The Stogie Guys

La Palina has made their cigars in a number of factories: 1896 and the Family Series at the Graycliff’s factory in the Bahamas; El Diario and the La Palina Maduro at Raices Cubanas; Classic at the PDR Factory in the Dominican Republic; and Goldie and Mr. Sam at El Titan de Bronze in Miami.

Mr. Sam—named after Bill Paley’s grandfather and broadcasting pioneer, as well as William Paley‘s father—was originally a limited edition release last year, but now it has expanded into a regular offering. Samuel Paley founded the original La Palina cigar line which, as it grew, began radio advertising. Eventually that advertising spurred the purchase of a chain of radio stations that in turn William Paley grew into CBS radio and television.

The Mr. Sam line now consists of the original Robusto (4.25 x 54, $12.50) size, plus a Corona (5.5 x 42, $11) and a Toro (6 x 50, $13.50). While it’s no longer a limited edition, the small size of the El Titan de Bronze factory will almost certainly limit the number available.

The blend pairs a reddish-brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. I smoked two samples provided by La Palina for this review and found the construction on each to be flawless with a firm but not tight draw, a sturdy ash, and a consistently straight burn.

The primary flavors are medium- to medium-full with oak and dry chocolate. Secondary flavors include coffee, clove, and subtle woody spice. It’s a well-rounded cigar with only a slight variation from start to finish.

La Palina has a lineup of solid cigars, but I can’t remember enjoying any as much as Mr. Sam. If you’re looking for an after-dinner pairing you should smoke this with a Sherried Single Malt like the a Macallan 12 or (if you want to kick the intensity up a notch) the cask-strength Aberlour A’Bunadh.

In short, it’s an impressive cigar full of flavor, but also balanced: the kind of cigar that will be enjoyed by all types of cigar smokers (though certainly the more experienced aficionados will appreciate it the most).  That makes it worthy of a rare 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

A few weeks ago, Drew Estate announced the naming of Willy Herrera as “master blender.” The move does not place Herrera in charge of La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate; rather, he will maintain current blends, produce new ones, and report directly to Jonathan Drew.

“This represents a major change for Drew Estate, marking the first occasion where someone of Cuban descent has held a top-level position at the company,” read a press release. 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.

To date, Willy Herrera’s biggest contribution to Drew Estate has been Herrera Estelí, a five-vitola line of Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped cigars with a Cuban-esque flavor profile. The blend has been 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.

Due out soon is Willy’s 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, which is in the north of the country. It will come in six box-pressed sizes and feature a Mexican San Andrés wrapper, a Honduran binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. Like the core line, Norteño will be manufactured at Drew Estate, despite earlier reports it will be made at Joya de Nicaragua.

When I was in Nicaragua earlier this year, Willy gave me a single Herrera Estelí Norteño sample (4.75 x 48). It’s a flattened box-pressed smoke—almost rectangle-pressed, if you will—with a dark, dry exterior and pungent pre-light notes of cocoa and earth. Given the unique format, I decided to use a punch cut, and that was enough to yield a smooth draw.

Herrera’s highly anticipated sophomore effort is a chalky, chocolaty smoke with espresso, cashew, and a lingering spice on the tip of the tongue. Red pepper and cocoa seem to fight for control of the palate. The texture is heavy and coarse, and the body straddles the border between medium and full.

On the single sample I smoked for this review, I needed to touch up the burn with my torch several times to keep the cigar burning straight. The other combustion qualities leave no room for criticism. The draw is very easy, the smoke production above average, and the sandy, white ash holds well off the foot.

Given the quality and popularity of Herrera Estelí, I expect large numbers of cigar fans to actively seek out Norteño and take this blend for a test drive. They won’t be disappointed, though they may be surprised by the lack of Cuban-eqsue-ness given Willy Herrera’s reputation. My take is Norteño is a unique line that fits nicely into the overall Drew Estate portfolio, and it showcases the range of Herrera’s talents. I’m awarding this pre-release sample a solid rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

These days, smokers are more likely to associate the Dunhill name with top-quality pipes (“The White Spot”), long-lamented pipe tobaccos (“Early Morning Pipe”), and high-priced cigarettes (Hunter Thompson’s go-to brand). Among cigars, the trademark name, sliced and diced nowadays to different corporations, is something of a second-place luxury finisher to Davidoff in the U.S. Think Omega vs. Rolex.

Still, a cigar brand with a storied history of more than 100 years and ties to Winston Churchill is one not to be ignored. This new line celebrates that history, named as it is for the year in which Alfred Dunhill opened his first tobacco shop in London.

A limited edition cigar was released seven years ago to mark the centenary. This line, Dunhill’s first since introducing Signed Range in 2001, is “a tribute to the legacy and greatness of this brand rather than the mark of a specific anniversary in time,” General Cigar’s Victoria McKee told me.

She also supplied the three Robustos (5 x 52) I smoked for this review. The cigar costs $8.50. There are three others in the line: Rothschild, Toro, and Churchill, with all four packaged in 18-count boxes.

The 1907 is a varied mix of tobaccos. It sports an oily Honduran Olancho wrapper (a higher priming of the same leaf used on the CAO OSA Sol), a Dominican Olor binder, and what General calls “a proprietary blend of Dominican Ligeros and Brazillian Mata Fina.”

The 1907 starts with a lovely pre-light aroma from the wrapper and the filler. When lit, the first impression comes from a nice blast of pepper that backs down after about a half-inch. At that point, it settles into a rich tobacco taste for a bit. Also fairly prominent in the first half is wood and leather, which I often associate with Honduran tobacco. I’d put the overall strength at about medium.

I encountered a little harshness near the halfway point, but that smoothed out fairly quickly, and some spices moved in and out.

Construction was excellent. The draw was just right on each sample and they burned straight from start to finish.

If you haven’t tried a Dunhill in a while, you might want to give the 1907 a try. I rate 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

It’s hard to believe Sam Leccia’s Leccia Tobacco outfit has only been around for about a year. I know many people who consider his Black and White blends to be regulars in their rotations, and the new Luchador series, a Mexican-wrapped smoke that debuted on Cinco de Mayo, is already making inroads (we’ll have a full review on Luchador shortly).

Before getting Leccia Tobacco off the ground, Leccia, formerly of Nub and Cain fame, couldn’t stay away from the industry any longer than he was legally obligated to. He originally tried to jump back in the business in 2011 with a Toraño-distributed brand called Debut, which prompted a lawsuit from Oliva and postponed his return until 2013.

With the conclusion of his non-compete agreement with the Oliva Cigar Co., his former employer, Leccia’s return was formally announced in April 2013, and last June he unveiled his new company at the IPCPR Trade Show. Its two inaugural blends—Black and White—are distributed by Toraño.

The Black is made in Nicaragua and features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan Rosado binder, and a filler blend of Dominican Ligero, Brazilian Mata Fina, and some fire-cured tobacco. White is made in the Dominican Republic with a Cameroon wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and a filler blend that includes Pennsylvanian tobacco.

The White 446—also known as “Little Guy”—is about $7 and measures 4 inches long with a ring gauge of 46. The small cigar is dry, toothy, and nearly vein-free with pre-light notes of sweet caramel and milk chocolate. The cap, which seems hastily applied, clips cleanly enough to reveal an easy draw.

In my experience, this smaller format of the White blend is the spiciest. Whereas the larger Double Toro, Toro, or even Robusto have more of a doughy texture, the 446 is drier and more cedar-forward with background notes of roasted nuts, cream, coffee, and white pepper. The finish has a sweetness (almost marshmallow) that’s characteristic of Cameroon tobacco.

Construction is excellent with voluminous smoke production, a straight burn, solid ash, and smooth draw. But, as I’ve written before, the White blend burns quickly, so it’s advised to take your time to savor the flavor and keep the smoke from getting hot or harsh.

Looking for a mild- to medium-bodied stick that’s perfect for walking the dog, pairing with a morning cup of coffee, or fitting in during a lunch break? The Leccia Tobacco White 446 fits the bill. For its harmonious combination of flavors and solid value, this Little Guy earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This is an oldie that remains a goodie.

I’ve long been an Oliva cigar smoker, but in the past couple of years that’s tended to focus on the Serie V, especially the Melanio extension. Frankly, I couldn’t remember the last time I lit up a Serie O. I reviewed the Toro back in 2008, knocking it down a bit for performance problems.

The four Serie O Robustos—in the typical 5-inch, 50 ring gauge format—I smoked for this review had none of those. In fact, the burn, draw, ash, and smoke production were all excellent.

It’s a tasty Nicaraguan puro with a sun-grown Habano wrapper, and Habano filler from several regions of the country.

The Robusto is fairly complex, shifting gears along the way as it produces notes of spice, cedar, and earthiness. It’s never harsh, and the finish is delicately pleasing. Through the years, both Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Journal have awarded the Serie O vitolas high marks.

I think the Robusto is just about ideal for this blend. It’s big enough to supply the various tastes, but not so much cigar that it devolves a sense of sameness. You put it down wanting more, not wishing there had been less. And we can’t ignore the price. Coming in at only a shade over $100 for a box of 20, the Robusto Serie O is a genuine bargain.

If you, like me, haven’t smoked one in a while, I highly recommend you give it a try. I’ve enjoyed these so much I plan to check some of the other Oliva lines I haven’t had in years.

As for the Serie O Robusto, I rate 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 year, two of my favorite cigars happened to be Abaddon and Ouroboros, both of which are made for Blue Havana, a tobacconist in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. They are crafted at Fabrica de Tabacos Nica Sueño in Estelí by Skip Martin of RoMa Craft Tobac.

I was so impressed by these cigars that I decided to better acquaint myself with RoMa Craft and its core lines: CroMagnon, Intemperance (EC XVIII and BA XXI), and Aquitaine. If you haven’t already done so, you should do the same. After all, Skip Martin’s Estelí operation may be small with limited production, but he’s undoubtedly making some of the best cigars in the world.

By way of background, RoMa Craft was born after the Hava Cigar Shop and Lounge in Galveston, Texas, was decimated by Hurricane Ike in 2008. At first it was an online version of the old brick-and-mortar store, but distribution and cigar production grew. Today, while RoMa Craft’s production is nowhere near the levels of its neighbors Drew Estate or Joya de Nicaragua, the outfit is nimble, efficient, and turning out excellent smokes.

I visited the factory last month to learn about cigar blending (and sample some of Martin’s rum collection). There, I received a sampler of RoMa Craft smokes, including the CroMagnon EMH, a robusto extra (5 x 56) that’s short for “Early Modern Human.” Like the Cranium (6 x 54) my colleague reviewed in 2011, EMH has an oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper around a Cameroon binder.

The long-filler includes three types of Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. They hail from Estelí, Condega, and a small farm on the Honduran border. “This third leaf, a Ligero, brings a strong, smoky, savory flavor to the blend,” according to the RoMa Craft website. “When combined with the mildly sweet characteristics of the Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, the exotic bite of the Cameroon binder, and the clean finish of its Viso and Seco companions, the blend delivers the precise, deep, rich tobacco flavor we wanted to present…”

In my own experience, smoking the sample I received from Martin and several others I purchased myself, the EMH’s hearty, musty, leathery pre-light notes transition to bold, full-bodied flavors ranging from pepper and savory char to cocoa and espresso. The texture is dark and chalky. Still, I agree with my colleague that the CroMagnon EMH is “more than just a club of strength across the palate.” There’s depth and complexity, some of which can be attributed to the sweetness of the Cameroon binder. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that the combustion qualities—burn, draw, ash, and smoke production—are all up to snuff.

This slow-burning power-bomb runs about $8, which is a very fair price for this level of quality. If given the choice between the two, I prefer the slightly cheaper Intemperance BA XXI. But the CroMagnon EMH is an outstanding selection if you’re looking for body and impact. In my book, it’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

I’ve smoked a number of these over several months and found them to be amazingly consistent in both flavor, strength, and performance. The beautiful, light honey-brown Habano wrapper, grown in Brazil, is topped with a perfectly applied cap. The burn line is truly razor sharp, the draw near ideal.

The excellent construction and consistency are a testament to the care and attention to detail by both La Palina brand owner Bill Paley and factory owner Abe Flores in the Dominican Republic.

With medium strength and body, La Palina Classic features an Ecuadorian binder with filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican. It begins with a bready, yeasty tone that’s quickly augmented by a little pepper. That pepper ramps up as you smoke through the six-inch Toro, and some sweetness emerges as a presence as well about a third of the way down.

I get light chocolate on the finish, and the earthy aroma from the smoke is both noticeable and pleasant.

This is not so much a complex cigar that takes off in different directions, but one that begins with a harmonious blend and makes subtle riffs on the dominant themes.

At $7.75 per stick, this 50-ring gauge vitola fits comfortably with the Classic’s aim of being a more affordable line that maintains La Palina’s quality. My colleague Patrick S gave the Robusto high marks about a year ago. A few months later, in a Quick Smoke, he praised the Corona.

This cigar is one I would recommend to anyone, from newcomer to old-timer. For me, the La Palina Classic Toro earns four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys