The Stogie Guys

While I had the privilege to smoke the new Guillermo León by La Aurora while I was in the Dominican Republic visiting their facilities in May, I wanted to wait to review this cigar until a production version was released. The sample I smoked was good but, since I had already smoked quite a few cigars that day, I wasn’t in any condition to pass judgment on it other than to say that I enjoyed it.

Now, a couple of weeks after the release of the production version by La Aurora at the IPCPR Trade Show, and with several Gran Coronas in hand, I am finally able to revisit it with a more critical eye and discerning palate.

The Gran Corona measures 6 inches long with a ring gauge of  47. It will be sold in boxes of 20 with an MSRP around $8.50 per cigar. In a first for La Aurora, the Guillermo León features a dual binder of Dominican corojo and Cameroon tobaccos around a four-country filler blend of Peruvian, Brazilian, Dominican, and Nicaraguan tobaccos. The cigar is finished off with a medium brown, semi-veiny, moderately oily Ecuadorian habano wrapper.

The aroma at the foot is of hay and sweet tobacco. A quick pre-light taste reveals sweetness with a hint of spice as well as an effortless draw. Upon lighting, the sweetness present in the pre-light taste is immediately apparent and reminiscent of maple syrup and light brown sugar. Very little spice is present at this point, confined mostly to the retro-hale.

After about an inch, a nutmeg-esque spice emerges and balances the sweetness well. More spice is also present in the nose along with hints of hay and earth. The mottled gray ash holds firm for about an inch at a time and the burn remains mostly even.

As the cigar moves into the second third, some very subtle notes of hay and cream also emerge. The spice and sweetness fade in and out throughout the rest of the cigar to create an interesting interplay that, at times, is a bit unbalanced.

Overall, the Guillermo León Gran Corona is a very interesting cigar with flavors that progress and change creating an interesting and often intricately subtle smoking experience. The cigar is decidedly medium in strength but full in flavor and demands your full attention—or some of the more nuanced flavors can be overlooked. For all of these reasons, the Guillermo León Gran Corona earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Like a lot of those who spend their workdays among cigars and tobacco, Benny Gomez is a gregarious, engaging man who enjoys talking about his family, his heritage, and his creations.

These days, more cigar smokers will be able to get to know Benny as he devotes greater time and energy to visiting smoke shops to get the word out about his two cigar lines: Casa Gomez and Havana Sunrise. “I still haven’t pushed it out there that much,” he said at a recent, well-attended event at my buddy Arnold Serafin‘s new shop in Spring Hill, Florida. “It costs a lot of money in advertising and promoting.”

But these days he’s ready to make it happen. He cited several reasons, including settlement of some legal issues, working with his son, Loren, in the business, and a recent tweaking of the Casa Gomez blend.

The cigar, created in 2004 by Benny to honor his Cuban father and his role in cigars, comes from Luis Sanchez’s Dominican factory. Benny decided he wanted to ramp it up a bit and added some Nicaraguan ligero to the blend. But he explained that he wasn’t seeking to simply create a stronger smoke. “I didn’t want just a powerful cigar,” said Benny, whose operation is based in his hometown of Miami. “I wanted that sweet texture that comes out of real good ligero leaf.”

One aspect of the business in which Loren has become heavily involved is the Internet. The Casa Gomez website is a work in progress, with direct consumer sales added recently. Loren is also active on several cigar forums.

When I spoke with Benny in July, he and Loren were preparing for another trip to the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans. Benny said he hoped to build on last year’s experience when he met many retailers.

But he said he will still utilize the same pitch for his cigars. He’ll hand them out with a simple request: “Smoke it and come back. I want your opinion.”

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The year is 1792. George Washington is re-elected president. France is embroiled in revolutionary upheaval. America’s first Columbus Day celebration takes place in New York City. And Kentucky is admitted as the 15th state.

It’s hard to think of bourbon without thinking of Kentucky—or vice versa, for that matter. So it stands to reason that Ridgemont Reserve should commemorate the year the Bluegrass State became official, as long as the spirit in question is up to the task of representing the motherland of bourbon. That’s a tall order.

The folks at the Tom Moore Distillery in Bardstown think the 1792 Ridgemont Reserve is up to the task. This 93.7-proof spirit dates back to the 1880s and is crafted in small batches then aged in charred oak barrels. The result, according to the Sazerac Company, is “a distinctively smooth” bourbon that’s honored as the Official Toasting Bourbon of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

“Our story starts with Tom Moore’s original spring 129 years ago and weaves its way around the distillery ending high up in our Rackhouse Z for at least eight years,” reads an ad. “But if you really want to know all that goes into 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, one sip should tell you everything.”

The back of this bourbon’s skinny, oval-shaped bottle features an individually numbered sticker with signatures next to “checked” and “approved.” Glad to see my bottle passed muster. The line next to “character” reads “rich flavor, velvety.” Removing the wooden, cork-stopped cap, the spirit pours with a bright copper hue with orange peel, charred oak, honey, and caramel on the nose. Light and sweet without an alcohol tinge.

The flavor is dry with a medium profile that’s concentrated on the roof of the mouth. Notes of butterscotch, salty corn, wood, and rustic spice are most dominant. An ice cube or two helps round out the taste and tone down the finish, which is characterized by spicy rye.

The straightforward flavor may not be as balanced or complex as I had expected given its pre-sip aroma, but the Ridgemont Reserve still packs plenty of enjoyment for a wallet-friendly price. Only $25-30 per 750 ml. bottle gets you a decent sipping bourbon that pairs well with most medium-bodied cigars. While it may not be the best Kentucky has to offer, 1792 is an honest, cost-effective choice for bourbon enthusiasts on a budget.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Macanudo may be the best selling cigar brand in America but, like the late Rodney Dangerfield, the brand can’t get no respect. While odds are most cigar smokers made Macanudo their very first handmade smoke, it seems many experienced smokers shy away from the brand.

Maybe they see it as a beginner smoke—too mild or not complex enough. For whatever reason, the best selling premium cigar brand in America rarely has the buzz of its lower volume competitors. This despite General Cigar’s many attempts to introduce a more full-bodied smokes.

The last time a new Macanudo brand came out, at the 2008 IPCPR Trade Show, it was the Macanudo 1968, which I described as going “a long way towards combating Macanudo’s reputation among smokers as simplistic.” Two years later, at this year’s trade show, Macanudo followed up with the new Cru Royale blend, billed as a medium-bodied smoke.

Cru Royale featues an oily, deep brown Ecuadorian habano wrapper, Dominican binder, and filler made up of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco. It will come in four sizes—Gigante (6 x 60), Robsuto (5 x 50), Lonsdale (6.5 x 42), and Toro (6 x 54)—and sell for $6-7 dollars each when it hits cigar shops in October.

From the first puff, it’s pretty clear that this cigar is nothing like the green and white Macanudo Cafe line. The dominant flavors in the silver, black, and blue-banded Cru Royale are espresso, earth, chocolate, and cedary spice. It’s medium bodied as billed, and while there’s little variation from start to finish, my three IPCPR samples show impressive layers of taste. Underlying the dominant flavors are bready notes that occasionally reveal a slightly sour yeasty flavor. Adding to the complexity is a bit of red pepper spice.

Construction is flawless, a trait I’ve found common to all Macanudo smokes. The burn is even, the ash sturdy, and the draw has just a hint of resistance. Despite that, the most striking aspect of this cigar is how un-Macanudo-like the Cru Royale is.

This can be explained by the blend’s origin. As I was told at the General Cigar booth in New Orleans, the blend is primarily the work of cigar master Benji Menendez, who originally intended it as an extension of the Partagas line. (So, perhaps not coincidentally, Cru Royale reminds me a bit of the Benji Menendez Partagas Masters Series.) This new Macanudo gives seasoned smokers a good reason to revisit the brand, and I’d suggest doing so with a strong cup of coffee. But whatever pairing you choose, I think the newest Macanudo is worth a try, which is why the Macanudo Cru Royale Robusto earns four out of five stogies.

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

–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 new line by La Aurora features a medium brown Ecuadorian wrapper around dual binders (Cameroon and Dominican corojo) and a four-country filler blend of Peruvian, Dominican, Brazilian, and Nicaraguan tobacco. The well-constructed Gran Toro (6 x 58) immediately reveals milky chocolate notes with subtle earth, sweetness, and spice. It’s an extraordinarily balanced, well-rounded smoke. The thick—and apparently popular—super toro size is not my preferred format; I feel the Guillermo León is best in the Gran Corona and Belicoso versions of the blend. But that doesn’t mean the Gran Toro isn’t a very enjoyable  smoke.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

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. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) At over 13%, Michigan has the second highest unemployment rate in the country. But that didn’t stop Wolverine State politicians from enacting a smoking ban, which took effect in May. Now the economy is starting to show signs of the new regulation. According to the Detroit Free Press, a recent survey finds that “more than 42% of responding restaurants said their sales have declined since the ban went into effect.” One bar general manager says, “Employees have been laid off, hours have been cut for others, and the tips have shrunk for the waitstaff and bartenders who are left.” Another laments: “I can’t believe that the State of Michigan did this at a time when the economy is so bad.”

2) Jeff Borysiewicz, president and founder of the Orlando-based Corona Cigar Co., has long been a passionate advocate for cigar rights. This week he added a 19-foot, 1,600-pound exclamation point to his dedication to cigar freedom. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Borysiewicz brought the world’s largest cigar to one of his stores to protest smoking restrictions in Orange County, Florida.

3) Inside the Industry: Every year at the IPCPR Trade Show, manufacturers are recognized with “Best in Show” awards for innovative displays. This year Drew Estate won the large exhibitor category for its  booth featuring dozens of pairs of custom sneakers made in the art studio attached to its Nicaraguan factory. Meanwhile, Hammer + Sickle won the medium  exhibitor category for including a massive piece of the actual Berlin Wall in its display.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up a Mi Dominicana. Smoking Stogie lights up the Illusione HL Candela. Cigar Inspector inspects a La Flor Dominicana Air Bender. The Tiki Bar smokes the 2009 and 2010 CAO Rock and Rolled tour cigars. A Cigar Smoker reviews the Guillermo León by La Aurora.

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, Cubano Claro, and Cupido Tuxedo Maduro. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Last month, Charlie Toraño announced some big changes, not the least of which were renaming his company the “Toraño Family Cigar Company” and exercising his option to retake distribution from a deal with CAO. “It belongs in the family,” he told us in an interview.

He also told us about three new blends that have since been introduced at the IPCPR Trade Show: Master, a bundle line called Brigade, and Single Region. The latter, a tobacconist-only release, brings a vintner’s approach to cigars. “Each Serie will feature a blend that is created entirely from tobaccos grown on one carefully selected finca in one particular region,” reads a Toraño press release. “The blend’s flavor and aroma will reflect the influence of the region’s soil, weather, and topography.”

Charlie Toraño chose the Serie Jalapa as the first Single Region debut. It features tobacco from the El Estero Farm in Jalapa, Nicaragua—a small plot of sandy, red clay that’s naturally irrigated by a stream. The unique location grows “some of the finest and most aromatic tobacco in the world,” according to Toraño.

Three Serie Jalapa vitolas are in production (Churchill, Robusto, and Toro Grande) with price tags that range from $6.50-6.95 apiece. All are handmade at the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras.

Measuring five inches with a 52 ring gauge, the Robusto is a clean, reddish cigar with a neat cap, a moderate cold draw, and a well-packed cross section of tobacco at the foot. It looks and feels more expensive than it is, even with its understated double bands.

After establishing an even light, the Single Region’s sweet pre-light aroma transitions into a taste of tea, leather, and toffee. It’s medium-bodied with remarkable balance for a cigar with such a homogeneous lineage. I expected something more monotonous, even though the tobaccos were cultivated in different years from El Estero.

As the cigar progresses, two characteristics stand out. One, the physical properties are just about perfect. The burn line remains even absent any maintenance, the draw is smooth with moderate resistance, and the gray ash is sturdy. Two, the flavor adds a creamy, nutty element that rounds out the profile nicely. The only drawback is a subtle stale taste that creeps in and out towards the finale.

But don’t let that singular flaw deter you from purchasing the Single Region Serie Jalapa. This is a tremendous smoke, especially for the price. I predict it will win over many cigar enthusiasts in the months to come, and I award the Robusto four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys