The Stogie Guys

The Scottish town of Cambeltown once claimed the title “whisky capital of the world,” but today it’s a shell of its former self. Where once there were reportedly 28 active distilleries, now there are just a few, with Springbank the largest remaining operation.

Springbank 10 is the distillery’s most widely available expression. It also makes a wide variety of other bottlings, including a “Wood Expressions” line with various finishes and ages, including the 12 Year Claret Cask. (In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, “claret” is commonly used in Britain as a synonym for red Bordeaux wine.)

Fortunately, Springbank puts all the details of their Single Malt Whisky on the label. This particular bottle (one of a run of 9,360) was distilled in 1997 and finally bottled in 2010 at a strength of 108.8-proof. It spent nine years in refilled bourbon casks, before being transferred to fresh claret barrels.

Springbank uses a unique distillation process where the whisky is distilled two-and-a-half times. As shown in this graphic, there are three distillations in each batch, but a certain percentage skips the second still. Also, Springbank doesn’t chill-filter or add coloring to their whiskies, the latter of which is an unfortunately common occurrence.

The natural color is golden and straw. The nose is a fantastic combination of smoke, butterscotch, orange peel, and honey. The whisky coats the palate with a consistency that is not so much syrupy as oily. There’s lots of smokiness, some brine, but not a lot of peat, and hints of apricot, mint, and vanilla. The finish is long with dried fruit, salt, and wood spice.

While Cambeltown whiskies have not always been my favorite, this one impressed me, even at $90. It’s complex and layered, with just the right combination of fruit, smoke, and spice. A few drops of water open it up nicely, but ice is wholly unnecessary.

Medium bodied cigars suit the Springbank and, depending on your mood, you couldn’t go wrong with any of these: La Riqueza, PG 15th Anniversary, El Centurion, or Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cohiba is considered the pinnacle of Cuban cigars, and recent additions to the Cohiba portfolio have succeeded in capturing the attention of cigar enthusiasts the world over.

Most notable among these is the super-expensive Cohiba Behike, which was dubbed “the new standard among smokers worldwide” when it became available in May 2010—albeit in very limited quantities. The Pirámides Extra is another important development, as it was the first addition to the core Cohiba line in 20 years, a line that launched in 1982 (the Siglo line didn’t come around until later).

But perhaps no addition diversified the Cohiba portfolio like the Maduro 5 line, launched in 2007. The first Cohiba cigar to feature a maduro wrapper, it’s made in the Partagas factory in Old Havana and boasts a five-year-old wrapper with thin yet prominent veins and a mottled, reddish hue.

Maduro 5 is available in three sizes: Genios (5.5 x 52), Secretos (4.3 x 40), and Mágicos (4.5 x 52). Secretos earned the number six slot on Cigar Aficionado’s list of the best cigars of 2007 with a 93 rating. The Mágicos cigars I smoked for this review run $23-28 apiece (with a black varnished box of 25 selling for $590).

The pre-light aroma is of cocoa powder and caramel and the cold draw is moderately stiff. Once an even light is established, a profile of coffee, leather, spice, and black licorice emerges. The texture is syrupy. Notes of cream and roasted nut add complexity. The resting smoke is sweet and pleasant.

Sadly, the physical properties leave much to be desired, especially for such an expensive cigar. The burn line is atrocious and will easily canoe without close attention. And while the gray ash holds firm and the draw is smooth, the Mágicos gets exceptionally hot and burns way too quickly—even if smoked slowly and after several months resting in the humidor. Perhaps age will do this cigar well.

All this is a shame, especially since the flavor profile is so agreeable. I wish I could tell you the burn line is straight. I wish I could tell you the Mágicos burns slow enough to savor the flavor. And I wish could say this smoke is worth its high asking price. But the three samples I smoked for this review say otherwise. Torn between the depth of the interesting flavor and the substandard construction, I’m awarding this high-priced Cuban a somewhat disappointing rating 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

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.”

The Illusione Singulare 2012 continues to improve. The toro features lots of roasted notes, along with cafe-au-lait and oak. The well-constructed cigar features perfectly balanced medium- to full-bodied flavors. Needless to say, I highly recommend it. For a surprisingly enjoyable pairing, smoke one with a glass of champagne.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.”

Eddie Ortega’s first line on his own has been steadily gaining fans and generating positive reviews, including Patrick A’s four-stogie rating for the No. 12 size. I’d say much the same for the longer No. 10, a tasty cigar with a smooth mix of flavors and a great, long finish. It’s not as strong as many of Ortega’s past cigars, but rather sophisticated and intensely satisfying. The Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper may appear a little dry, but don’t be misled. With the Nicaraguan filler mix, it’s a great combination.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

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) There’s still time to win a pair of tickets ($1,000 value) to Ron “Jaws” Jaworski’s Super Bowl cigar party in New Orleans, and Jaws will personally be selecting the winner. The former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst’s event will feature top-notch premium cigars, single-malt scotch, and plenty of NFL and ESPN celebrities. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post about your favorite cigar-related sports celebration.

2) Many StogieGuys.com readers know Matt Krimm and John Anderson (right) as the proprietors of W. Curtis Draper, the oldest tobacconist in the District of Columbia. On Monday, the duo opened the doors of their newest venture—Civil Cigar Lounge, a new smoke-friendly locale in Washington’s Friendship Heights neighborhood. Civil is equipped with a state-of-the-art air ventilation system, plush seating for over 90 patrons, 125 personalized cigar lockers, a full bar, and a menu designed by an adjacent restaurant.

3) Remember our “Win a Big Box of Cigar Swag” contest? We’re pleased to announce David of Kirkville, New York, has been randomly selected as the winner. Please join us in congratulating David, who soon be the proud owner of a bunch of cigar T-shirts, hats, playing cards, cutters, and other memorabilia.

4) Inside the Industry: Florida-based retailer Smoke Inn is introducing its sixth installment of the MicroBlend Series™, this time made by Room 101. The “Big Delicious” cigar will be a Torpedo (6.25 x 42-54) with a shaggy foot and will retail for $8.95. The binder/filler tobaccos from Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic will be adorned with a “very special and limited high grade” Habano 2000 wrapper.

5) Deal of the Week: A good ashtray is hard to find, and Drew Estate makes some of the best at their Subculture Studios. If you’re in the market for a new place to rest your ash, you’d be well advised to check these out.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Civil Cigar Lounge

There have been plenty of exciting new ryes introducdc in recent years. (I’ve written about Bulleit, Knob Creek, Michter’s, and Breuckelen, and I’m not the only one noticing a resurgence of the classic American spirit.) With the introduction of their own new rye, Tennessee whisky maker George Dickel is putting its own spin on this spirit.

George Dickel’s parent company, Diageo, is the same as Bulleit’s, and the similarities between the ryes don’t end there. Both are distilled at Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana (LDI) using the same rye-heavy recipe (95% rye and 5% malted barley). But of course whisky is far more than just the ingredients that go into it, and the Dickel rye takes its own distinct journey from barrel to bottle.

After five years in new, charred oak barrels (the legally required vessel for aging bourbon and rye whisky) the LDI-made Dickel is sent from Indiana to the bottling facility where it goes through the same charcoal chill-filtering process as Dickel’s original Tennessee whisky (Jack Daniels also uses the “Lincoln County Process“).

The resulting spirit is 90-proof and $25 for a 750 ml. bottle (notably the same price as Bulleit). It is orange-amber in color, with a nose featuring orange peel, oak, ethanol, and spice. The flavor is dominated by the wood (oak and spice) but there’s also a doughy bread flavor and some candied fruit. The finish is very dry and oaky.

I started tasting it straight, but very quickly found that watering down the proof just a bit mellowed the heat and oak, and let some of the complexities come out. Still, it’s not my favorite rye to enjoy straight (I definitely prefer its relative the Bulleit for that) but Dickel makes for an excellent mixing rye, especially in a proper Manhattan (rye, not bourbon, was the original Manhattan ingredient).

Looking for some cigar pairings? The spicy Fuente Opus X is recommended if you’re trying it straight. With a Manhattan, the Ecuadorian Sumatra-wrapped Tatuaje 7th Capa Especial has the balanced sweet and earth notes to complement the best of this new George Dickel Rye.

–Patrick S

photo credit: George Dickel

God of Fire is best known for selling high-end accessories and limited Fuente smokes (like God of Fire and Angelenos). Back in 2010, though, the California-based company entered the mid-priced cigar market with Sencillo, its first line not made by the Fuentes.

The latest Sencillo (Spanish for “simple”) is Sencillo Black, which features filler from Nicaragua, Honduras, and San Andreas surrounded by Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. It’s made by the prolific Nestor Plasencia Jr. in Nicaragua and comes in five sizes.

Before Black there was Platinum, made by Christian Eiroa of Camacho Cigars in Honduras (Eiroa has since left Camacho to launch his own cigar brand). Prometheus founder Keith Park tells me Platinum came about when he asked Eiroa to replicate a particular cigar he had given Park back in 2008. It features “Habano de Jamastran tobacco for the wrapper, filler, and binder, with Piloto Cubano tobacco added to the filler to balance out the flavor,” according to the Sencillo website.

Sencillo Platinum is a Honduran puro that’s available in six sizes ranging in price from $6.95 to $8.95. The Pirámide (6.1 x 54) is advertised as “the most visually impressive” of the line with “the most intense aroma.” It is characterized by a beautiful, reddish wrapper, a robust fragrance of cocoa, and a smooth pre-light draw.

Immediately after lighting, the Pirámide is salty with black pepper spice. Before even the quarter-inch mark, though, the profile mellows considerably to display wonderful balance and subtlety. Flavors include buttery oak, coffee, dried fruit, and mushroom—a note that reminds me of some Henke Kelner smokes, including Davidoff and PG.

Cream, caramel, and spice come and go as the cigar progresses. The texture is silky, the nicotine impact is minimal, and the body falls in the mild- to medium-bodied spectrum. The word “harmonious” comes to mind, and the theme seems to be soft yet flavorful. At no point does this cigar taste like a Honduran puro. It performs expertly with a straight burn, fine white ash, and bountiful tufts of thick smoke.

Given its more approachable price point, I don’t think I’m supposed to like the Sencillo Platinum as much as God of Fire’s higher-priced offerings. But I do. The Pirámide is one of those superbly balanced smokes that makes you want to fire up another as soon as you’re done with the first. I don’t say that too often, and that’s ultimately why this cigar is worthy 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