The 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.”

Created for Avo’s 82nd birthday, this toro features an Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper around Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. The Tesoro has cool, damp smoke with mushroom (a common characteristic of Davidoff-made cigars) and a creamy core. The mild smoke sports plenty of sweetness too, with cashew flavors. It’s far milder than any of the more recent annual Avo releases, but it may be my favorite. If you come across any of these, I’d suggest you pick one up.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Avo

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.”

Made from first generation Cuban-seed tobaccos grown in Nicaragua, this corojo-wrapped smoke has a thick, bready profile of dry wood, pepper, toast, and molasses. It burns well, and there is a noticeable thickness to the smoke the Robusto (5 x 50) produces. This is one of those cigars that I don’t light up very often, but when I do, I always find myself wondering why I took so long to come back. Expect to pay around $8 to $10.

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) Drew Estate has become the first cigar manufacturer to launch an iPhone app. The free app, available for download here, allows users to browse the company’s brands, find events based on location, check out photos, and locate nearby shops that carry Drew Estate cigars. “I believe the new trend of mobile phones and devices replacing computers is something that can’t be ignored, and we at Drew Estate wanted to be the first cigar manufacturer to enter the mobile app market,” said company co-founder Jonathan Drew in a press release. “We are very active online through social networking and our website, so the choice to develop a dedicated app was an easy decision.

2) This article from Reuters suggests that up to a fifth of Cuban cigars are sold on the black market. “A box of Cuba’s prized cigars could cost hundreds of dollars in stores, but black market dealers sell it for a fraction of that price, usually to tourists,” it says. “In Havana, clandestine street dealers lead buyers up narrow staircases to small apartments where different brands of cigars in tightly packed boxes are spread out on beds. Some workers smuggle surplus cigars out of distributors and sell them. Others make them in their homes using leftover scraps, dealers said.”

3) Inside the Industry: Camacho Cigars signed a three-year deal to become a corporate sponsor of the Orange Bowl. Habanos SA is selling decorative jars full of 25 Bolivars to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Cuba and China. The 2012 Midwest Smoke Out has been scheduled for April 19 at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, and tickets go on sale on January 2 for $150 apiece.

4) Around the Blogs: Tiki Bar tries the Nadi Classic Habano. Smoking Stogie smokes the Davidoff OVTC 35th Anniversary. Stogie Fresh lights up the San Lotano Maduro. Nice Tight Ash checks out the San Lotano Oval Corona. Stogie Review reviews the Perdomo Exhibición Sun Grown.

5) Deal of the Week: This rare Fuente Christmas sampler includes some of the most sought-after Fuente smokes. For $139, you get ten cigars, including two Opus Xs, two Hemingways, and two Añejos.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Drew Estate

OK, I guess this officially marks me as an old fogey or whatever the proper term is these days. But I believe that words matter, and I cannot understand the current trend of naming cigars with distasteful and sometimes offensive names. I also can’t help but worry that it’s a dangerous trend.

The latest to catch my eye and prompt this screed is the Molotov from Quesada, intended to “create awareness of the dangers increased government and taxation…” I have no argument with them promoting their views. But why use a name associated with a deadly device that, while sometimes used in noble causes, such as the Finns and Hungarians, has also been used by terrorists to maim and kill?

Similarly, there’s My Uzi Weighs a Ton, named, I’m told, after a rap song with which I’m unfamiliar. (I read the lyrics online, but I’ve got to admit it still didn’t mean much to me.) Again, why link a cigar with an instrument of war and death?

And that brings me to Hammer & Sickle. I can only guess that there’s some sort of irony intended rather than a celebration of one of the world’s most corrupt and murderous regimes. If there’s irony in the name Donkey Punch, it’s even harder for me to see. Sick, misogynistic, distressing. Again, that’s what I want associated with a cigar?

I can only assume that these sorts of names are intended to make the cigars more appealing to younger smokers. That worries me because I believe it plays into the hands of anti-smoking forces who want to lump all tobacco together and use the fear of youth being corrupted to achieve their goals.

It’s hard to argue that the makers of premium cigars aren’t targeting youth when someone points to names like these. They fit right in with the machine-made, adulterated cigars that, frankly, do appear to be aimed at teens. Don’t be surprised when someone shows up at a smoking-ban hearing with a Donkey Punch or My Uzi as Exhibit No. 1.

Now, I’m not suggesting manufacturers shouldn’t be allowed to call their cigars whatever they want. I’m about as close to a First Amendment absolutist as you’re likely to find. But exercising a right doesn’t mean you escape the consequences. And in this case, I think these marketers are doing the industry and its customers a great disservice.

We say over and over again that premium cigars are for adults and aren’t marketed to kids. Actions need to be as strong as words.

–George E

photo credit: Google

As I wrote in my review of the Corojo Robusto last month, C&C Cigars is a new outfit that launched at last summer’s IPCPR Trade Show.

C&C is owned by Joe Chiusano, the former president of Cusano, a brand that ended up getting purchased by Davidoff in 2009. He and his team of former Cusano/Davidoff employees—including Jeff Aronson, Maurice Tisseur, and Shane Hays—have cooked up three premium lines that are handmade in the Dominican Republic: Corojo, Connecticut, and Limited Release Maduro.

The latter features a naturally ripened Dominican wrapper with Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. “This cigar delivers a rich, full, and aromatic medium-plus strength profile,” reads a C&C press release. “The curing process allows the proprietary maduro wrapper leaf to retain much of its natural sweetness complementing its full flavor. All natural, no dye or oils added.”

Like the other two blends, the Limited Release Maduro is available in three sizes of 18-count boxes: Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 52), and Churchill (7 x 50). Each size costs $3.99 to $4.49.

I sampled a handful of Robustos for this review. This vitola has a dark exterior leaf with minimal veins and moderate oils. It is light in the hand with a soft feel from head to foot. The faint pre-light aroma reminds me of milk chocolate, and the cold taste is a little musty.

Once lit, the initial flavor includes a heavy dose of espresso and some notes of charred steak. The profile is definitely bold but lacking in spice. I found myself hoping for some sweet or creamy tastes to provide balance.

Those tastes slowly creep in around the midway point, where flavors like cocoa and cashew join in. These additions help offset the mostly bitter base of espresso and add depth. All the while, the Robusto’s physical properties are outstanding for a $4 smoke. The burn line is straight, the ash holds firm, and the draw is consistently clear.

Like the Corojo, the Limited Release Maduro isn’t going to wow any seasoned cigar veterans. But this is a good choice for any everyday smoke if you like espresso flavors and want a well-built stick that won’t break the bank. For that, it earns three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

We spend a lot of time writing about spirits you can pair with a cigar. Rum, scotch, bourbon, beer, and wine have their place, but sometimes nothing beats a cup of coffee.

Whether in the morning, after lunch, or at the conclusion of dinner on a chilly night, a strong cup of coffee is often times more appropriate, or just plain better, than something stronger. On the other hand, bad watery coffee can ruin not only the immediate experience, but coffee in general. Coffee certainly isn’t the most exotic drink (over half of all Americans consume it everyday, and the per capita consumption is 1.6 cups a day) but a fine cigar paired with a good brew can turn the average to the exotic.

And the flavors in a good cup of coffee are highly complimentary to fine cigars. Vanilla, mocha, chocolate, and roasted notes, nuttiness, and earth, can all be found in both cigars and coffee. In fact, tasting wheels used for coffee tasting would help any cigar smoker identify flavors in tobacco.

But much like bad cigars, too often when people think of coffee they think of bad coffee, like that sludge they serve at your workplace. But doing so would be like thinking that all cigars are like Phillies. To fix that, here are a few tips I adhere to for making a proper cup of coffee.

First off, you need good beans. There are many good ones out there and plenty of boutique roasters to explore, but these days my go-to is Major Dickason’s blend by Peet’s, a full-flavored multi-region blend. Best of all, it’s easy to find (my local supermarket carries it) so I don’t have to order it through the mail or worry about when I’ll be able to pick some more up.

The biggest improvement the average person can make to their coffee experience is grinding them at home immediately before brewing the coffee. Burr grinders are best, as they evenly grind the coffee without burning the grinds like blade grinders do, and these days you find a decent one for $50 or $60.

Of course, some people take it a step further, roasting their own beans, and buying thousands of dollars worth of brewing equipment. But such a setup isn’t necessary for good coffee. I use one of the cheapest methods, a Melitta pour over a coffee maker that makes one cup at a time and uses easy-to-find paper filters.

When it comes to a cigar with your proper cup of coffee, there are as many good cigars to choose from as there are exotic coffee blends. Mild Connecticut smokes in the morning, dark full-bodied maduros later, is an easy rule of thumb, but you shouldn’t feel bound to any particular rule. Just don’t overlook coffee when it’s time for a cigar. And let us know your favorite coffee and cigar pairing below in the comments.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With only 13 shopping days left before Christmas, consumers across the country are traipsing through crowded malls to find the perfect gifts. Many have cigar enthusiasts on their lists but find shopping for cigars either intimidating or confusing.

Never fear. Cigar smokers need not be a difficult crowd for which to buy presents. Their dedication and passion for the hobby of cigars makes it easy to narrow down gift choices. This holiday season, you can be virtually assured of gift-giving success if you follow some simple rules of thumb.

Only give a box if you’re sure. Some cigar enthusiasts are completely loyal to one brand or one specific blend. If this is the case, you can’t do wrong by buying a box he or she is sure to love. Maybe this isn’t the most original idea—and maybe the box won’t be much of a surprise—but any cigar smoker will tell you that you can never have enough of your favorite smokes.

Samplers offer variety. Many cigar enthusiasts don’t have just one favorite cigar. For these folks, I can’t recommend buying a whole box. Instead, samplers can be terrific presents. When you give a sampler of ten different cigars, it’s like giving ten different gifts. The recipient might not love all ten, but chances are he or she will really enjoy at least a few, and you might even be responsible for turning someone on to his or her new favorite smoke.

Consider cigar accessories. Every cigar enthusiast needs a great table lighter, a travel lighter, a nice cutter, a good ashtray, etc. Instead of buying cigars, think about giving the gift of a cigar accessory. Many accessories can be personalized and, unlike cigars themselves, are likely to last for years to come. My wife gave me a wonderful alligator skin cigar case years ago and I’ve cherished it ever since.

Cigar knowledge is power. Aside from the tremendous knowledge offered by the online cigar community, many books have been written on the subject, and most of these would make an excellent gift. My favorite has to be The Gourmet Guide to Cigars by Paul Garmirian, a solid work that was published in 1990 and is now considered a classic. Other interesting reads include Playboy: The Book of Cigars, The Cigar Lover’s Compendium, and The Cigar Maker (by our very own Mark M).

Don’t forget cigar rights. Most cigar smokers have a fervent passion for defending cigar rights and opposing tobacco taxes and smoking bans. For these folks, a membership to Cigar Rights of America is an excellent gift. Benefits of membership include supporting professional lobbyists who fight for cigar freedoms, discounts at cigar shops, free cigars, and more.

I hope these tips are helpful as you shop for that cigar smoker on your list. Feel free to leave a comment if you have a tip of your own that you’d like to share. And happy holidays.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr