The Stogie Guys

It’s possible that you’ve never heard of Amilcar Perez Castro, but it’s highly unlikely that you’ve never smoked a cigar that was made under his direction.

Castro is a “maestro tabaquero” with Rocky Patel, helping Rocky maintain quality control for some of his most visible blends that are crafted in Estelí, including the 1961 and 15th Anniversary lines. Rocky affectionately calls Castro “the master.”

It seems appropriate that someone with such a flattering title should have his own name on a cigar. Now he does. The Amilcar Perez Castro (APC) line is a Pennsylvania broadleaf-wrapped blend that’s made exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop, a Pennsylvania-based online cigar retailer. APC features a two-country recipe of Nicaraguan and Honduran binder and filler tobaccos.

Three traditional sizes are available: Churchill (7 x 50), Toro (6 x 50), and Robusto (5 x 50). Prices range from $4.05 to $7 apiece, depending on the size and the quantity ordered. The Robusto has a very dark exterior leaf with pre-light notes of nuts and powdered cocoa off the foot. The cap takes to a punch wonderfully, revealing an easy draw with the slightest puncture.

Once lit, the APC Robusto assumes a chalky, powdery profile with plenty of coffee, caramel, toast, and dark chocolate on the palate. Black pepper is also apparent but not overpowering. Surprisingly enough, despite my description of the individual flavors, the overall effect is more creamy than anything else (I say “surprisingly” because I don’t often associate tastes like pepper, coffee, and toast with creaminess). This creaminess carries over to the final third, where the only major change is a noticeable increase in spice on the lips. Some bitter notes drift in and out. All the while, the construction is admirable with a solid gray ash and a burn line that’s somewhat wavy though never an encumbrance.

You can purchase the Robusto from Famous for $6.50 per single, $19.50 per 5-pack, or $80.99 for a box of 20. I’m not convinced this cigar is worth more than $4.50 apiece, so my recommendation would be to try a single and then, if you’re a fan, make a box purchase.

Ultimately, this is a nice golf course selection if you want something dark and rich, which makes the APC Robusto worthy of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[See details below on how to win one of the very first cigarblogger.favorites samplers.]

The announcement of a new sampler pack featuring cigars that have been on the market for awhile normally wouldn’t be big news, but the new “cigarblogger.favorites” sampler from General Cigar is different. That’s because StogieGuys.com recently participated in the creation of the first product based completely on the input of web-only cigar publications.

Back in January, we were approached by General Cigar to help select cigars for the industry-first “bloggers pack.” General Cigar was putting together a sampler featuring their Honduran cigars and wanted to base their selection on the opinions of cigar bloggers. With the understanding that all we would offer was our honest opinion, we welcomed the opportunity.

Also taking part in the project were A Cigar Smoker, The Cigar Nut, Toasted Foot, and Nice Tight Ash. Ultimately, based on our reviews of a dozen different Honduran blends, General Cigar settled on six cigars:

• Uppercut by Punch – Toro (6.6 x 54)
• Excalibur Legend – Conqueror (6.25 x 54)
• La Escepcion – Gran Gener (6.25 x 54)
• Hoyo de Tradicion – Toro Grande 6.25 x 54)
• Excalibur Dark Knight – No. 1 (5.75 x 54)
• Punch Gran Puro – Rancho (5.5 x 54)

The sampler pack, which comes complete with two tasting notes on each cigar from the contributing websites and QR codes that link to each site, will be arriving in cigar stores nationwide soon. Based on the “buy four get two free” label on the packaging, it should be priced to move.

To celebrate the launch, let us know your favorite cigar of the six in the comments and we’ll select one comment at random to receive one of the very first cigarblogger.favorites packs. (Fine print here.)

Further, winners of our weekly NFL Pick’em Challenge will be getting cigarblogger.favorites packs (one for each of the 17 weeks of the season), and we’ll also be giving a few away as part of our newsletter giveaway (sign up here for free to be eligible).

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you’re a recurring visitor to cigar websites and forums, you’ve probably already heard about Grimalkin, a blend made by Gary Griffith’s Emilio Cigars. This cigar has been written about and reviewed many times since it debuted in February.

If you haven’t heard of Grimalkin yet, the first question you’re probably asking yourself is: “What’s with the name?” Well, a grimalkin is defined as an old or sinister-looking female cat—which explains the interesting band. Wikipedia cites that “Scottish legend makes reference to the grimalkin as a fairy cat which dwells in the highlands.”

Name and band aside, I’m guessing you’re more interested in this cigar’s makeup and how it smokes. So on to the review. Grimalkin is crafted in Estelí from a proprietary blend of “carefully selected tobaccos.” Some have speculated that it is made by Don Pepin Garcia at the famed My Father Cigars Factory.

Three traditional sizes are available: Robusto, Torpedo, and Toro. The latter measures 6 inches long with a ring gauge of 50 and an MSRP of $8.30. My Toro sample has an oily, reddish wrapper that’s mostly smooth, though not without one prominent vein that runs the length of the stick. It has a sweet hazelnut aroma at the foot and a nice triple cap.

The opening profile is of roasted almond, cocoa, creamy caramel, and cedar spice. Medium in body, the flavor is devoid of harshness or unwelcome heat yet assertive enough maintain a long finish on the palate. Its balance and syrupy texture stand out as the most memorable characteristics of the smoke, imparting a uniqueness that’s lacking from other cigars that take on a more predictable profile.

Fortunately, the Toro’s outstanding physical properties enable you to focus entirely on the taste at hand. The burn is nearly perfect, the white ash solid and stable, and the draw has just the right amount of resistance.

Grimalkin is, without a doubt, a most welcome addition to the premium cigar marketplace. Woe is the cigar enthusiast who passes up trying this blend because the name is a little funny or because the band is a little nontraditional or because Emilio Cigars are little hard to find. I think $8.30 is a very fair price for the Toro, a tasty treat that’s definitely worthy 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

For the first inch of this pressed perfecto, you may wonder whether you’re smoking a cigar or if you accidentally lit up the pepperpot. (Similarly, I couldn’t help but wonder about the band: Is that a cigar with wings or a flying railroad spike?)

While the recently introduced Avion is said to be the same blend of Nicaraguan filler and binder in an Ecuadorian Habano maduro wrapper common to the four other Fausto sizes and shapes, I found it fairly different from the two vitolas I’ve tried. And every bit as enjoyable.

The Avion’s size, varying in ring gauge from 48 to 52 ring gauge along its 6.75-inch tapered length, may help to mitigate the Fausto’s strength somewhat and create a more balanced experience. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still powerful, just not quite a haymaker.

After the pepper began to fade a bit, the more prominent tastes in the second third were wood, nuts, spice, and a tobacco sweetness. In the final third, the strength picked up and the pepper made a comeback. I did find it rather dry, especially by the end, and I‘d recommend liquid accompaniment.

The cigar does not feel particularly heavy in the hand, sometimes a warning of a loose draw and a quick burn. Neither was apparent in the Avion. The draw and the burn were peerless. I like the small foot which can easily be lit without a high-watt flame. Smoke production was first rate and the ash something to behold: tight, fine, and remarkably white.

At $10, the Avion is less expensive for its size than some other high-end Tatuajes. I recommend giving it a try after a meal and with a drink that can stand up to it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I give the Tatuaje Avion 11 cigar four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Tatuaje Cigars

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.”

The broadleaf-wrapped Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition 2011 is, in addition to a mouthful to say, a pretty limited release. This version featuring a shade-grown Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper is 15 times rarer, as every box of the the LE 2011 has 15 cigars with the broadleaf wrapper and just one of these, which reportedly will be the limited edition release in 2012. The toro has perfect construction, as I’ve come to expect from Garcia’s cigars. The cigar features medium-bodied flavors that start out with some bitterness, but soon develops into a balanced, well-rounded flavor profile with nuts, honey, cedar, and spice. It’s remarkable how different this cigar is despite having the exact same blend except for the wrapper. Ultimately, like the broadleaf version, the price ($16) is the biggest detractor, and while I prefer the more readily available version to the 2012 incarnation, it isn’t a cigar you should avoid.

Verdict = Hold.

–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.”

This masterful smoke from Pete Johnson boasts an unfinished foot, an oily Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Short and skinny in stature (4 x 40), the Petite Cazadores Reserva packs loads of flavor and complexity into a quick format that’s ideal for a lunch break or cold weather. I taste dark chocolate, earth, nuts, caramel, and tea. What an outstanding way to spend $4. Highly recommended.

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) Sherwin Seltzer, General Cigar’s vice president of trade development and a 50-year veteran of the cigar industry, announced his retirement this week. “There comes a time when you have to stop and do something else. I’ve had a great run in this business but at this stage in my life, I want to devote my time to Iris, my wife of 51 years, and my children and grandchildren,” said Seltzer, who will vacate his position at the end of October. Dan Carr, president of General Cigar, says that Sherwin “made great contributions to General Cigar, particularly in developing relationships with our trade partners and as a mentor to people in all areas of the business.”

2) We’re happy to announce that Marty of Austin, Texas, has won the first week of the Stogie Guys NFL Pick’Em Challenge. For his outstanding ability to select the winners of the first week of football games, we’ll be sending him a nice package of cigars. Congrats to Marty and good luck to everyone in the second week.

3) Our favorite cigar manners maven, Patricia Rossi, has just released a new book called Everyday Etiquette: How To Navigate 101 Common and Uncommon Social Situations. And, yes, as you might have imagined, those situations include smoking cigars.

4) Inside the Industry: Yesterday, a number of cigar makers and cigar shop owners met with politicians in Washington to ask for their support of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act, which would protect handmade cigars from devastating FDA regulations. After spending the day on Capitol Hill, those in town joined others at the the 6th annual cigar dinner party hosted by the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, which featured plenty of Dominican cigars and rum.

5) Around the Blogs: Tiki Bar kicks back with the Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva. Smoking Stogie smokes the El Credito War of Flavors. Stogie Review reviews the León Jimenes Maduro. Nice Tight Ash samples the Short Story Maduro. Cigar Fan tries a CAO OSA Sol.

6) Deal of the Week: Corona Cigar’s weekly deal features 10 big name cigars for just $30 (or 20 for $50). The cigars include Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Punch, La Gloria Cubana, Macanudo, Hoyo de Monterrey, and Siglo.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: General Cigar