The Stogie Guys

Tomorrow is Independence Day, which means we won’t be posting our regular Friday Sampler. Instead, we’re posting a two notable news items today that normally would be featured in the Friday Sampler.

Will FDA Regulations Close Tampa’s Last Cigar Factory?

Tampa’s last operating cigar factory—J.C. Newman’s El Reloj in Ybor City—now sports a banner urging passersby on I-4 to “Save This Factory” by registering their support for the industry with the FDA. Newman also set up a website (www.savecigarcity.com) that details the history of the family and the factory, as well as looks at the proposed regulations and their potential impact. This news report includes an interview with Aleida Sanchez, a longtime worker in the Tampa cigar industry, who would be one of the many victims if the FDA regulations force the factory to close.

British Doctors Lobby Says Ban Smoking for Those Born in 21st Century

The powerful British Medical Association voted at their annual conference to support a prohibition on smoking for those born after the year 2000. While currently everyone born after 2000 is a minor, and thus it is already illegal for them to smoke, the policy would eventually lead to 30- and 40-year-old adults being carded to determine if they, despite being adults, are too young to be allowed to smoke.

The speaker who proposed the resolution called it a move to “denormalise” smoking, and a step towards “the tobacco end game,” while another advocate of the radical policy suggested “it made no sense to allow smoking and ban drugs such as heroin.” While the resolution passed, not everyone agreed. According to the BBC, one doctor who is an ear, nose, and throat specialist spoke against the motion, calling it “a headline-grabbing initiative that would bring ridicule to the profession.”

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: N/A

Arturo Fuente’s Solaris. Tatuaje’s Anarchy and Apocalypse. My Father’s El Hijo. Padrón’s 1964 Anniversary SI-15. Quesada’s Oktoberfest Dunkel. Room 101’s Big Delicious. What do these cigars have in common?

They’re all part of the Microblend Series that’s sold exclusively by Smoke Inn, a Florida-based cigar retailer. The Microblend Series is inspired by the growing popularity of U.S. microbreweries, harnessing how “limited production quantities allow for a greater emphasis to be placed on quality and consistency,” according to the Smoke Inn.

To bring the Microblend Series to fruition, Smoke Inn has partnered with some of the most respected names in the industry to produce one-time limited batches offered in one size each. The eighth—and latest—edition is the 601 La Bomba Bunker Buster (5.5 x 56), a figurado variation of Espinosa Cigar’s 601 La Bomba. It was created, according to the Smoke Inn website, “to honor our courageous troops” and their traits of “strength, honor, grit, and freedom.”

In addition to an “army-green design with ammunition-style boxes and military stripes across the band,” the Bunker Buster features a Habano Claro wrapper around a Criollo binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. The milk chocolate-colored exterior is silky and oily, the pre-light notes sweet, and the cold draw smooth despite the tapered head and foot.

With a name like Bunker Buster, and marketing copy like “a full arsenal attack on the senses,” you’d expect this figurado to be powerful. It is. Once the foot is evenly lit with a wooden match, a profile of dry cedar spice, red pepper, espresso, and warm tobacco. The Nicaraguan puro has a meaty, chewy texture with an herbal aftertaste. The nicotine kick is considerable, and the conclusion of the cigar is characterized by heat and even more spice.

Throughout, the construction is solid. The burn line may meander a bit, but it’s nothing a few touch-ups can’t quickly correct. The draw is clear, the smoke production adequate, and the gray ash holds firm off the foot throughout the slow-burning, enjoyable smoke.

The Bunker Buster is $8.95 whether you buy it by the 5-pack or the package of 10. I think that’s a pretty fair price as long as you concede you’re obtaining this smoke for pure power instead of complexity or subtlety. Seasoned cigar vets who crave strength will want to give this full-bodied, military-themed cigar a try. For my own tastes, the 601 La Bomba Bunker Buster is worthy of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Allow me to take a brief break from writing about rye whiskey to focus on a new staple bourbon in my collection. Rick Hill Farms has been around for a while, but I had never actually tried the spirit until recently (in part because, in my home state of Virginia, it is a “special order” item not regularly stocked by Virginia’s state-owned liquor stores).

Rock Hill Farms is made by Buffalo Trace, which crafts many well-known bourbons, from Blanton’s to Eagle Rare to George T. Stagg. Buffalo Trace makes bourbon with three different mashbills (this chart has the details). Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel is one of five made with the high rye mashbill, which features 10-12% rye and a small amount of malted barley along with a majority of corn. (Blanton’s, Elmer T. Lee, Ancient Age, and Hancock’s all derive from the same mashbill.)

Rock Hill Farms doesn’t have an age statement, but reports list it as 8-10 years before being bottled at 100-proof. A 750 ml. bottle costs $50-60, roughly the same as the 93-proof, more widely available Blanton’s. (The bottle is a square decanter that an imaginative mind will have no trouble finding use for after its contents are gone.)

Rick Hill Farms is a lovely deep amber color. The nose has a rich combination of rock candy, honey, baking spices, and just a bit of oak. On the palate, it’s a velvety combination of caramel, dried fruit, fudge, and creaminess. It has a restrained intensity that’s easy to appreciate and worthy of drinking straight. The finish is long and full of apples and spice.

As far as cigar pairings go, it’s a versatile bourbon that can stand up to all but the spiciest cigars. A rich Nicaraguan cigar like a Tatuaje Brown Label or Drew Estate Liga Privada goes as well as a more subtle cigar like a Cohiba Behike or Davidoff Colorado Claro.

The obvious comparisons for the Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel are Blanton’s and Elmer T. Lee, both of which are single barrel selections made from the same mashbill. For value, it’s hard to beat Elmer T. Lee, which is $20 less than the other two. But compared to Blanton’s, the higher proof Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel is a slight step above, perhaps due to the added intensity of its higher proof. That’s why it recently became a regular on my bourbon shelf and is a must-try for bourbon fans.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Recently, I’ve been talking to a lot of my cigar friends about jars. Whether the pill bottle format of the Viaje Antidote, or the slick black tubing of the Tatuaje Black Corona Gordas, many 2014 best-of lists will include stogies packed in less-than-traditional packaging.

The Corona Gorda was first released in 2007 in jars of 19, and people went wild. Then, around the end of last year, Pete Johnson decided to celebrate his 10th anniversary with the re-release.

This cigar is revered among Tatuaje fans. Since the jars were so limited in their release the first time around, they quickly became impossible to find. Those who had them were posting amazingly positive reviews. And, to add to the hype, the Black label became known as Pete Johnson’s personal blend.

The Black Corona Gorda is a Nicaraguan puro with a sun-grown binder, rolled at the My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua. The presentation of this cigar is perfect. The wrapper has a nice feel to it—just a little sponginess—with a perfectly applied cap and a simple, classy band. The pre-light aroma includes leather and a slight hint of chocolate.

When lit, this cigar really lives up to the expectations the appearance created (as well as the cigar’s reputation). The flavors are intense and varied. Starting with leather and cocoa, the cigar then gains some a nice citrus flavor, and both red and black pepper mix in and out as the smoke progresses. Throughout, there is a solid chocolaty core, but it never becomes the prominent flavor. The Corona Gorda remains cool and full-flavored all the way down to the nub.

Normally, my reviews are longer, but there is really nothing else for me to say or complain about with this smoke. It is well worth the price of a jar, and I’m in the process of hunting one or two jars down for myself currently. Any fan of Tatuaje or Nicaraguan smokes will love this one, and I’d be hesitant to award it anything less than a perfect five out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five-stogie rated cigars can be found here.]

–Joey J

photo credit: Smoke Inn

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 cigar, with an Ecuador Habano wrapper, Brazilian Mata Fina binder, and filler from Honduras and the Dominican, may seem nothing like the Camacho blends of old. But it reminded me of the first Camachos I smoked, if not in taste then in attitude and approach. Flavorful, strong, forthright. At $7, the seven-inch Churchill is a bargain not to be missed.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Camacho

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) In addition to Nicaragua being on pace to surpass the Dominican Republic as the largest exporter of cigars to the United States, one of the best indications of Nicaragua’s rise to prominence has been the fact that historically Dominican-centric brands are now creating Nicaraguan offshoots. Five years ago, this trend would be unthinkable. Examples include La Gloria Cubana, Davidoff, and Romeo y Julieta. And now we can add the storied Montecristo brand to the list. Altadis this week announced the release of Espada by Montecristo, a Nicaraguan puro with a Habano Jalapa Vintage 2010 wrapper, a Habano Jalapa Vintage 2009 binder, and a blend of filler tobaccos from Jalapa, Ometepe, and Condega. Espada is Spanish for sword. It will come in three sizes— Ricasso (5 x 54), Guard (6 x 50), and Quillon (7 x 56)—and retail for $11.25 to $12.50. Espada is made for Altadis by the Plasencia family. It will be packaged in suede boxes of 10.

2) According to a Reuters report, the FDA proposal to regulate cigars and e-cigarettes was made less drastic by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) when they reviewed it prior to the deeming document being issued for public comment. The article states OMB “weakened language detailing health risks from cigars… [and] deleted language in the [proposal] describing how the rules would keep thousands of people from taking up cigar smoking and have enormous public health benefits.” Further, according to the report, “OMB turned the FDA’s proposal as it relates to cigars from a two-part rule—one for traditional tobacco products and one for products that have not previously been regulated—into a ‘two-option’ rule, one of which would exempt ‘premium cigars.'” While the exact reasoning for the changes is just speculation, it’s worth noting OMB is responsible for evaluating the economic impact of proposed rules which, absent a premium cigar exemption, would be devastating to the handmade cigar industry. Another possible reason for the changes is if the FDA includes unsupported claims, it becomes easier for the rules to be challenged.

3) Inside the Industry: My Father Cigars is expected to launch its first Connecticut-wrapped line at the upcoming IPCPR Trade Show. Crafted in Estelí, the cigar will be called My Father Connecticut and feature an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper around tobaccos from the Garcia family’s farms: a Nicaraguan Corojo binder and a filler blend of Habano and Criollo leaves from Nicaragua. My Father Connecticut will be offered in Robusto, Toro, Toro Gordo, and Corona Gorda formats. It will retail for $7.30 to $9.40.

4) Deal of the Week: The Smoke Inn clearance section currently has a number of notable deals. Acclaimed cigars on sale include Añoranzas, La Dueña, Quesda Q d’Etat Daga, El Tiante Habano Oscuro, Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve 2012, and others.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Altadis USA

Spurred by a recent article from one of my colleagues, I’ve submitted my comments to the FDA on its proposal to regulate cigars.

I tried to follow Patrick’s excellent advice, especially to be brief and focused. I’d add only one suggestion to his—sign your name. A signed comment is worth dozens of anonymous ones.

I took a somewhat different tack than most filers, focusing on suggestions that I believe could increase the likelihood of getting an exemption with minimal impact on the industry.

Since I shared my recent letter to the FDA’s tobacco czar, I thought I’d do the same with these comments:

I am an adult cigar smoker and fully support an FDA exemption for premium, hand-rolled cigars. I’ll let others enumerate the reasons this should be done. Instead, I’ll focus on three areas that I believe both sides could accept and that would facilitate reaching an agreement on an exemption.

– Enact a federal minimum age of 21 for purchasing premium, hand-rolled cigars. This would both demonstrate the industry’s sincerity that it does not market to underage youth and allay fears of tobacco opponents.

– Require officers and directors of cigar companies whose products are exempted to annually attest, under penalty of perjury, that their companies and products adhere to the requirements of the exemption.

– Ensure that the exemption is clear and unambiguous, and does not, under any circumstances, allow creation of other exempted products, such as lower-cost cigarette alternatives.

I do feel compelled to comment on one specific component of the proposal: the $10 price floor. This would be devastating, leaving an industry so diminished as to require no more regulation than luxury-priced dark chocolate truffles. I urge that rules be enacted without an impractical, ruinous price floor.

Thank you for your consideration.

I hope everyone will file their own comments. Feel free to copy, adapt, or use any portion of mine. Read through our (many) previous articles on the subject for other ideas and sources. But don’t miss the opportunity to register your views here.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys