The Stogie Guys

With the economy putting a strain on disposable income, I suspect cigar makers are going to find it increasingly difficult to sell pricey sticks at the rates they’re used to. Sure, the truly magnificent cigars will always find a home. But as for the endless stream of “premium” and “ultra-premium” cigars, manufacturers are going to have to offer cigar enthusiasts more if we’re expected to dish out that much on a regular basis.

Fortunately, that model already exists. Perhaps not surprisingly (because many aspects of cigar culture are already borrowed from wine) that model is wine. The popular ratings systems we’re accustomed to were adapted from wine ratings, as was much of the terminology that we use to describe how cigars taste and smell.

Here are three ways the cigar industry, and particularly “premium” and “ultra-premium” cigar makers, would benefit from being more like the wine industry:

Embrace Vintages

When it comes to wines, particularly the best (with the exception of champagne), there is no escaping the fact that wines vary from year to year. While wineries strive to consistently make good products, changes in climate yield changes in grapes over time.

The same is true of tobacco. Yet most cigar makers pretend their creations made from tobacco from varied seasonal conditions will end up tasting identical. All this despite the fact that many consumers are sophisticated enough to realize that, like wine, the high quality tobacco that makes up premium cigars won’t be identical in taste from year to year.

Better Labeling

While far from universal, wine makers are much more forthcoming with information about their products. Vintages, origins, breakdowns of the blend—all are regularly found on bottles of wine, and making some some or all of that information available to consumers would greatly benefit the cigar industry, too.

Wine is as much identified by the varietals of grapes (such as pinot noir or shiraz) as by the region or vineyard. But the types of tobacco (and in what proportions) are rarely disclosed by cigar makers. Pulling back the curtain of cigar blending may seem like a risk, but I think the increased information will make more smokers into connoisseurs. And as they understand the complexity of today’s finest cigars, they will grow more likely to shell out money for the finest blends.

Embrace Aging

Some wines are made to drink soon after production and some need years or even decades before they are at their best. Aging cigars certainly isn’t unheard of. Many top collectors and connoisseurs patiently age their smokes despite an unspoken hostility by much of the cigar industry.

Like the difference between vintages, cigar makers often pretend that their cigars are at their best from day one. But we’ve all experienced cigars that need six months or more before they reach their peak and others that benefit from years of aging to fine-tune their subtleties and complexities. If cigars embrace the fact that not every cigar will be at its peak immediately upon release, I think they’ll find that many smokers will welcome their frankness and reward them by purchasing more of the best premium cigars for extended aging.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr

Regular readers will recall that Cuban Crafters, one of our favorite boutique manufacturers, has a knack for turning out excellent cigars that won’t put a dent in your wallet. The relatively newly released Cupido Tuxedo is a departure from that model—in price not excellence.

Ranked atop the boutique world in 1999 and 2000 before a hiatus, this Cupido Tuxedo incarnation is Cuban Crafters’ take on a super-premium maduro. Unlike the Estelí-made J.L. Salazar, Don Kiki (Brown and White), La Carolina, Cabinet Selection, and Cameroon blends, this line is handmade in the Dominican Republic by Cuban torcedores.

Tuxedo bears no resemblance to the criollo-wrapped Cupido line (of which the Corto viotla remains one of the best sub-$3 cigar experiences I’ve ever had). With a naturally cured habano maduro wrapper and a Dominican and Nicaraguan long-leaf ligero binder and filler, the Tuxedo looks more elegant and powerful.

Each signed and numbered cedar chest of 25 Churchills sells for $180 and prominently features a “Puff the Magic” slogan. Fairly oily with plenty of toothy texture, these seven inch by 52 ring gauge cigars are firm with no soft spots.

The expertly applied cap makes for a clean and easy cut. Once lit, rich prelight notes transition into a hearty taste of coffee beans with a little sugar. The first inch includes a unique sour finish that sets up the taste buds for the sweetness that follows. From there, the flavor wavers from cocoa and coffee to leather, pepper, and cedar.

Of particular interest is that, across the dozen Churchills we smoked for this review, several—those that we smoked immediately after receiving them—had brief periods of biting bitterness. But a few weeks in the humidor completely cured that flaw and improved the taste dramatically.

Regarding physical properties, the draw is good (especially for a cigar of this length) and the burn is exceptional. Don’t let the white ash build off the foot too long, though, or you’ll end up with a lapful.

In the end, while the price isn’t nearly as friendly as other Cuban Crafters creations, we enjoyed this cigar immensely. Given the complex, well-balanced flavors and the obvious quality of craftsmanship, we give the Cupido Tuxedo Churchill four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A & 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.

Made by pre-cigar boom legend Paul Garmirian, this toro (6 x 50) is about as affordable as PG creations get. Sold for around $150 per box, this Connecticut shade-wrapped stogie is oily and rustic with a few veins. It starts off with an initial burst of grass that soon fades into a woody smoke with a hint of anise and excellent balance. As I’ve come to expect from PG, the construction is virtually flawless. Overall, a fine smoke that provides the subtlety and balance of of PG at a more reasonable price point. It pairs perfectly with a well-made Gibson.

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.

As my colleague wrote in his October review, this monstrosity (6.4 x 60) features a medium-bodied flavor of tobacco and earth that persists for what seems like days. And that’s ultimately The Freak’s downfall: a consistently one-dimensional taste that often overstays its welcome. But with good construction and a reasonable cost of about $5 per stick, this Nicaraguan-wrapped stogie makes a decent golf course or barbeque companion.

Verdict = Hold.

–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) Virginia finally lost its protracted battle against the anti-tobacco movement. The last legislative hurdle was cleared yesterday for a smoking ban over most restaurants and bars across the state that was built on tobacco. The law, which goes into effect December 1, omits a previously included exemption for businesses that are off-limits to minors.

2) Hawaii, meanwhile, joins the list of states that are having difficulties enforcing their own bans. As reported by MSNBC, the American Cancer Society is peeved because “more bars are ignoring state smoking prohibitions.” Many bar owners are apparently posting “No Smoking” signs and then turning a blind eye when their patrons light up.

3) Inside the Industry: In celebration of their 35th anniversary, MATASA will be introducing a new Fonseca at the IPCPR trade show in August. Altadis is launching its newest H. Upmann, the Reserve Maduro, with a series of in-store promotions. Oliva is releasing a new Connecticut-wrapped cigar.

4) Around the Blogs: Keepers of the Flame smokes a Camacho Havana. Stogie Review tries a Casillas Cigars Zebra. The Cohiba Club fires up an Ashton ESG 20 Year Salute. Cigar Command reviews an Adrian’s Havanna 2000.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Eight Horsemen Sampler” features eight torpedoes for the bargain price of $19.99. Included are pricey smokes such as the Graycliff 1666, Padilla Obsidian, Rocky Patel Connecticut, and CAO Black—any three of which could easily cost more than the entire sampler. Pick up yours today here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Pairing cigars with beer is more challenging than pairing them with more traditional cigar spirits. While nearly any good bourbon, scotch, or rum will go well with nearly any good cigar, beer’s flavor profile is more difficult to match up with stogies.

With that in mind, I popped open a few bottles of Geary’s Pale Ale to see if it had the type of flavor that would pair well with beer. Geary’s is brewed in Portland, Maine, and is widely available in New England. Elsewhere Geary’s is tougher to find, so when I found it at a Total Wine here in Northern Virginia I grabbed a six-pack.

The Pale Ale is the beer that Geary’s is best known for and, according to Geary’s website, it is “a classic British pale ale with a nod to the legendary beers of Burton-on-Trent. Copper-colored, dry, clean, and crisp with lots of late hope taste in an appetizing complex with ale fruitiness from imported Hampshire yeast.”

A half inch of light, frothy head settled on top of the reddish brown ale after I poured a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. Geary’s doesn’t have as much intense hoppiness on the nose as many pale ales, but it seemed to have a pleasant floral aroma.

When I got down to tasting, I found a crisp, heavily carbonated beer with an almost champagne-like quality. I also detected citrus to go along with a classic, if understated, pale ale hoppiness, as well as a hint of fruity sweetness as if a bit of hard cider had been mixed in.

This is an excellent summer beer that will refresh on its own, or accompany a meal of lobster (such as the one that adorns the label). Pairing it with a cigar proved a little more challenging.

The lightness means that it would be overpowered by a full-bodied cigar and almost any maduro. A mild Connecticut-wrapped cigar, however, seemed to pair quite well. I’d recommend the Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne, the Arganese Connecticut Ambassador, or the Romeo y Julieta Vintage line.

So, the next time you have the chance, I suggest you twist open a Geary’s (this rare micro brew that uses twist-off caps) and light up your favorite mild smoke that features a Connecticut wrapper. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend a warm summer afternoon.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While some stories are more exciting than others, it’s always interesting to learn how and when people became cigar smokers. We all share a common bond—a love of the leaf, if you will—and discovering the various paths we’ve taken to arrive at the same conclusion can help put our own experiences in perspective.

Well, maybe that’s a reach. But, at the very least, we’re bound to come across a few worthy tales from occasional smokers and full-blown cigar enthusiasts alike. In that spirit, and even though the tot in this dated photo surely has a more interesting story than any of ours, here’s how (and approximately when) each StogieGuys.com team member got their start.

Co-Founder & Editor in Chief Patrick A

I can’t remember my first cigar, but I’m fairly certain I smoked it during my high school days. Probably on the golf course or the back deck of my parent’s home in Chicago. I’m pretty positive, however, that I smoked it with my dad. He has casually enjoyed cigars for as long as I can recall and—way before I ever got to smoke one myself—wasn’t averse to taking me into tobacco shops or letting me hang around and enjoy the aroma of whatever he was smoking (back then, usually anything from Punch). Save for the summers back home, I mostly took a cigar hiatus as an undergrad, spending whatever disposable income I had at bars. It wasn’t until I moved to the nation’s capital to pursue a career and a master’s degree that I really increased my intake and, ultimately, started reading and writing about cigars whenever I could.

Co-Founder & Publisher Patrick S

I too don’t exactly remember my first cigar, but I’m reasonably certain I had it on a golf course when I was 16 or 17. I would go with a friend to a local magazine/card shop/smoke shop to peruse the cabinet humidor. Thankfully, we went for some decent handmade brands—Romeo y Julieta and Punch, at first—and they accepted my shoddy fake ID.  Before I knew it, I purchased a Cigar Aficionado and was buying cigars from a local shop based on their CA ratings, always to be smoked while golfing, sailing, or at the beach. CAO Cameroon and Maria Mancini were two of my favorites back then. A few years later, during college, I was smoking a cigar every month or two, and even smuggled my first box of Cuban cigars into the country. Once I graduated, entered the “real world,” and had a back deck, I caught the cigar bug full blast.

Tampa Bureau Chief George E

I wish I had a better story—or at least a clearer memory—of how I got interested in cigars. I suppose it goes back to cigarettes, which I smoked for 25 years or so. I quit sometime in the 1980s when it began to get more and more difficult to light up. I had my last Marlboros when it was still possible to smoke at your desk and just about everywhere else. I used to joke that I was going to start smoking again when I retired. Before that, though, we bought a small condo in Florida and on vacations there I was exposed to cigars. Like Miami, the cigar culture is pretty strong around the Tampa area. Somehow, I just fell into it. And fell for it.

So, now that we’ve shared our tales, how and when did you start smoking cigars?

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr