The Stogie Guys

A few nights ago, Washington was witness to the sort of howling, chilling wind that can make a butane torch flame shiver and bend. This stark reminder that winter is rapidly approaching had me reaching into my humidor for a petite stick that wouldn’t require me to be outside for hours.

It wasn’t long before I stumbled across a Ramón Allones Small Club Corona, a Cuban that I’ve often turned to when time is short and temperatures are low. Considered a good companion cigar for seasoned smokers, this 4.3 inch by 42 ring gauge stogie has a reputation for packing lots of flavor into a quick format. Other reviewers have noted tastes ranging from nuts and dried fruit to herbs and wood.

I was actually surprised to find so much info on the web because Ramón Allones is definitely one of Cuba’s lesser-known trademarks. That’s one reason the brand’s cigars are affordable, at least by Habanos’ standards. You can find the Small Club Corona for $5-8, and most boxes of 25 for $115-130.

The Ramón Allones legend, however, is far bigger than its name. While others claim to be the first, I’ve heard the brand—founded in 1837—was the first to have colorful lithographs for box art, the first to utilize bands on cigars, and the first to package cigars in the “8-9-8” style.

Enough history. As I used my V-cutter to establish a moderate draw from the cap, I noticed the thin cigar’s bland band, undistinguished wrapper leaf, and lack of prelight aromas don’t make for a terrific first impression. There’s also something awry about the Small Club Corona’s inconsistent shape.

The cigar improves dramatically once you fire it up. I found a dry, cedar taste with some spice that builds to include notes of black coffee and cashews. Fairly strong, definitely full on flavor. If you make a habit of smoking down to the nub, however, you may be disappointed with the last half inch; it is characterized by a bitterness that’s hardly enjoyable.

While the Small Club Corona burns evenly, it does possess some odd combustion traits. The mascara is obnoxiously pronounced and protruding, and the foot becomes more cone-shaped than one would expect once the stable ash is tapped. But neither quirk adversely interferes with the smoking experience.

This cigar costs more than I’d like to spend on something of its size, even for a Cuban, and it’s no match for the exquisite Specially Selected vitola. Still, I find myself occasionally turning to it for its big taste and 30-minute format—particularly this time of year. That’s why give the Ramón Allones Small Club Corona three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In a week and one day, millions of Americans will head to the polls to vote for the next leader of the free world. Both major candidates are former cigarette smokers: Republican John McCain smoked two packs a day until he quit three decades ago, while Democrat Barack Obama admitted having a cigarette as recently as this summer despite “quitting” early last year.

But being a former smoker (or even a current one) doesn’t make a politician good when it comes to taking positions that affect cigar smokers. Below are four areas where the next president could have a major impact on stogie enthusiasts with a look at the positions held by McCain and Obama in each area.

Tobacco Taxes

Industry insiders say a massive tobacco tax, such as the one proposed in the so-called SCHIP bill, is the most immediate threat to the cigar industry. This year only President Bush’s veto stopped what would have been a 256% increase in cigar taxes, meaning an increase of up to $3 per cigar. Obama clearly favors funding programs with tobacco taxes. He voted for the SCHIP cigar tax increase and has pledged to sign the bill into law. His campaign calls the senator “an ardent supporter of SCHIP.”

McCain’s position on tobacco taxes has been far less clear. He voted against versions of the SCHIP bill with the tobacco tax increase and has criticized the tax, taking the position that “it makes no sense to encourage people to live healthier…while making the government even more dependent on having people smoke.” However, McCain has a long history of advocating for tobacco taxes, specifically on cigarettes. Only a year ago he was quoted as saying, “I still regret we did not succeed” when asked about past efforts to increase cigarette taxes by $1.10 per pack.

Smoking Bans

Smoking bans have traditionally been a matter for state and local governments. Still, a national smoking ban (for so-called “public places” like restarants and bars) remains a possibility.  McCain’s views on this issue are not entirely clear, but he did not join fellow Republican Mike Huckabee in promising to sign a natinoal smoking ban.

Meanwhile, Obama seemed to indicate support for a national smoking ban but seemed to prefer keeping bans a state issue. In a New Hampshire debate, Obama told the audience, “If we can’t provide these kinds of protections at the local level, which would be my preference, I would be supportive of a national law.”

Regulation

As we’ve written before, Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco has the potential to be very damaging for cigar smokers. John McCain has been a advocate for regulating tobacco under the FDA since the mid-1990s when he co-sponsored a bill to that effect.  Indeed, the issue has been called “one of the most significant efforts of his congressional career.” In the past year, however, critics of McCain claim he has backed away from that position, despite the fact that he remains a co-sponsor of the FDA bill. The Arizona senator has continued to criticize the portrayal of smoking by Hollywood, perhaps indicating that he still would favor FDA regulation if it didn’t include increased tobacco taxes.

Obama is also a co-sponsor of the bill to regulate tobacco through the FDA. Anti-tobacco advocates say FDA regulation of tobacco is “inevitable” under a McCain or Obama presidency.

Trade

Trade policies might not initially appear to be an area of interest. But since virtually every handmade cigar is either rolled in other countries or rolled in the U.S. with tobacco from foreign countries, reducing barriers to trade is vital to preserve and increase cigar smokers’ access to a wide variety of cigars at reasonable prices. There are two major policies where trade most effects cigar consumers: (1) the Cuban embargo/trade sanctions currently makes some of the world’s highest-regarded cigars illegal for Americans; and (2) the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement eliminates or lowers trade barriers with cigar-producing countries such as the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

McCain has “typically voted in support of sanctions on Cuba” and demanded free elections before the embargo is lifted. Obama seems more open to changing the U.S. policy toward Cuba, “calling for travel and remittance restrictions on Cuban-Americans to be lifted” and expressing that “he would engage in bilateral talks with Cuba to send the message that the United States is willing to normalize relations with Cuba upon evidence of a democratic opening.”

Obama opposes CAFTA and voted against it. On his website, you’ll find an article titled “Why I Oppose CAFTA,” citing labor concerns and the loss of American jobs. McCain voted for CAFTA and consistently supported similar trade agreements.

–Patrick S

photo credit: AGORAVOX

Over a year ago, one of my colleagues listed three boutique cigar manufacturers in an effort to “discover new sticks and to play at least a small, direct role in supporting the art of cigar making.” Today I’d like to continue that trend because, in my opinion, these smaller-scale operations turn out some terrific smokes for a fraction of name-brand prices.

Now you might be asking what qualifies a cigar producer to be “boutique.” According to a 1999 feature article in Smoke Magazine, boutique cigars are “brands with a production of less than 1.5 million sticks per year.” (That number would likely have to be upped today to adjust for increased overall cigar production.) Others say boutiques simply mean the firm’s stogies are cultivated in small batches with high attention to individual detail.

For our purposes—and because it’s a lot easier than researching production numbers—I’ll adopt a broad definition: Boutique cigar manufacturers are those with a relatively limited output, name recognition, and niche market. In other words, to borrow a metaphor from Smoke Magazine, they are the micro-breweries of the cigar industry. This definition is certainly subjective, so feel free to disagree with my belief that, despite José Oliva’s assertion, his operation is not boutique.

Either way, I don’t want to get all caught up in semantics. Instead, I’d like to share my three favorite boutiques and encourage you to explore their wonderful creations:

Bucanero Cigars. Founded during the mid-90’s cigar boom, this company uses fine tobaccos from 10 different nations to create 18 signature blends. I particularly appreciate the Don Douglas, Treasure, and Cañon lines. “[Bucanero] was, and continues today to be, built around honesty and friendship,” says President Robert Spoden. “We set out slowly to introduce unique blends.”

Cuban Crafters. This selection should come as no surprise. We write about this Maimi-based, Nicaraguan-growing operation so often, in fact, I worry that readers think we’re on their payroll. (We aren’t but, in the interest of full disclosure, we do participate in their affiliate program.) Cuban Crafters makes many of my everyday favorite brands, including Cupido, J.L. Salazar, Don Kiki (Brown and White), La Carolina, and Cameroon. The company’s latest, most premium creation, the Medina 1959 line (full release TBD), is also an up-and-coming winner. “While difficult to find in many cigar retailers,” says National Sales Director Alberto Noguera, “boutique premium brands are something different from the ordinary mass-produced cigars commonly available in most shops. Their flavor and aroma is unmatched.”

Isla de Cuba. I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from Darryl Lieser’s Tampa-based boutique. The two original blends that launched in February—Classic and Aged Maduro—have a simple beauty to them, and Isla’s new Wango Tango and Blend 376 lines are also impressive.

Feel free to use the comments below to share your favorite boutique cigar manufacturers with other StogieGuys.com readers.

–Patrick A

photo credits: Stogie Guys

Here at StogieGuys.com, we make an honest effort not to grumble too often about government-mandated smoking bans and the anti-tobacco zealots who advocate them. While we’ve made no secret of the fact that such invasive bans limit choice, violate private property, and are justified only by shoddy “science,” we try to focus on the more enjoyable aspects of the wonderful hobby we all share in our daily coverage of the world of cigars.

But understanding what’s happening in the increasingly hostile smoking ban movement is an essential tool in asserting our freedoms as cigar smokers and standing up for the rights of restaurant and bar entrepreneurs across the nation. In that spirit, and since I haven’t written anything similar since March, I offer the following news items for your consideration. They are by no means all-inclusive; they’re simply a few of the more interesting smoking ban stories to surface as of late:

1. Charleston, WV: “Some Kanawha County bar owners are uniting Tuesday night to make one clear statement about the new smoking ban. They’re putting the ashtrays back out, allowing smokers to light up once again, and breaking the law. It’s all to protest the expanded ban, which eliminates smoking in most public places including bars and gambling parlors. It’s like old times inside the Black Hawk Saloon. Business is booming for owner Kerry Ellison on this night dedicated to smokers. Ellison is breaking the law and proud of it. He’s standing up against the smoking ban he says has cut his business in half.”

2. Davenport, IA: “Regardless of your opinion on Iowa’s smoking ban, some of the temporary administrative rules—such as the distinction between bars and restaurants—go beyond the intent of the law…Obviously, legislators intended for bars to permit smoking outside. However, instead of being explicit in their definitions, legislators defined bars as venues where serving food is ‘incidental’ to the consumption of alcohol, but they didn’t define ‘incidental.’…But the [Iowa Department of Public Health]’s definition means that bars serving burgers, chicken, or anything requiring a grill are considered restaurants. The Iowa law was already more strict than the one in Illinois, which permits smoking in almost all outdoor locations, including the outdoor seating areas of bars and restaurants. But the interpretation by IDPH pushed Iowa’s rules to the extreme.”

3. Chillicothe, OH: “An Ohio group is launching a campaign with the hope of repealing some provisions of the statewide smoking ban approved by voters and instituted in the spring of 2007…Opponents of Ohio Bans says the bill will restore exemptions to the smoking ban for family-owned businesses, outdoor patios and private clubs—organizations that have been vocal in opposition to the ban and have said they have been financially hurt by it.”

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

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

1) Cigar Rights of America kicks off its “Freedom Tour” on Tuesday in New York City. The national membership drive will also sweep into Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Orlando next week to raise awareness of CRA’s mission to combat the influential anti-smoking movement. Cigar celebrities like Rocky Patel, Tim Ozgener, Charlie Toraño, and Jorge Padrόn will be in attendance.

2) Despite a recent setback when a judge refused to temporarily stop enactment Iowa’s state smoking ban, a group of Iowans have formed Choose Freedom Iowa. The grassroots organization is leading the charge to repeal the ban that went into effect on July 1.

3) Around the Blogs: Her Humidor reviews the Arganese Double Wrap Churchill. Cigar Monkey lights up a Alec Bradley Tempus. Stogie Review smokes the VigilantE by Rocky Patel. Keepers of the Flame checks out the Reyes Family Premier. Cigar Jack tries the 5 Vegas Miami.

4) Deal of the Week: Here’s a special deal just for you StogieGuys.com readers: Duque Cigar Company is offering 5% off everything.  Just enter the discount code “stogieguys” at checkout. We’d particularly recommend using the code with this deal on the Oliva Serie G or this one on the Don Pepin “Black” Cuban Classic.

– The Stogie Guys

photo credit: CRA

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

1) Winston Churchill may be the all-time most towering individual in the world of cigars, but he’s got nothing on Jack Priestly. This English grandfather of six recently celebrated his 100th birthday—despite smoking ten cigars a day for 91 years. “Since his first puff in 1917 he has smoked 153,000 cigars and 715,400 cigarettes and drunk a shot of whisky in his morning cup of tea every day since the age of 24. He has not suffered any serious health problems related to smoking or drinking,” reports the Telegraph.

2) This is a final reminder to DC-area Stogie Guys to come out to Morton’s in Reston Town Center on Monday, July 21 for a special event with Paul Garmirian Cigars. For a mere $220, you’ll get five courses of Morton’s signature cuisine paired with fine wines and premium Paul Garmirian smokes—not to mention a chance to dine with Patrick A and Patrick S. See the Special Events tab for more details and to register. Patrick S spoke with Paul Garmirian’s son Kevork about the dinner at the IPCPR show in Las Vegas, and he promised an event you won’t want to miss.

3) Inside the Industry: Rocky Patel will be releasing a cigar called the Renaissance this fall (details are sketchy at this point, but look for a Stogie Guys review in the next few weeks). J.C. Newman Cigars is working with the Fuentes on a fuller-bodied Diamond Crown Maximus called the “Julius Caesar” to come out in 2009. For more industry news be sure to read StogieGuys.com’s coverage of this week’s IPCPR Trade Show.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Ashton Aged Maduro. Cigar Jack smokes the Ashton ESG. Cigar Spy lights up a Cabaiguan. Cigar Inspector inspects an Oliva Serie V. Keepers of the Flame continues its vertical review of the Padrón line with the Panetela.

5) Deal of the Week: Try out the brand new Macanudo 1968 with this special offer from General Cigars. For just $9.95, including shipping, you get three different sticks from the blend. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: The Guardian

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

This prototype hasn’t been released by Cuban Crafters, but we were fortunate enough to get our hands on some. While I don’t know the exact makeup of this stick I can tell you that it features a somewhat dry Connecticut wrapper that is velvety to the touch. The taste reminded me of another boutique favorite of mine, the Ybor City Handmade. I found hay notes along with cream and hints of pepper. Construction is good, despite a slightly spongy feel, with an even burn and steady ash. Even though I enjoyed this Torpedo, I think the Chruchill format—of which I’ve tried two now—is even better. Still, I can recommend you pick up this attractive torpedo when it becomes available.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S