The Stogie Guys

It seems like every week another study comes out on the subject of tobacco. Nearly all are done by advocates of increased “tobacco control” (a euphemism for higher tobacco taxes and expanded smoking bans) and they all seem to come to the same conclusion: more “tobacco control” is needed.

Now if the tobacco industry was presenting study after study that concluded that we need fewer smoking bans and lower tobacco taxes, you can bet that reporters and politicians wouldn’t blindly believe their claims. When the anti-tobacco industry has a study that agrees with their anti-tobacco agenda, however, the results are dutifully reported as scientific fact without so much as a second look.

But if the media and politicians aren’t doing their jobs, who can you turn to to get a straight scoop? One of the best sources is Michael Siegel, who runs a blog called The Rest of the Story.

Siegel, himself a doctor and professor of public health, is an unlikely foe of anti-tobacco activists, especially since he is an advocate of workplace smoking bans. According to a bio on Siegel’s organization, The Center for Public Accountability in Tobacco Control, Siegel is “a physician with 21 years of experience in tobacco control who recently became disillusioned by the direction in which the anti-smoking movement is going.”

According to Siegel, more and more “[t]he tactics being used by many anti-smoking organizations have become questionable, including misleading and deceiving the public, improperly attacking individuals, and improperly using kids to promote a political agenda.” When anti-tobacco activists deemed those who question the link between second hand smoke and lung cancer the equivalent of “holocaust deniers,” Siegel called them out for their fanaticism.

As a doctor and researcher, Siegel has the technical background to examine the methodology of studies to see if the conclusions claimed are actually supported. He finds that they regularly aren’t, such as the often-repeated claim that just a few minutes of exposure to second hand smoke has negative lasting health effects.

Siegel’s writings are invaluable in exposing the “ends justify the means” nature of much of the anti-tobacco movement, whose once possibly well-intentioned aims seem to have turned into an all-out propaganda campaign against an individual’s right to smoke.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Actonel

With a winkled texture, a soft feel, and a few green splotches, I had every reason to be leery of this relatively unknown cigar when I removed it from a Bravo five-pack that was labeled “100% pure gold.” But this Colombian puro—that’s right, Colombian puro—made a real believer out of me.

Blended by Roberto Juarez and Antonio de Jesus, this series is one of five puro blends made by Bravo in the Andean mountain range of Colombia, “the same location as some of the world’s finest coffee beans.” It features an Ecuadoran-seed wrapper, a Connecticut-inspired binder, and a filler with Cuban ancestry.

Handmade by artisans at the Duran Factory in Santander, Colombia, the six inch by 50 ring gauge Toro has a flat, hastily applied cap and a shade-grown look. It sells for about $5 apiece when bought by the box from select retailers. I’ve wanted to try this particular vitola ever since our friends at Keepers of the Flame named it one of the best mild cigars of 2008.

Based on appearance, I was preparing myself for disappointment. This cigar, however, serves as a fine example of why you can’t judge a stogie by looks alone.

After touching flame to the tobacco, the prelight notes of delicate hay give way to a mild taste of cream, toast, and traces of spice. The flavor builds after the first inch to take on oak, vanilla, and honey characteristics.

Where many cigars are bold and boisterous, this Bravo is subtle and patiently delectable. The profile is particularly intriguing, allowing the smoker to discover the complexity on his own instead of hitting him over the head with it.

With an all-around fantastic burn, a well-behaved ash, and a good draw, the experience stays enjoyable to the nub. I noticed little increase in spice and no harshness in the two Toros I sampled.

It’s safe to say I am pleasantly surprised by this mild treat and its uncompromisingly gentle yet intricate aroma. Maybe there’s something about Colombian tobacco. Or maybe the folks over at Bravo really know how to develop excellent cigars. Either way, the Colombian Gold Toro is worthy of four 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.

This 4.75 inch by 54 ring gauge robusto features an attractive Connecticut wrapper and prelight grassy notes with a touch of graham cracker. The flavor is mild and pleasant with honey and grass.  Construction is flawless, just like when I last wrote about this cigar for a Quick Smoke. Also impressive is the price, considering at times I’ve seen this cigar available for well under $40 per box.

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.

At a bargain price of $3-4 per stick, this Cameroon-wrapped classic is much more accessible than Fuente’s high-priced Hemmingway, Anejo, Don Carlos, and Opus X lines. It features a straight burn and charismatic flavors of nut, pine, herbs, and toast. If you ask me, the Flor Fina 8-5-8 (6 x 47) is the tobacco equivalent of homemade chicken soup—inviting, reliable, and downright comforting.

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) According to TMZ, Gurkha Cigars offered Michael Phelps $25,000 to become their official “smokesperson.” After a photo of Phelps smoking a bong was made public, the company reportedly wrote to the 14-time gold medal winner: “We would like to provide you with the opportunity to do what you do best—smoke and swim. And while we can’t help you with your swimming skills, we can definitely offer you the best of the best when it comes to the cigar world.”

2) Virginia, a state built on tobacco, is nearing a compromise that would impose a smoking ban on the commonwealth. As it stands now, the law would be one of the weakest statewide bans because it includes exemptions for clubs and businesses that are off-limits to minors. But lawmakers in Richmond, including Gov. Tim Kaine, are scrambling to make the proposed regulation more cumbersome.

3) The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic venture of the Fuente and Newman families, continues to do important work for the people of the Dominican Republic’s rural tobacco-growing region. The organization’s activities include providing medical treatment, helping students graduate from vocational training programs, and running various community development initiatives. The Foundation is likely to take a hit due to SCHIP, so we encourage you to donate.

4) Inside the Industry: Habanos is introducing the Montecristo Open, a new, milder extension of its Cuban Montecristo line. CAO’s Cx2 blend is now only available from Famous Smoke Shop. Famous also rolled out exclusive blends celebrating 70 years of business, including a three-size line by Perdomo and a box-pressed Padrón Robusto reportedly based on the 1964 blend.

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack lights up a Casa Fuente. Stogie Review smokes a Conuco. Stogie Fresh tries a J. Fuego Triple Siete. Cigar Command sparks a Henry Clay Brevas.

6) Deal of the Week: While Alec Bradley’s Tempus hogged the spotlight and the highest ratings, don’t overlook the well-aged Harvest Selection ’97. At $20 for 8 smokes, this deal is a great way to try Tempus’ slightly milder brother. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Last week I wrote about Michter’s US 1 Rye. Today, I look at another whiskey from the Michter’s label: the 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon. Like it’s rye counterpart, this one wasn’t actually made at Michter’s Distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania (which last made A.H. Hirsh 16-Year-Old Bourbon).

Just because this bourbon isn’t made at the historic Pennsylvania distillery doesn’t mean it isn’t a great spirit. But the fact that bourbon was made in Pennsylvania does let me address one common misconception: Contrary to what you might have heard (and what a friendly bartender recently tried to convince me of), bourbon doesn’t need to made in Kentucky.

While the standards for bourbon are quite exacting, there is no requirement as to where it is made, and these days fine bourbon is made in New York, Virginia, Kentucky, and elsewhere—though Bourbon County, Kentucky, remains the center of production.

For a whiskey to be considered bourbon, it must only meet the following standards (laid out in 1964 U.S. law). It must: (1) be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn; (2) be distilled to no more than 160 proof; (3) be natural with nothing other than water added to the grain mixture; (4) be aged in new, charred oak barrels; and (5) not be introduced to the barrel at higher than 125 proof. Additionally, bourbons aged for less than four years must be labeled with thier age, meaning that most bourbons are at least four years old.

Michter’s takes the standards and surpasses them by aging the bourbon 10 years. Additionally, as a single barrel bourbon, each bottle contains whiskey from exactly one oak barrel, and every bottle is individually labeled so that it can be traced back to a specific barrel. (The bottle I tasted was labeled 7K-1.)

With a smokey copper appearance and an intense nose of oak, the taste is dominated by charred oak and malted barley with orange peel and a hint of anise. The finish is cedary and long.

Overall, this is a complex and pleasant bourbon. I find the price of around $60, however, to be a little high. Were it half that I could offer an enthusiastic recommendation. Either way, Michter’s 1o-Year-Old makes a fine pairing for any good medium- to full-bodied cigar. I found the flavorful Cuban Bolivar Royal Corona to be a perfect match.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Buried beneath the media’s coverage of the looming stimulus package was a story of utmost importance for cigar enthusiasts: A new bill was introduced in the House that would bring America’s 46-year-old prohibition on travel to Cuba to an end.

“The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act, introduced Feb. 4 and referred to the Foreign Relations Committee, prohibits the U.S. president from regulating or prohibiting travel to or from Cuba by U.S. residents, except in times of war between the two countries or of imminent danger to public health or the safety of U.S. travelers.”

As I wrote almost two years ago, trekking to Cuba is about as difficult as finding a cigar-friendly bar. The task, needless to say, involves bending a few rules, “tipping” Mexican customs officials, and eliminating paper trails.

This new bill would do away with all that. And, with a new administration in place, it could even pass. Regular readers will recall we cited Obama’s willingness to change America’s antiquated policies towards Cuba as one of the only cigar-related positives of his campaign.

“The bill or amendments like it have become a staple in Washington, where the measures flopped in the face of veto threats. Last year, a similar bill had more than 100 sponsors. But with more Democrats in Congress and a new president—one who has vowed to lift some of former President George W. Bush’s restrictions on Cuban family travel—the climate could be different.”

Time to Lift the Failed Embargo

When JFK signed the commercial, economic, and financial embargo on Cuba in 1962 (immediately after hypocritically securing himself a stash of soon-to-be criminalized sticks), it was thought that such restrictions would cripple Castro’s regime. That obviously didn’t work. In fact, the embargo allowed Castro to scapegoat the U.S. for his nation’s own problems and likely helped him to hold power longer than otherwise would have been possible.

Second, while there are many brutal dictatorships around the world, for some reason the U.S. government only imposes an embargo and travel ban on Cuba. In fact, other communist countries like China and Vietnam have become increasingly capitalist and liberal as we have traded with them. I continue to be perplexed by the illegality of Cuban cigars and the legality of filling up my car with gas from countries that support terrorism.

For these reasons and more—not the least of which is the potential to ease the suffering of the Cuban people—the embargo should have been lifted decades ago. Legislation to eliminate the travel ban is a small step in the right direction, and it deserves the support of every brother of the leaf who hopes to legally purchase Petit Edmundos and Siglo VIs in his lifetime.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr