The Stogie Guys

This dark, attractive cigar is something of a gimmick, with Quesada concealing nearly all details about the line and promoting it with a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics. I was eager to try the Heisenberg, not because of any of that, but because I’ve enjoyed several earlier Quesada smokes.

But after going through a five-pack of Robustos—each five inches long with a ring gauge of 48—I’m not uncertain about my reactions. The Heisenberg is not for me. (My colleague had a similar reaction.)

First, let me deal with Quesada’s intention to, as it says, “dispel the stereotypes that limit our ability to enjoy a cigar and remind aficionados that sometimes it’s best to sit back, relax, and just enjoy a smoke without overanalyzing it.”

To that end, they turned to Werner Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, a scientific principle that, like déjà vu, has been greatly altered in popular use. For Quesada, it’s more or less reduced to “embrace uncertainty.”

I think, perhaps, Quesada should name its next cigar after Robert K. Merton, who popularized the concept of unintended consequences. I’m sure many Heisenberg smokers spend a lot of time trying to guess what the tobaccos are, rather than get lost in smoke-filled wonder.

These days, with so many tobacco strains being cultivated all over, I think it’s impossible for most of us to pinpoint the origin or leaf. The only guess I’d hazard is that I’d be surprised if there’s much, if any, typical Nicaraguan in the Heisenberg.

I say that because there’s very little pepper or spice and a fairly prominent grassy taste often found in Dominican tobacco. The other prominent tastes I noted were floral notes and heavy wood.

Overall, the draw was good, as was the burn and smoke production. The ash was flaky. I paid $6.75 each, and they come in boxes of 10.

As I said upfront, the medium-strength Quesada Heisenberg Robusto isn’t my kind of smoke. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a well-made, quality stick and worth a try. I give it three stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

These days, Emilio Cigars is a brand that seems to be flourishing—thanks in no small part, I believe, to the warm welcome the outfit has received from the online cigar community.

In addition to the growing blends in the Emilio portfolio, brand owner Gary Griffith also controls distribution for several other companies under is House of Emilio umbrella. It’s hard to imagine Emilio Cigars is just a few years old.

The cigar that started it all was the Series H Maduro. It was the first cigar Gary Griffith created after he sold his construction business, started working at a cigar shop, and then bought and expanded the tobacconist franchise to over 20 locations. According to Griffith, he blended the Series H Maduro on his first trip to Central America. Shortly thereafter, he started to visit various cigar factories and speak with different cigar makers, A.J. Fernandez chief among them.

Griffith, who takes a chemistry-oriented approach to blending, chose to pair a Maduro Ligero wrapper from Jamastran with Nicaraguan and Costa Rican tobaccos for the Series H Maduro. It is made for him in Danlí, Honduras. Three sizes are available: Robusto, Toro, and Torpedo.

The Robusto measures 5.5 inches long with a ring gauge of 50 (kudos for making a robusto that’s slightly longer than the traditional 5-inch format without upping the ring gauge). It has pre-light notes of nut, red pepper, and chocolate. While the feel is noticeably firmer than most cigars, the cold draw is smooth. The wrapper is dark, oily, and clean with pronounced shine.

After setting an even light, the Series H Maduro starts with a medium-bodied profile of black coffee, creamy nut, cocoa, and leather. Smoking quicker will impart more of a dry, woody spice on the center of the tongue. This peppery finish couples really well with what I’d characterize as a typical Maduro sweetness. The smoke production is above average, and as it fills the room it leaves a sweet, creamy aroma. The final third of the Robusto tends to straddle the line between medium- and full-bodied.

I smoked several samples for this review—all of which I had been aging for about 18 months—and each displayed very good combustion qualities. Expect no problems with the burn line, ash, or draw. This is a set-it-and-forget-it smoke.

In addition to the Series H Maduro, Griffith also makes a Series H Sumatra. I honestly don’t think there’s much of a comparison. The Maduro is the far better, more balanced, more interesting choice, and the Robusto is worthy of a very fine rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I doubt it would be controversial at this point to say that the Pepín family will go down as one of the greatest and most important cigar families the industry has had. Don Pepín García has his huge legacy, which was followed by his son’s fantastic cigars, and now with La Dueña, his daughter Janny is releasing her first cigar. To add to all of that tobacco star-power, the blending for this cigar was done by Pete Johnson, of Tatuaje fame.

This blend is a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper billed as medium-full strength, with Nicaraguan origins. I smoked the “Petite Lancero” vitola (6 x 42) for this review. The construction was immaculate, and the wrapper had a great color to it. Personally, I think that a 42 ring gauge is a bit much for a lancero, but that’s not really a negative.

The aroma off of this cigar is great, with a nice core tobacco aroma complimented by a subtle sweetness in the background. The cigar lights really well, with that typical Pepín spice kicking off the experience. Quickly into the cigar, though, a ton of flavors emerge.

The smoke is very smooth, almost syrupy in its consistency, and earth, leather, black pepper, and a natural tobacco sweetness dominate the first half. Once this cigar hits the mid-point the pepper dies down a lot, and a leathery core takes over, with earth and cocoa notes making slight reappearances until the nub.

While I am writing this review to let everyone know how much I enjoyed this cigar, I’d like to take a quick moment to make another secondary point. When I first tried this cigar a while back (right upon its release), I was actually really disappointed and I gave away three of the five cigars I purchased. I am not sure why, and I don’t know if I ran into a bad batch, or if this cigar needs a little age on it, but the argument I’m making here is this: Do yourself a favor, and re-visit cigars.

We all know that tobacco is a fickle product, and everything from weather, storage, your complimentary drink or meal, or whatever is on your palate, etc. can affect how a certain cigar tastes to you at a particular time. If I would not have given up my preconceptions that this cigar was bad, I would have missed out on a smoke that I think is truly great, and a cigar that I am now considering purchasing a box of.

Anyway, with that small rant out of the way, the La Dueña Petite Lancero is a great addition to an already fantastic line-up of smokes related to the Pepín /Johnson portfolio. This cigar deserves a very respectable rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Joey J

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“Don’t be caught smoking just any kind of cigar.” That’s the marketing pitch for The Kind, a new micro-batch that has been crafted exclusively for three Buffalo-area retailers.

The Kind was launched on February 28 by Nice Ash Cigars, Cigars at Your Price, and Egars. For now, it’s a house blend, though it’s one of those house blends that doesn’t require you to be at the house to get your hands on one; it can be bought online. The brand owner, Rob Roth, has plans to eventually distribute it to tobacconists throughout New York State (he sits on the Board of Directors for the New York Tobacco Association).

The blend includes a Jalapa-grown Corojo wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. It is fashioned in Estelí by Omar Ortez, known for his Omar Ortez Originals and the Warlock line. Each of the five sizes—Petit (4.5 x 46), Robusto (5.1 x 52), Toro (5.75 x 56), Gordo (6 x 60), and Churchill (7 x 54)—is sharply box-pressed with a closed foot and a pigtail cap. Prices range from about $6.50 to $8 per cigar.

I smoked several in the Petit format for this review. It is an attractive, golden-colored smoke with very thin veins and a firm packing of tobacco. Only faint notes of honey are apparent off the wrapper. The cap clips easily to reveal an effortless draw.

Roth calls The Kind “the perfect combination of strength and flavor” and says that it’s “full-bodied but only medium strength.” He also claims, despite the Nicaraguan spice, “it’s sweeter than most people would expect.” In my experience, the Petit is a flavor rush of dry wood and spice at the outset. Cedar, spice, and that familiar Nicaraguan zing take center stage. The intensity of the spice can be controlled by your puffing frequency, though I think most would agree the spice is the defining characteristic.

As the cigar progresses, it becomes a little mellower, with the majority of the spice being relegated to the long aftertaste. Buttery notes of cream and nut join in. A sweetness adds balance. Still, there’s lots of body with little nicotine kick. This is how the Petit remains until the end. Construction is solid with a straight burn, firm ash, smooth draw, and tons of smoke production.

Enthusiasts who crave spice and are generally fans of Nicaraguan cigars would do well to give The Kind a shot—especially since you can order online without having to commit to a full box purchase (five-packs and single sticks are available). I’m awarding The Kind Petit a respectable rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When CAO, a family-owned cigar company based in Nashville, was purchased by the Scandanavian Tobacco Group in 2007 (and later merged with General Cigar), many were left wondering about the direction in which the brand would head.

Answers came in the form of OSA Sol, the first new CAO line to launch under the General Cigar umbrella. The blend, introduced a few years ago, features a unique sun-grown Honduran wrapper from the San Agustin valley in Olancho (hence “OSA”) with a Connecticut broadleaf binder and filler tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua.

Last summer, General Cigar further expanded the CAO portfolio with another new blend: Flathead. With a marketing scheme centered on muscle cars and pinup girls, Flathead “hits on all cylinders” and includes a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Habano Connecticut binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua.

Each Flathead vitola—V554 Camshaft, V642 Piston, V770 Big Block, and V660 Carb—is sharply box-pressed and sold in boxes with lids that are easily removed and intended to be used as wall art. The V554 Camshaft (5.5 x 54) sells for $7-8 apiece. It has (not surprisingly) a noticeably flat cap, along with a dark wrapper, a firm feel, and a pungent pre-light aroma of cocoa and leather.

After setting an even light, a profile emerges that’s characterized by dark chocolate, leather, cream, and black pepper spice. The most defining attribute of the taste, however, is the texture of the smoke. Rarely have I come across a cigar with a texture so dense, moist, and chalky. While the nicotine content may not be off the charts—and while the spice is often in the background—the V554 Camshaft smokes heavy and hearty. Adjectives like meaty and savory come to mind.

As for construction, each of the four samples I smoked for this review performed well. I can safely say this cigar produces an even burn line, a smooth draw, and a solid white ash that holds firm off the foot. And the smoke production is outstanding.

When it’s all said and done, the CAO Flathead V554 Camshaft is a damn good smoke that should give the General Cigar detractors reason to rethink their position. It’s also a solid value out of the box—perhaps considerably more so with patience, as I consider it a good prospect for aging. I’m awarding it a commendable rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When a cigar company ventures off its familiar path, there’s almost always great interest. For Davidoff, that was apparent when it turned to Nicaragua for a new line. For Toraño, what’s different with the Finite is limiting the origin of ingredients to a single country.

The Toraño Family Cigar Co. doesn’t usually turn out puros. The company has long been known for its blending, combining tobacco from numerous countries. The flagship Exodus 1959 Gold, for example, is almost a mini-United Nations, sporting leaves from five countries.

Not this time. For the limited-release Finite, it’s Nicaragua for the filler, binder, and wrapper. Of course, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t quite a bit of blending involved. The three-size line utilizes different tobacco from various regions, strains, and primings.

According to Toraño, there was only enough of the tobacco to roll 75,000 cigars. Each box of 25 is date-stamped, a practice Toraño says it will continue to do for future limited editions.

The Toro, a 6.25-inch stick with a ring gauge of 52, retails for $8.50. The BFC (6 x 60) is $9.50 and the Robusto (4.9 x 52) is $8.

In what seems to be a continuing Toraño trend, the Finite has a foot band (displaying the infinity symbol). The regular band follows the Exodus style, with a purple background.

As you’d expect from a Nicaraguan puro, the Finite kicks off with pepper. It’s pleasant, but not overpowering, and the cigar quickly becomes a balanced, complex smoke with some fruity sweetness layered in. You’ll find other flavors and spices throughout, from cedar to cocoa. The strength is somewhere in the medium to full range.

I would have liked a little more smoke production. Construction, burn, and draw are excellent in each of the three I smoked. I prefer the Toro to the single Robusto I tried because there’s greater development and flavor variation.

I’ve always been a Toraño fan and this cigar is a great example of why I feel that way. Don’t miss it. I rate the Finite four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Toraño Cigars

If you’re looking for a cigar that will help you expand your palate, pick up the Trunk Show MG-08. This massive cigar produces a greater variety of spices than you’ll find on the McCormick shelf at the local Safeway. Sit back and let them roll over your tongue.

General Cigar’s Michael Giannini’s four-country blend is satisfying, smooth, and balanced with a light finish. It’s not a powerful cigar, but a subtle treat in a limited edition (500 26-count boxes).

As is not uncommon when Giannini is involved, the tobacco used is designated only as proprietary, with the exception of the wrapper, a “Havano Ecuadoran Ligero.”

I’ve smoked at least a half-dozen or so of these behemoths (7 x 60), which have a most reasonable $9.25 price tag. One side effect has been that, while I haven’t enlisted in the army of large ring gauge smokers, I have given up my conscientious objector status.

I no longer reject a cigar simply because it could pass for a Yule log.

In this case, my view is also influenced by the excellent performance, not always found in big ring gauges. Each MG-08 I’ve smoked had fine draw, burned straight, and held a tight ash.

On the negative side, I would like a bit more smoke production, and I can’t say I’m a big fan of the smokable band. You can get it off, though usually in bits and pieces. Making the necessary time commitment for a cigar this size can also be difficult.

With production so low, you aren’t likely to find this Truck Show—or its sibling, the Liga YG-23 blend by Yuri Guillen—in every shop. (A third, the Liga JD-05, is sold only by catalog and online retailers.) But it is well worth seeking out. I rate this stick four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys