The Stogie Guys

I found myself at Shelly’s Back Room again this Friday and – with great company and cause for celebration – I decided to finally break out a special treat from my humidor that I somehow managed to keep my hands off of since June.

The Padrón Serie 1926 No. 6 is a beautiful Nicaraguan puro with an individually-numbered double band. The dark maduro wrapper on this four and ¾ inches by 50 ring gauge cigar had a few prominent veins, but no real defects. Most remarkably, the box-pressed stogie is packed extremely tight and rock hard to the touch, yet the pre-light draw was easy and true.

After snipping the cap with my double guillotine cutter, I noticed an earthy aroma of rich roasted coffee. Once lit, those flavors were balanced by another taste that reminded me of moist chocolate cake and, towards the end of the smoke, the flavor profile intensified with some spicy notes that were neither too subtle nor too harsh. This is truly a complex cigar.

And why shouldn’t it be? The 1926 line – which hit retailers in 2002 – is a celebration of Jose O. Padrón’s birth year, a praiseworthy cigar that lives up to its founder’s reputation.

Aside from taste, this stogie also earns high marks for its physical characteristics. Despite a firmness that would rival a lead pipe, the draw was extremely easy and each puff produced a ton of smoke. The burn was fairly even, but admittedly required a few minor touch-ups with my torch. And the gray ash held strong off the foot.

At about $12 apiece retail, this is not an everyday cigar. But special occasions call for special stogies, and this terrific smoke certainly qualifies for any celebration. For a complex taste that renders it worth every penny, I give the Padrón Serie 1926 No. 6 a rare five out of five stogies.

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–Patrick A

The Montecristo Vintage 93 Club Cabinet line is hard to find. I haven’t come across any in recent trips to cigar shops, and in a quick spot check of major online retailers, JR Cigars seems to be the only game in town. There, the robusto-sized (5 inches by 50 ring gauge) No. 30 sells for $130 for a box of 25 – over five dollars per stick when purchased in bulk.

At first glance the 1996 Connecticut Valley wrapper was a bit veinier than one might expect from Montecristo, but overall this was a fine looking cigar. Held next to a traditional brown band Montecristo, the Vintage 93 wrapper was slightly darker with more of an oily shine.

Like many Montecristo smokes, this cigar felt very solid and dense in my hand. After clipping the cigar with a double guillotine, I used two wooden matches to give it a proper light (the first match toasted the edges and the second turned the foot glowing orange).

I immediately noticed that the stogie produced dense smoke. And while a deliberate puff was necessary, the draw was firm, but not at all a hindrance to enjoying the cigar.

Straight away, smooth nutty and creamy flavors came through in this medium bodied smoke. Initially there were also subtle hints of spice and black pepper.

Overall the cigar had good balance, and after the initial third of the cigar, the pepper flavors faded away as mocha notes became apparent.

This smooth complexity and balance, coupled with flawless construction throughout, earns the Montecristo Vintage 93 Club Cabinet No. 30 an impressive rating of four out of five stogies.

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–Patrick S

Last week, as I read Patrick A’s review of the Cusano 18, his description of “heavy chemical and nicotine flavors” brought back a rush of memories. Unpleasant memories of when I’d suffered through similar tastes in bad cigars. Fortunately, my mind soon wandered to some of the first cigars that made wonderful and lasting impressions.

So, later that day when I found myself in a local B&M with a little time on my hands, I picked up a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure. I clearly recall the first Excalibur I had and how impressed I was with the smoothness and taste. I haven’t smoked all of the many Excalibur variations since, but I’ve burned through quite a few. Every one has been good. This one was no exception.

The Epicure is 5.25 inches long with a 50 ring gauge. General lists the single MSRP at $5. (If you’re a bargain hunter, Epicures can be purchased on the Internet for under $65 for a box of 20 – to me an incredible price for a cigar of this caliber.)

The Epicure Natural has a beautiful light brown Connecticut shade wrapper that contrasted sharply with the dark blend of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican filler when I clipped the end.

As you might expect, spice was the initial sensation from the thick, creamy smoke. That taste faded as the white ash grew. A warm, smoky flavor developed about a quarter of the way through, and the finish got drier. Near the halfway point, I got hints of what seemed to be coffee and caramel, while the spice came and went several times.

I’m not trying to wax poetic, and I can’t pretend to remember exactly what the Excaliburs I smoked in the past tasted like. But I do know that I enjoyed this cigar every bit as much as I remember enjoying that first one.

The draw was excellent, and the cigar burned evenly and slowly. I removed the label and smoked past that point without getting the least bit of heat or bitterness.

I spent the last few minutes smoking outside, and when I finished I decided to dissect the stub for curiosity. The results were impressive. That wrapper is so thin it must take a master’s touch not to rip it, and the filler was folded with what looked like mathematical precision.

Taking into account all that this cigar has to offer – value, consistency, taste – I’d give it four out of five stogies.

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–George E

Disappointment comes in many forms. On Friday, for me, it came in the form of a Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto.

I had high expectations for this five inches by fifty ring gauge cigar. First of all, the filler is 18-year-old Dominican Oro. That tobacco found its way into the Cusano 18 line after attempts to produce a Dominican wrapper leaf longer than four inches failed.

Secondly, this stick boasts an impressive appearance. While the wrapper had a few noticeable veins, it was also very attractive with an oily, creamy brown shine.

And finally, Cigar Insider gave this stogie a whopping 91.

But my expectations were shattered when – after snipping the cap with my v-cutter, taking note of the easy draw, and noticing a pre-light aroma of vanilla – I began smoking. You see, along with a sweet and creamy caramel taste, this cigar produced heavy chemical and nicotine flavors.

I don’t know whether it was the aged filler, the Connecticut Shade wrapper and binder, or the combination of the three, but it was bad. The stick tasted more like it was engineered in a beaker than grown from soil.

While the flavor was pretty balanced and the sweet caramel notes were enjoyable, the menacing chemical aftertaste – which unhappily persisted for the duration of the smoke – could not be ignored.

To its credit, this cigar has excellent construction: even burn, easy draw, no wrapper tears, and no incidents with the band.

But even at around $3 apiece retail, I would recommend staying away from this one. For a searing aftertaste that reminded me of freshly fertilized grass, I give the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto a disappointing two out of five stogies.

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–Patrick A

When I decided to smoke this Camacho Coyolar Puro Torpedo, I wasn’t sure whether I should first reach for my torch or check to see if my will was up to date. After all that I’d heard and read about this Honduran, I had visions of my wife finding me slumped over in the chair, the top of my head blown away, and at least half of the large stick still dangling from my fingers, the foot oozing a thick, toxic smoke.

To me, this dark, oily cigar wasn’t anything like that. I found it to be a slow-burning, relatively smooth, full-flavored cigar that developed and dropped several tastes, beginning with a little pepper and ending with some light, sweet touches. Wood and leather tended to dominate, building and diminishing, mixing and mingling.

Much of my initial concern came about because I tend to associate “strong cigars” with raw nicotine and what I believe is under-cured tobacco. You’ve probably had the same unpleasant experience with a stick that had a taste like iodine and a searing kerosene aroma, both of which combined to create an aching head and upset stomach.

I should know better. That’s not strong; that’s bad. Nonetheless, it’s what comes to my mind when I hear labels such as “powerhouse” or “one stud of a cigar” (Camacho’s catalog description).

My Camacho Coyolar – a generous gift from Jerry at Stogie Review – suffered from a couple of wrapper tears, for which I think I deserve the blame. The Camacho is not encased in cellophane, and I believe it was damaged sitting in my humidor. The defects, however, caused no smoking problems. The draw was effortless, the burn was good, and – a small, but significant, joy – the band came off easily.

The Torpedo is listed at six inches by 54 ring gauge and has an MSRP of $5.95 for a single and $148.75 for a box of 25.

I don’t know whether a smoker needs experience to enjoy this cigar. As I said, some have described experiences that sound more like a chance encounter with Freddy Krueger than a relaxing smoke. I smoked the Coyolar after dinner with coffee, which may have made some difference. If you’re wary, you might want to try one of the smaller vitolas.

My rating for the Camacho Coyolar Puro Torpedo is three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

Hoyo is one of those sticks that I would smoke every now and again several years ago, but haven’t gotten around to delving into lately. And since its one of the few brands that’s not yet represented on our archived reviews page, I decided to pick up a Hoyo de Monterrey Governor EMS for old time’s sake.

This 6.12 inches by 50 ring gauge cigar had a caramel-colored Ecuador Sumatran wrapper with a few very prominent veins. In fact, one vein protruded dubiously for the length of the cigar more noticeably than any other I’ve seen in my smoking days. It therefore goes without saying that if you’re one of those smokers who obsesses over appearance, you might want to stay away from this one.

Pre-light the stogie smelled of sweet honey and molasses, and my double guillotine cutter yielded a loose draw. Owning up to its Honduran origins, however, the taste was much spicier when lit – producing a flavor that can best be likened to a honey graham cracker. As the smoke progressed, the tastes graduated from sweet to clove. The Connecticut Broadleaf binder and the blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran filler kept a good balance on the palate.

Even though my stick was properly stored for several months, I noticed a little tear in the wrapper near the cap, and some small bits of tobacco flaked away. But this fortunately did not effect the even burn. The black and gray ash held firm better than average throughout the one hour and fifteen minute smoke.

At about $5.30 apiece, I’d recommend picking one of these up – especially if you’re into cigars with changing flavors. For great taste and a few construction flaws, I give the Hoyo de Monterrey Governor EMS three and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

With a band as white as a banker’s freshly-starched shirt and a golden wrapper reminiscent of clover honey, the Montecristo White exudes a sense of clubroom elegance. The taste ain’t bad, either.

The first thing I noticed after lighting an Epicure No. 3 (five and ½ inches by 44 ring gauge) was the abundant smoke. It’s thick and full, the kind that creates a smoke ring with substance.

The last thing I noticed was what the Epicure did not have. No bitterness, even at the end. No nicotine bite, and none of what I think of as a medicinal aftertaste.

Now, I know a lot of smokers have a poor opinion of Montecristos. Perhaps that’s because of comparisons with their Cuban progenitor, with which they have little in common. Or maybe it’s the relatively high price and ubiquitous advertising that loudly toots its own horn. But I’m looking only at my own experience with the cigar.

I enjoyed it.

While I understand that Montecristo created the White a few years ago to add a stronger line extension, I would say it begins mildly and moves to medium.

I found variety and complexity throughout the hour or so I smoked the Epicure. A little spice and pepper were present at the start, particularly in the finish that lingered on the back of the throat. By the final third of the cigar those had nearly disappeared, replaced with a deeper taste and hints of coffee, as well as an occasional sweetness on the tongue.

The ash was tight. The burn was straight. The draw was excellent.

If you’re the sort of smoker who often peruses the humidor in search of a new experience, you probably don’t linger much over brands like Montecristo. You likely think you’ve already got a good idea what they’re like and feel that, for the money, you’ll take a chance on something else.

I would urge you to take another look at the White. If you’re planning to sit and read, watch a little football, or simply sip a cup of coffee and contemplate the day, you’ll have a nice, classy companion. I give the Montecristo White Epicure No. 3 three and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–George E