Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 447

11 Sep 2015

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.

IPCPR Trade Show1) Mark Mann, a veteran in the trade show/event industry, has joined the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) as the new exhibit and sponsorship account manager. “We are thrilled to have a professional of Mark’s caliber joining the staff team that serves the premium cigar and pipe industry,” said IPCPR CEO Mark Pursell. “He brings a wealth of experience managing the trade show floor and providing exhibitors with world class service.” Mann replaces Jeff Moran, who is expected to retire in October. Mann already resides in Washington and will join the IPCPR staff as soon as the new headquarters is completed on Capitol Hill. The IPCPR is currently based in Columbus, Georgia.

2) Speculation continues to bubble up from all corners of the industry about what will happen if/when Cuban cigars are decriminalized in the U.S. This week, Kaizad Hansotia, CEO of Gurkha, told Fox News he “believes the Cuban cigars do not pose a threat to U.S. companies because the quality of their product is lacking. When asked if he believes the Cuban cigar is the best in the world, Hansotia strongly dismissed it. ‘Absolutely not. In my opinion it isn’t.’ He believes American customers are now used to much more complex flavors today that simply can’t be matched by a Cuban cigar. ‘The flavor profile of a Cuban cigar is going to be very different than most of the American corporations because we can get tobacco from the U.S., Ecuador, Italy, Brazil, and it creates such a wide profile taste value,’ Hansotia explained.”

3) Inside the Industry: Many new releases that debuted at the show are now appearing at shops around the country. The much-anticipated Henry Clay Tattoo collaboration between Pete Johnson of Tatuaje and Altadis is due to arrive soon, as is the Tatuaje TAA 2015. Other recent arrivals include the Quesada Octoberfest, La Palina Red Label, and Padrón Damaso.

4) Deal of the Week: My Father fans should check out this deal from Cigar Place. Just $50 lands you six cigars—two each of the original My Father blend, My Father Le Bijou, and My Father Connecticut, all in a belicoso size—plus a lighter, cutter, and My Father ashtray in your choice of blue or red.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: IPCPR

Cigar Spirits: 2014 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition

10 Sep 2015

Four Roses Small Batch LE 2014

Limited release cigars are a mainstay, and occasionally you’ll see a cigar that has people rushing to buy one before it sells out. But when it comes to bourbon, there are an increasing number of bottles for which people will stand in line for hours just for a chance to buy certain high-demand bottles.

For whatever reason, fall has become the season when the most sought-after bourbons are released. Pappy Van Winkle and the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection are the most prized additions, but increasingly in demand are annual releases under the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, Parker’s Heritage, and Four Roses Small Batch Barrel Proof lines.

In advance of the upcoming release of the 2015 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition, today I’m tasting the 2014 iteration. Four Roses distillery is unique in that they distill from 10 different bourbon recipes using a combination of two mashbills and five yeast strains, and the 2014 Small Batch LE uses four of those recipes ranging from 9 to 13 years.

The barrel-proof bourbon is bottled at 111.8-proof and is copper in color. The nose is lush with fruit, caramel, and just the slightest hint of mint and wood spice. On the plate the complexity comes through with creamy notes, melon, dried fruit, and medium amounts of oak sweetness and spearmint. The finish lingers with soft oak, vanilla, and pear.

For many great bourbons, what makes them great is barrel management and selection. The Four Roses Small Batch LE puts the distiller’s blending acumen to the test. With a rich combination of fruit, spice, and creaminess, the 2014 Small Batch shows off the skill of longtime Four Roses master distiller Jim Rutledge, who is about to retire.

When pairing with a cigar, the Four Roses Small Batch LE 2014 benefits from a cigar that doesn’t overwhelm its complexities. I’d recommend mild- or medium-bodied smokes that feature good creaminess like the Davidoff Grand Cru, Illusione Singulare LE 2014, Padrón Serie 1926, or Paul Garmirian Gourmet.

I’ve touted Four Roses Private Barrel Strength bourbons as a good value in bourbon, and so it shouldn’t be any surprise that when a master distiller gets to pick his favorites and blend them together the outcome is delicious. At $90-100 (if you can find it) the 2014 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition is a delicious bourbon and it only makes me look forward to the soon-to-be-released 2015 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition even more.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cigar Review: Drew Estate Herrera Estelí Toro Especial

9 Sep 2015

Toro Especial

Back in July, StogieGuys.com broke the news that Drew Estate would be releasing Undercrown Shade, a new line based on the original Undercrown blend—but this time with an Ecuadorian-grown, Connecticut-seed wrapper instead of a Mexican San Andrés leaf. I reviewed the Gran Toro here. As I mentioned in my review, Undercrown Shade marked the first release blended by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera not to fall under the Herrera Estelí brand family.

I’m not sure if the Undercrown Shade line would have come to fruition, or if Herrera would have been named master blender, had it not been for the success of Herrera Estelí. Introduced a few years ago, Herrera Estelí was Herrera’s first cigar since leaving El Titan de Bronze in Miami’s Little Havana and joining Drew Estate in Nicaragua.

When it came out in 2013, Herrera Estelí provided some much-needed diversification for Drew Estate’s non-infused premium cigar business, which had previously focused on dark, full-bodied smokes. Herrera brings a more traditional—some would say “Cubanesque”—sensibility to blending, whereas Drew Estate had been firmly full-throttle Nicaraguan.

Herrera Estelí employs a golden Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around a Honduran binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. It has a gorgeous triple-cap, a moderately firm feel, and pre-light notes of hay and molasses. The cold draw is clear.

On the palate, the Toro Especial (6.25 x 54, about $9) offers a mild- to medium-bodied taste that’s creamy with hints of spice and sweetness. Think syrup, creamy nut, dry wood, and white pepper, all packaged in a toasty texture. The balance and lack of intensity make the vitola easy to come back to again and again, as long as you have the time for a big toro.

I smoked three Toro Especial cigars in the past few days for this review. The physical properties were top-notch on each, including a straight burn line, solid white ash, and a smooth draw that yields bountiful tufts of thick smoke. Basically, it’s exactly what you’d expect from Drew Estate.

Keep your eyes peeled for Undercrown Shade, but certainly don’t forget how excellent Herrera Estelí can be, especially if you’re looking for subtle complexity and more traditional flavors. The Toro Especial is a good value and a wonderful experience. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cigar Review: Las Calaveras Edición Limitada 2015 LC46

8 Sep 2015

While a top-notch, limited edition cigar rolled at a major factory with a price tag under $10 isn’t a black swan, it might qualify as a gray one. These days, the $20+ My Father LE and Davidoff’s $30+ Year of the Sheep may seem more the norm.

CalaverasAnd with only 30,000 of each of the three Las Calaveras vitolas released, this year’s edition may no longer be easy to find, but it is one smoke worth the hunt. I praised its sibling, LC52, in a Quick Smoke earlier this summer. Picking up a five-pack of the LC46 gave me the opportunity to smoke, and enjoy, more.

This cigar, rolled for Crowned Heads at the My Father Cigars factory, is 5.625 inches long with a ring gauge of 46. The wrapper is an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro, and the binder and filler are Nicaraguan.

They combine for a complex smoke that began with roasted nuts, dry cocoa, and a little back-of-the-throat spice. By the start of the second third, that spice had mellowed, and I picked up notes of cinnamon, cedar, and leather. Pepper joined in during the final third. Throughout, the flavors were even, smooth, and well-matched.

Construction and burn were excellent, the ash held tight, and the smoke was rich and ample. I did find the draw a bit tight, especially when I used a V-cut. I’d highly recommend opening up the head by using a guillotine cutter instead of the V or a punch.

The first incarnation of Las Calaveras debuted to high praise last year, and Crowned Heads plans to make it an annual release with a different blend each time. In addition, for 2015, Crowned Heads introduced some different sizes. Bands clearly note the year of issue and display some different colors, making it easy to distinguish between 2014 and 2015.

By now, though, noting the difference is likely to be more of a test at home than on the shelves. The Las Calaveras, whose name comes from an image related to Mexico’s Day of the Dead holiday, has been a sales success both years.

I can’t wait to see what 2016 brings. For 2015, I rate the Las Calaveras LC46 four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Quick Smoke: Alec Bradley Coyol (CRA Sampler Edition)

6 Sep 2015

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

Alec Bradley Coyol CRA

Coyol debuted at last year’s IPCPR Trade Show, but this one came in the 10-cigar sampler I received when I renewed my Cigar Rights of America membership. It features wrapper, binder, and filler from a Honduran farm called Coyol, along with a second binder and additional filler from Nicaragua. Once lit, you’ll find toasty notes along with leather, clove, and a slight dried fruit sweetness. It’s a medium-bodied and well-balanced blend, an enjoyable cigar with excellent construction.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

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Quick Smoke: Tatuaje Anarchy 2015

5 Sep 2015

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

Anarchy

This recreation of Smoke Inn’s original entry in its limited edition Microblend Series is a winner. It is a lovely cigar, showcasing a bun at the cap, an oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, and a figurado shape that runs from a 48 ring gauge to 52 along the 6.25-inch frame. As you’d expect from Pete Johnson and My Father Cigars, Anarchy kicks off with strong pepper notes, then provides plenty of other flavors along the way, from wood and leather to coffee. With production limited to 666 boxes of 15 (about $10 a stick), you’ll need to move quickly.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

 

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Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 446

4 Sep 2015

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.

Welcome to New York1) Lawmakers in New York are considering a bill that would prevent Empire State hotels from offering smoking rooms. While many hotels are voluntary smoke-free, only four states—Vermont, Michigan, North Dakota, and Wisconsin—have passed laws preventing smoking in hotels. The measure has been introduced by Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski. According to CNN: “’I travel and spend a lot of time in hotel rooms,’ Zebrowski said. ‘I’ve noticed that if you’re above, below, or next to a smoking room, the smoke readily travels through the ventilation system.’ Zebrowski said the legislation was in line with the current focus on improving public health.”

2) Steve Saka, owner of the newly formed Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (DTT), took to Facebook this week to share some details about the release of his first cigar, Sobremesa. A list of Sobremesa retailers will be posted on the DTT website next week. Given the overwhelming demand for Sobremesa—Saka says the IPCPR Trade Show orders were five times what he expected—these retailers will not be receiving their entire order initially, but will instead receive an equitable share with the balance fulfilled as soon as possible. “We are not ramping up our production schedule,” wrote Saka. “Great cigars are made with a steady hand on the tiller. My plan was always to make about 1,000 boxes a month until the second capa pilon was fully fermented and ready. DTT is not deviating from this plan.” In addition, Saka says he is scrapping the Belicoso Largo (6 x 52) vitola because something was off once the cigar aged out. Instead, he is introducing a Torpedo Tiempo (6 x 54). “Cigars are a funny thing sometimes, because I really preferred the Beli over the Torp prior to the 3-month mark, but after that I totally flipped.” Retailers who ordered the Belicoso Largo will have the option to receive the Torpedo Tiempo instead.

3) Read our Cigar Spirits articles and you’ll hear a lot about the bourbon boom. One result of the boom is a shortage of  barrels which are made from American oak trees. To give back, Angel’s Envy (which sells multiple bourbons and a rye) will be planting one American oak tree for every photo posted on social media of Angel’s Envy with the hashtag #AE4THETREES during September, which is National Bourbon Heritage Month.

4) Inside the Industry: Drew Estate has announced the Kentucky Fire Cured Fightn’ 69th. The new cigar is being produced exclusively for Alliance Cigar in Hauppauge, New York. “The new Fightn’ 69th is based upon the popular Kentucky Fire Cured blend, featuring Kentucky-seed tobacco, grown and fire-cured in Kentucky. The new size is a parejo (5.5 x 52) that will be presented in the typical ten-count soft pack packaging the Kentucky Fire Cured line is known for,” reads a Drew Estate press release. “The Fightn’ 69th will begin shipping in October 2015 and will have an MSRP of $74.95 per soft pack of ten. The cigar will be available to retail accounts exclusively via Alliance Cigar’s distribution network.”

5) Deal of the Week: Tatuaje fans may want to jump on the opportunity to pre-order the limited edition Tatuaje TAA 2015. Smoke Inn is taking orders now for shipping next week with boxes of 20 selling for $200 and 5-packs for $55.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

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