The Stogie Guys

Only a couple years ago, Mexican tobacco was quite the rage. It seemed you couldn’t pick up a cigar magazine or check out a new brand without wading through the hype. Features about the Turrents, Mexico’s leading cigar family, and San Andreas morrón wrapper were as common as Black & Mild displays at a 7-Eleven.

Mexican tobacco, the declaration went, was breaking out, no longer consigned to the New York cabbie smoke, Te-Amo. Well, maybe not. I wouldn’t rank the effort with the failed public relations campaigns behind, say, New Coke or Ford’s Edsel. But I also would call it far from successful.

I couldn’t help but recall all this the other day when I was flipping through a reprint of Cigar Journal’s Finest 25 Cigars of 2011. The intro mentioned how impressed the tasting panel was with the number of countries where the cigars’ tobacco originated, including Mexico.

Looking through the list, though, I couldn’t find any that included Mexican tobacco, though there were two with “secret” filler components. So, maybe the Journal knows those are Mexican or, since it was a reprint, the lead-in referred to other cigars in the full issue.

Next, I went through Cigar Aficionado’s top cigars list for 2011 and quickly found one: La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso with that San Andreas wrapper in the second slot. But that was it. Nothing Mexican was listed in the other 24.

When I went back to CA’s list the year before, there were four in the top 25 with Mexican wrappers, including another size of the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor.

What does all this prove? I’m not sure. I’d posit that it’s another indication that cigar smokers are discerning, generally make up their own minds, and aren’t particularly swayed by advertising or promotion.

I also think my opinion of Mexican tobacco is probably similar to that of many smokers. I routinely find it to have what I can best describe as an unpleasant dry, dirt taste that more often spoils, rather than enhances, a blend. And while I wouldn’t automatically reject a cigar because it had Mexican tobacco, it likely would drop in consideration.

Sometimes I’m surprised to discover that a cigar I enjoyed contains Mexican tobacco; more often, I find it’s in a stick I didn’t particularly like.

What do you think?

–George E

photo credit: Ben Miller

VegaFina is a brand made by tobacco giant Altadis that usually takes a backseat to the more prominent names in the Altadis portfolio, including Montecristo, H. Upmann, and Romeo y Julieta. The Sumum Edición Especial 2010 aims to change that.

Released last month in the U.S.—it is already among the most popular Dominican cigars in Europe—Sumum is a 2010 vintage that’s made at Tabacalera de Garcia. It is crafted “with the best premium tobaccos, hand-selected for their unique characteristics and aged with care, for a one-of-a-kind smoke with distinct body, toasty aroma, and rich flavors,” according to the Altadis website.

The Sumum (Latin for “summit”) recipe calls for a dark, two-year-old Ecuadorian wrapper, a three-year-old Dominican binder, and a three-year-old filler blend of Nicaraguan, Peruvian, and Dominican tobaccos. It is sold in only one size (5 x 54) for $6.75.

The Sumum Edición Especial 2010 is an incredibly attractive cigar with an oily wrapper, a finely constructed triple cap, and a firm feel from head to foot. The pre-light aroma smells of syrup and musty earth. After cutting, I find a moderate draw that imparts some sweetness on the lips. A profile of coffee, citrus, cream, and roasted nuts emerges after establishing an even light. There’s also a fair amount of raisin present, an all-too-rare flavor that’s usually reserved for the likes of Fuentes and Padróns. The texture of the smoke is thick and silky and the aftertaste has a dry, woodsy spice.

Into the midway point and beyond, the aforementioned core flavors are complemented by notes of French vanilla and caramel. There’s plenty of complexity in the mix—enough, in my opinion, to merit a higher price, which makes the Sumum Edición Especial 2010 an excellent buy. All the while the physical properties are good, including a solid white ash and a mostly straight burn.

Altadis is a large company, and that tends to make its sticks less favorable among seasoned cigar veterans in contrast to many of the smaller, more fashionable boutique outfits. Perhaps justifiably so. But I’ll go out on a limb and say the Sumum Edición Especial 2010 is one of the finest smokes I’ve had from Altadis in a long time, especially when you consider its affordable price. I can only feel remorse for those who pass up on this outstanding creation, one that’s worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

For Americans, Cuban cigars hold a unique mystique. Illegal but not overly difficult to obtain, nearly every cigar smoker has smoked one or knows a guy who can get them. Lately, I’ve been asked a few times about Cuban cigars, so I’ve done some thinking about the puros from that “Island South of Miami.” Specifically, I get asked two common questions:

Are Cubans really the best?

In my opinion, not really. Cuban cigars can be fantastic, but they are far too inconsistent. Construction and flavor seem to regularly vary from box to box, and sometimes stick to stick.

Cuba is probably the best possible place to grow tobacco. Cuba is to cigar production as France is to wine production. It was a comparative advantage in terms of micro-climate. The problem is the production of Cuban cigars is state-owned by a totalitarian regime. No doubt, if the French wine industry was run by a Communist dictator for half a century, the great French wines would have turned unreliable and often poor.

Under one government conglomerate, many Cuban cigars have lost their character. While I’m too young to have experienced it myself, I’m told there was a time when every brand had a unique flavor profile. Today, in addition to the construction issues and lack of properly aged tobacco, too often all Cuban cigars seem to be a variation, of the same basic blend.

What happens when the embargo ends?

Or, more likely, I’m asked something like, “You must be looking forward to the embargo ending?” My answer: Yes, but not for the reason you think.

When the embargo finally ends, and you have to imagine it will eventually, there will certainly be a big run on Cuban cigars. Everyone who has ever smoked a cigar will want to try a Cuban and the result will be more rushed, poorly constructed Cuban cigars than ever.

In other words, once the embargo ends I’ll probably smoke fewer, not more Cuban cigars. Still, I’m excited about one aspect of the embargo ending: the ability for non-Cuban cigar makers to use Cuban tobacco. Once the great cigar makers of our time get access to Cuban tobacco, which they can properly prepare and age and blend with other tobaccos we’ve come to enjoy, then I’ll really be excited about the embargo ending.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Wikipedia

Winter is a season for short cigars. Unless you have an indoor cigar sanctuary to call your own, smoking bans likely force you outside to enjoy premium tobacco. And no one wants to stand out in the cold for hours on end.

As spring approaches here in Chicago, we start to get warmer days from time to time. And on rare nights when I can sit comfortably outside, this time of year I find myself reaching for larger smokes that have been patiently resting in hibernation—not many of which are larger than the Intensa Tabacon.

This hefty cigar weighs in at six inches long with a ring gauge of 60. It is one of four sizes available in the Intensa series, the others being Gran Robusto (5.24 x 54), Toro (6 x 50), and Belicoso (6.25 x 54). They are all the result of a partnership between Casa Fernandez and the Corona Cigar Co. to “create a cigar that would not only be a full-bodied powerhouse, but a cigar with rich, decadent flavors.” Arsenio Ramos is said to have blended this line using nothing but Angosura tobacco from Nicaragua. It features a reddish ’99 corojo wrapper with a maduro binder and filler comprised of corojo viso and corojo ligero leaves.

I was weary of lighting up such a huge cigar that is intended to “push the limits of the palate” and reportedly “had our entire tasting panel reeling,” according to the Corona Cigar Co. website. A smoke of this size is a time commitment, and I’ve never understood the concept of power for power’s sake. So it was with some trepidation that I clipped the Tabacon’s pigtailed cap and set an even light on the foot.

I was surprised when the initial flavor was balanced and anything but overpowering. The profile consisted of dry wood, nuts, and creamy notes with a somewhat spicy aftertaste. I was even more surprised when there was hardly any increase in boldness towards the midway point. In the final third, I started to feel the strength of the cigar as all of the flavors started to intensify and the nicotine kick ratcheted up to the next level. At no point, however, did I feel like the Intensa Tabacon had the boldness that’s advertised. That’s a good thing, in my book.

With excellent physical properties—including a straight burn and a smooth draw—this two-hour smoke is better and more balanced than I was expecting. It may not have loads of complexity or nuance, but the per-cigar cost of $6 to $7.40 is a fair price given the amount of tobacco and the time it takes to plow though the Intensa Tabacon. That earns it a fair rating of 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.”

On the recommendation of Intemperance (and CroMagnon) co-owner Skip Martin, I lit this Ecuadorian Connecticut-wrapped short perfecto (5 x 50) up in the morning with a cup of coffee. (I defied his suggesting that I do it with a New York Times and went with the Wall Street Journal instead.) It’s a medium-bodied cigar with plenty of cedar, roasted notes, and hints of spice and cream. Well-constructed with decent balance, for seasoned full-bodied cigar smokers, it’s a good first smoke of the day. But that doesn’t mean it would be out of place after dinner with a stronger drink.

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.”

It has been about two years since this cigar was part of my regular rotation. Always nice to reconnect with old favorites, I lit one up the other day and was reminded why I once enjoyed the Toro (6 x 48) so frequently. Its Connecticut desflorado wrapper contributes to a bright profile of olive, onion, bread, and creamy cashew. With excellent construction, this consistent performer is worthy of its price tag of just over $6 when you buy by the box.

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) Indiana currently has no statewide smoking ban, but that’s for a lack of trying. Anti-tobacco lawmakers and groups have been trying to pass a comprehensive ban in the Hoosier State since 2007. And now they’re incredibly close to passing a law that would violate cigar smokers’ rights, as well as the rights of most private business owners. As of yesterday, Indiana lawmakers had agreed to a bill that included exemptions for bars, private clubs, and at-home businesses. The American Cancer Society is lobbying against passage since the group considers any smoking ban that includes exemptions for bars to be too weak.

2) Several new cigars were announced at Cuba’s 14th annual Habanos Festival, which concluded on March 2. Among them was the Cohiba Pirámides Extra, an aluminum-tubed pyramid that will feature some of the medio tiempo tobacco found in the ultra-exclusive Cohiba Behike. In addition, three Edición Limitada cigars are planned for 2012, one each from the Montecristo, Partagas, and H. Upmann brands.

3) Inside the Industry: Michael Giannini, the longtime face of General Cigar’s La Gloria Cubana brand, is taking an expanded role with the company and will now be responsible for new product development for all of General’s premium cigars brands. One month from today, General is introducing a new Partagas line called the “Partagas 1845” that will feature an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Avo’s 86th Anniversary cigar will be “La Trompeta,” a pyramid with three circular cutouts in the Ecuadorian wrapper that resemble a trumpet’s valves.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Fuente Hemingway Short Story Maduro. Tiki Bar kicks back with a Fuente Don Carlos Lancero. Cigar Brief smokes a Vegas de Santiago Secretos del Maestro Don Luis. Cigar Inspector inspects a José L. Piedra Nacionales.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Cigar Obsession Sampler” features ten cigars selected by cigar blogger (and excellent photographer) Bryan Glynn. Included in the $90 sampler are such StogieGuys.com favorites as the Illusione 88, Oliva Serie V, Padrón 1926 Natural, Rocky Patel Decade Robusto, San Cristobal Selección del Sol Robusto, and Tatuaje Anarchy.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr