The Stogie Guys

Enjoying a cigar takes no special skill. That’s one of the things that makes it such a wonderful pastime. But there are things you can do—and not do—that will help increase your smoking pleasure. Here are three tips for just that reason.

1. I would pay attention to your surroundings and circumstances so you can select the right cigar for the occasion. Of course, a great cigar is, pretty much, always a great cigar. But if you’re otherwise occupied while you’re smoking one, much of that greatness is likely to be lost or never found. A subtle, complex cigar, for instance, doesn’t stand much of a chance if you’re puffing in a smoke-filled casino.

2. Do a little research before choosing a new cigar. These days, with tablets and smartphones, it’s easy to look into the tobacco composition and read a review or two, even when you’re standing in a humidor. This was driven home to me recently when, after hearing several people comment favorably about the PIO Resurrection, I tried one. I was impressed at the start but soon encountered what I can only describe as the nearly unmistakable taste of dirt I associate with Mexican tobacco. Sure enough, I checked and found it sports the ubiquitous San Andres wrapper and some Mexican filler. Not a bad cigar, but not one I’d have chosen if I’d looked before I lit.

3. Take a good look. Creating handmade cigars is a remarkable achievement and every aspect of the craft is worth attention. Notice how evenly the seams are on the wrapper, how the shading matches among those lined up in a box, how the cap is applied, etc. Some bands are extraordinary for their ornateness, such as Ashton’s San Cristobal. Occasionally, simply glance around the humidor at your favorite B&M and marvel at the incredible array and selection from which you can choose.

Feel free to visit our Cigar University for many more tips.

–George E

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.”

When I tried a sample of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s new E-Stunner line at last summer’s industry trade show in Las Vegas, I thought it was a unique cigar. But it was a creation from E.P. Carrillo that I didn’t care for. Billed as a powerhouse, the E-Stunner is unlike other cigars in Carrillo’s portfolio. I found more strength than flavor, more punch than pleasure. I hadn’t tried another until the other day, and I’ve since smoked two more in the Siboney format (5 x 50). While the experience was better than my first, particularly in the second half when it smooths out a bit, I’d say give it try only if you really like a kick.

Verdict =  Hold.

–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.”

This year I’ve resolved to try and smoke more old favorites. That may sound silly to some of you—why not just smoke only the cigars you love all the time?—but managing the content for this website requires sampling a lot of new releases and scores of other smokes we haven’t yet reviewed. Woe is me. In any event, to try and make whole on my resolution I recently sat down with an Undercrown, a marvelous cigar that was introduced by the fine folks at Drew Estate a few years ago. It has been a favorite blend of mine ever since. The Gran Toro (6 x 52) always performs beautifully, with a rich, toasty profile of espresso, nut, and earth coupled with Drew Estate’s trademark draw (think copious tufts of smoke with each puff). I snagged a Gran Toro five-pack not too long ago, and I can hardly think of a better way to spend $40.

Verdict = Buy.

–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) Some politicians in California are aiming to criminalize the online sale of cigars in the Golden State. “In an effort to clamp down on youth smoking, Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) announced Monday that he was introducing a bill that would block the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes to individuals via the internet,” reports the Los Angeles Times. “The bill, AB 1500, does not prohibit online retailers to ship to other retailers. By requiring customers to purchase tobacco products at brick-and-mortar locations, Dickinson says, the state would generate $24 million in sales tax revenue.” If adopted, the bill would close off one of the biggest markets to online cigar sales and surely put a major dent in the revenue of many online cigar retailers.

2) On Wednesday, the third annual Nicaragua Tobacco Festival kicked off in Managua. The event is a showcase of the best cigar makers in Nicaragua, a country that’s home to many of the world’s hottest brands, and a nation that’s poised to become the number one source of premium cigars in the U.S. (the current leader is the Dominican Republic). Latest estimates indicate that over a third of all cigars sold in the U.S. are of Nicaraguan origin.

3) Inside the Industry: The Toraño Family Cigar Company has announced the “Blends from the Vault Tour,” a 40-store tour featuring exclusive blends. E.P. Carillo said this week that it’s upcoming release, the first in the Generational Series, will come out in May or June.

4) Deal of the Week: Cigar Place has a bevy of discount codes available. One particularly good deal is on the Undercrown Corona Viva, our favorite size of the Undercrown blend. After you add it to your cart, add the promo code “liga” to knock the price down 20% to just $104 for a box of 25.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Roger Dickinson

A week ago, I listed some cigar resolutions I had for 2014. Today I’m giving you my wish list for what I hope cigar makers will do for cigar smokers this year.

Get Creative

In understand cigar making and marketing goes in trends, but what I want the most is originality. Don’t just give your own twist on an existing formula, try something new that challenges the status quo. Last year we saw lots of San Andreas wrappers (we’ll probably see a lot more this year) and before that lots of Ecuadorian wrapper. While I like many of those cigars, I’m more interested in cigars that don’t just follow the trends. (Here’s a thought: What do the RoMa Craft, CroMagnon, and CAO La Traviata have in common? Besides being breakout hits, both use a Cameroon binder, something you don’t see very often. That’s not a plea for more cigars with Cameroon binders, but a reminder that cigar consumers will reward a good, unique cigar.)

Give Us Value

One of the most impressive cigars I smoked in 2013 was the Illusione Rothchildes. You’ll probably see a review of it in the coming months. What’s impressive about it is the value it provides for barely more than $4. It’s proof that you can produce an impressive cigar for well under $5, and that for the right price cigar smokers are willing to overlook an ugly wrapper if the flavor is good and sufficiently unique. If it were up to me, I’d have my favorite ten cigar makers all compete to create their best cigar that could be sold for under $5 at retail. But I’m afraid they are more interested in creating cigars that will sell for $10 each since there’s more profit in that.

More Info Please

A perennial plea from us is for cigar makers to disclose more information about the blends they release and for cigar brand websites to be kept up to date. Even though it can be frustrating, I get that sometimes people want to be vague about their ingredients to create some mystery, or because they don’t want their blend copied (even though I think that’s probably an overblown concern). But even more frustrating is cigar websites that don’t even have cigar lines listed that have been out for six months or more. Considering how easy it is for even a non-tech-savvy person to update a website, there’s really no excuse.

Fight for Our Rights

Every cigar event ought to include literature about Cigar Rights of America and a list of a few easy things every individual can do to protect cigar rights. Large cigar companies spend lots of money supporting the legislative programs of CRA, IPCPR, and CAA. It would cost almost nothing to have their reps insist that if you want your free event sample cigar, you also take a little literature about how to protect your freedom to enjoy that cigar. Given that one of the more likely regulations we might see from the FDA is a restriction on free samples and events, it’s not only relatively inexpensive, but highly relevant.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

There are cigars you can classify as everyday smokes, and then there are special occasion cigars. God of Fire falls into the latter category.

With so many excellent smokes on the market for about $10 or less, a cigar truly has to shine to prove itself worthy of double that cost threshold. The God of Fire Don Carlos 2009 Robusto does just that. Despite commanding a price of $20 apiece, it is a flavorful, balanced, and satisfying experience that performs time and again—rendering it an excellent choice if you want a special cigar and are willing to pay up.

I recently purchased two Don Carlos 2009 Robustos (5.25 x 50) for a total cost of just under $40. The Robusto is one of three formats offered in the Don Carlos series, the others being Robusto Gordo (5.5 x 54) and Toro (6 x 50). Each features an Ecuadorian wrapper surrounding Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. These cigars are complimented by the Carlito series in the God of Fire portfolio—four vitolas that are presented with Cameroon wrappers. The lines are blended by Carlos Fuente, Sr. and Carlito Fuente, respectively, and they are manufactured by Arturo Fuente for Prometheus.

The 2009 release of the Don Carlos series was aged for a minimum of three years after the cigars were rolled. Regardless of the release, though, the Don Carlos Robusto is said to be “the most distinctive of all the God of Fire cigars—and indeed one of the most distinctive cigars available anywhere,” according to the God of Fire website. “It has the most intense flavor of any cigar carrying the God of Fire label, though it is still best described as a medium-bodied cigar.”

The clean, moderately veined Robusto has rich pre-light notes of syrup and a perfect cap that clips easily to reveal a slightly stiff draw. Once lit, what follows is a dry, almost salty profile of cedar, coffee, sweet cream, and nougat. While the draw may be a little firm, the smoke production is excellent with each puff. The resting smoke has a terrific aroma that’s bright and sweet. And the construction—from the perfect burn to the solid ash—is immaculate.

Even as the Robusto progresses to the midway point and beyond, the strength always falls somewhere between mild- and medium-bodied. This is not a heavy-handed cigar with in-your-face flavors; rather, it’s a subtle, balanced blend that’s only fully appreciated with conscientious, deliberate puffs. Smoking through the nose is highly encouraged.

I may only light up a God of Fire by Don Carlos cigar a few times a year, but when I do it’s always special and worth the high price. Based on the two samples I smoked for this review, the 2009 iteration of the Don Carlos Robusto is worthy of an outstanding rating 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

These days there are plenty of bourbons and ryes that appeal to their esteemed heritage to justify a premium price point. It usually goes something like this: In 18XX, Captain John so-and-so was the first to create this amazing American whiskey, which was renowned for its special distilling techniques and smooth, complex flavor. Today, his great-great-grandson has re-created that recipe to introduce this special whiskey, which sells for $50-80.

Usually such stories are stretching the truth at best. This is particularly true of new whiskeys that tend to rely heavily on marketing hype to justify a higher price because they don’t make their own whiskey, but buy wholesale and need to sell it for more because they’re a glorified middle-man.

Rittenhouse isn’t such a whiskey. It’s a bottled-in-bond, 100-proof rye made by Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, that sells for $25. (Heaven Hill also makes Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Larceny, Parker’s Heritage, and a number of other bourbons.)

The burnt umber-colored spirit features a fairly standard nose with vanilla, oak, and a hint of citrus. But it’s on the palate that the Rittenhouse gets interesting with fudge and marshmallow, orange marmalade, and hints of pine. Spice comes through on the finish, with wood and ginger zing.

This is an incredibly rich rye for just $25, with a lot more than just the woody spice you’d expect from a non-age statement rye. It’s perfect for a Manhattan (which, although it will likely be made with bourbon, traditionally rye was used) or other rye-based cocktails. I enjoy it straight.

Pair it with an earthy cigar like the Cuban Cohiba Maduro, Liga Privada No. 9, or Tatuaje Noella Reserva.

No matter what you choose, I highly recommend Rittenhouse as an American whiskey that provides tremendous value for an incredibly reasonable price. People seem to have caught on to how good Rittenhouse is, which is why it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find. It’s well worth seeking out.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys