The Stogie Guys

And so it begins: the flurry of reviews from mainstream publications and the online cigar community on smokes that were released at the recently concluded IPCPR Trade Show.

Here at StogieGuys.com, we’ve already reviewed some of the new 2012 releases that either officially hit the market before the convention, or that we were mailed pre-release samples of. But now the floodgates are wide open. So today I bring you my review of the Toro size (6 x 52) of the Montecristo Epic Vintage 2007 from Altadis USA.

In full disclosure, Altadis sent me a three-pack of Toros, nicely presented in a yellow wooden box with the following written on the lid’s underside: “The task of creating Montecristo Epic was assigned to a special team of our most skilled and accomplished cigar makers—Grupo de Maestros—artisans with centuries of combined experience. Every step of the process, from hand selecting the ultra-premium tobaccos to each cigar’s flawless construction is performed with meticulous attention to detail and obsessive devotion.”

The blend—comprised of an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic—is being marketed as “a masterpiece of complexity and full-bodied smoking pleasure.” Three standard vitolas are offered in the $13-15 range: Churchill, Robusto, and Toro.

The Toro is an oily, handsome smoke with a classic Montecristo band on top and a second band below that designates it as “Epic” and “Premium Selection ’07” (which means all of the tobacco in the cigar was harvested in 2007). The veins are few and thin, yet pronounced, and the cigar is heavy in the hand with a firm packing of tobaccos. I notice a peculiar pre-light aroma that reminds me of dried apricot.

Once underway, the profile is cool, creamy, and mellow with a dry, cedary aftertaste. There’s some bitterness present. Coffee, nutmeg, and raisin come to mind. At the midway point, not a ton changes, except for the introduction of tart notes. Construction is excellent throughout, including a solid ash, clear draw, and a perfectly straight burn that requires no touch-ups.

With a name like “Epic,” a price tag north of $13, and a number of favorable reviews already, I was expecting a lot from the Montecristo Epic Vintage 2007 Toro. It delivers in terms of balance, complexity, and performance. Seasoned cigar veterans who might stray away from Altadis brands will be impressed by this, just like another impressive Altadis release that came out earlier in the year: the VegaFina Sumum Edición Especial 2010. For these reasons I award the Epic Vintage 2007 Toro 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

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 new cigar is the second under Gurkha’s East India Trading Company—a fascinating historical name that has been in use for centuries, but Gurkha was somehow able to register as a trademark. Like so many new cigars from the show, it features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The binder is Dominican while the filler is from Nicaragua. The size (6 x 60) is large, but not as uncomfortable as many similarly sized cigars due to the box press. Medium-bodied, well-balanced with plenty of that distinct Ecuadorian Habano flavor, it’s a cigar I would smoke again, especially since it costs about $6.

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.”

Produced at the Pinar del Rio factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic, the Flores y Rodriguez line is the first PDR to bear a different name (it’s instead named for partners Abe Flores and Juan Rodriguez). The Habano Magicos (5 x 52), which also comes in a Maduro variety, starts with a blast of dry spice and pepper along with some sour notes. Meatiness, leather, and a bit of sweetness characterize the profile. Construction is outstanding. This may not be my favorite Pinar del Rio creation, but you can’t argue with the price: about $5 as a single, or as little as $4 when bought by the box of 24.

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) ABC News published an article yesterday about the potential for FDA regulation of premium cigars, which features input from Arthur Zaretsky, who operates the online retailer Famous Smoke Shop. It’s worth a read. We’ve written extensively about the dangers of FDA regulation—including how ingredient disclosure, testing, and marketing restrictions would stifle the development of new cigar blends, eliminate events where cigar makers pass out free samples to cigar shop patrons, and make limited edition cigars a thing of the past. This article brings two other terrible consequences to mind, and both hit close to home for all cigar enthusiasts. The first would be the criminalization of buying or selling cigars online. The second would prevent consumers from strolling into walk-in humidors to select their purchases; instead, if the FDA has its way, humidors would be off-limits to patrons, and cigars would instead be selected from a list.

2) A majority of the U.S. House is now co-sponsoring H.R. 1639—the bill to exempt premium cigars from FDA regulation. StogieGuys.com joins all cigar smokers in thanking the CRA and IPCPR for their efforts to reach this milestone. But there’s still a long way to go. S. 1461—the companion bill in the U.S. Senate—currently has 12 co-sponsors. Both bills are referred to committee, meaning they would still have to be passed by Congress and signed by the president before becoming law. Be sure to contact your senators and representative if they have not already pledged their support for these legislative efforts to protect cigars.

3) Contest Reminder: There’s still time to enter our contest to win a three-pack of El Centurion Robustos signed by none other than Don Pepin Garcia. Click here to make yourself eligible to win this fantastic prize, and good luck!

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up a Vallejuelo. Cigar Brief reviews the Perdomo 20th Anniversary Sun Grown. Cigar Inspector inspects the One Shot One Kill. Tiki Bar kicks back with an Epicurean Gonzo. Cigar Explorer explores the Illusione Singulare 2012. Stogie Review tours the IPCPR after-parties (see if you can spot the Stogie Guy).

5) Deal of the Week: Just introduced a week ago, Cuenca y Blanco by Joya de Nicaragua is quickly becoming a highlight from the show. Corona Cigar is offering free shipping on the new cigar, and any box purchase lands you a free ashtray and hat.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: FDA

I had planned on providing more coverage of the new releases unleashed at the IPCPR Trade Show today, but decided after pre-IPCPR coverage, live updates from the show, and post-show coverage that yet more coverage will have to wait for next week. Instead, I decided to sit down with some bourbon and, of course, a few cigars.

My bourbon of choice on this warm summer evening is the Willett Pot Still Reserve. The unique pot still-shaped bottle reminds you that it’s made with a pot still, although the first step in the distillation uses the more common column still.

The 94-proof bourbon is bottled from a single barrel (mine is bottle 100 of 263 from barrel 8,564). I purchased it for about $40. Willett is an old name in bourbon making, harkening back to just after prohibition, but the Willett distillery was converted to ethanol and gasoline production during World War II, after which it closed. Today Willett, introduced in 2008, is made by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky, which makes other bourbons like Corner Creek and Michter’s.

The light, amber-colored whiskey has a crisp nose with apple, oak, and some lingering pepper. It’s woody on the tongue. With 6-7 years of barrel aging, the bourbon shows off a combination of apple, cherry, oak, buttered corn, and toast flavors. It’s not a hefty bourbon, but it isn’t overly light either. Try it neat or with a splash of water.

While I don’t see this replacing any of my staple bourbons (Booker’s, Knob Creek Single Barrel, Hooker’s House, Blanton’s) it’s still very pleasant. I paired it up with the new Cuenca y Blanco cigar (introduced this past week by Joya de Nicaragua) and very much enjoyed the result. Bourbon enthusiasts should consider doing the same.

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys

Here’s a deal: Help us get more readers, and we’ll give you a chance to win a terrific prize.

First, the prize. It’s a pack of three robustos specially made to be handed out at Don Pepin Garcia events. The blend, I’m told, is that of the old El Centurion that is no longer produced. I can’t tell you what they taste like because, when I got this pack a few months ago, I thought immediately that it would be a great Stogie Guys prize, so it remains unopened.

And if that wasn’t enough, the box is signed by none other than cigar legend Don Pepin Garcia himself.

Now, what does it take to win this little package?

All you have to do is urge your fellow cigar smokers to take a look at StogieGuys.com. You can do it in person, send an email, post on your favorite forums, etc… Whatever method you choose is OK with us. And feel free to do it more than once.

Then, after you’re done, post a comment on this post telling us what you did. That’s it. We trust you. You should enter only once. Check all the rules and fine print here.

We’ll leave it open for two weeks and then choose a winner at random from among all the entrants. Just be sure to leave your real email address (unpublished) when you submit your comment so we can contact you for your mailing address if you win.

Good luck, and remember: You’re on the honor system!

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The 80th annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show may have ended yesterday (and I departed Orlando on Sunday morning), 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 one in series of updates filling in more details learned at the IPCPR Trade Show:

La Palina

Bill Paley’s La Palina brand has been growing. Not only is the line in over 250 shops (as of day one of the show), but the brand’s offerings are also expanding. La Palina debuted two new lines at the show: Maduro, made at Raices Cubanas and featuring a similar blend to the El Diario line but with a Mexican San Andreas wrapper; and La Palina Classic, made at Abe Flores’ factory in the Dominican Republic using a Brazilian Habano wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. Particularly intriguing is the new KBII (“Kill Bill II”) a longer (6 x 40) version of the “KB” which is available in boxes of 30 (pictured above). The original “KB” is also now available in boxes of 30, in addition to the four-pack that it originally came in. Paley tells me his next cigar, which he’s already working on, will be his first made in Nicaragua.

Nat Sherman

Nat Sherman is a classic name in the tobacco industry that sometimes gets overlooked when it comes to premium cigars. Mike Herklots, formerly of Davidoff NYC, is aiming to change that with the Timeless Series. The original Timeless is made at the MATASA factory in the Dominican, and two new sizes debuted at the Trade Show (a petit lancero with a pigtail cap, and a short perfecto) which brings the line up to six sizes. A new Nicaraguan Timeless debuted at the show. It is made at Nestor Plasencia’s factory and will come in three sizes to start. I smoked one on the floor, and found a heavy, earthy cigar with plenty of spice that should be a hit with Nicaraguan cigar fans. Herklots also emphasized that their core lines are all price-protected now (limiting the amount that they can be discounted), an effort to make the cigars more friendly to brick and mortar retailers who might be reluctant to carry a cigar that can be heavily discounted online. Also of note, Nat Sherman was raffling off a box of four pre-embargo Bolivar cigars (pictured above) with the proceeds going towards the IPCPR’s legislative efforts.

Tiant Cigar Group

Legendary Cuban Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant didn’t have any new cigars to debut at this year’s show. The brand is now up to 150 shops nationwide, and while New England is still the highest concentration, they tell me they are seeing growth in Florida and elsewhere. Originally, they planned on introducing two new cigars at the show, but I’m told they were still being finalized and they are now shooting for a September or October release. The new blends, like the originals, will be made at Don Pepin Garcia’s My Father Cigars factory. They will expand the company portfolio with one being the strongest cigar yet and the other being milder than either of the two original lines.

Room 101

As I mentioned in my preview of the new cigars I had tried before the show even opened, Room 101 is about to start shipping Daruma. Not too much to add to my previous report on the cigar (which features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Brazilian binder, and Dominican and Honduran filler) except that Room 101 head honcho Matt Booth was raving about the Lancero size (7 x 38), his favorite of the line.

Check back in the next few days for more information from the show. In the meantime, let us know what you think of these new releases.

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys