The Stogie Guys

This pricey corona was a gift I smoked after several months in the humidor because it was a pretty day that seemed to call for a lovely cigar. With an Ecuadorian sungrown Connecticut wrapper and a great prelight aroma, this Davidoff-produced stick launched by no less than Sir Winston’s grandson seemed to fill the bill.

As is so often the (annoying) case, getting straight information on the cigar’s composition isn’t easy. The Davidoff site says the four sizes “incorporate four different specially composed tobacco blends,” while the cigar’s site is a little more informative. It refers, without specifics, to all the tobaccos as Dominican, Peruvian, Nicaraguan, and Ecuadorian.

At any rate, the Chequers, a 5.5 inch cigar with a 46 ring gauge, proved to be an interesting smoke. I have seen some criticism calling it a one-dimensional cigar, but I didn’t find it that way. At the light, there was a mixture of roasted nuts and leather. Later, I got some citrus notes, hay, and a little cedar as the strength remained medium. It had a slow burn though the ash was not tight.

Each of the four sizes in the line is named after a place that was significant in Churchill’s life, with a thin secondary identifying band. Chequers is the prime minister’s country home (think of a much older, much grander version of Camp David) that Churchill often visited during World War II and was the site for some of his famous broadcast speeches.

As you would expect from Davidoff, who is in this venture with global giant Swedish Match, the Winston Churchill is expensive. A box of 25 Chequers will run you in the neighborhood of $320 and a single from $12 to $15.

Is it worth the money? Well, you’ll have to make up your own mind about that. After all, one man’s “affordable” is another man’s “outrageous.” I found it to be a good cigar, worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Absolute Cigars

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 items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) According to TMZ, Gurkha Cigars offered Michael Phelps $25,000 to become their official “smokesperson.” After a photo of Phelps smoking a bong was made public, the company reportedly wrote to the 14-time gold medal winner: “We would like to provide you with the opportunity to do what you do best—smoke and swim. And while we can’t help you with your swimming skills, we can definitely offer you the best of the best when it comes to the cigar world.”

2) Virginia, a state built on tobacco, is nearing a compromise that would impose a smoking ban on the commonwealth. As it stands now, the law would be one of the weakest statewide bans because it includes exemptions for clubs and businesses that are off-limits to minors. But lawmakers in Richmond, including Gov. Tim Kaine, are scrambling to make the proposed regulation more cumbersome.

3) The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic venture of the Fuente and Newman families, continues to do important work for the people of the Dominican Republic’s rural tobacco-growing region. The organization’s activities include providing medical treatment, helping students graduate from vocational training programs, and running various community development initiatives. The Foundation is likely to take a hit due to SCHIP, so we encourage you to donate.

4) Inside the Industry: Habanos is introducing the Montecristo Open, a new, milder extension of its Cuban Montecristo line. CAO’s Cx2 blend is now only available from Famous Smoke Shop. Famous also rolled out exclusive blends celebrating 70 years of business, including a three-size line by Perdomo and a box-pressed Padrón Robusto reportedly based on the 1964 blend.

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack lights up a Casa Fuente. Stogie Review smokes a Conuco. Stogie Fresh tries a J. Fuego Triple Siete. Cigar Command sparks a Henry Clay Brevas.

6) Deal of the Week: While Alec Bradley’s Tempus hogged the spotlight and the highest ratings, don’t overlook the well-aged Harvest Selection ’97. At $20 for 8 smokes, this deal is a great way to try Tempus’ slightly milder brother. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

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

This five inch by 50 ring gauge robusto-sized smoke features a dark, rustic, and veiny wrapper. It lights easily, imparting warm cedar notes with a touch of sweet honey and plenty of underlying spice. With an easy draw and an even burn, construction is good. The abundance of smoke is also notable. All around, it’s not hard to see why the Tempus has been so well received: It’s a medium- to full-bodied smoke with a unique, balanced, woody profile.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Tempus

After the introduction of the Jameson Cigar Co. last March, and bolstered by a generous web offer of two sticks and a T-shirt for the cost of postage, it seemed like the entire online cigar community was writing about the new cigar outfit. So Jameson’s strategy had worked. The only problem, however, were the mixed reviews of the company’s original blend.

As Jameson President Brad Mayo told me via email, that Sumatra-wrapped line, now called the Red Label, was re-blended “due to several factors, including changes at the factory and problems with the wrapper. It now consists of an all Dominican filler, Honduran binder, and Ecuadorian wrapper.”

While StogieGuys.com has yet to try Jameson’s new Red, today I set my sights on the Black Label, a “rich, complex cigar that delivers bold flavors.” It boats a Brazilian ariparaca leaf that’s dark, textured, and unrefined. Such traits are characteristic of tobacco from South America’s largest nation, including mata fina, one of my all-time favorites.

The five inch by 44 ring gauge Corona sports a reddish hue and dimensions that are perfect for outdoor smoking during the winter months. The three I smoked for this review averaged about 40 minutes from light to nub.

Well-received by cigar website reviewers, the Black Label starts with a rich taste of black coffee and leather. The voluminous smoke that pours from the clear draw has none of the sweet cocoa flavors that I’ve come to expect from mata fina. Instead, this hearty cigar is intense, especially following the addition of peppercorn after the first inch.

From a straight burn that requires no touch-ups to a firm and sandy ash, I also noted excellent physical properties. This is the sort of stick you can light up and simply enjoy without the worry of maintenance.

To heighten that enjoyment, let me recommend you spark this Corona with a sweet, powerful drink. The taste of El Dorado 12 Year Old pairs well because the sugary rum helps offset this cigar’s spice and bitter notes.

Laying down $5 for a Black Label Corona is a good bargain, particularly if you let these young cigars rest awhile. I have a feeling age will improve their balance. For now, with or without the free T-shirt, this tiny powerhouse earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

All of us at StogieGuys.com are pleased to announce that Mike Kitsen of East Lansing, Michigan, has won our “What Do Cigar Rights Mean to You?” contest. Mike will receive the Ultimate Rocky Patel Cigar Rights Sampler, which includes a dozen of Rocky’s finest cigars, three punch cutters, and Rocky’s new five-torch Diplomat table lighter—all generously furnished by the Duque Cigar Company.

While we received many outstanding contest entries, we think Mike’s comment succinctly and accurately touched on the most important aspects of cigar rights. Here’s what he had to say on November 25:

[Cigar rights mean] the ability to: (1) enjoy a cigar in an establishment that allows cigar smoking, without the interference of government; (2) buy a cigar without being hit with an industry and consumer crippling tax; and (3) smoke in my home or on my property without the fear of big brother’s watchful eye or prying neighbors who are irrationally fearful that traces of smoke may encroach upon their property and give them cancer. And for businesses, it means the ability to make an honest living, selling a legal product, and having the right to permit people to smoke or not (so long as the choice is that of the owner and not the government).

Upon learning of his triumph in the contest, Mike wrote to us: “Out of so many great ‘Cigar Rights’ entries, I am glad to hear I won because cigar rights is a very meaningful topic to me, especially in today’s ever increasing anti-smoking world. It’s fitting that such a meaningful topic comes with a phenomenal gift from StogieGuys.com and the Duque Cigar Company. Thank you for such an on-point topic, and keep up the fantastic work, guys.”

Picking a winner from the many outstanding entries was no easy task. But we hope you will join us in congratulating Mike for his well-deserved victory.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In this week of giving thanks, StogieGuys.com is pleased to announce our “What Do Cigar Rights Mean to You?” contest. Simply leave a comment answering that simple question, and you may be selected to receive the Ultimate Rocky Patel Cigar Rights Sampler. Pictured below, it features a dozen of Rocky’s finest cigars, three punch cutters, and Rocky’s new five-torch Diplomat table lighter.

Included are two of the difficult to find and highly-rated Rocky Patel Decade Torpedoes, plus two ITC 10th Anniversary Torpedoes, two Olde World Reserve Corojo Robustos, two Nording Robustos, two Java Maduro Wafes, and two of the brand new Rocky Patel Cameroon Especial Toros, all generously provided by the Duque Cigar Company.

Duque Cigar Company owner Thomas Hunter was kind enough to sponsor this contest to highlight the importance of protecting cigar rights and of the important work being done by groups like Cigar Rights of America. Describing what Cigar Rights mean to him, Hunter says:

“As the owner of a very small retail, mail order, and online cigar shop, cigar rights mean life or death for my livelihood. But as an aficionado of the hobby of cigars, they mean much more than that. For me, the hobby is a lifestyle going all the way back to watching my grandfather light a cigar on the back porch or remembering that every time my dad would bend over, a cigar would fall out of his shirt pocket. To think that we as Americans claim we are a county of rights, liberty, and freedom, it makes me sick to my stomach to think that there may be a day when I can’t smoke a cigar with my son to celebrate the birth of a grandchild.”

For your chance at the fantastic prize, leave a comment giving us your answer to the question, “What do cigar rights mean to you?” (We aren’t looking for an essay on the subject; one to three sentences will do nicely.)

In December, our esteemed panel of judges will select one top response to receive the grand prize. Just follow these rules for a chance at winning: You must be 21 or older to win. One entry per person. You must live in the continental U.S. Use a valid email so we can contact you if you win. Many thanks to the Duque Cigar Company for sponsoring the contest, and good luck!

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Here at StogieGuys.com, we highlight the most egregious smoking bans when we can. Telling you about every single one would be impossible given that there are smoking bans in literally thousands of jurisdictions.

We’ve seen government-imposed bans in restaurants, bars, casinos, cars, outdoors, golf courses, cigar shops, and even houses. Each is more ridiculous than the next. And who knows what’s around the corner?

As the following video points out, it wasn’t always this way. In fact, it was only ten years ago that California banned smoking in bars. Most people probably just figured that was California thing. Today, though, smoking bans have become a nationwide thing—something you’ll find in red and blue states, east and west states, north and south states, on the coasts and in middle America.

With smoking bans so clearly on the march, I suggest watching this timely eight-minute video, which discuses how we got here and where we might end up:

–Patrick S

video credit: Reason.tv