The Stogie Guys

This cigar boasts a lovely wrapper, excellent construction, and more flavors than you’ll find in a collection of three-star restaurant menus. This Illusione vitola, introduced in 2010, has become a favorite since I smoked my first one only a month or so ago.

I’ve read that the blend has no ligero and that seems believable. Le Matin is no nicotine horse choker. Instead, it’s a medium strength, complex cigar that, to me, can compete with any cigar in the world.

In fact, if there’s someone who’s convinced Cubans are the only ones worth smoking, I recommend Le Matin. Pour whatever you like to drink, light up this 6.75-inch lightly pressed cigar, and prepare to spend 90 minutes or more enthralled. The 46 ring gauge Nicaraguan puro burns slowly and cool with a tight ash.

It’s difficult to enumerate the flavors without sounding like a tasting wheel. There’s a sweetness in parts that lingers on the finish, a variety of floral notes, a bite at points that complements the spicy notes, and coffee undertones sprinkled throughout.

Like other creations of Don Giolito—interestingly, another cigar master and musician—Le Matin isn’t the easiest cigar to find. Frankly, I don’t think I’d seen it until recently when I quickly stocked up.

At around $11 per stick, the price may be a bit steep. But I can only tell you it’s worth every penny. If you aren’t initially committed to giving Le Matin the time and attention it deserves, you’ll probably find yourself abandoning whatever plans you had to focus on the cigar shortly after lighting up.

When Cigar Aficionado named Le Matin No. 7 on its list of top cigars for 2010, the magazine wrote about Giolito’s “impeccable quality.” I can only concur. For me, this is, without question, a smoke 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.]

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back when I first smoked a My Uzi Weighs a Ton I noted that while I found it to be a “nice smoke,” I thought “maybe a smaller ring gauge would better fit my palate.” Back then My Uzi came only in three sizes, all with a 60 ring gauge (5, 6, and 7 inches long).

Since, the team at Drew Estate Subculture Studios and Joya de Nicaragua has obliged with the Bait Fish size. Since late last year, the Bait Fish (4 x 44) was exclusive to online-only New Havana Cigars, but in May it was announced that the line would be going national. And if the sample I smoked during my visit to Nicaragua is any indication, another more traditionally-sized MUWAT is on the way soon (toro-sized, if I recall).

A quick refresher: The Uzi is made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory with leaf mostly from Drew Estate, including a San Andreas maduro wrapper, Connecticut capote binder, and Brazillian mata fina filler, along with Nicaraguan filler from Joya de Nicaragua’s tobacco stocks. It’s rolled at Joya de Nicaragua but was blended by Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate.

The original lines came in brown paper-wrapped 10-pack “bundles” and sold for $8-10 a smoke. The Bait Fish comes in a handy pocket-size five-pack and sells for about $6 per stick. According to New Havana’s site, the blend was tweaked with more ligero to create a blend they call the “EF” for extra fuerte (extra strong).

The cigar’s wrapper is a bit darker and more oily than I remember the original Uzis being. The cigar is well-constructed, firm to the touch, and it produces an easy burn and solid ash.

The Uzi Bait Fish is full-bodied, much more so than the original. It features loads of earth, oak, black coffee, and a bit of milk chocolate, creating a complex, full-flavored smoke.

I certainly like the Bait Fish more than the original Uzi, but I’m kind of curious why. Is it the tweaked (ligero-heavy) blend or the effect of the small size? I, for one, would still like to see a smaller (non-60 ring gauge) version of the original blend, if for no other reason than to see how it compares to the Bait Fish. Still, this is the type of cigar that appeals to me. Focused, intense, flavorful, and well-made. It’s enough to earn Drew Estate’s My Uzi Weighs a Ton Bait Fish a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This new cigar line is made by Oliva for Famous Smoke Shop and highly touted for strength. It’s also getting a public relations push, with samples being sent out by Famous for reviews, which is how I came to smoke these.

“Vindicator by Oliva cigars are an all-Nicaraguan blend of triple-fermented ligero and viso long-fillers in Habano-seed binders and wrappers,” reads the Famous website. “The smoke is full strength and impressively bold up front. Settling into the medium-plus range of body, they become almost deceptively smooth, with dark tobacco flavors balanced by a light sweetness.”

The Robusto (5 x 50) is a nice looking cigar, though the band strikes me as a little cheesy, like something you’d find drawn by a junior high school student on his notebook.

I didn’t detect much aroma from the Habano wrapper or from the foot before lighting. The performance of those I sampled was fine, with an even, steady burn, a strong ash, and good smoke production.

If I hadn’t known in advance, though, I would not have guessed Oliva as the manufacturer. The Vindicator had a harshness and a sharp edge I don’t associate with Oliva cigars. It also lacked the depth of flavor typically found in Oliva’s best.

The Vindicator line comes in two other sizes, a Toro (6 x 50) and a Churchill (7 x 50). Prices for the Robusto range from $5 for a single to $3 each in a box of 20.

The Vindicator is not a bad smoke. It just isn’t a really good one, either. If you’re the sort of cigar smoker who runs through several sticks a day, you might find an occasional spot for this one. Or if you want something while you’re working in the yard or garage, this could be 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

Dona Flor, a top brand in Brazil for years, was once a darling of StogieGuys.com. The company’s blends earned high praise from my colleagues and I back in 2006 and 2007.

And then a funny thing happened. Dona Flor seemingly dropped off the face of the earth. I stopped seeing Dona Flor cigars in shops. I stopped hearing others talk about Dona Flor. And when my own stash ran out, I stopped smoking Dona Flor altogether. I never investigated why. I guess I just moved on and forgot about the company that introduced me to the notion of a Brazilian puro.

So imagine my surprise when I received a press release on June 5 proclaiming Dona Flor’s re-introduction to the American market. Evidently, shortly after the brand was first introduced to the U.S. in 2005, legal issues arose that blocked domestic distribution. But now, Chris Edge—a Denver-based cigar enthusiast and businessman—is bringing Dona Flor back to North America.

Several new blends have already been announced and are available for your perusal on Dona Flor’s website, along with a description of each of the three main tobaccos used in the company’s creations: Mata Fina, Mata Norte, and Brazilian-grown Cuban-seed. Today I’m taking a look at the Seleção Robusto (5 x 52), which uses a Mata Fina wrapper, a Mata Norte binder, and a filler blend of Mata Fina and Mata Norte tobaccos. This Brazilian puro achieved a 92 rating in Cigar Aficionado. It has a suggested retail price of $8.50.

Now while I’m somewhat of a sucker for Mata Fina, I’ll be the first to admit that the leaf doesn’t make the most attractive wrapper. Like me, most people appreciate this tobacco for its taste and aroma, not its aesthetics. The Seleção Robusto, as expected, is a rugged-looking specimen with a multitude of lumps and several large veins.

One of those veins runs the length of the cigar and contributes to an uneven burn. Veins are more combustible than leaves, and this is evident as the side of the Robusto with the vein burns significantly quicker than the rest of the cigar. But the vein doesn’t produce a canoe and the burn doesn’t require any touch-ups. After an inch, this issue completely resolves itself, and the physical properties are perfect from then on, including a solid, finely layered white ash.

The profile and aroma are the highlights of the Seleção Robusto. The taste is nicely balanced and includes a unique core of sour cream and some tangy notes that remind me of barbeque sauce. Dry wood, sweetness, and a touch of black pepper spice round out the flavor. And, not to be outdone, the resting smoke boasts loads of sweet coffee.

This is the 35th year Dona Flor has been in business and its second foray into the American market. Based on my experience with the Seleção Robusto, I hope Dona Flor will stay in my homeland for good this time. Expect to hear more from this Brazilian company at this summer’s industry trade show. Until then, I’m awarding this cigar four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

My approach to aging cigars has gone from haphazard to chaotic. I frequently forget to use stick-on labels to date my purchases or give much thought to what might benefit from serious time in the humidor.

It’s not that I don’t believe some cigars benefit from aging. I’m just not organized enough to do it well. How I envy those of you who meticulously record your stash in a database.

But, as they say, even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while. And when I pulled this 6.25-inch, lightly pressed maduro out the other day, I noted on the sticker attached to the yellowing cellophane that it had spent a bit over two years in the humidor. While I’ve long been a fan of all the 601 colors, the Serie Blue isn’t my top choice, and I suppose that’s why it had gone unsmoked.

But now I wish I had more. The aroma of the Habano wrapper and the Nicaraguan filler was deep, rich tobacco with a hint of chocolate. It clearly lived up to Cigar Aficionado’s description as “both gorgeous and delicious” when CA ranked it sixth among the top cigars of 2009.

The flavors were a rich blend of coffee, cocoa, and that appealing maduro sweetness. It burned perfectly, produced lots of smoke, and had a buttery smooth finish. It wasn’t dramatically different than one from the shelf, but aging had created a subtlety and depth that pushed it to another level.

This was Don Pepin Garcia’s first maduro and he clearly knew how to make it shine. It is brilliant with two years of age..

At around $7 a stick, I’m awfully tempted to buy more and see if I can duplicate this experience in 2014. That is, if I can remember to mark them when I buy them and then refrain from smoking them along the way.

With a full two years of age on it, I rate this EO 601 Serie “Blue” Toro a full 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.]

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Buying cigars with serious age can be difficult. Fortunately for me, I live near the McLean Cigars PG Boutique, home base of Paul Garmirian Cigars, a company that takes seriously their commitment never to rush cigars to market.

And while all of their cigars are aged for years before they are sold, at their shop they have an even more special collection of cigars that have been aged for well over a decade, including many from the first years of PG Cigars, which was founded in 1991.

On my last trip to McLean, I selected a four-pack of Petit Bouquet-sized PG’s from the original PG release in 1991. The four -pack slide box ran me $44, or $11 each, a lot for a short cigar (4.5 x 38) were it not for the over two decades of age on these Connecticut-wrapped Dominicans.

To get some details on the cigar, I emailed Kevork Garmirian of PG and also asked him for more details about PG’s aging process and philosophy “So many wonderful things can happen to cigars as they rest,” he told me. “It’s good to know when a particular filler or wrapper was grown, but what’s even more interesting is the balance with other tobaccos, their age, and how long it has been since the cigar was rolled.”

“We get a lot of compliments on our PGs and I think that has a lot to do with our ‘staggered’ ordering and aging process,” he continued. “We order cigars about 3 years in advance. With the exception of our Limited Edition that we’ll release in a few months, the cigars that I receive in 2012 will age in our U.S. warehouse for a 2015 release.”

Despite over 20 years of age (Kevork tells me the tobacco is from the late 80s) the little Petit Bouquet shows some rich flavors. Cedar is dominant, but there’s also hints of honey, hay, oak, cereal, and clove-like spice. It’s perfectly balanced and mild- to medium-bodied.

One word of advice: Be careful removing the cellophane, as years of oils have nearly fused the cigar to the protective plastic wrapper on some of the samples I smoked. So long as I successfully removed the cigar from its wrapper, I found construction to be flawless.

Ultimately, the Petit Bouquet isn’t my favorite PG cigar (my preferred profile is more full-bodied, like the 15th Anniversary), or even my favorite aged PG (the larger Belicoso Fino, also from 1991, has more depth) but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an enjoyable smoke and a great experience. I’d even say that for providing almost a full hour of enjoyment, the cigar is a good value at $11. Depth of flavor, value, flawless construction, and a unique experience earn this 21-year-old Paul Garmirian Petit Bouquet 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 Dominican-made Romeo y Julieta brand has been a longtime staple in the portfolio of industry giant Altadis. But over the years, even as the brand grew to ten blends of varying strength, Romeo y Julieta always seemed to be associated with the milder spectrum.

The newest Romeo y Julieta blend, called simply Romeo, aims to change that. “A manly cigar, bold and robust, Romeo is an awesome smoke, rich in complex flavor sensations,” reads a marketing pamphlet from Altadis. “It is, quite likely, the finest Romeo y Julieta ever.”

Romeo is certainly the most modern-looking, sporting a unique band that breaks from the traditional motifs of its predecessors. The line’s sleek, curved boxes are definitely not traditional. And Romeo also adopts the contemporary mantra of “big and bold” with large ring gauges and a recipe of tobaccos that’s evidently built for power.

That recipe includes a dark Ecuadorian Habano-seed wrapper, a Dominican olor binder, and Dominican filler tobaccos of the piloto and olor varieties. The line is comprised of four vitolas that are crafted at the Tabacalera de Garcia in the Dominican Republic: Churchill (7 x 56), Toro (6 x 54), Robusto (5 x 54), and Piramide (6.1 x 52). I sampled three Toros for this review, each—in the interest of full disclosure—provided to me free of charge by Altadis.

The Toro is a clean-looking smoke with a hearty weight and a firm feel from head to toe. The foot confirms a tight cross-section of tobaccos. The pre-light aroma is musty and earthy and the draw is moderate.

After setting an even light, the introductory taste is bold yet stale. By this I mean there’s tons of strength from the smoke but very little in terms of identifiable flavor beyond pure heat. My strategy on cigars like this is to let them rest un-puffed for a few minutes to see if they settle into a more enjoyable profile as the foot cools.

Fortunately, the Romeo Toro does. Before crossing the half-inch mark, tastes of leather, dry wood, and espresso become dominant with a bit of nougat on the finish to add sweetness and balance. The resting smoke is quite sweet. Later, at the midway point, I find the body settles back toward the medium spectrum and some nutty notes take precedence over the leather. The final third features a reprise of power. All the while the construction is near perfect.

Altadis has made a considerable effort to get samples of Romeo in the hands of many internet reviewers, so I expect you’ll see much written about this cigar in the weeks to come. It will be interesting to read all the reviews. From my perspective, this is a fine smoke that will do well on the golf course. I would recommend picking up a Romeo as the blend hits the shelves of a tobacconist near you. I think cigar enthusiasts who typically stray away from Altadis smokes will be pleasantly surprised by the Toro, which is worthy 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