The Stogie Guys

For a lot of you, high humidity isn’t much of a concern, except in the depths of summer. Here in Florida, though, it is basically a year-round problem.

I’ve been fighting—and usually losing—the battle against high humidity ever since we moved here in 2005. Finally, I believe I’ve found a weapon that works: a desiccant canister designed primarily for gun safes from Liberty Safe and Security Products.

Now, I’m not a fanatic about humidity levels. For one thing, years of monitoring have shown me that it is virtually impossible to maintain an exact point. But there is certainly a danger in cigars being ruined by far too much or too little humidity. Generally, I aim for a range of about 61-67% relative humidity. However, achieving that is no small task.

Since high temperatures are also a major concern here, I’ve used a cooling unit from the start. I ran through a couple of coolidors, which did OK, but didn’t seem to last too long. Then, about seven years ago, I purchased a Cooled 1200 Refrigerated Cigar Cabinet from Avallo Humidors in Nashville. I’ve been pleased with the unit and the service from Matt Allen, the owner of Avallo.

In addition to cooling, the Avallo also has an automated system to measure and add humidity. Of course, it’s rare that I have to add moisture. Getting rid of it is my problem.

The list of what I’ve tried seems endless: tons of beads, mountains of kitty litter, jars and jars of gel, a self-contained dehumidifier—and anything else that seemed like a possible solution.

None of it really worked.

I have a Xikar PuroTemp Wireless Hygrometer System with a sensor on each of the two sliding shelves to monitor temperature and humidity so I can easily tell when either is getting out of control.

For the past couple of years, I have resorted to DampRid or a similar absorbent material when humidity spiked. While it does reduce humidity, it also involves guessing how much to use and frequently checking the rising water level to make sure it doesn’t overflow.

Recently, I did another internet search to see if there was something I hadn’t tried. That’s when I spotted the Liberty canisters.

They come in three sizes (40 grams, 450 grams, and 750 grams), with prices ranging from $6.49 to $15.99. Rather than wait for an online order, I checked gun shop websites for local availability. Fortunately, a shop nearby stocked them, and I bought the large canister. All that was required to put it to use was to heat it in the oven for a couple of hours while the material inside dried out.

When it was cool, I put it in the humidor and… Voila! It sucked the moisture out of the air. I removed the canister when the humidity was down to an acceptable level, ready to re-heat and re-use again when necessary.

So far, I’ve employed it several times, and it has worked like a charm. No worry about water spilling, no wondering why nothing is happening.

Right now, it’s my favorite cigar accessory.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Introduced at the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show, Legend is the newest line extension from General Cigar’s non-Cuban Partagas brand. The cigar features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper around a Honduran Olancho San Agustin binder and Dominican Piloto Cubano filler. The medium- to full-bodied cigar features woodsy flavors with black coffee and leather notes. Combustion is flawless, and while it isn’t my favorite non-Cuban Partagas, it’s worth checking out.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

I don’t smoke many Cubans. While there are definitely good Cuban cigars, on the whole they can be expensive, relatively difficult to find, inconsistent, and typically require significant aging post-purchase. Digging through one of my humidors, the first Cuban I came across was a Partagas Serie P No. 2 (6.1 x 52) that had been resting for about three years. Like most other Cubans, it pays to age this pirámide instead of smoking it fresh. If you can invest the time, you’ll be rewarded with a rich, medium-bodied, well-balanced treat of cinnamon, white pepper, nuts, cream, and cedar spice. In other words, this is one of the good ones.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

One of the most interesting, unique, and perhaps divisive flavors in all of spirits is “hogo.” Hogo is Creole slang for “haut gout” (a French term for “high taste”) and its most closely associated with the funky characteristic that is identified with many Jamaican rums.

Describing hogo (that Jamaican funk) is not easy (it’s easier experienced than described) but you can think of a rotting or overripe element ranging from blackened bananas to spoiled red meat. The mystique behind hogo is full of unsubstantiated, misleading rumors (like the use of goat heads or dead bats), but the science is more about long pot-still fermentation, the careful use of leftover dunder (or muck), and the creation of esters that impart the funky hogo characteristics.

Jamaica’s Hampden Estate is known for producing funky Jamaican rum. Which is why today we’re looking at two Hampden Estate-made rums that are relatively easy to find:

Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum

Billed as “the world’s top-selling overproof premium white rum,” this inexpensive ($20-25) Jamaican staple reportedly accounts for 90% of all rum sales on the island.

Nose: Raw dry-aged ribeye, fresh roast corn, and the raw alcohol of 126-proof unaged rum.

Palate: Crisp apple, pineapple, fresh cut grass, and alcohol heat.

Finish: Short and sharp with more subtle guava and pineapple notes.

Between the proof and the youth, I wouldn’t recommend this as a rum to sip neat, but it can shine in a cocktail. It’s not for everyone, but I love it in a funky traditional daiquiri and it’s an obvious candidate for tiki drinks.

Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum

This 57% ABV “navy proof” rum is a mix of two of Hampden’s distillation styles (Wedderburn and Plummer) mixed together after 1 to 3 years of aging. Expect to pay around $30 for a bottle.

Nose: Brown banana peel, oak, and brown sugar.

Palate: Crisp tropical fruit (pineapple and mango) followed by clove, molasses, sugar cookies, and ginger with an oily mouthfeel.

Finish: Long and lush with tobacco, nutmeg, burnt caramel, and a hint of powdered chocolate.

Many will probably reserve Smith and Cross for cocktails, but think it’s quite enjoyable neat. Try it that way or on the rocks, but if 114-proof is too intense for you, I especially like the funky notes swapped in for gin in a classic negroni recipe.

Assuming you are using Wray & Nephew in cocktails (especially sweet tiki concoctions), you can pretty much pick out any cigar you like, with the general rule that the stronger the flavors, the more full-bodied the cigar. Smith and Cross deserves to be enjoyed neat (or with a drop of water or an ice cube or two) and with an earthy, full-bodied cigar like the Padrón Serie 1926, Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu, or Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Umbagog.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In 1998, Hurricane Georges swept through the Dominican Republic. In its wake it left 380 casualties and over $1 billion in damages. The hardest-hit areas included those involved in crop production—including, of course, tobacco.

Not long after the hurricane, Arturo Fuente experienced a predictable and critical shortage of its prized Fuente Opus X sun-grown wrapper leaf. Instead of postponing production until more wrapper was ready, the Fuentes wrapped the Opus X cigars in a dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that had been aged in cognac barrels. With that, the Añejo line was born.

When most people think Añejo, they’ll likely conjure images of the No. 77 vitola—more commonly known as The Shark. This unique format is best described as a tapered pyramid that morphs from a round head to a sharply box-pressed foot.

I didn’t find The Shark at my local shop; it’s rare, so that isn’t surprising. But I did find a box in the No. 55 size, which is a torpedo measuring 6 inches long with a ring gauge of 55. I bought a couple for this review. Not including crazy Illinois taxes, they cost me $15.25 apiece.

In my book, that price tag makes the Añejo No. 55 a super-premium. Expectations are elevated. Fortunately, the cigar comes dressed to impress. In addition to its toothy, rustic wrapper leaf and regal band of red, gold, and white, the bottom two-thirds is embraced by a cedar sleeve and a red foot ribbon.

I used a double-guillotine and found a smooth cold draw. After putting the cedar sleeve to work lighting the foot, pre-light notes of earth, chocolate, and (yes) cognac transition to a medium-bodied profile of cocoa, black coffee, dried fruit, and white pepper. There is body, but the smoothness validates the message on the cellophane that this cigar is “Xtra Aged.”

At the midway point and beyond, the body and spice intensify—though perhaps not to the degree some might expect, especially those who spend a lot of time with Nicaraguan cigars. The white pepper becomes black peppercorn. The black coffee becomes espresso. Dried fruit (think raisin, apricot, fig) and cocoa remain core to the profile.

I never had to go back and adjust the burn in any way after setting an even light with the cedar sleeve. The other physical properties are also exemplary (and appropriate for a cigar of this cost). The white ash holds well off the foot. The smoke production is voluminous. And the draw is clear throughout.

Perhaps, like me, it has been a long time since you fired up an Añejo from Arturo Fuente. Might I recommend you reacquaint yourself? The No. 55 is another stellar smoke from the world’s great tobacco family. It earns a fantastic 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

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

The Illusione Epernay La Petite is a great winter cigar when time is short. The petite corona-sized (4.5 x 44) Nicaraguan puro features a Corojo ’99 Rosado wrapper and Corojo and Criollo filler. The cigar produces an exquisitely balanced combination of coffee, wood, and creamy notes in the mild to medium range. Construction is excellent. Shop around and you can find it for about $5 per cigar (in a box of 50). It’s an excellent cigar at a great value.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

I found this smoke in the corner of one of my humidors, and there’s no telling how long it hid there unnoticed. Perhaps since 2008, the year this blend was introduced as a fuller-bodied version of the original Excalibur line. Setting fire to the Connecticut-wrapped Legend yields a tasty, well-built cigar that goes well with sipping rum. The Conqueror’s (6.25 x 54) profile of seared steak, black pepper, and woody spice pairs perfectly with a sweet spirit, and its superior combustion properties only add to the enjoyment. Expect a 120-minute smoke that’s more complex than your average bold cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys