The Stogie Guys

Fans of Abe Flores and his highly acclaimed boutique cigar outfit, Pinar del Rio, were excited in January when it was announced that Flores would be introducing a new line.

That line, Small Batch Reserve, was due out some time ago, but it is only now hitting tobacconist shelves. And while you won’t find any information about the cigar on the PDR website, the online cigar community has been abuzz, and PDR’s Facebook page is starting to rack up wall posts about the line.

As it has been documented thus far, Small Batch Reserve employs the entubar bunching technique to combine corojo-seed viso, seco, and ligero tobaccos from Estelí and the Dominican Republic as the filler. The binder is a Dominican criollo ’98 leaf. Three sizes are available: Gran Toro (6 x 54), Robusto (5 x 52), and Torpedo (6.5 x 52). Each comes in two different wrapper varieties. The first is Maduro, which features a dark Brazilian ligero leaf. The second is Habano, which sports an oily, reddish Brazilian Habano leaf.

I sampled several Gran Toro Habanos for this review. Each came complete with a beautiful cap, a silky wrapper with a roadmap of thin veins, and a tight cross-section of tobaccos at the foot. The faint pre-light aroma smelled of milk chocolate and caramel, and the cold draw was easy with hardly any spice on the lips.

After setting an even light with a few wooden matches, flavors of sweet wood, coriander, and just a touch of leather emerge. I often find that leather, when present, can be the dominant taste, many times to a fault. But this profile relegates leather to a secondary, complimentary role, which contributes balance and allows the other flavors to shine.

As the slow-burning cigar enters the midway point, notes of chocolate and cream join in to add depth. All the while, the interplay between sweetness and spice and leather and cream makes for an enjoyable experience. Even though I would characterize the body as decidedly medium, the strength of the cigar—specifically the nicotine kick—is more intense, particularly as a few meaty notes come in the final third.

The Gran Toro Habano sells for $6 to $8, depending on if you buy a single cigar or a 24-count box (I hear the boxes are ribbon-tied and gorgeous). That’s a fair price, especially since the construction qualities are excellent. I think Pinar del Rio fans will be pleased with this new addition to the brand’s portfolio, and I look forward to trying the Maduro in the near future. For now, the Small Batch Reserve Habano Gran Toro is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Like my colleagues, I’m an unabashed fan of Paul Gamirian’s cigars. I can’t think of one I’ve smoked I didn’t find to be excellent, and I’d heartily agree with Patrick A’s five-stogie review of the Symphony 20th. That cigar would be on my desert island list.

But until recently I’d not only never smoked anything from the PG Artisan’s Passion line, I‘d never seen them. And even though Patrick S reviewed it in 2011, I wanted to sing its praises as well.

This three-cigar line stands out for quite a few reasons. Perhaps most noticeable is the price. The short robusto is $7.60 and each of the others rises by 60 cents. For a manufacturer who specializes in finely crafted, aged cigars blended from top-grade tobaccos, that’s a good price.

Another noticeable factor is a powerful, full-bodied smoke that’s composed of all Dominican tobaccos, still unusual this many years after the introduction of Opus X.

The 52-ring gauge cigar starts with pepper that recedes quickly, overtaken by a pleasant taste of grass and hay. It produces tons of smoke from the start and burns evenly from beginning to end.

At the halfway point of the six-inch stick, there’s a terrific mix of spice and sweetness that carries through for another inch or so. The blend is incredibly smooth and the finish is great.

If you’re lucky enough to find this cigar, light it up. I think you’ll agree that it earns four stogies out of five.

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

-George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A few weeks back I reviewed the new Viaje Skull and Bones FOAB (Father of All Bombs), and shortly after took a look at the 2012 MOAB (Mother of All Bombs). Today I review the third (and final) variation from the 2012 class of Viaje Skull and Bones: the “Red” Skull and Bones WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction).

The short, stout cigar is just 3.75 inches long with a ring gauge of 54. Only 7,500 cigars were made, coming in 300 boxes of 25 and selling for $9 each (around $225 per box). Fortunately, I picked up a five-pack just as they were released because they sold out days later.

The blend is 100% Nicaraguan tobacco with a criollo wrapper around unspecified Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The cigar is firm to the touch and the wrapper has a bit of sheen and a few veins.

Once lit, I found a full-bodied cigar with bready and warm tobacco favors. Surprisingly—for a “nuclear” cigar with a “be warned” notice—it was not spicy at all, and frankly not even overly full-bodied. In the second half of the short smoke, it revealed a slight sourness.

Ultimately, it tastes a little young, making me wonder if more time might bring out more subtleties in this blend. On the positive side, the hour-long smoke demonstrated excellent construction from start to finish with an even burn, solid ash, and perfect draw.

Making the obvious comparison to Viaje’s other Skull and Bones releases, it’s easy to conclude that this is my least favorite of this year’s batch. It’s not a bad cigar, but it is underwhelming, especially for the steep price considering the small size. It’s also, somewhat surprisingly (given the nuclear vs. non-nuclear designations), not as full-bodied as the MOAB or FOAB.

When I lit up my first 2012 WMD, I expected a nuclear bomb of flavor, but instead got a fairly nondescript, though full-bodied and full-flavored smoke. Maybe it’s a victim of its own hype, but the Viaje Skull and Bones WMD 2012 is a classic case of good but not great, earning it a rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

-Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This year’s industry trade show is still months away, but that doesn’t mean new cigars aren’t debuting in the interim. Case in point is Inferno, made by Oliva.

Inferno is available from Famous Smoke Shop, an online retailer based in Pennsylvania. “Inferno cigars are one of the newest additions to Oliva’s stable of fine Nicaraguan cigars,” reads the Famous website. “Despite its potency, the smoke is velvety smooth with a complexity that will delight you even more than the affordable price.”

The price certainly is attractive, with the Robusto (5 x 50) sold for $4.50 for a single or $72 for a box of 20. The other two sizes in the blend—Churchill (7 x 50) and Toro (6 x 50)—are similarly priced.

I sampled three Robustos for this review, each provided to me free of charge by Famous Smoke Shop. The Robusto is a handsome smoke with a dark, reddish Nicaraguan Habano wrapper. You won’t find any soft spots, or any difficulties with draw, but you will encounter some harmless lumps and a few dark splotches. A nice aroma of dark chocolate emanates off the foot. For what it’s worth, the fire-themed red and gold band makes no mention of Oliva.

Quickly showcasing its filler tobaccos of Nicaraguan ligero, the Inferno Robusto kicks off with a full-bodied blast of heavy-handed espresso and black pepper spice. After a few puffs, though, it settles into medium-bodied mode, pulling back the reins on the espresso and pepper. What’s left is a muted core of cocoa sweetness and coffee.

At the midway point and into the final third, I start to appreciate the resting smoke more as I grow a little less interested in the Robusto’s actual taste. I guess that’s bound to happen. A cigar like this isn’t oozing with complexity or displaying a harmonious balance that begs to be appreciated. Instead, it’s delivering an honest profile at a fair price.

I think most of us are expecting (or hoping) for exactly that when we buy a box of cigars and the per-cigar price is less than $4. Here you get a nice golf course stick with excellent construction that won’t blow you away, but also won’t disappoint. That’s what makes the Oliva Inferno Robusto worthy of three stogies out of five.

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

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

La Flor Dominicana is best known for ball-busting, full-bodied smokes like the Double Ligero, Airbender, and The Digger. Still, many of La Flor’s cigars don’t fit the big and bold type-casting, inlcluding the Premium line (La Flor’s first line) and the Cameroon Cabinet, the subject of this review.

The Cameroon Cabinet blend was introduced in 2007 and has slowly expanded since. Now it includes four regular production sizes (toro, torpedo, lonsdale, and robusto) plus two limited release sizes (lancero and chisel). Originally, the Cameroon Cabinet cigars were un-banded (as recently as last year) but now many, including the torpedo, use a bronze-colored variation of the classic “LFD” band.

The Cameroon Cabinet features a pale-ish brown Cameroon wrapper with only a few veins and a slight shine. It surrounds a Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

Once lit the Cameroon-wrapped torpedo reveals medium-bodied flavors in perfect balance. The cigar features an exquisite blend of cedar, light spice, cream, and coffee flavors.

The only fault with this cigar is in its construction. The draw is excellent and the ash holds firm, but the wrapper is very frail and each sample I smoked suffered many cracks that resulted in an uneven burns.

The fragile wrapper is, I suspect, a tradeoff for the flavors provided by the Cameroon wrapper. And while it’s a significant tradeoff, it’s well worth the payoff for the balanced, complex flavors the cigar produces.

Ultimately, while I think I slightly prefer the No. 1 size, this torpedo reminded me why I so enjoy La Flor’s Cameroon line. It’s balance and depth of flavor make it an excellent choice for a strong cup of coffee in the morning, or an after-dinner whiskey.

At $10 each ($480 for a box of 50) it’s a cigar that delivers. Despite the construction issues, the exquisite flavors of La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet Torpedo earn it four and a half stogies out of five.

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

-Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

These days lots of new blends are designated to be sold exclusively at brick and mortar tobacconists. But there are still many that can only be purchased online.

The Tatuaje NHC Selección Limitada falls into the latter category. It is only available at New Havana Cigars (hence the “NHC”), an online retailer based in Columbus, Ohio. Unlike most online retailers, NHC’s selection is limited to a handful of more boutique brands like Illusione, Viaje, E.P. Carrillo, and 7-20-4, including many rare limited releases. NHC even has its own brand—Surrogates—and some exclusive smokes like the My Uzi Weighs a Ton Bait Fish from Drew Estate and the Tatuaje NHC Selección Limitada.

“We are proud to feature this project for fans of NHC and Tatuaje,” reads the NHC website. “Produced by Pete Johnson and rolled at the My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, the NHC Selección Limitada is based on an original Tatuaje blend and available in both Natural and Reserva (broadleaf) wrappers.”

I sampled two Naturals for this review. Both measured 6.75 inches long with a ring gauge of 42. The cost per cigar is anywhere from $6 to $8, depending on how many you buy at once. That price range seems appropriate based on appearances alone. The smooth, slender Tatuaje NHC Selección Limitada Natural has a beautiful, clean, milk chocolate-colored wrapper, a handsome triple cap, and a slight box press. Sweet earthy notes are apparent off the wrapper and especially noticeable at the foot.

Once the Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos are lit, a taste of contrasts emerges. On the one hand is a searing black pepper spice that bites the tip of the tongue. On the other is a caramel sweetness that’s most apparent on the aftertaste and in the resting smoke. The interplay is both palpable and enjoyable.

I could go on listing the other flavors that are apparent in the cigar—including chocolate, cedar, espresso, etc.—but your experience with the Selección Limitada Natural will likely be remembered for three traits. The first is the aforementioned interaction between spicy and sweet. The second is how classic-tasting the cigar is. And the third is its similarity to Tatuaje’s Brown Label, which isn’t terribly surprising since this cigar is said to be the same blend just in a different size.

With excellent construction, this is another winner from Pete Johnson and the talented folks at My Father Cigars. Only 500 boxes were produced, so be sure to check out this cigar fairly soon. It’s well worth the money and worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

-Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a bit of an explosive theme in cigar names in recent years: Tatuaje Thermonuclear, 601 La Bomba, Don Pepin Garcia Firecracker, Viaje WMD, Viaje MOAB (Mother of all bombs)… you get the idea. Berger & Argenti’s Entubar V32 isn’t exactly of the same vein, but there’s something a little fuse-like about the entubar foot.

And the caution tape “advisory” tells you exactly how to light the fuse: “Thoroughly toast entire cigar foot before smoking.” Normally that’s obvious, but with the protruding entubaro scroll, the same as the original Berger & Argenti Entubar and Quad Maduro, it is actually good advice. I’d recommend a torch, as matches are quite a bit of work.

This Entubar cigar takes the V32 name because the center tube is thicker than the other lines (32 ring gauge to be specific). Essentially, it’s a small cigar of ligero in the middle of a larger cigar. The Nicaraguan puro features a Jalapa Valley wrapper around binder and filler tobaccos from the Estelí, Condega, Jalapa, and Jinotega regions.

The result is a full-bodied, balanced cigar with tons of chocolate and earth. The flavor is like a really good cup of hot chocolate (not that instant junk). With saltiness and wood notes that emerge towards the second half of the cigar, it is a very savory smoke.

Like all of Berger & Argenti’s collaborations that I’ve tried, construction is excellent. The cigar produces tons of smoke, draws easy, and burns evenly—a testament to the time-consuming entubaro bunching method. I smoked two of the “Rogue Rothschild” size (5.6 x 54), one of the four sizes available. Only 1,000 boxes of 20 of each size are being made (80,000 total). Between the limited run and time-consuming construction, the V32 is a pricey cigar, with prices ranging from $11 to $14 each.

Despite the high price, I found this to be a very impressive cigar. Savory, flavorful, and balanced, the V32 will appeal to almost all cigar smokers and is a must-try for maduro fans. Its flavors aren’t quite explosive, but they are well-rounded, deep, and complex. Personally, I liked it even more than the box-pressed Quad Maduro, which is no slouch of a cigar. That’s enough to earn the Berger & Argenti Entubar V32 Rogue Rothschild our highest rating of five stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five stogie-rated cigars can be found here.]

-Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys