The Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

In January, in what was called a merger between two entities, Black Label Trading Co. took over marketing and branding for the Scott Zocca-owned Emilio Cigars portfolio, as well as producing the brand’s cigars at its Fabrica Oveha Negra factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The cigar might have a new (and, in my opinion, improved) look, but the blend remains the same: a dark, toothy San Andrés wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos. It has been awhile since I’ve had an AF1, but this experience was exceptional. Outstanding construction and heavy notes of char and espresso with considerable spice on the lips. The Robusto (5 x 50) retails for $9.50, which makes this a very good deal.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

For many years, the spicy, full-bodied  Dominican puro Fuente Opus X was one of those hard-to-find cigars that consumers constantly asked their tobacconists for, and were just excited to find at close to suggested retail price. At least partially in response to that demand, Cohiba introduced Puro Dominicana, also a Dominican puro oriented towards those seeking a spicier Dominican smoke.  Cohiba Puro Dominicana features dry oak, light spice, restrained pepper, and leather. You won’t mistake it for an Opus X, but it is a well-made, tasty, medium- to full-bodied cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Retail giant Cigars International is planning its first venture into the southeast with a new store just north of Tampa.

The move comes months after the retailer’s owner, Scandavanian Tobacco Group (STG), announced plans to shut Tampa operations for Thompson Cigar, which it bought last year for $62 million.

The new Florida store will continue Cigars International’s expansion efforts beyond its Pennsylvania roots. Last year, it opened a 6,000-square-foot shop in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.

Florida and Pennsylvania are home to many online/catalog cigar retailers like Cigars International because neither state imposes a separate cigar tax.

In recent years, the Tampa area has seen moves by several cigar industry giants. Imperial Brands Casa de Montecristo bought and renamed Tampa Humidor in 2018, and Davidoff partnered with Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of Orlando-based Corona Cigar Co., to open a signature shop near the airport.

STG is a massive player in the tobacco market, especially through manufacturer General Cigar. Other holdings include Cigar.com, Cigars & Pipes online store, and a number of pipe tobacco and machine-made cigar brands.

It is in the process of winding down Thompson’s Tampa operations, where the company has operated since moving from Key West in 1920.

The new Cigars International store is proposed for a retail area north of Tampa near the intersection of interstates 75 and 275, according to an article in the Tampa Bay Times. “It’s not so much a cigar store, but a destination,” company president Craig Reynolds told the newspaper.

Plans call for opening next year.

–George E

photo credit: Cigars International

[Editors’ Note: This article first appeared at StogieGuys.com in September 2014. We felt it worthy of re-publication and an update since (1) last time it generated a good conversation in the comments and (2) the concepts are still relevant today. As always, we look forward to your opinions, comments, and feedback.]

I travel a fair amount for work, staying a few nights here and there with meetings during the day and (sometimes) little to do in the evening. So, naturally, wherever I go, I try to find a good (non-private) cigar lounge or tobacconist where I can enjoy a smoke, catch up on some emails, do a little writing, and perhaps even have an adult beverage or two.

While there are lots of great lounges and tobacconists across this fine nation, believe me when I say that sometimes a good locale is hard to find. I’ve been mentally compiling a list of attributes common among the good shops/lounges. Today I thought I’d share them.

Maintains a good selection at fair prices. This one is obvious. I assume I’ll be paying more than I otherwise would online—and I’m completely OK with that, especially since the shop is offering me a place to smoke. But I don’t think it’s necessary to charge crazy mark-ups, either. And the selection should be big enough to require more than a few minutes to peruse, with the usual suspects and hopefully some hard-to-find smokes as well. House blends, when done right, can add an exclusive touch. The best shops bring in the brands their regulars are clamoring for.

Serves coffee and/or liquor, or implements BYOB. I realize local ordinances and laws may make this impossible, but nothing goes better with a fine cigar than coffee, bourbon, rum, wine, scotch, etc. I’m happy to pay the shop/lounge for drinks, if possible; BYOB is a great alternative. If nothing else, providing coffee or water for free, or for purchase, is a great idea.

Has a friendly, attentive staff. Nothing is worse than being rushed, watched like a hawk, completely ignored, or assumed to be a petty thief. I love it when the staff says something like, “Welcome. Would you like some assistance picking out your cigars, or would you prefer to browse the selection yourself?” It’s a simple question that’s rarely asked.

Stays open later. Time and again I find many shops and lounges close early in the evening—like an hour or two after a normal work day. I understand it isn’t always possible, but I love it when they stay open late enough to have a post-dinner smoke. Bonus points for shops that recognize there are important sporting events that need to be watched, and that often merits staying open later if there’s a crowd.

Provides comfortable seating with access to power outlets. I don’t need decadence, but I don’t want to sit in a lawn chair, either. Plentiful, spread-out seating with solid ventilation is preferred. This is what makes me want to hang out, spend money, and come back.

Makes cleanliness a priority. I’m not asking for much. Empty the ash trays, dust the surfaces, and vacuum after those three guys got pizza crumbs everywhere. Also, the bathroom shouldn’t look like the opening scene of Saw.

Takes good care of the product. The cigars you sell should be in perfect smoking condition at the time of purchase. Period. Too often I’ve purchased a cigar that, once lit, proves to be under- or over-humidified. This should never, ever happen.

Values entertainment. Good TVs, WiFi, and maybe even a poker table. These touches go a long way.

Hosts great events. These days, many cigar consumers follow their favorite cigar makers on social media. They surely notice pictures and posts from cigar celebrities who visit shops across the country, often bringing with them exclusive cigars, branded merchandise, and a chance to make a more personal connection. Good cigar shops attract the best events and offer event-only deals.

Provides valuable consultation. There are tons of cigars on the market, and smoking them all is just not possible. The best shops can make educated suggestions about cigars to try based on a particular customer’s current tastes and interests.

What am I missing? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Not the oldest cigar in my humidor, but probably among the dozen or so oldest. La Aurora celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003 with 100 Años. The Dominican puro (fitting, given La Aurora’s status as the oldest Dominican cigar maker) features an oily Corojo wrapper. Remarkably full-bodied given its age, the Robusto sports robust leather, roast nuts, and hints of green pepper. Good luck finding 100 Años, but if you happen across one, smoke it.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

A couple months ago, I wrote that, while Steve Saka “has been at the helm of many cigars I love,” I like—I don’t love—the Todos Las Dias Robusto. I cited the cigar’s sometimes overbearing strength and body as justification for my position. And yet, over the past few weeks, I seem to have cozied up to the Half Churchill vitola (4.75 x 48, $10.45). The notes of charred wood, black pepper, and espresso are still present, but they seem less intense and better balanced against a sweet, creamy sensation. The Todos Las Dias Half Churchill sports a Cuban-seed, sun-grown wrapper over tobaccos from Jalapa and Estelí, as well as superb construction. Lately, it has been my companion of choice for an after-dinner smoke with a serving of sipping rum.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It may sound obvious, but it’s a big decision. If you’re a brand owner that doesn’t own a cigar factory, you have two choices: (1) partner with one factory/cigar maker to produce your cigars exclusively, or (2) produce different cigars at different factories. There are clear pros and cons to each strategy.

In the former, you have a partner who, if times get tough, you can work with knowing your businesses rise and fall together. In the later, you get the variety of experience and diversification to make particular blends at a factory where each style excels.

For the first few years after Crowned Heads was launched in 2011 by CAO veterans John Huber and Mike Conder, the company partnered exclusively with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s Tabacalera La Alianza S.A., and seemed content doing so. That changed with the introduction of Las Cavaleras in 2014, made at the Garcia Family’s My Father Cigars S.A. factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

The cigar proved so popular it became a regular offering in 2015, in part due to demand from cigar retailers. La Imperiosa features the same components: a dark oscuro Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan filler and binder.

The sizes are different from Las Cavaleras, with a Dukes (5.5 x 54), Corona Gorda (5.75 x 46), Double Robusto (6.4 x 50), and Magicos (4.5 x 52), the latter being the subject of today’s review. Suggested retail is $9 to $10 per cigar, though you may be able to pick up a five-pack for $20 to $25 if you search around online.

The short robusto starts out with a burst of spice but quickly settles into a more medium- to full-bodied combination of roast nuts, black pepper, bread, and charred oak. Particularly interesting is a peanut butter flavor that coats the roof of your mouth.

The finish is long with oak and coffee. The cigar’s construction is flawless, with a dark, oily wrapper (framed nicely by a teal band), an even burn, and a sturdy, light gray ash.

My Father Cigars S.A. makes a lot of cigars that use oscuro Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. This is a classic Garcia combination. A natural question is how La Imperiosa measures up to others. Personally, I slightly prefer the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu and My Father Le Bijou 1922, but that is more a matter of personal taste than a measure of quality.

La Imperiosa is well-made, rich, and classically Garcia and Nicaraguan. (This makes it very distinct from the previous Crowned Heads blends made by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s Tabacalera La Alianza.) That impressive combination earns Crowned Heads La Imperiosa Magicos a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys