The Stogie Guys

The cigar industry’s two heavyweights, General and Altadis, don’t have to worry about overall sales. With best-selling brands like Macanudo and Montecristo, they dwarf nearly all the other purveyors of premium, hand-rolled cigars.

But neither firm is coasting. The landscape these days is littered with former giants that once dominated their fields and appeared to have no sales concerns. Just check out Sears or Kodak or Blockbuster. So, like their behemoth brethren in the beer-brewing industry who are fighting small craft bottlers, General and Altadis are determined to keep the boutique brands just that. Of course, there are about as many ways for big companies to react to creative competition as there are consultants ready to advise them. One of the most popular paths: create an entrepreneurial, “start up” mentality among existing divisions. That seems to be the route General’s taken with La Gloria Cubana since Ernesto Perez-Carrillo left in 2009.

Let’s face it, though. Getting the small, but often influential, number of passionate smokers who blog and Tweet and podcast about cigars to try a General or Altadis product is a challenge. General has tried hard, with extraordinary booths at IPCPR, seemingly unending local events, cranking up its social media presence, and making interesting cigars with low prices.

With La Gloria, flamboyant team leader Michael Giannini exploded its storied role in the 1990s boom to develop an almost experimental brand that offers nearly endless possibilities. General’s website shows 14 different La Gloria lines with all sorts of tobacco combinations, shapes, and packaging.

The Serie R Estelí line is a B&M exclusive that comes in three large ring gauges, this 54 being the smallest. Size is one thing that sets it off from its online sibling, the Serie R Black, which sports even bigger ring gauges.

I’ve smoked about 10 of these, several of them gifts from General and the others purchased at a local shop where they list for about $6.50 each. All the sticks generated lots of smoke, burned excellently, and were remarkably consistent in everything from performance to the appearance of the reddish Jalapa Sol wrapper. I’ve also smoked a couple of the 60s and found them similar, though a tad spicier.

A Nicaraguan puro, the Estelí has a nice, rich pre-light aroma from the wrapper, while the filler’s bouquet is reminiscent of pipe tobacco.

Spice and pepper are plentiful in the beginning of the No. 54, shifting down a little at about the halfway point. Along the way, I picked up some sweetness, wood, and a little leather. I encountered none of the harshness I typically associate with the regular Serie R line. The Estelí is smooth with a fine finish.

If you routinely smoke boutique brands from Nicaragua, you should give the Estelí a try. I know I’ll continue to smoke them. I give the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Estelí No. 54 four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In addition to heading up Emilio Cigars, Gary Griffith is at the helm of House of Emilio, an organization that provides distribution to what he considers to be the “best of the boutiques.”

Currently, the House of Emilio portfolio includes 1502, Bodega, Epicurean, Ezra Zion, Guayacan, Herederos, Nomad, and Rodrigo. “These are up and coming cigar companies that have superior product and great interaction with retailers and cigar aficionados alike,” reads the House of Emilio website.

The story behind the Rodrigo brand—which can be read in its entirety here—is one of a man who loved cigars, flew to Santiago on a whim in 2010, and by chance got connected to a former master blender for Davidoff who taught him the business. That man is George Rodriguez, founder and president of Rodrigo Cigars.

Rodrigo consists of three small-batch blends: Habano Clasico, Boutique Blend, and La Fortaleza. The latter is a Dominican puro that translates to “strength” and is intended to counter the “stigma that flavor and complexity must be sacrificed in order to gain strength.” It comes in four sizes: Absoluto (5.1 x 43), Forte (5.5 x 50), Elegante (6.75 x 48), and Cinco (6 x 56). All have an oscuro wrapper, and no more than 7,000 cigars are made in each size.

The Absoluto is a rustic specimen that’s a little rough around the edges. It has a few lumps, some large veins, and the seams are very pronounced. The cap has a nice pigtail, though, and the cold draw is smooth. At the foot, pre-light notes of red pepper are apparent.

After establishing an even light, a medium- to full-bodied profile of black pepper and damp earth emerges. The strength is evident yet not overwhelming, and the flavor is bold and rich with a thick, leathery texture. Floral notes and traces of sweetness are fleeting but noticeable, particularly when you smoke through the nose.

I find this slow-burning cigar takes longer to smoke than I would typically expect from a cigar this size. All the while the combustion qualities are very solid. The burn is straight, the ash holds firm, the draw is smooth, and the smoke production is high.

Do yourself a favor and give the Rodrigo La Fortaleza Absoluto a try. For the going rate of about $7, you’ll get a bold smoke with a lot to offer in the flavor department. I find it works particularly well as an after-dinner companion to a cup of coffee and, as advertised, delivers both complexity and strength. In my book it rates four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day, a good time to reflect on discrimination and tolerance. Since MLK died in 1968, the country has made great strides to eliminate racial discrimination against minorities.

Even today there continue to be many social movements that rally behind the slogans of ending discrimination and promoting tolerance. And yet, there’s at least one exception to this trend: the anti-smoking movement.

Enjoying a cigar takes no special skill. That’s one of the things that makes it such a wonderful pastime. But there are things you can do—and not do—that will help increase your smoking pleasure. Here are three tips for just that reason.

1. I would pay attention to your surroundings and circumstances so you can select the right cigar for the occasion. Of course, a great cigar is, pretty much, always a great cigar. But if you’re otherwise occupied while you’re smoking one, much of that greatness is likely to be lost or never found. A subtle, complex cigar, for instance, doesn’t stand much of a chance if you’re puffing in a smoke-filled casino.

2. Do a little research before choosing a new cigar. These days, with tablets and smartphones, it’s easy to look into the tobacco composition and read a review or two, even when you’re standing in a humidor. This was driven home to me recently when, after hearing several people comment favorably about the PIO Resurrection, I tried one. I was impressed at the start but soon encountered what I can only describe as the nearly unmistakable taste of dirt I associate with Mexican tobacco. Sure enough, I checked and found it sports the ubiquitous San Andres wrapper and some Mexican filler. Not a bad cigar, but not one I’d have chosen if I’d looked before I lit.

3. Take a good look. Creating handmade cigars is a remarkable achievement and every aspect of the craft is worth attention. Notice how evenly the seams are on the wrapper, how the shading matches among those lined up in a box, how the cap is applied, etc. Some bands are extraordinary for their ornateness, such as Ashton’s San Cristobal. Occasionally, simply glance around the humidor at your favorite B&M and marvel at the incredible array and selection from which you can choose.

Feel free to visit our Cigar University for many more tips.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

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.”

When I tried a sample of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s new E-Stunner line at last summer’s industry trade show in Las Vegas, I thought it was a unique cigar. But it was a creation from E.P. Carrillo that I didn’t care for. Billed as a powerhouse, the E-Stunner is unlike other cigars in Carrillo’s portfolio. I found more strength than flavor, more punch than pleasure. I hadn’t tried another until the other day, and I’ve since smoked two more in the Siboney format (5 x 50). While the experience was better than my first, particularly in the second half when it smooths out a bit, I’d say give it try only if you really like a kick.

Verdict =  Hold.

–George E

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 year I’ve resolved to try and smoke more old favorites. That may sound silly to some of you—why not just smoke only the cigars you love all the time?—but managing the content for this website requires sampling a lot of new releases and scores of other smokes we haven’t yet reviewed. Woe is me. In any event, to try and make whole on my resolution I recently sat down with an Undercrown, a marvelous cigar that was introduced by the fine folks at Drew Estate a few years ago. It has been a favorite blend of mine ever since. The Gran Toro (6 x 52) always performs beautifully, with a rich, toasty profile of espresso, nut, and earth coupled with Drew Estate’s trademark draw (think copious tufts of smoke with each puff). I snagged a Gran Toro five-pack not too long ago, and I can hardly think of a better way to spend $40.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

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) Some politicians in California are aiming to criminalize the online sale of cigars in the Golden State. “In an effort to clamp down on youth smoking, Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) announced Monday that he was introducing a bill that would block the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes to individuals via the internet,” reports the Los Angeles Times. “The bill, AB 1500, does not prohibit online retailers to ship to other retailers. By requiring customers to purchase tobacco products at brick-and-mortar locations, Dickinson says, the state would generate $24 million in sales tax revenue.” If adopted, the bill would close off one of the biggest markets to online cigar sales and surely put a major dent in the revenue of many online cigar retailers.

2) On Wednesday, the third annual Nicaragua Tobacco Festival kicked off in Managua. The event is a showcase of the best cigar makers in Nicaragua, a country that’s home to many of the world’s hottest brands, and a nation that’s poised to become the number one source of premium cigars in the U.S. (the current leader is the Dominican Republic). Latest estimates indicate that over a third of all cigars sold in the U.S. are of Nicaraguan origin.

3) Inside the Industry: The Toraño Family Cigar Company has announced the “Blends from the Vault Tour,” a 40-store tour featuring exclusive blends. E.P. Carillo said this week that it’s upcoming release, the first in the Generational Series, will come out in May or June.

4) Deal of the Week: Cigar Place has a bevy of discount codes available. One particularly good deal is on the Undercrown Corona Viva, our favorite size of the Undercrown blend. After you add it to your cart, add the promo code “liga” to knock the price down 20% to just $104 for a box of 25.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Roger Dickinson