The Stogie Guys

I recently came across a newly opened box of Viaje’s Summerfest 2013 at my local B&M and, naturally, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try the nearly two-year-old blend.

Wise move. I didn’t smoke one when it was a new release–in fact, I don’t recall seeing it then–but I can say that, right now, it’s terrific.

With its long shaggy foot, bright red band, and reddish wrapper, Summerfest 2013 is a standout on the shelf and in the hand. For a Nicaraguan puro, it is lower on the strength and spice scales than you might expect. But it is absolutely full of flavor with thick, rich smoke.

My biggest initial concerns were groundless. The shaggy foot did not drop bits of ash and tobacco, and the draw, while a tad loose at the very start, was good throughout, as was the burn.

Summerfest began as an annual release in 2010, with a pause last year. (My colleague  wrote about the 2012 edition here.) A Summerfest 2015 is planned with a new blend and manufacturer, according to Viaje.

The 2013, released in June of that year, was a 5.25-inch fat robusto with a ring gauge of 54. The wrapper is a Corojo ’99. They were sold in boxes of 30 with 6,000 total sticks rolled. MSRP was about $9.50 each.

The Summerfest 2013s I’ve smoked were medium strength and remarkably smooth. Whether that’s from age or not I can’t say.

As the binder/filler burned first, the predominant flavors were wood and fairly mild pepper. When the burn line hit the wrapper, a bit of cinnamon and sweetness came to the fore. Most of the flavors were subtle and shifted quite a bit throughout the cigar, with coffee among the others that came and went.

Enjoying these smokes reminded me that when you visit a tobacconist you might want to occasionally ask, “What’s old?” instead of making the far more common inquiry, “What’s new?” I have found quite a few gems this way, and you can, too. I think of it as something of a bonus when the shop ages cigars for me.

If you happen to spot the Summerfest 2013 don’t miss the opportunity. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I know I wasn’t. I look forward to smoking this year’s incarnation and rate the Summerfest 2013 a solid four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Orlando-based Nomad Cigar Co. was founded by Fred “GodFadr” Rewey, a man who considers great tobacco and great blending to be the cornerstones of a great cigar.

If you read through Nomad’s website, you’ll notice a theme of quality over quantity. “Nomad cigars are only rolled with the finest tobacco,” says Rewey. “It is because of this fact, from time to time, we have a shortage. Bottom line, if the tobacco does not pass inspection, it doesn’t go in the cigar.”

Rewey will tell you blending the Connecticut Fuerte line has been one of the toughest challenges in his company’s three-year history. That’s because his approach was to create a standout smoke, not just another Connecticut on the shelf. The result is a line that boasts an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, an Ecuadorian Habano binder, and a filler blend from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

Six vitolas are offered: Toro, Lancero, Belicoso, Robusto, Robusto Gordo, and Corona. The Toro (6 x 52) sells for about $8. It’s a clean, moderately oily specimen with only the thinnest of veins and an effortless cold draw that imparts some sweetness on the palate. The pre-light notes are reminiscent of hay and honey. The feel is consistently spongy from foot to cap.

Once lit, the initial profile is mild- to medium-bodied with notes of cream, almond, natural tobacco, and a light pepper spice. While that flavor description may make the Connecticut Fuerte sound like your typical Connecticut, there’s something about the balance, smoothness, and lack of bitterness that makes this Toro unique. The texture is velvety and the resting smoke is sweet.

As the cigar progresses, hints of cinnamon, white pepper, cedar spice, and molasses come and go. At the midway point, the complexity really shines. There’s a slight increase in intensity down the home stretch, though I’d say the body and strength never leave the realm of expectation for a Connecticut blend. Construction is outstanding from light to nub.

Rewey may have put a lot of time, money, and effort into creating this Dominican-made blend. I’m glad he did. The Nomad Connecticut Fuerte Toro is a great reminder that Connecticut-wrapped cigars needn’t be predictable or boring. It earns an admirable rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back in January I reviewed the Dram Cask No. 3 Double Habano, a cigar specifically blended to pair with bold, spicy whiskies. Today I’m examining the Dram Cask No. 2 Double Corojo, which is intended for woody whiskies that are more medium in strength.

Both are relatively new smokes, released by Orleans Group International and C&C Cigars, and intended to “choreograph the flavors of whiskey and cigars,” according to a press release. “Cigar and whiskey aficionados alike will appreciate the depth of each blend’s complementary or contrasting flavors, magnifying the qualities of the cigar and the whiskey.”

Dram—a term referring to a small amount of spirit poured neat, especially scotch—is subscribing to the principal that “body is as essential as flavor,” so there are four Dram blends that are intended to pair with different whiskey intensities. Dram Cask No. 1 Double Connecticut is on the bolder end of the mild spectrum and marketed as a complement to light whiskies like Glenmorangie and Balvenie Single Barrel. Cask No. 3 Double Habano is for spicier spirits like Bulleit Bourbon. Cask No. 4 Double Binder Connecticut Broadleaf is for smoky, peaty scotches like Laphroaig. And Cask No. 2, the subject of today’s review, is intended for woody whiskeys like Wild Turkey 101 and Angel’s Envy.

I sampled three Cask No. 2 Double Corojo Toros (6 x 54, $9) for this review. This particular cigar is crafted in the Dominican Republic and sports a dark, mottled, slightly reddish Corojo wrapper with only thin veins, tight seams, and a well-executed cap. The feel is firm and the pre-light notes are quite sweet, reminding me of milk chocolate. The cold draw is easy and imparts some of the sweetness on the lips. The band is very attractive and of high quality.

Once an even light is set, the Cask No. 2 Double Corojo Toro exhibits a medium-bodied profile of oak, cinnamon, bread, and natural tobacco. A sharp spice lingers on the tip of the tongue, and there’s a medicinal cherry sweetness that reminds me of Luden’s cough drops. The midway point tends towards campfire, and the final third has earthy mushroom and plenty of cedar. Construction is fine throughout, including a solid ash, clear draw, and a burn line that requires a few touch-ups along the way.

I tried this Toro with and without whiskey. Either way, I have to say it really isn’t my cup of tea. The flavor seems simplistic and underdeveloped, and I’m not terribly fond of the medicinal notes. The Cask No. 3 Double Habano is a much more interesting blend. Maybe you’ll have more luck with it, but I’m respectfully settling on a score of two and a half stogies out of five for the Double Corojo Toro.

[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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Papas Fritas, the little (4.5 x 44) cigar that uses the cuttings of the Liga Privada No. 9 blend, just got some new packaging. Instead of a metal tin with a four cigars, they will be sold in boxes of 50, and the price per cigar dropped from $6.40 to $5.25. Like its bigger brothers, Papas Fritas produces copious amounts of smoke and chocolate, earth, and rich wood spice. There are valid complaints about a petit corona-sized, mixed-filler cigar that costs over five dollars (though the price cut helps a little), but that doesn’t change the fact that it is an enjoyable smoke.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

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.”

It was about a year ago that I first got to sample the blend that would become Joya Red. I was wholeheartedly impressed then, sitting around a table at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in Estelí, and I’m still impressed now. One of the best new releases of 2014, Joya Red is a Nicaraguan puro with a Habano wrapper and a profile of roasted nuts, citrus, cedar, coffee, and a little black pepper. With excellent construction and a balanced, complex taste from light to nub, the Joya Red Robusto (5.25 x 50) is easy to recommend, especially at the reasonable asking price of about $6.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“Cocktail culture” is in full swing (so says any number of newspaper articles). For the most part, though, I don’t get into cocktails in our Cigar Spirits articles. I feel if booze is worth drinking, it’s usually worth drinking unadulterated. That said, one aspect of the recent cocktail boom I’m fully behind is aging cocktails in whiskey barrels.

So when Top Shelf Barrels offered me a barrel to do my own cocktail aging, I figured it was worth checking out. Because I don’t have much space for a large barrel, I went with the one liter barrel (which Top Shelf Barrels engraved for me with a Stogie Guys logo).

The company sells essence flavorings and has a few recipes for exotic cocktails, but I was more interested in the effects of barrel aging on classic cocktails. I quickly narrowed my options down to the old fashioned or the Manhattan.

I decided on a Manhattan for my first barrel-aged cocktail experiment and went with a simple recipe: three parts Knob Creek Rye and one part Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth (my preferred vermouth). I’ll sometimes add the tiniest shake of Angostura bitters to my Manhattans, but I figured it would be easier to add bitters later, especially since all Angostura takes is a quick rinse of the glass.

To judge the impact of barrel aging, I made one liter of Manhattan, poured 800 ml. into the 1 liter barrel, and then poured the rest into an extra bottle so I could taste test it side-by-side. One thing to remember about the process is the barrel may leak a little (this isn’t unusual). My barrel had the tiniest bit of seepage, which didn’t result in any puddles.

After two weeks, my experiment was just right as the bright flavors were mellowed out by the wood. By the third week, the wood had overwhelmed the flavors, so be careful not to age your cocktail too long. At that point, I emptied out the barrel and poured what was left into an empty bottle so I could enjoy it, even though it had peaked a week earlier.

I have to say, I was surprised by how quickly the wood impacted the Manhattan, especially since the barrel-aged cocktails I’ve had in bars were usually aged for 45-60 days. But in retrospect, this shouldn’t have been that surprising. The mini barrel has a lot of surface area for such a small amount of liquid.

Ultimately, I’m deeming my experiment a success. I made a delicious barrel-aged Manhattan, and I’m looking forward to trying more experiments with my barrel. If you want to take your cocktails to the next level consider checking one out.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

There’s a lot to admire about Padrón Cigars. Like the company’s status as arguably the pinnacle of excellence in the industry. Or the dedication displayed by Cuban émigré José Orlando Padrón to labor as a carpenter until he had the capital to establish a cigar factory.

Another admirable trait is the company’s focused portfolio. Instead of coming out with a new series every year, Padrón only makes a few lines—lines that are crafted well and almost universally celebrated. As the Padrón website explains, “When Padrón is on the label, quality is a matter of family honor.”

One of those well-crafted lines is the Serie 1964, also known as the 1964 Anniversary Series. It was launched in 1994 to commemorate Padrón’s 30th anniversary (there’s also a 1926 Serie that honors the year of José Orlando Padrón’s birth.) The Serie 1964 has 11 box-pressed vitolas, each available in either a sun-grown Natural wrapper or a dark Maduro leaf. All of the tobaccos in the Nicaraguan puro are aged for four years.

The Exclusivo Natural (5.5 x 50) has a clean, dry, milk chocolate-colored wrapper with only the thinnest veins and barely noticeable seams. The cold draw has hardly any resistance, and the pre-light notes off the foot are nutty and creamy. The double bands are, at this point, classic and instantly recognizable. Included on the bottom band is an “individually numbered guarantee label” to help safeguard against counterfeiting.

At the outset, the profile from the Exclusivo Natural is oak, vanilla, cedar, black pepper, and almond. The texture is silky, and the spicy aftertaste lingers well on the palate. As it progresses, flavors of peanut and coffee come and go. At the midway point there’s a harmonious concoction of dry spices, and the finale has loads of warm tobacco and mixed nuts.

I smoked three Exclusivos for this review, and each exhibited construction qualities on par with the Padrón standard. The gray ash holds remarkably well off the foot, the burn line requires zero touch-ups along the way to keep it even and lit, the draw is effortless, and the smoke production is high.

As you probably already know, the Padrón Serie 1964 Exclusivo Natural is not an inexpensive cigar. Expect to pay around $11-12 for a single. The good news is you get a high-quality stick with balanced medium-bodied flavors for your money. I’m partial to the Maduro-wrapped 1964, but this specimen is no slouch and 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