The Stogie Guys

Some would say Zaya runs an unnecessary risk by declaring itself “the world’s finest sipping rum.” That’s a lot of live up to. Fortunately, from this rum-lover’s perspective, I don’t think their claim is all that outlandish.

Zaya’s Gran Reserva 12 Year Old is hand-blended with 3-5 rums, five times distilled, and aged in white oak barrels for no less than 12 years. The result is an impressive, complex product that has earned notable industry accolades. Zaya was awarded gold at this year’s Ministry of Rum tasting in Miami, as well as double gold at the 2007 Spirit Competition in San Francisco.

Initially a product of Guatemala, the company recently relocated their operations to Trinidad “to provide a plentiful supply of Zaya Rum without compromising on quality or taste,” according to a spokesperson. Apparently Trinidad was a natural fit given the island’s history of outstanding rum production.

Zaya’s bottle, handsomely adorned with a wicker neck, shows off the 12 Year Old’s rich ruby color. The leggy pour takes on more of an amber hue as it hits the glass, then the nose opens considerably to reveal bright aromas of honey, walnut, and vanilla.

The taste, rounded nicely with a slash of water or a few ice cubes, displays a crisp interplay between sweetness and spice. While syrup and oak are at the forefront, notes of coconut, cinnamon butter, and peanut brittle add depth. The finish is long yet subdued with a gentle heat and a spicy tingle. True to its slogan, Zaya is dangerously easy to sip.

The overall effect is as balanced and complex as any rum I’ve tried in this price range. So, with an MSRP of $34.99 per 750 ml. bottle (80 proof), Zaya Gran Reserva 12 Year Old is approachable in both taste and price.

A great rum like this pairs well with most sticks, but I think the most complementary cigars run in the mild- to medium-bodied range and lack much sweetness. Try the Camacho Connecticut, Isla de Cuba Classic, or the Cuban Crafters Cubano Claro on for size. I trust you’ll be pleased.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Among the dozens of cigars that recently debuted at the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association Trade Show, perhaps none was more welcome than CAO’s La Traviata. Many enthusiasts told us, both in person in New Orleans and via email since the convention, that they couldn’t wait to try this new release.

And why shouldn’t they be excited? With its rich and oily Ecuadorian habano wrapper, ultra firm touch, and hearty pre-light notes of leather and molasses, La Traviata makes a great first impression. And the price is even better. CAO is offering this three-vitola blend with a suggested retail of $4.95 to $5.75 per cigar—a welcome price range in today’s turbulent economy.

Adding to La Traviata’s appeal is the fact that it represents a departure for CAO. The Nashville-based manufacturer is best known for its slick marketing and innovative blends. But this new line, which “harkens back to pre-nationalization Havana,” is traditional with a classic charm.

The “La Traviata” brand was initially launched in Cuba over 100 years ago at the Tabacalera Cubana, Agramonte no. 106, in Havana. CAO built this modern-day incarnation to abide “closely to [La Traviata’s] original Cuban roots in presentation and taste.”

Marketed as full-bodied, it includes a Cameroon binder and two different ligero filler tobaccos from the Pueblo Nuevo farm in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

The five inch by 50 ring gauge Divino starts with a profile of mild leather, sweet cedar, and black pepper. With a dense yet reasonable draw, the taste develops after the first inch to include notes of cream and roasted nuts. Here, after the first inch, is where the flavor is most nuanced and satisfying.

The slow-burning Divino is fairly consistent to the nub in both taste and construction, the latter of which is near perfect. In order to counteract this robusto’s infrequent bitterness, a setback that should improve as this young tobacco ages, try pairing it with a sweet rum-based cocktail.

No matter what you drink, though, you’ll likely be impressed by La Traviata—even if it doesn’t remind you of a pre-embargo Cuban. It delivers in taste and performance far above what you’d expect for the price. For that, the Divino earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A & Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

This little smoke (4.62 x 49) is a handsomely constructed figuardo featuring an oily, rich maduro wrapper. It’s only one of two maduros in the Reserva Figuardos LGC line. The smoke opens with some raisin flavors before settling into a complex medium-bodied profile with oak, toast, leather, and some piney sweetness. Equally impressive is the construction which, in addition to a straight burn and managable draw, requires only one ashing the entire smoke.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

What’s most obvious about this cigar is what it isn’t. It isn’t like the typical J.C. Newman. The typical Newman stick is rolled by Arturo Fuente, fairly mild, refined, and has a price tag on the higher end. Introduced late last year, El Baton is peppery, a little rough, rolled in Nicaragua with all Nicaraguan tobaccos, and retails for $5.50. The Robusto (5 x 54) packs a hefty, balanced punch. While it isn’t particularly complex, you’ll likely pick up several different flavors, espeically from the corojo wrapper. This is a good bet if you enjoy medium- to full-strength cigars.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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) Anti-tobacco zealots have made their presence known both domestically—about 17,000 American cities have a smoking ban in “public” places—and internationally. Now the war-torn nation of Iraq is no exception. As Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (right) pushes for a nationwide smoking ban, the Washington Post reports the obvious: Iraqis, heavy consumers of cigarettes, are less concerned about secondhand smoke and more concerned about safety, jobs, and a lack of infrastructure.

2) You may want to stray away from Cuban cigars rolled between now and the end of the year. According to reports, the communist nation is running seriously low on toilet paper, and officials at government companies say it may be until 2010 before supply catches up.

3) Inside the Industry: The annual IPCPR Trade Show may have ended Wednesday,  but here are a few tidbits we haven’t shared yet. Newman Cigars has finally released the Diamond Crown Julius Caeser, which we first reported on over a year ago. Newman also launched  Brick House and Diamond Crown Gridiron Greats (of which a portion of sales go to former NFL players who need healthcare). Alec Bradley has released Prensado, a new line featuring a Honduran-grown corojo 2006 wrapper. In addition to La Traviata, CAO re-blended (and slightly re-named) its Gold blend, which is now the Gold Vintage line.

4) Around the Blogs: Keepers of the Flame lights up a Bering Puro Nicaragua. Lots of IPCPR videos at Stogie Review. Cigar Inspector looks at Cain. Cigar Command checks out the Nub Maduro.

5) Deal of the Week: It’s good to be king, and it’s good to smoke the 12 cigars in the King Sampler. For just $40, you get two each from 5 Vegas Cask-Strength II, Bahia Blu B500, Gran Habano 3 Siglos, Graycliff 1666 Presidente, La Herencia Cubana, and Man O’ War. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

I haven’t been a regular Perdomo smoker through the years. Not that I have anything against the brand or recall any particularly bad experiences. It’s just not one of the smokes I frequently reach for in my routine.

The other day, though, I noticed a six-inch Grand Cru Toro and was impressed by the deep, oily Cuban-seed Corojo wrapper. The price point, $6.50 for a single, was compelling as well.

The cigar exceeded my expectations. The burn and the draw were nearly perfect, and the taste was complex and balanced. It’s billed as big on taste—“a bold, full-flavored smoking experience,” according to Perdomo marketing materials—and I found it to live up to that hype.

Kicking off with pepper that leveled off about a third of the way in, the Nicaraguan puro also presented tastes of coffee, chocolate, and leather. There are changes and variations in strength throughout.

I’ve smoked a few of the cigars in this line, which are available in three sizes in addition to the 50-ring gauge Toro: Robusto (5 x 50), Churchill (7 x 50), and Torpedo (6 x 54). So far I’ve liked the Toro best, with the Robusto a close second. Perdomo also offers a Grand Cru Maduro line that I have yet to sample.

One complaint is Perdomo’s lack of information on its website. The Grand Cru isn’t even listed among its brands. You’ve got to check past press releases to find the May 5 introduction announcement, which notes that the tobaccos are from the 2004 crop on Perdomo’s Nicaraguan farms.

Notwithstanding that minor setback, this cigar is definitely worth checking out, especially given its reasonable price. I rate the Perdomo Grand Cru Corojo Toro four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Tabacalera Perdomo

[Editors’ Note: Even though co-founders Patrick A and Patrick S are back from the 77th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show, they still have plenty more to share. Below are some updates that we didn’t  get a chance to include from our first three days of coverage in New Orleans.]

CAO’s La Traviata: One of the most interesting new releases is CAO’s La Traviata. Named after an old Cuban brand with a recently-expired trademark, the brand is CAO’s attempt to create a classic Cuban flavor profile. It utilizes an Ecuadorian habano wrapper combined with a Cameroon binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos. La Traviata comes in three sizes—robusto, toro, and Churchill—and carries an extremely approachable price tag of $4.95-5.75.

Rocky Patel Updates His Classics: Rocky Patel unveiled three new smokes as we detailed in tour IPCPR preview, but also of note was that he updated the packaging of some of the smokes that brought him to fame. Such staples as the Vintage 1992 and Nording look completely different. The 1992, for example, now carries dual black bands to differentiate it from the Vintage 1990 line. In addition, the Rocky Patel Decade, Vintage 1990, and Vintage 1999 are all getting newly designed tubos.

New Davidoff Maduro Coming: While Davidoff had many new and beautiful (and pricey) humidors and accessories on display, we were most excited to hear about the second size for the Davidoff Maduro, which was announced last year. Due to hit stores October, the corona size joins the robusto in Davidoff’s maduro line. Also of note from Davidoff was the new 2009 Limited Edition Toro Especial, featuring a Colorado claro wrapper.

Toraño Unveils Exodus 50: Charlie Toraño told us about his new cigar, the Exodus 50 Years, created in honor of  the 50th Anniversary of his family’s departure from Cuba in 1959. The blend comes in three sizes:  robusto (5 x 50), torpedo (5.5 x 52), and toro (6 x 48).

[View all of our shots from the IPCPR Trade Show at the official StogieGuys.com Flickr album.]

–Patrick A & Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys