The Stogie Guys

MBombay has made quite an impression with high-end cigars produced in small numbers at a factory in Costa Rica, interesting packaging, and the use of Peruvian tobacco.

The KẽSara line (yes, that’s how it’s spelled) bears all of those hallmarks and a few of its own distinguishing features. The cap sports a short pigtail on a deep cap, while the foot is unfinished. The Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper is folded over the Dominican and Peruvian filler. The binder is also Ecuadorian, with no specifics released.

Mel Shah, owner of an upscale cigar and wine lounge in Palm Springs, California, is the man behind the company, Bombay Tobak.

The Robusto Larga is a 4.5-inch stick with a 54-ring gauge and an MSPR of $14.50. It comes packaged in canisters rather than traditional boxes. And, as with other MBombay lines, the traditional cigar band is covered by a large over-band featuring colorful Indian designs.

The light brown wrapper appears somewhat dry, with few veins and a sweet pre-burn aroma. Draw, burn, and smoke production were excellent in the three I smoked, all of which were provided by MBombay.

There’s a bit of sharpness in the first inch or so, which evens out soon after. Peruvian tobacco is often said to have a touch of bitterness in addition to body, which might account for that initial bite. Overall, strength was in the medium range.

The KẽSara burns slowly and lasts longer than might be expected from such a short cigar. Along the way, I experienced a variety of flavors—many very subtle and sometimes fleeting—especially in the final third, when sweetness comes fully to the fore.

With production at rather low levels and the number of retailers carrying MBombay also fairly limited, these won’t be the easiest cigars to find. But they are worth seeking out, offering, as they do, a flavor profile that stands out.

I give the short, plump KẽSara Robusto Larga three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Today I continue to smoke my way through the suite of lanceros that are exclusive to Stogies World Class Cigars. Stogies is a Houston-based retailer, public lounge, and an online shop that has commissioned some of the industry’s best brands to produce its family of lanceros.

Called H-Town in honor of Houston, the lanceros are made for Stogies by esteemed brands like La Palina, Alec Bradley, Crowned Heads, Quesada, Room 101, and Fratello. If, like me, you tend to lament the trend towards large ring gauge vitolas, you’ve got to be a fan of what the folks at Stogies have been up to.

In September, Pete Johnson’s Tatuaje brand joined the H-Town brigade with a new lancero. The cigar is available online for $50 for a 5-pack or $190 for a box 20. Only 10,000 total cigars will be made.

The Tatuaje H-Town Lancero (7 x 40) recipe calls for an Ecuadorian Sumatra Rosado wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. It is made at the My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua. Dark and slightly reddish in appearance, it sports a triple-cap finished with a pigtail top and a lumpy, mottled exterior with toothy texture and a few large veins. The pre-light notes at the foot include a hearty dose of toffee and caramel.

Right out of the gate the profile is big and bold, yet nonabrasive, and the texture is leathery and concentrated. Cayenne spice, espresso, creamy nut, and nougat sweetness are predominant. Background notes of subtle mint and cocoa conjure slight similarities to The Hyde, which I recently called a “candy bar of a cigar.” While the H-Town isn’t nearly as candy-forward, I’ll speculate there might be some overlap in the tobaccos used for the two blends.

As the Lancero progresses, flavors of citrus, chocolate, oak, and burnt marshmallow add depth as they come and go. Along the way construction is superb. The burn line stays even throughout, the ash holds firm, the draw is always easy, and the smoke production is very high, especially for a lancero.

Pete Johnson and the folks at My Father Cigars put their best foot forward when they crafted this excellent smoke for Stogies World Class Cigars, and $10 is a very fair price. It’s a limited production lancero you won’t want to miss, and one that’s worthy of a four stogies out of five rating.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When anticipation runs high, the possibility of disappointment seems to run even higher. There’s no doubt that this year’s releases from two former Drew Estate notables were among the most anticipated events for cigar smokers.

I haven’t yet had Steve Saka’s Sobremasa so I can’t comment, but, for my taste, Nick Melillo’s El Güegüense more than lives up to expectations.

Melillo, whose work at Drew Estate ranged from factory oversight to blending during his decade-long tenure, started Foundation Cigar Co. after going out on his own. El Güegüense (which means “The Wise Man” and is pronounced “el-way-wen-say”) honors a satirical play of that name which is an integral part of Nicaragua’s history.

Fittingly, the sticks are Nicaraguan puros and are rolled in Estelí. There are 5 sizes, packaged in boxes of 25. The 50-ring gauge Robusto is longer than average, at 5.5 inches. The individual stick price runs about $10.

Melillo went out of his way to give customers information about the cigar’s components. On his website, he describes not only the tobaccos but also the areas where they were grown, the primings used, and, in a video, even talks about the farms where he procured the tobacco.

The oily wrapper, which has a mouth-watering prelight aroma, is a shade-grown Jalapa Corojo with a nearly perfect cap. Other areas of construction and performance—draw, combustion, smoke production—are first-rate.

As you would expect, El Güegüense displays quite a bit of pepper, especially in the opening. But it is far from overwhelming, and there are many other subtle flavors that come and go.

There is not a lot of nicotine kick, and I’d say strength runs in the high-medium to low-strong range.

Overall, El Güegüense is a highly satisfying cigar, and one that I’d recommend any smoker try. In fact, it has my first five stogies rating of 2015.

[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

In February 2014, it was announced Drew Estate would open its first Drew Estate Lounge at Corona Cigar Company’s location in Sand Lake, Florida. “In addition to the branded Drew Estate Lounge, Corona Cigar Company will be working with Drew Estate [to create] a series of unique, limited edition, lounge-exclusive offerings,” said a press release at the time.

This September, six exclusive cigar sizes were announced for the lounge. The sizes are all presented in a toro format (6 x 50), with half featuring a soft-press and half a box-press. The blends include Undercrown (box press), Liga Privada No. 9 (box press), Herrera Estelí (box press), Natural (soft press), Tabak Especial Dulce (soft press), and Tabak Especial Negra (soft press). You’ll note the three non-infused cigars are box-pressed, while the flavored cigars have a soft press.

“The introduction of the world’s first Drew Estate Lounge has been a rousing success at Corona Cigar,” said Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of the retailer. “These exciting new offerings from Drew Estate will add another dimension to the cigar smoking experience in Corona’s Drew Estate Lounge and [are] guaranteed to excite our customers.”

The Herrera Estelí Box Press boasts the same makeup as the Herrera Estelí blend that was introduced in 2013—a golden Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around a Honduran binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. (When Herrera Estelí hit the market, it provided some much-needed diversification for Drew Estate’s non-infused premium cigar business, which had previously focused on dark, full-bodied smokes; namesake Willy Herrera brought a more traditional—some would say “Cubanesque”—sensibility to blending, whereas Drew Estate had been firmly full-throttle Nicaraguan.)

The press on this lounge exclusive is notably sharp and square, rendering it strikingly dissimilar to its Herrera Estelí predecessor vitolas. Further differentiating it is a secondary band that reads “Corona Cigar Co. – Exclusivamente Drew Estate Lounge – Orlando, Florida.” The spongy cigar has familiar pre-light notes including molasses, sweet hay, and cinnamon butter. A punch cut is all that’s needed to reveal a very smooth cold draw.

Once lit, that ultra-easy draw translates to a light, airy smoke texture with toned-down flavors of oak, white pepper, syrup, cream, and almond. Herrera Estelí was never a heavy blend, but something about the square press makes it, in my opinion, lighter in body and a little drier in terms of mouthfeel. As the toro progresses, the intensity gradually steps up, though I don’t think the strength or body ever pass the medium point.

Throughout, the combustion qualities are superb. Expect a straight burn line that requires no touch-ups, above-average smoke production, and a white ash that holds well.

I personally slightly prefer the non-pressed Toro Especial (6.25 x 54) vitola in this blend (and I currently consider the Lonsdale Deluxe (6 x 44) to be the best in class). That said, the Drew Estate Herrera Estelí Box Press that’s exclusive to Corona Cigar Company’s lounge is still a treat, and certainly not a bad buy at $10. In my book, it earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Nat Sherman, long a storied New York name in tobacco, began reasserting itself nationally a few years ago when Michael Herklots was hired away from Davidoff’s Big Apple operation.

Soon, the Timeless series was introduced and that was the beginning of a new chapter in company history. It generated critical and commercial success and other new lines followed.

Then, last year, the company released another hit, a limited edition stick in honor of the company president’s birthday: the $19 Joel Sherman 75th Celebration.

So, when it was announced this year would be marked with another limited edition, anticipation was high for the Nat Sherman 85th Anniversary.

The 6.5-inch toro gordo has a 54 ring gauge and is rolled at the Quesada factory, which has produced other Nat Sherman cigars. The wrapper is Dominican, and the filler and binder are from Nicaragua. It’s limited to 25,000 sticks and also carries a $19 price tag.

Aesthetically, it’s a lovely cigar, with a rich, dark wrapper and classy double bands. Performance in those I’ve smoked (I bought a five-pack) has also been excellent. The draw is nearly perfect, with just the right resistance as thick, rich smoke pours from the cigar. The burn line is straight, the ash tight. Strength is about medium.

It’s in the taste that I found the 85th Anniversary to be somewhat of a letdown. It begins with a heavy, earthy taste and pretty much stays that way throughout. I found very little else along the way. There was very little development or complexity.

If the flavor profile is one that you enjoy, you’ll like this cigar. Otherwise, I think you’re likely to be a little disappointed, as was I. As such—and especially taking the hefty price tag into account—I rate the Nat Sherman 85th Anniversary just three stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Lancero fans have long lamented the trend towards large ring gauge cigars. If, like me, you tend to favor thinner vitolas over thick smokes, you’ve got to be a fan of what the folks at Stogies World Class Cigars have been up to.

Based in Houston, Stogies boasts a huge store, a public lounge, an online shop, and a series of exclusive lanceros called H-Town. Stogies has commissioned some of the industry’s best brands to produce its family of lanceros, including Crowned Heads, Quesada, Tatuaje, Room 101, Fratello, and La Palina.

In the case of the La Palina H-Town Lancero, the cigar is an entirely new blend. While the band is similar to the La Palina Black Label, the recipe is decidedly different. Filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua are wrapped in an Ecuadorian binder and an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Only 500 boxes of 10 will be made at the Pinar del Rio factory in the Dominican Republic.

In terms of appearance, a few things immediately strike me about the La Palina H-Town Lancero (7 x 38). For one, the cap is a work of art. In addition, the exterior is notably silky, oily, and smooth. Finally, the pre-light notes off the foot remind me of dried apricot, which is certainly unique and interesting.

Once clipped, the moderately spongy cigar yields a cold draw that’s easy, especially for a lancero. After setting an even light with a single wooden match, the initial profile is creamy, nutty, and bready with a significant kick of cayenne spice on the finish. Citrus, oak, and honey play background roles and help add to the cigar’s balanced, rounded, medium-bodied taste. At times the cigar is dry, sharp, and cedary, while other times it’s dominated by mouth-watering creaminess. The final third builds in intensity to a level I’d characterize as full-bodied.

There’s a lot of complexity. Thankfully, the combustion qualities won’t stand in your way of enjoying this lancero. The burn line is imperfect yet serviceable, the gray ash holds well off the foot, the smoke production is solid, and the draw remains clear throughout.

The La Palina H-Town Lancero retails for $8.95 per single, or $80.55 per box of 10. That’s a fair price point for a smoke with so much to offer in terms of intricacy, balance, performance, and taste. Fortunately, if you’re not in the Houston area, you can still give this a try by placing an order online. I highly doubt you’ll be disappointed. I’m awarding this excellent lancero four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In May 2014, Drew Estate announced Willy Herrera as its new “master blender.” The move did not place Herrera in charge of La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate; rather, he was charged with maintaining current blends, producing new ones, and reporting directly to Jonathan Drew. The news came just a few days after Nick Melillo left Drew Estate, where he served for 11 years with responsibilities ranging from purchasing and fermentation to quality control and shipment planning. And it also came after Steve Saka left the company.

At the time, Willy Herrera’s biggest contribution to Drew Estate was Herrera Estelí, a five-vitola line of Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped cigars with a Cuban-esque flavor profile (a sixth vitola, a Toro Tubo, was added later). The blend was well-received within the online cigar community, and also in mainstream publications. The Herrera Estelí Piramide Fino was named the eighth best cigar of 2013 by Cigar Aficionado.

In July 2014, Drew Estate announced Willy’s highly anticipated follow-up to Herrera Estelí: the Herrera Estelí Norteño. Norteño translates to “northerners,” which is what people in Nicaragua call those who live around Estelí. The blend features a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, a Honduran binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. There are six original vitolas, all box-pressed and all made at Drew Estate (despite preliminary reports listing Joya de Nicaragua as the factory of manufacture).

This September, retailers received a seventh Norteño vitola called Edicion Limitada Churchill (7 x 48). The flattened box-pressed smoke—almost rectangle-pressed, if you will—lends itself, I think, to a punch cut, which is all that’s needed to reveal an easy cold draw. The dark, slightly reddish, moderately oily cigar has potent pre-light notes of cocoa, sweet hay, and damp earth off the foot. The feel is consistently firm throughout.

Once lit, a chalky, medium-bodied flavor emerges with tastes of dark chocolate, black coffee, creamy nut, brown sugar, and a little cayenne spice. The finish and retrohale both exhibit a soft black pepper spice, though the overall level of spice is quite muted. Throughout the smoke, there’s an interesting interplay between what I’d call moist chocolate cake, oak, and coffee.

Construction is outstanding. The draw is very easy, the smoke production above average, the burn line straight, and the sandy, white ash holds well off the foot.

Maybe it’s my palate, maybe it’s the size, or maybe it’s some combination of the two, but the Edicion Limitada Churchill is more flavorful and less spicy than the pre-release sample I reviewed in June 2014. I’ve smoked a fair number of Norteños since, and I’m pretty confident this new size is my favorite—even with the $14 price tag. Make sure you try it before the limited run is up. This is a winner that’s worthy of an admirable rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys