The Stogie Guys

When José Blanco announced he was rejoining the cigar industry in August 2011 after “retiring” from La Aurora only a few months earlier, it wasn’t much of a surprise. A return to tobacco seemed inevitable for those who knew Blanco. What was somewhat surprising was that he decided to join Joya de Nicaragua, where he was named senior vice president.

Joya de Nicaragua is an old-school brand run by Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca, who purchased its remnants in 1994 after its nationalization during the Sandinista Revolution, which ended a few years before the purchase. Up until the introduction of the Cuenca y Blaco cigar, the company had made almost exclusively Nicaraguan puros. (Previously, only the Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta Serie had used non-Nicaraguan tobacco, and then only for wrapper.)

The new line, formally introduced a month ago, is the first cigar to fully depart from the all-Nicaraguan formula and it does so in a major way, with tobacco from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Peru. The filler comes from Estelí and Ometepe in Nicaragua, along with with Peruvian tobacco, and is surrounded by a Dominican Piloto Cubano binder and an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper.

The cigar comes in five sizes, the longest and skinniest being the Lonsdale Club at 6.5 inches with a 44 ring gauge. I’ve smoked three different sizes and find this to be my favorite (at least so far). I picked up a five-pack of these from Emersons Cigars, where they sell for just under $9 each.

The cigar features a classic-looking red, blue, and gold band that mentions nowhere on it that the cigar comes from the Joya de Nicaragua factory. The wrapper is medium brown with only a few very small veins, making for an attractive stick.

The Cuenca y Blanco harnesses the rawness and strength that defines Joya de Nicaragua, but adds a complexity and finesse that is unlike their previous blends. It’s a medium- to full-bodied smoke that features a laundry list of flavors: floral notes, cedar, honey, leather, oak, and spice.

It’s a departure from other Joya de Nicaragua cigars, but it doesn’t forget its roots, and at its core it still has a bit of the twang that you might find in their Antaño or Celebration blends. With excellent construction, complexity, and tons of flavor, it’s a standout from the new cigars I’ve smoked thus far at the show. That earns the Cuenca y Blanco Lonsdale Club a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–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.”

This spring, a fifth size was added to the Crowned Heads line: a lonsdale (6.5 x 44) simply called Selección No. 5. Made at Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. in the Dominican Republic, it utilizes a reddish-brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler. Like other Four Kicks I’ve smoked, construction was flawless. The cigar starts out with spice and wood, but near the halfway point transitions into a rich combination of molasses and leather. This might be my favorite size in the Four Kicks series as the smaller ring gauge really lets the complexity of the blend shine through.

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.”

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

If I might borrow a phrase from June Cleaver, I’m worried about the bill. H.R. 1639, that is.

I’m concerned because I think many cigar smokers believe there’s nothing left to do on this legislation to bar the Food & Drug Administration from regulating premium cigars. I’ve heard more than once that it’s achieved a majority in Congress, the implication being that we’ve won the fight.

Sorry, that’s not true. The bill hasn’t achieved a majority of support in either the House or the Senate, according to Thomas.gov, the Library of Congress site that tracks bills.

In the House, there are 217 voting members who’ve signed on, including the original sponsor, Florida’s Bill Posey. I know you keep seeing and hearing that it’s achieved the threshold of half of the 435 members but, as I’ve pointed out before, the key is voting members. The cosponsor list includes among supporters the representative from Guam, who has no vote, and former Oregon Rep. David Wu, who resigned in 2011. No one’s signed on since Aug. 2.

In the Senate, where the legislation is known as S. 1461, there are but 12 cosponsors to the bill, introduced by Bill Nelson of Florida. That’s a long, long way from 51.

Adding to the pressure is the fact that Congress has only a few weeks of work left in this session. This doesn’t bode well for the chances of such specific legislation as the cigar bill winning approval, even with adequate support. Couple that with the fact that many of the names you see on the lists of supporters in both chambers won’t be back in 2013, and the fight doesn’t appear so certain.

And that last point leads to another consideration. I know some feel that the legislation doesn’t have to pass, that simply the recognition of ample Congressional support will be adequate to force the FDA to back down. I’m not one of them. There might be a tactical retreat, but they’re smart enough to bide their time and strike later.

So, once again, I’m urging all of you to see whether your senator or representative has signed on. And, if not, let them know you want their support. This is a golden opportunity and we can’t afford to settle for silver.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you ever wanted to smoke a cigar that projects the “I’m a total badass” image, you could do worse than to choose the Surrogates Skull Breaker.

This intimidating stick, which is made for Ohio-based online retailer New Havana Cigars (NHC), has a menacing name, the look of a rustic rifle shell, and a dark, frightening band that could be flown from the mast of a pirate ship. But the price—$7.50 for the Belicoso (5.25 x 52)—is intended to be more approachable.

Like the Bone Crusher, the Skull Breaker is called “Surrogates” because it’s supposed to be a premium cigar that’s “consumer price conscious,” one that could be a replacement for an expensive, limited release. “Created to bring the excitement of a limited edition stick at a consumer-conscious price point and be readily available,” reads the NHC website, “these vitolas answer the question of whether to save it or smoke it with a blaring ‘Smoke it! Every day!’”

That’s a tall order. The folks behind Surrogates, though, are some of the best in the business. The line is blended by Pete Johnson of Tatuaje and crafted by the Garcias at their My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Other than that, not much is revealed in terms of details, except that the cigar’s wrapper and filler are Nicaraguan.

Aside from its double bands and dark, mottled leaf, the first thing I notice about the Skull Breaker its rough, somewhat sticky cap. I also find a nice pre-light aroma of cocoa powder. Once clipped, the cigar displays a good draw with only the slightest resistance.

While toasting the foot, the sweetness of the pre-light aroma turns into a powerful earthy smell that reminds me of campfire. Fortunately, though, the actual taste of the cigar is more complicated, and it captures some of the anticipated sweetness. Chocolate is apparent when smoked slowly. But if you puff too quickly, the full-bodied base flavors of leather, espresso, and black pepper will drown out any cream or sugar, rendering this smoke too bold and too monotonous.

As Skull Breaker winds down, I can’t help but notice some occasional profile similarities to Drew Estate’s outstanding Liga Privada No. 9 blend—particularly in the Flying Pig format. I’ve smoked a fair number of Flying Pigs this year, and each has a unique flavor, distinctive resting smoke, and chalky texture that I love. While it’s no replacement, the Skull Breaker does remind me of the Flying Pig at times, albeit with less complexity.

You don’t have to take my word for it, though. Go ahead and pick up a single or a five-pack from NHC and try out the Skull Breaker for yourself (or wait a bit until Pete Johnson’s new L’Atelier Imports brings Surrogates national, which is expected shortly, and you my find this cigar in a shop near you). With excellent construction, an interesting taste, and a bold yet controllable body, this cigar earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Wandering around a local shop the other day, I spotted an old friend in new dress. The Don Pepin Garcia, known universally as the Blue Label from the band’s predominant color, was sporting a foot wrap and a secondary band reading “Original.” (The old style band is pictured right.)

Enticed, I realized it had been years since I smoked one of these and recalled reading about the company instituting cosmetic changes to make the presentations more cohesive. I picked up the Delicias, a 50-ring gauge Churchill.

This Nicaraguan puro was the first Don Pepin made under his own name. Bursting with flavor and strength, they rolled out of his little factory in Miami’s Calle Ocho and helped propel him to cigar stardom.

Had it changed? I spoke with José Ortega, vice president of sales at My Father Cigars at the company’s headquarters in Doral, Florida, where the cigars are now made, to find out. Ortega confirmed that changes were made to the look of the Blue Label, the Cuban Classic, and the Series JJ lines to create a more unified look.

“The appearance just makes a world of difference,” Ortega said, adding that the blends weren’t altered. Several Blue Label sizes were discontinued, he said, bringing the total now to nine. The Delicias retails for about $7.50 a stick, less by the box of 24.

And how was the smoke? Well, I can answer with a question you’ll likely ask yourself: Why haven’t I been smoking more of these? The cigar has great construction, draw, and burn, working slowly down the 7-inch frame as it produces a wildfire volume of smoke.

That time allows the Blue Label to develop and change several times. Beginning with pepper, it shifts to deep wood and rich leather and even hints of cinnamon and cocoa as it moves along.

Years ago, Patrick S gave another vitola in this line four and a half stogies out of five, and I wouldn’t dream of arguing.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys