The Stogie Guys

Smoking cigars is far too enjoyable to let any one aspect of the hobby upset you very much. Still, there are a few things I see over and over again that get my goat, even if only momentarily. Here’s a handful. Feel free to add your own.

1. Bands applied too tightly or too sloppily. Having to struggle to break the glue bond and remove the band, only to have it tear the wrapper, is inexcusable. It makes me wonder about all that loving care cigar makers talk about when they don’t pay enough attention to this critical element.

2. Catalogs with different prices for the same cigars. Usually, you’ll spot this with five-packs. They’ll be listed at one price in the advertisement that features the cigar and then listed with another, frequently lower, price in a section promoting five-packs. Is this simply slipshod work or deliberate deception?

3. Retailers who charge $4 or $5 for empty boxes. Let’s get real. With few exceptions, most cigar boxes are cheaply made and assembled. I think that’s good. They protect the cigars during shipment and on the shelves without adding significantly to the price. And selling them is surely better than throwing them away. But shouldn’t the price be close to the value?

4. Shoppers who buy online based solely on price and then complain about service. How do you think they can sell at those prices? Skimping—or virtually ignoring—some things is one of the ways they save money. Service is likely to be high on the hit list. So, don’t be surprised if you have trouble getting emails answered or telephone calls returned.

–George E

photo credit: econedlink

Among the young boutiques that are trying to carve out a niche is Marco V, “the cigar industry’s newest premium cigar brand.” With a lineup that is restricted to vitolas with at least a 60 ring gauge, this unique and affordable manufacturer is positioning itself to become a favorite of lovers of thick smokes.

I’m told this distinctive strategy is more than just a marketing gimmick. Company president Marc Keiser told us in a letter that he designed the vitolas to “exhibit the excellence of the Marco V filler blend.” In the case of the Platinum Label, that blend includes Nicaraguan viso ligero and Dominican piloto cubano and de olor tobacco.

The V. Gigante (5 x 60) has a look similar to the Robusto from Isla de Cuba’s Aged Maduro blend—although it’s much softer to the touch. I wasn’t surprised when the reddish Brazilian arapiraca wrapper leaf cut to reveal a clear draw with a hint of sweetness on the lips. I was, however, caught off-guard by the incredibly potent pre-light notes of dry cocoa.

After taking great care to ensure the foot was lit completely, I was greeted with a hearty taste of black coffee, leather, and a bit of pepper. Each easy puff produced a surplus of smoke, and the cigar continues to chug along like a smokestack when left to rest in the ashtray.

The overall flavor, which is thoroughly consistent from light to nub, is best described as full-bodied but not strong. And it’s worth noting that the typical arapiraca taste of cocoa and chocolate is hardly noticeable; that’s probably a result of the V. Gigante’s high ratio of filler to wrapper tobacco.

Construction is good for a stogie that sells online for $88 per box of 20 or $20 per 5-pack. The large burn diameter only requires a touch-up or two and the ash, although a tad flakey, holds firm for an inch and a half. The handful of V. Gigantes that I smoked were all unwavering in these qualities. This is, perhaps, a testament to Marco V’s commitment to “batch system” operation—controlling the whole supply chain of each limited production cigar to ensure top quality.

All things considered, I give Marc Keiser credit for creating this reasonably priced, high-quality cigar. While the Platinum Label V. Gigante doesn’t have tremendous balance or nuance, it does offer a warm, savory flavor that seems to last for days. That’s why it earns a solid rating of three and a half 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 take on a single cigar.

My initial reaction to this un-banded, un-cellophaned stick was to wonder if it really was an LFD. Smooth and medium strength at most, despite owner Litto Gomez’s comment to Cigar Insider that it reflects “more of a full body.” I’m not complaining. I like this spicy, sweet, and elegantly complex six and a half inch cigar. At about $7 it’s reasonably priced, though it can be hard to find since production is rather limited.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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 six inch by 54 ring gauge torpedo is a product of the Tesa Cigar Co., a Chicago-based boutique that harvests tobacco from the fertile fields of Estelí. It features top-notch combustion qualities and a pleasantly mild taste of creamy cashew and toasty clove. Those attributes make the Connecticut shade-wrapped Series Finos F500 a wonderful morning or mid-afternoon smoke. And even if you’re a bit reluctant to pay $7.55 for a mild, relatively unknown cigar, you can take comfort in the fact that Tesa gives 10% of its profits to benefit the housing, education, and sustenance of the Nicaraguan people.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) A White House adviser indicated this week that President Obama expects to ease Cuban travel restrictions at the upcoming Summit of the Americas. The Associated Press reports “the administration is also looking seriously at calls from some lawmakers to allow all Americans to travel to Cuba.” While such measures wouldn’t change the 47-year-old embargo, they may improve diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana—perhaps a small step in the direction of decriminalizing Cuban cigars.

2) After an overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives, the FDA is one step closer to regulatory authority over tobacco. The bill, which we have been following since last July, may ultimately result in nicotine controls and substantially limited advertising of cigars in magazines and on websites. Passage in the Senate is by no means a guarantee, but the bill has a better chance than it did in 2008 when it faced a veto threat from President Bush.

3) Inside the Industry: Tatuaje has announced a new blend that’s called the “La Verite, Tatuaje A.O.C.”; it’s set to ship next year in cases of 100 for $25 per cigar. Illusione creator Dion Giolito is releasing a new Nicaraguan puro featuring a corojo leaf from 1999 named the Epernay (after France’s champagne region). Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s new venture, EPC Cigar Co., is launching and will be focusing on small-batch premium cigars.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review smokes a Tatuaje Petite. Keepers of the Flame smokes an Avo Maduro. Stogie Fresh lights up a San Christobal.

5) Deal of the Week: Once again we’ll point out these terrific deals from Cuban Crafters. Included are highly-rated sticks like the Don Kiki Brown ($33 for box of 25!), Cabinet Selection ($50 for  box of 25), and Cameroon ($60 for box of 25). Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

For some years now there have been two blends of the Toraño Exodus: Gold and Silver. But as we reported two weeks ago, Toraño is releasing a new Exodus line, the  3-H blend, in celebration of 50 years since the Toraño family had to leave their homeland of Cuba.

This special release is currently only available in a five-cigar sampler that features two cigars each from the Exodus 1959 (Gold) and Exodus Silver lines. Included are two new exclusive Toraño releases and two sharp-looking torpedos, one each from the original Exodus blends.

The bulk of attention for this sampler, however, will be paid to the new Liga 3-H blend, which is presented in a Salomon (7.25 x 57) vitola. This sharp-looking centerpiece smoke has a dark, oily wrapper with plenty of veins and a slightly bumpy feel.

Of note is a plain white band with “Exodus Liga 3-H” handwritten in ink. It’s really just an inside-out Exodus Gold wrapper—a nice touch at a time when overly ornate bands seem to be the norm.

Once lit, the Exodus 50 Years Blend reveals a chewy flavor with raisin, leather, and even some subtle underlying notes of black cherry. Particularly noticeable in each of the two samples I smoked for this review is a remarkably cool smoke that is miles away from hot or harsh.

As the large perfecto progresses, hints of an underlying cedar spice develops, though not enough to dominate the flavor of raisin and leather. The finish is long with wheat-like, toasty flavor. The cigar also has a slightly salty flavor.

The construction on the two sticks was largely impressive. The cigar had a solid dark gray ash and an easy draw. One stick did need a few touch-ups to fix an uneven burn.

In both flavor and appearance, the Liga 3-H reminded me of a milder version of one of my favorite smokes: the EO 601 Oscuro. The Toraño 50 Years Blend is slightly milder and a bit more complex.

That complexity, combined with a tasty flavor profile and a uniquely cool smoke, makes me think that this new blend exceeds the two previous Exodus blends. It’s a different taste that won’t be for everyone, but I’m sure it will win over some big fans. That innovative taste earns the Toraño Exodus 50 Years Blend Salomon a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As some shy away from the trend for bigger and bigger ring gauges, the lancero seems to have made a resurgence. A perfect example of this is the Cubao No. 3, a slender stick that was created by Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega‘s EO Brands with Don Pepin Garcia. It was introduced at last year’s IPCPR Trade Show.

The appearance of this cigar is pure old school. It has a simple brown band with raised white letters and a rustic wrapper of nearly the same color. While there are no large veins, I encountered lots of tooth in the Ecuador Sumatra oscuro wrapper which surrounds Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

The lancero is one of the most difficult shapes to create, and this cigar shows some serious expertise on the part of the roller. Except for a slightly spongy feel near the foot, it is firm to the touch. The wrapper is twisted and crimped on the head to a create a sharp-looking pigtale.

The freshly cut tobacco reveals some pre-light spice and a firm draw that maintains throughout the seven inch by 38 ring gauge stick. On the nose there is a pleasant woody smell.

Upon lighting, I found a blast a spice that soon faded into the same balanced flavor we described when we smoked the robusto-sized Cuboa No. 4: “a variety of tastes including wheat, oak, and bread,” with the same dryness that George found when he reviewed the No. 6.  Additionally, there is a prominent black coffee flavor that comes and goes over the 75 minutes it took to smoke this stick.

The Cubao lancero is full-flavored with remarkable balance. There is plenty going on with this smoke, but while it does have a bit of spice, that kick doesn’t amount to Pepin’s typical knockout punch.

As previously noted, creating a lancero is particularly difficult, which makes combustion issues unfortunately too regular in this long vitola. While the gray ash was solid enough—holding for half an inch at a time—and the burn was precisely straight, the four cigars I sampled for this review all had a tendency to go out unexpectedly during the last two or three inches. This was particularly disappointing given how much I enjoyed the flavors.

But those construction issues were small compared to all that this smoke has to offer. I can’t stress enough how impressed I am with the balance; the cigar makes you forget how full-bodied it is.

Unlike the rest of the Cubao line, which comes in boxes of 20, the No. 3 comes in boxes of 30 which retail for around $170, or $7 per stick. Considering the complexity it delivers, it’s a fair price, even at a time when everyone is looking to save a few bucks.

I’ve yet to find a Cubao that didn’t impress me, and this lancero is no exception. Just like it’s shorter and thicker counterparts, the Cubao No. 3 earns a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys