The Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Davidoff is celebrating 2013 being the year of the snake with a Davidoff 2013 “Year Of The Snake” Edition. The Churchill (7 x 48) features an Ecuador “701” wrapper around a San Vicente Seco binder and a combination of Piloto Seco, San Vicente Ligero, Piloto Viso, and hybrid 192 Seco/Yamasá filler. The cigar sells for $29.90 or $240 for a box of 8. Only 4,500 boxes are being produced.

2) Once again, Tampa’s cigar history comes alive with a festival celebrating the city’s rich heritage. Cigar makers, retailers, and food and drink vendors will be among those on hand for the Tampa Cigar Festival tomorrow at Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park downtown. It lasts from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a $5 admission fee. Part of the proceeds go to Southeastern Guide Dogs.

3) Inside the Industry: This year Nicaragua is expected to supplant the Dominican Republic as the top exporter of premium cigars to the U.S. despite lagging far behind the Dominican and Honduras only a decade ago. Habanos SA has named Walfrido Hernandez Mesa a co-president to serve alongside Buenaventura Jiménez Sanchez-Cañete.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up an Ashton ESG 22 Year Salute. Stogie Review reviews La Musa by Emilio. Nice Tight Ash checks out a La Zona Espinosa. Tiki Bar kicks back with an Oliva Serie V Melanio. Cigar Inspector inspects a Fuente 8-5-8 Rosado.

5) Deal of the Week: Emerson’s Cigars is featuring a “Deal of the Year” with 20 cigars and a humidor for $99. Included are four each of the Vega Fina Fortaleza Toro, Trinidad Paradox Toro, Vega Fina Toro, Montecristo Platinum Toro, Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Toro, and Montecristo Platinum humidor.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Davidoff

In this latest segment of Random Thoughts from the Humidor, I ponder the evolution of Drew Estate and if larger cigar companies that buy smaller ones are getting good value.

Rebirth of Drew Estate

Drew Estate’s tagline is “the rebirth of cigars,” but the most impressive rebirth is that of Drew Estate itself. It’s easy to forget, but no cigar company has changed more in recent years than Drew Estate. I was recently searching for some information and found a thread on a message board consisting almost entirely of seasoned cigar smokers complaining about Drew Estate.

The complaints consisted of rants about gimmicky flavored cigars (though Drew Estate calls their cigars “infused”).  Today that complaint would be inconceivable, but back then Drew Estate hadn’t introduced Chateau Real yet, let alone Liga Privada or Undercrown. For me, reading through that thread was a stark reminder of how Drew Estate has reinvented itself in a relatively short period of time to become a leader in the industry when it comes to “traditional” cigars, while still dominating the “infused” cigar market.

Thinking About Industry Consolidation

Along with the emergence of Drew Estate, we’ve seen many cigar makers reemerge from “retirement” to start their own companies. Some—Ernesto Perez-Carrillo and Cristian Eiroa—”retired” after selling their brands to larger companies. The newer, smaller, family-run companies are now creating innovative cigars, but my question is: Do the large cigar companies (General Cigar and Davidoff, in these examples) left owning their original brands (La Gloria Cubana and Camacho, respectively) get good value even after the principles who built the brands leave?

Certainly they feel the brands they purchase fill a void in their portfolio that they want to fill, and if they can keep the quality of the cigars high, they will keep a significant percentage of the customers who are loyal to those brands at least for a while. I suspect, though, that this type of consolidation isn’t as profitable as it once was. These days cigar smokers, particularly those that smoke cigars with the most regularity, are less loyal to any particular brand, and seem more interested in trying different cigars.

If the people most responsible for creating the identity of a given brand are no longer active in the brand (or even creating cigars for another company) is buying a smaller company still worth it? It seems perhaps that four or five years later all they are left with is a trademark and a list of customers. I don’t discount the largest cigar companies’ marketing expertise and distribution advantages, but I’d wonder if that is enough to make shelling out millions for a smaller brand worthwhile.

Maybe the future isn’t buying cigar brands or factories wholesale for millions of dollars, but partnering with companies to help them market and distribute their cigars. One example is Don Sixto, made by Plasencia and marketed and distributed by General Cigar. This may be a template for future partnerships.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Drew Estate

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) We’ve written extensively about the dangerous threat of the FDA regulating premium cigars, but never from the perspective of how the issue might impact the upcoming presidential election. Scott Gottlieb—a physician who has served in a variety of capacities at the FDA and is currently a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute—wrote on Wednesday that cigars could play a big role in the election. “Stogie-gate is capturing lots of headlines in Florida—a state that’s home to a vibrant cigar industry,” and one that promises to play a pivotal role in the election, writes Gottlieb. “The administration may decide it’s politically wise to table its regulation until after the November election, rather than risk a backlash. But the president’s regulators have already shown their cards…”

2) It was announced that four retailers were bestowed with Golden Band Awards by Davidoff in recognition of merchants who have “done the most to sustain the premium cigar industry and to advance the industry’s agenda in legislation, regulation, and the community.” The winners were John Anderson, owner of Draper’s in Washington; Craig Cass, owner of The Tinderbox in Charlotte; Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of Corona Cigar Co. in Orlando; and Christian Hutson, owner of Just For Him Cigars in Springfield, Missouri. StogieGuys.com joins Davidoff and the IPCPR in congratulating these outstanding champions of cigar rights.

3) Inside the Industry: Drew Estate announced that Michael Cellucci has been promoted to the position of president. Steve Saka, who previously held that title, has been named chief executive officer of Drew Estate. The company also reported that they are expanding their facilities. In addition existing plans to build a new large leaf processing facility across the street from their existing factory in Estelí, they are now in the design stages for a new factory to meet growing demand.

4) Contest: There are still a few more days to enter for a chance to win a 3-pack box of My Father Special S cigars signed by master cigarmaker Don Pepin Garcia.

5) Deal of the Week: Here’s a good way to try some new smokes from the recent IPCPR Trade Show without having to go in for a full box. At just $30, this sampler includes two each of the new Merlion by La Sirena, Fernando León Family Reserve, Liga Undercrown Toro by Drew Estate, Romeo y Julieta Havoc, and Rocky Patel Hercules.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

It’s been too long since the StogieGuys.com team published a new list of Gold Star Smokes. As you might recall, this special designation celebrates cigars that we feel are worthy of strong recommendations. They don’t necessarily have to be five stogie-rated—just commendable smokes we turn to time and again.

Co-Founder & Editor in Chief Patrick A

The Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve typically sells for $12 per cigar, but when my local shop put the torpedo (6.1 x 52) on sale for $9.50, I grabbed up a sizeable stash. This wonderful cigar, which debuted about a year ago, has a flavor of spice, cream, earthiness, and sweetness that hits my palate in all the right ways. Expertly balanced and more complex than most realize, this is a fine cigar with excellent construction. It’s too bad only 10,000 torpedos were produced.

Co-Founder & Publisher Patrick S

As soon as I smoked Babyface, the Tatuaje Monsters version of “The Face,” I wished I had bought more than the two boxes of the Little Monsters I purchased, plus the one I was gifted before mine arrived (each Little Monsters box has two Babyfaces). The robusto-sized cigar features tremendous creaminess, graham cracker, and dark chocolate. The finish is deliciously clean and the cigar has excellent construction. I would buy two boxes in a second if this cigar was available by the box for its pro-rated price of $7.50 per cigar.

Tampa Bureau Chief George E

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Quorum is a bundle smoke made by J.C. Newman in Nicaragua that sells for under $2 and for as little as $1 when bought by the bundle. According the J.C. Newman’s website, Quorum is “the world’s most popular handmade cigar sold in bundles.” It features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and mixed Nicaraguan filler. The Habano wrapper imparts a clean, woody flavor that I’ve come to recognize and enjoy from that Ecuadorian wrapper. Overall, it’s not particularly complex but it does feature unoffensive wood and earth flavors, with an occasional burst of sourness. Construction was good on the one Quorum I smoked, just don’t expect the ash to hold very long. While I’m not really a bundle cigar smoker and it’s far from my favorite cigar, I can see what makes this cigar so popular. It’s solidly-made, medium-bodied, and, best of all, very cheap.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) As we mentioned in the latest edition of our free email newsletter yesterday, May marks the six-year anniversary of StogieGuys.com. It has been our privilege and honor to bring you daily content from the world of cigars (over 2,100 unique posts and counting). Loyal readers will recall that we launched a complete site re-design last year at this time in celebration of our fifth anniversary. We think the new layout continues to provide a cleaner look, easier access to our vast archives of articles and reviews, upgraded search capabilities, and more reader interaction. And while we’re not planning another site overhaul anytime soon, we continue to welcome your comments and feedback so we can help make the next six years even better. Feel free to contact us anytime with your comments or suggestions. And thank you for your continuing readership!

2) If you’re attending the PGA’s The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, this weekend, be sure to pick up a copy of Ponte Vedra Life magazine. The latest issue is a guide to watching the tournament, known as “the fifth major,” and it features an article by the Stogie Guys about golf and cigars.

3) Inside the Industry: Litto Gomez has officially trademarked the Chisel, protecting the cigar shape he invented for La Flor Dominicana in 2003. Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is launching a new line called “Inch” that will feature three sizes with ring gauges of 60 or higher. Miami Cigar & Co. is expanding its La Sirena series with a new blend called “Merloin” that will be offered in three sizes and sell in the $9-11 range. Alec Bradley is releasing the American Sun Grown as a bang-for-your-buck smoke that will sell for around $5.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Explorer explores a Padron TAA 2012. Nice Tight Ash checks out a PG Reserva Exclusiva. Stogie Review reviews a Room 101 San Andres. Cigar Brief checks out an Ortega Serie D No. 8. Cigar Coop smokes an Avo XO. Cigar Inspector inspects a Viaje Double Edged Sword.

5) Deal of the Week: This mega-sampler includes 20 cigars for just $60. Included are such cigars as a Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve Corona, a La Aurora Preferido Cameroon, a Gran Habano Corojo #5, a Don Pepin JJ Maduro, Carlos Torano 1959, CAO Cameroon, Rocky Patel Vintage 1990, an Entubar Double Corona Natural, an Oliva Series G Churchill Cameroon, Gurkha Raider, a Gurkha Gold, Sungrown, Intensa (from Raices Cubana) and a House Resolution (by JC Newman).

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

As we reported in early February, Eddie Ortega, co-founder of EO Brands along with Erik Espinosa, announced he was leaving EO to start his own outfit called Ortega Cigars. The news came 20 months after Rocky Patel bought a 50% share in EO Brands.

The blends in the EO Brands portfolio—including 601, Cubao, Murcielago, and Mi Barrio—are all made at Don Pepin Garcia’s My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua. So it comes as no surprise that the first line from the Ortega Cigar Company is also made by Pepin at My Father Cigars. Called “Serie D,” the blend boasts a Mexican maduro leaf from the San Andreas Valley surrounding Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. “We are using some fillers from Jalapa and Estelí that are crazy good and help create a profile that is full-bodied with lots of spice, flavor, and aroma,” Ortega told us via email. “I know the consumer will love this one.”

Serie D is available in five sizes that are just starting to hit select retailers: No. 6 (4.5 x 48), No. 7 (5 x 46), No. 8 (5.5 x 50), No. 10 (6 x 52), and No. 12 (5 x 52). The No. 12 is a dark, oily stick with a firm feel, a slight box press, and pre-light notes of sweet cocoa. It retails for about $7 apiece.

The initial taste is very dry with a burning wood characteristic. It is not nearly as sweet or as chocolaty as you might expect. Instead, the defining trait of the Serie D is its chalky, mouth-coating texture—one that isn’t dissimilar to the Murcielago. Another unique attribute is a sour mustiness on the finish. Throughout the syrupy smoke, flavors of dark chocolate, black coffee, and fig come and go. But the chalky, woodsy core remains consistent from light to nub.

The dark, rich aromas of the cigar are just as enjoyable as the taste. I smoked the No. 12 in my den, allowing the thick smoke to hang heavy in the air. This added to the experience, as did the excellent physical properties. While Eddie Ortega has acknowledged some draw inconsistencies in the first shipment of these cigars, I found no issues in the samples I smoked for this review.

Distribution of Ortega Cigars is done in-house and, for now, is not widespread. Ortega says he is in talks with distributors to bring his cigars to more areas of the country. If you find the Serie D at a shop near you, be sure to pick up a few sticks to try for yourself. The No. 12 is priced appropriately and worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys