The Stogie Guys

First, let me acknowledge that a steak is not a “spirit” according to any reasonable definition of the word. Still, steak accompanies a cigar in such an excellent way that I feel perfectly comfortable including steak in our Spirits category with scotches, bourbons, and rums.

While I don’t usually smoke a cigar while eating a steak, a well-cooked steak and a glass of wine are pretty much always the prelude to a cigar. Something about the savory nature of a steak and a glass of wine (a good Rhone, Bordeaux, or California cabernet) just begs for a good cigar.

To that end, I’ve been cooking steaks for a while now and I have a few tricks that make my steaks extra tasty (and worthy of an after-dinner cigar). What follows are my personal tips.

Most important is picking the right steak. While filet mignon is a great cut of meat (especially at a steakhouse), when I’m cooking I prefer a ribeye or strip steak, both of which have more fat (and thus more flavor). Steaks are graded on their marbling, and while Prime are the best cuts (and the most expensive), Choice cuts offer excellent quality for the price (the next level down is Select). A good Choice cut at least one inch thick is perfect.

Next, season your steak with salt and pepper. Let it get to room temperature before you cook it (this is important), then liberally apply course salt and pepper just before cooking.

Forgo the grill and instead use a combination of a cast iron skillet on the stovetop and the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees and simultaneously heat up a cast iron skillet, the hotter the better. Brown each side of the steak for a few minutes (until it begins to blacken) in the dry, hot skillet (without butter or oil). Then finish it in the oven until it firms up (only a few minutes is needed if you like your steaks medium-rare like I do).

Pull it out of the oven quickly then let it sit for five minutes. It will continue to cook while you wait. The result is an excellent, tender, flavorful steak that’s blackened on the edges while still rare and juicy in the middle.

Accompanied with a nice glass of fine wine, there is no better prelude to a good cigar. Cooked right, it’s as good as any steak you’ll have at an expensive steakhouse and it’s the perfect introduction to a fine medium- or full-bodied cigar with a scotch or bourbon.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Wouldn’t it be nice to have one large humidor in your home, preferably a walk-in, with all the cigars easily accessible, sorted by name, and labeled with received dates? It would make aging simpler, humidification easier to monitor, and your whole stash more organized.

Sometimes I think those of us who regularly visit the online cigar community, or those of us who write for it, automatically assume every reader has one elaborate cigar storage setup that costs thousands of dollars. I’m sure some do. But I don’t. And chances are you don’t, either. That said, I want to be clear that I’m not complaining. As I’ve written before, I’m fortunate to have a wonderful cigar den that allows ample room for my humidors, as well as nice space for indoor smoking during those cold Chicago winters. While I may not have a walk-in teeming with the world’s rarest and most expensive smokes, I’m certainly happy and thankful for what I have.

All this isn’t to say that my setup doesn’t present some challenges. It does, and I think many of the challenges apply to the average cigar consumer. So I figured I’d outline my top two challenges—and the solutions I’ve concocted to confront them—so the information can help others (or with hopes that you have comments and suggestions about how I might improve my own setup).

First, let me say that at any given time I have anywhere from five to seven humidors. The variance is explained by the fact that, depending on inventory, I sometimes outfit two large Tupperware containers with humidification beads and Spanish cedar to store spillover smokes. In a perfect world I would only have one very large humidor to worry about, not a handful of medium- to small-sized humidors. But because the five traditional wooden humidors all carry sentimental value (i.e., the one I got for my wedding that’s engraved with the wedding date) I can’t bring myself to consolidate. Plus, given the space I have in our condo in Chicago, one very large humidor would be a lot tougher to make space for.

One challenge with this setup is monitoring the humidification levels of each individual humidor. Each humidor seems to hold onto humidity differently, and that can make proper maintenance difficult. My solution? Once every so often (more often in the winter, when the natural air humidity is lower) I examine and rotate the cigars in each humidor. I also check to see if the humidification device in each humidor needs to be “recharged.”

The second challenge—especially with all the rotation—is keeping track of which cigars are stored where. I combat this by keeping brands together (i.e., Tatuaje with Tatuaje, PDR with PDR, etc.) and then noting in a spreadsheet which brands are in which humidor. This isn’t perfect because it requires me to reference a document if I’m looking for something in particular. But I’ve found it helpful. I’m considering doing something similar but, instead of organizing the cigars by brand, organizing them by type (i.e., cigars that need to be reviewed, golf course smokes, special cigars for special occasions, etc.).

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on how to improve my setup. Or, if you have a completely different setup/strategy, please feel free to share in the comments below as well.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Certain cigars just look like they’re going to taste good, and the Pinar del Rio Small Batch Reserve Maduro fits that bill. It features a deep brown, oily wrapper, firm construction, and a triple-cap, all framed by a simple but classic-looking white band. Even before I tasted my first, at least visually, it reminded me of one of my favorites, the Liga Privada No. 9.

Pinar del Rio has been making cigars out of its Don Leoncio factory in Tamboril in the Dominican Republic, but the new Small Batch line is the first (along with the upcoming Flores y Rodriguez) to come out of their new PDR Cigars factory, which is also in the Dominican.

Like the Small Batch Reserve Habano, the Maduro utilizes the entubar bunching technique to combine corojo-seed viso, seco, and ligero tobaccos from Estelí and the Dominican Republic as the filler with a Dominican criollo ’98 binder. Three sizes are available: Gran Toro (6 x 54), Robusto (5 x 52), and Torpedo (6.5 x 52) in both the Habano and the Maduro. The latter has a dark Brazilian ligero leaf with an appetizing sheen.

Once lit, the Small Batch Rserve Maduro shows a nice combination of cocoa, molasses, and a slight woodiness. It’s medium-bodied to start but the flavors build to become fuller by the final third.

The flavors are balanced and savory. It’s a great combination of the best of Nicaragua and the Dominican, with earth, woodiness, dried fruit, and a touch of spice. The solid white ash looks like a thick piece of chalk. Flawless construction and a perfectly straight burn are maintained throughout the hour-plus smoke.

I smoked two PDR Small Batch Maduros (which I received as pre-release samples) and I can only conclude that I will be purchasing more soon, especially at a reasonable price of around $7 each. It’s not hard to see that both of the new Small Batch cigars by Pinar del Rio will be hits, but I think the Pinar del Rio Small Batch Reserve Maduro is even better than the Habano, which is why the Maduro earns 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

Over 20 years ago, Avo Uvezian became an unlikely addition to the world of cigars when the Juilliard-trained pianist founded a cigar company. But, in partnership with Hendrik Kelner, he would quickly make an impact on the industry and ink a distribution deal with Davidoff.

Uvezian recently celebrated his 86th birthday with a new cigar called La Trompeta. The release follows in the tradition he started 11 years ago when he introduced a limited edition smoke to celebrate his 75th birthday. (We have previously published reviews of the 2009, 2010, and 2011 Avo Limited Edition cigars, with the 2011 being my favorite.) La Trompeta is available in just one size, a pyramid that measures 6.5 inches long with a ring gauge of 54. Only 100,000 cigars were released worldwide on March 28. Each carries an MSRP of $15.50.

The most striking feature of La Trompeta is a row of three light circles in the dark Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper that’s intended to resemble a trumpet’s keys. The three circles are not cutouts in the wrapper that simply show the Dominican piloto binder; rather, each is affixed on top of the wrapper leaf. At the foot is a cross-section of Dominican ligero and Peruvian seco tobaccos. This foot has a musty, mushroom-like smell that I’ve come to consider a trademark of Hendrik Kelner cigars. Fans of Davidoff, Paul Garmirian, and Avo will know this aroma well.

I find a tight draw after using a double guillotine cutter to clip the cap of the sharply pointed pyramid. Cutting a little further down and at an angle (to increase the surface area) yields a slightly smoother draw. This makes it easier to establish a thorough light across the foot.

Once lit, a flavor of black pepper spice is instantly recognizable and heavily concentrated on the tip of the tongue. There’s also a meaty, char-like taste and some notes of walnut and dry wood. Aside from the mushroom flavor (which I personally love) the other characteristics of the full-strength, medium-body cigar are quite starchy and not as balanced as I had hoped. Some sweetness or creaminess would have gone a long way towards making La Trompeta more memorable.

I also would have preferred much better construction from such a rare, expensive smoke. The burn line tends to meander. The draw never really opens up. The smoke production is on the low end. And, most concerning, La Trompeta requires several re-lights just to keep burning.

All told, La Trompeta isn’t a bad cigar. But I find it hard to justify the price, or to compare it to the 2011 Avo Limited Edition—as that was one of the finest smokes released last year. Personally, I’d much rather have a regular production Davidoff or PG, knowing full well that the balance and complexity will be there and the construction will be solid. That’s my basis for giving La Trompeta a rating no higher than three 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.”

Named after Pete Johnson’s middle name, Hassell is one of the exclusive blends that came in the initial welcome pack for Saints & Sinners, an online club for Tatuaje fans that includes access to some rare blends. Hassell takes the binder and filler from the 2008 L’Esprit de Vérité (100% Habano criollo tobacco from Pepin’s La Estrella farm in Nicaragua). But instead of the same criollo wrapper, Hassell uses a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper. The result of the change is a cigar that’s very distinct from the 2008 L’Esprit de Vérité. The broadleaf wrapper adds earth and chocolate notes to oak, cedar, and dry spice. It’s a tasty, well-constructed blend worth smoking if you ever have the chance.

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.”

If there’s ever an oily-wrapper contest, enter this cigar. The Nicaraguan corojo Habano wrapper glistens so well that you might be afraid it will slide through your fingers. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the rest of this Kristoff offering nearly as enchanting. The touted spice barely made an appearance, and a wavering burn required numerous touch-ups. While by no means a bad cigar, there wasn’t enough complexity or subtleness for a smoke this long to hold my interest.

Verdict = Hold.

–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) Oklahoma currently outlaws smoking in most indoor workplaces unless there is a separate air ventilation system. Exceptions to this regulation include bars, private clubs, and tobacco shops. But anti-tobacco zealots in the Sooner State are pressing for more restrictions on private business owners and consenting adults, pressing for a law that would enable cities within the state to pass stricter smoking laws than those already imposed by the state. A bill that would have accomplished just that passed the House but has since been killed by Senator Brian Crain, who chairs the Health and Human Services Committee. He told an Oklahoma news outlet that he’s “concerned we’re slowly taking away the rights of smokers.”

2) The spring launch of Lit Lifestyle for Women, which bills itself as “the first independent magazine whose editorial is proudly focused on the interests of the New Aficionada,” can be seen at Joomag. Features range from a spread on cigar smoking in London, a Q&A with athlete Milani Malik, and an article on the influences and style of Cuban culture.

3) The latest winner at StogieGuys.com is Scott M. from Rancho Santa Margarita, south of Los Angeles. Scott, 48, has been smoking cigars for about three years. He does most of his herfing on his backyard patio, enjoying that great Southern California weather and such favorites as the CAO La Traviata and My Father Le Bijou 1922. Scott’s email was chosen at random from among the entrants in our recent contest encouraging purchases at B&Ms. He’ll receive a five-pack of Di Fazio Picoso Torpedos. Stay tuned for our next giveaway.

4) Inside the Industry: Rocky Patel has announced the “re-release” of the Decade Limited Edition 2012. Camacho is now packaging its Corojo and Connecticut lines in handsome four-pack boxes. The Señor Solomon Cigar Company recently announced an industry first, a certified Kosher cigar, made by Kiki Berger.

5) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Fugitive. Cigar Explorer explores the Tatuaje Mini Mum. Cigar Brief smokes the Avo LE 2012 La Trompeta. Cigar Obsession looks at the Alec Bradley American Classic. Cigar Inspector inspects a La Aurora Sublimes.

6) Deal of the Week: This “King of the Jungle” sampler scores you 10 robustos for just $2.50 a stick. You get five La Aurora 107s and five Red Lions by Heavenly Cigars.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr