The Stogie Guys

In my review of the Corojo No. 5 Maduro 2011 last week—a Gran Habano smoke that recently got a makeover—I mentioned the Florida-based operation of the Rico family also recently added a few sizes, discontinued a vitola in the G.A.R. Red line, and introduced the George Rico S.T.K. Miami Zulu Zulu Mas Paz Edition.

The Mas Paz Edition is made in Miami at G.R. Tabacaleras Co. Cigar Factory & Lounge. A percentage of sales benefit a non-profit organization that will fund renovations for La Casa de la Madre y el Niño, an orphanage in Bogotá, Colombia.

The cigar’s packaging was designed by Mas Paz, an artist who was adopted from La Casa de la Madre y el Niño when he was one. “I am blessed to have been adopted into a home where I have food, clothes, and a loving family,” reads the artist’s website. “It is my mission to do what I can to help. I work to spread the message of Mas Paz, by sharing a positive message and my story to the world along with a quarterly donation to my orphanage, raised with 5% of all income gained from paintings, projects, and my online store.”

The George Rico S.T.K. Miami Zulu Zulu Mas Paz Edition comes in two wrapper varieties: Ecuadorian Connecticut and Nicaraguan Habano. Both have Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos and come in three sizes that retail for $8.25 to $9.27: Lancero (7.5 x 40), Rolo (6 x 54), and Corona Gorda (5.6 x 46).

The Nicaraguan Habano Corona Gorda receives high marks for appearance. The first impression is accentuated by the eye-catching wax paper sleeve. Underneath is a pigtail-capped cigar with a reddish hue and pre-light notes of rich syrup and coffee. The cap clips cleanly to reveal a smooth cold draw.

Once lit, a medium-bodied profile emerges with notes of espresso, leather, and campfire. There’s an underlying earthiness, along with a floral taste. Creamy peanut and a little cocoa help add balance. If smoked too quickly, some less-than-pleasant bitter tones come through, yet the Corona Gorda is still a mostly soft-spoken specimen with little nicotine or spice. The finale is characterized by citrus, coffee, and leather.

I was only able to smoke one Corona Gorda for this review (which was, in full disclosure, provided to me by Gran Habano), but that single sample performed admirably in the combustion department. Throughout, the burn line remained true; only one touch-up was needed along the way. The ash held firm, the draw was easy, and the smoke production was slightly above average.

At times, the Mas Paz Edition Nicaraguan Habano Corona Gorda is a little flat. At times, it speaks with understated complexity and balance. It’s the kind of cigar that seems like it might improve significantly with some age, and I’m tempted to buy a few to test my hypothesis. Right now, I’m scoring it three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

When it comes to the naming of cigar brands, blends, and sizes, cigar makers can be pretty darn creative (or crazy, depending on your point of view). I suppose the diversity and, yes, strangeness of names is partly due to the challenge of coming up with something that’s marketable and descriptive that hasn’t already been used in the vast tobacco lexicon.

Case in point: Fred “GodFadr” Rewey, owner of the Orlando-based Nomad Cigar Co., named his first Nicaraguan cigar “Lot 1386” to honor the approximate coordinate of Estelí. The subject of today’s review, “Lot 8613,” simply flips that coordinate. (Bonus points to the first commenter to locate that coordinate.)

In any event, the Nomad Estelí Lot 8613, which was launched in April, marks the fifth full-production cigar for Nomad and the third full-production cigar in Estelí. (Lot 1386 was a limited to 307 12-count boxes.) “I blended the cigar at the end of 2013 (the same time I blended the C-276),” said Rewey. “This cigar, along with the C-276, was the result of a three-month stay in Nicaragua, blending, learning, and hitting the fields… I chose ‘Estelí Lot 8613’ because it was very reminiscent to the Lot 1386 LE that I released in 2013. Although the blend is nothing close to the original LE, the smoking experience was similar to me on some esoteric level.”

Estelí Lot 8613 boasts an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Five sizes are available, all made at Tobacalera A.J. Fernandez: Robusto (5 x 50), Coronita (5.5 x 46), Toro (6 x 50), Grand Toro (6 x 58), and Churchill (7 x 48).

The Toro retails for about $8. It’s a handsome, oily specimen with a milk chocolate-colored wrapper that has only a few thin veins. The feel is moderate to slightly spongy throughout. The cap clips neatly to reveal a smooth pre-light draw, and the foot has an aroma reminiscent of sweet hay and cocoa.

The flavor opens with oak, honey, and a little subdued cayenne. A raw, meaty spice jumps in after a quarter-inch and is particularly pronounced on the finish if you smoke quickly, but dissipates as fast as it arrived. Thereafter, cream, earth, and citrus take center stage. The texture is bready and the body is medium to medium-full. The cigar wraps up much the way it began with oak and honey.

With good combustion qualities across the several samples I smoked, the Nomad Estelí Lot 8613 Toro is a pleasure, though by no means a memorable standout. The most appropriate rating, in my judgement, is three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

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.

The 654 (6 x 54)  is the only normal-sized cigar in the JFR (“Just for Retailers”) XT line made by Casa Fernandez; the others are 660 (6 x 60) and 770 (7 x 70). Billed as the most full-bodied JFR, the XT features a Corojo wrapper (there’s also a San Andrés maduro version) around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The box-pressed smoke starts out with a surprisingly tame combination of leather, sawdust, and roast nuts. As it progresses, mild spice is added to the medium-bodied smoke. Construction is superb, and the price ($6.92) is reasonable. But that describes many Casa Fernandez smokes. This one, while not unpleasant, isn’t a standout.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In April, Gran Habano—the Florida-based operation of the Rico family—announced a few changes and additions to its portfolio of cigars. Chief among them was the introduction of the George Rico S.T.K. Miami Zulu Zulu Mas Paz Edition, which is made in Miami, features design work by artist Mas Paz, and will benefit an orphanage in Bogotá, Colombia. StogieGuys.com will be reviewing this cigar shortly.

In addition to the Mas Paz announcement, Gran Habano also added a few sizes, discontinued a vitola in the G.A.R. Red line, and changed some packaging. The Corojo No. 5 Maduro 2011 is among the lines that received a facelift. It’s dubbed “the strongest blend in the Gran Habano portfolio” and is comprised of a Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper around a Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

There are five Gran Habano Corojo No. 5 Maduro 2011 formats, all of which are made at the G.R. Tabacaleras Unidas S.A. factory in Honduras. Each retails in the affordable $6 to $8.30 range: Robusto (5 x 52), Gran Robusto (6 x 54), Imperiales (6 x 60), Czar (6 x 66), and Triumph (7.5 x 58).

The Gran Robusto is a large, intimidating smoke with a dark, rustic wrapper that has a few thick veins and protruding seams. The feel is moderately spongy throughout, yet the foot shows a cross-section of tobaccos that are pretty tightly packed. The potent pre-light notes remind me of milk chocolate and nougat.

At the outset, strength and spice are minimal but smooth flavors of cocoa, peanut, and cream are pronounced. There are also background hints of natural tobacco and leather. The texture reminds me of moist chocolate cake. Towards the midway point, tastes of cherry and a little coffee join in as the strength builds. The finale has added intensity along with some bitterness.

The smoke production is above average right from the start, with each puff yielding voluminous tufts of thick, aromatic smoke. Other combustion qualities are likewise admirable, including a solid gray ash, smooth draw, and straight burn line that requires no touch-ups along the way.

The story of this cigar is flavor—and lots of it—with minimal spice. It’s the kind of smoke you can pair with a full-bodied red wine, or perhaps with a mid-afternoon cup of coffee. Either way, I think you’ll be pleased by the sweetness, fruitiness, creaminess, and the wonderful notes in the resting smoke. My only complaint is some bitterness in the last third.

All told, I’m awarding the Gran Habano Corojo No. 5 Maduro 2011 Gran Robusto three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A few weeks ago, I found myself in Manchester, New Hampshire, with a few hours to kill before a flight home to Chicago. Fortunately, the new and improved Twins Smoke Shop is just a stone’s throw from the Manchester airport. It boasts a fantastic new lounge and an incredible selection of smokes. Plus, the Granite State has no tobacco tax.

As I was getting some work done, enjoying a Nica Rustica, and sipping a little rum, proprietor Kurt Kendall (who also owns the 7-20-4 brand) let me know Pete Johnson of Tatuaje would be coming by for an evening event. I made sure to say hello to Pete, but I couldn’t talk much; it was time to head to the airport. However, I did ask Pete if there were any event specials I could cash in on before leaving.

His answer? “Yeah, but Kurt has a box of La Vérité Churchills from 2008 that still have the 2008 price tag on them,” said Pete. “That cigar is smoking incredibly right now.” Partly based on Pete’s recommendation—and partly knowing that La Vérité Churchills from 2008 are very hard to come by (only 30,000 were made)—I bought a box of 10 for $200.

As you may recall, Pete Johnson holds La Vérité (French for “the truth”) in high regard. “La Vérité Vintage,” as he calls it, brings a vintner’s approach to cigar making, employing a wrapper, binder, and filler all grown on the same farm. “Much like a single vineyard wine, La Vérité showcases the soil where the tobacco was grown,” read his website years ago. “The seed varietal varies from year to year based on the crop planted and the tobacco yielded.”

In the case of the 2008 La Vérité, all of the tobacco is from Don José “Pepin” Garcia’s La Estrella farm in Estelí. The Churchill (7 x 47) has an understated band of white, maroon, and gold with a matte, nearly vein-free, milk chocolate-colored wrapper and a perfect cap. The pre-light notes remind me of graham cracker, cocoa, and sweet hay.

Once lit, a mild- to medium-bodied flavor emerges with cream, subtle cedar, peanut, and honey. The balance is wonderful and the texture is bready. The taste is bright and vibrant. The energy is mellow, but there’s energy nonetheless. And the harmonious balance and subtlety render the Churchill highly enjoyable.

The flavor ramps up gradually as the cigar progresses, as does the smoke production (which is a little lacking at first). Graham cracker notes are the highlight of the midway point, with the finale witnessing a slight increase in spice. Throughout, the white ash holds firm, the draw is smooth with just a little resistance, and the burn line remains even.

Due in no small part to the age it has accumulated, the Tatuaje La Vérité Churchill 2008 is an exceptional cigar. It’s 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

Drew Estate is poised to release Undercrown Shade, a new line based on the Undercrown blend featuring a No. 1 grade shade-grown Connecticut wrapper.

Here is Drew Estate’s description of the new line, which StogieGuys.com uncovered in the recently distributed 322-page Tobacco Retailer’s Almanac, sent to members of the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR):

More than just a wrapper swap, this ‘Crown was a three-year process working from the ground up using the finest blend of well-aged, long leaf tobaccos from our vast holdings in Estelí, Nicaragua. Finished with a No. 1 golden shade wrapper, the most sought-after leaf in the world, Undercrown Shade is a naturally sweet, earthy smoke with satisfying body for any time of day.

The line will be available in boxes of 25 in the same six regular production vitolas as the original Undercrown line:

Belicoso 6 x 52
Corona Doble 7 x 54
Corona 5.38 x 46
Gordito 6 x 60
Gran Toro 6 x 52
Robusto 5 x 54

References to “the most sought-after leaf in the world” and “shade” imply the blend uses a Connecticut-grown wrapper leaf, as opposed to an Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut wrapper, which Drew Estate uses on Herrera Estelí. Ecuadorian wrapper isn’t usually grown under shade netting because of the natural cloud cover that produces a similar leaf without it.

Jonathan Drew hinted on Facebook that a Connecticut shade-grown wrapper project was in the works last August when he wrote: “Historically, Drew Estate has always used the Shade Leaf from Ecuador, but this Connecticut leaf is mad juicy and getting me crazy. I mean like… well… what’s a couple thousand pounds of this juicy leaf going to taste like with a tweaked Undercrown Blend…. Oh wait, maybe a tweaked Rustica… Oh shucks, ima get all kind of flack for this post.”

La Palina Introduces Red Label

Also listed in the Tobacco Retailers Almanac is a previously unannounced La Palina Red Label. The line will comes in four sizes: Gordo (6 x 60), Toro (6 x 50), Robusto (5 x 52), and Petit Lancero (6 x 40). All are listed as shipping in boxes of 20. Although no other details are printed, a recent posting announcing the selections for Cigar Dave’s cigar of the month club reveal more details about the Dominican-made blend, which features a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican filler.

AJ Fernandez Enclave

Although no other details are revealed, we do have artwork (above) to share for the upcoming Enclave cigar by A.J. Fernendez. The ad appears in the Tobacco Retailer’s Almanac. A February article in the publication BayouLife mentioned the project, though the blend was still being tweaked at the time. More details, presumably, will be unveiled between now and the start of the IPCPR Trade Show.

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys/Drew Estate/A.J. Fernandez

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.”

This year’s Crowned Heads’ exclusive for Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) retailers is a gorgeous Toro (6 x 52) with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. Said to be a bit stronger than last year’s TAA limited edition, there’s a nice deep, earthy, and nutty beginning that makes some transitions along the way, including a bit of spice and sweetness. I certainly enjoyed The Angel’s Anvil and thought it worth the $10.50 price, but I find several other Crowned Heads offerings to be more impressive smokes.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys