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 533rd in the series.

1) Altadis U.S.A. has announced a new collaboration with Nicaraguan cigar maker A.J. Fernandez that will be showcased at the IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas in July. Called Monte by Montecristo A.J. Fernandez, it is a spinoff of the original Monte line that was released in 2013 as the strongest Montecristo to date. “The new Monte by Montecristo A.J. Fernandez is a robust, medium- to full-bodied cigar,” reads a press release from Altadis. “Cloaked in a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and bound with a Corojo ’98 binder, it delivers a stout, chocolatey aroma. A Criollo ’98 and Piloto Cubano Dominican filler yield a nutty and caramel sweetness. For those who like bold flavor, this smoke will not disappoint.” Four “horizontally-pressed” sizes will be available, each packaged in boxes of 20 and retailing in the $10.50 to $11.25 range: Toro (6 x 55), Robusto (4.5 x 54), Belicoso (6.1 x 54), and Corona (5 x 44). A.J. Fernandez has previously made cigars for industry behemoths Altadis and General Cigar, including H. Upmann by A.J. Fernandez and Hoyo La Amistad.

2) The Daily Caller reports the Trump Administration is moving towards rolling back Obama’s changes to U.S. policies regarding Cuba. The report cites comments by Senator Rubio and Congressman Diaz-Balart, both of Florida, along with anti-Embargo activist groups. All of President Obama’s actions on Cuba were done through executive action, meaning President Trump could undo the changes through the same process. Obama’s changes ended the policy known as “wet foot, dry foot” that gave Cuban illegal immigrants a path to legal status, opened travel to the island nation, and loosened restrictions on doing business in the country. Under the changes, although it remains illegal to import Cuban cigars for sale, it became legal for Cuban cigars to be imported for personal use when traveling overseas.

3) Inside the Industry: Davidoff is rolling out a limited edition belicoso that includes Florida Sun Grown filler tobaccos from Jeff Borysiewicz’s Orlando-area farm. The cigar is exclusive to the Davidoff Tampa Cigar Bar, a partnership between Davidoff and Corona Cigar Co., a Florida-based retailer owned by Borysiewicz. In addition to the Floridian filler tobacco, the cigar features a Habano 2000 Ecuadorian wrapper, a Habano Jalapa binder, and other filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. “This truly unique blend results in a rich, full-bodied, and luxurious smoke,” says Borysiewicz.

4) From the Archives: Introducing a newbie to cigars? Here are five suggestions to make sure they enjoy the experience.

5) Deal of the Week: We recommend Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items (think fine bar accessories, shaving kits, wine, workout gear, coffee kits, and more) delivered to your door for just $45. Available now are two cigar-oriented boxes. “Toast” features four cigars by H. Upmann and Romeo y Julieta, along with a cigar carrying pouch and a small desktop humidor. “Study” includes two Montecristo White cigars, two Glencairn whiskey glasses, a cigar tube, and a smoke-eating candle. You can skip or purchase every month. Sign up by Monday to get the June shipment.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: A.J. Fernandez

While Old Ripy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey may have been recently released, it’s actually an old name in the bourbon industry. According to parent company Campari (also the maker of Wild Turkey), Old Ripy was created by Irish immigrant James Ripy in 1868 in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and continued to be made there until 1950.

The Ripy family distillery, which was for a while called the Ripy Bros. Distillery, would become the favorite source for Austin Nichols, owner of Wild Turkey, who eventually bought the distillery in 1971. Wild Turkey remains the owner of the distillery today, which is where the new Old Ripy iteration is distilled.

Old Ripy is one of two released bourbons that are part of Campari’s Whiskey Barons collection. Also released earlier this year is Bond & Lillard, a reference to William F. Bond and his brother-in-law, Christopher C. Lillard, who formed a bourbon partnership in 1869.

Both Whiskey Barons offerings come in 375 ml. bottles, each with a suggested price of $50. The price is high, but I do appreciate the smaller bottles for limited release products; the strategy allows more bottles to be available and makes makes buying a whole bottle before you’ve tried one more palatable.

Old Ripy is 104-proof (52% alcohol by volume) and “a combination of 8-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon with 12-year-old and younger whiskies.” It’s a weird way to describe the blend ages, though perhaps an effort to differentiate from Wild Turkey Rare Breed, which is a combination of 6, 8, and 12-year-old bourbon.

It pours a medium amber color and features a nose with intense oak, vanilla, and spice. On the palate, it shows a complex combination of soft cinnamon spice, chewy roasted nut, ripe bananas, caramel, and leather. The finish is oaky and fruity with toasted biscuits.

This is a very nice bourbon, with well-integrated tannic flavors and plenty of oak and spice. My only hesitancy in heartily recommending it is the price. Still, Wild Turkey fans (of which I consider myself one) who enjoy Rare Breed and Russel’s Reserve ought to try Old Ripy, whether in a bar or from your bottle shop.

The bourbon’s oakiness pairs well with a full-bodied cigar. Connecticut Broadleaf-wrapped cigars like Umbagog or Henry Clay fit the bill. So do Nicaraguan puros like Flor de las Antillas and Illusione.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Justified or not, hardcore cigar enthusiasts will often ignore brands from huge companies like General Cigar and Altadis in favor of offerings from small, boutique operations. Perhaps in an effort to combat this treatment, the two industry giants have both partnered with cigar makers who—while certainly not small—manage to maintain a solid rapport among the most dedicated segment of the cigar smoking community.

A few notable examples: In 2015, Altadis tapped Pete Johnson of Tatuaje to help craft Henry Clay Tattoo, a limited run of 2,500 boxes that quickly sold out. In 2016, General chose to partner with A.J. Fernandez, well-known for his operations in Nicaragua, to develop a four-vitola line called La Amistad.

These days, A.J. Fernandez has switched teams from General to Altadis to launch his version—a Nicaraguan version, of course—of the famed H. Upmann brand. It is made at the Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua factory with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The three sizes—Churchill (7 x 54), Toro (6 x 54), and Robusto (5 x 52)—retail in the affordable $7.25-$7.75 range.

I recently bought a five-pack of the Robustos for $36.25. This cigar makes a great first impression with its smooth, silky, milk chocolate-colored wrapper, well-constructed cap, and firm packing of tobaccos. The foot yields savory pre-light aromas of peanut, hay, and cocoa, and the cold draw is effortless.

After establishing an even light, the first thing you notice is the chalky, powdery texture of the smoke. The flavor is best characterized by cocoa, sweet cedar, cream, and a gentle white pepper spice. The body is medium and the smoke production is above average.

As the Robusto nears the midway point, the minimal spice recedes even further, and the profile becomes a little woodsier. Oak takes center stage, though there’s still a nice backdrop of creamy sweetness. The final third exhibits a slight increase in intensity. Throughout, the combustion properties are absolutely flawless. The burn is straight, the ash holds well off the foot, and the draw remains easy with abundant smoke output.

It has only been about a week since H. Upmann by A.J. Fernandez shipped nationally (it was initially distributed to about 30 strategic retail accounts on May 8, with a wider distribution commencing on May 22).

It seems to me A.J. Fernandez was aiming for a tamer Nicaraguan blend that’s consistent with the traditional H. Upmann profile. In other words, I don’t think he sought to bring the full-bodied Nicaraguan spice and strength to this Dominican brand. Whatever the intent, the result works. This is a balanced, tasty, medium-bodied treat that smokes like a gem. In my book, it’s worthy of four 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.”

I’m not sure how long this dark treat had been in my humidor, but it had been quite a while. It’s also been quite a while since we reviewed this not-so-easy-to-find perfecto—more than seven years. From start to finish, it’s a terrific, rich smoke, with classic maduro flavors of coffee, chocolate, and tobacco sweetness. Keep an eye out for it and enjoy.

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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

In my estimation, this is the best blend in Miami Cigar & Co.’s Nestor Miranda Collection (the others being Connecticut, Maduro, and Habano), which was introduced at last summer’s IPCPR Trade Show. It’s a Nicaraguan puro with an oily, reddish Corojo wrapper and rich, medium- to full-bodied notes of roasted cashew, black pepper spice, leather, espresso, and hints of sugar. The Robusto (4.5 x 50) is my preferred size. You can find it for about $7 apiece—a nice value given the blend’s complexity and balance. And, as you would expect from the My Father Cigars factory, the construction is consistent and solid.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: 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 532nd in the series.

1) In support of its Camacho, Baccarat, La Fontana, Legendario, and National brands, Davidoff has announced the inauguration of a new factory in Danlí, Honduras. The factory sits on land bought by Davidoff in 2015 after the company acquired tobacco plantations in Condega, Nicatagua, and in the Jamastrán Valley in Honduras. “The site of the new facilities in Danlí is just under 450,000 square feet in surface area,” according to a press release. “The factory building, designed by Honduran architect Gonzalo Núñez Díaz, has several production halls, cold rooms, loading/unloading zones, a spacious guesthouse, and the refectory for employees, which meets the highest standards of technology and logistics.”

2) John Drew Brands has named Jonathan Drew CEO, Nancy Berkowitz president, Steve Chernoff national sales manager, and Frank Moreno national director of brand development. In addition, the venture will be supported by Joey Reichenbach and Sam Morales, the creative director and director of marketing at Drew Estate, respectively. Founded in 2015, John Drew Brands bills itself as “an authentic lifestyle company initially focused on the alcohol beverage category.” Its three introductory products were launched in April: Brixton Mash Destroyer (55% bourbon, 45% rum), Dove Tale Rum, and John Drew Rye.

3) The Hemingway Rum Company, maker of Papa’s Pilar, officially opened its new Rum Distillery & Experience Center in Key West  this week. The distillery building, originally built in 1878, once served as an all-brick tobacco warehouse. After a three-year renovation, the over 8,000 square foot facility now features a 350-gallon Hamilton pot still with a custom-made reflux column that can produce up to 80 gallons of rum per day, along with a visitor center, tasting room, and trading post shop.

4) Inside the Industry: Next month, select stores will receive the Davidoff Limited Art Edition 2017. The release features 5,000 boxes of 10 cigars equally split between 5 different boxes that feature works by Trinidadian artist Rodell Warner. The cigar sports an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and filler tobaccos from Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Each cigar carries a suggested retail price of $39.

5) From the Archives: In 2008, we featured a commentary on cigars and Memorial Day. Go back and read it here.

6) Deal of the Week: Oliva fans will want to jump on this sale featuring numerous boxes of popular Oliva blends for 40% off. Included are the highly-rated Serie V, Serie V Melanio, and Connecticut Reserve. 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: Davidoff

In the flurry of new cigars announced around last year’s IPCPR Trade Show, Illusione’s announcement of the return of the Singulare Phantom was one I personally was most eager to try. The original 2010 Singulare Phantom remains one of my favorite cigars of all time, a cigar I’ve enjoyed many boxes of over the years. (My original review awarded the cigar four and a half stogies, but I suspect with more age it would have earned five out of five.)

For the re-release, which is a now a regular offering, almost everything is the same as as the original. The size (6 x 50), blend (Nicaraguan puro), packaging (boxes of 15), and price ($12 per cigar) all remain the same.

The only major change is the original was made at the Raíces Cubanas factory in Honduras, where all Illusione cigars were made at the time, while the 2016 release is made at the TABSA factory in Nicaragua, where newer Illusione production has moved. Visually, it’s a well-made cigar with a light brown rosado wrapper free of any large veins and just a bit of sheen.

Once lit, I find a medium-bodied smoke with flavors ranging from Walker’s shortbread biscuits, café au lait, cedar, and roasted cashews. There are also hints of graphite and white pepper.

Construction was excellent across each of the five samples I smoked. Variation from start to finish is limited to bursts of spice and graphite that jump forward almost randomly.

The new Illusione Phantom is a complex and balanced smoke, though not as exquisitely balanced as the original. The original release Singulare Phantom got better and better with age; perhaps the re-release will too, as the flavors integrate even better with age.

When I reviewed the original cigar I noted that the $12 dollar price tag was quite reasonable. The fact that, six years later, the price hasn’t gone up at all is a welcome surprise. Flavorful, complex, and well-made, the Illusione Singulare Phantom 2.0 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