The Stogie Guys

Cigar makers and brand owners must feel a constant pressure to continuously work on the next big thing. From what I can tell, retailers and consumers alike are always asking about what’s new. And it must be quite challenging to keep a steady stream of traffic flowing at your annual convention booth if you don’t have something fresh and exciting to show off.

That’s why, as my colleague put it recently, “the seemingly irresistible urge to introduce new blends, new line extensions, new brands, new tobaccos, new curing methods, and on and on reaches its annual pinnacle at the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show.”

Yet there’s something to be said about the slow and steady approach: not wearing yourself too thin, and only coming out with something new when you’ve got a product worth introducing. So far, that’s the strategy Omar de Frias has employed for Fratello Cigars, the venture he began in 2013. The original Fratello line was a project over two years in the making. It would be another two years until a second Fratello cigar would come to market.

Called Bianco, the four-vitola line features a San Andrés Negro wrapper, Dominican binder, and filler tobaccos from Pennsylvania, Nicaragua, and Peru. “We wanted a richer, darker, and a fuller body smoke that would be smooth, complex, and characteristic of our full flavor cigars,” said de Frias in a May press release. Bianco cigars sell in the $8-9 range and are packaged in 20-count boxes.

I smoked three in the “Event Exclusive” size, which measures 5 inches long with a ring gauge of 44. As is sometimes the case with San Andrés, the cigar looks a little rough around the edges with noticeable seams, a slightly sloppy cap, and a toothy texture. The pre-light notes, however, are an inviting, potent combination of cocoa and espresso, the cold draw is smooth, and the surface has ample oils.

Once lit, I find a medium-bodied profile of black coffee, pepper, dark chocolate, and oak. The texture is leathery. As the cigar progresses, the complexity deepens with the additions of creamy nut, damp earth, and a dried fruit sweetness. The smoke production is commendable and the resting smoke has a fragrant, sweet bouquet. The final third is slightly more intense with espresso taking center stage.

The physical properties perform beautifully from light to nub, including a straight burn line, solid white ash, and good draw that has just the right amount of resistance.

Like the original Fratello, it’s hard to not like Bianco. I’ll take that a step further and say Bianco has its predecessor slightly beat in terms of complexity, flavor, and texture. (I doubt this will be a popular opinion; it’s fashionable to put down San Andrés-wrapped smokes, but I think San Andrés really makes this blend shine.) Try Bianco yourself and you’re bound to be impressed. I rate the Event Exclusive size four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The new Route 66 cigar line sports a retro band, an all-American name, and filler that includes the trendy Mexican San Andrés tobacco.

If you haven’t seen Route 66 yet, that’s not surprising. Acme Cigar Co.’s Jay Lundy said they have just recently begun to roll out nationally from their Texas base after what he called an “absolutely great” reception at this summer’s cigar industry convention in New Orleans.

But you’re likely to have come across Acme even sooner if you’re even mildly active on social media. The company is very active on various platforms, along with AKA Cigars, its sibling.

Route 66, rolled in Estelí, has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Jalapa Criollo binder, and filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, in addition to the San Andrés tobacco. It comes in four sizes, including a massive (8.5 x 52) cigar with both ends closed that Acme says can be split and smoked as two Rothschilds.

The Hot Rod, which I smoked for this review, is a Robusto (5 x 50, $5.90). The cigars were supplied by Acme.

It’s a pleasant cigar with excellent construction, good burn, and a fine draw. I didn’t notice the dirt flavor I often associate with San Andrés wrappers, but the cigars did have a somewhat raw finish and an occasional back-of-the-throat scratch.

Flavors included pepper, burned coffee, and a little hay, all of which were nicely blended. I’d call it a medium-strength smoke.

The name Acme has a special place in American pop culture. Cartoon fans recognize it as the source of nearly every hair-brained gadget Wile E. Coyote used to try to catch the Road Runner. Before that, though, Acme gained widespread use when phone books came out because Acme would land your firm at the top of the list. Still today, you can type “Acme” followed by just about any business you like—pharmacy, auto, sporting goods, sponges, plumbing, etc.—into Google, and you’ll find numerous examples. Earlier cigar-related Acme trademarks had apparently expired and that enabled Lundy to grab it.

As part of its push to get cigars into more hands, Acme is sponsoring a Stogie Guys contest with five-cigar sampler packs as prizes. To enter, all you have to do is follow Lundy on Instagram at @akajaylundy and post a comment here to say that you’ve done so. (You’re a StogieGuys.com reader, so we trust you; no proof necessary.) We’ll pick the winners at random in a week or so.

As for the Route 66 Hot Rod, I’d suggest you give it a try, especially if you’re looking for a modestly priced addition to a regular rotation. I give it three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Last spring, Pinar del Rio announced it would launch a cigar to celebrate 10 years since the opening of its factory in Tamboril, Dominican Republic. “The Flores y Rodriguez Reserva Limitada is a creation to commemorate a decade of passion, commitment, and artistry,” reads a press release from May 2014. “Abe Flores and the Rodriguez Brothers came together 10 years ago to create the Pinar del Rio cigar brand and began a journey that has led to the PDR Cigar factory now creating some of the most acclaimed cigars on the market.”

Today, the 10th Anniversary isn’t difficult to find. And when you do come across a tobacconist that carries it, you won’t have trouble locating the brand on the shelf. The band’s raised borders and graphics of white really pop off the dark green background. At least to my eye, this is one of those bands that stands out and cuts through the clutter.

Beneath the band is a toothy, thinly veined, medium-brown Habano Ecuador wrapper that sports a fair amount of oils. It surrounds an Olor binder from the Dominican Republic and seven-year-old Piloto filler tobacco “complemented by the finest tobacco from Nicaragua’s Jalapa Valley.” Three vitolas are available: Robusto (5 x 52, $9), Grand Toro (6 x 54, $10), and Wide Churchill (5.1 x 58, $11).

I smoked three Wide Churchills for this review. One of the samples—the one pictured, in fact—had a tiny green discoloration (sometimes referred to as “frog’s eyes”) that’s harmless and, in my opinion, detracts nothing from the experience. The other two cigars were devoid of any green patches. All three had potent pre-light notes of green raisin.

After setting an even light, the Wide Churchill yields an initial profile that’s dry, medium-bodied, and reminiscent of natural tobacco with white pepper, bread, and a little cayenne spice. Given the cigar’s pre-light aroma, I was expecting dried fruit to play at least a background role in the flavor, but that isn’t really the case. Instead, as the cigar progresses, sugar and cream help add balance as black pepper slowly grows in intensity. The texture remains bready.

At the halfway mark and beyond, the body moves into the medium-full to full range, yet I’m not noticing any nicotine kick. The flavors remain consistent, except for the welcome addition of cashew. Construction-wise, the Wide Churchill performs admirably with an even burn line, solid ash, easy draw, and good smoke production.

Pinar del Rio makes some excellent cigars that are priced very affordably. While the Flores y Rodriguez 10th Anniversary Reserva Limitada is on the pricier side, you get what you pay for. With loads of flavor and nice balance, this cigar rates an impressive four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back in July, StogieGuys.com broke the news that Drew Estate would be releasing Undercrown Shade, a new line based on the original Undercrown blend—but this time with an Ecuadorian-grown, Connecticut-seed wrapper instead of a Mexican San Andrés leaf. I reviewed the Gran Toro here. As I mentioned in my review, Undercrown Shade marked the first release blended by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera not to fall under the Herrera Estelí brand family.

I’m not sure if the Undercrown Shade line would have come to fruition, or if Herrera would have been named master blender, had it not been for the success of Herrera Estelí. Introduced a few years ago, Herrera Estelí was Herrera’s first cigar since leaving El Titan de Bronze in Miami’s Little Havana and joining Drew Estate in Nicaragua.

When it came out in 2013, Herrera Estelí provided some much-needed diversification for Drew Estate’s non-infused premium cigar business, which had previously focused on dark, full-bodied smokes. Herrera brings a more traditional—some would say “Cubanesque”—sensibility to blending, whereas Drew Estate had been firmly full-throttle Nicaraguan.

Herrera Estelí employs a golden Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around a Honduran binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. It has a gorgeous triple-cap, a moderately firm feel, and pre-light notes of hay and molasses. The cold draw is clear.

On the palate, the Toro Especial (6.25 x 54, about $9) offers a mild- to medium-bodied taste that’s creamy with hints of spice and sweetness. Think syrup, creamy nut, dry wood, and white pepper, all packaged in a toasty texture. The balance and lack of intensity make the vitola easy to come back to again and again, as long as you have the time for a big toro.

I smoked three Toro Especial cigars in the past few days for this review. The physical properties were top-notch on each, including a straight burn line, solid white ash, and a smooth draw that yields bountiful tufts of thick smoke. Basically, it’s exactly what you’d expect from Drew Estate.

Keep your eyes peeled for Undercrown Shade, but certainly don’t forget how excellent Herrera Estelí can be, especially if you’re looking for subtle complexity and more traditional flavors. The Toro Especial is a good value and a wonderful experience. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While a top-notch, limited edition cigar rolled at a major factory with a price tag under $10 isn’t a black swan, it might qualify as a gray one. These days, the $20+ My Father LE and Davidoff’s $30+ Year of the Sheep may seem more the norm.

And with only 30,000 of each of the three Las Calaveras vitolas released, this year’s edition may no longer be easy to find, but it is one smoke worth the hunt. I praised its sibling, LC52, in a Quick Smoke earlier this summer. Picking up a five-pack of the LC46 gave me the opportunity to smoke, and enjoy, more.

This cigar, rolled for Crowned Heads at the My Father Cigars factory, is 5.625 inches long with a ring gauge of 46. The wrapper is an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro, and the binder and filler are Nicaraguan.

They combine for a complex smoke that began with roasted nuts, dry cocoa, and a little back-of-the-throat spice. By the start of the second third, that spice had mellowed, and I picked up notes of cinnamon, cedar, and leather. Pepper joined in during the final third. Throughout, the flavors were even, smooth, and well-matched.

Construction and burn were excellent, the ash held tight, and the smoke was rich and ample. I did find the draw a bit tight, especially when I used a V-cut. I’d highly recommend opening up the head by using a guillotine cutter instead of the V or a punch.

The first incarnation of Las Calaveras debuted to high praise last year, and Crowned Heads plans to make it an annual release with a different blend each time. In addition, for 2015, Crowned Heads introduced some different sizes. Bands clearly note the year of issue and display some different colors, making it easy to distinguish between 2014 and 2015.

By now, though, noting the difference is likely to be more of a test at home than on the shelves. The Las Calaveras, whose name comes from an image related to Mexico’s Day of the Dead holiday, has been a sales success both years.

I can’t wait to see what 2016 brings. For 2015, I rate the Las Calaveras LC46 four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

You could be forgiven for not being familiar with Royal Agio Cigars. But while the Netherlands-based company may not be a major player in the U.S. market (at least not yet), Agio has a huge presence internationally and has recently achieved the milestone of over 800 million cigars sold in a single year. That’s a lot of cigars.

Agio, which was founded in 1904 by Jacques Wintermans, has recently partnered with Drew Estate to bring its cigars to the American market. The Agio portfolio includes the Balmoral Añejo 18, which had a successful launch in 2014, limited by the rarity of the 18-year-old Arapiraca wrapper.

This year, Agio introduced Añejo XO, which is made in the Dominican Republic using well-aged tobaccos. The wrapper is Brazilian sun-grown, the binder Dominican, and the filler is a three-country blend from Brazil, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. The new blend was on display at Drew Estate’s elaborate booth at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans this summer. It is expected to be made available at a couple-hundred tobacconists nationwide.

Añejo XO is offered in three vitolas: Rothschild Masivo ($9.90), Mk52 ($10.95), and Petit Robusto FT ($8.50). The Rothschild Masivo measures 5 inches long with a generous ring gauge of 55. Kudos to Agio for including the name of the vitola on the foot band, though I don’t think there’s any way to confuse the three sizes; the Mk52 is a torpedo, and the “FT” in the Petit Robusto’s name refers to its “flag tail.”

The Rothschild Masivo is an oily specimen with a few prominent veins, a reddish hue, and a nicely applied triple-cap. The foot shows a cross-section of tightly packed tobaccos and exudes pre-light notes of damp wood and leather. The cold draw is stiff with the wrapper imparting a slight sweetness on the lips.

Right from the outset, the Añejo XO boasts a big, bold flavor of earth, raisin, black pepper spice, and rich espresso. The background note reminds me of black cherry. Full-bodied and strong, each puff coats the palate with thick smoke, and the aftertaste is formidable with a considerable concentration of spice on the tip of the tongue. There are few changes in flavor from light to nub.

Construction leaves a little to be desired given the burn line—which requires a few touch-ups along the way to stay even—and the moderately tight draw. But the ash holds firm off the foot and the smoke production is solid.

The Rothschild Masivo is a heavy-handed, blunt-force instrument with plenty of power and an interesting interplay between spice, earthy richness, and fruity sweetness. I’d recommend giving it a try on a full stomach after a large meal with a complementary beverage, preferably a sweet sipping rum. In my book, it earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

One cigar I constantly find myself in search of is an inexpensive, small cigar that isn’t small on flavor. It’s a tall order since the small size limits the number of filler leaves and the ratios between them that can be used.

Another challenge small cigars face is that consumers don’t want to pay full price for what they perceive as half a smoke. That poses a challenge since although less filler tobacco is needed, the labor required is nearly identical to a larger cigar.

One savings cigar makers can get when making a smaller cigar like this, is that the wrapper can come from a second cut of each half leaf. Normally, a wrapper leaf (which is by far the most expensive tobacco in the cigar) is de-veined, which splits it in two parts, then each half is used as wrapper for one cigar. However, if the leaf is large enough, there may be enough left after the wrapper is trimmed to roll a second smaller cigar.

Whether that’s what L’Atelier Imports is doing or not, I can’t be certain, but it seems likely that’s taking place in the four small cigars L’Atelier introduced in 2014. Each—L’Atelier, El Suelo, Trocedero, and Surrogates—comes in a 4.5-inch, by 38-ring gauge size, which is then sold in soft 5-packs that retail for $15 each.

The Surrogates version is called Cracker Crumbs, and is a pint-sized version of the large Animal Cracker blend. It features a dark Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

Once lit, I find oak and bready flavors with a hint of leather. There are also slightly tanic notes that, at times, create a slight sourness, though that largely fades toward the final third.

Construction is notably excellent, especially the ash, which holds for nearly an inch before gently being tapped off. It’s not supremely complex, but there’s enough there to make for an enjoyable 20-30 minutes. (It should be noted that if you smoke slowly this will last far longer, and the flavors benefit when you do.)

That makes the Cracker Crumbs perfect for a variety of times when you don’t have time for a larger smoke, like a short walk or drive, or maybe a lunch break. In terms of value and construction, there’s a lot to like about the Surrogates Cracker Crumbs, and even though the size does limit its complexity, it still earns a solid three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys