The Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Drew Estate has announced an executive-level shakeup. Glenn Wolfson, a graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Chicago-area resident, will relocate to Miami to oversee the company’s day-to-day operations as chief executive officer. “Glenn Wolfson is a trusted advisor, and has enjoyed a 36-year career in business as a senior corporate executive and consultant,” said Peter Ghiloni, Swisher’s CEO. “Glenn has worked with our team in the past, helping us transform our business dramatically having experience in managing supply chain and operations, marketing, information technology, business strategy, and human resource.” Michael Cellucci is stepping down from his post as Drew Estate’s president to pursue other opportunities, and Rich Cutler returns to Drew Estate in a sales capacity for “transitional support.” In the fall of 2014, Drew Estate was acquired by Swisher International, the largest cigar company in the world by volume.

2) Cigar Rights of America (CRA) will begin affixing stamp-size labels to cigar boxes from manufacturers who support the cause of cigar freedoms. “The Stamp,” as it is known, debuted at the industry trade show this week. “We wanted to develop a program to recognize those companies that have been and are advancing the cause of CRA as a movement among patrons of great premium cigars, for their resources that have advanced the legislative agenda of CRA in Washington and across the nation, and are giving to this partnership between the manufacturers, community retail tobacconist, and consumers of premium handmade cigars,” CRA executive director J. Glynn Loope told Cigar Aficionado.

3) Inside the Industry: Tons of new cigars were introduced this week, and we’ll have plenty to review in the coming months. Generally, new cigars are a result of the creativity and skill of the blender, and limited by available tobaccos. At the IPCPR Trade Show, General Cigar debuted the results of a new project to expand the types of tobacco available to its cigar makers. “Project Mao” seeks to use archived tobacco seeds to redevelop strands of tobacco that otherwise would be unavailable due to the natural evolution of tobacco strains. Both the Partagas Ramon y Ramon and Macanudo Mao use tobacco developed from archived seeds that are over a half century old to attempt to recreate flavors that otherwise have been lost.

4) From the Archives: StogieGuys.com first attended the IPCPR Trade Show in 2008, which was also held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, home to the 2016 show. Check out our coverage of that show here and here.

5) Deal of the Week: Want to fill your humidor with some high-quality cigars on the cheap? This IPCPR 2016 Sampler features ten cigars that will normally run you over $60 combined, for just $29.95.  Included are cigars from Drew Estate Undercrown, Surrogates, Miro, La Aurora, and others.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Drew Estate

For quite some time, Villiger, a big player in the machine-made cigar realm, has been attempting to gain a foothold in the premium, hand-rolled market.

And it hasn’t focused solely on sticks on the shelves. The 128-year-old Swiss-based firm blew up its North American operation, named a new president, ended a brief relationship with Sutliff Tobacco, and relocated its U.S. corporate headquarters to suburban Miami. (Hopefully, Villigar will get its “coming soon” website up and running.)

On the tobacco front, Villiger has introduced cigars, such as Trill and Cabareté, that didn’t feature the Villiger name. And it’s tried with cigars that do, like the Villiger San’Doro.

The three-cigar San’Doro line was introduced at last year’s International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Trade Show and began shipping late in 2015. The Maduro comes in a single vitola, a Toro (6 x 50), with an $8.50 price tag. It’s a Brazilian puro that’s also rolled in Villiger’s factory there. (The other two San’Doro lines—Claro and Colorado—are produced for Villiger by Oliva in Nicaragua.)

In a June interview with Cigar Snob, Villiger North America president Rene Castañeda said 2016 production for each of the lines will be about 25,000 for U.S. sales, with a focus on Florida, California, and the New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania market.

The San’Doro Maduro features a Mata Fina wrapper, Mata Norte binder, and Mata Fina and Mata Norte filler. I smoked three samples, which were sent to me by Villiger.

The cigar makes a strong first impression, with an oily wrapper and a heavy feel. The denseness made me wary of a tight draw, but that proved not to be the case. The cigars did, however, start with fairly airy smoke that gradually gained substance.

It also burned very slowly, making the six-inch smoke last as long as most cigars an inch or more in length.

Villiger promotes the Maduro as the strongest of the San’Doro lines. I’d put it as medium strength and body.

There are many of the typical Maduro flavors, such as coffee and chocolate. It also has a pleasant mix of sweetness and a little spice, with some nuttiness and some wood and leather. The flavors mix and mingle throughout, keeping it interesting along the way.

If you haven’t tried a Villiger cigar, this is a good place to start. I rate the San’Doro Maduro four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

About a month ago, right after LeBron James delivered the Cleveland Cavaliers their first title in the franchise’s 46-year history, pictures and video began to surface of the NBA Finals MVP with a cigar. Since it wasn’t easy to discern the band, I recall seeing some speculation on social media about what cigar LeBron had chosen to celebrate. Several people seemed quite certain it was a Hoyo.

The cigar brand was later correctly identified as Y.O. by Yaxel Ortiz. I think it’s safe to say this choice caught many people by surprise. Even many of those who are regular smokers and enthusiastic readers and followers of the world of cigars had never heard of the brand. How it got on LeBron’s radar—or how the cigar in question made its way to him—is not known.

An employee of Cousin’s Cigar, a five-location tobacconist in the Cleveland area, sent me a handful of Yaxel Ortiz Y.O. Toros, along with information about the brand. Yaxel Ortiz, for instance, has been working with tobacco for a quarter century and has been making cigars in the U.S. for years. Recently, he opened his own factory in Estelí called The Best Cigars S.A. It is there his first Nicaraguan-made cigar is crafted.

Y.O. has been on the market for about nine months and is available at about 30 stores across 9 states. Its recipe includes an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Four sizes are available, each of which is affordably priced: Robusto (5 x 50, $5.20), Torpedo (6.5 x 52, $6.50), Churchill (7 x 50, $6.50), and Toro (6 x 52, $5.90).

Beneath the glossy band of black and gold that was the subject of much speculation and head-scratching is a silky, oily, slightly reddish wrapper with thin veins and moderate tooth. The several Toros I smoked for this review all had a few lumps here and there, along with a spongy feel. At the foot, the sweet pre-light notes are reminiscent of mocha and caramel.

On the palate, after an even light is established, medium- to full-bodied flavors of black pepper, coffee, and dark chocolate waste no time introducing themselves. The texture is thick and leathery, and there is a little cayenne heat on the finish. After a quarter inch, the intensity fades a bit, a retreat that paves the way for some creaminess and sweetness to enter the equation.

The midway point is lighter on spice and flatter in character with oak, creamy nougat, and bread. Now decidedly medium-bodied, the texture is less leathery and chalkier. The finale witnesses a reprise of some of the initial intensity.

Despite the cigar’s sponginess—which, in my experience, can often portend construction issues—the Toro exhibits excellent combustion properties. Each of my samples had a straight burn, solid ash, smooth draw, and above-average smoke production.

One would think LeBron wouldn’t need to concern himself with cost, especially when selecting a celebratory smoke for one of the greatest accomplishments in his storied career. You and I, on the other hand, are likely in a different boat. So the price points across the Y.O. range are certainly welcome and highly appreciated. As far as the Toro is concerned, it won’t knock your socks off with flavor or complexity. But it will deliver a consistently enjoyable experience that’s worthy of a solid rating of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

This limited edition from Altadis is a standout, far from the stereotype of cigars from an industry’s giant. It’s rich, complex, and nicely balanced with a Criollo ’98 wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler. Issued in a single size (6 x 54) with 4,500 eight-count boxes shaped like gold bars, the single-stick MSRP is $9.25. I did experience some minor meandering burn issues and a flaky ash, but the spicy, sweet, and shifting flavors more than made up for it.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Announcements of new cigar releases continue to roll out at what seems like a record pace in advance of what might be the most important IPCPR Trade Show in history. On Wednesday, we learned Drew Estate is launching candela-wrapped line extensions called Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Thang and Swamp Rat. “This thing should not be, and it’s a deeply disturbing yet pleasing smoke,” reads a press release. “Deep in the swamps it is lurking, waiting to be discovered. By pairing this deliciously sweet candela wrapper with the smoky and tasty Kentucky Fire Cured tobaccos, an eerie mystery has been revealed for a unique and powerful experience.” Three new cigars will be sold in ten-count paper bundles for $7.50 to $8.75: Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Thang Toro (6 x 52), Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Thang Rat (6 x 46), and Kentucky Fire Cured Swamp Thang Robusto (5 x 54). “We continue to demonstrate our leadership in the fire-cured tobacco segment, making history as the first company to blend candela and Kentucky Fire Cured tobaccos in the premium segment,” said Jonathan Drew.

2) Recluse has introduced the Amadeus Corojo Reserva, Amadeus Rosado, and OTG Connecticut. The former features a “very special Corojo wrapper that we have been holding onto for years” around Dominican, Sumatran, and Mexican filler tobaccos. The Recluse Amadeus Rosado boasts “the finest Ecuadorian Rosado wrapper available on the market” with Dominican, Pennsylvanian, and Mexican fillers. Recluse president Scott Weeks calls the blend “one of the most complex cigars we have ever made.” Finally, OTG Connecticut is an expansion of the original OTG Maduro blend, which was the very first blend Recluse offered to the U.S. market. It sports a Grade A Connecticut Shade wrapper around Dominican and Sumatran fillers. All three will be sold in 14 sizes with prices ranging from $5.95 for the Petit Corona (4 x 42) to $11.95 for the Kanu #3 (8 x 58).

3) Inside the Industry: La Flor Dominicana has announced a smaller “Petite” size of La Nox, its blend using a dark Brazilian wrapper, Mexican binder, and Nicaraguan filler. Viva Republica is adding Art of War, a new blend made at La Aurora with a stalk-cut Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a binder of Ecuadorian Sumatra surrounding Colombian, Dominican, and Nicaraguan filler. Sindicato is set to resurrect the Particulares brand, a Nicaraguan puro made by Casa Fernandez to be sold in five sizes with prices ranging from $7.50 to $10 per cigar.

4) From the Archives: With the next IPCPR Cigar Trade Show set to open in imminently, it is interesting to look back at last year’s show to see how much has changed, or hasn’t. In a wrap-up from last year’s show, we noted a few key observations, including decreased attendance, numerous exhibitors, cautious optimism (now seemingly somewhat myopic) about the FDA, and increased discussion about evolving Cuban-U.S. relations.

5) Deal of the Week: StogieGuys.com recommends Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items delivered to your door for just $55. Past boxes include barbecue accessories, shaving kits, everything you need to make great coffee, and exclusive cigars from E.P. Carrillo paired with custom accessories. You can select a box each month or skip the month entirely. Click here to sign up today.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Drew Estate

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations covering the cigar industry don’t take effect until August, but the impact on cigars is already apparent. The regulations, which have already prompted two lawsuits against the agency (a long-planned lawsuit by the CRA, IPCPR, and CAA was filed last week), threaten to stifle the introduction of new cigars, plus the continued sale of any cigar introduced after February 15, 2007.

With the annual IPCPR Trade Show set to start next week, cigar makers are already announcing new cigars at a record pace, with plenty more expected next week. The reason is clear, as cigars introduced after August 8 will have to wait for FDA pre-approval before being marketed or sold in the United States, while those on the market before that date can be sold for two years without needing pre-approval.

Exact details of the pre-approval process are still unknown, which only fuels the urgency of getting new products to market. Most industry sources hope cigars will be approved as “substantially equivalent” to a product on the market prior to the February 2007 date, but even that standard may be difficult and costly to establish.

According to the FDA’s final rule, the agency estimates it will take 300 hours for each Substantial Equivalence (SE) report, which works out to two months of time for one full-time employee. Industry sources believe the cost of each SE report would likely be even greater than the FDA’s estimate, possibly $100,000 or more.

Those estimates are per SE report, and the FDA requires pre-approval for every tobacco product. This would likely include every new cigar size and packaging combination. For example, if a cigar is sold in 10-count and 20-count boxes, each would need a separate approval. Presumably, so would samplers created by the manufacturer, and potentially even samplers created and sold by retailers.

Needless to say, those costs are prohibitive for small cigar brands for whom a large volume vitola may only sell tens of thousands of units in a year. By introducing lines now ahead of the August 8 deadline, those small manufacturers buy themselves 18 months before they have to decide whether to submit them to the FDA for approval.

By then, cigar makers will have a better picture of the costs and requirements of achieving FDA approval, so they can decide if seeking approval makes economic sense, or if they will be forced to withdraw cigars from the market by August 2018 (after which cigars introduced after February 2007 can no longer be sold unless they have begun seeking FDA approval).

Unfortunately, this means many of the new cigars being rushed out before the deadline are living on borrowed time. While the results of the lawsuits could change the FDA regulations, such lawsuits are always difficult to win. In the meantime, while there will be a lot of excitement over the next two weeks as numerous cigars are announced, the devastating effects of FDA regulation on the handmade cigar market are already showing.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys