The Stogie Guys

In my hometown of Washington, the unquestioned top cigar event of the year is Little Puff. Since 1999, the event has been put on by W. Curtis Draper and, while I was unable to attend the main event Friday, I dropped by the After Puff lunch Saturday.

Little Puff Tops $600K Raised for Charity

Since its inception, Little Puff has expanded from one day to a full weekend of events, starting with a Thursday night VIP dinner, followed by the main event on Friday night, and culminating with the After Puff lunch on Saturday.

While ticket prices may be more than many other cigar events, the premium seems worth it because proceeds (including from an auction with one-of-a-kind cigars provided by manufacturers) go to charity. This year at After Puff, it was announced that since its founding, the event has surpassed $600,000 raised for various charities.

New CAO Hurricane Coming

Remember CAO’s Last Stick Standing promotion? Cigar smokers were encouraged to try three blends—”C”, “A” and “O”—and vote on their favorite. The “C” blend (after a few tweaks) turned into the new Concert, which was introduced at the IPCPR Trade Show.

Now Rick Rodriguez and Ed McKenna of CAO (pictured at Little Puff with the Capitol in the background) tell me another blend that originated from Last Stick Standing (this time the “O”) is set to be released. Dubbed the “Hurricane,” the slightly updated version of the “O” blend will come out at the end of Hurricane season in November. A smaller size of the cigar (with a label reading “AP 2012”) was handed out at the CAO-sponsored After Puff event.

–Patrick S

photo credit: @CAOCigars

By now, most of us know that the new Iconic Leaf Cigar Co. was “founded by two very well-known and well respected legends in the cigar industry” who have “chosen to keep their identities private in a pursuit to make the very best premium boutique cigars that can be found anywhere in the world without the influence of their names.”

I’ll resist the temptation to guess the identities of the two individuals behind Iconic Leaf. Rather, I’ll keep this review focused on what we know for sure about the company and its first release, Recluse.

Available in ten box-pressed sizes, Recluse debuted this summer at the 2012 IPCPR Trade Show in Orlando. It boasts a Brazilian maduro wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic—all of which go through eight fermentation cycles. Recluse is made under the direction of Don Jose Rafael in the Leyendas Cubanas factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

“Every Recluse is rolled in the old Cuban tradition of tubing, which is taking each filler leaf and rolling it into a tube instead of folding it,” reads the Iconic Leaf website. “Once all the filler leaves are each individually rolled into a tube shape, they are brought together and surrounded with the binder. This is time-consuming but creates an effortless draw and an unparalleled smoking experience. We then box press each cigar to compress the leaf and reduce air space.”

I smoked two Recluse Toros for this review, both of which were sent to me by Iconic Leaf. The Toro size measures 6.25 inches with a ring gauge of 50. It carries an MSRP of $7.80 and has a strikingly mottled wrapper that’s oily and devoid of thick veins. The cigar is soft to the touch with pre-light notes of milk chocolate and damp earth.

Establishing an even light is very easy. Once it’s burning, I can instantly appreciate the time and effort that was put into the tubing of the filler tobaccos, as the result of this painstaking process is a wonderful draw that yields bountiful tufts of thick smoke. The Toro’s other physical properties are also excellent, including a straight burn and a solid ash.

Construction is important, but flavor and texture are paramount. Fortunately, Recluse does very well in these categories as well. The smoke is cool and airy with a powdery mouthfeel. The taste is well-balanced with notes of cocoa, leather, cinnamon spice, and creamy nut. The flavor doesn’t change much from light to nub.

And nub it I did. While Iconic Leaf may have sent me the two Toros to make this review possible, I will definitely be purchasing more in the near future for my own enjoyment. This is one of the most impressive new cigars of 2012 (at least among those I’ve tried to date), worthy of a rare rating of four and 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 first thing you have to do with this cigar is decide whether to smoke it or load it into the bay of a B-2 bomber. It’s big. Huge. The full inch of a 64/64 ring gauge, made explicit by a tape measure band. Obviously, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo has decided that if consumers want large ring gauge cigars, he’ll oblige, though he’s said that limited tobacco means only about 125,000 sticks will be made this year. Oddity aside, though, how is the Inch? Very good, really. Like most massive sticks, the burn can be a problem. But the rich filler mix and fine Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper produce a smooth, full-bodied, and tasty smoke.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: N/A

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.”

Released by Pete Johnson last year, the 7th Capa Especial (5.9 x 46) boasts a rustic Sumatra wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos. Creamy nut, espresso, black pepper spice, and a bit of cocoa on the finish characterize the profile, which tends toward the full-bodied spectrum. No doubt there’s a lot going on here in terms of complexity and balance, and the physical properties—including a straight burn and a solid gray ash—are predictably excellent. You can’t go wrong with this cigar, which runs about $8-9.

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) Writing and passing a law is one thing, enforcing it is quite another. This concept is illustrated by the outdoor smoking ban that was passed in New York City. Effectively making the Big Apple the most inhospitable major city in the country for cigar enthusiasts, officials in 2011 criminalized smoking in parks, beaches, boardwalks, marinas, and plazas—and promised petty fines for violators. Over a year later, though, “officials expect New Yorkers themselves to enforce the ban by asking smokers to stop, telling a parks worker, or calling a complaint line about those who don’t,” according to the Wall Street Journal. “The state Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has kept signs up at beaches and other areas where it says smoking is prohibited. Spokesman Dan Keefe said Wednesday the office isn’t currently issuing tickets for violations.”

2) Cigar Rights of America sent around a newsletter this week praising the International Women’s Cigar Society (IWCS) for making a financial contribution to advance the cause of cigar freedom. “The IWCS is an amazing collection of dedicated shop owners, professional tobacconists, manufacturers, cigar sales staff, and passionate consumers who are dedicated to advancing this commitment for great cigars with the ladies,” reads the newsletter.

3) Inside the Industry: Viaje’s latest three limited release cigars—5th Anniversary, Honey and Hand Grenades, and Satori 2012—landed in stores this week. Global Premium Cigars, maker of 1502 Cigars manufactured in Estelí, will be distributed by the Emilio Cigars sales team.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up a Toraño Loyal. Cigar Brief smokes the Esteban Carreras Covenant. Stogie Review reviews the My Father Flor de Las Antillas. Cigar Inspector inspects a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur.

5) Deal of the Week: In case you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s a deal created just for Stogie Guys readers. The “Stogie Guys Cigar Sampler”—offered by longtime supporter Corona Cigar—contains seven cigars for $29.95 (plus free shipping on your entire order). It includes limited edition cigars from Avo and Davidoff, plus cigars from by Rocky Patel, J.C. Newman, Casa Fernandez, and two Corona “house” blends. Pick yours up here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Almost everyone has a story about the time (usually in their younger days) when they did too many tequila shots and swore they’d never drink the stuff again. Most seem to return to tequila later, albeit likely in smaller quantities of higher quality tequila.

Most people, if they’ve heard of mezcal at all, think of it as bad tequila. The reputation comes because inexpensive mezcal often includes a worm at the bottom of the bottle, a marketing gimmick designed, one can only imagine, to attract frat boys on spring break in Mexico who prove their toughness by drinking poor quality mezcal. But mezcal need not be harsh, cheap, or gimmicky, and Wahaka Mezcal is proof.

Mezcal, for the uninitiated, is similar to tequila. Actually, technically all tequila is mezcal, but all mescal is not tequila. This is because mezcal can be made with any type of agave while tequila must use the blue agave variety. Also, mezcal is known for it’s smokier flavor, because the agave is roasted while tequila is always steamed.

Wahaka Mezcal Joven Espadin, which I picked up for $45 (though it can be had for around $30), is made using traditional means using 100% organic mezcal grown Oaxacao, the center of mezcal production. “Joven Espadin” distinguishes this variety from the other varieties produced by Wahaka. According to a label included with the bottle, after 10 years in the ground the agave is harvested (this batch was harvested in spring 2011), milled using millstone turned by a donkey, cooked and smoked 3-5 days, fermented 12 days, then distilled twice in copper stills.

The resulting spirit has an inviting nose that’s sweet and floral with a hint of smokiness and pine. The taste is clean, with just a bit of sweetness, light smoke, pepper, salt, and butter. The finish is smooth and fleeting.

Despite the harsh reputation of mezcal, Wahaka is a mild spirit that needs a mild or medium-bodied cigar as a pairing. The medium-bodied CAO Concert (pictured), while an excellent cigar, was as full-bodied a cigar as a I would want. A milder cigar like the Oliva Connecticut or a Davidoff Mille series would be an even better pairing.

While Wahaka isn’t as smoky as most mezcal I’ve tried, it makes an excellent introduction to mezcal while being plenty interesting for the more seasoned drinker. If you’re interested in branching out beyond the worm, it’s well worth trying.

–Patrick S

photo credit: 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