The Stogie Guys

A rarity among today’s manufacturers, PG Cigars maintains a singular, unwavering mission: to blend and age classic-tasting cigars to meet the most discriminating of palates. That’s what they’ve been doing since the company launched in 1990.

But their dedication to traditionalism and disdain for slick marketing and gimmickry—documented in our Cigar Insider with Paul and Kevork Garmirian—hasn’t prevented this McLean, Virginia-based boutique from launching new lines from time to time. Such was the case when, in 2005, they celebrated their debut with a 15th Anniversary Belicoso Extra. At first they only made 15,000 available to the top 50 authorized PG retailers.

According to their website, however, “the response…was so great that the 15th Anniversary blend is now available in a new PG line composed of ten sizes.” These full-bodied cigars include Nicaraguan wrappers, Dominican binders, and filler leaves from the Dominican farms that grew tobacco for the inaugural PGs.

Back in February, I bought two Robustos (5 x 52) for $14.55 apiece at PG’s headquarters. They have been a sight to behold in my humidor since. The Colorado wrappers are toothy and oily, the feel is very firm from head to toe, and the pre-light aromas include notes of hay, earth, and cocoa.

When lit, according to PG, this blend “represents a kaleidoscopic range of tastes” that are “reminiscent of old style Cuban puros from the mid-1950s.” I may not be lucky enough to know the latter but I can certainly appreciate the former. And the Gourmet 15th Anniversary Robusto certainly features a balanced myriad of flavors.

While some of the tastes are common among cigars—including cedar, pepper, and dark chocolate—this base is augmented by more unusual flavors. Everything comes together in such harmony that it can be difficult to identify these rarer notes. But I was able to put my finger on a few of them, including cherry, melon, cinnamon, and pine.

This tremendous profile is complemented by good construction, which is especially welcome in a complex cigar like this because it enables the smoker to focus on the taste. I only wish the burn required fewer touch-ups.

That aside, this fantastic smoke is built to impress longtime cigar enthusiasts—and it comes through. While its cost is high, so too is the level of enjoyment it delivers. That’s why the Gourmet 15th Anniversary Robusto earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

These days everyone is looking for a value, and one way to find more affordable cigars is to look for ones with mixed filler.  The theory is, because they use the otherwise unusable clippings of premium cigars, you get the top level tobacco in a value price.

If ever there were a cigar to test that theory it would be the Tatuaje Series P, which combines one of the top names in premium, boutique smokes with mixed filler theory. According to reports, the Series P uses the same filler as Tatuaje’s medium-bodied Havana VI line (we’ve reviewed the Verocu No. 1 and No. 2 vitolas) , but at less than half the price—around $3.75 each.

Like all Seris Ps, the Robusto (5 x 50) is a Nicaraguan puro. While the wrapper is similar to the Havana VI line, it is a little more rustic with some water spots and more veins.

Not surprisingly, because it’s a mixed filler smoke (60% medium-filler and 40% long-filler, to be exact) this cigar is softer and more spongy than what you’re use to from Tatuaje.  That manifests itself later with an overly easy, airy draw and an unstable ash.

While the construction is a predictable step down from the Havana VI line, the drop-off was far less pronounced when it came to taste.  Medium-bodied earth and nut flavors combine to produce an enjoyable, if not all that complex, blend.

Everyone will have to make their own decision when it comes to trading the lower price point for lesser construction and complexity, but it isn’t hard to see why this is a popular smoke. After all, how else can you get a box of 31 Tatuajes for under $4 per stick?

Ultimately, everyone needs to try the Series P versus the regular Havana VI line for themselves. However, when judged on it’s own merits, the Tatuaje Series P2 Robusto earns a respectable rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

[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 take on a single cigar.

This Churchill-sized smoke (7 x 49) remains my favorite vitola in the Centro Fino Sungrown blend. With notes of wood, earth, nuts, and milk chocolate, it is well-suited for a weekend afternoon at home or on the golf course. And its excellent combustion qualities—including a sturdy white ash—only enhance the experience. At $6-8 a pop, I’m always happy to keep a few of these on hand.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

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 brand from United Tobacco is a bit of an enigma. The website says that each Mi Barrio release will be the same unique size and shape with a different blend. The insert that came in my box of El Aceres (6 x 50) says the same thing. This second release in the line, however, is clearly a different vitola than the first, called El Puro (7.5 x 52). I’ve smoked both, and the difference in flavor is subtle enough to make me believe that the blend stayed the same and the size is the only thing changing from release to release. At any rate, the construction of the El Acere is excellent. It starts with lots of earthiness and a grassy sweetness that plays off of a subtle spice. About halfway through, a strong vanilla flavor emerges with a hint of roasted almonds. The El Acere is medium-bodied but full-flavored with a crisp finish. Even at $9-$11 apiece, this complex cigar is definitely worth a try.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick M

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) Today’s excessive taxes and wide-reaching bans, coupled with the ramifications of the economic crisis, have created a perfect storm of problems for many cigar makers. While industry-wide particulars are hard to come by, this recent USA Today article sheds some light on the fallout to date. It also profiles Flor de Gonzalez, a Miami-based manufacturer that recently saw its tax bill shipment increase by 700%. Of the government, company president Yadi Gonzalez had this to say: “They don’t realize that…if we start losing jobs, and imports begin to drop, they’re not going to accomplish their bottom line, which is to collect these taxes.”

2) Inside the Industry: CAO announced it would debut a new brand at the upcoming IPCPR Trade Show called La Traviata, a full-bodied blend complete with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and two different ligero filler tobaccos. Other pre-convention announcements include the planned unveiling of the Padilla Dominus—Ernesto’s strongest blend to date—and a new Casa Magna Colorado vitola called the Extraordinario (7 x 58).

3) Around the Blogs: Keepers of the Flame compares both versions of the Padilla Signature 1932. The Velvet Cigar tries a Felipe Gregorio Moroccan Series. Nice Tight Ash reviews the El Triunfador. Cigar Inspector sparks a Quintero Londres Extra. Stogie Review fires up an A. Fernandez Maduro.

4) Deal of the Week: Cuban Crafters is home to one of our favorite Cameroon blends, making this a can’t-miss deal. You get a cedar chest of 25  handsome Cameroon Torpedos for only $85. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Among the newest additions to the cigar world, Nestor Miranda’s Special Selection 20 Aniversario line ranks near the top. My singular complaint has been that the line, both the Rosado and Oscuro blends, is only available in one immense (7 x 56) vitola called the “Danno.”

I can complain no longer. In June, Miami Cigar & Co.—distributor of such acclaimed brands as La Aurora, Don Lino, León Jimenes, 601, Cubao, and Mi Barrio—brought a new, more manageable size to market: a five and 5/8 inch by 52 ring gauge figurado called “Ruky” (Miranda’s childhood nickname).

As with the Danno, this 20 Aniversario vitola celebrates two decades of producing a Special Selection line named for company founder Nestor Miranda. It is crafted by Don Pepin Garcia’s son, Jaime, and made at Pepin’s Tabacalera Cubana factory.

The Ruky likewise features Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos, an Estelí-grown binder, and an oily Nicaraguan habano oscuro wrapper. Its form and precision imparts an appreciation of craftsmanship, as does its well-executed pigtail cap.

Once lit, the cigar’s pre-light notes of dark chocolate and damp earth give way to a much fuller profile of pepper, bread, and spice. The draw is firm as the gray ash builds down the narrow foot. Each puff yields a decent volume of smoke.

Only a quarter inch in, the burn requires a slight touch-up to stay on track. Then, as the Ruky builds to its widest point, the taste takes on a smooth and creamy contour, only to grow in intensity shortly thereafter with notes of wood and coffee beans. Whether resting or puffed, the rich smoke fluffs off the foot effortlessly.

I was won over before midway point. Both samples that I tasted for this review serve as good reminders that, given the right blend in the right hands, it’s entirely possible to create a full-bodied, balanced stick without harshness. The satisfactory combustion qualities and unique shape only add the cigar’s performance and character.

Like the Danno, the Ruky is intended to be sold exclusively at tobacco shops, not through online retailers or catalogues. It is available in boxes of five with an MSRP of $8 apiece. That cost, in my book, is worthwhile given the Ruky’s complex flavor and high attention to detail. I won’t hesitate to reach for another Nestor Miranda Special Selection 20 Aniversario Oscuro Ruky the next time I’m looking for a powerful after-dinner companion. It earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Earlier this year, Camacho Cigars used viral marketing—and a giveaway—to promote three of its cigars. Labeled “The Black Band Project,” it featured three videos and three sticks. The project was, according to company marketing director Dylan Austin, a huge success. “It blew past our expectations,” he said, adding that the massive response was about 500% greater than they anticipated.

I got the three robusto-sized sticks, banded A, B and C, about a week ago. As the package requested, I smoked them before checking the website to learn just what they were. Here’s how they struck me:

Triple Maduro: An incredibly dark and oily stick with a nice nutty pre-light aroma. I had high hopes for this cigar. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver, particularly because it kept scraping the back of my throat with a sharpness that I associate with tobacco that’s not ready for rolling.

Corojo: This cigar was dark as well, though not showing much oil. It began with a pleasant charred taste that soon gave way to a sourness accompanied by a great deal of dryness and heat. Based on this example, using corojo tobacco for the filler, binder, and wrapper seems to be too much of what’s often a good thing.

Connecticut: Like the Camacho Connecticut I smoked last month and the one my colleague reviewed on Monday, this was an interesting, satisfying cigar. The wrapper was flawless, the burn perfect, and the flavors complex and varied throughout. This medium-strength creation was easily the best of the lot.

Whether this marketing effort will sell cigars, I don’t know. But it certainly provides an answer to those who complain that the cigar industry is too hidebound and hampered by tradition. I applaud Camacho for trying something different. And, while the giveaway has ended, you can still watch the videos and seek these sticks out for yourself to form your own impressions.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys