The Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post our sampling of cigar news and other items of interest from the week. Below is our latest, which is the 568th in the series.

1) Lawmakers in Virginia have an opportunity to help retail tobacconists by decriminalizing alcoholic beverage sales at cigar shops. HB 1541—which passed the House earlier this month and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services—would create “a new limited mixed beverage license for retail cigar shops” and require “at least 60 percent of the licensee’s annual gross revenue be from the sale of premium tobacco products.” Cigar Rights of America encourages Virginia-based cigar enthusiasts to take action.

2) For the fifth straight year, Alec Bradley will be releasing the Black Market Filthy Hooligan. The limited edition cigar, which is shipping just now, sports dueling wrappers—one candela, the other Nicaraguan Jalapa—over a Sumatra binder and a filler blend of Honduran and Panamanian filler tobaccos. Only 2,000 22-count boxes have been made for a total production run of 44,000. The retail price for the single Toro size (6 x 50) is $8.75. The Filthy Hooligan tradition began as a candela-wrapped version of Alec Bradley’s Black Market line, and his since shifted to a barber pole style release.

3) Not to be outdone in the candela space, Camacho has announced the nationwide launch of the Camacho Candela Robusto, which officially began shipping today. “Built on the chassis of our original Corojo blend,” Camacho Candela, which originally launched in 2007, sports a Criollo Candela wrapper that’s “cured over a charcoal fire.” A single vitola, Robusto (5 x 50), retails for $8. Only 3,000 boxes of 25 will be made, for a total production run of 75,000.

4) To make whiskey (and many other spirits), you need barrels. But what to do with barrels once their job is done? Scotch frequently reuses barrels. Some cigar tobacco is aged in used barrels. And a growing trend in beer is barrel-aged beer. Here’s a list of 25 beers to try.

5) From the Archives: St. Patrick’s Day is only a few weeks away (hence all the green cigars). If you’re looking for our recommendations on candela smokes, here’s a five favorites.

6) Deal of the Week: StogieGuys.com recommends Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items (think fine bar accessories, shaving kits, workout gear, and more) delivered for just $45. Of note is the Churchill box, which features four cigars, an ashtray made of reclaimed wood, an odor-eating candle, cedar spills, and a cutter. Once you are signed up, there is no obligation; you can skip or purchase each month. Sign up here in the next five days to be eligible for the March box.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr / Alec Bradley

In November. the A. Smith Bowman Distillery announced a new addition to its Bowman series of bourbon whiskey: Issac Bowman, a straight bourbon whiskey finished port barrels. The Virginia distillery traces its roots to before prohibition, and relocated from Fairfax County (now a suburb of Washington) to Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Today, it is owned by Sazerac, which owns Kentucky’s famous Buffalo Trace Distillery, home to some of the biggest names in bourbon today: Pappy Van Winkle, George T. Stagg, Weller, Eagle Rare, and Blanton’s. Although details are limited, it is believed that most of the Bowman bourbons were distilled at the Buffalo Trace distillery, shipped to Bowman for additional distillation, then aged in Virginia.

The Bowman line is named after the Bowman brothers, who fought in the Revolutionary War: Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon, John Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon, and Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Bourbons. There’s also a George Bowman Revolutionary Rum, named after their father. While youngest brother Isaac had been left out, the popularity of multiple Abraham Bowman limited edition bourbons finished in port barrels inspired the new permanent addition to the line.

While the Abraham Bowman Port Finish bourbons which were aged for over 12 years, the new Issaac Bowman line is reportedly aged for about half as long. The bourbon is copper in color with short legs.

The 92-proof bourbon features a sharp nose of cherry, vanilla, and wine tannin. On the palate, I find a combination of toasted grains, fresh cut oak, cherry cola, and caramel. The finish has roasted flavors and notes of red wine aged in french oak.

Those flavors pair well with an Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped cigar. Some favorites include: Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu, Sobermesa, Illusione Garagiste, and My Father.

One benefit of living in Virginia is the state-run liquor stores carry Bowman bourbons that would otherwise be harder to find. The new Issaac Bowman port-finished ($40) was released first to Virginia, but is expected to roll out to other states soon.

I slightly prefer Angel’s Envy Bourbon ($50) to Isaac Bowman, but fans of Angel’s Envy should try this bourbon, too. Both prominently display the flavors imparted by finishing the bourbon in port barrels, though Angel’s Envy is more balanced while Isaac Bowman is more forward and brash. Neither is as excellent as the limited release Abraham Bowman Port Finish (pictured right) but, of course, that sold out years ago and is nearly impossible to find.

A month ago, Villiger announced its first full-bodied cigar. La Vencedora, Spanish for “the victor,” is a Nicaraguan puro made at Joya de Nicaragua. The line is intended as a “follow-up blend” to the Ecuadorian-wrapped La Flor de Ynclan, which debuted last year.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to use our 130 years of experience to create what I feel is a very special cigar in the Villiger La Vencedora,” said Heinrich Villiger, chairman of the Switzerland-based company. Rene Castañeda, president of Villiger Cigars North America, added, “La Vencedora is a palate-pleasing, full-bodied, yet elegant cigar, that will satisfy the cigar connoisseur as well as the casual smoker.”

The introduction of a truly full-bodied cigar is the latest in a series of moves made by Villiger to step up its premium cigar game. For quite some time, Villiger had been known almost exclusively as a purveyor of machine-made cigars. In recent years, though, Villiger has introduced several premium handmade cigar lines, including La Flor de Ynclan, 1888, San’Doro, and, now, La Vencedora. (Quick side note: Three cheers to Villiger for maintaining a clean, updated, easy-to-navigate website to help consumers learn about its blends—a no-brainer that’s unfortunately all too uncommon among cigar makers.)

The three La Vencedora vitolas retail in the $9-10 range: Robusto (5 x 50), Churchill (7 x 50), and Toro (6 x 50). The latter is the subject of today’s review. Beneath its metallic band of silver, black, and red is a dark, moderately oily Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapper. The foot exhibits pre-light notes of black cherry and mesquite. Once the well-executed cap is clipped, I find, despite the Toro’s relative firmness, an easy cold draw.

After setting an even light, a rich, medium-bodied profile introduces itself with flavors ranging from espresso and dried fruit to black pepper and cinnamon. Shortly thereafter, the body ramps up to full, and all of the individual notes—especially espresso—increase in intensity. The midway point is characterized by less spice and more cream, as well as the welcome additions of brown sugar, roasted pecans, and vanilla. The texture is bready. The finale is a heavy dose of spice.

True to Joya de Nicaragua form, the combustion properties are outstanding. Expect an even burn, solid gray ash, smooth draw, and good smoke production.

La Vencedora “represents to Heinrich Villiger the arrival of Villiger Cigars to the premium handmade cigar segment.” To him, it is a “legacy cigar.” To me, it’s the most impressive, complex, encompassing smoke Villiger has produced to date, and 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

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

This particular Illusione Cruzado Elitas (6 x 44) had been aging for at least four years, which is why it features the original band, as opposed to more recent packaging that highlights the connection to the Illusione brand. The Cruzado blend, launched in 2008, is a Nicaraguan puro that heavily utilizes Criollo ’98 tobaccos, as opposed to the corojo tobaccos that are predominant in the original Illusione blend. The full-bodied smoke is characterized by leather, wood spice, coffee, unsweetened chocolate, and black pepper. It’s an excellent, if perhaps frequently overlooked, blend.

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Another line in the collaboration between Ashton and cigar master Don José “Pepín” Garcia, the Quintessence quickly announces its heritage with a nice pepper blast. That dials back after about an inch as a fruity sweetness comes forward. The two flavors shift dominance throughout the rest of the Belicoso (6.5 x 54), joined on occasion by wood and leather. The smooth Ecuadorian Habano wrapper covers Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. As you’d expect from a Pepín-produced cigar, performance is excellent. There’s a lot to like about Quintessence—the Robusto was Cigar Journal’s 2016 cigar of the year—especially with a price tag under $10. (By the way, if you’re curious about the differences between belicosos, torpedos, and pyramids, check out this page from StogieGuys.com friend Doc Stogie.)

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Ashton

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post our sampling of cigar news and other items of interest from the week. Below is our latest, which is the 567th in the series.

1) General Cigar is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Macanudo with 50 Days of Macanudo, a campaign that kicks off March 12 with “a flurry of activity to usher in [the brand’s] next 50 years… [including] exciting and unexpected new product launches, special events, and retail promotions.” During these 50 days, retailers who purchase select Macanudo promotions will receive a $500 credit towards future purchases of Macanudo cigars. Also, all Macanudo boxes made in 2018 will include a “commemorative gold guarantee seal.” And a limited number of three new cigars will be released in the Macanudo Inspirado line. Finally, if you want to enter to win Macanudo-branded merchandise like lighters, hats, and ash trays, upload pics of your “Macanudo moments” here. “In the 50 years since its launch, Macanudo remains one of the world’s most respected and best-selling handmade cigar brands,” said Jose de Castro, General Cigar’s vice president of marketing. “This is because Macanudo has always focused on delivering the best and most consistent experience to the cigar smoker. More recently, we took a bold step to evolve the brand by introducing the Inspirado line in the U.S., amped up our retail and consumer promotions, and contemporized our logo and packaging. The result has been nothing less than a renaissance for the brand. And for cigar lovers who have been wowed by the exciting changes we’ve made to Macanudo… they haven’t seen anything yet.”

2) Cigar Rights of America (CRA) sent out an email alert yesterday pointing to a telling exchange between Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney (pictured) during a House Budget Committee meeting. When Congressman Diaz-Balart brought up the issue of premium cigars and ensuring an “appropriate cost-benefit and regulatory flexibility analysis,” Mulvaney responded: “We have absolute confidence the FDA is going to apply the [Trump] Administration’s sort of new standard when it comes to cost-benefit analysis… and we will actually have science and numbers behind them as opposed to the qualitative type analysis that was done by the previous administration. I’ve learned a great deal about cost-benefit analysis over the last 13 months and [have] been extraordinarily disappointed in what passed for a cost-benefit analysis under the previous administration. I think one of the things you can count on with Director Gottleib at the FDA is a much more rational approach to the process.”

3) Seems humidors aren’t just for cigars. Baseball fans may have heard the Arizona Diamondbacks announced next year baseballs will be stored in a special humidor designed to reduce the impact of low humidity on baseballs, which is widely believed to be an advantage for hitters. In case you were thinking about storing your cigars in the Diamondbacks’ humidor, don’t. According to reports, it will be kept at 70 degrees and 50 percent relative humidity (cigars need to be stored between 65 and 72 percent relative humidity).

4) Inside the Industry: Tickets for Cigar Aficionado’s Big Smoke Miami are on sale now. The event will be held on Friday, March 16 at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach from 7:30 to 10:30 PM. The $325 ticket price includes drinks, a light buffet, a chance to meet with cigar makers, and 35 premium cigars. Smoking is allowed on the hotel’s outdoor terrace. An extra $50 gets you into the event one hour early.

5) From the Archives: New cigar smokers can sometimes find themselves overwhelmed, which is why we offered these five tips. Most important is the final suggestion: “Enjoy yourself. This might sound silly. But remember that cigar smoking is a hobby of pleasure, not accomplishment.”

6) Deal of the Week: Here are over 80 deals, including cigars from Ashton, Oliva, Tatuaje, Rocky Patel, Padrón, Drew Estate, RoMa Craft, Mi Querida, and more. Free shipping is included on any purchase. If you really want to stock up, add promo code “GBP20D” at checkout to knock $20 off an order of $150 or more.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Macanudo / Wikipedia

This new vitola in the Classic line from Bombay Tobak won’t be crowding the shelves at your local B&M. In fact, it is intended to be available only as one of five cigars in MBombay’s new Sample Pack, though some retailers may split them apart for individual sales (MSRP $11.95).

The Torpedos have a smaller production level than other MBombay Classics. According to brand owner Mel Shah, there are two primary reasons for this: (1) the difficulty and time required to properly roll the shape, and (2) the fact that the cigars are aged for more than 14 months before heading to market.

So, the bottom line is you may have to do a little searching to find this cigar. Judging from those I’ve smoked, it will be well worth your while.

The tobaccos include an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and filler from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Peru. The Torpedo, a 6-inch cigar with a ring gauge of 52, features an unfinished, closed foot. As with other Bombay Tobak cigars, it is rolled in Costa Rica.

There’s not a lot of differences from the original Classic—which received four stogies when we reviewed it in 2016—but that little bit is notable.

While both are smooth, the Torpedo is a bit stronger, especially in the second half. (Overall, I’d rate the strength as mild in the first half, medium thereafter.) And both are creamy with cedar notes, but the Torpedo also evokes some citrus and other fruity sweetness for added complexity.

On the other hand, they were identical in performance. Excellent burn, excellent draw, and great smoke production.

If you purchase the sampler, the other four cigars are the Mora Toro, Habano Robusto, Corojo Oscuro Robusto, and a Gaaja Toro.

The Classic Torpedo is a welcome addition to the MBombay line, and I think any cigar smoker will enjoy it. It earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys