The Stogie Guys

Back in 2009, the folks at Miami Cigar & Co. teamed up with Don Pepin Garcia to create the Nestor Miranda Special Selection, a limited release made by Pepin in Nicaragua. The Rosado version of that series ended up being one of my favorite smokes of that year.

The partnership between Miami Cigar and Garcia is still going strong, as evidenced by the debut of the Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve during the summer. This cigar, available only in a torpedo size (6.1 x 52), is made at the My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua and priced at about $12. When my local tobacconist put it on special for $9.50, I thought it was high time to take it for a test drive, so I bought a handful to review.

The Grand Reserve makes a good first impression with a beautiful cap, an intricate band of emerald and gold, and a clean Connecticut broadleaf wrapper with minimal veins. Underneath, the Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos are packed evenly to produce a firm feel from head to foot with no soft spots. And I would be remiss to forget to mention the delightfully pungent pre-light aroma of milk chocolate and hay.

Clipping the cap yields an easy draw that concentrates each puff to a relatively fine point on the palate. Once lit, this is where the dry woodsy spice is focused. But while the spice is focused on the tip of the tongue, the rest of the palate certainly gets involved quickly as notes of earth, coffee, and caramel round out the flavor.

Smoking through the nose and paying close attention is rewarded with a taste of cashew. Aside from this nuttiness, more creamy notes come into play at the midway point, making this a truly complex and balanced smoke. So many wonderful elements are present, including spice, cream, sweetness, and earthiness.

As you would expect from a super-premium, the physical properties are excellent. Each of my samples exhibited a solid white ash, a smooth and consistent draw, and a straight burn line that stays lit evenly.

Only 10,000 of these torpedos were produced. I really enjoyed the Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve, so I think I’ll be heading over to my tobacconist soon to see if they have more in stock. If they do, I’ll be OK with shelling out $12 for each—and I’ll be really pleased to find them still listed for $9.50. Don’t pass up on your own chance to try this cigar, which is worthy of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Super Bowl has plenty of cigar tie-ins. In fact, for a brief few days in the run-up to the big game, Indianapolis might have been the center of the American cigar scene.

Ron Jaworski hosted his third annual cigar party to support his charity. A celebrity poker event hosted by Devin Hester and LeSean McCoy at the Indianapolis Zoo featured Punch cigars. Anther charity fundraiser offered guests El Tiante cigars. And revelers at the Rolling Stone party were treated to a pairing featuring Bacardi rum and cigars (La Gloria Cubana or CAO La Traviata).

But really there’s only one cigar every fan and player wants to smoke at the Super Bowl: a victory cigar. As a New Yorker and a Giants fan I was  lucky enough to get to light up a victory cigar after this year’s game. (I’m also a Mets, Knicks, and Rangers fan, so celebrating championships is a rare thing indeed.)

For my celebratory smoke I fired up the last of my Cohiba Behikes and poured a glass of fine bourbon. The cigar tasted great, even though in the past I’d always found the Behike 54 to be a little underwhelming, especially for the $50 pricetag.

But then that’s the point. A cigar tastes better when you’ve got something to celebrate, and the bigger the celebration the better. Birthdays, weddings, and championships are all prime time for a fine cigar. And while those events may be few and far between (especially for Mets fans), there’s a lesson in there that’s applicable to everyday life. The most under-looked aspect of whether a cigar will be enjoyable or not is the mindset of the smoker.

So find something (even if it’s small) to celebrate every time you light up a cigar, and you’ll find the cigars taste better.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Winston Churchill Gallery

We know it gets harder all the time to find spots where you can enjoy a cigar outside a shop or your personal smoking space. But that doesn’t mean it is impossible.

I’m starting a campaign to share venues that are cigar-cordial and likely not on the typical list of such places. Hopefully it can be a resource for everyone, from those traveling to an unfamiliar location to folks seeking a new experience right around home. I’ll kick it off with two places in my general area (Tampa Bay) where I’ve enjoyed cigars in a friendly atmosphere.

Skipper’s Smokehouse. This amazing restaurant and concert venue is a Tampa institution, presenting music ranging from Americana to Zydeco. The stage is outside—fans in the summer, heaters in the winter—with chairs, picnic tables, and benches around the dance “floor.” The only comments I’ve had when smoking were inquiries about whether you could buy a cigar there. Alas, no, but it‘s also only a few miles from two large shops, Tampa Humidor and Cigar Castle. So you can stock up on stogies before hitting Skipper’s for a dinner and a show.

Miss Vicki’s. A quintessential Florida burger joint, Miss Vicki’s consists of a covered bar, open-air tables, and a small stage that often features local musicians. But the star of the show is the restaurant’s extraordinary waterside location where the Anclote River enters the Gulf. You’re only yards from the water and facing west for beautiful sunsets. Who could resist lighting up in a setting like this in a place called Holiday? One caution and one hint: Seating is limited and it’s often packed; try the Key Lime pie.

Now it’s your turn. Add your suggestions. Let’s keep this going and create a resource that will make cigar smoking even more enjoyable.

–George E

photo credit: Flickr

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.”

The Alec Bradley Prensado has gotten plenty of buzz lately after being named Cigar Aficionado‘s Cigar of the Year, but I’ve generally preferred the Family Blend, which was released around the same time. This time, I’m smoking the “VR1” size (5.5 x 50). It’s a medium-bodied cigar with good balance. The flavors are woody and roasted, and the construction is excellent. And yet, this particular cigar was uncharacteristically flat. I’m still a fan of this line (and even this size), but this single cigar just didn’t have the complexity I’ve come to expect from the Family Blend.

Verdict = Hold.

–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.”

I really enjoy the Lonsdale in this blend, which I reviewed back in March 2011. But I continue to find the Robusto (5 x 48) to be less than spectacular. For some reason, this vitola in the Habano Ecuadorian-wrapped line doesn’t have the sweetness or the balance of the Lonsdale, leaving the main profile of dark coffee, pepper, and leather to be too singular and sometimes bitter. I have all the respect in the world for Pete Johnson and Tatuaje, but I don’t consider this El Triunfador to be worth the $7 it retails for.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A

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) Imperial Tobacco Group, a United Kingdom-based company that owns Altadis and is considered the world’s largest producer of cigars, announced a 10% jump in net revenue thanks to increased sales in Cuban cigars, as the company owns a 50 percent share in the Cuban national cigar distribution company Habanos. Sales of cigars in emerging markets such as China and Russia were particularly strong—up 14% in the last year. “In the U.S., the market remains highly competitive with first quarter volumes impacted by trade buying patterns around our October price increase,” reads a statement from the company.

2) Should the government be able to fine you for smoking in your own vehicle? Some Ohio lawmakers think so, and they have introduced a bill in the state senate that would criminalize citizens for lighting up in their own cars if children are present. Ohio already has a statewide smoking ban. If the bill is adopted, the Buckeye State would join Louisiana, California, and Maine as the only states where you can be ticketed for smoking inside a private vehicle.

3) Inside the Industry: CAO is adding the Luminoso (4.5 x 50) frontmark to its La Traviata Maduro line, which will sell for $5.10 each or $153 for a 30-count box. General Cigar is adding a Gigante size (6 x 60) to its best-selling Macanudo Cafe and Macanudo Maduro lines, with each selling for $7.99 each or $199.75 for a box of 25.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews a Padilla Artemis. Cigar Explorer explores the Liga Undercrown Corona (pre-release). Cigar Fan fires up a Vega Fina José Seijas 2011. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Reinado Habanito. Cigar Inspector inspects an Elogio Serie LSV. Casas Fumando smokes the Carlos Toraño Signature Collection.

5) Deal of the Week: Smoke Inn has a selection of 10-packs on sale for just $27, including free shipping. Choices include 10-packs of the Montecristo Classic, Padilla 1968 Golden Bear, Partagas Black, Perdomo, Rocky Patel Edge, Romeo y Julieta Vintage, and Trinidad 100th Anniversary.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Imperial Tobacco

In 2010, Rocky Patel bought a 50% share in EO Brands, maker of such lines as EO 601, Cubao, Murcielago, and Mi Barrio (all made at Don Pepin Garcia’s My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua). Yesterday, Eddie Ortega, co-founder of EO Brands along with Erik Espinosa, announced he was leaving the company and starting his own outfit called Ortega Cigars.

“I’ve wanted to do this for quite some time and now is the right time,” Ortega told Cigar Aficionado. “Eric [Espinosa] is like my brother, but I wanted to be independent.” His new company will be headquartered in Sunrise, Florida, just north of Miami. A buyout of his share in EO Brands is being finalized.

Ortega’s new website has already announced three cigar lines. The first, due in March, is the Series D, which will feature a San Andreas maduro wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Ortega also announced two other lines, Brotherhood and Aftershock, but details were hard to come by. To get some information on the other lines, I touched base with Eddie to see what he is planning.

As for Brotherhood, Ortega tells me he doesn’t have the blend yet, but plans to soon. “I just wanted to start promoting the project because it is for a great cause. I want to somehow help out our military heroes and their families. Fifty percent of all profits will be donated to some of the organizations that help our military men and their families,” Ortega told me. He also said that Aftershock is also still in development.

Ortega plans to keep his company small. He says he already has 100 accounts lined up and wants to limit his exposure to around 300 stores. “I don’t want to open a zillion accounts…just good retailers that support the product. That would be cool with me.”

If that happens, he told me he might not even attend the annual IPCPR Trade Show where new cigar companies usually go to promote their brand and open new accounts. At the moment he is handling his own distribution, but he is “in talks with a couple of distributors, but only to distribute to certain areas in the country.”

The Series D is being made at the My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua, which is run by the Pepin family, his longtime collaborators at EO Cigars. As for future lines, he said he was “planning to make some brands with other factories.”

Ortega described the Series D as an “awesome blend…We are using some fillers from Jalapa and Estelí that are crazy good and help create a profile that is full-bodied with lots of spice, flavor, and aroma. I know the consumer will love this one!”

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys