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) Las Cumbres Tabaco will be releasing two new box-pressed sizes next month, one for José Blanco’s Señorial Maduro line, and one for his wife Emma Viktorsson’s Freyja line. The former will be called El Cuadro—Spanish for “the frame,” which is a reference to both the press and the company’s oil painting-styled logos. El Cuadro (5.75 x 46) will retail for $7.50. The latter, in keeping with Viktorsson’s Nordic theme, will be called Mjölnir (me-YUL-nir) after Thor’s hammer. It will retail for $9 and measure 6.5 inches long with a ring gauge of 55. Both will be sold in 21-count boxes. “José and I both agree that this press on these tobaccos could add some extra intensity in the flavor and character,” Viktorsson wrote. “This vitola suits them both very well as they are already full-flavored blends.”

2) In light of forthcoming regulations on premium cigars, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking volunteers for its Tobacco Product Manufacturing Facility Visits program, which is intended to give FDA staff “an opportunity to visit facilities involved in the manufacturing of newly deemed tobacco products and their components and parts, and to observe the tobacco industry’s manufacturing operations.” An email from the agency explains, “These visits are meant to improve FDA staff’s understanding of the tobacco industry and its manufacturing operations (including any related laboratory testing), and to inform agency staff as they implement the tobacco provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The visits are not intended to include or replace official FDA inspections of facilities to determine compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.” Interested parties are encouraged to volunteer here by August 15.

3) Inside the Industry: Two upcoming collaborations with Caldwell Cigars have the Miami-based company teaming up with highly respected cigar makers. Announced earlier in the year was All Out Kings, which was blended with Drew Estate master blender Willy Herrera and will be produced at the Joya de Nicaragua factory. More recently, via an Instagram post, Caldwell announced Anastasia, a cigar to be produced by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo.

4) From the Archives: Looking for a proper meal before enjoying a fine cigar and whiskey? The obvious choice is a good steak. For advice on how to cook that steak, look no further than our tip for using a cast iron skillet on a stovetop finished in the oven.

5) Deal of the Week: One of the best-regarded annual releases among Nicaraguan cigar connoisseurs is the Tatuaje TAA. Site sponsor Smoke Inn is now taking pre-orders on the 2016 Tatuaje TAA (which uses the same blend as the Tatuaje TAA 2015). This is sure to sell out everywhere, so act quickly.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Las Cumbres Tabaco

[Below is a follow-up to a previous commentary on the grim FDA situation facing the cigar industry.]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s cigar regulations will undoubtedly transform the industry, leading to the potential elimination of most sticks introduced after Feb. 15, 2007.

Obviously, that includes a lot great cigars. It also strikes at the heart of what many consumers enjoy about the pastime: discovering new and different cigars.

What it doesn’t have to mean, though, is an end to cigar smoking pleasure. In the words of Buddhist teacher Tara Brach, “A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.”

And that’s what we face—a major detour. It’ll require a lot of shifts in the way we think about and approach cigars.

For many, cigar smoking has become subject to the common consumer quest for something new. Indeed, “What’s new?” has got to be the most common question asked by customers at a tobacconist.

Scientists know that humans respond to novelty, and that novelty wears off over time. As professor Aimee Huff, who’s studied the issue, wrote: “the perception of newness is an important part of the consumption experience because it creates short-term value.”

Achieving that experience won’t be nearly as easy if all the FDA restrictions take effect as scheduled. That means we’ll have to adjust our approach.

For starters, instead of asking the clerk, “What’s new?” I suggest asking yourself, “What’s new for me?” There are likely to be hundreds of pre-2007 cigars you or I haven’t tried. Sure, maybe we don’t want to try half of them, but that still leaves a lot to check out.

Another approach is to thoroughly examine what it is about certain cigars that you enjoy most and look for others that match or come close. Some of them could be pre-2007 cigars, some may be among those that make it through the vetting process.

Thinking carefully about what you enjoy may also make it easier to find satisfaction with a smaller number of lines.

A return to the days when most cigar smokers stopped by their local shop periodically for the same box of, say, Romeo y Julieta or Montecristo, seems highly improbable, regardless of what happens. But continuing to sample a new release every week or so seems an equally remote possibility.

I, for one, intend to go on smoking and enjoying cigars, regardless of the obstacles. If I have to make an attitude adjustment in order to do it, I’ll make the effort.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The first limited release from Crux, this lightly box-pressed beauty comes in one size and showcases a well-aged wrapper leaf.

That tobacco, called Engañoso, came from the Plascencia factory where it had been aging for seven years, according to Crux. The company bought it all, and it was another two-and-a-half years before the PB5 blend was finalized.

Crux isn’t disclosing much information about the tobaccos in the cigar. Here’s what I got from them: “The blend includes tobacco (though not exclusively) from Nicaragua and Honduras.”

The name reflects some of the journey to create it. The “PB” is a recognition of the individuals involved in creating the cigar, Crux said, and the “5” refers to the number of test blends sampled before the end result was achieved.

The cigars recently began to arrive on retailers’ shelves. Crux produced 500 boxes of 10 with a retail price of about $12 per stick. They believe they have enough wrapper left to keep production going for up to five years.

That’s good news. Because if you miss the opportunity to try one this time around, you’ll get another chance.

Since its initial offering a couple of years ago, Minnesota-based Crux has brought out one good cigar after another. The web site now lists 10 lines, from one that features diminutive dimensions (4 x 32) to another sporting considerable length and girth (6 x 60).

The Limitada PB5 is 5.75 inches long with a ring gauge of 54. The samples I smoked, supplied by Crux, had excellent burns, good smoke production, and a near-perfect draw.

The wrapper presents a mouth-watering nutty pre-light aroma.

From the beginning, it is a balanced and complex smoke, kicking off with some cedar and pepper to grab your attention. Other flavors along the way include nuts, wood, and leather, with the intensity of the pepper rising and falling throughout. There are points, too, when a bit of sweetness moves forward as a counterpoint.

Strength falls somewhere in the medium- to full-bodied range. It’s by no means a power bomb, but it is certainly strong enough to satisfy most smokers.

I would say the Limitada PB5 was among the most enjoyable new cigars I’ve tried so far in 2016. I heartily recommend giving the Limitada PB5 a try, whether you’re a new smoker or an old-timer. For me, it rates four stogies out of five.

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

–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) Starting yesterday, the legal age to purchase tobacco in California rose from 18 to 21, and e-cigarettes were banned from public places like restaurants and bars. Military personnel will still be able to buy tobacco at 18, however. Hawaii is the only other state to employ an age requirement of 21. “I think California is taking a leadership role in curbing tobacco use and tobacco products,” said Senator Ed Hernandez, author of the bill. “Hopefully, all states in the United States will eventually move to 21 and reduce smoking even more.” A separate bill recently passed by the state Senate would criminalize smoking at 280 California state parks and beaches, punishable by a fine of up to $250.

2) Drew Estate has launched a Drew Diplomat app to enable users to “easily keep up with daily breaking news from Drew Estate, earn points for chances to win one-of-a-kind pieces of art from Subculture Studios, and invite friends to experience the ‘Rebirth of Cigars.’” According to a press release: “The Drew Diplomat app replaces the current Drew Estate app. The previous app will no longer be updated and users are encouraged to delete it and start using the Drew Diplomat app. While the old Drew Estate app was innovative in its day, the new Drew Diplomat app expands on the functionality to include the ability to check in and post photos of cigars users have smoked and RSVP for Drew Estate Events, all while earning points within the app.” Jonathan Drew calls the it “the bridge between a social network and Cigar Safari trip rolled up into one incredible app.”

3) Inside the Industry: Drew Estate announced a new blend within its Herrera Estelí line that will be available exclusively for online retailer Small Batch Cigar, also known as Maxamar Ultimate Cigars. The new Herrera Estelí Inktome comes in a box-pressed corona gorda vitola  (6 x 46) and will be packaged in 10-count boxes with a price of $12 per cigar. The blend uses  filler from the Estelí and Jalapa, a Honduran binder, and a higher priming Ecuadorian Habano wrapper than the core Herrera Estelí line.

4) From the Archives: People spend a lot of time thinking about which cigars to smoke. Maybe they should think more about picking the right cigar shop first. In this tip from 2009, we suggest four things to look for in a quality tobacconist.

5) Deal of the Week: Move quick on this Weekly Special sampler. Just $30 lands you 10 cigars, including such favorites as the Aging Room F55 Vibrato, La Terrazza Maduro Churchill,  Ortega Wild Bunch Wild Bill, Tatuaje La Casita HCBC, and the Viaje Aficionado.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

The brand new Tatuaje K222 could make for an interesting test case for the reasonableness of the “substantially equivalent” pathway for approval under the new FDA rules regulating cigars. The blend is a combination of the Tatuaje Cojonu 2003 and the Reserva J21, both of which were sold prior to the February 2007 grandfather date. Under any normal interpretation of “substantially equivalent,” it should meet that test.

Whether the FDA would be so reasonable is another matter. Plus, the small-scale production of the K222 (around 100 boxes a month made in Miami) means if the FDA process proves too costly, there might not be an application submitted to sell the cigar past 2018. Like many cigars produced in small numbers, if the cost of an approval runs into six figures, the math simply won’t work to keep a cigar on the market that only sells tens of thousands per year.

The K222 was released two months ago as a tribute to Pete Johnson’s late dog, Kona, who passed away at 2:22 PM on April 26, 2015. Like the J21 and Cojonu 2003, it features a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The toro-esque size (5.9 x 52) comes in boxes of 25 with a retail price of $14.

The wrapper is dark enough to pass for Connecticut Broadleaf, and the cigar is slightly spongy to the touch, although the three samples I smoked exhibited good construction. (If you’re curious about Tatuaje’s use of the “Reserva” secondary band, note that all Reserva cigars made in Miami use an Ecuador Habano wrapper, while Nicaraguan-made Tatuajes designated Reserva have a Broadleaf wrapper. I’m told soon the Broadleaf-wrapped Tatuaje Brown Label cigars will denote Broadleaf on the secondary band to help with the confusion.)

Before firing up the K222, there is little in the pre-light draw (slight grass and a little spice on the lips) that warns of the full-bodied experience to come. Once lit, you’ll find loads of powdery smoke with lots of oak, unsweetened chocolate, earth, and pepper spice.

There is a slight bitterness that reminds me of banana peel. But just as it gets to the edge of the bitterness line, a slight sweetness reveals itself as it settles into a full-bodied cigar with sneaky strength.

Given that Cojonu essentially means ballsy, it isn’t surprising that the K222 (based in part on the Cojonu 2003 cigar) is a full-bodied smoke. Perhaps if you were expecting a more refined smoke you would find the K222 trades balance for full flavors. But if complex, full flavors are what you seek, Kona’s cigar delivers in droves. With excellent construction, deep, enjoyable flavors, and a subtle yet sneaky punch, the K222 earns a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While the so-called Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act—the bill giving the FDA the power to regulate cigars—didn’t pass until June 2009, the legislation controversially set February 15, 2007 as the cutoff date for tobacco products to be grandfathered as exempt from needing FDA approval before being sold or marketed in the United States. There were hopes the FDA would modify that date, but they did not. As a result, products introduced past that date will be subjected to the FDA approval process.

We don’t yet know what that approval process will look like—or how long it will take, or how expensive it will be—though I wouldn’t hold out much hope for anything reasonable. The FDA has made clear they have no intention to be sensible when it comes to handmade premium cigars. Therefore, we may soon need to come to terms with a (severely) narrowed selection of cigars, cigars that have been on the market for over nine years.

With a release date of October 2006, the Tatuaje Havana VI just barely makes the cut.

If, like me, you hadn’t smoked (or thought about) this line for years, let me provide a little background. The Nicaraguan puro sports a Corojo ’99 wrapper and is intended to be a wallet-friendly, more medium-bodied alternative to other Tatuaje smokes. It originally came in six sizes—Hermosos (5.6 x 46), Angeles (4.6 x 42), Victorias (6 x 38), Artistas (6.1 x 52), Nobles (5 x 50), and Almirante (7 x 47)—with the first letter of each spelling “Havana,” the name of one of Tatuaje founder Pete Johnson’s dogs.

The Churchill-sized Almirante can be found for around $7-8. It’s a beautiful, slightly reddish, somewhat dark specimen with plenty of oils. The perfect triple-cap clips cleanly to reveal an easy cold draw. Pre-light aromas at the foot remind me of sweet hay and cocoa powder.

The first third of the cigar is characterized by flavors of spicy cedar, a little white pepper, dry oak, and a satisfying sweet creaminess. Caramel, red pepper, and roasted nut join the fray after an inch. Then, at the midway point, the Almirante begins to shine. Cocoa, cream, and peanut take center stage, rendering the smoke less spicy yet full of interesting flavor. The final third brings about the reappearance of dry wood and cedar spice with some black pepper.

With excellent construction throughout—including a solid white ash, a straight burn line, good smoke production, and a smooth draw—it’s clear this cigar brings considerable quality and enjoyment to the table, all at a reasonable price. FDA awfulness aside, the Havana VI line is worth another look if you haven’t smoked this blend in a while. The Almirante is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys