The Stogie Guys

When Cigar Aficionado announced its top cigar of 2008, I can recall being shocked, as well as reflecting on how little I knew about the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto. I don’t place much stock in Cigar Aficionado ratings, much less the magazine’s annual Top 25 list, but this selection appeared to come out of left field—especially when you consider the pedigree of the 2008 runner-up, the Padrón Serie 1926 80 Years Maduro.

Admittedly, like many other curious cigar enthusiasts, the designation prompted me to try the smoke for myself. I did. I also tried the Torito. I grew more and more impressed by Casa Magna’s ability to generate a top-quality blend for a very reasonable price. Kudos to the partnership between Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plasencia.

In the years that followed, the Casa Magna hype seemed to die a predictable death. Maybe it’s just me, but I hear and/or read very little about the brand these days. And for one reason or another, I rarely pull a Casa Magna out of one of my humidors.

I couldn’t resist reacquainting myself with the Casa Magna Colorado when I saw the Corona vitola on sale at my local tobacconist for $5.50. Like its brethren, the Corona is blessed with a super-oily wrapper that boasts a reddish hue (hence “Colorado”). The pre-light aroma reminds me of honey and cocoa. A punch cut is all that’s needed to reveal a smooth draw.

After setting an even light with a few wooden matches, the cigar—made from 100% Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobaccos—displays a bold taste of pepper and black cherry. Soon I start to notice the unique flavor that attracted me to the other Casa Magna Colorado formats: dried apricot. Other notes come and go throughout, including earth and peanut.

Back when Casa Magna was the talk of the town, I recall many smokers/reviewers reporting construction issues. Maybe I’m just lucky, but those issues continue to evade me. All three Coronas I smoked for this review exhibited solid white ashes, straight burn lines, and clear draws that yielded plenty of smoke with each puff.

That top rating from Cigar Aficionado in 2008 may have been the best and the worst thing to ever happen to the blend. On one hand, I think it’s safe to say many more people tried this cigar than otherwise would have; on the other, it seems like some expect this sub-$6 smoke to exceed the complexity of the best Padrón. It doesn’t. What it does is make an oily, well-constructed, uniquely flavored cigar available at a very modest price point. That affords the Corona a solid rating of four stogies out of five.

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–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

First, let’s talk about what this cigar is not. It is not the one handed out at Don Pepin Garcia events and said to be a replica of his storied blend for the original El Centurion.

No, this cigar is what might be referred to more aptly as the “Not-So-Special” My Father Special.

While occasionally offered for sale, nearly always in a three-pack, this line is more frequently found as the extra stick in a My Father sampler or an inducement giveaway.

According to what little information I was able to find, the light brown wrapper is Ecuadorian Habano-seed and the binder and filler are Nicaraguan tobaccos. The cigar carries typical Robusto proportions: five inches long with a ring gauge of 50.

What it isn’t, however, even for a big Pepin fan, is particularly special.

I’ve had four of them and, as you’d expect from My Father, they are consistent and well-constructed. Good draw, good burn.

It’s in the flavor that the cigar falls somewhat short. While it kicks off with a bit of the typical Pepin spice, the cigar quickly settles in with a flatter, less lively taste. There’s also little complexity, and the stick more or less maintains the same profile from head to foot.

I don’t find that at all surprising, since I wouldn’t expect a manufacturer to use its best tobacco in producing what is, essentially, a fill-in cigar.

This is by no means a bad cigar. It just isn’t anything special. As such, it fits right in to the “pretty respectable” three-stogie rating.

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–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The original 107 blend has been one of La Aurora’s most popular releases. It’s no surprise, then, that the Dominican’s oldest cigar maker opted to add a maduro variety.

A select number of tobacconists currently carry the La Aurora 107 Maduro line, and many more are expected to start stocking it in July (to coincide with this year’s IPCPR Trade Show). Four sizes will be on the market: Robusto (4.5 x 50), Toro (5.5 x 54), Belicoso (6.25 x 52), and Corona (5.5 x 43).

Rumors have swirled about the 107 Maduro, which was supposed to have debuted a lot closer to 2010—the year La Aurora released the original 107 line. Will the Maduro use the exact same tobacco as the original, just with a differently fermented wrapper? Are production delays due to the wrapper not burning properly? Who exactly will be carrying this cigar?

We now know the makeup of the final iteration of the 107 Maduro. It has the same Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, and the same Dominican corojo binder, but this time it’s finished in a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. (The original 107 sports an Ecuadorian wrapper.)

I sampled three Robustos for this review, each provided to me by Miami Cigar & Co. This stout format comes complete with a dark, moderately veined wrapper with a fair amount of oils and potent pre-light notes of powdered cocoa and damp earth. A simple punch cut yields an easy draw on the firm stick.

The flavor starts with a flurry of coffee and black pepper spice that’s highly concentrated on the tip of the tongue. The texture is coarse and the foot burns hot. Despite this powerful introduction, the resting smoke is creamy with a fair amount of sweetness.

The appeal of the resting smoke turns out to be a prelude to the Robusto’s quick transition to a slightly mellower profile. At the half-inch mark, the base of pepper and coffee starts to get complemented by some sweet and creamy flavors. This renders the cigar somewhere between medium- to full-bodied, and that’s about where it stays until the finale.

For around $7, this is a solid maduro—albeit somewhat lacking in complexity or nuance. The physical properties aren’t stellar (the burn requires several touch-ups to stay even and the white ash has a tendency to be flaky) yet the overall smoking experience is enjoyable. I liked the La Aurora 107 Maduro Robusto, though I can’t say I’ll be jumping at the chance to smoke it again real soon. All this adds up to a rating of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

One year ago I reviewed the Toro vitola of Romeo, a new blend that aimed to bring a bolder, more modern feel to the Romeo y Julieta brand.

This Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped line sported a contemporary band that broke from the traditional motifs of its Romeo y Julieta predecessors. It came packaged in sleek, curved boxes. And it strove to capitalize on two pervasive industry trends: larger ring gauges and more powerful flavor profiles.

So when I saw the new Saint Luis Rey Gen2 blend, also made by tobacco giant Altadis, I couldn’t help but compare it to Romeo. It seems like Altadis is following the same formula: revive and/or diversify an older brand that has been in the U.S. market for decades by launching a new, fuller-bodied line with modern marketing and large ring gauges. “We wanted to…launch an innovative new concept with SLR Gen2 to attract a wide range of different consumers not only with the unique blend but also with the attractive price positioning,” reads a recent press release from Altadis.

SLR Gen2 employs a beautiful, reddish Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos. It comes in three sizes: Robusto (4.5 x 54), Toro (6 x 54), and Titan (6 x 60).

Once lit, the Toro’s pre-light notes of sweet earth and leather give way to a bready taste with a sharp, lingering cedar spice that covers the palate. After an inch, the sharpness rounds off, leaving more of an earthy profile. Coffee creamer comes and goes. The midway point is characterized by more leather, bread, and espresso. The finale witnesses a reduction in spice and an increase of mustiness. Traces of meaty notes are peppered throughout.

As far as construction goes, the burn is by no means perfect, but it tends to be straight enough to avoid the need for touch-ups. Each puff produces thick, ample smoke that smells earthy and a little sweet. The draw is easy and the ash is very flaky.

The Saint Luis Rey Gen2 retails for $5.75-6.75 apiece. That’s a fair price for a suitable cigar. I will say, however, that the flavor leaves something to be desired, especially in today’s crowded marketplace of fine cigars. Truthfully, I have a hard time seeing how the Toro will work its way into my rotation. Taking all this into consideration, I’m settling on a rating of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This is a terrific cigar, one I think you’ll enjoy smoking from the foot all the way down to the head, which is seven inches away.

For those who still think of Dominican cigars as a generally punch-less division, producing only the occasional hard-hitters like Opus X or some La Flor Dominicanas, it’s time for reconsideration.

This cigar has power. Not a heavyweight, but by no means a lightweight, either. Think Mayweather rather than Klitschko. It’s also nicely balanced and smooth. And the flavors are diverse. In fact, it’s about all you could ask for in a satisfying smoke, including a retail price of only $6.51 before taxes.

With many smokers these days opting for larger and larger ring gauges, lanceros aren’t among the most popular vitolas. Many lines eschew them altogether. That seems a shame because many cigars perform excellently with a small ring gauge, such as this 38, and a long barrel.

I didn’t detect much aroma on the pre-light or the cold draw. But when lit, I was hit with a cinnamon spice, quickly followed by citrus and fruit. That one-two combination continued through the first half or so, then the cinnamon drifted away and was replaced by the tastes of nuts and leather, again with the fruit components.

Construction was excellent and the draw was just right in those I smoked. And while smoking slowly is always best with any cigar, it can be absolutely critical with a lancero because of how rapidly the thin stick can overheat. I made an extra effort to slow down and it paid off.

Regular readers know I’m an Oliveros/Boutique Blends fan. This is another winner in its stable. I give it four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Oliveros Cigars

You know how every time you open your humidor one cigar leers at you, just begging you to smoke it? Lately, for me, that cigar has been the Cabinetta Serie No. 27.

I’ve had two of these monstrous double coronas situated near the top of my glass-lid humidor. I have no idea how they got there, and I have no idea how long they’ve been resting. But for whatever reason—maybe their generous proportions, maybe their two-tone wrappers—they’ve been catching my eye lately. So I decided to give in to temptation and fire them up for a review.

The Cabinetta Serie is one of a half-dozen lines listed on the Joya de Nicaragua website. Launched before the prolific José Blanco joined the Estelí-based company as senior vice president, the blend is rolled completely in a golden Ecuadorian wrapper and topped off with a dark, sun-grown criollo leaf at the head. The goal of the latter is to add a sweet spiciness to the lips.

When it was introduced in 2010, Cabinetta marked a departure for Joya de Nicaragua, which was best known for its bold Antaño line. The Nicaraguan filler tobaccos are mild by design to “deliver a smoother, more refined smoking experience.”

The No. 27 vitola is not listed on Joya de Nicaragua’s website; only the No. 2 (belicoso), No. 4 (robusto), No. 11 (corona), and No. 7 (toro) appear there. But rest assured the immense (7 x 54) No. 27 does exist, and you can easily find it at tobacconists or at several prominent online retailers, usually for around $7-8 apiece.

This double corona is pale below the band and dark-reddish above it. Several large veins are visible, as are a plethora of modest lumps and bumps. The feel is moderately firm and the foot has a wonderfully sweet pre-light aroma. A punch cut is all that’s needed to free up an easy draw.

After establishing an even light, I find a creamy, toasty smoke of almond, cedar, and honey. The aftertaste is characterized by a sharp spice that lingers on the tongue for a surprisingly long time. To be sure, this is a smooth cigar with a thick, billowy texture. I find the balance interesting enough to hold my attention, though the large No. 27 format may be a bit too much of a good thing.

The physical properties leave nothing to be desired. The draw remains clear throughout as each puff yields ample smoke. The burn line is straight. The ample resting smoke is sweet with an agreeable aroma. And the gray ash holds fairly well (albeit with consistent flaking).

I happen to really enjoy the blend—more now than when Cabinetta debuted—and find the best sizes to be the corona and lancero. The double corona is a fine cigar for sure, but the large size can render the unwavering profile a tad monotonous, and the time commitment is significant. Still, I’m glad the Cabinetta Serie No. 27 was a siren calling my name; it’s worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“Sencillo Black is a new twist on the Sencillo theme. Like Sencillo Platinum (the first release of the Sencillo brand), it’s a truly extraordinary cigar that is smooth enough and inexpensive enough to smoke every day. Yet Sencillo Black has a distinctive flavor all its own. If Sencillo Platinum is the cabernet of the line, Sencillo Black is the pinot noir.”

Such is the description of Sencillo Black. The line, which debuted in June 2011 after six months of aging, is a complex blend of five different tobaccos. It features a Habano Colorado wrapper, a Habano Jalapa binder, and a filler mix of Viso San Andreas, Ligero Habano Jalapa, and Ligero Habano Jamastran crops. It is handmade in Nicaragua by Nestor Plasencia Jr. for Keith K. Park, CEO of Prometheus.

Sencillo Black is offered in five sizes that range from $6.95 to $8.95: Robusto, Double Robusto, Gigante, Short Churchill, and Pirámide. “All five sizes…have a similarly smooth character, but each one emphasizes different aspects of the flavor profile,” reads the Sencillo website. The Pirámide (6.4 x 54), for example, is said to have a leathery core with “a slight citrusy tang and undertones of sugar and vanilla.”

Over the past few days I smoked several Pirámides to see how this oily, reddish cigar stacks up with that description. At the outset, my taste buds interpret the profile to be dark, peppery, and a little meaty. The resting smoke strikes a sharp contrast with sweet notes that remind me of burnt sugar. Once settled in, flavors of cream, black cherry, and coffee become dominant. The finish is leathery with a thick texture.

Construction is solid with a firm white ash, an easy draw, and a burn line that requires only a few touch-ups to stay even.

Prometheus is known for high-end accessories and limited Fuente smokes (like God of Fire and Angelenos). But the Sencillo Black Pirámide is proof that Prometheus can compete in the mid-priced cigar market. I would give the edge to Sencillo Platinum given that cigar’s wonderful balance and subtlety. The Sencillo Black is a fine smoke in its own right, though, and clearly worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys