The Stogie Guys

Camacho is known for its full flavored smokes. So when the Honduran-based company announced that it was introducing the industry’s first triple maduro cigar, smokers everywhere braced for the power-packed smoke which is just starting to hit select cigar stores.

Made in Camacho’s factory in the Jamastran Valley of Honduras (just outside of Danli) the blend combines five different types of maduro tobacco – but Camacho is keeping tight-lipped about the details of the leaves that make up the blend, except to say that the wrapper and filler are grown on Camacho’s farms in Jamastran.

Measuring in at six inches with a 54 ring gauge, the Figurado is an imposing smoke with its dual silver and black bands, both of which frame the toothy, jet-black maduro wrapper. There are a few small veins, but even those tend to get lost in the darkness.

Yet despite its intimidating looks and secretive origins, the power of this cigar isn’t fully realized until you light up and take a few puffs. Once that happened, we discovered a knock-you-on-your-ass strength that even well-seasoned smokers rarely come across. Dark, rich, and earthy, the cigar starts out with a bang – and an intense tobacco buzz that some will find too intense.

Were it to continue that strong and full-bodied, we might not have made it to the end of this pyramid-shaped bomb. But fortunately, a little less than an inch into the smoke, it gained a softer, more complex edge as the overpowering earth flavors mellowed, revealing notes of black coffee and a sweet edge that usually defines maduro smokes.

The draw is on the loose side – occasionally becoming too loose – but the overall construction is quite good. The rough, gray ash holds surprisingly well (despite continuously looking as if it were about to fall off) and the burn was even to the end.

With about a third of the cigar left, its mellowness departs and again we are left with the same strong tobacco and earth flavor that welcomed us to the first ever “triple maduro” cigar.

Ultimately, we doubt the Camacho Triple Maduro will ever be a daily smoke for most people – even for the most committed “maddy” smokers. Still, it’s a fun ride, and one we suggest stogie smokers give a try. (That is except for cigar beginners, in whose hands the Triple Maduro would be a cruel joke.)

For some, once will be enough, as the maduro flavor is too overpowering; for others, this will be a new smoke to mix into a regular rotation.

All things considered, the innovative, full-bodied, intense Camacho Triple Maduro Figurado is just a bit too rich to earn a rating higher than three and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A & 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.

When I first lit up this seven inch by 50 ring gauge Dominican, I was a little concerned. The draw was tight, the burn was uneven, and the ash was anything but stable. But after about 15 minutes into this hour and ½ smoke – and after a few touchups with my matches – it really settled down into an above average cigar. Box-pressed and a bit spongy to the touch, the Bazilian maduro wrapper and Cuban-seed Dominican long-leaf tobaccos yield classic earthy flavors with a dash of spicy pepper. All things considered, every stogie enthusiast should at least give one of these a try. If you’re a fan, the Victor Sinclair Vintage Select is a great bargain at less than $3 per stick.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

Tags: cigars

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

From the start, I wasn’t impressed with this cigar. The triangular shape (which, I think, means I got this on C-Bid) felt odd, not comfortable. It was spongy to the touch, and when I lit it the first impression was harshness. As I worked down the five inch stick, that evened out a little but never developed into a pleasant taste. The experience mirrored earlier ones with these cigars. I’d hoped some time in the humidor would help, but it seems to have made no difference.

Verdict = Sell.

–George E

Tags: cigars

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. With the final episode of “The Sopranos” only two days away, many diehard fans are searching for a proper way to send off the family. As Cigar Aficionado explains, why not toast them with an official Sopranos cocktail? Drinks range from the feminine “Made Martini” and “Carmela Supreme” to the powerful “Bada-Bing” and the “Final Whack.”

2. Think fascist smoking bans in the U.S. are a pain in the ass? Just look at what our dentally-challenged cousins across the pond have to deal with. Starting July 1, smoking in London’s offices, bars, and restaurants will be illegal – no exceptions, even for the city’s 20 cigar bars. Some smoke friendly establishments are building rooftop patios, but it’s probably only a matter of time before the government bans outdoor smoking as well.

3. Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan reviews a CAO MX2. Leafy Times says Padrón is the best. Cigar Jack isn’t loving the Ashton VSG. Matt tries an A. Pontillo. Stogie Review has a Rocky Patel OSG. The Smoking Lounge reviews a Gispert Toro.

4. Deal of the Week: If you haven’t taken care of Father’s Day yet, you’d better pick up one of these samplers for pops: Powerhouse 22, Father’s Day Sampler, Super Sampler, Premium Sampler, Herf Sampler, or El Torito Sampler. All include ten or more quality smokes for under $30, so don’t blame us if you show up June 17th empty handed!

–The Stogie Guys

I recently downloaded another cigar database that offers all sorts of ways to categorize and characterize my smokes. It’s really quite impressive. And I’d be quite impressed by anyone who filled one out and kept it up to date. Even as I was opening the program for the first time, I knew I never would use it.

Oh, I’d like to. I think the information would be great to have. But the most I can muster is a half-hearted effort to write down the purchase date on a label and stick it to the cellophane. Even with that simple task, I’m probably just above the Mendoza line.

I got some insight into my “I’m such a dismal failure at properly indexing my cigars” condition last night when I pulled a Dominican Montecristo from my humidor. (It looked like a Robusto; I, of course, had recorded no information on that.) This was one to which I had affixed a date: May 2006. As I picked it up and admired the lovely brown wrapper, I began to wonder what a year in the box had wrought, so I took it out to the deck and lit up.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. It burned slowly and absolutely straight. The smoke was luscious, the tastes varying throughout. Was it better than a Montecristo fresh from the box? Or one with six months – or two years – aging? To be honest, I don’t know. When I started smoking cigars, I took fairly extensive notes on each one that I smoked. Perhaps if I dug those little notebooks out I’d find a page or so on a Monte that I might be able to compare to that recent one.

But I’ve realized I’m not really interested in keeping all those records because, frankly, it seems just a little too much like work. Don’t get me wrong. I’m fascinated by such topics and will read and listen to other people’s cigar experiences almost endlessly. And when I’m reviewing cigars for StogieGuys.com, I do take careful notes.

When I’m just smoking for myself, though, I’d rather simply concentrate on that. The only records I maintain these days — and rather halfheartedly at that — are two expanding lists: favorites and those I want to try.

How about you? What sort of records, if any, do you keep? Are there diligent recorders of database data among our readers, or smokers as lackadaisical as I?

–George E

Tags: cigars

Ever since I was first introduced to the line back in December, I’ve been a big fan of the Toraño Signature Collection. So, with six months and approximately five sticks under my belt, I figure it’s about time for me to share my thoughts via a full review.

My vitola of choice, the six inch by 50 ring gauge Toro, is a gorgeous cigar that scored an impressive 4.7 in Smoke Magazine – the highest rating in the publication’s history, according to Toraño’s website.

It’s most noticeable feature is a seal brown Brazilian maduro wrapper. Sun-grown, it carries a few subtle seams and veins, but is otherwise very enticing. Toraño contrasts the cigar’s dark appearance by capping it off with two cream-colored bands.

Like so many other full-bodied stogies, you can tell this is going to be chock full of flavor as soon as the cellophane is removed. But instead of simply kicking your ass right out of the gate, the first few puffs amaze with a balanced taste of leather, spicy pepper, and sweet syrup.

I’m not exactly sure why the broadleaf binder was paired with the unique Dominican Cuban and Nicaraguan habano ligero filler, but it definitely works.

Advertised as a strong cigar with a complex flavor profile, the Toro doesn’t disappoint. At the halfway point, the spice amps up as new, nutty notes are introduced. Delicious.

But for all its flavor, the Signature Collection almost outdoes itself. Even full-bodied fans will need to take their time, and some may have to put the cigar down once they reach the first band. My advice: Make sure to enjoy this on a full stomach, or you won’t be enjoying it at all.

Either way, the stick’s construction won’t be a problem. The draw is moderate to easy, with each puff producing a lot of rich smoke. The burn is remarkably even with a noteworthy mascara sheen. My only complaint is the ash is not as firm as I’d expect from a tightly-rolled cigar.

All things considered, I think Carlos Toraño built a real winner with his Signature Collection. For only $5.50 apiece, each Toro packs a ton of flavor (and you can find them even cheaper online if you keep your eyes open). I’m highly recommending this cigar, and giving it four and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

If you don’t think smokers are a persecuted class, then you haven’t been paying attention.

Those who choose to smoke face a new smoking ban or exorbitant tax nearly every day, under the guise of “public health” – a rarely defined and limitless justification for restricting the choices that individuals are permitted to make about their own lives.

And it is that so-called “public health” justification that makes the newest form of smoker persecution all the more hypocritical and appalling. In Leicester, England health bureaucrats have launched a plan to deny smokers access to surgeries if they continue to choose to smoke:

Smokers could be denied routine operations on the NHS unless they quit a month before surgery…

The proposals, which have been drawn up by Leicester City West Primary Care Trust, could be extended to other areas.

The Leicester plans would involve smokers being given counselling and nicotine patches to help them stop. But the patients would have to give a blood sample to prove they had quit before being put on the waiting list and admitted for elective non-emergency surgery.

Doctors would decide whether to operate if the patient failed to give up.

The Leicester trust will launch a consultation on the proposals to coincide with the smoking ban that comes into force in England on July 1.

Now keep in mind that Britain has nationalized health care, and that the denial of care is by government doctors who are paid with taxpayer funds – particularly the billions collected in tobacco taxes. In Great Britain taxes have driven the cost of a pack of cigarettes up to £5.50, or nearly $11 U.S.

But later in the article the health Nazis reveal their real reason for this denial of medical treatment: “Its plans were welcomed yesterday by health charities but condemned by smoking groups which said they were part of a drive to save money and turn England‘s 10 million smokers into pariahs.”

And if turning smokers into pariahs is the goal, then Britain is doing a good job.

The government recently announced that smokers would be liable for an £80 on-the-spot fine for stubbing out cigarettes in the street. And European Union officials are considering banning smokers from lighting up outside office doorways, at bus shelters, and on outdoor train platforms.

–Patrick S