The Stogie Guys

In the latest segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I share my contemplations about Air Jordan, trends in cigar bands, and the impending change in weather.

I Wanna Be Like Mike

Chicago is about to host the 39th Ryder Cup, the biennial competition that pits the best golfers from the U.S. against the best from Europe. As fun as it would be to trade places with the likes of Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, or Phil Mickelson, there’s no one I’d rather be this weekend than Michael Jordan. USA Captain Davis Love has tapped the “49-year-old, cigar-chomping, billionaire former basketball player” to “keep the players loose, to serve as possibly the greatest role model for success in sport, and to pass out cigars.” Sounds like a good time, and sounds like M.J. will have the best seats in the house at Medinah Country Club.

Bacon-Wrapped Cigars?

I think it’s safe to say manufacturers have gotten increasingly creative with cigar bands in recent years. I understand this trend. After all, without a cigar band, distinguishing cigars from one another is nearly impossible. But how creative is too creative? Yesterday my colleague reviewed a cigar with a metal gear around the band. That’s a significant jump in originality from the days when raised type, glossy surfaces, or even double-bands were beyond the norm. And I’d say it’s even a far cry from the last band that made me do a double-take: the band of jaggedly cut Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper leaf on Tatuaje’s “The Face.” It makes me wonder what’s next. A cigar with a band made of bacon?

Winter is Upon Us

It’s almost October, and that means cold temperatures, icy winds, and low humidity is just around the corner. Over the years we’ve published a number of articles on this subject, and I thought I’d point out a few of them here for the benefit of preparation. First, you may consider finding yourself an indoor winter sanctuary for smoking, especially since smoke-friendly locales are hard to come by these days. Second, if you’re going to be smoking outside, you might want to consider stocking up on shorter smokes. Third, be sure to have the right beverages on hand, including winter beers and ingredients to make hot buttered rum or a Stonewall Jackson. Finally, we’ve also written tips on how to build a temperature-controlled humidor and altering your smoking routines to accommodate the cold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

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.”

Don Tomás is often obscured by the more visible brands from General Cigar, but I’ve always enjoyed the Sun Grown as a nice value smoke for the golf course. While the Clásico isn’t bad either—and the value is quite good at around $3-4 apiece—I’m not terribly enthusiastic about the profile of the Robusto (5.5 x 50). The Habano-seed Honduran wrapper coupled with tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras combine to yield a slightly spicy taste that’s a little too papery for me. In the future, I’ll probably just stick with the Sun Grown blend.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Fresh off of hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics, London is considering banning outdoor smoking in the city’s public parks. A meeting between officials and interested citizens has been scheduled for October, though the Community Services Committee has already “overwhelmingly endorsed” the idea. “I am sure you can appreciate this will be a big change for a lot of people,” said Ward 2 Councillor Bill Armstrong. “I am talking about the distance people will have to go for a cigarette. In some cases, they will have to get in their cars and go off the property.” If a ban is passed, London would join New York City and over 500 municipalities in the U.S. that criminalize outdoor smoking in parks.

2) Speaking of outdoor smoking bans, Cigar Cigar, a private club in Sugar Land, Texas, is being forced to close its outdoor patio area for members due to a lease change by its property management company that prohibits outdoor smoking in certain areas. According to the Houston Chronicle, cigarettes are fine, but pipes and cigars are not. Cigar Cigar is currently trying to prevent enforcement of the ban as it pursues litigation.

3) Inside the Industry: Emilio Cigars gives a sneak peak of the upcoming Carpe Noctem, a blend that will be made by A.J. Fernandez featuring a maduro wrapper and “plenty of Estelí ligero in the filler.” Tobacconist University has now certified over 800 tobacconists from 350 different stores nationwide.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Montecristo Epic. Cigar Coop smokes the new CLE Corojo. Cigar Explorer explores the Toraño Salutem. Cigar Fan fires up an Illusione Maduro cg4. Cigar Inspector inspects a Cohiba Robusto.

5) Deal of the Week: Hitting the golf course or just got two hours to relax with a fine cigar? Check out this sampler of ten double corona- and Churchill-sized cigars (for just $3.50 a piece) featuring cigars from Hoyo de Monterrey, La Gloria Cubana, Arganese, Rocky Patel, and Berger & Argenti.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Despite global economic turmoil and a reduction in cigarette consumption, cigar smoking increased significantly in the last decade, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control. Between 2000 and 2011, “large cigar” consumption rose 233% (and pipe smoking increased 482%), compared to a 27.5% reduction among all tobacco products over the same time period. This rise in cigar smoking came against major headwinds like drastic increases in federal tobacco taxes (remember SCHIP?) and the further spread of smoking bans. Expect anti-tobacco zealots to use this report as justification for even higher taxes and dangerous regulatory measures from the FDA.

2) Woodford Reserve is celebrating 200 years of bourbon distilling with a series of events at its distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. Included are tours, picnics, an “1812 Bourbon Feast” with dishes from surrounding farms, and a special 200th anniversary bottle. Click here to check out the events.

3) Cigar Giveaway Result: We have a winner in our latest Stogie Guys contest. We selected Chris from Illinois at random from about 100 entrants, all of which we appreciate. Chris is a fan of Nicaraguan cigars whose favorite brands are Tatuaje and Liga Privada. He says he’s been smoking cigars for six years and is a newcomer to StogieGuys.com. He’ll receive the special three-pack of cigars from Don Pepin Garcia in a signed box. Again, congrats Chris.

4) Upcoming Cigar Gievaway: Macanudo is holding the Ultimate Round Contest to give one winner and three friends a trip to the 2013 Masters, including round-trip airfare and spending money (and we bet plenty of cigars). In that spirit, they’ve given us a golf-themed prize (a Callaway golf towel, club head cover, and a box of Macanudos) to giveaway to a reader. To be eligible to win, you need to be subscribed to our free email newsletter. We’ll announce the winner in an upcoming newsletter. (Fine print here.)

5) Deal of the Week: Lovers of large ring gauge cigars (and even those who normally prefer smaller ring gauges) may want to try the new Inch by E.P. Carrillo. Emerson’s is one of the first to have them in stock, and if you’re not sure if you’re ready for a whole box, check out the four-cigar sampler that includes both the Maduro and Sumatra blends.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Politicians in Santa Monica—the unofficial ground zero of anti-tobacco lunacy—were considering a bold regulation that would criminalize smoking for new tenants in apartments and condos, and they had even asked city employees to recommend a date by which all existing apartment and condo units would also be deemed smoke-free. These measures have been surprisingly dropped for the time being, but not because the city didn’t want to encroach on the rights of consenting adults in their own homes. Instead, the city is tabling the regulations because it doesn’t want to interfere with those who smoke medicinal marijuana.

2) With this year’s industry trade show just around the corner, many cigar makers are issuing press releases about the new smokes they plan to bring to market. Gurkha, for example, says it is launching a 125th Anniversary blend of four sizes that will retail for $8-11 apiece. Miami Cigar & Co. is producing a Nicaraguan habano oscuro-wrapped blend called Añoranza. Mercer Cigars is releasing a series of blends handmade by “Handsome Jimmy,” a cigar roller from Cuba. The Toraño Family Cigar Company is rolling out Salutem. And Iconic Leaf Cigar is debuting a line called Recluse. These excerpts are but a few of the many press releases we have received over the past week. Stay tuned in the days leading up to the IPCPR Trade Show for more coverage, and be sure to check back on August 2 when the trade show actually begins, as the StogieGuys.com team will again be on hand to cover the year’s biggest cigar event.

3) Inside the Industry: Macanudo is sending eight contest winners to Augusta National to watch the 2013 Masters. Each winner and one guest will be whisked away to the mecca of golf from April 10-15 where they will enjoy a golf-lover’s dream come true: all-access tickets to the first major golf championship of the year, including roundtrip airfare and accommodations. Enter here.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Casa Fernandez Miami. Nice Tight Ash checks out the CAO LX2 Rosado Especial (CRA Edition). Cigar Brief smokes the J. Fuego Origen Maduro Original. Cigar Fan fires up a Partagas 1845.

5) Deal of the Week: Last call to enter the Hoyo de Monterrey box-a-day giveaway.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

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.”

By nature I’m a fan of the “A” vitola. There’s something completely unapologetic about a cigar that’s designed to last at least two hours, and I appreciate that. The new Viaje Roman Candle is no exception. With its fuse-like cap and patriotic red tissue paper, this Nicaraguan puro is  a perfect fit for the celebratory summer season. It’s medium- to full-bodied and full of spice and earth. Construction is flawless throughout the almost three hours it takes to smoke. There’s nothing wrong with this cigar, and I wouldn’t recommend against spending two or more hours smoking one, but  for such a long cigar it lacks the complexity to keep me fully engaged. It’s the perfect cigar for the golf course, or for when your thoughts are more focused elsewhere—which might be precisely what the cigar was designed for.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Dominican-made Romeo y Julieta brand has been a longtime staple in the portfolio of industry giant Altadis. But over the years, even as the brand grew to ten blends of varying strength, Romeo y Julieta always seemed to be associated with the milder spectrum.

The newest Romeo y Julieta blend, called simply Romeo, aims to change that. “A manly cigar, bold and robust, Romeo is an awesome smoke, rich in complex flavor sensations,” reads a marketing pamphlet from Altadis. “It is, quite likely, the finest Romeo y Julieta ever.”

Romeo is certainly the most modern-looking, sporting a unique band that breaks from the traditional motifs of its predecessors. The line’s sleek, curved boxes are definitely not traditional. And Romeo also adopts the contemporary mantra of “big and bold” with large ring gauges and a recipe of tobaccos that’s evidently built for power.

That recipe includes a dark Ecuadorian Habano-seed wrapper, a Dominican olor binder, and Dominican filler tobaccos of the piloto and olor varieties. The line is comprised of four vitolas that are crafted at the Tabacalera de Garcia in the Dominican Republic: Churchill (7 x 56), Toro (6 x 54), Robusto (5 x 54), and Piramide (6.1 x 52). I sampled three Toros for this review, each—in the interest of full disclosure—provided to me free of charge by Altadis.

The Toro is a clean-looking smoke with a hearty weight and a firm feel from head to toe. The foot confirms a tight cross-section of tobaccos. The pre-light aroma is musty and earthy and the draw is moderate.

After setting an even light, the introductory taste is bold yet stale. By this I mean there’s tons of strength from the smoke but very little in terms of identifiable flavor beyond pure heat. My strategy on cigars like this is to let them rest un-puffed for a few minutes to see if they settle into a more enjoyable profile as the foot cools.

Fortunately, the Romeo Toro does. Before crossing the half-inch mark, tastes of leather, dry wood, and espresso become dominant with a bit of nougat on the finish to add sweetness and balance. The resting smoke is quite sweet. Later, at the midway point, I find the body settles back toward the medium spectrum and some nutty notes take precedence over the leather. The final third features a reprise of power. All the while the construction is near perfect.

Altadis has made a considerable effort to get samples of Romeo in the hands of many internet reviewers, so I expect you’ll see much written about this cigar in the weeks to come. It will be interesting to read all the reviews. From my perspective, this is a fine smoke that will do well on the golf course. I would recommend picking up a Romeo as the blend hits the shelves of a tobacconist near you. I think cigar enthusiasts who typically stray away from Altadis smokes will be pleasantly surprised by the Toro, which is worthy of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys