The Stogie Guys

As you may recall from my profile, my palette – which changes with my temperament – allows me to enjoy a wide array of cigars. Last night, I was in the mood for something mild.

So I sat down on my porch to relax with a Macanudo Natural Rothschild. At six and ½ inches with a 42 ring gauge, this light brown Dominican is one of the most gentle-bodied smokes on the market. It sports a woody, almost cedar-like flavor, and the Connecticut wrapper yields an even burn with a long, white ash.

While I was satisfied with this cigar, I must admit it lacked the sort of pleasing character and complexity you will find in other Macanudo lines (i.e., Maduro or Robust).

And despite my mellow disposition, the flavor was still a little too mild for me, especially towards the end of the smoke when the heat from foot overpowered its delicate aroma and taste.

Nonetheless, this subtle cigar has earned my respect. At $5.50 apiece it’s not cheap, but certainly worth a try (if you’re in the right mood).

I would not recommend, however, enjoying this stogie with any strong-flavored adult cocktail. A glass of merlot, for example, is sure to completely drown out its faint flavors.

I give the Macanudo Natural Rothschild three out of five stogies.

-Patrick A

StogieGuys.com has designed and implemented a simple and effective ratings system whereby cigars receive anywhere from one to five stogies. Each review explains, in easy to understand terms, why we chose that particular rating for a given cigar. Our ratings system is described as follows:

One out of five stogies. These are cigars you would smoke if you had absolutely no choice. Say, if someone put a gun to your head.

Two out of five stogies. Decent at best, these cigars make tolerable companions while you mow the lawn. They’re not going to be terribly good, so it doesn’t matter if you can’t pay attention to them.

Three out of five stogies. These cigars leave something to be desired but are pretty respectable. We recommend taking them on the golf course.

Four out of five stogies. Now we’re getting somewhere. Enjoy these fine cigars after a delicious meal or with your favorite cocktail.

Five out of five stogies. These tasty, complex cigars are truly an occasion. We recommend you give these babies your full and undivided attention.

One final note: In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com an open forum for all cigar enthusiasts, we welcome comments on our ratings from all readers. Submitted comments, however vulgar and inappropriate, are directly published without censorship.

–The Stogie Guys

Founded in May 2006, StogieGuys.com is the go-to website for daily cigar news, reviews, and commentary on the average guys’ search for the next great smoke.

Its founders, Patrick Ashby and Patrick Semmens, discovered that as co-workers they shared (along with a first name) an affinity for great cigars and a deep frustration at a society that has become increasingly hostile to the smoke they produce. This website is dedicated to the average guys (and gals) who enjoy fine smokes, friendly establishments, and good company…in other words, Stogie Guys.

For more information about the site, please see here. Our official site policies can be found here. Click here for information about advertising on StogieGuys.com.