The Stogie Guys

When I visited Drew Estate’s operations in Estelí in May 2012, Willy Herrera was the tall, soft-spoken individual who was anything but the center of attention. At the time, he was still new to Drew Estate, fresh off his tenure as master blender at El Titan de Bronze in Miami’s Little Havana. He was nice enough to hang around the Cigar Safari crew for much of the trip, but he seemed content to let Jonathan Drew and Steve Saka do most of the talking.

I couldn’t personally make it to this year’s Cigar Safari (though my colleague did attend). I imagine Willy was a little more in the spotlight this time around. After all, now his inaugural blend for Drew Estate—Herrera Estelí—is on the market, and by every measure I can find, it seems to be a resounding success. The online cigar community has overwhelmingly embraced it, and even the mainstream media is starting to give it the attention it deserves. Cigar Aficionado recently awarded the Piramide Fino a score of 93.

So it will come as no surprise that I’m a big fan of the blend. True, Drew Estate is an advertiser with StogieGuys.com. And true, Drew Estate did provide samples of the Short Corona to me to make this review possible. But anyone who dismisses my praise of the cigar on these grounds (neither impacts my review, of course) is doing himself a disservice. I highly suggest you seek out Herrera Estelí. I wouldn’t be surprised if it makes it to my list of the top smokes of 2013.

When you do locate the cigar, the Short Corona (4.9 x 46) will be a good choice. One of five vitolas, this blend of Ecuadoran, Honduran, and Nicaraguan tobaccos has a clean, golden wrapper, a gorgeous cap, a moderately firm feel, and pre-light notes of hay and molasses. A simple punch cut clears the way for a smooth draw.

Right off the bat, it’s easy to see how Herrera Estelí is a departure from other Drew Estate creations like Liga Privada No. 9, T52, and Undercrown. While there’s plenty of flavor, the spice and body are toned down significantly. Syrup, creamy nut, dry wood, and white pepper characterize the profile. At no point do I grow bored. In fact, this is one of those cigars you’ll smoke and then consider lighting up another right away. I don’t get that feeling too often.

Construction is predictably excellent, as is to be expected from La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate. The burn line is straight with a thick, black mascara, the white ash holds firm, and the entubado rolling technique results in an easy draw and thick smoke with each puff.

We recently reported that a maduro variation of the Herrera Estelí is in the works at Drew Estate. That will be something to keep an eye out for, and we’ll provide more details as they become available. For now, this “Cubanesque” Short Corona is a wonderful buy for the going rate of $8, and it’s definitely worthy of a rare rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Every year, cigar companies create many new lines. (You could argue there are too many new cigars and not enough attention to older lines.) The plethora of new cigars means cigar makers register a lot of trademarks in order to protect their brand names once they are released.

Those same trademark registrations give us a hint of what new blends companies may be releasing, especially with the IPCPR Trade Show taking place next month. Of course, many will never turn into anything, but others will become flagship brands. Take a look at this 2010 article about trademark registrations and you’ll see Drew Estate’s Undercrown and Alec Bradley’s American Classic long before the cigars ever were released.

Some trademarks are pretty obvious as to who the owner is. For example, “Flor de Antillas Sun Grown” or “Prohibition by Rocky Patel.” Others are seemingly random.

So to have a little fun, here’s a quick eight-question quiz to see if you can guess who registered which trademark. You’ll find the answers on the last page.

In the comments, let us know which trademark names you are most excited about possibly becoming a new cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With serious coffee drinkers, it isn’t just what you drink. It’s how you prepare what you drink.

These days, there are two big trends in the world of coffee preparation. For the majority, it’s single-serve pods. For the connoisseur, it’s pour-over. Of course, it doesn’t stop there.

While nothing could seem simpler than pour-over preparation, you won’t be surprised to learn that even such a rudimentary system offers numerous options. These can range from the plain, inexpensive Melitta to the elegant and pricey Chemex.

And chic coffee bars, like Stumptown out of Portland and Chicago’s Intelligentsia, now make individual cup preparation part of their shops.

You’ll find a good guide to seven methods—though Melitta is omitted—at Prima Coffee Equipment’s blog. Another excellent instruction site, Brew Methods, collects guidance from many sources, including 17 on pour-over alone.

Recently, the website Lifehacker asked its readers to nominate the best coffeemaker and then reported on the top five vote-getters. Interestingly, the French press method came in first, followed by AeroPress and none of the uber-trendy Japanese manufacturers, such as Hario, or Kalita made the cut. You’ll also find quite a few other articles and reviews on coffee and coffee-making at Lifehacker.

An in-depth drip-off was done a couple of years ago by Serious Eats, which compared ceramic cones.

So, go as deep into the subject as you like. Just don’t forget to enjoy the end result.

–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.”

A little over a year ago, I tried this 2011 release from Miami Cigar & Co. for the first time. I was impressed. So imagine how pleased I was when I recently found a Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve that had been hiding in one of my humidors since early 2012. Firing up the Connecticut broadleaf-wrapped torpedo (6.1 x 52), I encountered a familiar profile of dry wood, spice, coffee, and caramel sweetness. The cigar performed much as I remembered it—including excellent construction—albeit with slightly mellower flavors than a year before. This was a solid buy at $9.50.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

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.”

If memory serves, I received this cigar (7 x 47) as a pre-release sample back when it came out in 2009, only a little before my colleague reviewed the pyramid size. The now discontinued blend celebrates Louis Tiant’s 1968 season with the Cleveland Indians, a year in which he won 21 games. It has a Sumatra-seed Ecuadorian wrapper and a Nicaraguan Habano binder with three different ligeros from Nicaragua and seco tobaccos from both Nicaragua and Honduras. The result (after almost four years of age) is a medium-bodied smoke with an interesting combination of earth and a damp Davidoff-esque musty flavor. The legendary Cuban pitcher is now working with Don Pepin Garcia for his El Tiante lines, and while I also enjoy those cigars (though they are very different profiles) I would be pleased if I found a few more of these in the bottom of my humidor.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

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) Pennsylvania has had a statewide indoor smoking ban over most “public” locales for almost five years. But now certain politicians are aiming to expand that regulation over establishments that are currently exempt, including bars, private clubs, and casinos. Interestingly, according to the Patriot News, these politicians also want to target tobacco manufacturers, wholesalers, and processors. Pennsylvania is home to significant cigar-related industry because of its unique ability to yield premium tobacco. The state also has a favorable tax climate for cigars, which is why huge internet retailers like Cigars International and Famous Smoke Shop are located there.

2) Time published a short feature about national smoking bans in which we learn some interesting information about anti-tobacco efforts overseas. For example, China’s nationwide indoor smoking ban, imposed in May 2011, has witnessed inconsistent enforcement. Some speculate this may have to do with the fact that “the government body in charge of carrying out national anti-smoking laws was also running the world’s largest cigarette maker.”

3) Inside the Industry: After we received hints from Drew Estate that the company will be making a cigar for Swisher’s new premium cigar division, Royal Gold Cigars, Cigar Insider confirmed the news and added the new smoke is scheduled for October and will be limited to 70,000 cigars in 2013. Espinosa Cigars announced a limited release addition to it’s 601 La Bomba line called “Warhead” that features a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper.

4) Deal of the Week: There are nine days until Father’s Day, and if you’re planning on getting dad cigars or a cigar-related gift, we’d appreciate it if you’d consider purchasing that gift from one of our retail advertisers (Signal Cigars, Smoke Inn, Corona Cigar Company, Mike’s Cigars or Emerson’s Cigars). Their support helps us dedicate the time and resources necessary to bring you our unique, independent daily articles about all things cigars. Many are currently featuring specials for Father’s Day. Thanks!

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Despite the hundreds of bourbons on the market under an almost countless number of brands, nearly all of them come from not more than a handful of distilleries. Pure Kentucky is no exception, only you don’t know exactly which one it comes from.

That’s because the “small batch” Pure Kentucky is bottled and aged by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) which, despite the name, doesn’t distill any of the bourbon it sells (at least not yet, although it has recently opened its own distillery). It does, however, bottle many well-known bourbons including Noah’s Mill, Willett, and Rowan’s Creek. (For more on the sometimes controversial phenomenon of non-distiller producers read here and here.) KBD is open about the fact it doesn’t actually distill what it bottles, and as long as they’re honest, it really doesn’t bother me.

What’s important is what the consumer buys, and if they enjoy it. According to the back label, Pure Kentucky is 12-year-old (or older) bourbon bottled at 107-proof. Available for $30-35, it has the potential to be a great value considering many similarly aged bourbons cost quite a bit more.

My bottle came from batch QBC No. 12-121 (there have been reports of significant variation between batches). Once you open the slightly infuriating plastic cap beneath a layer of blue wax, the copper-colored spirit reveals a nose of molasses, oak, and mint. The flavors are overly woody with vanilla, lots of wood spice, and a good bit of mouthfeel. The finish continues the woodiness as it lingers for seemingly a minute on your tongue.

There is a school of thought in bourbon that after nine or ten years, aging becomes detrimental to flavor. Obviously, such excellent bourbons as Van Winkle, AH Hirsch, and Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 are the counter to that. But Pure Kentucky might be a case for limited aging, as the barrels seem to have overpowered this spirit, sapping its complexity and leaving mostly old tasting wood and spice flavors behind.

Curiously though, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a bourbon I wouldn’t pick up again. That’s because when mixed with younger bourbon it can add that well-aged flavor that can be so hard to find. (I’ve experimented with combining it with many other straight bourbons and found my favorite to be equal parts Maker’s Mark and Pure Kentucky. The result is, in my opinion and others I’ve shared it with, a reasonably close approximation of the impossible-to-find Pappy at an average cost of $30 a bottle! Try it and let me know if you agree.)

As for cigar pairings, in its pure form it requires a strong, full-flavored, spicy cigar to hold up to the spice, like a La Flor Dominicana Air Bender or Opus X. When you start playing mad chemist and mixing and matching, the possibilities become limitless.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys