The Stogie Guys

Back in 2006 when I was starting to get into cigars, Mike Copperman of Bethesda Tobacco generously donated his time (and cigars) to give me a private session on cigar tasting. Copperman, now the legislative director for Cigar Rights of America, is about as well-versed in the field as anyone. His invaluable—albeit brief—tutelage made a huge impact on me.

I remember tasting cigars with Copperman at his Maryland shop, which today is another DC-area location of W. Curtis Draper. We were on the second floor of Bethesda Tobacco, in a small room with scant ventilation that assured the cigar smoke would hang heavy enough in the air to sting the eyes. On a muggy summer day we sampled sticks that were comprised entirely of Piloto Cubano tobacco, then Viso, then Ligero. Tasting these tobaccos independently instilled a great appreciation for the final cigar, which was a harmonious combination of all three: the Davidoff Grand Cru No. 3.

I didn’t know much about cigars at the time. But, thanks to Copperman, I really adored the Davidoff Grand Cru No. 3. It was a cigar I later reviewed, and it became the first cigar to earn a five-stogie rating on this website, which was only a few months old in the summer of 2006.

Hundreds of cigar reviews and almost eight years later, I still fondly revere the Davidoff Grand Cru line. For reasons including price and the need to constantly smoke different cigars for this website, I don’t smoke the blend often. But when I do, I love it. Flying in the face of today’s obsession with thick smokes, the five Grand Cru vitolas all have ring gauges less than 50. According to Davidoff, “only the Corona shape gives the Grand Cru the ideal ring gauge with which to enjoy this medium-bodied flavor.”

For this review, I bought a five-pack of No. 4s (4.75 x 41) for just under $50. Like the other sizes, the No. 4 is a gorgeous smoke with a clean wrapper, a well-executed cap, and faint pre-light notes of molasses and hay off the foot. After setting the burn with a wooden match, a bright, crisp, mild- to medium-bodied profile emerges with flavors of oak, peanut, cream, and earth. The finish leaves a surprisingly long-lasting sensation of spice on the tip of the tongue. The texture is dry and silky and the combustion properties are perfect.

I’m not sure it’s possible for me to write a completely unbiased review of a Davidoff Grand Cru cigar. Even when I do my best to set aside the memories and nostalgia, I can’t help but arrive at the same conclusion: This is a tremendous blend with exquisite balance and subtlety. Now keep in mind I’ve always had a soft spot for cigars at the milder end of the spectrum. Some cigar enthusiasts live for those full-bodied flavor-bombs and could never imagine paying $10 for a milder smoke—particularly one this small. Not me. I adore the Davidoff Grand Cru No. 4, and I can’t think of a more suitable rating than 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 A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It has been said that Dion Giolito of Illusione Cigars blended his refined Epernay line to pair with champagne. If that’s true, I should have gotten around to this review before New Year’s Eve—not a week after what’s certainly the biggest night for champagne consumption.

Epernay, named for the region of France known around the world for the champagne it produces, debuted in 2008 as the ECCJ 15th limited release (in honor of the 15th anniversary of the European Cigar Cult Journal). It was eventually rolled out in 2009 as a regular production series with four sizes. My colleagues have already reviewed Le Elegance and Le Matin in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

The Epernay recipe calls for Nicaraguan tobaccos of Corojo and Criollo (notably, there is no Ligero in the blend). The wrapper is Café Rosado, and the intended flavor profile is marketed as complex, subdued, and European. With a small, understated band of white and gold, a triple-cap, and that familiar Illusione font, Epernay has a classic appeal.

For this review I sampled 5 cigars in the L’Excellence format, which measures 6.75 inches long with a ring gauge of 48. L’Excellence is the tenth Epernay vitola, a Churchill that was added in 2012. I’ve heard that it’s Giolito’s favorite size in the series. It’s a solid, uniformly packed cigar with moderate oils, few veins, and a stiff pre-light draw. The foot has a gentle aroma of hay and molasses.

After setting an even light, L’Excellence yields a rounded, balanced profile with notes as varied as coffee, white pepper, honey, cream, and apple. A delicate floral taste lingers in the background. The fragrance of the resting smoke is bright and crisp, and the smoke is thick yet light on the palate. I find virtually no nicotine kick in the mild- to medium-bodied cigar, and there are few changes in flavor from light to nub.

Construction is excellent and consistent. The burn line is straight, the ash holds firm, and the smoke production is high. Even the firm pre-light draw opens considerably once L’Excellence gets underway.

Illusione makes some very fine cigars, but the Epernay line is the pinnacle—Giolito’s highest achievement. It’s hard to ask any more from a cigar that retails for about $9. With reliable physical properties and a nuanced profile that’s complex and memorable, L’Excellence is worthy of a great rating. In my book, it earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back in May, Abe Flores of Pinar del Rio Cigars (PDR) issued an announcement that, going forward, PDR would be managing the sales and distribution of the El Primer Mundo (EPM) brand throughout the U.S. and international markets. “This is a great opportunity for the EPM brand,” said Sean Williams, head of the Atlanta-based EPM. “Abe and I have… some good synergies with our overlap on sales reps and key accounts. This move will just make things a lot more efficient for our reps and our retailers.”

The EPM lines now sold and distributed by PDR include Liga Miami; the Black, Blue, and Red Labels; Epifania; and La Hermandad. The latter, which translates to “brotherhood,” has been made by Abe Flores at his factory in the Dominican Republic since its inception in 2012. (It should be noted that Flores’ factory also produces cigars for other brands outside the PDR-EPM fold, including Gurkha and La Palina).

The La Hermandad recipe boasts a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. It is marketed as full-bodied and available in three sizes in the $8-10 price range: Caballito (5 x 50), Embajador (5 x 52), and Consejero (6 x 60).

Upon examination of the Caballito, all you can see without removing the large black foot band is the dark color of the exterior leaf, a sizable vein or two, and a wrinkled cap. After removing the band, the character of the cigar is more apparent. It’s firm, oily, and a little rough around the edges (Brazilian tobacco is built for flavor, not for looks). The pre-light notes are earthy and musty. The cold draw is smooth.

As advertised, La Hermandad Caballito’s taste starts with a full-bodied bang. Espresso bean, black pepper, charred wood, and red pepper spice are the dominant flavors. The texture is bready and a little chalky. I don’t detect much sweetness on the palate, but the resting smoke has a creamy aroma that’s slightly sweet. A hint of peanut seems to come and go throughout, and the cigar tends to settle down a bit in the middle third—only to ramp up in strength once again towards the end.

The samples I smoked for this review exhibited exquisite construction. If and when you fire up a Caballito, expect a straight burn line, easy draw, voluminous tufts of rich smoke, and an ash that holds firm at the foot. I find that establishing an even burn at the outset means you don’t have to touch your lighter again until the nub.

Over time, I’d be interested to see if this smoke develops more complexity. It seems like it would have good aging potential. Right now, though, I’d say $8 is a very fair price for this flavorful, consistent, well-built cigar. That’s ultimately why the El Primer Mundo La Hermandad Caballito earns 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

I seem to have hit the jackpot lately on lower priced cigars. In a recent tip, I listed three recent discoveries. This fat entry from General Cigar’s Michael Gianni makes it four.

With an MSRP at $4.99, Carbon is a more subtle, tasty, and engaging smoke than I expected. Gianni introduced it at July’s IPCPR Trade Show as part of General’s Foundry operation. Carbon was one of a dozen Compounds, Elements & Musings lines, with 10 offered in one-time, highly limited editions. Only Carbon, sold in unique boxes of 77, and Uranium are slated to continue and are only in B&Ms.

The Carbon comes in one size, a 60 ring gauge that is 5.5 inches long. Gianni identifies the blend as “Nicaragua, Lower 48, and Smoke It,” so you can guess what’s what as well as I. Asked if there were plans to introduce any other vitolas, General’s Victoria McKee replied, “You never know!”

She also said that marketplace reaction to the Carbon has been excellent, with reorders “tough on the factory.” I can understand why. Carbon is not just a good $5 cigar; it’s a good cigar, period.

There’s lots of smoke, a good burn, easy draw, and consistency among the three I’ve smoked so far. I’d put it in the medium category of strength and intensity. The flavors develop as it goes along and a variety of exotic, spicy notes provides a workout for the taste buds. There’s also a bit of tobacco sweetness and earthiness along the way.

For me, Carbon is one of the best finds of 2013. I give it four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: @Aphelion Cigar

The history of Sosa dates back to the early 1900s, when Don Juan Sosa transformed himself from a small-scale tobacco grower into one of the largest tobacco producers in Cuba. Like many others, he and his family were eventually forced off the island during the revolution.

Settling in the Santiago region of the Dominican Republic, the Sosa family continued the tradition of its patriarch. Today, the brand is under the Antillian Cigar Corporation umbrella, alongside Macadi and Imperio Cubano. The Sosa portfolio includes, among others, the Exclusive Series, Family Selection, Super Selection, and Underground.

The newest Sosa offering is called Limitado. Blended by Arby Sosa, it features a three- year-old Nicaragua Habano wrapper from the Puros Indios factory in Honduras, an Indonesian Sumatra binder, and filler tobaccos from Ecuador and Nicaragua. It is made in Miami with production limited to 800 cigars per month. Only one roller is used to make the Sosa Limitado Stout Torpedo.

That Stout Torpedo size (7 x 54) is intimidating; the cigar looks like it could be used as a murder weapon. Once the cyan-colored band sleeve is removed (thankfully, it slides easily off the cigar), you’ll find a dark wrapper with minimal veins and moderate oils. The feel is consistently firm from throughout. Musty, earthy notes can be found at the foot.

While the cigar may look intimidating, the flavor is anything but. Once lit, a soft, approachable profile emerges that’s rounded, balanced, and light on spice or nicotine kick. Identifiable notes include clove, dried fruit, baking spices, wood, and a little sweetness. The texture is billowy and the finish is short. I don’t find a ton of flavor changes throughout the long smoke.

Without question, the individual Sosa has rolling the Stout Torpedo knows what he/she is doing. Across the four samples I smoked for this review—all provided by Sosa—each had a perfect burn line, a solid ash, and a smooth, airy draw that yields ample smoke with little effort.

I really like this cigar. What makes it so difficult to review or rate, however, is the asking price, which is $15. That cost puts the Limitado Stout Torpedo against some stiff competition in the super-premium market. Taking everything into consideration, I’m recommending everyone give this pleasing cigar at least one try and settling on a solid 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

Felix Assouline may be a new name in cigars, but the team behind it has a long history in the cigar business. The company had a booth at the IPCPR Trade Show for the first time this year, to show off its four cigar lines, all made in Estelí, Nicaragua. (My colleague reviewed their Havana Sunrise Reserve recently.)

Their cigars can be hard to find—I’ve yet to see them on the shelves of any of my local shops—so the company offered to provide me with some samples from their Ego line. According to their website: “Ego is a full-flavored line of cigars. The careful blending of tobaccos from Jamastran, Jalapa, and Indonesia are brought together to create a full flavor cigar that is further enhanced by ‘pressing’ the tobaccos together and aging them carefully before boxing them and shipping them to their eventual home, your humidor.”

Ego comes in a peculiar selection of seven sizes. Five are 6.5 inches long with ring gauges between 54 and 58, plus there’s a Perfecto (5 x 52) and a Cigarillo (5 x 24). I smoked four cigars in the Trip size (6.5 x 54).

The Habano Criollo ’98 wrapper is a reddish-brown color with a slightly mottled appearance. The cigar has a soft box-press (notably, almost every cigar Felix Assouline makes is box-pressed), that makes the 54 ring gauge seem less over-sized.

The cigar utilizes an Indonesian binder and filler from Jamastran, Honduras, and Jalapa, Nicaragua. It features a solid base of roasted flavors, cashew, hay, and wood.

It’s medium- to full-bodied, but the real character comes from the spice notes, which include both black pepper and cinnamon. The flavors are relatively steady throughout, but there’s enough depth to the flavor that it isn’t dull. Construction is free of any flaws.

All in all, my first experience with Felix Assouline made a good impression. While not the most balanced cigar, Ego Trip is well-made, interesting, unique, and, at $7.50, fairly priced. That earns the Felix Assouline Ego Trip a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Altadis-owned Romeo y Julieta brand is strongly associated with its country of origin, the Dominican Republic. That’s where the first non-Cuban Romeo y Julieta line was—and still is—made, featuring Dominican tobaccos around an Indonesian binder.

It’s telling of Nicaragua’s rise to dominance as a cigar- and tobacco-producing country that an iconic Dominican brand like Romeo y Julieta would launch a Nicaraguan offshoot line. That’s exactly what Altadis did when, last month, the company announced the new “RyJ by Romeo y Julieta.” RyJ is a Nicaraguan puro with double binders from Estelí and Jalapa, and filler tobaccos from Jalapa, Estelí, and La Mia. The wrapper is Jalapa Corojo grown exclusively for Altadis in Nicaragua.

Altadis, in keeping with the Nicaraguan theme, calls RyJ “Nicaraguan-made,” even though the country of manufacture is listed as Honduras. It bills RyJ as “full-bodied, rich, and spicy,” and offers the blend in three formats that range from $8 to $8.75 per single: Piramide (6.1 x 52), Bully Grande (5 x 54), and Toro (6 x 52).

The latter is a handsome, light brown, somewhat reddish smoke with a dry exterior and two white bands that make it unmistakably different from the other Romeo y Julieta blends. Firm to the touch, the Toro shows a tight cross-section of tobaccos at the foot despite the smooth cold draw. The pre-light notes are earthy and syrupy.

After establishing an even light, a profile emerges that’s dry, woodsy, and a little spicy. Secondary notes of sweetness and cream help to add balance and complexity. The cedary finish seems to linger on the palate for ages, and the resting smoke is sweet. The fullness of the flavor strikes me as medium-bodied, yet there’s nothing medium about the strength, as each puff seems to inject a hearty dose of nicotine.

On the three Toros I sampled—all of which, in the interest of full disclosure, were provided to me by Altadis—I find myself having to pull hard through the cigar’s stiff draw and puff frequently to keep it lit. This, in turn, increases the temperature at the foot, resulting in a hotter, sourer smoke and masking the core flavors. I think my enjoyment of RyJ would be increased significantly if the cigar smoked more effortlessly. Aside from the draw, the other physical properties are excellent, including a straight burn line and a solid ash.

Last year Altadis added to the Romeo y Julieta portfolio with Romeo, a cigar that, in my opinion, trumps RyJ. But my experience with RyJ is very limited at this point. I’m sure we’ll be seeing many more RyJ Toro reviews in the coming weeks, and I look forward to hearing what others have to say (especially about the draw). In my book, this new cigar clocks in at three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys