The Stogie Guys

One of the fun things about experimenting with different cigars is being pleasantly surprised. I would never have thought a garishly-dressed, cheap maduro in an aluminum tube would be a decent smoke.

In fact, I had previously avoided Helix stogies because I thought – incorrectly – that its wild colors signaled a flavored cigar.

If you’ve never seen the Helix, you should check it out. To give you an idea of the extreme nature of the color scheme, I finally gave up trying to photograph the cigar and tube because I couldn’t come close to reproducing the tints and hues.

I picked one up the other day after hearing (or reading – I can’t recall which) that it was simply a regular, mild smoke. The low price of $2.69 for a six and ½ inch by 44 ring gauge vitola called “Cylinder” was all the added inducement I needed.

Out of the tube, the cigar felt nicely rolled with a good prelight draw. The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper was lighter than many maduros and splotchy, as if it might have gotten wet somewhere along the line.

My first taste impression was a nice, mild tobacco taste with a touch of pepper. Smoke production was good, but not extraordinary. The cigar also produced an unusual amount of smoke from the foot. Although the overall burn was fast, the Helix never turned hot or bitter.

The mix of filler tobaccos General Cigar Co. lists for the Helix maduro – Dominican, Brazilian, and Mexican, with a Honduran binder – might lead you to expect more taste than it delivers. But there’s little development or variation from beginning to end. Just a nice, mild, unobtrusive cigar.

If you’re looking for a stick to smoke as an adjunct to another activity like golf or yard work, you should check out the Helix. You certainly won’t lose much if you buy one and don’t like it.

But if it does suit you, discount online box prices are about as low as many bundle smokes, and you’re getting General’s quality, not seconds or apprentice-rolled sticks.

You might, though, want to toss the tubes and remove the bands. Oh, those colors…

I give the Helix Maduro Cylinder a pretty respectable three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Tags: cigars

Several years ago, José Seijas – the Dominican cigar legend responsible for Montecristo, H. Upmann, and Romeo y Julieta – set out to personally select and stockpile the highest grade wrapper, binder, and filler tobaccos for his new signature stogie: the Montecristo Classic.

Even though these babies are just hitting retailers as we write, we’ve been lucky enough to smoke about eight or nine Robustos apiece to date. And let us tell you they’re terrific.

These five inches by 52 ring gauge cigars come draped in a flawless, caramel-brown Connecticut Shade wrapper. Appearance-wise, the only trait that distinguishes the Classic line from other Montecristos is a gold emblem on the band.

Once lit, the “special blend” of Dominican binders and fillers intermingle to create a mild and cool taste that closely resembles that of a marshmallow – very unique, and very enjoyable. The cigar’s soft, spongy feel ensures an easy draw and abundant smoke with each puff.

Into the second half, the flavor smoothly transitions to a hotter spice, and notes of chocolate and graham come into play. Since the sweet marshmallow taste is retained throughout the duration of the smoke, the new flavor could now be accurately compared to a S’more. Once again, this is different than anything else we’ve tried.

Our only complaint? We noticed some inconsistency in burn from stick to stick, but nothing too egregious. What’s more, any unevenness was easy to correct.

On the whole, this is one of the finest cigars we’ve had the pleasure to review. With an MSRP of $8.50 apiece, they’re certainly not cheap, but easily worth the price if you’re lucky enough to find them. In a quick survey of local DC-area stores only two of six cigar shops we called carried the Classic line (and those two had a limited selection), and our check of the major online retailers came up completely empty.

For complex, unique, and transforming flavors that stay balanced on the palate, we give the Montecristo Classic Robusto four and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A and Patrick S

This past Saturday, we posted a Quick Smoke of the Romeo y Julieta Reserve Maduro Robusto. George E found the cigar’s diverse tobacco blend created “a smooth, complex stick with a satisfying finish,” and he recommended picking one up.

While I don’t disagree with George, my numerous experiences with this particular cigar keep uncovering one, very prominent flavor: salt. As a result – every time I smoke one of these – a dry, spicy kick leaves me yearning for a cool drink.

Now I’m not saying George is wrong for not pointing this out; as I told him via a friendly email exchange earlier this week, it’s entirely possible for two people to have different experiences with the same cigar. That fact, after all, is one of the reasons we instituted our unique ratings system.

But I think Stogie Guys should be aware of the possibility of encountering a salty cigar that’s not exactly balanced on the flavor profile when they light one of these up. At the very least, make sure you’re within arm’s reach of a beverage.

All things considered, however, I found this five inches by 50 ring gauge Robusto to be a very enjoyable smoke. For starters, its blackened Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper has a nice oily sheen, and I think it’s the kind of stogie that really looks nice through a glass-top humidor.

Once lit, the wrapper combines with Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian filler to create tasty nut and coffee flavors. Like many Maduros, this is an earthy smoke; unlike many Maduros, it’s light-bodied with a short finish. So, if you’re looking for a powerhouse, this isn’t your cigar.

My experience with Romeo y Julietas had me expecting a well-constructed cigar, and I was not disappointed. The burn remains even, the gorgeous white ash holds firm, and the foot manages to stay lit – even when left unattended for periods of five minutes or more.

I should mention, however, that this is a tightly-packed cigar, and the draw can be a bit difficult.

At about $5.50 apiece, this cigar is a good value. Despite a salty disposition and a firm draw, the Romeo y Julieta Reserve Maduro Robusto has a lot to offer. I give it three and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

The Montecristo Peruvian Especial No. 2 Maduro had been in my humidor for about six months. It looked nice, dark, and rugged. Part of the wrapper, a Connecticut broadleaf, was nearly black and gave the stick a partial barber pole appearance. The cap was perfect.

In fact, about the only real problem with this Peruvian was the taste. And even that was nice for about the first inch or so. Woody, sweet, nutty, smooth. A spicy finish, and a pleasing smoke.

And then, well, then there was basically nothing. Nada. Zip. Just smoke. No taste. No aftertaste. No mid-taste. Not so special. I kept smoking mostly out of curiosity: Would it continue this way to the end?

My question was answered with about an inch to go. Nothingness gave way to unpleasant bitterness. Of course, that might simply have been the buildup of tar.

I don’t recall what I paid for the stick, a box-pressed five inches by 40 ring gauge with a cheesy cardboard cover. Whatever it was, it was too much. This cigar was too bland to lump in with some of the truly awful sticks I’ve smoked – Professor Sila, anyone?

Instead, I put this cigar in the category of “Why bother smoking it when you can just as easily sit and breathe.” And that category earns the Montecristo Peruvian Especial No. 2 Maduro the unimpressive rating of just one out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Tags: cigars

It’s a good thing this Gurkha Class Regent Torpedo sports one of the manufacturer’s typically distinctive bands. Otherwise it might be mistaken for a block of chocolate candy. The dark Habana 2000 wrapper looks nearly good enough to eat.

But this box-pressed beauty is better for smoking.

This particular stick was a gift from Stogie Guy Patrick S, who said he got it from CBid. He generously passed it along when we met last month in Ybor City.

My experiences with Gurkha have been fairly limited, so I had no real preconceptions when I clipped and lit this one. Before even beginning to concentrate on the taste, I was bowled over by the smoke: incredibly thick, rich, and creamy. Few cigars can match the level of smoke produced by the Regent. It really did hang in the air as if you could slice it with a knife.

After blowing a few smoke rings, I began to concentrate on the taste. There was an initial sharpness that smoothed out about a third of the way down, replaced for a short period by a sweetness and then a nuttiness. As the gray ash grew, the tobacco taste began to meld with a warm, earthy tone. In the final third, hints of caramel came and went.

According to Gurkha, the cigar has a Habana 2000 Indonesian binder and Dominican filler. They call it medium to heavy; to me, it was closer to medium on the scale.

The draw was fine, and the heavy smoke continued throughout. A roomful of politicians puffing these Gurkhas could set a new standard for smoke-filled rooms.

The only problem I encountered involved the burn, including a little canoeing about halfway down. But I was able to correct that fairly easily with a touch up light.

All in all, this is a very satisfying cigar and one I plan to smoke again. It also got me interested in exploring more of the Gurkha line. I give this stick four out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Without getting into too much history here, there are many cigar brand names that transcend their “country of origin.” Due to an uneasy legal environment and the U.S. trade embargo against Castro’s communist regime, you can find Cuban and non-Cuban versions of, among others, Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, Hoyo de Monterrey, and – most notably – Cohiba.

In that spirit, U.S.-based General Cigar Co. introduced a premium stogie called “Cohiba” to the American market in the 1990s, despite a precarious feud with Fidel’s state-owned tobacco company, Cubatabaco, over trademark rights.

A few days ago I sat down with a five inches by 49 ring gauge Cohiba Robusto. This handsome cigar, which retails in the expensive $8 to $13 range, sports a Mexican binder, a Dominican filler, and a flawless Cameroon wrapper (like I said, there’s nothing Cuban about it).

One of the most noticeable characteristics of the stick is its tight, firm feel. After clipping the head with my double guillotine cutter, I was barely able to make out the pockets of space between the cramped tobacco leaves.

After the cigar was carefully lit, the first thing I noticed – aside from the perfect burn – were mild notes of creamy coffee and light honey. A shiny mascara indicated the tobacco leaves were fully matured when cultivated.

The flavor remained subtle and airy throughout the hour and ½ smoke, living up to its light- to medium-bodied billing. As such, this is the sort of stogie I would recommend pairing not with hard liquor, but with beer or wine (I chose pinot noir).

Fortunately, the perfect burn I noticed after lighting remained fabulously even right down to the very end. And while the ash held nicely off the foot for up to an inch and ½, the draw was a bit difficult, surely due to the cigar’s tight packing.

Overall, this is a fine cigar – especially if you’re looking for something light – but it doesn’t live up to the expectations it sets in price. So while I wouldn’t rush out to your local B&M to stock up on these, I also think they can be a nice change of pace every now and again.

I give the Cohiba (Dominican) Robusto three and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

La Aurora is the oldest cigar manufacturer in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1903, the company makes cigarettes, beer (such as Presidente), and, naturally, handmade cigars.

But the 1495 Series isn’t just a Dominican; La Aurora combined tobacco from four different countries to create this classic-sized five inch by 50 ring gauge robusto.

The medium brown Sun Grown Ecuadorian wrapper has a lovely sheen and hardly any veins. Pre-light, the tobacco revealed earthy notes with hints of chocolate.

After lighting the stick with some wooden matches, the cigar initially gave off some bitter flavors, but this disappeared after only four or five puffs. After the bitterness faded, notes of earth and nut came in clearly, making for a balanced, medium-bodied smoke. At about the halfway point, some subtle spice added to the complex flavor profile.

The draw was easy and the stogie provided abundant aromatic smoke. Another sign of the excellent construction was a perfectly even burn and a gray ash that held for a full inch and a half.

Cigars like the Aurora 1495 show the skill that goes into proper blending. With five different types of tobaccos representing Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic (which is the source for the binder as well as one of the filler tobaccos), it is no surprise that the cigar is complex, but what is most impressive is the balance that this complex blend maintains.

Overall, with its combination of a flavorful, balanced taste and nearly flawless construction, the La Aurora 1495 Robusto earns the notable rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S