The 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) Few expected Sam Leccia to stay away from the cigar industry any longer than he was legally obligated to. With the conclusion of his non-compete agreement with the Oliva Cigar Co., his former employer, Leccia’s return was formally announced this week. His new venture will be called Leccia Tobacco and it will debut with two blends—Black and White—that will sell in the $7-9 range and be distributed by Toraño. Black is of particular interest as it will be handmade with a rare fire-cured leaf. Leccia fans will recall he originally tried to jump back in the business in 2011 with a completely different Toraño-distributed brand called Debut, which prompted a lawsuit from Oliva and postponed his return until now. Leccia is best known for creating the stout Nub and ligero-laden Cain brands.

2) Drew Estate is expanding its My Uzi Weighs a Ton (MUWAT) brand with the release of Kentucky Fire Cured cigars, a project that was over two years in the making. “We took the wrapper off the T52 and placed a thick Kentucky fire-cured leaf in its place,” said Jonathan Drew in a press release. “The taste and aroma were simply amazing, but there was just one huge problem—the cigar would not burn properly…[which explains] the lengthy process.” KFC, as the line will almost assuredly be called, is made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in three sizes: Just a Friend (6 x 52), Fat Molly (5 x 56), and Chunky (4 x 46).

3) Inside the Industry: What do you get when Rocky Patel, Jonathan Drew, Matt Booth, Nick Perdomo, Christian Eiroa, Ernesto Padilla, Charlie Toraño, and Kurt Van Keppel collaborate on a project? Apparently you get a feature film called Operation Smokescreen. Watch the trailer here. The film is set to debut April 24, 2013.

4) Deal of the Week: H. Upmann is a classic name in cigars with a history going back almost two centuries, but the newest H. Upmann cigars are pretty good too. This sampler includes three sizes of the new H. Upmann Legacy, plus two Upmann Short Figuardos, for $20.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Leccia Tobacco

My last Cigar Spirits article covered one of the priciest bourbons I keep around. This time, I’m looking at one of the least expensive: Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Bourbon.

Just $15 will land you this bourbon from Heaven Hill Distillery which, in addition to Evan Williams and the eponymous Heaven Hill, also makes Elijah Craig, Old Fitzgerald, Larceny, and Parker’s Heritage, among others. Parker’s Heritage refers to Parker Beam (of the famous Beam bourbon family), master distiller at Heaven Hill along with his son, Craig. Since it’s founding in 1935, Heaven Hill has had a member of the Beam family as its master distiller.

The bourbon’s namesake, Evan Williams, was a Welshman who came to Kentucky via Virginia (although technically what is now Kentucky was part of Virginia then). According to legend, he became “Kentucky’s first distiller” in 1783. He was also a politician and a businessman.

Like the flagship “Black Label” bourbon, about a decade ago the small batch Evan Williams 1783 dropped its age statement. Prior to that, it was a 10-year-old bourbon (the Black Label was a 7-year-old back then). Now we only know that its designation as a straight Kentucky bourbon without an age statement means the youngest bourbon it can contain is at least four years old, but presumably it averages a bit older than the Black Label, which also has the same restriction.

The bourbon pours a light copper color and the nose reveals honey, sawdust, and a hint of citrus. On the palate the 86-proof bourbon shows more honey along with vanilla, oak, and burnt corn. The finish is medium-length with a buttered popcorn flavor.

The result is an easy-drinking bourbon that’s enjoyable neat or with a ice cube or two, even if it isn’t as complex as many higher-priced whiskeys. Its price makes it a guilt-free ingredient in a cocktail or even a bourbon and ginger.

And obviously it goes great with a cigar. I lit up a pre-release sample of the upcoming Recluse Draconian and enjoyed the pairing. Though I actually think a more mild- or medium-bodied cigar would go even better.

Some bourbon snobs may turn their nose up at this affordable, value-packed bourbon, but don’t let that influence you. Whether you’re a seasoned bourbon drinker or a novice, this is a very respectable, enjoyable spirit that’s worth drinking with a fine cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Arturo Fuente’s Solaris. Tatuaje’s Anarchy and Apocalypse. My Father’s El Hijo. Padrón’s 1964 Anniversary SI-15. What do these cigars have in common?

They’re all part of the Microblend Series that’s sold exclusively by Smoke Inn, a Florida-based cigar retailer. Microblend Series is inspired by the growing popularity of U.S. microbreweries, harnessing how “limited production quantities allow for a greater emphasis to be placed on quality and consistency,” according to the Smoke Inn website.

To bring the Microblend Series to fruition, Smoke Inn has partnered with some of the most respected names in the industry to produce one-time limited batches offered in one size each. These cigars have garnered high reviews from my colleagues.

The newest addition to the Microblend Series will be Big Delicious, a large torpedo (6.25 x 54) with a shaggy foot that was crafted by Abe “Big Delicious” Dababneh of Smoke Inn and Matt Booth of Room 101 (see our previous reviews of Room 101 cigars here). The cigar’s 1970s-style marketing scheme is, to say the least, unique. This promotional website includes “The Adventures of Swanky White & Big Delicious,” a comic that chronicles the fictional making of the cigar.

Big Delicious is handmade at Tabacos Rancho Jamastran in Danlí, Honduras. It has a reddish Habano 2000 wrapper around tobaccos from Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. Pre-light notes are faint and the cold draw is smooth.

I don’t know if the torpedo shape contributes to this association but, as soon as I lit up the Big Delicious, I was reminded of a cigar I used to smoke quite frequently back in 2007: the Magic Mountain by Maria Mancini. That smoke also boasts a Habano 2000 wrapper, which is a cross between Cuban-seed corojo and Connecticut shade that imparts—in my opinion—an earthy flavor with a warm, lingering spice.

With a thick, damp texture, the slow-burning Big Delicious lumbers to the midway point. There, flavors of cayenne spice, leather, and coffee creamer build to complement the musty core. The draw opens significantly as the final third approaches. Throughout, the burn line is perfectly straight and the finely layered ash holds extremely well.

In all honesty, I’m not a huge fan of Big Delicious’ immense proportions or pseudo-gimmicky marketing campaign. But I can’t deny how well it smokes, or its endearing flavor of warm, approachable spice. Keep this in mind since pre-orders start on Friday and the national release party is April 26. The cigar will sell for $8.95 (or $134.25 for a box of 15), and it’s worthy of a very solid rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I subscribe to a newsletter about American whiskey called the Bourbon County Reader. (If you’re serious about bourbon, I recommend subscribing.) In the issue that just arrived in my mailbox, editor Chuck Cowdery observes the long-term trend of cheapening older product lines, especially those with more value-oriented prices.

He notes that over the years a number of bourbons have eliminated their age statement (which designates the minimum length of time that the contained spirit aged in new charred barrels), freeing the distillers to combine any combination of straight whiskey and giving distillers increased flexibility to ramp up production more quickly without the cost of longer aging.

Other bourbons have been watered down, often from bond strength (100-proof) to 80-proof, which is the lowest a bourbon can be without being labeled “diluted whiskey” (most notably, Jack Daniels was cut from 86-proof to 80-proof). The savings here are twofold: (1) adding more water means a barrel of whiskey produces more bottled spirit; and (2) since taxes are based on alcohol content, it reduces the per-bottle tax.

This got me thinking about cigars. Are older “legacy” brands being similarly cheapened? The answer is yes, almost certainly some are. The scarier part is that unlike bourbon, there’s no easy way to know which ones are.

Whereas bourbon labels have strict standards about what claims can be made, there is no similar standard for cigars. Of course most of the time there is no need to lie, because most cigar boxes and labels say very little about how the cigars are made or what is in them.

(I feel obligated to point out here that I certainly don’t want the government to increase regulation on cigars. Though I’ll admit the prospect of FDA regulation would be far less objectionable if I were convinced the goal was simply more information for consumers, and not actually government control over which cigars are available with the underlying goal of limiting the choices that adult consumers have.)

Considering that cigar makers have to produce the “same cigar” year after year, often in increasing quantities, some variation is to be expected. If it’s just the result of attempting to make the same cigar with the next year’s crop of tobacco, then I have no objection. (Though I’d still like a box or production date.)

The problem is when they attempt to make a similar cigar using lesser/cheaper materials, and pass it off as the same product. I suspect this accounts for at least some of the cigars that decline not long after being introduced. Perhaps they figure they can make a great cigar when introducing it to wholesale buyers, the public, and critics, then cut corners later and maximize profits. But the result is cheating their most loyal fans.

So what can a discerning cigar smoker do?

Take note of which companies keep quality and consistency high. In my experience, cigar companies that aren’t constantly releasing new lines (Arturo Fuente and Padrón certainly come to mind) do a better job. Also, the largest cigar companies seem to do well. Altadis, General Cigar, and Davidoff certainly have the capital to keep their products consistent and have invested millions into building their brands, which makes them less likely to risk long-term brand loyalty for short-term profit margins.

But there are always exceptions, for good or bad. Mostly it comes down to buyer beware, or at least be aware of the possibility that brands may have been diluted over the years.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr

In this segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I voice my contemplations about babies, head colds, and going in on cigar purchases with friends.

Six Weeks Old

My son is six weeks old today. He has truly been a blessing, and it’s amazing how I’ve only known him for 42 days yet I couldn’t imagine life without him. That said, before he was born I remember selfishly wondering how his arrival would change the amount of time I like to spend smoking, writing, and reading about cigars. So far so good. I certainly have less time for my cigar endeavors, and the opportunity cost of this time has definitely gone up. But I’ve been able to keep a reasonable pace—even if jaunting off to Nicaragua this year is out of the question. Still, I wonder how other cigar enthusiasts who are fathers handle these considerations. To what lengths do they go to keep their children from being around tobacco? How honest are they with their children about their cigar smoking? What have they learned that I may be able to benefit from?

Sudafed Blues

For the past few days I’ve been battling what’s probably nothing more than the common cold. Annoyingly, the sickness hit right around a few key cigar-smoking opportunities that I had been looking forward to. I chose to pass them up. This got me thinking about this article I wrote almost exactly three years ago. The gist? Back then I concluded that head colds rendered cigar smoking completely pointless given my inability to taste or smell clearly. I stand by that conclusion after trying to smoke a Flor de Las Antillas yesterday. All I could sense was spice and heat. I got no nuance, balance, or interesting flavors. Needless to say I’m looking forward to ending this cold and celebrating with something nice.

Buying Boxes with Friends

Sometimes there’s no room in the budget for a box purchase. But splitting a box among friends is entirely within reason. While I know this is nothing new, I just started splitting boxes recently—particularly with smokes that are either very expensive or only sold in large-count boxes (30-40 cigars). The benefits are plentiful. On one hand, I get more variety and less per-purchase pain in the wallet. I also get to pay lower per-unit costs since cigars by the box are generally cheaper than singles. On the other, I get to compare tasting notes with friends and have great conversations. If you haven’t already adopted this practice, I’d highly recommend splitting a box purchase or two. And remember you don’t necessarily have to buy boxes online. Keep an eye out for discounts on boxes at your local tobacconist.

–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 well-made Nicaraguan cigar from Edgar “One Shot One Kill” Hoill is a collaboration with Christian Eiroa of Camacho. It’s a short pyramide size that’s 4.5 inches long with a ring gauge of 54 at its widest point. The smoke features dry earth, tea (especially at the beginning), coffee bean, and even a little grassiness. Mild- to medium-bodied with good construction, it’s well worth considering.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

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.”

Before lighting it up yesterday, I believe this cigar had been resting in my humidor since the summer of 2010, when it was introduced. Corcovado (4.25 x 60) is a stout cigar with a fair burn line and an effortless draw. Like the other Brazilia vitolas, this dark, Brazilian-wrapped smoke packs a full-bodied punch with plenty of peppery spice and notes of bitter dark chocolate and roasted nut. Two-and-a-half years of rest mellowed it some and rounded off the edges, making for a very enjoyable experience.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys