The Stogie Guys

Last night I lit up my first cigar in seven days, and I would wager it was at least twice as enjoyable as it would have been had it been my fourth or fifth cigar of the week.

To get back in the swing of things, I fired up a nice 1495 B.M.E. Dominicana on a stormy night here in Chicago. It was everything I was hoping for and more. Cedar, spice, graham cracker, cream…all with a smooth delivery and near perfect construction. I savored every puff of that La Aurora and enjoyed the heck out of it—probably in no small part due to the fact that I had been on a cigar hiatus.

The hiatus was not self-imposed. Last Monday I woke up with a head cold and battled it all week. In typical fashion, it started with a scratchy throat that turned into a sore throat, then my nose got all stuffed up, and then I just started to feel achy and tired. I’ve read that the average adult experiences two to four colds per year, so I guess I was due.

As I’ve written before, I try not to smoke cigars while I have a cold. Not, mind you, because I think cigars may prolong the cold (although doctors say smokers tend to have longer colds—but then again, doctors say a lot of things). No, I choose to abstain from cigars while sick because, quite simply, I can’t really taste cigars when I’ve got clogged sinuses. My nose is the best instrument I have for tasting cigars, which is why I smoke through the nose when I’m trying to get a complete sense of its profile.

Of course, the timing of the cold wasn’t very good (is it ever?). The same day I started to feel sick was the day my smoke kit from the 2012 Saints & Sinners club arrived in the mail. Last year was the debut of the Tatuaje club, which entitles members to exclusive smokes and members-only forums. This year, the kit included 15 handsome cigars from Pete Johnson, including nice extras like a hat, poker chips, and a lighter. Anyways, the point is it didn’t feel good to have beginnings of a cold right as a nice package of Tatuajes arrives—even if it probably makes sense to let the cigars rest after shipment.

Now that I’m back in the game, though, I’m kind of glad I refrained from cigar smoking for a little while. The brief vacation from cigars reminded me just how lucky I am to have cigars in my life. And that first one I lit up was an absolute treat. So if you’re ailing from a head cold—or if you’re a three-cigar-a-day smoker who’s in a rut—you might try giving cigars a rest for a bit. When you come back, it will be all the sweeter.

–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 is the latest Pete Johnson release in a line that goes back to 2003, and it lives up to both the name and the Tatuaje reputation. It is a full-powered, full-flavored smoke that is smooth and exciting on the palate. The 2012 edition comes with a twist: It is available in three wrappers, with the Ecuadorian Habano shipping only recently. I have yet to try the Ecuadorian Sumatra or the Connecticut broadleaf versions, but I cannot imagine they’re better. I also cannot imagine anyone smoking this strong cigar on a regular basis, unless Iron Man has become a BOTL. But as an occasional treat, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable cigar for $13.

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.”

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, the man behind E.P. Carrillo Cigars, and before that La Gloria Cubana and El Rico Habano, handed me this cigar when I chatted with him at the IPCPR Trade Show a few weeks back. He said although he wasn’t selling it at the convention, this cigar would be out in September or October. It wasn’t clear the name had been finalized, but he referred to it as the “Red Box” blend (to distinguish it from the black “Core” and white “New Wave Connecticut” blends). I didn’t measure it before I lit this cigar up, but it’s roughly a big robusto size. The taste is notably salty and savory. It is full-bodied with earth, leather, black pepper, and lots going on. While not the most balanced smoke, it offers a full combination of unique flavors and, if the price is similar to its colleagues that come in the black and white boxes, it’ll be well worth picking up.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

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) Despite global economic turmoil and a reduction in cigarette consumption, cigar smoking increased significantly in the last decade, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control. Between 2000 and 2011, “large cigar” consumption rose 233% (and pipe smoking increased 482%), compared to a 27.5% reduction among all tobacco products over the same time period. This rise in cigar smoking came against major headwinds like drastic increases in federal tobacco taxes (remember SCHIP?) and the further spread of smoking bans. Expect anti-tobacco zealots to use this report as justification for even higher taxes and dangerous regulatory measures from the FDA.

2) Woodford Reserve is celebrating 200 years of bourbon distilling with a series of events at its distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. Included are tours, picnics, an “1812 Bourbon Feast” with dishes from surrounding farms, and a special 200th anniversary bottle. Click here to check out the events.

3) Cigar Giveaway Result: We have a winner in our latest Stogie Guys contest. We selected Chris from Illinois at random from about 100 entrants, all of which we appreciate. Chris is a fan of Nicaraguan cigars whose favorite brands are Tatuaje and Liga Privada. He says he’s been smoking cigars for six years and is a newcomer to StogieGuys.com. He’ll receive the special three-pack of cigars from Don Pepin Garcia in a signed box. Again, congrats Chris.

4) Upcoming Cigar Gievaway: Macanudo is holding the Ultimate Round Contest to give one winner and three friends a trip to the 2013 Masters, including round-trip airfare and spending money (and we bet plenty of cigars). In that spirit, they’ve given us a golf-themed prize (a Callaway golf towel, club head cover, and a box of Macanudos) to giveaway to a reader. To be eligible to win, you need to be subscribed to our free email newsletter. We’ll announce the winner in an upcoming newsletter. (Fine print here.)

5) Deal of the Week: Lovers of large ring gauge cigars (and even those who normally prefer smaller ring gauges) may want to try the new Inch by E.P. Carrillo. Emerson’s is one of the first to have them in stock, and if you’re not sure if you’re ready for a whole box, check out the four-cigar sampler that includes both the Maduro and Sumatra blends.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

When I first ran across this line a few months back, I was impressed by a single Presto. Now, I’ve been able to smoke quite a few of the Mezzo (6 x 54). If anything, I like it even more.

My shorthand description is that smoking this cigar is akin to lighting up a spice rack. Not the hot, peppery spices that burn, but the exotic tastes that light briefly on your tongue. By no means, though, is that all this limited-run cigar offers. Devote care and attention to it and you will find yourself rewarded with all sorts of flavors, from light, sugary caramel to thick wood and many others.

It’s a fairly fat stick, not a ring gauge I’d usually select. But the additional size adds to the complexity and variety of the cigar, making for an even more satisfying experience. I paid around $8 for an individual purchase.

For me, it’s hard to believe this is an all-Dominican cigar, though many blenders such as Litto Gomez and the Fuentes have shown it’s a mistake to pigeonhole Dominican tobacco. Still, the Aging Room’s punch and pop do make me stop and think. Strength is in the middle range, with virtually no nicotine bite in the well-aged tobacco.  There’s lots of thick, rich smoke, and the draw is excellent.

I have experienced burn problems with a couple I’ve smoked. They weren’t major, mostly just an occasional wrapper going a tad off kilter.

I would recommend this cigar to almost any smoker, from newcomer to veteran. There are some, though, who I think should definitely give it a try. If you’re attempting to expand your palate and see if you can find more flavors, a trip to the Aging Room should be just the sort of graduate school assignment you’re looking for. Or if you’re someone who has gone over the deep end for strong cigars, take a break and try an Aging Room M356. See if you aren’t pleased at what you find.

Speaking of finding, that isn’t always easy with this line. Designated “small batch,” Oliveros (which has recently be renamed Boutique Blends Cigars) says production is limited by the tobacco available, and when it’s all used, it’s over. At the IPCPR Trade Show they told me that while they are introducing two new sizes of this blend, the tobacco stock to make these is dwindling. There are two new Aging Room blends coming and we can only hope they are as tasty.

An excellent cigar, the Aging Room M356 Mezzo is close to the storied five-stogie mark, though burn problems knocked it down just a shade to four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When it comes to choosing a sipping rum, I almost always prefer a gold rum, which obtains its color from barrel aging. Some of my favorite gold rums include Plantation, Ron Zacapa, El Dorado, and Zaya. These exemplary spirits always seem to strike the right chord when prepared neat or on the rocks as a cigar companion.

These days I rarely reach for spiced rums, which usually have gold rums as bases but add in extra spices for flavor. Perhaps because of the most prevalent rum in the category, Captain Morgan, I don’t think of spiced rums as sipping rums. Instead, I think of them as components of cocktails, like rum punch or Cuba libre.

The folks over at The Lash are aiming to change that. Dubbed “the reinvention of spiced rum” (a tagline I can’t help but compare to Drew Estate’s “the rebirth of cigars”), The Lash is comprised of a 70-proof, 4-year-old rum from Trinidad and Tobago that’s aged in oak and finished in The Netherlands by adding a proprietary mix of spices. Unlike most other spiced rums, so I’m told, The Lash doesn’t add artificial colors or liquid flavorings to the recipe. A bottle sells in the affordable $25-30 range.

After popping the synthetic cork and pouring the dark, viscous rum into a glass, the thickness of the spirit is immediately apparent, as is a nose of vanilla, burnt sugar, mulled spice, and nutmeg. Since the spices aren’t distilled (they’re mixed into the rum with hot water), you may see some sediment in the bottom of the bottle or in the glass, but I hardly noticed this.

Once sipped, the taste is intense, syrupy, and characterized by cinnamon, vanilla, oak, and licorice. At the risk of having my palate called into question, the finish reminds me a little of Jägermeister, which isn’t a spirit I’m particularly fond of. That said, this is a dark, spicy rum with a ton going on in the flavor department. I can see this being a hit with people who are looking for a rum with a forceful mixture of spices.

Despite the intentions of The Lash’s creators, for me this rum is better suited to cocktails than sipping neat or on the rocks. I found it to produce a unique taste with Diet Coke and a little lime—one that’s predictably more spice-forward than, say, Captain Morgan. I can also see it making an interesting cable car, or maybe even using it as a replacement for bourbon in a Stonewall Jackson during the winter months.

–Patrick A

photo credit: The Lash

The 80th annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show may have ended earlier this month, but there’s a lot of info I collected there that didn’t make it into our three days of live coverage (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3). Because there is so much more than I had time to report on from Orlando, today is part two (see part one here) in series of updates from the convention:

A.J. Fernandez Cigars

Last year A.J. Fernandez, known as a protégé of the late and highly revered Alejandro Robaina, released Oval. He expanded the line with a Maduro offering this spring. But the newest cigar, introduced at the Trade Show, is Pinolero. It features a light sun-grown wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler. It should be shipping any day now. Also of note from A.J. Fernandez was the news that his new factory in Estelí should be opening in November. The new facility will double capacity to 18 million cigars a year.

Boutique Blends Cigars

Boutique Blends Cigars is the new name for the company known as Oliveros Cigars. Following up on some high ratings in 2011, this seems to be a company on the rise. While they don’t do much to advertise it, the SWAG Puro Dominicana cigar is made entirely with tobacco from La Canela, which is better known as the source of some of the best tobacco used by Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana. A new SWAG SoBe (South Beach) cigar was also introduced using 100% Dominican tobacco. Two new sizes were introduced in the original Aging Room line, a parejo (6 x 46) and a perfecto. Also new is the Aging Room Havao line, made with a Connecticut wrapper, and the Aging Room Quattro, a box-pressed cigar featuring a rarely used Indonesian wrapper. Particularly interesting is the Boutique Blends/Oliveros’ shift from a company that a decade ago primarily made flavored cigars to a company that now makes overwhelmingly traditional, non-flavored smokes.

Lou Rodriguez Cigars

Lou Rodriguez, the only doctor I know who makes cigars, says he’s focused on growing his brand but not adding new lines at every Trade Show. That means no new releases this year. The brand is growing, however, and was in roughly 100 stores across the country before the convention started. Still, the Lou Rodriguez Edición Premiere is a must-try for those who like earthy, full-bodied Nicaraguans.

Miami Cigar & Co.

Always busy with plenty of new releases, 2012 was no exception for Miami Cigars, which also distributes for its partner La Aurora, the oldest Dominican cigar company. Fernando León is a new cigar by La Aurora that was the personal cigar of family patriarch Fernando León. The 100% Dominican Cien Años returns 10 years after it originally debuted. Merlion, made by La Aurora for Miami’s La Sirena line (Ecuadorian corojo wrapper over a Brazilian binder with filler from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil) also debuted. On the Miami Cigar side, the Nestor Miranda Collection now features a third wrapper style, with a milder Connecticut blend being added to the Rosado and Oscuro. Another new cigar is the Añoranzas (pictured above) which has a Nicaraguan Habano oscuro wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and fillers. (To keep track of all their new releases, including some we didn’t mention, you should check out the Miami Cigars blog here and here.)

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys