The Stogie Guys

If you drive 90 minutes east on I-24 from Nashville, you’ll find yourself in a sleepy corner of Tennessee that’s home to George A. Dickel & Co., the self-proclaimed purveyor of “the finest quality sippin’ whisky.”

The eponymous company was founded when George Dickel, a successful merchant from Nashville, established a distillery six miles northeast of Tullahoma in 1870. He called his product “whisky” instead of “whiskey” because, according to the Dickel website, it was “as smooth as the finest scotch” and decided to drop the “e” as a nod to the scotch whisky tradition.

George passed away before the turn of the 20th century, and his legacy fell on hard times as state and federal prohibition laws forced the distillery to close its doors. Then, nearly 40 years later, master distiller Ralph Dupps rebuilt the operation on 850 acres of land near the original distillery site. That’s where George Dickel Tennessee Whisky is made to this day, presently under the direction on master distiller John Lunn. Today’s distillery production is informed by manuscripts written by George Dickel over 130 years ago. The recipe includes a secret mash of corn, barley, and rye, all ground on-site without preservatives or dyes.

After cooling the mash in tubs of spring water, a unique strain of yeast is used in the fermentation process—“one of the primary reasons that George Dickel Tennessee Whisky has such a distinct and memorable taste,” according to the website. It undergoes double distillation and is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before being aged in new, charred American white oak barrels.

The No. 8 version of George Dickel has been aged for eight years, while the No. 12 version is—you guessed it—12 years old. The latter’s bright amber hue is almost orange in the glass. Great legs. The sweet, prickly nose sports a fragrance of citrus, vanilla, oak, syrup, and spice.

The first taste of Geoge Dickel No. 12 goes down warm and spicy with a finish that’s fiery in the belly and soft on the palate. This isn’t the sort of spirit you can just dive into at room temperature. A few evaporated ice cubes and a couple warm-up sips help bring out the flavors of honey, walnut, and brown sugar. Tasty yet lacking in the sort of complexity that I’ve come to expect from a sipping spirit.

If a top bourbon is a steak dinner, this $20-25 whisky is a bacon cheeseburger. And there ain’t nothing wrong with a bacon cheeseburger every once in awhile. I’ll keep it on hand for occasional sipping, mixing, or for guests who want to try something off the beaten paths of Kentucky.

And when I break out the Dickel, I’ll pair it with a sub-$6 medium-bodied cigar. George Dickel, after all, strikes me as the kind of man who wasn’t too pretentious about his libations or his smokes.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Just about this time of year manufacturers make a big show of announcing what new products they are releasing. Some put out a press release while others wait to reveal their latest (and we’re told “greatest”) at the annual industry trade show.

But why wait? By meticulously searching through recently filed U.S trademarks (which are public record), we were able to get a sneak peak at what are likely to be some of the yet unannounced new cigars of 2010:

Tatuaje Anarchy — Early this year, this website popped up hinting at a new Tatuaje release in a size “never before seen.” According to the site, the cigar is coming in 2011, and on some chat boards Pete Johnson has indicated that the cigar will be a partnership with a retailer, but he has always been silent on who his partner in crime is. A search of recently registered trademarks reveals that the West Palm Beach-based retailer Smoke Inn (which carries a full assortment of Tatuaje smokes) registered “Anarchy” for use with cigars in February of this year, just before the Tatuaje Anarchy site first appeared. So, it seems, the mysterious anarchist has been revealed.

Sinful X and My Story — These two marks were registered by Fuente in March and May, respectively. We’d venture to guess that Sinful X will be an extension of Fuente’s sought-after Opus X line. Meanwhile, My Story is likely a variation of Fuente’s all-figuardo Cameroon-wrapped Hemingway line.

Undercrown and Razorback — Drew Estate, maker of the popular Liga Privada line, registered these names in April and February of this year. What exactly they’ll use them for is anyone’s guess, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see them on anything from an extension of their Acid line or Nostros, or to a new vitola of their Liga Privada line in the vein of the limited release Flying Pig and Dirty Rat.

Burn by Rocky Patel — Rocky Patel has always been prolific when it comes to bringing out new cigars and his recent trademark registrations show it. In addition to Burn, which sounds to us like a new Rocky line, he has  also registered “Cargo,” which could be used for just about anything. Additionally, hinting at a new aromatic (or flavored) line, he has recently registered “RP Aromatics” and “Chai Latte” to be used for a product that, according to the registration, will be “cigars with coffee flavoring.”

Z-Class — Davidoff is always mum on what their new release will be, which is why we were very interested to see that Z-Class was registered in March. Could it be a reference to a new Zino cigar? Possibly, but only time will tell.

Bolivar D’Oro and Man of Distinction — With some of the biggest brands in the cigar industry, including Macanudo, Punch, and La Gloria Cubana, General Cigar always makes a few waves with its new releases at the annual trade show. That’s why we were interested to see these trademarks registered in May and June, respectively. Given the similarity to the highly regarded Cuban Bolivar Gold Medal, we suspect Bolivar D’Oro may be a new extension of General’s Nicaraguan/Dominican Bolivar line. Man of Distinction, on the other hand, could be used for just about anything.

Alec Bradley American Classic — In late May, Alec Bradley cigars registered this trademark. It could just be a clever marketing slogan, but there’s also a good chance it is a new line from Alan Rubin.

Guillermo León by La Aurora — We’ve known for some time that La Aurora President Guillermo León would be the face of a new La Aurora smoke set to debut at the trade show in early August, but it wasn’t until we came across this trademark, registered at the end of January, that we felt confident about what the name would be. When we asked José Blanco of La Aurora a few weeks ago he still wouldn’t confirm the name. But now we know.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Another trade show from the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is almost upon us. If you’re like me, though, you still haven’t tried a number of the new releases from the 2009 convention.

Such is the case with Prensado, an offering from Alec Bradley that was introduced last August. In my estimation, and given the accolades it has received, this blend may be the most prominent 2009 debut I have thus far overlooked. I decided to rectify that oversight by sampling three Robustos for this review.

The highlight of Prensado is its wrapper, a corojo leaf grown in 2006 in Trojes, Honduras. Alan Rubin, Alec Bradley’s founder and president, first tried it in 2008. It took Rubin and his team another six months to decide to pair the wrapper with the right blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos. The result is a five-vitola blend that’s made at the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras, the same site that furnishes cigars for Illusione, Casa Fernandez, Padilla, and others.

The five inch by 50 ring gauge Robusto is a dark, slightly veiny cigar with a triple cap and glistening oils. It sports a slight box press (prensado is Spanish for “pressed”) and pungent pre-light notes of powdery cocoa off the foot—the sort of aroma that’s simultaneously mouth-watering and sneeze-inducing. A great fragrance.

From the outset it’s easy to see why Rubin calls Prensado his strongest blend to date. It starts with a hearty, chalky flavor of spicy pepper and black coffee. Sheer power with little depth or balance. The profile settles quickly, however, to include a creamy caramel sweetness.

The taste remains consistent from the second third through the finale as the gray, sandy ash builds off the foot. Each easy puff yields loads of thick, mouth-coating smoke, and the imperfect burn requires few touch-ups to remain even.

I enjoy this blend, but it leaves me underwhelmed in terms of complexity. Sure, while the interplay between bold peppery notes and creamy sweetness is interesting, I’m looking for more intricacy from a cigar that retails for just under $10 apiece. That’s ultimately why this Alec Bradley offering earns three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“It belongs in the family.” That’s what Charlie Toraño, president of Toraño Cigars, told me just hours after announcing that his family was taking back distribution of Toraño Cigars and renaming the company the “Toraño Family Cigar Company.”

With much excitement and pride in his voice, he said he decided last year that when their current distribution deal with CAO ran its course he would be exercising his option to retake full control of Toraño. Ultimately, he says there is a level of “creativity, time, and attention that can only only be done in the family.”

The decision was made before CAO parent company STG announced it was merging it’s handmade cigar operations with Swedish Match, parent company of General Cigars which makes Macanudo, Punch, La Gloria Cubana, and a number of other top-selling lines.

According to Toraño, the only impact the merger had was on the date of the new distribution arrangement.  Instead of waiting until January 1, 2011, the date was moved up to August 1—in time for the 2010 industry trade show in New Orleans, where Toraño will have its own booth.

The new arrangement coincides with a new logo designed to put the focus back on the Toraño family. Charlie describes the new logo as “contemporary but classic.” The new branding, “inspired by past but motivated by out future,” de-emphasizes Carlos Toraño (though Charlie says his father will continue to play a pivotal roll) and places the spotlight on the entire Toraño family.

In this time of seemingly constant mergers and consolidation, Toraño still feels the “future of this industry lies with family businesses.” Describing the challenging climate of smoking bans and record high tobacco taxes, Toraño acknowledged that “headwinds are strong…but there’s no better way to meet those challenges than [for the family] to be in full control of the brand.”

Toraño is using that control to take a new direction with new blends. “Moving forward we are working with other small boutique factories,” Toraño tells me. Current lines will continue unchanged, still being made in STG’s factories, which were purchased from the Toraño and Fidel Olivas families in 2009.

Three New Toraño Blends Coming in August

Reflecting its new focus, Toraño Family Cigars will be bringing three new cigars to market this year. Two premium lines will be sold at retailers only, while a third line, Brigade, features an Ecuadorian wrapper and will sell in bundles of 16 for around $2.50 per stick.

The company’s first new premium stick, The Master, is a joint effort by Charlie Toraño and longtime master roller Felipe Sosa. Made at American Caribbean Cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua, it is an all-Nicaraguan cigar described by Toraño as medium- to full-bodied. It will sell for $5.50-5.95 per cigar.

A second new cigar, also to be sold only in brick-and-mortar stores, is the Single Region. It features Jalapa Nicaraguan tobacco all from one farm (although from different years). It is being rolled at the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras, which also makes such highly-regarded smokes as the Illusione, Epernay, Cruzado, Alec Bradley Tempus, and Padilla 1932. A “fuller-bodied” smoke, the Toraño Single Region will cost between $6.50 and $6.95.

In addition to the three blends set to debut at this year’s trade show, Toraño is already working on new blends for the future, including another Single Region.

For Charlie Toraño the future is bright as his family enters a new era in the cigar business. People are “gonna be hearing a lot from Toraño and about Toraño” Charlie tells me. “Our interest is not on volume, but on making great blends and interacting with smokers.”

–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 soft, spongy, Connecticut shade-wrapped cigar has a brackish taste. While flavors of ginger and sweetness waft in and out, the overall profile, while mild, is dominated by an abrasive saltiness. Construction is flawless. I don’t dislike the Avo XO Trio Intermezzo (5.5 x 50), but I expect something a little less one-dimensional from the Davidoff pedigree.

Verdict = Hold.

–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.”

This relatively new smoke from My Father Cigars is a Nicaraguan puro featuring an attractive matte brown Habano wrapper. A slightly loose draw reveals warm tobacco, sweet bread, raisin, and earth flavors. While the easy draw persists, the rest of the construction is flawless, including a notably sturdy light gray ash. La Reloba displays nice balance and a sweet cedary finish even though the trademark Don Pepin Garcia spice never comes. All in all, available for under $6, there is a lot to like about La Reloba.

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) Toraño Cigars announced some big changes yesterday. Effective August 1, the company will take control of its own distribution back from a seven-month-old conglomerate that housed it under the same roof as General Cigar and CAO. Toraño is also adopting a new look (logo at right) and changing its name to the “Toraño Family Cigar Company” to, according to a press release, “capture the family legacy and emphasize that this is a family-owned company.” Charlie Toraño, the company’s president, said that he is “looking forward to seeing everyone at our annual [IPCPR] trade show and personally showing all the changes that are taking place.” StogieGuys.com will provide exclusive details on this development next week.

2) As San Antonio lawmakers mull expanding their smoking ban, an unlikely alliance has formed between the San Antonio Restaurant Association and two groups that have traditionally supported civil rights issues. The League of United Latin American Citizens and the NAACP recently joined in opposition to a comprehensive ban for the city. “The NAACP strongly believes that unless absolutely necessary, the government should not impose undue financial hardships, mandates, restrictions on private business, especially in these difficult economic times,” reads an NAACP statement.

3) Inside the Industry: Tatuaje’s La Vérité, a blend made entirely from the 2008 harvest of Don Pepin Garcia’s farm in Estelí, is expected to hit retailers next week. Ashton is the new U.S. distributor of Humidipak. In the latest ruling in the 13-year-old case over the U.S. rights to the Cohiba name, “Red Dot” Cohiba maker General Cigar won a ruling against Cubatobacco when the judge ruled that the lower court wrongly re-opened the case in 2005. James Suckling, European Editor of Cigar Aficionado, has left the magazine after 18 years.

4) Around the Blogs: Smoking Stogie smokes a Pinar del Rio BOTL Small Batch. Stogie Review reviews the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Oliva Serie G. A Cigar Smoker lights up an Old School GR8. Stogie Fresh smokes the El Baton. Keepers of the Flame tries a Por Larrañaga Cabinet Selección.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Toraño