The Stogie Guys

Few holidays cry out for a cigar-related gift like Father’s Day. Fathers and sons have been enjoying cigars together for virtually as long as cigars have been in existence. After all, it’s hard to beat premium cigars, fine spirits, and good conversation for some quality father-son bonding.

Now, I could write numerous articles with recommendations for fine cigars for you to give to your cigar smoking dad, but you’d be better off browsing our Reviews Archive and finding a highly-rated cigar that fits your dad’s taste and your budget. So instead of just a list of cigars, here are a few cigar-related gifts your cigar smoking dad might not be expecting:

Scotch – Many consider Scotch to be a quintessential accompaniment to a fine smoke. There are no shortage of fine scotches out there, but two particularly fine whiskeys I’ve tried lately are from Dalmore. Both tremendously smooth and balanced, the Gran Reserva is extremely old (10-15 years) with citrus, vanilla, and a bit of spice. The even older Dalmore King Alexander 1263 features an exotic blend of complex flavors imparted by whiskey aged in six different types of casks.

Playboy Book of Cigars – Sure, it’s got a few photos of the lovely ladies that Playboy is known for, but there’s a lot more to this book than that. The perfect coffee table book for the father with a cigar den, this book written by veteran cigar journalists Aaron Sigmond (founding editor of Smoke Magazine) and Nick Kolakowski (deputy editor of The Cigar Report) features extensive information about the cigar making process. My favorite parts are the numerous large format photos (by Ian Spanier) of cigars being made in various cigar-making countries.

Fuente Añejos – Like I said, there are plenty of fine cigars out there to give to dad, but in the mind of many cigar aficionados the Añejo by Arturo Fuente will always be connected to Father’s Day. That’s because, along with Christmas, Father’s Day is the only time of the year that the Añejo is released. With a maduro wrapper aged four to six years (including six to eight months in cognac barrels) the Añejo is considered by some to be the finest that Fuente has to offer.

Cigar Rights of America РIf dad is a cigar lover, then he should care about his freedom to continue to enjoy cigars. Cigar Rights of America was created to fight for the rights of consumers of premium cigars. So what would be better than to sign your cigar-loving father up for a membership? This sampler of exclusive cigars (including such rare versions of the Fuente Forbidden X, La Aurora 100 A̱os, Ashton VSG, and Diamond Crown Maximus) comes complete with a one-year membership to CRA.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Yesterday, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I decided to drink cinco margaritas. After all, I’ve written before how margaritas can be an excellent cigar pairing.

Those margaritas meant I didn’t finish writing up the review I had planned. They did, however, help me do some thinking about what cigars go best with margaritas, tequila, and Mexican cerveza. To that end, I present five Cinco de Mayo-approved cigars:

A. Turrent — It’s hard to discuss Mexican cigars without talking about the Turrents, makers of most south-of-the-border cigars including Te-Amos. Te-Amos have somewhat of a mixed reputation, but the A. Turrent is an overlooked smoke made with Mexican wrapper and filler tobaccos sandwiched around a Nicaraguan binder. It has plenty of creamy notes which combine nicely with such other flavors as cedar, spice, and roast nut.

Macanudo Vintage 2000 — Considering they’re the best selling cigar in America, Macanudos don’t get a lot of respect from seasoned smokers. Still, the Macanudo Vintage (made with Mexican binder and filler tobaccos) is a cut above the regular line when it comes to depth and flavor.

Murcielago — Eddie Ortega told me he’d never seen Don Pepin Garcia so excited about new tobacco than he was about the jet black Mexican San Andreas wrapper on the Murcielago. The resulting cigar is a mouth-watering combination of coffee, earth, and spice.

Opus X Chili Pepper — Unlike the other cigars on this list, there’s no Mexican leaf on this smoke. But given its expertly crafted chili pepper shape, this Opus X embodies the Cinco de Mayo spirit. It features excellent construction and plenty of the full-bodied spice that makes Opus X one of the most sought-after cigars in the world.

Avo Limited Edition 2010 — This newcomer features a Mexican Sumatra-seed binder with an Ecuadorian binder and a Dominican ligero filler. It’s the strongest and largest of the Avo annual releases, and it’s chock full of delicious espresso flavor. But you don’t have to drink coffee with the Avo LE 2010; a fine tequila on the rocks will work quite well.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

For a cigar fan, walking into a humidor displaying new and untried sticks is an enticing moment. Whether it’s that cigar you’ve been wanting to try since you first heard or read about it (maybe the Cain F) or something that just hit the shelves (maybe La Aurora’s 107), smoking a cigar for the first time can be a lot of fun.

But if, like me, you don’t smoke several cigars a day, the quest for untried cigars means you can easily neglect those you’ve enjoyed in the past. This point was brought home to me the recently when I was listening to a couple of different podcasts that mentioned cigars I liked but haven‘t smoked in what seems like ages.

There’s Arturo Fuente’s Sun Grown line. A few years ago, that was the stick I reached for again and again. Until today, though, I can’t remember the last time I smoked one. That’s a shame. Because not only is the Sun Grown, with its distinctive black band at the foot, a terrific cigar, the Double Chateau vitola is also among the best bargains around. It’s large: 6.75 inches with a 50 ring gauge. It’s excellently constructed and burns like a dream with tons of smoke. It tastes great, with one of the finest finishes anywhere. And it runs about $6.

There’s also the Padrón regular line, often referred to as the “Thousands.” The 6000 is a 52 ring gauge torpedo that’s 5.5 inches long. Sometimes called “the poor man’s anniversary” due to some similarities to Padrón’s top-of-the-line cigars, the 6000, in natural and maduro, is another reasonably priced beauty that’s a pleasure to smoke.

I’m still crazy about the La Gloria Cubana Medaille d’Or No. 1 Maduro, though I rarely see them at tobacconists anymore. Perhaps that’s why it has been so long–too long–since I’ve enjoyed one.

I’m sure each of you can think of cigars that you really liked in the past but somehow got away from smoking as new releases elbowed their way onto the shelves. And I’m not suggesting that anyone abandon the hunt for great new cigars. Discovering them is one of the many pleasures of cigar smoking. But so is reconnecting with an old friend. Grab one of yours, and see if you agree.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

If your cigar collection is anything like mine, there’s usually a surprise lurking. Sometimes it’s a cigar I swear I’ve never seen before, other times it’s the long forgotten survivor of a box purchase.

But even in my generally disorganized state, there’s one piece of information I almost always have at hand: how long the cigar’s been sitting in my humidor. That’s because I have a system I’ve actually managed to keep up with. It’s simple, cheap, and quick. Although I’m incredibly impressed with computerized databases, I know my limitations. I might start off OK, but I’d never keep up.

I’ll acknowledge up front that my system does have a drawback. It really doesn’t work on single cigars that aren’t sheathed in cellophane. But that’s a limitation I’m willing to live with.

Let’s start with boxes. It’s hard to get any easier. I just take a Sharpie and write the purchase date on the bottom.

For individual cigars, I simply take any sticky label laying around, write the purchase date on it, cut the label if necessary, and stick it to the cello. I know some smokers use a Sharpie to write the date on the cellophane itself. That works, but I’ve always worried the odor from the ink could seep through and infect the tobacco.

Of course, you’ll still have to hunt for your cigars. But when you find a stick you want, you can quickly decide whether it’s one whose time has come or whether it should have more time in the box.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Some call it a sinus infection. Others call it the common cold. The medical community recognizes it as a “viral upper respiratory tract infection.” No matter what the name, the symptoms are usually the same: runny nose, sore throat, mild fatigue, and possibly a fever. And, like the summertime blues, there ain’t no cure.

The average adult experiences two to four colds per year. I got my first (and hopefully last) case of the 2010 cold this weekend. In typical fashion, it came overnight with a scratchy throat, stuffed up my nose for a few days, and left just as quickly as it arrived. No big deal, but enough to frustratingly cause me to cancel a few weekend activities.

One activity I usually cut back on while sick is cigar smoking. I’m not really concerned that cigars will prolong the cold’s duration (although doctors say smokers tend to have longer colds—but then again, doctors say a lot of things). I just find cigar smoking a lot less enjoyable when my throat is sore or my nose is clogged.

I’d never attempt to review a cigar when my nose—the best cigar tasting instrument I have—is out of whack. Recently, though, I conducted an experiment. I fired up a Rocky Patel Vintage ’90 Toro to see if I could identify the flavors I normally associate with this cigar (cocoa, spicy wood, etc.) I couldn’t.

Not even close. I could have been smoking pretty much anything and it would have tasted like chalky, billowy air. As expected, this was a reminder of the huge role our sense of smell plays in cigar tasting and how important it is to routinely smoke through the nose.

Aside from being an impediment to appreciating premium tobacco, my cold also reminded me that I’m far from addicted to tobacco. I went a solid five days without smoking (and I’ve gone much longer under different circumstances, like when I was training for a marathon). Never once did I experience cravings, headaches, nausea, anxiety, or other symptoms common to those trying to quit cigarettes. Sure, I missed not being able to thoroughly enjoy a cigar. But it wasn’t an epic battle to lay off the leaf for awhile.

Now I’m feeling much better. I took my nose for a test drive with a 601 Red and everything seems to be back to normal. Health permitting, I’m looking forward to catching up on some new reviews and Quick Smokes in the weeks to come.

The next time I get a cold, I’ll probably get lots of sleep, drink lots of fluids, and avoid cigars—at least expensive ones. I suggest you do the same.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

I like smoking cigars so much that I cannot for the life of me understand why everyone doesn’t do it. I often recommend that friends and acquaintances try a cigar, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. I’m sure many of you do the same.

Now, we all know smoking cigars is pretty simple. Mostly, it’s step 1: light up; step 2: enjoy. But there are some steps that can help you make a friend’s first smoke a fine and memorable occasion.

1. Size — For an introductory smoke, it’s best not to go too large. Newbies should be introduced with a preview of premium tobacco, not a two-hour commitment. Opting for a smaller size, such as a petit corona or Rothschild, increases the odds of a pleasurable experience.

2. Construction — Chose a cigar that you know draws well and burns easily. A first-time smoker is best served by never having to worry about relighting or drawing hard. A cigar that maintains a tight ash is also a good idea.

3. Setting — I recommend visiting a great cigar shop, but other places can work equally well. Just be sure it’s a spot to relax and have a cigar as part of an enjoyable occasion. Pairing the smoke with a favorite drink almost certainly will enhance the appeal.

4. Strength — While conventional wisdom is to go with a mild stick, I recommend a medium-bodied cigar. With a mild cigar you run the risk that the new smoker won’t really taste much of anything and wonder what the heck it’s all about. And a full-bodied powerhouse is likely to end poorly.

5. Simplicity — Avoid spouting off dos and don’ts. (OK, one reminder not to inhale.) Focus on making sure they realize that smoking cigars is about enjoying yourself and, frequently, enjoying the company of others who like it just as much. It’s not about rules.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

The golf course is a great place to smoke a cigar. What other sport is it acceptable for a competitor, with hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line, to light up a fine stogie mid-competition?

You’re outdoors in presumably good weather, free (for the most part) of smoking bans, and playing a game with very long pauses in action. Still, there are a few things to consider when selecting a smoke for the golf course.

1. Length — There’s really no cigar too long for golf. Even if you’re just playing nine holes, you’ll probably be out there for two hours. This is the time for those toros, double coronas, and Churchills that you otherwise might not have time to smoke.

2. Ring Gauge — There’s a lot to like about thin cigars, but generally you’ll want to shy away from lanceros, panatelas, and coronas. Thicker cigars tend to have a sturdier ash and a more consistent burn. On the course, you’ll want a smoke that won’t completely destruct if it gets dropped. Usually 50 ring gauge and larger can handle the rigor of the links better.

3. Strength — You don’t want a cigar so strong that you need to sit down while you smoke it. On the other hand, you also don’t want a cigar that’s too mild to enjoy without your complete attention. That’s why I usually grab medium or medium- to full-bodied smokes when I’m playing.

4. Price — While everyone has their own definition of an expensive cigar, I’m of the thought that pricey cigars have no place on the golf course. When you’re playing golf, a cigar is a secondary activity. That means it’s best to leave the special occasion smokes at home and bring something that offers value instead.

5. Number — How many cigars to bring on the course is a matter of personal choice. With a typical round going five hours, two or three cigars is probably about right (and you’ll be glad you have that third one when you’re stuck behind a particularly slow group). In addition, think about bringing a few extra smokes to give to your fellow golfers. You may be slowing the group down with your horrible putting, but they’ll be glad you came along when they’re enjoying the fine cigars you generously shared with them.

Remember that smoking a cigar on the course won’t lower your handicap. But by following these few simple rules you may find that you’ll enjoy your round of golf more than ever.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr