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.”

I’ll admit it: I don’t get why the CAO Concert didn’t catch on. Launched two years ago, we hardly hear about the line anymore, and CAO seems to have largely stopped promoting it. Maybe it’s the non-traditional packaging (guitar pick band, speaker amp box) that caused people to miss the well-made, traditional cigar that Concert is.  The corona-sized Amp (5.5 x 46) demonstrates classic Ecuadorian Habano flavors. Think medium- to full-bodied cedar, coffee, bread, and a hint of pepper spice. If you like Ecuadorian Habano-wrapped cigars like the Emilio AF2 or My Father, check out the Concert Amp. It offers similar flavors at a price that might be below $4 if you pick it up by the box.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

La Palina has accomplished a lot in the four and a half years since the brand was launched, or technically re-launched. (The original La Palina was introduced in 1896, and later developed by the vision of William S. Paley, who went on to found CBS.)

I attended the La Palina launch event in 2010 when the company introduced its first cigar, made at Graycliff in the Bahamas. If you had told me then where this brand would be now, I would have been both impressed and surprised.

Since 2010, La Palina has introduced a steady stream of new cigars, with nearly two per year. The latest offering is La Palina Black, the second La Palina cigar (after the Classic) to be made at Abe Flores’ Pinar del Rio factory in the Dominican Republic.

The line comes in four sizes—Gordo (6 x 60), Toro (6 x 50), Robusto (5 x 52), and Petit Lancero (6 x 40)—with prices ranging from $9 to $11.50 per cigar. La Palina has always had a classic look, but the black accents in the primary band combined with the black and gold secondary label make this an especially sharp presentation.

For this review, I smoked two Robustos provided as samples by La Palina. Each features a deep brown Brazilian Bahiano wrapper. Underneath are dual binders from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua around filler tobaccos from the same two countries.

The cigar has notable dried fruit flavors on the pre-light draw. Once lit, I found medium-full bodied roasted flavors of coffee, leather, and oak. There’s a slight hint of licorice too, and perhaps an echo of sweetness.

As it progresses, a chalky element adds into the mix, but mostly the flavors are consistent from start to finish. The aroma is very pleasant with dense oak and pepper. Construction is flawless, including a light gray ash that holds for an inch and a half before falling off.

This latest La Palina has many of the qualities that make the brand unlikely to disappoint. It’s well-made and features pleasant flavors, even if it doesn’t have much of a wow factor. That earns the La Palina Black Robusto a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I have to admit, when I first saw the Swag cigars, I rolled my eyes and wrote them off. The name—combined with the over-the-top packaging—led me to assume they were subpar cigars, marketed towards casual smokers who wouldn’t know the difference between quality tobacco and cheap smokes.

After a while, a friend of mine convinced me to try the Swag Sobe, and I was pretty surprised. It certainly was not the best cigar I ever smoked, but it was a solid experience. Later, I learned Swag is part of Boutique Blends, noted most famously for the Aging Room cigars they’ve created. At this year’s industry trade show, the Boutique Blends booth was constantly busy, and they released four new cigars. One is the smoke I’m reviewing today: Swag Black.

This cigar is branded as a “Nicaraguan-level strength” Dominican puro. Personally, I’m not sure what this means. I’ve had plenty of Dominican puros that were filled to the brim with nicotine (I’m looking at you, La Flor Dominicana), and I’ve had some Nicaraguans that were solid medium-bodied smokes.

Swag Black clocks in at around $8, in 4 different sizes. I purchased 3 in the “Lavish” format (5 x 54) for this review, and after about a month in the humidor I figured it was time to light them up.

The construction on all three robustos was great; one cigar had a large vein underneath the band, but it did not impact the smoking experience at all. I straight-cut two of these, and punched the third. Both types of preparation created a smooth, easy draw with a decent amount of smoke production. The cold draw was nice and earthy, with a strong fruity aroma coming off of the foot.

I was hoping that fruity flavor would be the dominant one, similar to Joya de Nicaragua’s Cuatro Cinco. Instead, the first few puffs are smooth and earthy with natural tobacco in the background. This is definitely a full-flavored cigar, but I’m not sure I’d call it full-bodied (more medium- to full-bodied). As the cigar progressed, some of the fruity notes started to develop with a rich berry tone. About halfway through, on each of the sticks, I noticed a dark espresso component. On the third, I decided to brew up an Americano to pair the smoke with, and it really heightened the experience.

With an interesting flavor profile, consistent burn line and draw, and a decent price, the Swag Black Lavish is definitely worth checking out. This is my favorite of the Swag lines, but some of the Aging Room offerings are where one should go to find the best that Boutique Blends has to offer. Still, I like this cigar enough to want to have some around as a hefty morning coffee option. I award it four stogies out of five.

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

–Joey J

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The first thing I focused on with this Nat Sherman wasn’t the smooth Ecuadorian wrapper or the pleasant pre-light aroma. It was the simple band, reminiscent of a bygone era of beer joints, pool halls, and all-night diners permeated with ashtrays and cigar smoke.

In fact, much of the cigar captures the spirit of the original Epoca that launched Nat Sherman into the cigar business in 1929. From box art to its medium strength, this is a celebration, much like the Joel Sherman 75th Anniversary released earlier this year.

There are six vitolas in the line, ranging in price from $9 to $15. I smoked the 6-inch, 50-ring gauge Prince, with samples provided by Nat Sherman.

From the start, the burn and draw were just about perfect. If the cigar produced any more smoke, you wouldn’t be surprised to see a hook-and-ladder truck. And not only is there a lot of smoke, it’s thick and rich.

I found no surprise that the Epoca kicked off with that grassy taste familiar to Connecticut tobacco. It was somewhat surprising, though, that it didn’t last. A nice tobacco sweetness edged it aside, with a bit of leather and earth. Then, the grass worked its way back in during the final third.

The flavors are balanced throughout, creating a pleasing experience from start to finish.

While I think almost any smoker would enjoy it, those looking for a stick to add to their morning routine would be the first I’d suggest give it a try. Epoca would also be a good choice for those who routinely enjoy mild cigars and want to step up a shade in strength.

I also plan to try it in a smaller size, such as the Breva, which is 5 inches long with a 42-ring gauge. I wonder whether that might concentrate the flavors more.

All in all, this is another fine new offering from Nat Sherman, and I rate it three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This summer, Kuuts launched Nicaraguan Blend. The new line is likely a response to the popularity of Nicaraguan tobacco, and yet another example of a non-Nicaraguan brand introducing a Nicaraguan-themed cigar.

Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend started shipping to retailers only recently. It sells in the affordable $5-7 range, and is available in 5 formats: Momentos (4 x 48), Pequeño (4.5 x 58), Robusto (5 x 52), Gordo Especial (7 x 60), and Toro (6 x 52). The blend recipe calls for Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos surrounded by an Ecuadorian wrapper. It is marketed as a “solid, medium-bodied cigar.”

Like the other Kuuts brands—including Miró, Placeres Reserva, and Tabacalera Zapata—the Nicaraguan Blend is made at the Compañia Hondureña de Tabacos (CHT) factory in Jacaleapa, Honduras. “Although the Danlí region is the source for a large percentage of the cigars manufactured for worldwide distribution, we have the advantage of owning and operating our own factory,” reads the Kuuts website. “Our factory [can produce] over 6 million cigars a year. With 98 pairs of rollers working in a family atmosphere, CHT has the ability to keep all aspects of the manufacturing process under one roof.”

The Nicaraguan Blend Toro has a light brown, almost pale exterior with little tooth or oils. It’s firm to the touch with a neat cap and an interesting band of black and metallic orange. The pre-light notes are subtle and sweet, and the cold draw is firm.

After setting an even light, I find the initial profile to be light, creamy, and characterized by sweet bready notes with some roasted nuts. The texture is smooth and the body is medium to medium-mild. Then, after the first inch, the Toro begins to taste a little more like what I’d expect from a Nicaraguan-heavy blend: black pepper spice, dry wood, and a bit more overall strength.

Still, even into the final third, the strength remains low and the body doesn’t seem to increase beyond medium. Late-arriving flavors include cinnamon and more sweet cream. All the while the burn line stays true and the gray ash holds well. The draw is a little tight for my liking and the smoke production is slightly below average.

Kuuts has a bigger footprint in Europe, where (generally speaking) the Cuban-esque profile reigns supreme. Perhaps that helps account for why the Nicaraguan Blend tastes so non-Nicaraguan (at least to me). The name of the cigar aside, the Nicaraguan Blend Toro is a nice smoke with balanced, subdued flavors that will strike a chord with less-frequent smokers, as well as experienced cigar fans who seek a morning complement to a cup of coffee. I award it 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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

I recently revisited this Cuban Romeo y Julieta dubbed the Wide Churchill. The name is a bit strange. Short Wide Churchill would be more accurate (since it’s not just wider than a Churchill), though also more awkward. Name aside, the cigar is attractive and well-constructed, which is certainly welcome considering that Cubans have a deserved reputation for inconsistent construction. The Flavors are classic Habano: medium-bodied and balanced with roasted notes, lots of cedar, and coffee. It remains one of the better Cuban cigars I’ve had recently.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Here’s a late addition to my two–part StogieGuys.com A-Z Guide to Rye Whiskey: Templeton Rye. Templeton, like many ryes on the market, is distilled at the the Indiana distillery formerly known as LDI, now known as MGPI (it’s also their stock ticker).

But as we’ve explored in our series on rye, just because the rye has the same source doesn’t mean it tastes the same. Templeton, bottled in Templeton, Iowa, at 80-proof, sells for around $40 a bottle.

Templeton was one of the first to tap into the LDI rye, and for a while it was a bit of a mystery where the rye was made. A marketing story about being made from the recipe that was preferred by Al Capone got the brand in a bit of hot water, but it has since taken steps to clarify that, while inspired by an Iowa-made whiskey enjoyed by Al Capone, the current product is distilled in Indiana.

Controversy aside, what’s most important is how the whiskey tastes. And this one tastes good.

The color is a light caramel and the nose is an inviting combination of sweetness, tropical fruit, and spice. Think bananas foster with lots and lots of cinnamon.

On the palate, Templeton has a lush mouthfeel. It features toffee, wintergreen, dates, and a little oak. The finish is clean with a minty element.

It definitely shares the basic profile of most LDI ryes, but each takes on its own character. For Templeton, I was somewhat surprised at the intensity it keeps, despite being bottled at only 80-proof, the lowest proof a straight rye can legally be.

The combination of sweetness and spice screams out for a Cameroon-wrapped cigar. My three favorites right now in that category are the Fuente Hemingway, La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet, and the Nirvana by Drew Estate.

With so many excellent ryes out there, including so many from the same distillery source, it’s hard to recommend one over the other. All of them are tasty, and each has its own distinct character. Templeton, while a few bucks more than some of the others, is worth checking out. Rye fans will each have their own preferences, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend picking up a bottle of Templeton to decide for yourself.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys