The 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.

The name Petrus carries a lot of weight in the world of fine wines, and while I realized Petrus cigars (by Felipe Gregorio) bore no connection to the French chateau, my expectations were high. Calling a cigar Petrus is like calling a boat Ferrari; intellectually, you know there’s no real connection or guarantee of quality, but, emotionally, you make that connection anyway. Unfortunately, I should have listened to my brain on this one. The burn here is horrendously uneven, the packing is loose, and the flavor is bitter and unbalanced. Very disappointing.

Verdict = Sell.

–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) We’ll be on the radio again this Sunday talking cigars on the Livin’ Large with Geoff Pinkus radio show on WIND 560 AM in Chicago. The show runs from 5-7pm Central, and we’ll be talking stogies about halfway through the first hour. If you’re not in the Chicago area, you can listen live here.

2) According to Sports Illustrated, Atlanta Braves manager and cigar enthusiast Bobby Cox thinks the Mets’ smoke-free policy at Shea Stadium is “a great idea.” Under the policy, smokers can light up only in designated areas outside the ballpark. Cox, who always enjoys a post-game cigar and visits the in-division Mets many times each year, declared “the clubhouse doesn’t count.”

3) Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Cubs, and other properties, announced this week it has killed its $100-a-month penalty for smoking employees enrolled in the company’s health plan. About 600 of approximately 16,000 staffers confessed they smoked after the fee went into effect on January 1.

4) Inside the Industry: Don Pepin is partnering with Ashton again to introduce a mixed-filler cigar called the Benchmade that will retail for around $2. Rocky Patel will be producing a limited edition Lancero sampler with five of his popular lines.

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack checks out the Perdomo Habano Maduro. Cigar Beat trys out a car cigar ashtray. Velvet Cigar smokes a Cohiba Maduro No. 5. Stogie Review smokes the Padilla Signature 1932.

6) Deal of the Week: With a dozen cigars for under $30, this Tax Rebate Sampler is a must for Punch fans. You get an assortment of eight Punches, plus four other quality smokes. Get yours here. (Also, check out free shipping on all Tatuajes.)

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: GeoffPinkus.com

My girlfriend picked up a few of these sticks at a Sarasota cigar bar during our golf vacation to Florida last weekend. She told me she was drawn to Diamond Crown Maximus because the cigars share a name with her employer (I’m just glad she wasn’t buying any more shoes).

This line was created by J.C. Newman as a fuller-bodied follow-up to the company’s successful Diamond Crown blend. Said to be the sister cigar of the famed Opus X, Diamond Crown Maximus marries three legendary families: the Newmans; the Olivas, who grow the wrapper in Ecuador; and the Futenes, who produce the binder and filler tobaccos in the Dominican Republic.

The Robusto No. 5 weighs in at a classic five inches with a 50 ring gauge (kudos to the manufacturer for eliminating all confusion and printing the full vitola name on the cellophane). The band is wonderfully ornate – albeit slightly gaudy – and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were some mixture of the three families’ crests. Dark, firm, and tightly wrapped, the cigar exudes rich notes of chocolate off the freshly cut head.

The El Bajo sungrown wrapper adds a nice sweetness to the lips and the first puff is akin to savory cocoa, clove, and black pepper. Salty, but acidic tones help balance the flavor profile. The taste remains surprisingly consistent until the nub with no noticeable increase in spice, harshness, or bitterness.

One of the Robustos was more reliable than the other, but don’t be surprised if the white ash holds firm for up to three inches. The burn is straight or self-correcting, and the draw is just right.

In all, I think these limited production sticks make real treats for sungrown fans and devotees of cigars with rich cocoa flavors. The only challenge is to locate a supply and fork over $8.50-12 per single (about $200 per box of 20). Let’s just say I’m happy my girlfriend found and bought them, and I give the Diamond Crown Maximus Robusto No. 5 a highly regarded four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Rough, toothy, a bit mottled, and prominently veiny, the Occidental Reserve Double Broadleaf Churchill isn’t what I’d classify as humidor candy. Nevertheless, when it comes to a cigar’s looks, I’m not much of a snob. Many of my favorite smokes have been a bit on the rustic side. And, after all, isn’t flavor what really matters?

Interestingly, this seven inch by 48 ring gauge maduro doesn’t pack much of a punch. That’s something I find a bit surprising coming from manufacturer Alec Bradley, whose marketing often appeals to the “bigger and bolder is better” mindset. Perhaps blender Hendrik Kelner, famous for his work with the ultra-smooth Davidoff label, had something to do with this stogie’s mildness.

At any rate, the smoothness and unassuming body of the Occidental Reserve is just fine by me. I’ve been looking around for a mild, everyday smoke to pair with a decent cup of coffee on my lazy Sunday mornings. While Davidoffs fit the bill, they can break the bank almost as quickly as a bad mortgage these days. At roughly $3 a stick, Occidental Reserves offer near-Davidoff quality for a fraction of the price.

This cigar opens with a full-bodied blast of pepper, cedar, and burnt coffee before quickly mellowing into a much smoother blend of light oak and sweet cream. A lingering, peppery finish never quite disappears from the body of the thick, heavy smoke – intensifying as the cigar reaches its final third. But it’s never enough to overwhelm the subtle character of the stick, and that’s probably for the best.

The burn is even and true, producing a light gray ash that holds for about an inch and a half at a clip. My only complaint with the ash is its tendency toward flakiness (tiny bits tended to float off the foot, here and there, throughout my various experiences). Otherwise, I find nothing worrisome about the quality of the cigar’s craftsmanship.

For outstanding value, ease, and pleasantly smooth flavor profile, I give this bargain-priced stick a solid four out of five stogies.

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

–Jon N

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.

There isn’t too much for me too add to the full review done by my colleague Patrick A.  This is a rich, flavorful, attractive, and well-constructed smoke.  Quintessentially maduro, this box-pressed toro features chocolate, earth, and roasted flavors.

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 take on a single cigar.

While many boutique and even mass-market premiums can very be hit-or-miss (Gurkha, for instance), I find most CAOs to be consistent, enjoyably challenging, and almost always rewarding. CAO’s L’Anniversaire Cameroon line is no exception. The robusto packs a stunning degree of complexity into a relatively small, box-pressed vitola. Gentle aromas of cedar and straw belie a multifaceted and medium-bodied flavor profile. I was able to taste cream, almond, lots of cedar, an excitingly full amount of pepper, and even some cinnamon in this lovely little stick.

Verdict = Buy.

–Jon N

This Sunday ( April 20) Patrick A and Patrick S will be talking cigars on the Livin’ Large with Geoff Pinkus radio show on WIND 560 AM in Chicago. The show runs from 5-7 pm Central (6-8pm Eastern) and we are scheduled to be on at the top of the second hour (after the lovely Chicago Blackhawks Ice Crew girls).

Geoff’s show is about “cigars, cars, spirits, wine, beer, restaurants, music, sports, hot chicks (hot moms), jets, harleys, guns, bikes, and fishing.” You can even call in to ask us a question on the air: 877-560-WIND.

If you’re not in the Chicago area you can listen live here (and if you miss it, a podcast will be available here).

–The Stogie Guys