The Stogie Guys

Sometimes, due either to the passage of time or my own sorry excuse for a memory, it’s difficult to remember how a particular cigar came into my possession by the time I get around to lighting it up. This is no such case.

I distinctly remember my girlfriend gifting me a couple Zino Classic Premium Selections because she wanted to help “even things out” on our Archived Reviews Page with a review that begins with a “Z”. Thanks, Melissa.

My favorite vitola in the series is the No. 3, a skinny five and ¾ inch by 38 ring gauge stogie. A lower-end spin-off of the famed company, it sports a simple maroon band that is shaped and decorated in the traditional Davidoff way.

But no cigar enthusiast could mistake the two, even at first glance. Unlike the flawless Davidoff sticks, my Zinos had light brown wrappers that were littered small green splotches, veins, and some uneven bumps (all of which failed to show up on the photo for some reason). Besides, in a nod to my September Commentary, the manufacturer has the decency to write “Classic” across the side of the band and “Premium Selection” on a cellophane sticker.

These soft and spongy cigars are easy to light, even with just one or two wooden matches. After a few easy puffs, I could tell it was going to live up to its billing as an earthy smoke with a smooth, creamy quality.

The Honduran Jamastran and Dominican tobaccos mix to produce a buttery taste with soft notes of toast. Some spice is present, but the exact flavor is indecipherable until smoked through the nose: nutmeg.

It’s interesting to note that the nutmeg spice is much more pronounced in the Robusto-sized No. 6 vitola of the Classic Premium Selection line. If you’re looking for a creamy smoke with a kick, I’d recommend picking one of those up.

In keeping with its loose packing, the draw on this cigar is extremely easy. Maybe too easy. The burn is nice and even, but the gray ash has a knack for falling off at inopportune moments.

Overall, this is a pleasant, mild smoke with decent construction. Id be willing to pick up more if they sold in the $4 range, but these are unfortunately overpriced at around $6 apiece. Nothing to write home about, I give the Zino Classic Premium Selection No. 3 three out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

Once upon a time, Pete Johnson had the fantastic job of being the cigar buyer for the ultra-exclusive, invitation-only Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills. Now, Johnson (still employed by Grand Havana) is also the owner of the hottest new cigar brand in America – Tatuaje.

The Miami-made Tatuajes were created by Johnson with Don “Pepin” Garcia. If you haven’t seen the simple Tatuaje bands in your local cigar store, that’s probably because Tatuaje (Spanish for “tattoo” – as in the tattoos that cover Johnson’s arms) only produces a limited number of cigars each year in its small factory in Little Havana.

The Tatujae Reserva SW is a seven inch by 47 ring gauge Nicuraguan puro. The leathery wrapper has a few prominent veins and an expertly crafted Cuban-style triple cap. With its Churchill size and Cuban construction, this cigar’s oily appearance reminds me of a Partagas Lusitania I had the pleasure of enjoying in Spain a few years ago.

After carefully slicing the small top of the triple cap and lighting it up with just two matches, the cigar started out medium-bodied and woody. It isn’t nearly as flavor-packed as the Unicos or Regios from Tatuaje’s Cabinet line.

The woody flavor was consistent throughout, but after an inch or so it was joined by subtle amounts of cocoa and spice. Near the end it became more cedary as it flirted with a more robust profile.

Draw is firm, but it isn’t a detriment to the cigar. The ash was extraordinary – despite the cigar’s length, I only ashed three times before the even burn got to the band.

Overall this is very good cigar – well worth the 90 minute investment. Still, for a cigar blended by Don Pepin Garcia, I was surprised that it wasn’t more full flavored.

If you’re lucky enough to find a Tatuaje Reserva SW in a cigar store near you, you’ll likely pay upwards of $11 apiece. No bargain, but a fair price for nearly two hours of enjoyment.

Ultimately, for its excellent construction and complex, smooth blend, the Tatuaje Reserva SW receives a very solid rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

Is it possible for a Tabacalera Arturo Fuente product that has been around for over 27 years to completely slip under my radar? I didn’t think so – until I was introduced to Bauzá.

Upon closer inspection, I discovered my former ignorance of the brand was entirely plausible. Bauzá has a truly limited distribution that relegates it to a relatively small number of cigar shops and online retailers. Apparently there just isn’t enough worthy tobacco to satisfy the demand.

Maybe that’s one reason why publications like Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Insider have consistently rated the brand in the prestigious 87 to 92 range. But let’s see how it scores on the reputable Stogie Guys scale before we jump to any conclusions.

The handsome five and ½ inch by 55 ring gauge Pyramide comes in a light-colored Ecuadorian wrapper. One major vein dominates the leaf with a few bumps and uneven spots scattered about.

It may be worth noting that this is one of the few – if not the only – cigars out there that features an entire tobacco plant on the band. Thus, smoking this stogie is like eating chicken while staring at an egg.

Right out of the gate, the Dominican binder and filler relinquished a surprising spice. I guess I didn’t know what to expect because, depending on what source you read, this cigar has been billed as both “full-bodied” and “mellow.” Not too helpful.

After the first inch of the cigar turned into a gray ash, however, I could begin to understand the disparity in information. The initial spice fades into a softer taste of cedar and clove.

Then, just when I thought the stogie could accurately be called medium-bodied, the spice kicked back in at the midway point, and the clove flavor shifted to a zesty graham. To my surprise, this final taste profile remained constant well past the band, and the smoke was never too harsh.

On some counts, this cigar had good construction with an even burn, an effortless draw, and a solid ash. But beware of its fragile wrapper; the leaf has a tendency to tear when the cigar is cut or the band is removed.

In all, this is an impressive smoke – particularly for under $4. Enthusiasts who are fans of cigars with changing flavors will especially enjoy this good, honest stick.

I give the Bauzá Pyramide a solid three and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

In February I published a Quick Smoke on an excellent cigar from Cuban Crafters, a purveyor of boutique tobacco that’s made in small batches from Cuban seed. Since then, I’ve made no secret of my affinity for their Cameroon Robusto and Don Kiki stogies, and their national sales director even graciously agreed to participate in one of our Ask a Cigar Insider articles not too long ago.

With all this in mind, I thought it was about time to try one of Cuban Crafters’ finest creations: the Cabinet Selection Toro.

Up front, this cigar makes a good first impression. Its Ecuadorian Habano wrapper is dark and enticing, though not without its fair share of veins and splotches. A white metallic band serves as a bold contrast to the leaf. Box-pressed, the six inch by 52 ring gauge stick is topped off with a curly head cap – a salute to its Cuban heritage.

Right out of the cellophane, you can just tell this is going to be a powerhouse. As the foot is toasted, the sun-grown Habano seed filler and the Habano 2000 binder combine to produce a rich, aromatic smoke that sets the tone.

Not surprisingly, from the first puff these cigars exude full flavors of chocolate and leather. A fairly substantial spice kicks in shortly thereafter, and – in my opinion – thankfully never fades.

Like other noteworthy cigars, many of which cost up to three times as much, the Cabinet Selection balances these knockout flavors with a subtle sweetness. The taste is even on the palate and by no means harsh.

While the draw and ash are up to par, however, the only downside comes in the physical properties department. The burn requires some surveillance to stay even, and the stogie has a tendency to extinguish itself when left unattended for five minutes or more.

Overall, though, I am very impressed – a judgment that’s based on not one, but five, of these Toros. At under $4 a pop, they pack an outstanding flavor profile into a memorable, slow-burning smoke.

Not to be overlooked, I’m giving the Cuban Crafters Cabinet Selection Toro four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

La Flor Dominicana has created a string of hits with its full flavored cigars – from the Litto Gomez and the Coronado by La Flor to the Double Liegro. However, instead of exploring another of the brand’s many full-bodied blends, I turn my attention to one of its milder cigars.

The La Flor Dominicana Tubo No. 100 features a lovely, medium brown Ecuadorian wrapper with a few large light-colored veins. Beneath this lies a Dominican binder and filler.

Pre-light this six and 1/2 inch by 49 ring gauge cigar has a crisp, light vegetable flavor that almost reminded me of celery.

After lighting the La Flor 100 I found the similar flavors with just a touch of peppery spice that completely disappeared after only a few puffs. Then I was left with a balanced and grassy, but relatively unflavored, mild smoke.

On the plus side, the burn was razor sharp with a thin line of shiny black sheen. Firm draw. The only negative to the cigar’s otherwise excellent construction is that the band was put on with far too much glue and, even after it was removed, two large splotches of glue stained the otherwise handsome wrapper.

A little after the halfway mark, a hint of spice returned that was accompanied by a little vanilla and some unpleasant bitterness. At $7-8 per stick, this is a pricey stogie – particularly for the uneventful flavor profile.

Ultimately, I was disappointed by this smoke. It didn’t live up to the La Flor Dominicana reputation, and it lacked the complexity I’ve enjoyed from so many of the brand’s cigars.

Despite nearly flawless construction and an attractive appearance, the La Flor Dominicana Tubo 100’s lack of flavor earn it only two and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

A few months ago, I wrote favorably about a Romeo y Julieta Reserve Maduro Robusto I enjoyed. Several readers, including Stogie Guy compatriot Patrick A, asked whether I’d noticed the salty taste that he commonly encountered with dark Romeos. I hadn’t, and vowed to smoke them again with that in mind.

Well, a few weeks ago I got a five-pack of the No. 4 — a five inch by 44 ring gauge vitola — on CBid for $15. And when I lit one up the other day I immediately grasped all the talk about saltiness. That wasn’t the only unpleasant taste, either. With a stick this thin, I was conscious of the danger of overheating it by smoking too quickly. But even with a slow approach, the first third or so was bitter with a charred aftertaste.

I was truly disappointed. Then, something unusual happened — unusual, at least, in my experience. The entire stogie changed for the better.

For the final two thirds of the Reserve Maduro, I was no longer smoking a bitter cigar, but a smooth, creamy stick with all the subtleties and complexities of its multi-country composition.

I got an occasional touch of sweetness from the Connecticut Broadleaf blackened Maduro wrapper. The Nicaraguan binder and the filler blend of tobaccos from Nicaragua, Peru, and the Dominican Republic burned perfectly and combined for a satisfying smoke.

My plan is to leave the remaining Romeos in my humidor for at least several months. I’ve got my fingers crossed that the good part will overtake the bad — and not vice versa.

This one was hard to rate, since it was like smoking two different sticks. Even though I enjoyed the final two-thirds, due to the poor beginning, I can’t give the Romeo y Julieta Maduro No. 4 more than three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Don Pepin Garcia makes cigars in the heart of Little Havana in Miami. And just in case you forget that while smoking the Don Pepin Garcia Blue, there’s a little American flag on the both sides of the band to remind you that this is a domestic-made cigar.

Above the little American flag is a Cuban flag to remind you of the deep Cuban heritage that goes into every cigar Jose “Pepin” Garcia makes. In Cuba, Garcia made some of the finest Cuban cigars and, now in the land of the free, he continues to produce excellent stogies such as the Tatuaje, EO 601, and the many Don Pepin Garcia lines.

The Don Pepin Garcia blue (which retails for around $8 per stick) is a Nicuraguan puro that features a corojo wrapper, a criollo binder, and a mix of criollo and corojo in the filler. The cinnamon brown corojo wrapper – wrapped into a Cuban-style triple cap – was silky to the touch despite appearing a bit veiny.

After cutting the head and toasting the foot, I took a puff to experience this very full-bodied cigar. In terms of taste, the cigar compares with the Joya de Nicuragua Antaño, but this cigar was anything but one-dimensional.

The 6 inch by 50 toro featured a cornucopia of flavor. Pepper, leather, clove, coffee, cedar, and earth were all apparent in the Generosos. Adding to the complex blend was a bitter-sweet chocolate finish.

The burn was a bit uneven, but the draw was easy and the light gray ash was sturdy. This cigar produced an abundant amount of aromatic smoke.

After the blockbuster start, I found myself thinking that if this cigar got any more full-flavored, then I might have to put it down (and I have a palate that thoroughly enjoys a potent smoke). Fortunately – as if predicting this reaction – instead of getting stronger or harsh, the Pepin Garcia Blue gained a sweet and creamy edge as it progressed. With this new smooth quality added to an already very complex array of flavors, I proceeded to smoke this cigar down to its nub.

Overall, the Don Pepin Garcia Blue Generosos is an impressive smoke, blending Nicuraguan tobacco into a rich, complex, Cuban-like flavor that earns it four and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S