The Stogie Guys

Often underappreciated and commonly misunderstood, so-called “house brands” can range from underpriced gems to outright duds. Old Henry from Holt’s Cigar Company falls somewhere between those two extremes.

The brand boasts a fair amount of credibility because it’s made by none other than industry superstar Don Pepin Garcia. According to Holt’s, “Pepin outdid himself in creating this masterpiece and for the price you won’t find a better, tastier cigar on the market.”

The classically sized Robusto (5 x 50) sells for $104 for a box of 25 or $26 for a five-pack—not exactly what I’d call value prices. But, given the Nicaraguan puro’s blender, expectations are certain to exceed those of the average house brand stick.

Named in memory of a “beautiful pooch with champion features and a great personality,” Old Henry features a lusterless corojo wrapper that radiates sweet chocolate notes. I experienced some moderate post-cut cracking in two of the three Robustos I smoked for this review. Each was densely packed with tobacco but drew cleanly.

While most expect a burst of pepper when they light up a Pepin creation, this cigar starts at a jog pace instead of a full-on sprint. I found a predominantly earthy flavor with hints of clove, leather, and peppercorn, all of which is best when cocoa wafts in and out.

There are no major changes between the beginning, middle, and end of this 50-minute smoke. Despite this, the medium-bodied taste—aptly described by my colleague as “flavorful yet well-balanced” in a February Quick Smoke—had little trouble holding my interest.

With even burns and white ashes that held strong for an inch and a half, my three Robustos outperformed those of other online reviewers who noted construction flaws. Maybe I just got a good batch.

Even so, I wouldn’t count Old Henry as one of Pepin’s towering achievements. If you’re into corojo tobacco, though, and if you enjoy a smoke with your afternoon coffee (the best way to experience this cigar, in my opinion) you may want to pick a few up. For delivering on balance but not quite living up to my expectations given the Pepin connection and the intoxicating prelight aromas, I give the Old Henry Robusto a fair three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In a week and one day, millions of Americans will head to the polls to vote for the next leader of the free world. Both major candidates are former cigarette smokers: Republican John McCain smoked two packs a day until he quit three decades ago, while Democrat Barack Obama admitted having a cigarette as recently as this summer despite “quitting” early last year.

But being a former smoker (or even a current one) doesn’t make a politician good when it comes to taking positions that affect cigar smokers. Below are four areas where the next president could have a major impact on stogie enthusiasts with a look at the positions held by McCain and Obama in each area.

Tobacco Taxes

Industry insiders say a massive tobacco tax, such as the one proposed in the so-called SCHIP bill, is the most immediate threat to the cigar industry. This year only President Bush’s veto stopped what would have been a 256% increase in cigar taxes, meaning an increase of up to $3 per cigar. Obama clearly favors funding programs with tobacco taxes. He voted for the SCHIP cigar tax increase and has pledged to sign the bill into law. His campaign calls the senator “an ardent supporter of SCHIP.”

McCain’s position on tobacco taxes has been far less clear. He voted against versions of the SCHIP bill with the tobacco tax increase and has criticized the tax, taking the position that “it makes no sense to encourage people to live healthier…while making the government even more dependent on having people smoke.” However, McCain has a long history of advocating for tobacco taxes, specifically on cigarettes. Only a year ago he was quoted as saying, “I still regret we did not succeed” when asked about past efforts to increase cigarette taxes by $1.10 per pack.

Smoking Bans

Smoking bans have traditionally been a matter for state and local governments. Still, a national smoking ban (for so-called “public places” like restarants and bars) remains a possibility.  McCain’s views on this issue are not entirely clear, but he did not join fellow Republican Mike Huckabee in promising to sign a natinoal smoking ban.

Meanwhile, Obama seemed to indicate support for a national smoking ban but seemed to prefer keeping bans a state issue. In a New Hampshire debate, Obama told the audience, “If we can’t provide these kinds of protections at the local level, which would be my preference, I would be supportive of a national law.”

Regulation

As we’ve written before, Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco has the potential to be very damaging for cigar smokers. John McCain has been a advocate for regulating tobacco under the FDA since the mid-1990s when he co-sponsored a bill to that effect.  Indeed, the issue has been called “one of the most significant efforts of his congressional career.” In the past year, however, critics of McCain claim he has backed away from that position, despite the fact that he remains a co-sponsor of the FDA bill. The Arizona senator has continued to criticize the portrayal of smoking by Hollywood, perhaps indicating that he still would favor FDA regulation if it didn’t include increased tobacco taxes.

Obama is also a co-sponsor of the bill to regulate tobacco through the FDA. Anti-tobacco advocates say FDA regulation of tobacco is “inevitable” under a McCain or Obama presidency.

Trade

Trade policies might not initially appear to be an area of interest. But since virtually every handmade cigar is either rolled in other countries or rolled in the U.S. with tobacco from foreign countries, reducing barriers to trade is vital to preserve and increase cigar smokers’ access to a wide variety of cigars at reasonable prices. There are two major policies where trade most effects cigar consumers: (1) the Cuban embargo/trade sanctions currently makes some of the world’s highest-regarded cigars illegal for Americans; and (2) the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement eliminates or lowers trade barriers with cigar-producing countries such as the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

McCain has “typically voted in support of sanctions on Cuba” and demanded free elections before the embargo is lifted. Obama seems more open to changing the U.S. policy toward Cuba, “calling for travel and remittance restrictions on Cuban-Americans to be lifted” and expressing that “he would engage in bilateral talks with Cuba to send the message that the United States is willing to normalize relations with Cuba upon evidence of a democratic opening.”

Obama opposes CAFTA and voted against it. On his website, you’ll find an article titled “Why I Oppose CAFTA,” citing labor concerns and the loss of American jobs. McCain voted for CAFTA and consistently supported similar trade agreements.

–Patrick S

photo credit: AGORAVOX

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

The Gurkha Black Puro Torpedo (6.5 x 53) features an attractive black wrapper and dual silver and black bands. The cigar is noticeably soft on one side, but that does not seem to affect the draw, which was easy, or the burn, which is even with a solid ash. Flavor wise, I found a toasty smoke with cocoa and cedar. The finish was a bit dry. Overall not a bad smoke, but it just seemed uninspired.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

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

For the first third or so, this dark five inch by 50 ring gauge smoke might have passed for a Pepin Garcia creation—lots of spice, lots of kick. But after grabbing attention in an un-maduro-like way, the Monarca mellowed out into a smooth, well-blended cigar with many of the coffee and sweet tobacco tastes often associated with maduros. It also maintained strength without overpowering nicotine. At $6, this Jamastran Valley-grown cigar was most enjoyable.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) If you’ll be in the Tampa area on November 15, swing by historic Ybor City to check out the 10th annual Cigar Heritage Festival. The event, which has grown tremendously through the years, has no admission fee (donations are accepted), sales by numerous cigar makers, as well as food, drink, and games.

2) The Heartland Institute has found another reason why Pennsylvania’s outright smoking ban on state-owned college campuses is misguided. According to Legislative Specialist John Nothdurft in the USA Today, “the ban will force hundreds of students, many of whom don’t have cars, to hike outside the relative safety of a college campus to partake in the legal act of smoking.”

3) Inside the Industry: Famous Smoke Shop’s “Cigar Monster” daily deals are now available via text message to your mobile phone. Oliva introduced the new Serie V Maduro, a pyramid with a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. CAO will be providing its America cigars for the band Hinder’s Las Vegas record release party.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack fires up a Château Real Maduro. Her Humidor smokes a Los Blancos Criollo. Next Generation reviews a Perdomo En Vidrio. Keepers of the Flame lights up a Don Pepin Garcia Black Perla.

5) Deal of the Week: General Cigars is offering a three-pack of its new Macanudo 1968 for just $7.95. That’s about the normal price of just one cigar from the new blend. Take advantage of their offer at Macanudo1968.com.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

According to Davidoff, the Aniversario Series is “characterized by surprising lightness, dominated by a rich, intense aroma. The tobacco harmonize perfectly in these ideally balanced cigars, exquisitely presented in unique and elegant packaging.”

Between that bit of advertising copy and Davidoff’s reputation, I had some serious expectations when sampling the Davidoff Aniversario No. 3. Did the cigar live up to those expectations? Read on.

The Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 is a six inch by 50 ring gauge toro that is packaged by the box (10 or 20), or in three-packs of tubes. This review is of the tubo, which I picked up in a duty free shop in London for £30 (about $60), but you can find these for around $15 a stick.

The Aniversario line features a caramel brown, U.S.-grown Connecticut wrapper. It is velvety to the touch, although there are some ridges that seem to be caused by large veins in the Dominican binder. Pre-light, I notice grass and honeycomb from the Dominican filler.

After lighting the toro up I found pepper, grass, and a touch of earth—though at times it was a bit dry. The finish is long with cedar and subtle pepper.

The construction is, as I’ve come to expect from Davidoff, superb. The ash held for an amazing two full inches with no problem at all. The draw was easy, almost airy.

Overall, while no particular flavor was very strong, altogether they melded into a medium-full cigar. In the final third the taste really came into its own, becoming exceptionally smooth and cedary as the dryness faded.

One particularly impressive thing I found about the Aniversario was its versatility when it came to drink pairings. The cigar went as well with a crisp sauvignon blanc as it did with a peaty single malt scotch.

Yet given the exceptionally high price and the initial dryness, I can’t be as enthusiastic about this offering as some of Davidoff’s other cigars, like the Grand Cru or Millennium Blend. It’s still a very enjoyable cigar, though, so the Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 earns four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Eddie Ortega founded United Tobacco in 2003 with Erik Espinoza. Also known as EO Brands, the company has created some of our very favorite blends including the 601 Serie Red, 601 Serie Blue, 601 Serie Green, and Cubao. In this latest edition of our Cigar Insider series, Eddie tells Stogie Guys about his start in the industry, his partnership with legendary cigar-maker Don Pepin Garcia, his favorite cigars and drinks, and much more.

Stogie Guys: When did you first start smoking cigars? How did you get into the industry?

Eddie Ortega: I started smoking casually in my late 20s when was married to one of the daughters of Rolando Reyes Sr. Back then, I wasn’t an avid smoker and had little knowledge about the industry. During that time Rolando made Aliados, an awesome cigar, and I fell in love with it. I had a successful computer business in New Jersey but, in 1990, I sold it and moved down to Miami. While working as director of MIS for a company in Miami, my ex-father in law asked me to come work with him, so I did. By this time, it was Puros Indios partly due to legal problems with the Aliados name.

SG: These days you’re probably best known for your collaborations with Don “Pepin” Garcia, particularly the 601 line. Can you tell our readers a little about the cigars you made before those, and the history of EO Brands?

EO: Well, we’ve had kind of a rocky”start in the cigar industry. We initially started out as distributors, but our goal was to one day make and distribute only our own brands. We’ve been kind of fortunate and unfortunate with each new project we’ve launched with the exception of our current brands.

Don’t know if you’ve heard or know about our first brand, “Series X.” This brand was made for us by Oliva. We had great success.

For our next project, we decided to contact Rocky Patel. We had Rocky make two brands for us, REO and VIBE, for the first two years from introduction, we also had great success with these two brands. Unfortunately for us, the consistency of the cigars slowed down the sales at the retail level to such an extent that we decided to make it only in limited production and to a limited number of resellers.

SG: We’ve written about your new Cubao line fairly extensively on StogieGuys.com (and reviewed it very favorably), but can you tell me a little about the Mi Barrio cigar you just released?

EO: We wanted to do something unique with a Habano wrapper Pepin had picked up awhile ago. Gorgeous, but very limited in quantity. We also have a great friend who happens to be an artist, Edin Gutierrez, and not too long ago he had painted some scenes depicting some of the Cuban culture. Being that they compliment each other, we decided to introduce Mi Barrio as a limited edition release by combining this great Habano wrapper and the beautiful scenes depicted by Edin in his paintings.

SG:How is Pepin to work with? Any insight into how he continues to create hit after hit?

EO: Pepin and his family are great, not just as business associates, but also as personal friends. How does he do it? Easy: by being meticulous at what he does best. It’s actually very easy to make one good cigar. The trick is to make millions of cigars while maintaining perfect construction and consistency.

SG: I’ve read you’re partnering with Rocky Patel on a project. Care to reveal any details?

EO: I can’t. He is actually lending me the Aston Martin for the weekend, but asked me to please not tell Nimish or Nish.

SG: Two questions I like to ask everyone: First, what is your favorite beverage to pair with a cigar? Second, in your own humidor, do you generally store cigars with the cellophane on or off?

EO: Tawny Australian Ports, actually. I love ports period. Always, no cellophane.

SG: Do you smoke Cuban cigars with any regularity? What do you think about Cuban cigars being made these days?

EO: Nope, I don’t. Don’t think much of them or the current quality.

SG: Besides your own cigars, what are some of your favorites?

EO: Wow, many. Every time I’m in a store, I always try something new, but I do have certain favorites. I’ll just mention some of the ones I smoke the most. Rocky’s Vintage and Summer Release, Ashton Cabinet series, Alec Bradley Tempus, Pepin’s Cuban Classic line, Pete’s Cabaiguan, and many others.

Many thanks to Eddie Ortega for taking the time to talk to us. For more on EO Brands be sure to visit UnitedTobacco.com.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys