The Stogie Guys

Back in 2008, General Cigar held an “election” between two cigars vying to become the newest addition to the Punch lineup. Upper Cut, revealed at the 2009 IPCPR Trade Show, crossed the finish line as the result of nationwide taste-testing, consumer feedback, and subsequent blend adjustments.

“Upper Cut by Punch boasts a taste reminiscent of the base brand punctuated by a profound flavor that highlights the cigar’s Nicaraguan components,” said Debo Mukherjee, vice of president of marketing for General Cigar, in a pre-IPCPR press release. “Considering that this blend was test-smoked and personally selected by tenured cigar smoking consumers nationwide, we are confident that it has all the makings of a ‘knockout’ at retail.”

This presumed “knockout” includes a rustic, oily Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Underneath are leaves from Ometepe, a volcanic island rising out of Lake Nicaragua with a tobacco production exclusive to General (the Macanudo 1968, La Escepción, and Hoyo de Tradición also feature Ometepe leaves). The outcome, according to General, “is a cigar that reveals an intriguing of range of flavors at the first draw and delivers a rich, balanced finish.”

Three sizes are available: Grand Corona (6 x 45), Toro (6.6 x 54), and Robusto (5.25 x 50). After removing the foot band from the sweet-smelling Robusto—General really seems to be boasting their Ometepe access—I’m struck by how different Upper Cut looks from the rest of the Punch lineup. From Deluxe and Gran Puro to Rare Corojo and Grand Cru, every other Punch blend comes dressed in a traditional and recognizable red and gold band. But General seems to be positioning Upper Cut as a distant cousin of Punch rather than a full-fledged family member.

I smoked three Robustos for this review. Once lit, each exhibited a wonderfully pleasant flavor of sweet wood, cherry, coffee creamer, and leather. Balanced and subtle with a warm, tingly spice on the finish. I would have loved the Upper Cut to maintain this profile to the nub.

But all good things must come to an end. As the trustworthy burn works toward the middle and the white, powdery ash holds beautifully off the foot, the taste begins to devolve. First the sweet wood begins to dissipate. Then a bold, meaty charcoal taste starts to overshadow the Upper Cut’s finer traits. The final third is a mere shadow of the Robusto’s promising beginning.

Only time will tell if age will improve this cigar’s second half. For now, taking into account its excellent construction and approachable price of $5-7 apiece, the Punch Upper Cut Robusto earns three 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.”

With a slightly splotchy wrapper, this 7 inch by 47 ring gauge cigar by Dion Giolito of Illusione Cigars isn’t all that much to look at. Fortunately where it matters most, the Cuchillos performs admirably. It’s a combination of leather, pepper, and earth flavors that is very savory, even if the salty notes leave it a bit off balance. Despite being a mixed filler cigar the ash and draw are flawless, helped in part by the fact that two binders are used. At 4 cigars for $18, it could be my new go-to golf cigar, but it’s also good enough to pair with some Cruzan Single Barrel rum after dinner.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.”

Available only as part of Cigar Rights of America’s exclusive sampler, this toro-sized creation of the Newman and Fuente families features an exquisite sun-grown Ecuadorian wrapper selected from the top priming. It’s a balanced medium- to full-bodied smoke that features plenty of earth and savory flavors with undertones of clove and dry cocoa. The Diamond Crown’s flawless construction produces an abundance of thick 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) Yesterday, Cigar Rights of America announced the “Smoke the Vote Grassroots Network,” an effort to inform smokers of their candidates’ stances for office on critical cigar issues. CRA Executive Director Glynn Loope described the initiative an email to members: “For the last twelve months, we have all been working to build the needed infrastructure to get to this moment. Now, CRA has members in all 50 states, we have CRA member tobacconists in 47 states, and membership is up 98% from this time last year. We need to build upon that success, learn from other interest groups that also exert their political muscle, and work to build new coalitions with other like-minded groups and allies.”

2) In a rare victory for cigar smokers, yesterday Massachusetts lawmakers voted to prohibit local health departments from banning smoking in cigar shops. The vote was a response to Boston’s law that would have forced all of the city’s cigar bars to close in ten years.

3) Inside the Industry: For the first time, Macanudo is designating a Maduro “Vintage” with the release of the Macanudo Maduro Vintage 1997, which features a distinctive metal band. Father-son team Guillermo and George Rico have reunited to create Azteca, a four-size line utilizing Mexican San Andreas wrapper and binder tobaccos. Reports cite that Arturo Fuente is expanding the sizes in the Rosado Magnum line at the upcoming IPCPR Trade Show in August.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Caliber 58. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Alec Bradley MAXX Traditional. Keepers of the Flame fires up an Oliva Connecticut Reserve. The Tiki Bar kicks back with a 262 Paradigm. A Cigar Smoker smokes the La Aurora 1495 BME. Perfect Draw tries a Cuban Stock Royal Selection.

5) Deal of the Week: Cuban Crafters is having an unpublicized Memorial Day Sale. Boxes of the Cupido Criollo and Cubano Claro (both rated 4/5 stogies) have dropped in price to just $60. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It’s hard to appreciate the cigar making process unless you’ve seen it firsthand. This past weekend I had the opportunity to visit La Aurora’s factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

After a tasting seminar with José Blanco, La Aurora’s marketing director, he gave Patrick M, a handful of other cigar writers, and me a tour of La Aurora’s operation. Hopefully the following photos give you some idea of just how much care and attention goes into every premium handmade cigar that we often take for granted:

Tobacco from all around the world arrives at the La Aurora factory where it is aged until it is ready.

José Blanco examines Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf in the fermentation room, where tobacco is exposed to 120-degree temperatures for days at a time to bring out the flavors we’ve come to appreciate in cigars.

Before being sorted for rolling, tobacco goes into a special room where moisture is added to the leaf. La Aurora uses this special machine (which is also used in Cuba) to moisten tobacco in just over an hour. In most factories this process takes two days.

In preparation for being rolled into cigars, tobacco is sorted. Note the rum barrels in the background where tobacco for La Aurora Barrel Aged cigars are aging.

Continue Reading…

The Avo Limited Edition 2010 was created to celebrate Avo Uvezian’s 84th birthday. Production is limited to 10,000 worldwide in boxes of 10.

The Super Robusto (5.5 x 55) features a gorgeous Ecuadorian sungrown wrapper. The binder is Mexican Sumatra and the filler consists entirely of ligero.

Pre-light the cigar smells of sweet tobacco, earth, grass, and raisins. It is slightly spongy but feels well-packed from head to foot. As you would expect from an Avo the cap is applied perfectly. The wrapper is oily and has some large veins. A pre-light draw reveals earth, wood, and a slight mint taste.

It takes a little bit of effort to get the cigar lit, probably due to the ligero filler. Initially there is quite a bit of spice combined with and earth and wood. The amount of spice is very surprising  for an Avo.

After about the first half of an inch, the spice begins to fade and the musty flavor that is typical of so many Avo cigars begins to emerge. The draw is excellent and the burn is straight. The smoke is creamy and has great mouth feel.

At about the halfway point the flavors start to change from earth and wood to coffee and chocolate. The burn grows a little ragged and requires and occasional touch-up. The spice that’s so prevalent early comes and goes throughout the smoke, but never reaches the same intensity as at the start.

The Avo Limited Edition 2010 is definitely not your typical Avocigar. It is definitely full strength, full bodied, and on the full side of medium in flavor. At around $15 per cigar the Limited Edition is  also not an everyday smoke but its complexity, construction, and flavors earn it four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

La Aurora made a splash recently with its new La Aurora 107, celebrating the oldest Dominican cigar company’s 107th anniversary. But that cigar, which will be expanding beyond the initial three to include a corona, won’t be the only new cigar from La Aurora in 2010.

During my recent visit to La Aurora’s Dominican factory, José Blanco, sales director and our gracious host, handed me an unbanded smoke. Later he let those of us smoking it know that the cigar would be released at the upcoming International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR)  Association Trade Show in New Orleans.

Blanco disclosed that the cigar will be mostly of Dominican tobacco and would be medium- to full-bodied. The corona gorda-shaped sample I smoked, which I was warned was freshly rolled and not fully aged, featured a lovely, veinless, milk chocolate wrapper. My quick notes (taken, mind you, after four cigars earlier that day) revealed a medium-bodied smoke with dry chocolate notes, a bit of cedary spice, excellent balance, and a clean finish.

I’ve heard rumors the cigar will be named after Guillermo León, La Aurora’s president and fourth generation cigarmaker. However, neither León nor Blanco would confirm the name (but didn’t deny it, either).

Four sizes are expected for the new blend including a corona and a corona gorda. Pricing is also not yet released, but having tried the smoke I think it could be a big hit at the show.

Meanwhile, Blanco also confirmed for me that La Aurora was ceasing production of the La Aurora Barrel Aged. The process of aging the tobacco in rum barrels is extremely complicated and time consuming, he told me, and so they’ll be focusing their resources elsewhere.

–Patrick S

photo credit: La Aurora