The Stogie Guys

If bourbon must be made with a mashbill that’s over 50% corn, and rye must be made with a mashbill that’s over 50% rye, what do you call a spirit that’s a mixture of the two? Wild Turkey calls it a mistake, but a tasty one.

According to Wild Turkey, distillery staff “unwittingly mingled very rare, high-proof rye with perfectly-aged bourbon” (78% 6-year-old bourbon and 22% 4-year-old rye, to be more specific). Given that they named the result “Forgiven,” I guess we can assume the staff that made such a horrible error hasn’t been fired.

Described on the bottle as a “blend of and rye straight whiskies” this unique spirit is bottled at 91-proof, notably lower than the traditional 101-proof for which Wild Turkey is known. It sells for $50 per bottle, which has the same shape as Wild Turkey’s Rare Breed offering.

The result is a light, orange/gold-colored spirit with a largely straightforward nose that features caramel with some melon and oak. The real fun starts on the palate, where the interplay between bourbon and rye emerges.

It’s a tasty combination dominated by resin, caramel, and wood spice, but also with notes of berries, apple, and cinnamon. The finish is long and oily with plenty of wood and dry spice.

It’s not what I look for in a rye or or a bourbon, but still I really enjoyed Forgiven. It’s a lively American whiskey that demands your attention: more rye than bourbon (despite the percentages), Forgiven pulls in a complex combination of sweetness, spice, wood, and fruit.

Even though the proof isn’t all that high, it demands a full-bodied cigar. I’d particularly lean towards a full-bodied Broadleaf Maduro-wrapped cigar like the Liga Privada No. 9, La Riqueza, or RoMa Craft Cromagnon.

If you consider yourself an amateur in the world of bourbon and rye, wait before you pick up a bottle of Forgiven. Instead, try these fine bourbons, or one of these ryes. But if you’re moving into bourbon connoisseur stage, you should definitely seek out Wild Turkey Forgiven.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Surrogates line is an effort by brand owner Pete Johnson to release “consumer price conscious” cigars with premium quality.

To increase the appeal, each of the five Surrogates vitolas, rolled at Don Pepin Garcia’s My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua, has a different blend and flavor profile. The idea is to create cigars with something of a limited edition feel in a regular production run.

For the Skull Breaker, a belicoso (5.25 x 52), that means a splotchy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper with few veins and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. It’s listed at $8 per stick.

I’ve smoked five and generally enjoyed each one. I did encounter some inconsistency between sticks. A few, for example, were rolled a bit tight. And while smoke production was generally good, it was notably thin in one Skull Breaker. Across all samples the burn was excellent, and the ash held on tightly.

Pre-light, the wrapper had a nice, spicy, barnyard aroma while the filler gave off a sweet and chocolatey air. Smoking through it, I was surprised at the relatively mild level of pepper considering where it was rolled and the Nicaraguan filler.

But it did have the strength and body typical of many Nicaraguans, as well as flavors of leather and espresso.

The Skull Breaker isn’t particularly complex, though it did develop a bit, and I generally liked the second half more than the first.

I’d like to try others in the Surrogates line. It’s an interesting concept. Patrick A reviewed the original Skull Breaker when it was introduced at New Havana Cigars and gave it three and a half stogies. A year and a half later, I’d agree.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Azan Cigars continues to grow. It’s now in 60 shops (no online sales), has just run its first national advertisement (in Cigar Snob), and is readying a new line (maduro).

Not bad for a company that, while tracing its cigar roots to 1928 Cuba, only got started in 2012 and entered the U.S. market a year later at the IPCPR Trade Show.

The small operation is anchored by Roberto Pelayo Duran, who worked in the industry in his native Cuba. Azan cigars are produced at a 20-person factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Each pair of rollers and buncheros is dedicated to producing a single size in an effort to achieve maximum quality.

I’ve received samples from Azan and reviewed the more expensive White line last year. This time I smoked the budget-friendly Burgundy, which had been in my humidor for several months.

The Short Robusto (4.4 x 50) has a suggested retail price under $4. It’s wrapped in a light brown Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper that has little pre-light aroma, while the Nicaraguan binder (Jalapa) and filler (Jalapa and Estelí) give off a sweet air.

That sweetness shows up in the lit cigar as well, though I tended to get more straw and wheat. Construction and performance were top flight. My only complaint was with the amount of smoke. I’d prefer more.

The Burgundy line is aptly described by Azan as one for “daily enjoyment” and “perfect to share with friends.”

It would also be a fine introductory smoke for newcomers, particularly with its emphasis on smaller vitolas: the longest is just over 5 inches, and the fattest ring gauge is a 50. With the low price, Burgundy could also fit nicely into a regular rotation, particularly if you’re seeking to get in a shorter smoke on these cold winter days.

Keep an eye out for Azan. Their cigars are well worth a try. I give the Burgundy three and a half 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 verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

When this cigar emerges from its simple two-piece white tubo, you might be gazing at perfection. The Connecticut wrapper is flawless, the aroma enticing, and the smoker’s level of expectation at its peak. The toro (6 x 50)—aptly described by Davidoff as “stronger and fuller-bodied” with an “elegant, harmonious blend”—is an absolute pleasure to smoke. Tasty, complex, lots of smoke, excellent performance. (Patrick S. reviewed this stogie back in 2008.) Mine was a gift. I have to confess I don’t buy a whole lot of $20 cigars, but I had no doubt this one was worth every penny.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

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.”

Since its inception, I have been a member of Saints & Sinners, a Tatuaje club that annually sends participants exclusive cigars (as well as other Tatuaje-branded merchandise like wine openers, poker chips, and apparel). Part of the 2013 smoke kit was an Exclusive Series “Hassell”—Pete Johnson’s middle name. It’s a large perfecto (6.9 x 52) based on the Tatuaje Avion, with a twist. Like Avion, it has an Ecuadorian Habano maduro wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. But this time, the filler also includes tobaccos from another undisclosed country. The result is a medium- to full-bodied profile of dry oak, roasted nuts, black pepper, coffee, and ample earthy sweetness on the aftertaste. Construction is excellent. If you aren’t a Saints & Sinners member, finding this cigar will be exceedingly difficult. So, if anything, I hope this Quick Smoke encourages you to sign up.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

It’s my contention that George Dickel is as underrated as Jack Daniels is iconic. That’s not a slight on either.  The two Tennessee whiskey brands are inextricably linked, but in all likelihood you’ve probably heard of Jack Daniels and not George Dickel, which might just be exactly how Dickel fans want it.

Both are more or less bourbon, but utilize the Lincoln County Process to filter the whiskey through charcoal. The result, according to both competitors, is a unique, smooth variety of American whiskey.

George Dickel Barrel Select is the top-of-the-line offering from Dickel ($35-40). In a whiskey world where “small batch” is pretty much a meaningless term, Barrel Select is a genuinely small batch product, with each batch consisting of just 10 barrels combined in each batch.

It’s bottled at 86-proof and, according to Dickel’s website, it’s aged between 10 and 12 years. It’s a medium amber hue with a nose that features tropical fruit, maple, and leather.

On the palate it has raw corn, roasted cashew, caramel, and wood. It has a slightly oily quality that reminds me of a Campbeltown single malts. The finish is clean with hints of wood along with maple and honey sweetness.

There’s a depth and sweetness to the Barrel Select that’s exceptional, even if it really makes me want to try the same Tennessee whisky at a higher proof (100- or 107-proof would be my ideal). Still, it’s a whisky that proves my contention that Dickel is under-appreciated, even if, at around $40, this may not be the best value of the Dickel line.

It has enough subtlety to call for a mild- to medium-bodied cigar pairing. I’d suggest a Macanudo Estate Reserve, Cuban H. Upmann, or E.P. Carrillo New Wave.

I can confidently recommend George Dickel to bourbon fans. In all honestly, you’ll probably want to start with the No. 8 or No. 12 varieties, which provide a fantastic price-to-value proposition, but don’t shy away from the Barrel Select, which is very smooth, flavorful, and highly underrated.

–Patrick S

photo credit: George Dickel

Many people who enjoy wine have made the trip to Napa Valley, France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, or another wine-producing locale to walk the vineyards, speak to the winemakers, and learn more about the process of transforming carefully grown grapes into wine.

My knowledge of wine is far more limited than my knowledge of cigars. Yet my understanding of wine seems to grow exponentially with each visit I pay to a vineyard. While those visits are rare, each one leaves a lasting impression on me. I pick up new nuggets of information. I see the passion of winemakers sewn into their meticulous processes. I observe how others taste wine. And, above all, I gain a greater appreciation for the grape.

Cigars, like wine, are hard to gain a thorough appreciation for unless you have the opportunity to see them made. Loving cigars is a contact sport. You need to walk tobacco fields. Witness the many careful steps required to properly ferment the leaves. See the cigars being rolled. And speak with the great cigar men who oversee blending, bunching, aging, and boxing.

Such firsthand access to cigars doesn’t come easy. Obviously you can’t get it at an event like Cigar Aficionado’s Big Smoke. While no doubt fun, events like these are typically spent wondering through crowds to exchange coupons for cigars—and trying to balancing a lit cigar with a drink and a plate of food (there’s always a severe shortage of tables). It’s hard to have a brief conversation with a sought-after cigar maker, let alone see any of their processes. One Big Smoke I attended in Las Vegas featured a mile-long line just to shake Rocky Patel’s hand.

Still, there do exist opportunities to visit tobacco fields and cigar factories, and to get an invaluable behind-the-scenes look at cigar production. The foremost example is an experience I can’t recommend highly enough: Drew Estate’s Cigar Safari in Nicaragua. I find myself thinking about my Cigar Safari adventure a lot. It was so eye-opening, and it was a real pleasure to bounce all my questions off knowledgeable men like Jonathan Drew, Steve Saka, José Blanco, and Mario Perez. Other options for factory tours include the ProCigar Festival in the Dominican Republic, Humo Jaguar in Honduras, the Nicaragua Tobacco Festival, or the Habano Cigars Festival in Cuba. I’ve also heard instances of cigar shops sponsoring informative trips, so keep your ears open at your local tobacconist.

Reading about cigars, visiting your local shop, speaking with other enthusiasts, attending events in the U.S., and, of course, smoking cigars are all great ways to learn about the leaf. But I would encourage you at some point to visit a live cigar factory, tobacco field, or tobacco processing facility. The experience will increase your appreciation of cigars twofold. And you’ll have an amazing time.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys