The Stogie Guys

The original 107 blend has been one of La Aurora’s most popular releases. It’s no surprise, then, that the Dominican’s oldest cigar maker opted to add a maduro variety.

A select number of tobacconists currently carry the La Aurora 107 Maduro line, and many more are expected to start stocking it in July (to coincide with this year’s IPCPR Trade Show). Four sizes will be on the market: Robusto (4.5 x 50), Toro (5.5 x 54), Belicoso (6.25 x 52), and Corona (5.5 x 43).

Rumors have swirled about the 107 Maduro, which was supposed to have debuted a lot closer to 2010—the year La Aurora released the original 107 line. Will the Maduro use the exact same tobacco as the original, just with a differently fermented wrapper? Are production delays due to the wrapper not burning properly? Who exactly will be carrying this cigar?

We now know the makeup of the final iteration of the 107 Maduro. It has the same Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, and the same Dominican corojo binder, but this time it’s finished in a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. (The original 107 sports an Ecuadorian wrapper.)

I sampled three Robustos for this review, each provided to me by Miami Cigar & Co. This stout format comes complete with a dark, moderately veined wrapper with a fair amount of oils and potent pre-light notes of powdered cocoa and damp earth. A simple punch cut yields an easy draw on the firm stick.

The flavor starts with a flurry of coffee and black pepper spice that’s highly concentrated on the tip of the tongue. The texture is coarse and the foot burns hot. Despite this powerful introduction, the resting smoke is creamy with a fair amount of sweetness.

The appeal of the resting smoke turns out to be a prelude to the Robusto’s quick transition to a slightly mellower profile. At the half-inch mark, the base of pepper and coffee starts to get complemented by some sweet and creamy flavors. This renders the cigar somewhere between medium- to full-bodied, and that’s about where it stays until the finale.

For around $7, this is a solid maduro—albeit somewhat lacking in complexity or nuance. The physical properties aren’t stellar (the burn requires several touch-ups to stay even and the white ash has a tendency to be flaky) yet the overall smoking experience is enjoyable. I liked the La Aurora 107 Maduro Robusto, though I can’t say I’ll be jumping at the chance to smoke it again real soon. All this adds up to a rating of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’m writing this on an unseasonably mild, sunny afternoon as I smoke a Tatuaje Fausto Avion 11. On the one hand, it offers a nearly perfect example of how a pleasant experience can enhance the enjoyment of a cigar. But the reverse is also true: A very good cigar makes a good time even better.

I began to wonder a bit about what it is that I find so enticing about Avion. I smoked them fairly regularly after discovering them shortly their release, but it has been months since my last. This stick has probably been sitting in my humidor for at least a year. I can’t say, however, that time had much effect, at least that I could detect. Other than losing much of its box-pressed shape, the lovely perfecto didn’t seem noticeably different from those I have smoked right out of the box

Of course, it has characteristics common to many Tatuajes I like. Strength, pepper, complexity, to name a few of the most obvious. Thinking more, though, I believe the characteristic that it—and other cigars I prefer most—embodies is one that’s easier to name than to explain: smoothness.

There is no bite, no kick, no harshness in the smoke or in the finish. The tobacco, from first to last, comes across as well-aged and fermented. The flavors, some subtle and some bold, are part of a cohesive blend that is as tightly woven as braided rope. It is without sharp edges or deep troughs.

Smoothness can be present in a cigar anywhere along the strength spectrum, from mild to full, and regardless of size, from a lancero to a thick smoke. It represents, for me, what sets the best apart from the rest. Sort of my Unified Field Theory of Cigars.

Creating these cigars can’t be easy, though there are quite a few blenders and manufacturers who do it regularly with aplomb. And those of us who get to enjoy them on a lovely afternoon are truly the lucky ones.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

All of us at StogieGuys.com would like to wish you a very happy Memorial Day. Aside from remembering the brave men and women who have fought and died for our country, we’re taking the day off to barbeque, relax, and smoke a few cigars. We suggest you do the same.

In the meantime, feel free to sign up for our seventh anniversary cigar giveaway (details here). We’re giving away seven fantastic prizes to seven different readers. We’re announcing the winners at the end of the month, so there’s still time to make sure you have a chance to win.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: flickr (CC)

This month marks the seventh anniversary of StogieGuys.com as a daily web-magazine devoted to cigar rights, reviews, tips, and news. To celebrate, we’re giving away seven spectacular prizes over the course of seven days to seven different readers. All of the prizes have been generously furnished by some of our favorite cigar makers.

Today’s prize comes courtesy of our friends at Tesa, a Chicago-based boutique run by Chris Kelly with a portfolio of blends that have long been favorites of StogieGuys.com. We’re giving away a box of 13 Tesa Series Gran Cru cigars. This is a “stout, refined blend” with a criollo ’98 maduro wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos.

To enter to win this prize, visit this page and register. You’ll get additional entries for following StogieGuys.com on Twitter and Facebook. You can also get more entries by Tweeting about the contest (once per day) and by commenting on the posts (like today’s) announcing the prizes (one entry per day, please).

In addition, in order to be eligible you must be signed up to our free email list, where we’ll be announcing the seven winners at the end of the month.

Special thanks to Tesa and the other six participating cigar makers for making this seventh anniversary giveaway possible. And thank you for your loyal readership of StogieGuys.com. We wish you the best of luck!

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Tesa Cigar Co.

This month marks the seventh anniversary of StogieGuys.com as a daily web-magazine devoted to cigar rights, reviews, tips, and news. To celebrate, we’re giving away seven spectacular prizes over the course of seven days to seven different readers. All of the prizes have been generously furnished by some of our favorite cigar makers.

Today’s prize comes courtesy of our friends at Prometheus. It includes a Prometheus 20th Anniversary Magma T White Lacquer Lighter (MSRP $89.95) and a box of 10 God of Fire Serie B Robusto cigars (MSRP $210.00). (See our review of the Double Robusto here).

To enter to win this prize, visit this page and register. You’ll get additional entries for following StogieGuys.com on Twitter and Facebook. You can also get more entries by Tweeting about the contest (once per day) and by commenting on the posts (like today’s) announcing the prizes (one entry per day, please).

In addition, in order to be eligible you must be signed up to our free email list, where we’ll be announcing the seven winners at the end of the month.

Special thanks to Prometheus and the other six participating cigar makers for making this seventh anniversary giveaway possible. And thank you for your loyal readership of StogieGuys.com. We wish you the best of luck!

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Prometheus

This month marks the seventh anniversary of StogieGuys.com as a daily web-magazine devoted to cigar rights, reviews, tips, and news. To celebrate, we’re giving away seven spectacular prizes over the course of seven days to seven different readers. All of the prizes have been generously furnished by some of our favorite cigar makers.

Today’s prize comes courtesy of our friends at Paul Garmirian Cigars. It includes 12 Family Reserve 2001 Gourmet Series cigars (the winner can choose the size(s) of the smokes). The significance of this blend is it was rolled 12 years ago and set aside for extra aging due to the exceptional quality of the wrapper and filler tobaccos available in 2001.

To enter to win this prize, visit this page and register. You’ll get additional entries for following StogieGuys.com on Twitter and Facebook. You can also get more entries by Tweeting about the contest (once per day) and by commenting on the posts (like today’s) announcing the prizes (one entry per day, please).

In addition, in order to be eligible you must be signed up to our free email list, where we’ll be announcing the seven winners at the end of the month.

Special thanks to Paul Garmirian Cigars and the other six participating cigar makers for making this seventh anniversary giveaway possible. And thank you for your loyal readership of StogieGuys.com. We wish you the best of luck!

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Paul Garmirian Cigars

This month marks the seventh anniversary of StogieGuys.com as a daily web-magazine devoted to cigar rights, reviews, tips, and news. To celebrate, we’re giving away seven spectacular prizes over the course of seven days to seven different readers. All of the prizes have been generously furnished by some of our favorite cigar makers.

Today’s prize comes courtesy of our friends at La Palina. The winner receives a box of 20 La Palina Classic Toros. (Read our recent Quick Smoke of the Robusto size here.)

To enter to win this prize, visit this page and register. You’ll get additional entries for following StogieGuys.com on Twitter and Facebook. You can also get more entries by Tweeting about the contest (once per day) and by commenting on the posts (like today’s) announcing the prizes (one entry per day, please).

In addition, in order to be eligible you must be signed up to our free email list, where we’ll be announcing the seven winners at the end of the month.

Special thanks to La Palina and the other six participating cigar makers for making this seventh anniversary giveaway possible. And thank you for your loyal readership of StogieGuys.com. We wish you the best of luck!

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: La Palina