unfortunately, the rest of this five inch by 52 ring gauge cigar isn’t on the same plane. Not that there is anything particularly wrong with it; it just isn’t particularly exciting or memorable.

The draw was fine, and the smoke was thick and white. The finish was almost non-existent. I did experience some burn trouble in the first third, but it righted itself without being touched up.

The line utilizes a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, creating some complexity as flavors shifted throughout the length of the stick. The cigar exhibited what I think of as a fairly typical Connecticut spice and some cedar.

Altadis describes the Reserva Real as “a rich and aromatic smoke that will arouse the desires of even the most demanding cigar connoisseur.” I don’t feel I’m all that demanding, and I managed quite easily to keep my desires in check.

Again, this is by no means a bad cigar. At about $5 a stick, though, I think there are many more enjoyable sticks available.

Our rating system describes a cigar achieving three out of five stogies as “pretty respectable.” That’s where I rank this one: three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back in December, I wrote that “when it comes to premium cigars from the forbidden island, Hoyo de Monterrey generally takes a backseat to more familiar brands like Cohiba and Montecristo.” I certainly think that’s true, but Vegas Robaina is even easier to overlook than Hoyo (Habanos S.A. lists it as “multilocal” as opposed to a “global”).

Perhaps that’s because the brand is relatively new. While most Habanos have been around for many decades, Vegas Robaina was introduced in 1997 – first to Spain, then to the world that fall. The brand is named for Don Alejandro Robaina, a Cuban tobacco farmer who became famous in the Vuelta Abajo region for his ability to grow exemplary wrapper leaves.

The 4.88 inch by 50 ring gauge Famoso vitola retails for around $7 per stick in the U.S. Not surprisingly, the light, leathery wrapper is uniquely smooth and almost vein-free. The seams, however, are less than perfect – a characteristic that suggests greater care went into the cultivation of the leaf than the rolling of the tobacco.

Even so, the presentation is undoubtedly above average, and the subtle, pleasant sweetness the wrapper immediately adds to the lips makes the cigar all the more enticing.

What I found after toasting the foot surprised me: a dry and spicy kick with an aroma more agreeable than the taste. Earthy seasonings of clove and ginger join in quickly to add depth, and a faint mushroom flavor comes and goes.

Still, the salty spice is overwhelmingly predominant, and the cigar seems to get drier as it progresses. Some citrus notes would have balanced the flavor profile and cancelled out a bit of the saltiness.

I smoked two Famosos for this review and I found burns that were either straight or self-correcting, draws that were neither too easy nor too difficult, and ashes that became unstable after one inch.

While this is one of the more affordable Habanos, the bottom line is I think you’re better off spending a little more for a better smoke. This cigar is fairly pleasing with decent construction, but it’s a little boring and way too salty on the palate. That’s why I’m giving the Vegas Robaina Famoso three out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I discovered a couple of these in my humidor last week when I was pondering which cigar to review next. I knew I picked them up at the Big Smoke in Las Vegas, but I had virtually no knowledge of brand or the series.

When internet searches only turned up information about the Natural or Maduro lines, and when I found La Caya’s website to be less than informative, I wrote to the company and received a prompt and polite reply.

I learned that the building blocks of the Cameroon series include an African Cameroon wrapper; a creamy 1999 Dominican olor binder from the San Victor region; and filler tobaccos composed of Dominican-grown Cuban seed criollo and piloto cubano (2005 and 2006 crops) and 2006 Nicaraguan viso from Estelí.

The five inch by 54 ring gauge robusto is a beautiful stick with highly detailed gold and yellow double bands. The handsome cedar sleeve slides off easily to reveal a seamless, fallow-tinted wrapper with a few large veins.

Like most Cameroon-wrapped sticks, this one starts with a harmonious spicy sweetness. The smoke is voluminous and flavorful with notes of tea, clove, and pine. All of this barely changed as I burned from foot to head, but – with such a savory taste – that’s hardly a criticism.

I am also happy to report that the burn is outstandingly straight, the sandy ash hangs tight for over two inches (I only tapped the ashtray twice), and the draw is easy.

I wanted to resist the temptation, but this cigar begs a comparison to what is commonly considered to be the seminal Cameroon: the H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon. While the flavor profiles aren’t quite the same, I think La Caya can stand up to H. Upmann any day. It doesn’t quite have the spice, but it’s smoother, earthier, and better constructed.

So, if you’re into Cameroons, you definitely need to give La Caya a try; if you’re not, this cigar serves as a great reminder of how fantastic Cameroons can be. At $5.50 for a single, I am heartily recommending the La Caya Cameroon Robusto with a rating of four and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Before I lit this heavy Nicaraguan puro, I passed the wrapper beneath my nose. I swear it smelled like a chocolate after-dinner mint, something I can’t recall ever encountering in other Padróns or elsewhere. It was a pleasant aroma and set the stage for a pleasant smoke.

This Padrón line gets little attention. Heck, the company’s own website doesn’t even seem to list the 6000 torpedo – which I think is one of the best cigars you can buy – much less the newer 7000.

I happened to pick up some 5000s a few months ago when an area shop had a going-out-of-business sale. I think they were 40 percent off the $6 price, and I got the eight or ten that were left. They’ve been in my humidor for several months.

One thing that tends to set Padrón maduros apart from other maduros is that they aren’t very dark. Sometimes, in fact, it can be difficult to tell them from their natural-wrapped brothers.

This five and ½ inch by 56 ring gauge stick is no exception. But it has the typical maduro sweetness and warm coffee flavors, as well as some wood and leather – the hallmarks of Padrón cigars.

Padróns also invariably produce thick, white smoke and burn precisely. About the only negative I found was a dryness that developed in the final third.

If your Padrón smoking experiences haven’t included this line, you should change that. Soon. I’m giving the Padrón 5000 Maduro four out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Since its announced release at the RTDA Annual Convention and Trade Show last July, the new America line from CAO has made quite an impression on the online cigar community. At this point, virtually everyone has reviewed the five inch by 56 ring gauge Potomac vitola.

The Stogie Review and Cigar Jack both enjoyed the stick, but agreed that the flavor isn’t as full as the hype. The Velvet Cigar was also impressed, Leafy Times wrote it is “the best CAO ever,” and Cigar Command predicted that “this will be a hit for CAO.”

The Monument is a torpedo-shaped 6 and ¼ inches with a 54 ring gauge. With dual Connecticut Broadleaf maduro and Connecticut Shade wrappers, it retails in the $7 to $8.50 range.

The first thing that strikes us about CAO’s only barber pole is its flashy appearance, which is on the verge of uber-patriotic. The star-spangled double bands seem to trumpet our national anthem.

The foot lights easily and kicks off with a burst of heavy roasted nuts and leather flavors. The taste eases into complexity with notes of burnt toffee, and black pepper and saffron spices tingle the tongue.

With a Brazilian binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua, Italy, the Dominican Republic, and – you guessed it – America, this is a well-constructed cigar. The burn is either straight or self-correcting, the draw is fairly clear, and the ash holds firm for up to two inches.

When it’s all said and done, this is an excellent, well-balanced smoke with a noble taste and a unique look. It may not be the full-bodied powerhouse it’s advertised to be, but the Monument boasts a delicious smoothness that’s easy to get used to.

So, not unlike our many colleagues in the online cigar community, we’re endorsing CAO America with a rating of four and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A & Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With limited production, high prices, and very few retailers, Graycliff is among the most elusive of the super premium cigar brands. So when company founder Enrico Garzaroli uncovered a lost supply of sticks from the original release of his Profesionale line in an aging pilon, he knew he had some magic on his hands.

Dubbed “Vintage 1999,” these cigars are a four-country blend of tobacco from Indonesia, Brazil, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. They usually retail for over $15 apiece, but outstanding deals can be found online if you keep your eyes open.

Not unlike the Château Grand Cru, the five and ¼ inch by 50 ring gauge PG has a striking appearance. With a metallic sheen of blue and gold, the band easily catches the eye, and its style conjures memories of Merlyn the Magician from The Sword in the Stone. The oily, rustic wrapper is appealingly similar to an Alonso Menendez.

Bountiful pre-light aromas of fruit and coffee turn up as soon as the cellophane is removed. The nice cap cuts neatly and the foot lights easily.

Despite hearty pre-light fragrances and the deep, dark color of the wrapper, the flavor profile is surprisingly light, airy, and a bit papery. Pleasant, especially with an added caramel sweetness on the lips. After a few inches the taste takes on a unique dryness as notes of hay and oats warm up, and cedar and spice build towards the finish line. The burn is straight, but the ash is weak.

It’s worth mentioning here that this Graycliff can grow bitter if you pull too quickly through its moderate draw. Be sure to take your time if you intend to properly enjoy the mild tufts of smoke.

This is no doubt a fine mild cigar with a complex taste, but we’re not convinced it’s worth the extremely high cost. Since the Château Grand Cru series better justifies the excessive Graycliff price tag, we’re giving the Profesionale Vintage 1999 PG three and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A & George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys