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) ’Tis the season for giving, and the Toraño Family Cigar Co. has stepped up to the philanthropic plate, hosting its second annual toy drive on December 7. The event benefited Neat Stuff for Kids, a nonprofit that provides new clothing to children from abused and underprivileged homes. Over 300 guests attended the Miami event, each bringing an unwrapped toy in exchange for free Toraño cigars, drinks, and gourmet Spanish cuisine. “We appreciate the support we receive from our community here in South Florida and the best way to show that appreciation is to give back to those who need help the most,” said Charlie Toraño (pictured). “Neat Stuff for Kids is truly an amazing organization that touches the lives of underprivileged children every day.”

2) If you like lists, Cigar Journal (formerly European Cigar Cult Journal) has released its Finest Cigars of 2011. The magazine says the 25-cigar list was compiled from its reviews during the year, with only the best chosen for inclusion. The top three include the Padrón Family Reserve No. 85 Maduro, San Lotano Oval Robusto, and Master by Carlos Toraño.

3) Inside the Industry: The highly anticipated Litto Gomez Small Batch No. 4 from La Flor Dominicana is now hitting retail shops. This year’s blend is a Dominican puro with a pelo de oro wrapper. Only 240 boxes of the cigars were made, and each smoke will sell for $19. In addition, La Flor is releasing a Cameroon-wrapped Chisel and the Factory Press IV.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan examines the Arturo Fuente Sun Grown Magnum R52. Smoking Stogie reveals the top five cigars of 2011. Cigar Explorer reviews the Trinidad Short Robusto T LE 2010. Tiki Bar names the Four Kicks the best cigar of the year.

5) Deal of the Week: To help you ring in the New Year, this special deal gets you 10 cigars for under $30. Inlcuded are smokes from La Aurora, Don Pepin Garcia, La Gloria Cubana, Perdomo, Toraño, Punch, and more. Or you can double-up for a total $50.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In this issue of “Random Thoughts from the Humidor” I pontificate on an odd cigar name, a Honduran puro, a legal victory for cigars, and a new supporter of Cigar Rights of America.

Would you smoke “The Gagger”?

I’m a big fan of K.A. Kendall’s 7-20-4 cigars. I’ve enjoyed both the original and the new line, and I think the “Dog Walker” size is not only a good little smoke but also clever branding. (Even non-dog owners can relate to a cigar that’s just large enough to enjoy on a short walk.) I can’t say the same for his newest size, “The Gagger.” I honestly can’t think of a worse name for a cigar. Maybe that’s what he’s going for, but personally I don’t see it working. Then again, I’m not a big fan of 60-ring gauge cigars, so I’m probably not the target audience.

Humo Jaguar

Speaking of cigars with unique names, I was skeptical when I was first told about Humo Jaguar, named after the Honduras cigar festival of of the same name. The cigar, which is distributed by Miami Cigar & Co., is a Honduran puro made by Placensia and was the winning blend at the 2011 festival, where cigars by various Honduran makers were tasted blind. It happens to be a fantastic cigar, one of my favorite from the recent IPCPR show, with depth, plenty of body, excellent construction, and quintessential Honduran sweetness. As someone who generally reaches for Nicaraguan and Dominican smokes and not for Honduran smokes (especially puros), it reminds me how good Honduran cigars can be. To that end, it certainly achieves its goal.

Free Speech for Tobacco Companies

While I’m not a lawyer, the recent federal court decision striking down the new graphic warning labels for cigarette packages strikes me as particularly important. Finally, a judge stood up for the First Amendment rights of tobacco companies by saying that they cannot be forced to put propaganda on their products. While courts haven’t always recognized it, the graphic warning labels clearly are not about providing facts to smokers so they can make an informed decision, but are designed to persuade people not to smoke. As someone who worries about the artistry of cigar boxes being ruined by similar anti-tobacco propaganda, it’s good to see a judge standing up to government attempts to force companies to propagandize their customers.

Altadis USA Steps Up

Kudos to Altadis USA for signing up with Cigar Rights of America and also making a “significant contribution” to IPCPR. Up until they signed on a few weeks ago, Altadis, one of the largest premium cigar makers, was the one missing cigar company from CRA’s list of supporters. Now that they’ve stepped up, all of the largest cigar makers are represented with CRA.

–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) The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the largest universities in the country, may be on the verge of adopting an outdoor smoking ban, which would include such spaces as the Quad (pictured). The restrictive regulation is supposedly intended to “promote healthier living” but, as the Daily Illini reports, “it is not the University’s role to force faculty members and students to quit…Non-smokers are exposed to smoke outside for just a few seconds. The inconvenience and health risks are minimal.” At least 530 U.S. colleges and universities enforce a complete campus ban, according to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.

2) We’ve written before about why we love premium tobacco. Gordon K. Hurd of TheSlowMan.com has a new piece about why he smokes cigars and why you should too. Among his reasons: cigars are pleasing in a fundamental way, they’re challenging, and they have a finite start and finish. Check out the article here.

3) Inside the Industry: Prometheus is introducing the 2011 Limited Edition Fuente Story Humidor featuring an impressive selection of 50 Fuente Don Arturo Gran AniverXario cigars. Living up to it’s new name, the Toraño Family Cigar Company announced the hiring of family member Jack Toraño as the marketing and customer relations manager.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Casa Magna Domus Magnus Limited. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Illusione MK Ultra. Smoking Stogie lights up the Oliva Master Blends 2. A Cigar Smoker smokes the Room 101  LTD Namakubi.

5) Deal of the Week: Just $45 gets you a nice selection of classic CAO cigars. Included are two each of the Brazilia, Gold, Cameroon, Italia, and MX2, plus a five-pack of little MX2 “Daggers” and a CAO hat.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: UIUC

Between the excessive taxes and smoking bans, California may be the least friendly cigar state in the country. Prometheus—a Los Angeles-based purveyor the Fuente-made God of Fire smokes, as well as cutters, lighters, and humidors—pays homage to those in the City of Angels who still manage to enjoy cigars despite the efforts of politicians.

Their tribute is a cigar called Angelenos, a blend comprised of an Ecuadorian wrapper with Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. It is made at Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia under the direction of Carlito Fuente. Six sizes are available that range in price from $8.95 to $10.95: Robusto (5.25 x 50), Toro (6 x 50), Lonsdale (6.25 x 44), Gran Toro (6.5 x 54), Double Robusto (5.75 x 52), and Robusto Gordo JM (5.5 x 54). For the latter, the “JM” in the name—and the signature on the second band—is for actor Joe Mantegna, a cigar enthusiast. At the request of Mantegna, a portion of Angelenos proceeds benefits the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center.

The Robusto Gordo JM is a golden-colored smoke with an oily exterior leaf that’s smooth and almost vein-free. It smells of honey, hay, and sawdust. After toasting the foot and establishing an even light with my Magma T (what else?), a flavor of brown sugar, cream, grass, and cinnamon spice emerges. The smoke is thick and textured with a soft, rounded finish. Dried fruits and leather are also apparent, and the aroma is fragrant and nutty.

Some would call the Angelenos Robusto Gordo JM decidedly mild, but I’m more inclined to call it somewhere between the mild and medium-bodied ranges. This is especially true in the second half of the cigar where the taste intensifies and the spice becomes more pronounced on the finish.

Regardless of how you’d classify the body, there’s no denying that this cigar has outstanding construction. The white ash builds wonderfully and solidly off the foot and the burn line stays true.

I’ve always been impressed with the cigars in the God of Fire portfolio, particularly the Carlito 2006 Double Robusto. Their biggest drawback is their price, which can exceed $20 per cigar. While the Angelenos Robusto Gordo JM may not be as complex as its predecessors, it’s still a fine, supremely creamy smoke and a smart buy at $9.95 apiece. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cigar City Magazine, the vision of Lisa M. Figueredo, is Tampa’s premiere magazine for information about the history of the Tampa Bay area. Lisa feels passionately about her blended culture, history, and family and started the magazine as a celebration of her heritage.

Stogie Guys: How did Cigar City Magazine get started?

Lisa Figueredo: I owed an ad agency and was up late one night working and was thinking of when my Abuelo Lee and Abuela Nena would have fresh hot Cuban bread and butter waiting for me when I woke up with some hot café con leche. Then my Abuela Nena and I would catch the bus and ride over to Ybor City for the day or sometimes my Abuelo Lee would take me to the local cigar factories to pick up the steams and waste from the tobacco leaves that he would use to spread on people’s lawns. I was thinking about how much I missed them and how I wished I could get those days back. That’s when I came up with the idea to write about my stories and the history of Tampa.

I come from a long line of people who made a difference in Tampa. My family on my father’s side boasted the first Mayor of West Tampa who was instrumental in helping Jose Martí spark the Cuban Revolution and win independence from Spain. His name was Fernando Figueredo. On my mother’s side, her Great Grandfather Enrique Henriquez was the last Mayor of West Tampa. My Great Grandmother was also Carmen Ramirez who was a famous actress from Spain and was instrumental in raising money for the local theaters in Ybor City.

SG: What is the best part about being the publisher of Cigar City Magazine?

LF: The best part is giving back to the city I grew up in and love so much, and giving a voice to its past. People don’t realize the rich history we have here in Tampa and how lucky we are to be a part of it. If one article touches one person’s heart when they realize that, that’s the best part.

SG: What makes Cigar City Magazine different from other cigar publications?

LF: Contrary to our name, we do not rate cigars or write about individual cigars. Instead, we focus our stories on the cigar factories and how they got here. We also do feature stories on famous cigar pioneers like Arturo Fuente, Angel Oliva, J.C. Newman, and more. I got the name because back in the heyday of the cigar factories, Tampa was once nicknamed “Cigar City.” By the late 1960s, after the embargo of Cuba, factories were closing and many were going to machines. The name got lost until 2005 when I resurrected it by calling the magazine Cigar City. Seems now-a-days everyone is using it: Spirit of Cigar City, Cigar City Brewery, Cigar City Tattoo Convention, Cigar City Darlings, etc. People ask me all the time if I get upset when I see people using my trademarked name and I say, “Hell no!” We are Cigar City and I’m just happy I was able to make it come back alive. Plus, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

SG: How much space do you dedicate to cigars, cigar industry trends, and Tampa’s local cigar bars and shops?

LF: It’s hard to talk about Tampa without talking about the cigar industry. Though most of our stories are about history we do try and throw in a few things for our loyal cigar connoisseur. In our last issue we did an interview with Pete Johnson, owner of Tatuaje Cigars, and we have written stories about the famous cigar families and factories. We never rate cigars nor will we ever because we are Cigar City and we love them all.

SG: One of my favorite issues is the Fidel Castro Mob issue. Are there any forthcoming stories or issues that you are really excited about?

LF: I love each and every issue, but if I had to pick three, I would say our Mob issue, our Cuba issue, and the Cigar Woman issue. You can read them online right here.

SG: Talk a bit about some of your recurring features like “Mama Knows,” “Café Con Leche,” and the “On the Town” photos. What can readers expect from these, and other regular features in the magazine?

LF: “Mama Knows” is probably one of our most widely anticipated columns. Mama does not have a subtleness about her when it comes to giving advice; she tells it like it is. We left her out of an issue one time and I almost had a revolt on our hands from the readers. Mama gets more emails than any other staff member. Our “Café con Leche” is a cool column and mainly we interview famous and even sometimes a few infamous people now and then. Our “On the Town” is a great way to thank my readers. It’s mainly photos of them at all of the events we do or go to.

SG: Who is involved in the magazine? Tell us a bit about the major contributors.

LF: Cigar City is made up of many writers who, for the most part, just want to write about the history of Tampa. Some of these writers are famous, like Scott Deitche, author of Cigar City Mafia, to the daughter submitting a story about her father that worked in a cigar factory, to the professor at a major university. Then of course we have the great historian, Emanuel Leto, who also works at the Tampa Bay History Center, who really has made this magazine possible. Paul Guzzo, who used to write for La Gaceta, gives us many great articles like “Sleeping with the Enemy,” which tells how the Hillsborough Sheriff Office traded guns to Fidel Castro for the release of Santo Trafficante, Jr.

SG: Tampa has always taken great pride in its history and Cigar City Magazine has always celebrated that history. With such a rich history of cigars, the Cuban, Spanish, and Italian cultures, baseball and bolita, how do you decide what goes into the magazine?

LF: It’s not easy. The best way I can explain it is like this: Remember when you got that first new bike and you wanted to show it off to the whole neighborhood and you just couldn’t wait? It’s like that with many of our stories. We usually always have so many in the pipeline it’s hard to choose. But I guess that’s what has kept us around for seven years…having good material for every issue.

We thank Lisa for her willingness to sit down and talk with StogieGuys.com. Please visit Cigar City Magazine on the web to find the latest issue and subscribe. Or, if you live in the Tampa area, be sure to pick up the latest copy.

–Mark M

photo credit: LinkedIn

I’ve found all La Palina cigars to be enjoyable, but the prices (often $18-20 apiece) make them hard to enjoy regularly. The new El Diario line, introduced at this year’s industry trade show, is an attempt to change that. It sells for around $10 each.

“El Diario” is Spanish for “the daily,” a nod to both the daily newspaper and the fact that, at least compared to the La Palina Family Series, it’s a more affordable “daily” cigar. Currently five sizes are available, with a sixth in production and on the way, though details of the new size haven’t yet been released.

El Diario is a collaboration between La Palina and Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley. It is made at the Raices Cubana factory in Honduras, where many Alec Bradley cigars are made, in addition to such highly regarded cigars as Illusione, Viaje, and many of the Padilla lines.

The cigar features Nicaraguan and Honduran tobacco. The wrapper is an oily Honduran corojo ’99 rosado leaf. Underneath are dual Honduran criollo ’98 binders that surround the Nicaraguan filler composed of corojo ’99 and criollo ’98 leaf.

For this review, I smoked two in the Gordo size, which is a thick super toro (6 x 58). The cigars were generally well constructed, though the draw on one of the samples was a bit tight. Each featured smooth earth, powdered chocolate, a hint of pepper spice, and a bit of clove. Though I’ve heard La Palina owner William Paley describe the cigar as medium-bodied, I found the Gordo to be more full-bodied.

The flavor profile is pleasant, accented by a bit of char on the finish but dominated by earthiness. On multiple occasions, I found myself thinking it was a similar profile to the Tatuaje Havana VI, though slightly stronger.

There’s not a ton of variation from start to finish, and it certainly is not as complex as the original La Palina line, but it’s a flavor profile that will be right up the alley of fans of Nicaraguan cigars like Tatuaje and Illusione. And the fact that El Diario costs $9-12 per cigar, as opposed to nearly $20 for the Family Series, makes it easier on the wallet.

Ultimately, this cigar is good enough to keep me interested for a full two hours, which is why I’d give the La Palina El Diario Gordo a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As I wrote in a commentary in May, this spring my wife and I packed up our apartment in Virginia, loaded up our belongings, and moved to our new home in Chicago. The move was motivated by a desire to be closer to our friends and family, as well as for new careers.

A few loyal readers sent comments and emails humorously suggesting I had moved to be closer to the Tesa Cigar Company, a boutique manufacturer located on Lake Street just west of the Loop. They correctly recalled how much I enjoy Tesa’s various blends, including Cabinet 312, Havanitas, Gran Cru, and Vintage Especial.

No, I didn’t move back to my hometown city because of Tesa. But having an office relatively near Tesa’s lounge is certainly a nice perk. I plan on visiting the shop more often to get reacquainted with my favorite Tesa blends and to try other Chris Kelly creations that I haven’t had the opportunity to smoke yet.

One such creation is Batch 505. This five-vitola blend (production limit of 90,000 cigars per size annually) sports a light Indonesian wrapper and Nicaraguan filler. The Rothchild (5 x 52) has a firm feel, a tight cross-section of tobaccos, and a perfectly executed pigtail cap. A soft aroma of sweet hay is present off the foot.

From the outset, the flavor is tremendously well-balanced with notes of dry wood, coffee with creamer, and mixed nuts (sometimes I pick up walnut, other times cashew or peanut). Perhaps most intriguing, the long, rounded finish is characterized by caramelized sugar.

About a year ago I asked Kelly what is his best cigar. He said it was a toss-up between the Vintage Especial—which, in his words, is a “mild-bodied Connecticut with a very creamy texture…and subtle yet intricate flavors of almonds and butterscotch”—and the Cabinet 312—which has “big and dark flavors of espresso, bittersweet chocolate, with fleeting hints of citrus.” In terms of body, Batch 505 ranks in-between these two blends. Depending on the time of day or my mood, though, it may not be second to either of Kelly’s favorites.

Like everything else from Tesa, the 505 Rothchild burns extremely well with a solid ash and a nice draw. And while its flavors don’t change much from light to nub, the complexity of this cigar is captured by its balance. This treat is well worth its $6.75 price tag and definitely worthy of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys