The Stogie Guys

Twenty miles south of Nashville lies the town of Franklin, home to the Bellaterra Ranch. For the Murphy family, the Tennessee ranch is an idyllic setting for horses, wine, and cigars.

Mike Murphy learned about wine from his grandfather-in-law, an Italian winemaker who taught him the craft 30 years ago. Mike and his wife later took more than 40 trips to Napa and Sonoma to help them develop their own wine, called Bellaterra. These days, they sell their California-made wine from their 30-acre ranch.

They also sell cigars, made by the Toraño family in Nicaragua. The Murphys have five blends that are specifically constructed to pair well with (and not overpower) red wine: La Dolce Vita Reserve, La Dolce Vita, Riserva di Famiglia, Euforia, and Double Deuce.

Riserva di Famiglia carries the title of “our family favorite,” so I decided to sample this Connecticut-wrapped line first. It is comprised of five vitolas that range in price from $11.86 to $13.46: Corona (5.5 x 42), Robusto (5 x 50), Torpedo (6.25 x 52), Churchill (7 x 48), and Double Corona (7 x 50). Only 6,000 of these cigars were made.

The Robusto has a dark, reddish exterior leaf with minimal veins and a nice cap. The foot gives off a rich aroma of earth and cocoa powder. Fairly light and soft in the hand, the pre-light draw is smooth, even with just a punch cut.

After establishing an even light, the Robusto opens with a rounded profile of leather, oak, raisin, marshmallow sweetness, and a bit of black pepper spice on the finish. I would classify the strength towards the mild side of the medium-bodied spectrum.

I have to admit to being thrown off by this cigar. On one hand, it doesn’t look or taste anything like your typical Connecticut-wrapped smoke, which usually has hay, almond, cream and a mild body. On the other, it has both spice and some of the zing that you’d expect from Nicaraguan tobacco, but it’s more subdued than the familiar cigars that come out of that country. I’m further vexed by the fact that the Robusto doesn’t taste like anything else produced by the Toraños.

These perplexities aside, I do like the flavor, and I must give this smoke points for its uniqueness. Construction is good, too, with a burn line that meanders but never requires a touch-up. My only complaint is that the white ash tends to fall off the foot a bit prematurely.

After sampling three Robustos for this review, I’m impressed by the balance and individuality of the taste. Don’t think of the price as too high for a cigar you’ve never heard of; think of it as the cost of smoking a rare Toraño most enthusiasts will never get their hands on, 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

As it gets colder outside, my preferences for a spirit to pair with a fine cigar change with the seasons. For me, scotch always seems like the appropriate drink for a chilly winter night.

When it comes to single malts, I enjoy many different varieties. I’m particularly a fan of peaty whiskies, such as Talisker and Laphroaig. Still, sometimes a more classic single malt seems appropriate.

And it’s hard to find a more classic expression of a single malt scotch whisky than Macallan 12 Year. Made in Moray, Scotland, in the Speyside region, it’s the third best-selling single malt in the world behind Glenfiddich and Glenlivet.

This particular Macallan is aged 12 years in sherry casks, which is how all Macallan’s were originally aged until they more recently added the Fine Oak range which uses both sherry and American bourbon barrels. It’s bright golden amber in color and the nose shows the sherry, along with some spice and orange peel.

On the palate, the Macallan 12 features ample nutty flavors, raisins, sherry, oak, and cream. It’s perfectly balanced, with impressive depth and complexity. The finish is long and warm with a bit of sweet toffee.

“Simply the best 12-year-old single malt around” is how renowned whisky writer Paul Pacult described Macallan 12. I’m inclined to agree, and you won’t be surprised to know that I think it makes for a terrific accompaniment to a fine cigar.

Nearly any medium- or full-bodied would go fine, but I think that balanced Dominican cigars are particularly ideal. The Davidoff Millenium Blend and PG 15th Anniversary come to mind.

Available for around $50 a bottle, it’s become a staple in my liquor cabinet, particularly in the cold months of winter. If by some chance you haven’t tried this classic single malt, I highly suggest you do so.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

I’ve had this five and a half inch by 54 ring gauge cigar in the bottom of my humidor for at least a few years. Time has mellowed it slightly, but the Nicaraguan puro is still full-bodied. It’s earthy and leathery, with dense powdered cocoa. With excellent construction, it’s still a favorite of mine.

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.”

This is a fine cigar, particularly in the five-inch format. It’s sweet and leathery, with excellent construction. Typical of the Toraño approach, the line uses tobacco from four regions of three countries, and the blend is smooth and balanced. As Patrick A noted in his highly positive review of the Short Churchill, there isn’t a lot of development and change from start to finish. What is there, though, is most enjoyable.

Verdict = Buy.

–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) Anti-tobacco politicians and groups in Indiana have been trying to pass a comprehensive statewide smoking ban since 2007. Now, months before Indianapolis hosts Super Bowl XLVI, they may be closer than ever. Indiana Senate President Pro Tem David Long said a statewide ban can pass in this legislative session if advocates concede a few exemptions. But the IPCPR remains strongly opposed. “Our position hasn’t changed: Business owners have the right to decide the smoking policies of their own establishments,” said Bill Spann, CEO of the IPCPR. “When the government tells them what to do, it is going too far. Legislated smoking bans are a product of the ‘Nanny State’ and put businesses at risk, jobs in jeopardy, hurt local economies, and leave consumers with no choices.”

2) FDA oversight of cigars is on its way, as this article from the Daily Caller makes clear. In it, an FDA spokesman admits that cigars would be subject to “general controls, such as registration, product listing, ingredient listing, good manufacturing practice requirements, user fees for certain products, and the adulteration and misbranding provisions, as well as to the premarket review requirements for ‘new tobacco products’ and ‘modified risk tobacco products.'” Such regulation would be devastating to the handmade cigar industry.

3) Inside the Industry: Litto Gomez has announced a new limited edition cigar for La Flor Dominicana called Colorado Oscuro. The two new blends from El Tiante (Habano Rosado and Habano Oscuro) are making their Boston and Providence debuts at Cigar Masters on December 14 and December 15, respectively. Altadis is launching the Vega Fina Seijas 2011 Limited Edition, which features a San Andreas criollo wrapper. Ashton’s La Aroma de Cuba is adding a Corona and a Double Corona to its lineup.

4) Around the Blogs: Smoking Stogie smokes a Cohiba Siglo VI. Stogie Fresh lights up a Macanudo Cru Royale. Stogie Review reviews a Fuente Untold Story Maduro. Cigar Explorer checks out the Illusione Epernay Le Taureau. Cigar Fan fires up a La Gloria Artesanos Retro.

5) Deal of the Week: Just $40 gets you 12 premium smokes in this weekly special. Included are five Rocky Patel Olde World Reserves, five Gurkha Raider Toro Habanos, plus one Indian Tabac Super Fuerte and one K. Hansotia Limited Edition.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Cuban-born baseball legend Luis Tiant, known to many simply as “El Tiante,” launched his own line of cigars in 2007, around the time of the 25th anniversary of his final major league game. Now, the man who many call one of the best big game pitchers of all time is reinventing his cigar company with his son, Daniel.

Daniel Tiant serves as president and CEO of the newly renamed Tiant Cigar Group. He recently unveiled the two new blends that serve as the cornerstone of the company’s reintroduction: Habano Oscuro and Habano Rosado. Each is made at Don Pepin’s My Father Cigars Factory with Ecuadorian-seed wrappers and Nicaraguan binders and fillers.

“I wanted a more serious image with our cigar company, and that is the reason we recreated our cigar bands, boxes, and overall presentation,” Daniel told me. “We have a great respect for [the Garcia family], being able to spend time with them, seeing how they run their factory, and seeing how comfortable and in their relaxed state my dad and Don Pepin are when together…this really made our decision an easy one.”

As for the blends themselves, Daniel says “they bring to the table a tremendous complexity in flavor, flawless construction, and effortless draw. I smoke a lot of different cigars out there in the market and only a handful make me feel the way ours do…Every time I finish one I’m looking to light up a second one right away.”

Both new blends come in four vitolas that retail for $6.80 to $8.60 apiece: Pyramid (6 x 52), Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 50), and Toro Gordo (6 x 60). They are sold mostly in the New England area, including shops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, but are also available at several locales in Florida. Daniel is looking to expand distribution nationwide.

My first exposure to the new El Tiante was with the Habano Oscuro Pyramid, and it was a pleasant one. This cigar starts with lots of chary, chewy Nicaraguan zing. Black pepper, cayenne spice, barbeque sauce, and dried fruit make up the bulk of the bold profile. After a half inch, the flavor mellows slightly, dropping some of the spice and picking up roasted nuts and cream. But the overall impact is still full-bodied.

Smoking slowly really pays off, allowing the nuances of the blend to shine through despite the cigar’s strength. All the while the construction is outstanding—a testament to the “pride and craftsmanship” at the My Father Cigars operation in Estelí, according to Daniel.

While I was a fan of the original El Tiante blends, I have to say the Oscuro Pyramid is a solid improvement and a good value. I look forward to trying the Habano Rosado soon. For now, the Oscuro Pyramid is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

For those of us who live in the northern part of the U.S., winter can be a crummy time to be a cigar enthusiast. The cold, arid air makes humidor maintenance more difficult. And, with a lack of indoor smoking sanctuaries thanks to government-imposed bans, we’re often forced into the frosty outdoors if we want to enjoy a premium cigar.

I live in Chicago, where the winters can be brutal. For me, as often as I like to smoke, simply going outside is not an option. I cannot be expected to bundle up and sit in the arctic frost for 90 minutes or more every time I want a cigar, notwithstanding how many times I’ve done that before, and notwithstanding how much I respect those who consistently brave the weather to light up some premium tobacco.

Thankfully, I have a loving wife who understands this, and who isn’t vehemently opposed to the delightful aroma of a premium cigar. So when we were on the market for our new home in Chicago, we specifically looked at condos that have a room that could be turned into my winter smoking den. Our requirements were as follows: the room must have a ceiling fan, several windows, a good heat source, and at least enough space for my humidors. We also wanted a hard wood floor, since carpeting tends to soak up that stale tobacco smell and get stained by errant ashes.

I’m pleased to report that the condo we ended up buying has all this and more. After some adjustments—including the installation of French doors with basic weather stripping and draft guards—I have a wonderful smoking den off of our main living room. The den is big enough to house a comfy chair, all of my humidors, lots of books, a desk for writing, and even a dartboard. And it has ample windows, each with a good view of the neighborhood.

My procedure for lighting up in this sanctuary is basically to crack open a window, fire up the radiator to offset any incoming chill, turn on the ceiling fan, and smoke away. With the doors closed, all this is enough to keep the vast majority of the smoky smell away from the rest of our home. Sure, the den isn’t air-tight. And I didn’t invest the money to buy an expensive exhaust system. But my wife doesn’t strongly oppose cigar smoke, either, so it was never my intention to completely isolate myself from the rest of the world. Heck, I find that I open the doors an average of two or three times during each cigar, usually to get a cold one from the fridge.

All this worked out fantastically well, and I understand how lucky I am to be able to pull this off. I’ll be feeling even luckier once those subzero temperatures sweep in and the snow begins to fall. So my advice is to find yourself a winter smoking sanctuary before it’s too late, be that sanctuary at a cigar lounge or in your home. Otherwise, you may want to invest in some warm gloves that leave your fingers nimble enough to cut and light a cigar.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys