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.

Reo was an EO Brands hit before Pepin Garcia began blending for the company and came up with some real home runs like the 601. Its name comes not from the rock group or the old motor car company, but the initials of those involved in its creation: Rocky Patel, Erik Espinosa, and Eddie Ortega. This box-pressed stick sports a large, trendy looking band and a lovely chocolate-colored wrapper from Costa Rica. The filler is a mix of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Sounds interesting. But it wasn’t. After kicking off nicely with creamy smoke, the Reo soon lost all taste for a couple of inches. Then there was a little pepper, but that didn’t continue either. Overall, I found the Reo to be a pretty boring cigar.

Verdict = Sell.

–George E

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. Thanks to the crummy Chicago smoking ban, Cigar Aficionado reports that the previously scheduled Big Smoke Chicago is canceled. According to CA, “Local authorities told Hyatt representatives last spring that the 2008 Big Smoke event could go as scheduled. However, after reviewing a detailed copy of the law last week, the establishment’s lawyers concluded that there was no way to allow any smoking on the premises.”

2. Once again, those pesky politicians up on Capitol Hill tried to pass the SCHIP bill, which includes a massive increase in tobacco taxes. And thankfully, once again, Democrats failed to muster enough votes to override Bush’s veto, meaning that at least for now there won’t be a $3 per cigar federal tax.

3. Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a Camacho SLR. Stogie Review reviews the Indian Tabac 10th Anniversary. The Smoke Journal goes with the Graycliff PG. Cigar Inspector inspects a Padrón 5000. Keepers of the Flame lights up an Augusto Reyes.

4. Deal of the Week: This week we feature a sampler with some really special cigars. Don Pepin is just about the biggest name in cigars right now, and Victor de la Cruz once blended for Davidoff. With Tatuajes by Pepin, and Cocineros and La Princesa by de la Cruz, this sampler features ten excellent cigars for $50. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Cigar Aficionado

Cigars sit in my humidor for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes I try to hang on to them as long as I can, secure in the belief that they’ll improve with age. Others I just don’t seem to pick up when I’m choosing a cigar, even those I’ve enjoyed in the past.

Gurkhas often fall into that category. I have a few – probably 10 to 12 – from different lines, and I realized when I picked up a six inch toro Expedition the other day that it had been resting for about a year and a half. Well, I thought, that looks promising. So I picked it up.

When I slid the cedar sleeve off, I noticed a crack in the wrapper at the foot that ran close to a half inch. As I cut the 50 ring gauge cap, most of it came off, and the wrapper began to unwrap. Undaunted, I plunged ahead. After all, I keep the humidity and temperature pretty regular, but I’m always willing to take the blame when there are problems that could relate to storage.

It did light easily, and I was greeted with a pleasant cedar taste with thick, white smoke. Unfortunately, things went downhill quickly. The wrapper developed more splits than Disney on Ice. It continued unraveling as well, creating a three-dimensional barber pole effect.

Then, about halfway down, it blew up. I swear, I started looking for Allen Funt. I even checked the band, wondering if I’d been smoking the Gurkha Explosion rather than the Expedition.

I no choice but to call it quits. This is one case where I don’t think it’s fair to rate the cigar without smoking more, which I intend to do. But I wanted to see if I could first get some input from our readers.

What experiences have you had with the Gurkha Expedition? Let me know so I can bear them in mind when I try another and can include some when I do the second part of this review.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This is a smoke to make you believe we’re truly enjoying a Golden Age of Cigars. From the gorgeous Cafe Rosado Oscuro wrapper to the ligero added to the Cuban-seed Nicaraguan filler, this is an extraordinary cigar.

I got five in a sampler pack several weeks ago and decided on a pleasant afternoon last week that I had waited long enough to smoke one. I would be hard pressed to point to any physical aspect of the cigar that’s lacking. The cap is expertly applied, cutting evenly and easily. There are no soft or hard spots from top to bottom, no problem with the burn or ash.

But it is in the smooth flavors that this five and 1/2 inch beauty from Pete Johnson really shines. For the first quarter of an inch or so, there’s a nice pepper spice. That’s soon complemented by a little sweetness. At midway, the spice is gone and there’s leather, warm tobacco, and just a floral hint. As you move down from there, the cigar develops a little zip and the pepper and spice lightly return.

The truth is this blend takes complexity to near perfection. I understand this Havana VI Verocu No. 2 and its West Coast sibling are limited production cigars. That’s a shame. At $10 a stick, it’s one I would happily smoke as often as I could, though the $500 price tag on a cabinet of 50 is a bit rich for my blood.

I rate this one an instant classic and award it the full five out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Those of you who are interested in cheap, mild, everyday smokes are probably already familiar with Rafael Gonzalez. For everyone else who hasn’t been introduced to the somewhat reclusive brand, let’s get up to speed.

Rafael Gonzalez was launched in 1998 out of the Villazon factory in Honduras. It should not be confused with the 80-year-old Cuban brand of the same name, a blend of pure Vuelta Abajo tobaccos developed by Marquez Rafael Gonzalez.

Predictably, the Honduran line is sold to the American market as “a classic Cuban reborn.” While the Habano has a reputation as one of the mildest sticks around, “this Honduran-made edition is more medium-bodied in flavor, yet retains the smoothness, excellent balance, and inviting aroma for which Rafael Gonzalez is known.”

Sounds good enough, especially at the price. I paid about $3.25 apiece for the two Toros (6.125 x 50) I smoked for this review.

Unfortunately, one of those cigars got off to a terrible start as the top portion of the delicate Connecticut Shade wrapper separated from the Connecticut Broadleaf binder when I cut the head. (I used the same reliable cutter, mind you, that I use for all of my reviews.) I was able to correct the problem with some trusty saliva.

Aside from this defect, I have to say these cigars are quite attractive for value smokes. The wrappers are smooth and a bit oily, and while the seams may not be perfect, a cross-section of the firm stick reveals some masterful rolling.

I was pleased to find a heavy aroma of roasted almond off the three-country filler blend, even before lighting. From there the flavor begins very mild with a nutty cream taste and just a little spice in the finish. An uneven burn requires several touch-ups, and the cigar never transforms into the medium-bodied smoke it’s advertised as.

Judging it on its own merits, though, I’m still not too impressed, especially when you consider some of the really outstanding mild cigars that are available on the cheap (the Don Kiki White Label and the Ybor City Handmades come to mind). That’s why I can give the Rafael Gonzalez Toro only two out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

StogieGuys.com is pleased to announce our second annual Super Bowl contest. You may not be able to land tickets to the big game in Arizona between the NFC champion New York Giants and the AFC champion New England Patriots, but here you do have a chance to win some fantastic cigars courtesy of StogieGuys.com and eGars.com.

This year, eGars.com is providing us with some fantastic prizes so that the two best Super Bowl prognosticators will each receive six top-notch cigars. Our two winners will each receive six cigars from the Honduran Classic Sampler and the Punch Rothschild Sampler (total value $29.90):

• Sancho Panza Caballero – 6.5 x 45
• Excalibur Prensado Oscuro – 6.125 x 48
• Punch Rare Corojo Double Corona – 6.75 x 48
• Punch Rothschild EMS – 4.5 x 50
• Punch Rothschild MM – 4.5 x 50
• Punch Rare Corojo Rothschild – 4.5 x 50

To enter, leave a comment on this article that includes the following predictions: (1) who will win, (2) margin of victory, (3) total points scored, and (4) time on the clock (regardless of quarter) when the first points of the game are scored. Please see the first comment for a sample entry.

The margin of victory, followed by total points, followed by time of the first points, will be used as a tiebreakers to determine the two prize winners. In the event of matching winning guesses, the first to respond is the winner.

Eligibility: Only one entry per person. Participants must be 18 or older (verification may be required) and must live in the continental US. You must enter a valid email so we can contact you for a mailing address.

All entries must be received before 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 3.

Please note that eGars.com is also running a special deal just for StogieGuys.com readers: Enter “SGVIP” as a promo code when you checkout and receive 10 percent off your first order!

Good Luck!

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: NFL

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

This Cuban robusto features a lovely, smooth, deep brown wrapper, draped in the classic red, gold, and white Hoyo band. The flavors are a wonderful medley of cocoa, cedar, and black cherry and the construction was good – making this is one of my favorite Cubans. No wonder Patrick A rated this cigar four and 1/2 stogies back in December.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys