The 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.”

Last year La Flor Dominicana’s Coronado blend returned after being discontinued in 2013. In smoke shops, though, it seemed the cigar never went away at all, like the one where I found this Double Toro (7  x54) from the original run. (You can tell the new version by the new band which prominently features “LFD” in the center, while the old version only says “Coronado by La Flor” in small letters at the bottom.) The cigar features heavy oak, light cream, a little pepper, and a dusty, powdery element. It’s medium- to full-bodied with excellent construction that requires a deliberate slow pace. The original Coronado might not have sold well—hence the remaining availability despite the line being pulled from the market years ago—but I always enjoyed Coronado, and this was no exception.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Chattanooga’s Burns Tobacconist put itself on the national radar with its annual “Chattanooga Tweet-Up” event featuring a litany of cigar companies and personalities. More recently, the Tennessee cigar shop further expanded its national profile by introducing a series of exclusive cigars.

Earlier in 2015, a La Aurora 100 Años Cameroon Lancero and Sabor de Chattanooga by Guayacan Cigars (also a lancero) were introduced as store exclusives. Late last year, a Corona Gorda version of Blind Man’s Bluff by Caldwell Cigar Co. was added to the lineup.

Like the three regular Blind Man’s Bluff vitolas, the Corona Gorda (5.75 x 46) is made at the Davidoff-owned Agroindustria LAEPE, S.A. factory in Honduras, which is home to Camacho. It sells for $7.50 each, or $120 for a box of 20 (when you add the discount code BMB4LE).

The blend uses an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that is medium brown and dry with some visible veins. Underneath is a Honduran Criollo binder, and the filler consists of Honduran Criollo Generoso and Dominican San Vicente.

Pre-light, the Corona Gorda features sweet earth and dried fruit. Once lit, it imparts a combination of wood and damp earth with salt and pepper notes and a slight vanilla sweetness.

As it progresses, the pepper spice falls off slightly as charred oak emerges along with some creaminess. There is a light cocoa powder on the long finish.

Although the cigar feels slightly under-filled, it doesn’t suffer any combustion problems. The draw is ideal, the ash solid, and the burn, while not perfectly straight, is not a problem.

All around, this is an enjoyable cigar. It’s rich with just the right touches of spice, cream, and wood. It has solid construction and decent balance, all at a reasonable price. That earns the Caldwell Cigar Company’s Blind Man’s Bluff Corona Gorda a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

One of the best cigars I smoked in 2015, and one of only six to receive our top rating, was the Paco Robusto size of the debut blend from Las Cumbres Tabaco: Señorial. So, in 2016, I’m resolving to smoke my way through the remaining four vitolas in the Señorial catalog to see which size best suits my palate. Today I’m reviewing the Corona Gorda No. 5.

To refresh your memory on the background of this blend, recall José Blanco left Joya de Nicaragua in 2013 after creating the critically acclaimed CyB cigar line (formerly Cuenca y Blanco). Some speculated CyB’s sales never lived up to expectations—notwithstanding virtually unanimous praise from the online cigar community.

Blanco, a longtime industry veteran and roving cigar ambassador who is well known for his tasting seminars and extensive travel to cigar shops, headed back to the Dominican Republic (before joining Joya, he spent 29 years at La Aurora). He announced the creation of Las Cumbres Tabaco in February 2014. The venture, which translates to “summits of tobacco,” includes a partnership with Tabacalera Palma, operated by Blanco’s cousin, Jochi Blanco, in Tamboril, Santiago.

The first Las Cumbres blend was officially launched June 2014. Called Señorial (Spanish for “lordly”), it boasts a Habano Ecuardor wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder from Estelí, and Dominican filler tobaccos of the Piloto Cubano and Corojo varieties. Marketed as “full-bodied and truly full-flavored,” it is offered in 5 sizes that retail for $7 to $11: Paco Robusto (5.25 x 52), Toro Bravo (6 x 54), Le Grand (6 x 60), Belicoso No. 2 (6.25 x 52), and Corona Gorda No. 5 (5.5 x 46).

The latter boasts a clean, oily wrapper that’s silky to the touch and traversed by a network of veins that range from thin to prominent. Moderately spongy to the touch, the unlit cigar smells of cinnamon, apricot, and sweet hay. A simple punch cut is all that’s required to reveal a smooth cold draw.

After setting an even light with a single wood match, a toasty profile emerges with notes ranging from red pepper and cedar spice to cinnamon butter and dry wood. Unlike the Paco Robusto, my palate doesn’t find much dried fruit or creamy nut, though there is some molasses and black pepper towards the halfway mark and into the final third. Green raisin makes an appearance from time to time in the medium-bodied blend.

The physical properties were outstanding across the several samples I smoked for this review. Expect a solid white ash, clear draw, even burn line, and above-average smoke production.

In my review of the Paco Robusto, I wrote, “Señorial is the kind of blend that makes you want to expect more from cigars. And it’s the kind of cigar that makes you want to light up another as soon as it’s finished. It delivers handsomely in the departments of flavor, balance, complexity, and construction.” All this remains true in the Corona Gorda No. 5 format, though I have to give the slight edge to the Paco Robusto since—to me, anyway—that shorter, thicker smoke is a little more complex. Still, this is a tremendous cigar, and one that’s worthy of a very commendable rating 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

Emma Viktorsson has a tobacco pedigree that goes far beyond her marriage to José Blanco. “I sort of grew into this business,” she writes on her blog. “Ever since I was barely eight years old, my father, Ake Viktorsson, was a vital part of Swedish Match as a part of the management team and general director of several international areas… Straight out of university, in 2005, I myself took on a job for Swedish Match.”

Later, in 2010, Viktorsson joined Blanco in the Dominican Republic, and then followed him to Nicaragua as he left his post at La Aurora to work at Joya de Nicaragua. “I always joined José to the factory, even if it was just for pleasure,” she says. “During the blending of CyB I stayed by his side and watched him do his magic, and when the blends started to be made I was part of the smoking panel.”

In August 2013, Joya de Nicaragua announced Blanco would be leaving Estelí for “his roots in the Dominican Republic.” Blanco later formed Las Cumbres Tabaco in partnership with Tabacalera Palma, operated by Blanco’s cousin, Jochi Blanco, in Tamboril, Santiago.

The first Las Cumbres blend was officially launched June 2014—and it’s excellent. Called Señorial (Spanish for “lordly”), it boasts a Habano Ecuardor wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder from Estelí, and Dominican filler tobaccos of the Piloto Cubano and Corojo varieties.

This summer, Las Cumbres launched Viktorsson’s first brand. Called Freyja after the Viking goddess associated with love, beauty, and fertility, it is intended to bridge Viktorsson’s Swedish roots with her passion for premium cigars. The blend includes a Dominican Criollo ’98 wrapper, a Mexican San Andrés binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

The Freyja Valhalla is a robusto (5.5 x 50) that retails for about $8 (yes, all four Freyja vitolas have names consistent with the Viking theme). Underneath its large, intricate band of gold and blue, it sports a moderately oily exterior that’s light brown, silky, and not without a couple large veins. Fairly spongy to the touch throughout, the pre-light notes remind me of caramel, syrup, and hay. The cold draw is smooth.

After setting an even light with a wooden match, I find a harmonious, mild- to medium-bodied profile of cedar, pecan, creamy sweetness, and white pepper. Neither spice nor sweetness dominates, leaving the overall profile oaky, balanced, and interesting. As it progresses, both body and strength build to the medium level. The flavors also change a little throughout, with varying notes of sweetness coming and going, and hints of tea and clove at the midway point. The finale introduces some cinnamon spice. Construction is good—the straight burn requires no touch-ups along the way—though the ash is particularly flaky.

According to Viktorsson, neither José Blanco nor Jochi Blanco helped her develop the blend; rather, Freyja was produced by the combination of Viktorsson and Geraldito Perez, Tabacalera Palma’s production manager. The duo has crafted a satisfying smoke that’s undoubtedly a solid first effort from Viktorsson—though, to my palate, it’s not at the level of excellence achieved by Señorial, which, to be fair, is one of the better blends I smoked in 2015. All things considered, the Freyja Valhalla 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

While we do publish an annual list of our highest-rated cigars (check back next week for the 2015 edition), we’ve generally not named a top individual cigar. Unsurprisingly, we’ve also never given much thought to naming a whiskey or bourbon of the year.

We’re not going to start doing so now. But if we were, the Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition 2015 would probably be my top contender. When checking out the 2014 version, I wrote: “The 2014 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition is a delicious bourbon, and it only makes me look forward to the soon-to-be-released 2015 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition even more.”

Luckily, I was able to grab a bottle of the 2015 ($100 retail, although it frequently sells for more). Not only did it live up to the very good 2014, but it exceeded it by leaps and bounds. Perhaps that shouldn’t have been a surprise as this was long-time Four Roses’ Master Distiller Jim Rutledge’s final limited edition selection, as he retired in September after 49 years in the spirits industry.

For this year, the small batch used four bourbons from three of Four Roses’ ten recipes: OBSK (16 years), OESK (15 years), OESK (14 years), and OBSV (11 years). The barrel-proof combination comes in at 108.6-proof (54.3% ABV). The rich, amber-colored bourbon features an inviting nose with vanilla, red apple, candy corn, and a hint of mint.

On the palate, the bourbon boasts creamy notes with cinnamon spice, dried fruit, fresh apples, burnt caramel, and honey-soaked oak. The finish lingers on the tongue with more apple, spearmint, and clove.

You can add a splash of water to this barrel-proof whiskey if you like, but given the mild (for barrel-strength) proof it really isn’t necessary as it drinks better neat. I haven’t tried every new bourbon introduced in 2015, but I’ve tried many of the high-profile ones, and at least so far this is the bottle that impressed me most with a rare combination of intensity and integrated, balanced flavor.

Pair it with a balanced medium- to full-bodied cigar (for example Sobremesa, Tatuaje Black, Padrón Serie 1926, or Cuban Cohiba Siglo) and enjoy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cigars with celebrity names usually generate skepticism.

I confess I initially had reservations about this smoke with a name that first came to prominence about 100 years ago with speedy cars and has, in recent years, become attached to fashion, leather, lighters, watches, and other luxury items.

But I also realize that judging by a name makes no more sense than judging by looks or any other superficial trait. So I lit one up wondering what I’d find.

What I found was an excellent cigar.

The Ambassador line features a beautiful Ecuadorian wrapper, a Dominican binder, and Nicaraguan filler. The Robusto (5 x 52) has an MSRP of $9.50. There’s also a $10 Toro.

The three Robustos I smoked were supplied by Bugatti.

The Ambassador has a nice peppery start that mixes with an earthiness in the first third. Those flavors mingle nicely in the middle and then pepper kicks back up in the final third, along with a delicate sweetness.

Construction, burn, and smoke production were excellent in all three samples. Strength is medium.

You may remember Bugatti cigars from a few years ago when brand owner Yigal Harel worked with Nick Perdomo to produce a line under the Bugatti name. But that collaboration ended, and the cigar now comes from Harel’s Bugatti Group, which is working with two factories in the Dominican Republic, according to company vice president Julian Correa.

Reflections of the supercar can be found on the bands. The main one features a somewhat similar “B” logo, while the smaller, red second band has a design reminiscent of Bugatti’s honeycomb grills.

I recommend this Robusto, especially for fans of Nicaraguan pepper. I think you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as I was. I give the Bugatti Ambassador four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

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

In our gift guide, we recommended picking up a special Cigar Rights of America sampler, which includes, among other cigars, this toro-sized Fuente Forbidden X. The Forbidden X blend features tobaccos from the same Dominican farms as the Opus X line, although the wrapper is shade-grown and the filler leaf is aged in Calvados (French apple brandy) barrels. The result is 90% of the strength of the Opus X and 50% more balance. It’s a nice medium- to full-bodied smoke with lots cedar, salt, and pepper, and a hint of red pepper spice that lingers on the lips and the roof of the mouth. Construction is good, despite a necessary touch-up towards the final third.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys