The Stogie Guys

Once upon a time, candelas were the favored cigars of American smokers. In fact, these green wrappers were so popular they became known as “American Market Selection” (as opposed to the darker “English Market Selection” that dominates today). Now you’re lucky if you can even find one candela cigar in your local store.

Still, there are a few companies that make candelas, including Arturo Fuente, Don Thomas, Indian Tabac, and Camacho. A small but dedicated group of candela smokers enjoy them. So when I got my hands on a few of Camacho’s robusto-sized Comacho Corojo Candela Monarcas, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

Obviously the first thing that stands out about the five inch by 50 ring gauge stogie is the moss green wrapper that seemed to have more veins than it actually did because of the color. The cigar was firm to the touch and pre-light it gave off some sweet honey notes.

After clipping and lighting my uniquely-colored Robusto, I noticed some bitter banana peel notes that overwhelmed the traditional tobacco flavors. Fortunately, as the cigar progressed, these unpleasant artificial flavors faded and gave way to grassy notes, leaving the cigar extremely mild. On the plus side, the construction on these sticks is flawless and the draw is just right.

Overall, while I don’t think the candela is going to be anything more than a rare change of pace due to its combination of mild strength and disagreeable chemical flavors, I still would recommend that all serious cigar smokers try at least one.

And with St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, what better time to give a green cigar a try? The Camacho Candela Monarca receives a rating of two and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

Tags: cigars

The Partagas Spanish Rosado is a beautiful cigar. The oily cinnamon-tinged color of the Honduran wrapper from the San Agustin Valley and the slightly floral notes from the unlit foot promise an enjoyable smoke. And they deliver.

I got the Rosado – a 5.5 inch by 52 ring gauge stick called the San Agustin – in a buy-two-get-one-free sampler package from Partagas. It also contained a Black Label Clasico and a Partagas Naturales. I don’t recall exactly what I paid, but I believe it was a mere $9 or $10.

I’ve enjoyed a number of Partagas Blacks, but this was my first Rosado. It most definitely will not be my last.

The filler is a mix of Dominican, Honduran, and Mexican tobaccos, while the binder is Connecticut Broadleaf. Mine was packed tightly with some heft. The prelight draw felt a little tight, but once the cigar was burning the draw was excellent. The smoke was rich and full.

At the first puff, there was sweetness, followed quickly by a spicy finish. Both came and went throughout the smoke, as did some citrus notes and an underlying warm tobacco taste. I believe it was the slowest burning cigar I’ve ever had. In fact, I would be inclined to try one of the smaller ring gauges to see if they moved a little quicker.

The burn was the only problem I had with the Agustin. Several times, in the last half, the wrapper burned unevenly, requiring a touch-up.

General lists the price for a single San Agustin at $5.55 (before taxes). On the Internet, you can find a box of 25 for less than $100. All in all, this is a top-quality cigar at a price lower than might be expected.

For impressive performance, I give this medium-bodied beauty a rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Do cigars always taste better after steak? As last night’s dinner proved, definitely. But I’ve had enough from the CAO Brazilia line to know these sticks are excellent after any meal.

And that excellence almost certainly has something to do with their unique composition. Who else, other than former CAO head honcho Cano Ozgener, would be creative enough to pair a dark Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos? (more…)

It’s no secret that 5 Vegas cigars (pronounced “cinco vegas”) was a thriving brand during the cigar boom, but lost momentum as sales fizzled and ultimately looked like another boom casualty. Fortunately, internet retailer Cigar International scooped in and turned it into one of its best sellers.

Now 5 Vegas makes some of my favorite value cigars. With a bit of age, the 5 Vegas Gold is a good mild cigar, the 5 Vegas ‘Red’ line is a solid medium- to full-bodied cigar, and the 5 Vegas ‘A’ line is comparable to the Partagas Black at a fraction of the cost. All of those are available for under or around two dollars a stick.

Compared to those three lines, the 5 Vegas Limitada 2006 is pricey, but still only $4-5 a cigar. Unlike the other 5 Vegas lines, the Limitadas (which are released annually) are available only in one shape – a 6.2 inch by 52 ring gauge torpedo.

This cigar, with its white band (looking suspiciously similar to the Montecristo White) featured an oily wrapper with a few prominent veins. Pre-light, the cigar gave off a very sweet aroma. Additionally, the belicoso was noticeably dense.

After a swift snip from my double guillotine, the cigar lit easily with my three dollar Wal-Mart lighter. The most prominent flavor was a muted mellow tobacco taste, but there was also a nice sweet spice to this medium-bodied stogie. As it developed, a slight marshmallow flavor became noticeable that reminded me of the Montecristo Classic.

I happened to pair this cigar with a hearty Bordeaux, and the combination went well. The construction was solid and the ash would hold for a full inch before falling off with a gentle tap.

While the 5 Vegas Limitada 2006 wouldn’t be out of place after dinner with a glass of port or brandy, it isn’t such a good cigar that it needs a special occasion. For a quality performance, though, the 5 Vegas Limitada 2006 earns a rating of three and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

Tags: cigars

When the Ashton Virgin Sun Grow (VSG) line was released in 1999, it was instantly hailed as a success. Cigar Insider even went so far as to say that “connoisseurs are seeking out the Ashton Virgin Sun Grown with a fervor not seen in the industry for years…”

This particular seven inch by 49 ring gauge “Sorcerer” puts the Ashton VSG’s rich flavors in a classic double corona size. The stogie has a rustic, deep brown wrapper and a slight box press. The press – which isn’t as extreme as a Maria Mancini or a Padrón 1926 (a cigar that the Ashton VSG is often compared to) – lets the cigar sit comfortably in your hand.

Prior to being lit, the cigar had rich roasted mocha notes with a fantastic aroma of vanilla flavors. The band’s classic white, black, and gold give it an almost royal appearance.

Fortunately, when lit, the flavors remained just as impressive. Almost immediately rich earth and mocha flavors were apparent. Over time that was complimented by deep roasted notes.

Overall, the Ashton VSG offers dark, luscious flavors without sacrificing its smooth balance, everything you would expect from a cigar developed for Ashton by Carlos Fuente.

The construction was also notable despite a tight draw. And while initially the burn was a bit temperamental, it quickly evened out until it was straight as a razor by the midway point.

Earlier in the review I mentioned that the Ashton VSG line was often compared to the Padron Anniversary line. I must say that the comparison has merit, as both cigars are known for pairing full flavor with smoothness in a way that is uncommon, even for the best handmade cigars in the $8 and up price range.

While the Ashton VSG Sorcerer doesn’t receive the ultra-rare five stogie rating that the Padrón 1926 does, it still earns a very impressive four and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

Tags: cigars

A few months ago I won a five-pack of Gurkha Ancient Warriors on Cigarbid. To be honest, I hadn’t really paid much attention to the picture, description, or dimensions of the stogies. I just figured they were Gurkha Ancient Warriors.

Then the package arrived. The sticks were so large I checked the return address to make sure they hadn’t been sent from Hillerich & Bradsby. The purple band was offset by a wrapper at the foot that ran more than three inches up the 7.5 inch cigar. Glancing at all the printing on it, I was surprised there wasn’t a second page.

After identifying K. Hansotia & Co. as the manufacturer and noting “A Century Of Tradition,” the label announced that this was a “Special Edition / Private Stock / Limited Vintage / Brazilian Blend / Ancient Warrior.” Try writing that on your next order form.

Well, I began to wonder just what these 50 ring gauge behemoths were. I looked up the Ancient Warrior on Gurkha’s site and there was no resemblance. Then I put in a call to the Beach Cigar Group in Miami that’s listed on Gurkha’s site as the contact. I didn’t know if that was the name of the actual manufacturer or the wholesaler or distributor or what, but I figured they could tell me about the cigar. And maybe they could. But after leaving a bazillion unreturned voice-mail messages, I gave up.

I sent an email to SteveR at CBid asking about the sticks. He replied almost at once. This Ancient Warrior, he wrote, is “very different from the one you will find on the Gurkha web site…made exclusively for us.”

He said the blend is Cuban-seed Brazilian tobacco with a Brazilian maduro wrapper. The “regular” Ancient Warrior has a Nicaraguan binder and Dominican and Honduran filler, according to Gurkha’s site.

OK, so then I knew what I had. Now I should move along or this review will end up almost as long as the cigar.

The prelight aroma was light and pleasant; touched by flame, it was even nicer. The smoke was silky and smooth. From start to finish, there were many tastes: a little pepper, some leather, hay, cedar, caramel, vanilla.

But, let’s face it, smoking a cigar that long can seem more like a job than a pleasure. When I clipped the head, I halfway expected it to reveal rings instead of tobacco.

On the other hand, of the four I’ve smoked, one was plugged beyond repair, but the other three burned fine. Remarkably fine, I’d say, for a stick that size. They didn’t get hot and the draw was OK throughout.

I paid $15 for the five-pack and, since it was one of two orders, the shipping made for a pretty low total.

Rating the cigar is difficult because of all the considerations. But I think you’d have trouble finding a better bargain if you like a cigar that looks like Bobby Abreu should take it to the on-deck circle.

As for me, I can’t see spending that much time smoking one cigar again, so I finally came down to a rating of three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Tags: cigars

Check this week’s Friday Sampler for a chance to win George’s final Gurkha “CBid” Warrior.

Time and again, whenever I have a special occasion to celebrate – like a birthday or a good friend coming to town – I break out something from Rocky’s Vintage 1992 line. Why? Because no matter how high my expectations get before the first light, I’m never disappointed.

The Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Torpedo is a six and ¼ inch by 52 ring gauge slice of heaven. An unblemished, well-textured, ten-year-old Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper engulfs a binder and filler that have been accumulating flavor and character for seven years.

A fresh slice off the head provides the lucky smoker-to-be with a cross-section of cigar rolling mastery. Despite tightly packed tobaccos, the draw is clear and true.

After toasting the foot, I noticed rich earthy notes of oak and almond. Oddly, despite the easy draw, each tasty puff produced relatively small tufts of smoke.

The stogie doesn’t show its true colors, however, until the second third of the smoke. Here, the aforementioned wood and nut flavors mature into notes of dark roasted coffee beans.

It’s at this point that I usually have to audibly remind myself to smoke slower; I find the flavors so enticing that only taking one or two puffs per minute is like asking a child to be patient and not bite into a Tootsie Pop.

As far as physical properties are concerned, my many experiences with these stogies have uncovered no noticeable flaws. If you can’t get an even burn, a firm ash, or an effortless draw, you’re doing something wrong (and you might want to consult our Tips).

Clocking in at about $8.75 apiece, this is obviously no cheap stick. But considering the Vintage 1992 line’s complexity, full-bodied flavors (that hands-down outmatch the Vintage 1990 line), and aging, it’s still a great bargain.

So, keeping in mind the guidelines for StogieGuys.com’s unique ratings system, I’m wholeheartedly giving the Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Torpedo five out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A