The Stogie Guys

Will the biggest ring gauge offered for sale be 70, 80, or larger?

What percentage of new exhibitors from last year is still around?

Will anyone actually be kicked out under IPCPR’s “crackdown” on retailers bringing consumers?

Which booth will have the best food?

Will Mike Ditka be there?

Who will have the most outrageous booth?

Will the bad guy from Judge Dread be there to promote his new cigar?

Eleven new lines from General Cigar: over or under?

Will Altadis USA’s new strategy of creating modern spinoffs of classic brands work?

Who will be the most under-dressed attendee at Davidoff’s black tie dinner?

Will Wayne Newton be there again?

Which booth will be completely empty and abandoned?

What crazy artwork will Drew Estate feature in their booth this year?

How many respected cigar blogs aren’t coming because IPCPR makes them pay to attend?

Will the Cigar Press party run out of beer?

Biggest “booth”: General Cigar, Davidoff, Altadis, or Drew Estate?

2.5 cars on the show floor: over or under?

More bikini-clad ladies: cigar companies or hookah companies?

Which C-list celebrity will unexpectedly appear?

Does winning a “best booth” award actually impact sales?

Will there be any other cigars that use fire-cured tobacco besides Drew Estate’s MUWAT KFC and Leccia Black?

How many online media members of the IPCPR are there anyway?

Will the giant hookah (~40 feet high) be back?

How many people will tell me how much better Las Vegas is for IPCPR than Orlando?

Which trademarks from our trademark quiz will actually be put to use?

24 cigars that I’ll smoke while in Las Vegas for 73 hours: over or under?

–Patrick S

photo credit: N/A

I doubt I’m the first to point out that there are two ways to think about the price point of Hirsch Selection Small Batch Reserve, which is about $35 per 750 ml. bottle.

The first is to consider all the other bourbons that can be had for $35 or less. Many are excellent. There are far too many to mention here, so I’ll simply refer you to the Bourbon Guide we recently published. The point is, the Small Batch Reserve has some stiff competition in its segment of the market.

But if you look at it from a different angle—comparing its price to its two sister bourbons—the regular Hirsch Small Batch Reserve seems like a steal. The 25-year-old Small Batch Reserve runs $270, and the 28-year-old variety costs nearly $450.

Since I’m definitely priced out of the two higher-end impressions, I’ll stick with the regular Small Batch Reserve as a viable option for my liquor cabinet and cigar-pairing needs. This four- to six-year-old spirit is produced by the San Francisco-based Anchor Distilling Co., which markets it as a “combination of precise distillation techniques, careful barrel selection, and patience over maturation.”

Clocking in at 92-proof, the bourbon pours very light amber in the glass with virtually zero opacity. It has a light, honey-centric nose with traces of apple and hardly any alcoholic heat. I like to add an ice cube or two to cool the surprisingly heated taste. Once mellowed, a flavor of oak, syrup, rhubarb, caramel, and vanilla takes center stage. The finish is short and crisp.

While I wouldn’t say I’m underwhelmed with Hirsch Selection Small Batch Reserve, I don’t think I’ll be jumping at the chance to buy another bottle real soon. I’m just not sure it has the balance, complexity, or finish that can be found in similarly-priced competitors.

As I finish my current bottle, I’m finding milder to mild-medium cigars offer the best pairing results. So far, my favorite combinations have included the Tesa Picadura King, J. Fuego 777 Corojo, and the Pinar del Rio Clasico Exclusivo.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

We’ll be at the IPCPR Trade Show again this year (which opens Saturday), and you can expect us to get the latest and greatest from all the cigar makers you know. But there will also be cigar companies there that you’ve probably never heard of.

Today we look at two such companies that will be making their first appearance at the annual convention. Every year there are new companies. Some don’t last while others become the next buzz-worthy up-and-coming venture. These two companies, for reasons explained below, seem to have a good chance of being around for a while:

Royal Gold Cigars

Whether you’ve heard of Royal Gold or not, you’ve almost certainly heard of their parent company, Swisher, whose machine-made cigars are behind the cash register at almost every gas station and drug store in the country. While Swisher has tried their hand at the premium handmade cigar market before, this time the plan is different. Instead of investing in their own factories (as they did until about a decade ago) they are contracting some of the biggest names to produce cigars for them.

And they’ve lined up some impressive cigar makers for their introductory releases, which they are marketing as “affordable by all” and all reportedly under $8.50. Casino Gold HRS (High Roller Selection) is made by the Placencias in Honduras. Kismet is made by Augusto Reyes Sr. and Jr. in the Dominican Republic. Nirvana is being produced at Drew Estate in Nicaragua. Gold Strike is an inexpensive mixed filler cigar rolled in Nicaragua and blended by Omar Ortez (of Altadis) and Carol Jean Llaneza (daughter of legendary cigar man Frank Llaneza).

With Swisher’s backing, Royal Gold is perhaps the most interesting development in cigars in the last year. Deep pockets mean the company can afford to be patient (even lose money in the short-term) if it means long-term growth and profits. And by all reports, by bringing in Alex Goldman, Swisher has chosen a respected industry veteran to head the operation.

Sindicato Cigars

Officially launched in January, but formalized at last year’s convention, Sindicato is a new company founded by a group of veteran retailers. The group starts with a customer base that’s the envy of any new cigar company, with “a group of 45 retailers” participating according to Abe Dababneh, Chairman of Sindicato.

Heading up those retailers, as evidenced by SEC filings from last October, is Dababneh (of Smoke Inn based in West Palm Beach), Dan Jenuwine (of Quality Fresh Cigars in Michigan), Gary Pesh (of Old Virginia Tobacco in Virginia), Robert Roth (of Nice Ash Cigars in New York and Pennsylvania) and Jeff Borysiewicz (Corona Cigar Company in Orlando). Their stores alone would be top targets for any new cigar line looking for quality retailers.

According to its press releases, Sindicato was founded when “a group of passionate, cigar-loving tobacconists decided to extend their cigar knowledge and experience into making cigar brands. Their goal is to create a cigar company whose mission is to put the tobacco retailer and its customers first.” They followed up the formation announcement by selecting Jim Colucci, formerly Executive VP of Sales & Marketing for Altadis USA, as President and CEO. Sindicato will have a booth at the IPCPR Trade Show and, according to Dababneh, “debut smokes” will be available.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Royal Gold/Sindicato

I’m truly looking forward to my upcoming trip to the IPCPR convention in Las Vegas. Last year, I attended my first, when the show was in Orlando. It was, honestly, a bit overwhelming.

Part of that was the size and scope of the show, part of it was me. Now, with some idea of what to expect, I feel I’m better prepared to deal with what’s there. As for myself, some doctor-administered performance-enhancing drugs to help with my deteriorating joints, and some weight loss should make negotiating the trade floor easier.

While I’m confessing I’ll also own up to my technological shortcomings, both skills and equipment. My cell phone is the old candy bar style, without a camera or texting capacity. Who knows if I could use either if it did? I do have an iPad, but it’s a first generation, so no camera there, either. So I’ll be leaning on both Patricks, both of whom I’m glad to say make my computer savvy positively Paleolithic.

For those who haven’t been to IPCPR, it’s somewhat difficult to grasp the breadth of exhibitors. They are by no means limited to cigars. You don’t just see My Father Cigars. You’ll also see My Cigar Chair. Hookahs might outnumber briar pipes. Matches, canes, knives, electronic smoking devices, hats, software… The list seems endless.

But cigars are at the heart of the show. “What’s new?” is the question on nearly everyone’s lips. New blends, new blenders, new lines, new sizes, new companies, new alliances.

So far, it appears there aren’t as many new offerings in 2013 as in the past couple of years, at least judging by pre-convention announcements and teases. Of course, that can change.

I would expect, though, that at least some manufacturers are finally recognizing that shops—virtual as well as concrete—have limitations on what they can stock and promote. A new line that simply displaces an old line isn’t much of an advance.

Of course, quantity isn’t the true measure. It’s quality. If there’s one new cigar introduced this year that becomes one of your favorites, that’s a success.

As for Las Vegas, you probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you how many years it has been since I visited. I’m not really much of a gambling, big-show entertainment guy.

There is one spot, though, I hope I can visit: the Bouchon Bakery at The Venetian. I’d like to try a cup of Equator Coffee. If I make it, I’ll let you know how it tastes.

–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.”

Since its inception, I’ve enjoyed the CyB line (formerly Cuenca y Blanco), the first blend from Joya de Nicaragua to use binders and fillers from countries other than Nicaragua. So I was encouraged to hear the company is adding to the line with a Lancero that will be exclusively available to members of the Tobacconist Association of America (TAA). (I received this sample from Joya de Nicaragua, but the TAA exclusive cigars will feature a secondary TAA band around the foot.) The Lancero (7 x 38) seems to have a looser draw than other CyB sizes, which makes for a slightly milder cigar, although the same flavors I’ve come to enjoy from this blend are largely the same: dry oak, cedar, floral notes, roasted nuts, leather, and spice. If you like the lancero format, this is a must-try.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

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.”

Number six in Eddie Ortega’s new line of limited smokes, Honest Abe is a peppery cigar from start finish. But it’s no one-note stick. There’s a full orchestral accompaniment weaving in and around that core, making for a very interesting and enjoyable smoke. Costing about $8.50, the vitola is 6.5 inches long with a ring gauge of 52. The filler and binder tobaccos are Nicaraguan, the wrapper reportedly Habano from Ecuador. Only 500 boxes were produced so it may not be easy to find, but it’s worth searching out.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A