The 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. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) More details are emerging about Cuba’s planned economic reforms. According to the latest edition of The Economist, the communist government is laying off over one million public sector employees to make room for private economic activity—turning small, state-owned enterprises into employee cooperatives and transitioning others to self-employment. Raúl Castro hopes the changes will help create 450,000 non-government jobs before 2012. He says “we have to erase forever the notion that Cuba is the only country in the world where it is not necessary to work.” His brother, Fidel, also recognizes that the Cuban economic model “doesn’t even work for us anymore.”

2) As federal tobacco taxes become more and more burdensome, some manufacturers are turning to a “loophole” to keep prices down. The Wall Street Journal reports that makers of small, machine-made cigars are slightly increasing the weight of their products to qualify them as “large cigars,” which are taxed less. Congress is investigating this practice as tax evasion.

3) Inside the Industry: La Palina is introducing a Family Series that will retail for $18-23 per cigar. Cusano has moved into Davidoff USA’s new headquarters outside Tampa, and Camacho will be following soon.

4) Around the Blogs: Smoking Stogie smokes a Viaje Skull and Bones. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Cain F. Cigar Fan fires up a Cuba Caiman. A Cigar Smoker smokes a Dirty Rat. Cigar Inspector inspects a CAO Colombia.

5) Deal of the Week: This unpublicized email special features some of our favorite Cuban Crafters cigars. Included are the highly-rated Miami Medina 1959 Lanceros and the Cuban Crafters Cabinet Selection. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

The 2010 industry convention showcased several new releases from tobacco giant General Cigar, including additions to the Macanudo and La Gloria Cubana brands.

The powers that be at General also augmented their lineup of Hoyo de Monterrey cigars with a new blend. Called “Reposado en Cedros” (Spanish for “rested in cedar), it employs a proprietary aging process designed to impart extra cedar flavors.

“Just as fine wines and spirits are aged in wooden barrels to round out their taste, cigars that mature in cedar-lined aging rooms are known for smooth, balanced flavor,” reads a press release dated July 23. “In taking this time-honored tradition to a new level, General Cigar’s Honduran team created Hoyo de Monterrey Reposado en Cedros, the company’s first collection to be created using an innovative new process called ‘Inmersión.’”

“Inmersión” includes “an extended period” of cedar aging for up to six months, which is why, according to General, only limited quantities of Reposado en Cedros are available. But that exclusivity seems to have little impact on price. Each of the blend’s three vitolas are priced to move in the affordable $6.50-7 range. They include a Churchill called “Liso” (7 x 49), a figurado called “Marco” (6.25 x 54), and a robusto called “Sueño” (5.25 x 54).

I sampled three Sueños for this review. Beneath this vitola’s cedar sleeve is a dry, rustic wrapper leaf with a pungent pre-light aroma of dill and spice. The Sueño is heavy in the hand, consistently firm, and lacking in large veins.

The initial flavor carries dominant notes of garlic and cedar. Very dry and woodsy with little balance. After the first inch is complete, however, the smoke settles, transitioning to a less abrasive, more fragrant profile. Thereafter, floral tastes add nicely to the baseline of cedar as  traces of creamy sweetness emerge.

Truth be told, I was expecting this Hoyo to taste like a marketing gimmick gone wrong. But while it may be overly cedary on the palate, the unique flavor is both interesting and aromatic. And the Sueño smokes like a champ. Its burn is straight, the draw is clear, and the white ash holds firm.

Is this cigar going to blow you away? No. It’s too monotone to be inspiring. That said, if you’re a fan of cedar and dill spice, the Reposado en Cedros Sueño is right in your wheelhouse. It earns three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Lately, I’ve been trying something a little different in my approach to new cigars. I’m working my way through the extensive La Flor Dominicana (LFD) portfolio of blends. So far, it’s been an interesting and enjoyable adventure, one you might want to consider replicating with a line of your own choosing.

I don’t limit my smoking to LFDs, just picking a different one when the spirit moves me. I began, more or less, by accident. Over the years, I’ve shied away from LFDs because I remember them just overwhelming me with their strength. But I’d smoked quite a few Air Benders lately and found them to be excellent cigars.

So, when a Double Ligero Chisel that had been nestling for months in my humidor caught my eye, I’d I thought I’d give it a try. Again, it was a fine smoke, and I decided to explore more of Litto Gomez’s cigars. My next was a natural Ligero 400, which I thought was even better than the Double.

As with most of my pursuits, I’m just winging it, making selections by whim and happenstance. It has been a great trip, with only one disappointment. That was the Limitado III, a big stick that began nicely but wasn’t complex or compelling enough to satisfy for the time it occupied. I was bored by the time I hit the midpoint and glad to lay it down awhile later.

About the only other negative impression I have is with the chisel shape. I find it somewhat annoying, but that’s a personal reaction and others may like it.

On the positive and impressive side of the scale, the quality of construction, draw, and burn on every LFD I’ve smoked has been consistently excellent. That’s quite a compliment for an operation that is involved in tobacco from start to finish and produces an extensive line.

That extensive line—from the Connecticut shade natural and maduro Premium Line to the new Double Ligero Maduro—promises to keep me busy for quite some time. I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.

–George E

photo credit: La Flor Dominicana

Litto Gomez’s Small Batch No. 2 was an extraordinary smoke, recognized as such when we named it our top cigar of 2009 in our exclusive best-of list sent out to email subscribers.

Following that success, Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana released the Small Batch No. 3 in late August. Excited to see how it measured up, I purchased a few samples from a local shop at a cost of $17 each (including tax and a 5% discount for CRA members).

Like it’s predecessors, the corona gorda-sized (6.75 x 52) cigar is a Dominican puro made with tobacco entirely from La Flor Dominicana’s farms. The wrapper is extraordinarily oily, much more so than the Small Batch No. 2, with a dark reddish shine.

None of the samples have any soft spots or noticeable deficiencies in appearance. A pre-light draw reveals a unique and interesting combination of plum, wood, and earth.

Once lit, the deliberate draw gives way to chewy leather and cedar. As the cigar progresses, it shows yeasty flavors and subtle cherry notes. It’s a medium- to full-bodied smoke that is well balanced. Pepper is only apparent when you retro-hale the dense smoke. Construction is flawless with a notably sturdy dark ash.

This is an excellent smoke, and inevitably it will be compared to earlier versions of the Small Batch. When measured against that high bar, though, the third edition, however formidable, is not as complex as its predecessors.

Still, with well-balanced rich flavors, the latest Small Batch is a fantastic cigar to enjoy with a fine rum or glass of whiskey. That’s why the Litto Gomez Small Batch No. 3 earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The story of La Caridad del Cobre is one of collaboration, persistence, and trademark law. It’s also one of good tobacco, as evidenced by my colleague’s review of the boutique manufacturer’s inaugural blend.

This year, company founder and intellectual property attorney Frank Herrera launched a new extension of his young brand. It’s called “La Charada” (Spanish for “the charade”).

The concept is derived from the old Cuban lotto system, in which players would choose numbers that corresponded to objects from their dreams. Each of the seven La Charada vitolas is named and numbered accordingly.

The ominously named “Muerto Grande” measures seven inches with a ring gauge of 54. When I asked Herrera why he chose such an intimidating size, he said “because torpedos are bad ass. So bigger torpedos are bigger bad asses.” Fair enough.

Along with the three other maduro sizes in the La Charada portfolio, the No. 64 boasts a toothy Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper leaf with binder and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic. Made under the direction of Luis Sanchez at La Tradicion Cubana, this immense torpedo is fairly soft in the hand with thin veins and a pre-light aroma of rich syrup and spice.

Clipping the tip of the sharp cap reveals a moderate draw. Once lit, the cigar tastes of heavy leather, sour cream, and espresso with a peppery spice on the finish. The bountiful resting smoke is aromatic and cocoa-like.

As the draw opens beyond the midway point, the profile takes on creamier characteristics—a nice, welcome change that adds complexity and depth. The combustion qualities include a white, sandy ash that holds well off the foot and a fairly straight burn that requires a few touch-ups along the way.

This is a smooth, medium-bodied cigar that’s a joy to smoke if you have a lot of time on your hands. While straightforward and fairly consistent, I never lost interest in what it has to offer.

And its $7 price tag means you get a lot of tobacco for your money. I look forward to trying the three Ecuadorian Sumatra-wrapped “natural” vitolas in the La Charada blend. Meanwhile, this “bad ass” cigar earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–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.”

Launched in June, this new Dominican puro by Augusto Reyes features a nearly flawless light brown wrapper. The cigar starts an initial burst of unpleasant leathery bitterness. Fortunately, after a few minutes, it settles into a more balanced combination of cream and wood. Also evident are hints of leather and roasted peanut. Construction is excellent, particularly the draw, which has just the right amount of resistance. This medium-bodied smoke shows some potential, but I’m disappointed with the bitterness, both out of the gate and occasionally after.

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.”

The newest offering from Abe Flores of Pinar del Rio is the 1878 Cubano Especial. This line features a Brazilian arapiraca wrapper, a Dominican criollo ’98 binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. The Robusto (5 x 52) is a little spongy with an overly loose draw. The resulting flavors fall flat with unbalanced sweetness in the first third. Approaching the halfway point, the draw tightens and the taste improves with chocolate sweetness, woody undertones, a light basil flavor, and good amount of black pepper spice. My guess is that the second half is a better representation of what this cigar can be. For now, though, I can’t fully recommend this Jekyll and Hyde act.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys