The Stogie Guys

As I was smoking my first Verocu No. 1, I recalled a great line quoted by Bill Schmidt 20 years ago in the New York Times. Schmidt was writing about Alabama’s storied Dreamland Drive-Inn Bar-B-Cue and noted that one of the women dining with him said, “These ribs make your tongue want to slap your brains out.” Substitute “cigars” for “ribs” and it’s a perfect description of how I felt.

I recently wrote about how much I enjoyed the Verocu No. 2 — the eastern version of this limited edition Havana VI — and was excited when I got a chance to pick up a few of the longer and slimmer western variety.

My advice is not to pass up a chance to smoke either one. Or, preferably, both. These Nicaraguan puros, produced by Pepin Garcia for Pete Johnson’s Tatuaje line, may not have the prettiest wrappers and you may not find a razor-sharp burn, but you will get a complex, tasty, medium-bodied cigar that produces smoke worthy of a five-alarm fire. Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to smoke and choose a setting that permits you the opportunity to concentrate on the cigar to fully appreciate the abundant and changing flavors.

I’d be hard pressed to pick one over the other. The western may get the edge for me, though, just because I prefer its slightly smaller ring gauge: six and 1/4 inches with a 52 ring gauge compared to five and 1/2 inches and a 54 ring gauge.

Don’t, however, wait too long. I’m told that what’s available now is all that there will be. You shouldn’t miss it. Like the eastern Verocu No. 2, I give the No. 1 a perfect five out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

StogieGuys.com will be featured on the Livin’ Large with Geoff Pinkus radio show on WIND 560 AM in Chicago today. The show runs from 5-7 pm Central (6-8 Eastern) and Patrick S is scheduled to be on around at 6 pm Central (7 Eastern).

Geoff’s show is about “cigars, cars, spirits, wine, beer, restaurants, music, sports, hot chicks, jets, Harleys, guns, bikes, and fishing.” You can even call in at 877-560-WIND to ask a question on the air. If you’re not in the Chicago area, you can listen live here (and if you miss it, a podcast will be available here). You can listen to last week’s appearance here.

–The 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.

I enjoyed this Churchill-sized vitola considerably more than the torpedo-shaped No. 9. At seven inches with a 49 ring gauge, it provides several hours of sweet, earthy flavors with few sour or stale notes. The combination of an Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed sungrown wrapper and Dominican binder and filler tobaccos yields a straight burn and a firm white ash. Expect to pay around $6-7 apiece, and expect a long and pleasant smoke.

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.

The name Petrus carries a lot of weight in the world of fine wines, and while I realized Petrus cigars (by Felipe Gregorio) bore no connection to the French chateau, my expectations were high. Calling a cigar Petrus is like calling a boat Ferrari; intellectually, you know there’s no real connection or guarantee of quality, but, emotionally, you make that connection anyway. Unfortunately, I should have listened to my brain on this one. The burn here is horrendously uneven, the packing is loose, and the flavor is bitter and unbalanced. Very disappointing.

Verdict = Sell.

–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) We’ll be on the radio again this Sunday talking cigars on the Livin’ Large with Geoff Pinkus radio show on WIND 560 AM in Chicago. The show runs from 5-7pm Central, and we’ll be talking stogies about halfway through the first hour. If you’re not in the Chicago area, you can listen live here.

2) According to Sports Illustrated, Atlanta Braves manager and cigar enthusiast Bobby Cox thinks the Mets’ smoke-free policy at Shea Stadium is “a great idea.” Under the policy, smokers can light up only in designated areas outside the ballpark. Cox, who always enjoys a post-game cigar and visits the in-division Mets many times each year, declared “the clubhouse doesn’t count.”

3) Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Cubs, and other properties, announced this week it has killed its $100-a-month penalty for smoking employees enrolled in the company’s health plan. About 600 of approximately 16,000 staffers confessed they smoked after the fee went into effect on January 1.

4) Inside the Industry: Don Pepin is partnering with Ashton again to introduce a mixed-filler cigar called the Benchmade that will retail for around $2. Rocky Patel will be producing a limited edition Lancero sampler with five of his popular lines.

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack checks out the Perdomo Habano Maduro. Cigar Beat trys out a car cigar ashtray. Velvet Cigar smokes a Cohiba Maduro No. 5. Stogie Review smokes the Padilla Signature 1932.

6) Deal of the Week: With a dozen cigars for under $30, this Tax Rebate Sampler is a must for Punch fans. You get an assortment of eight Punches, plus four other quality smokes. Get yours here. (Also, check out free shipping on all Tatuajes.)

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: GeoffPinkus.com

My girlfriend picked up a few of these sticks at a Sarasota cigar bar during our golf vacation to Florida last weekend. She told me she was drawn to Diamond Crown Maximus because the cigars share a name with her employer (I’m just glad she wasn’t buying any more shoes).

This line was created by J.C. Newman as a fuller-bodied follow-up to the company’s successful Diamond Crown blend. Said to be the sister cigar of the famed Opus X, Diamond Crown Maximus marries three legendary families: the Newmans; the Olivas, who grow the wrapper in Ecuador; and the Futenes, who produce the binder and filler tobaccos in the Dominican Republic.

The Robusto No. 5 weighs in at a classic five inches with a 50 ring gauge (kudos to the manufacturer for eliminating all confusion and printing the full vitola name on the cellophane). The band is wonderfully ornate – albeit slightly gaudy – and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were some mixture of the three families’ crests. Dark, firm, and tightly wrapped, the cigar exudes rich notes of chocolate off the freshly cut head.

The El Bajo sungrown wrapper adds a nice sweetness to the lips and the first puff is akin to savory cocoa, clove, and black pepper. Salty, but acidic tones help balance the flavor profile. The taste remains surprisingly consistent until the nub with no noticeable increase in spice, harshness, or bitterness.

One of the Robustos was more reliable than the other, but don’t be surprised if the white ash holds firm for up to three inches. The burn is straight or self-correcting, and the draw is just right.

In all, I think these limited production sticks make real treats for sungrown fans and devotees of cigars with rich cocoa flavors. The only challenge is to locate a supply and fork over $8.50-12 per single (about $200 per box of 20). Let’s just say I’m happy my girlfriend found and bought them, and I give the Diamond Crown Maximus Robusto No. 5 a highly regarded four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[Editors’ Note: The following guest commentary by Sam Driban is a response to yesterday’s guest commentary by Gary J. Arzt . Mr. Driban is owner of the Black Cat Cigar Company.]

It was with both amusement and sadness that I read the Gary Arzt commentary, “One Should Be Wary of Black Cats,” on Tuesday. I’m happy that at least he acknowledged he was biased as both a devotee and friend of the Garcia family. The content also confirmed that he had spoken with the Garcia organization prior to his commentary.

I agree and laughably disagree with portions of Mr. Arzt’s words. I disagree that Black Cat is trying to “get even” with Pepin. We offer discounts of 40 percent or more on many products from many companies, not just Pepin’s, and we do this based solely on our business strategies. Also, we have not placed a single order with Pepin, contrary to Mr. Arzt’s statement, since we were informed that he would not be making the Rey Miguel cigars that we had put so much hope, effort, time, and money into.

I do agree that we have sent a mixed message with the rock bottom prices and hope for reconciliation. Mr Arzt is right as he quotes my words of “upset” and “blown-off.” I’m also forgiving and would welcome a call from Pepin. Sadly, I have not received one. I guess I’ve served my purpose for Pepin and am no longer needed. I am not alone, as Pepin has also blown-off and ceased production of brands for other hard-working, good people who spread the gospel and helped create this market for him.

The sarcasm in the commentary is absurd. Pepin didn’t think that cutting me off would affect our relationship? The bottom line is he just didn’t care. Continuing to make Rey Miguel, while perhaps inconvenient, really wouldn’t have been difficult and would’ve been the right thing to do. Mr. Arzt uses words like “dislocation” and “dynamics of companies.” These are words that I expect to read in a Wall Street Journal article, not a cigar blog commentary.

This is my 25th year in business. The “gentlemen” that Mr. Arzt refers to should be men such as Edgar Cullman Sr., Benjamin Menendez, and Jose Blanco. These are giants in our industry who I have learned from. They use words unfamiliar to El Rey de Los Habanos (Pepin’s company) such as “integrity,” “loyalty,” and, foremost, “passion” when it comes to the product and the relationships. Unfortunately, Pepin’s passion has evolved into a sad passion for greed.

–Sam Driban

photo credit: Black Cat Cigars