The Stogie Guys

Back in September I reviewed a Butera from the Royal Vintage line. Overall, it was fairly pleasing, but the flavor was too subtle and the physical properties were too burdensome to merit my full approval.

My experience with the Vintage Select line – a six inch by 52 ring gauge Toro – would be much more pleasurable.

At first glance, it reminded me of the excellent, but unattractive, Alonso Menendez and Dona Flor brands by Brazil Cigars & Tobacco. Not surprising given that, like those two treasures, this stick sports a dark and coarse Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper. Those leaves are notoriously unappealing (especially to the average aesthetically obsessed American smoker), but also sweet, rich, and full-flavored.

And that’s just what I got after I lit up: an irresistible mixture of deep chocolate notes. That pleasing and rustic cocoa taste was maintained well into the second half of the smoke, where it was joined by a spicy pepper flavor. Otherwise, the taste remained consistent.

On the palate, it’s worth noting that the Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Jamaican filler tobaccos hit the salt, bitter, and sweet locales of the tongue fairly evenly, rendering this a noble smoke.

On top of these excellent flavors, this cigar also scores far better on construction than its Royal Vintage cousin. It has no tendency to go out at will, and it sustains an even burn, a sturdy ash, and a clear draw for well over an hour. Just what a smoker needs to concentrate on the first-rate flavors.

In all, this stogie sports characteristics than a $10-15 cigar would be proud of. I picked up mine for just under $8 – and I won’t hesitate to pick up more soon. For reaffirming my confidence in Butera, I give the Butera Vintage Select Toro four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

Henry Clay was one of America’s original statesmen. Clay served in Congress as a representative and senator for Kentucky. He also served as secretary of state under John Quincy Adams, and ran for president five times between 1824 and 1848. Best of all, he happens to have a cigar named after him.

This Dominican-made robusto features Dominican binder and filler tobaccos surrounded by a very rough Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. The cigar is a little spongy to the touch and the sun grown wrapper was chewy in my mouth – typical of many broadleafs.

The Henry Clay Rothchilde is a classic five inch by 50 ring gauge robusto size. Prelight there is a noticeable toffee flavor.

Once lit, I found a highly aromatic cigar with flavorful smoke that reminded me of a strong cup of English breakfast tea. The cigar had a medium, balanced flavor with some subtle peppery spice, particularly as it progressed past the midway point.

The Henry Clay Rothchilde burned evenly throughout and had a lovely white ash, but it suffered from a severely firm draw. This difficulty caused the cigar to repeatedly go out prematurely.

Overall, it’s not hard to see why these cigars have a reportedly strong following despite relatively little promotion, especially compared to other Altadis cigars. And at only about three dollars per stick (less if purchased by the box), it is a sophisticated smoke for the price.

With abundant flavor, but formidable construction issues, the Henry Clay Rothchilde earns a respectable rating of three and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m not a huge fan of cigars with Connecticut Shade wrappers. I usually find them to have heavy chemical and nicotine flavors.

For instance, in spite of a whopping 91 rating from Cigar Insider, I gave the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut a substandard two out of five stogies, and said that “the stick tasted more like it was engineered in a beaker than grown from soil.”

On the other hand, I’ve also made no secret of my soft spot for Rocky Patel stogies. They usually live up to the much-deserved hype, and the Vintage 1992 is one of my all-time favorites.

So I wondered how I would like a cigar with a Connecticut Shade wrapper that’s manufactured by Rocky. I picked up a Rocky Patel Connecticut Robusto for about $4 to find out.

This is a light and smooth ochre-colored stogie with Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos. At five inches with a 50 ring gauge, it sports the classic Robusto size.

Upon lighting, my Connecticut Shade fears were immediately realized. An unpleasant chemical aftertaste overshadowed the creamy grass and hay flavors during the first few puffs.

Fortunately, that unsavory finish faded into the middle of the cigar, and that’s really when this smoke was most enjoyable. The aftertaste came back to haunt me after I smoked past the band (which, on this cigar, I wouldn’t recommend).

Like most Rockys, the physical properties of the Connecticut are admirable. An even burn and a clear draw produced a firm, gray ash.

From what I’ve heard, many people like this stogie as an early morning smoke. With mild flavors and good construction, it’s easy to see why. If you like Connecticut Shade cigars, this is probably right up your alley.

But I’m still not convinced. Call me crazy, but I want to enjoy – not dread – the aftertaste of my smokes. All things considered, I can’t give the Rocky Patel Connecticut Robusto a rating any better than three out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

Tags: cigars

If there was ever a cigar that I was ready to love, it is the Lot 23 by Perdomo. From its lovely wrapper and exquisite ‘30s style sketch on the band to the idea of a cigar lovingly crafted from tobaccos grown on a single farm, Perdomo created a romantic appeal that is hard to resist.

Including details such as the name of the farm supervisor and when the tobacco was fermented and aged, Perdomo seems to have taken a leaf from the playbook of vintners and purveyors of single-origin coffee. Just holding the stick brought on images of the many people involved in making a fine stogie, from the fields to the factories.

The pre-light aroma was soft and pleasant. The six inch toro I bought for $4.50 at a local shop clipped and lit perfectly. The draw on the 50 ring gauge was smooth. Construction, from cap to foot, would match cigars costing four or five times as much.

The problem came with the flavor. At first, I noticed a pleasing spice on my lips, but that quickly dissipated. What followed was an odd combination of pepper and dryness for about the first third of the cigar. After that, the taste leveled off to such a mild level I found myself drawing deeply to try to find flavors of any kind. But the dryness didn’t fade, so I drank glass after glass of water.

Perdomo touts the cigar as medium to full, with the Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper adding “an elegant creaminess which complements the robust Nicaraguan fillers.” I would have to disagree on nearly all counts.

I am looking forward to the introduction of the Lot 23 maduro. Perhaps it will better suit my palate. I hope so. It really is a beautiful stick, but the lack of flavor means the Perdomo Lot 23 Toro only earns three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Tags: cigars

Some time ago I was looking over all the cigars we have reviewed and I noticed that we hadn’t reviewed a Trinidad yet. So, being the dedicated Stogie Guy I am, I took it upon myself to smoke a few Trinidad Robustos. (Oh, the burdens we bear!)

This particular smoke is a classic five inch by 50 ring gauge vitola. The milk chocolate Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, with only a few prominent veins and a simple gold band, is a pleasant presentation that respectfully reminds the smoker of Trinidad’s Cuban roots. The Dominican-made Trinidads feature Connecticut Broadleaf binders and a filler made up of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobacco.

Once lit, the stogie provides medium- to full-bodied flavor with abundant woody notes. At first the taste is a bit simple, but after about an inch this cigar kicks it up a notch.

What starts out as a simple smoke soon turns into a complex, multi-dimensional medley of flavor. This Trinidad melds sweet cedar flavors with a bit of spice and leather in a well-balanced smoke.

The construction was excellent throughout with an easy draw and a firm white ash. The burn proved a touch uneven at times, but it usually self-corrected well before it became a distraction.

I’ll admit that I’ve always been a bit skeptical of Dominican Trinidads as a cigar that just stood on the laurels of its Cuban namesake. This cigar, however, proved to be excellent with ample depth.

This Trinidad (sometimes called “TTT Trinidad”) retails for $5-7 per cigar. With complexity and solid construction, the Dominican Trinidad Robusto earns a rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

This honey-hued beauty checks in as one of the best bargains I’ve encountered lately. A four and 1/2 inch stick with a 50 ring gauge at $3.50 that’s enjoyable and well made.

I believe Suave is a new line for Nat Sherman, introduced since its affiliation with Lew Rothman. Unlike some of its other new entries, these fit in with the typical mild nature of Nats.

Don’t mistake mild for flavorless, though. This Dominican with a Connecticut shade wrapper is tasty, complex, and excellently crafted. The burn was nearly razor sharp and the ash was tight. But it’s the developing flavor that makes the De Witt a winner. It begins with pepper and a dry finish. Soon, that was overtaken by light cedar tones and then a subtle sweetness with some toast. I was drinking coffee with the stogie and they made a great combination.

For those wondering about the name, the five cigars in this line are named for New York politicians. De Witt Clinton, an 19th century governor, was instrumental in construction of the Erie Canal. Others celebrate W. Averell Harriman, Roosevelt (Teddy and FDR, I suppose), Nelson Rockefeller, and Fiorello LaGuardia (strangely, this is not the smallest, though the height of the “Little Flower” was widely remarked upon.)

If you enjoy a morning Connecticut or simply like mild cigars with taste, I’d highly recommend this cigar. The Nat Sherman Suave De Witt earns four out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Tags: cigars

I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that Georgetown Tobacco had the Coronado by la Flor Domicana in stock. This notoriously rare smoke has been getting rave reviews – topped off by a number two ranking on Cigar Aficionado’s “Best Cigars of the Year” list for 2006.

And while I admit to being a bit skeptical about CA’s ratings, particularly when it comes to the difference between a 90 and a 93 (this double corona received a 93), I had heard enough about the cigar to know that La Flor Dominicana maker Litto Gomez came up with a hit with this blend.

So when I first saw them at the shop I picked up two, and after one I went back for a handful more before their stock sold out. I’ve tried the seven inch by 54 ring gauge double toro (and passed on the jaw-hurting seven inch by 60 corona gordas), but this review is of the seven inch by 50 double corona, which is my favorite of the vitolas.

The Nicaraguan wrapper of the Coronado was an oily sun grown leaf with a few veins and a lovely oily sheen. The cigar was adorned with a complex gold and purple band that looked like a crown.

After cutting, I found licorice flavors when I tasted the cigar before lighting it. Once lit I was greeted with toffee, warm tobacco, and very subtle paprika flavors. The cigar produced an abundant amount of dense, rich smoke and the draw was perfectly easy. All five I’ve had have burned evenly all the way to the band.

As the cigar progressed, I found a complex medium to full-bodied blend that featured coffee, earth, toffee, and a little leather.

The Coronado by La Flor took nearly two hours to smoke, but a word to the wise: Don’t rush this cigar! At seven inches long, it might be tempting to try to sneak three or four puffs a minute, but if you do so you will find that the complex flavors quickly turn a bit acidic. However, when I deliberately slowed to one puff per minute, the perfectly balanced medley of flavors was really able to shine.

Available at around $8 a cigar, the Coronado by La Flor is a tobacco treat that would stand out when pitted against stogies that cost twice as much. For its solid construction, reasonable price, and abundance of flavor, this cigar earns a rare five out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S