The Stogie Guys

In September, it was announced that Emilio Cigars would assume distribution of Global Premium Cigars (GPC), a Nicaraguan-based boutique headed by Enrique Sánchez Icaza.

“I am delighted to be able to help another boutique manufacturer benefit from our existing shipping and billing facilities, and even happier we were able to make this arrangement with a dear friend,” said Griffith in a press release. Sánchez Icaza shared similar sentiments, calling Griffith “a true friend, great entrepreneur, and a great cigar guru.”

With their agreement in place, you can expect to be hearing more from GPC, including reviews of the company’s three blends: Emerald, Ruby, and Black Gold. Each is sold under the “1502” name, commemorating the year Christopher Columbus discovered Nicaragua.

The 1502 Emerald is intended to be the lightest in the GPC portfolio (Black Gold is the strongest) with a “subtle strength” achieved through tobaccos from San Andrés, Estelí, and Condega. The Torpedo (6.5 x 52) sells for $6-8 apiece and sports a clean, golden wrapper with a sharp cap and faint pre-light notes of hay and caramel. The foot is semi-closed and the feel is moderately firm with no soft spots.

The profile is airy, a little salty, and leaves a fair amount of dry spice on the lips. Decidedly mild—both in terms of body and nicotine output—some sweet notes come and go throughout. Coffee and earth are in the foreground. But the 1502 Torpedo lacks the flavor components I often look for in a milder smoke, including cream and nuts. Instead, especially when puffed rather quickly, it displays hints of bitterness.

Construction-wise, it performs impeccably. The burn is straight with no need for touch-ups, the white ash holds well off the foot, and the draw is smooth and clear from light to nub.

I smoked two 1502 Emerald Torpedos for this review and found both to leave something to be desired in the flavor department, even though I’ve long been a fan of cigars from the milder spectrum. Perhaps the Ruby or Black Gold blends from GPC will be more up my alley. For my taste, though, I can’t see myself actively seeking out the Emerald Torpedo in the near future. It earns two and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Over two years ago we exclusively reported the introduction of Tatuaje Anarchy, a cigar made only for the Smoke Inn stores in the Palm Beach area. Now, Smoke Inn and Tatuaje are following up that release with the Tatuaje Apocalypse.

While Anarchy (6.125 x 48-52) sported an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, the Apocalypse (5.25 x 48-52) has a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. Pre-orders began Thanksgiving Day and the cigar, which retails for $8.95 or $134.25 for a box of 15, will officially be released on December 14th. Only 1,300 boxes will be made.

The single pre-release Apocalypse I smoked for this review was provided to me by Abe Dababneh, proprietor of Smoke Inn. Dababneh explained why my sample has the old Anarchy black band—not the new Apocalypse red band—in a letter that accompanied the smoke: “Unfortunately, unlike our other releases, we will not be receiving our shipment until just before our release date,” he wrote. “All we have is one box of 15 sticks that Pete [Johnson] brought back from Nicaragua and a bundle he gave me at the IPCPR show this year. The cigars from the bundle unfortunately do not have the correct bands…”

Frankly, I could care less which band adorns my Apocalypse. I just feel fortunate for the opportunity to test the cigar out before its debut, especially since it makes such a good first impression. With a dark, oily wrapper, an interesting cap, and potent pre-light notes of chocolate, the Apocalypse is one of those cigars I’d have a hard time letting age in my humidor.

Made at My Father Cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua, Apocalypse is intended to be “highly reminiscent” of Anarchy, but with “somewhat of a more concentrated fashion.” Based on my experience with Anarchy and my colleague’s 2010 review, I was expecting a spicy smoke with notes of leather, cream, chocolate, and coffee. What I found at the outset was pretty similar: a sandy texture with a profile of black pepper, cocoa, espresso, peanut, and dark chocolate. As it progressed, creamier notes emerged to lighten the spice and provide balance. The overall impact was a full-flavored smoke with minimal nicotine kick and tempered spice. Construction was excellent, save for a meandering burn line that required a few touch-ups.

Pre-orders are expected to ship from Smoke Inn on Monday, December 17. Folks who decide to give Apocalypse a try will be pleased with the quality and balance it offers for what I believe is a reasonable price. That’s why I’m awarding this Smoke Inn exclusive four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’ve come to believe that Kurt Kendall’s 7-20-4 brand represents the best of the latest variation of cigar entrepreneur. I’d put Gary Griffith of Emilio Cigars in a similar category. Both successfully ran cigar shops before working with first one cigar factory then others to create their own cigars, fueled primarily on their own passion. Both are small business cigar operations that keep the larger operations on their toes.

While the brand has historic roots stretching back to 1874 (once over 50 million cigars were produced in New Hampshire each year), the newest version of 7-20-4 was introduced in 2008. The complex, five-nation blend is rolled in Honduras utilizing Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Mexican long-fillers, a Colombian binder, and a Brazilian mata fina wrapper.

This line has long been a favorite if mine, combining a reasonable price point ($5-7 each) with enjoyable flavors. The smallest size, the Dog Walker (4.25 x 40), is one I’ve particularly enjoyed as a small cigar that provides full flavors.

Given that, I was particularly interested to try the newest size of the 7-20-4 line, the Lancero (7.5 x 38). (Kendall has also introduced a Lancero in his 7-20-4 1874 Series blend.) In many, but certainly not all, cigars, the proportions of the Lancero yield the best representation of the blend with high amounts of wrapper flavor versus binder and filer. Kendall says he made the Lancero for himself, only deciding to make it a full production size after being encouraged by those he shared them with. So far about 500 boxes have been made.

Wrapped in a cedar sleeve, the Brazilian wrapper has a little shine and minimal veins. Once lit, I find a medium- to full-bodied combination of flavors with maple syrup, earth, and hints of coffee and chocolate. As it progresses, balanced yet intense notes emerge. The Lancero has excellent construction start to finish, with a even burn, stable ash, and an easy draw. That’s particularly notable given that some lanceros tend to have tight draws.

While I enjoy the 7-20-4 line in general, I think the smaller ring gauge formats are the best representations of the blend. The Dogwalker is a great small cigar, and the Lancero is an even better cigar, with it’s long and slender proportions. (The Gagger (6 x 60), on the other hand, is my least favorite of the line.) Oozing sweetness and intense flavors, the 7-20-4 Lancero is yet another example of a small ring gauge cigar demonstrating the best of a blend. That’s why it earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back on October 19, after finishing my day job in the Loop, I made the short trek to Tesa, a Chicago shop and lounge that’s home to some of my favorite boutique cigars. But on this particular occasion I wasn’t looking for Tesa’s Series Gran Cru, Vintage Especial, or even the new Limited Edition. I instead came in search of the elusive Velvet Rat.

It was finally the long-awaited day when Drew Estate was to make available 40 pre-release bundles of 10 Dirty Rats, limiting purchases to a handful of smokes per customer. This was, after all, a soft release; the nationwide full release of the Dirty Rat won’t take place until mid-2013.

For this particular night, the cigars were only available at Tesa, a longtime supporter of Jonathan Drew. And enthusiasts from around the entire Chicagoland area came in droves get their hands on a few Dirty Rats, as well as peruse the selection of other Drew Estate and Tesa cigars. But the focus was understandably on the Velvet Rat, which was selling for $14 apiece for its single size (6.25 x 46).

The Velvet Rat is the ninth cigar from Drew Estate to be designated “Único Serie,” the others being Papas Fritas, UF-13, Feral Flying Pig, L40, UF-4, A, Ratzilla, and Dirty Rat. It sports a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, Brazilian mata fina binder, and filler tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua. This blend was only finalized at the end of the summer. It is intended to be a lighter, creamier experience than the Liga Privada No. 9.

The mottled cigar is dark and reddish with a handsome pigtail cap and very faint pre-light notes of caramel and nougat. Once lit, the profile is a little spicier than anticipated with black pepper on the finish. This quickly settles, however, into a sweeter, milder flavor that reminds me of coffee, syrup, and caramel. In other words, very nice and expertly balanced.

Even as the cigar progresses into its second and final thirds, the body remains decidedly sweeter and lighter than the Liga 9. The texture is chalky and a little syrupy as flavors of cocoa, nut, and cream come and go. The phrase “moist chocolate cake” comes to mind. All this is paired with the sort of physical properties I’ve come to expect from La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate: perfect burn line, solid white ash, and easy draws that produce large volumes of smoke. You can’t argue with that.

I’ll admit my expectations for this cigar were exceptionally high. But I’m happy to report those expectations were met. The Velvet Rat is a memorable, well-balanced smoke with interesting flavor and (I would argue) more nuance than the Liga 9 or any other Drew Estate cigar that comes to mind. For me, it’s worthy of a very 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 A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you peruse Padrón’s website, you’ll undoubtedly notice the image of a hammer in several not-so-subtle places. The symbol commemorates Cuban émigré José Orlando Padrón and his drive to work as a carpenter until he could establish a cigar company.

His patience and dedication paid off in spades. With over 600 employees, a tremendously loyal following, and more accolades than space permits mentioning, Padrón Cigars is considered by many to be the pinnacle of cigardom. The company’s place in cigar history is cemented by such super-premium offerings as the Anniversary Series (both 1926 and 1964) and Family Reserve.

Not to be overlooked is the original Padrón line, which includes over a dozen vitolas that are available in either Natural or Maduro formats. (By the way, with similar wrapper shades and no distinguishing markings, it’s really hard to tell a Natural from a Maduro without holding two next to each other.) Each is comprised of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobacco that’s sun-grown and aged for two and a half years.

The 2000 Maduro is a robusto that measures five inches long with a ring gauge of 50. I picked it up for under $6 at a tobacconist in downtown Chicago. Like the other vitolas in the blend, it isn’t the prettiest specimen, sporting thick veins, coarse seams, a hastily applied cap, and a lumpy surface. Yet its strong pre-light fragrance of dark chocolate and earth begs you to smoke it.

Right off the bat, what this cigar lacks in appearance it makes up in flavor. The taste is peppery, full-bodied, and characterized by espresso, cocoa, dark chocolate, and a little raisin. The resting smoke is exceptionally fragrant and the white ash is a stark contrast to the wrapper. The burn line and draw are excellent.

Like the Executive Maduro, which is a considerably longer vitola (7.5 x 50) that takes two hours to smoke, the 2000 Maduro doesn’t change much in flavor from light to nub. And that’s one reason why I prefer the 2000 Maduro: It draws to a close just as I start to lose interest.

At this point, it would be cliché to say the so-called “Thousand Series” is a great way to get Padrón quality and consistency without paying top dollar. Well I’m going to say that anyways. Again. And if you’re interested in one of the 15 cigars in Padrón’s original line, you can’t go wrong with the 2000 Maduro, which never overstays its welcome and is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Crafted by Jochi Blanco of Tabacalera La Palma and owned by Rafael Nodal of Oliveros, Aging Room is still a new brand on the cigar scene.

Yet Aging Room seems to be gaining in popularity as its blends continue to score well with the online cigar community and the mainstream cigar media. Among these blends is M356 (rated 4.5 stogies by us and named the 16th best smoke of 2011 by Cigar Aficionado) and F55 Quattro, which earned a rare 5-stogie rating back in September.

In 2012 Aging Room released Haváo to round out its portfolio. Offered in seven formats—Brio (5.25 x 42), Canon (6 x 46), Impromptu (5 x 48), Largo (7 x 50), Sharp (6.25 x 52), and Treble—the blend features a golden Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper around Dominican tobaccos. It is marketed as mild- to medium-bodied.

The Canon sells for less that $6 and comes dressed in double bands of maroon, cream, and gold with a delicate exterior leaf that has the faintest tooth. Firm from head to foot, it also sports a nice cap and pre-light notes of sweet hay. A simple punch cut reveals a moderate draw.

With Connecticut smokes, I’m usually anticipating creaminess, bread, and a bit of sweetness, while hoping to avoid the major pitfalls of the genre: chemical tastes, or a complete lack of flavor that leaves me feeling like I’m smoking paper. All the Canons I sampled for this review exceeded those expectations. This slender cigar has a toasty profile with background notes of citrus and peanut. The finish is sharp and a little spicy.

Not much changes flavor-wise over the course of the smoke, and the profile always stays towards the mild side of the medium-bodied spectrum with very little nicotine kick. Yet it’s remarkably satisfying for such a light cigar (although it must be noted that I’ve always been very appreciative of milder smokes). With excellent construction, my only complaint would be that the Canon burns a tad too quickly. It nubs in less than an hour.

Without question, this is another winner from Aging Room. And at such an affordable price, it’s a must-try for fans of Connecticut-wrapped cigars. My verdict: 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

Quesada (SAG Imports/MATASA) makes some very good cigars, and the Garcias (My Father Cigars) need no introduction. So the project between Patricia Quesada, Raquel Quesada, and Janny Garcia—the “tres reynas” (three queens)—is a promising collaboration.

“Janny is like a sister to us…We always have such a great time together, so we thought it would be fun to make a cigar that would represent our special bond. It is a project we have been discussing for a while and are so excited to finally be able to share it with the world,” Raquel Quesada said of their cigar.

The cigar is made at the Garcia’s My Fathers Cigars Factory in Nicaragua. Available in three sizes—Robusto (5 x 50), Torpedo (6 x 54), and Gordo (6 x 60)—it sells for $7-8 each, with only 1,000 boxes of each vitola made. The cigar features a dark Connecticut broadleaf wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

Pre-light the well-made Robusto (I smoked three for this review) features sweet tobacco and raisin flavors. Once lit, I find a combination of coffee, vanilla bean, milk chocolate, and hint of grass.

I was a little surprised by the lack of strength in this cigar given its Nicaraguan and broadleaf components. I’d classify it as mild- to medium-bodied. The only spice that makes an appearance is a hint of black pepper that comes and goes.

Still, it’s well-constructed, nicely balanced, and features a notably cool smoke. It’s the type of cigar that goes nicely with a cup of coffee in the morning or afternoon.

All around it’s a solid smoke: well-made, pleasant, balanced, and rich. Even though I didn’t find it to be exceptional, it earns a rating of rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys