The Stogie Guys

Tastes change. At least mine do.

More than six years ago, I reviewed the then-new Ecuadorian Connecticut-wrapped Lot 23 Toro with Nicaraguan filler and binder from a Perdomo farm. I wasn’t particularly impressed.

For whatever reason, I rarely delve into Perdomo’s extensive offerings (more info on the various brands here), so it didn’t take much for Lot 23 to slip from my consciousness after that.

Recently, though, I picked up ten Robustos at what seemed a bargain price, under $3 per stick. Something made me want to give this cigar another try. I’ve smoked a few from this new batch, and I’m glad I decided to revisit the cigar. I’ve enjoyed each of them.

For one thing, I think the Robusto (5 x 50) is better suited to the Lot 23 blend than the inch-longer Toro. I also haven’t noticed the dryness that bothered me before.

But more importantly, I believe my tastes are not the same as they were in 2007. I think I was smoking a lot of stronger cigars back then. My selections ran more toward Don Pepin Garcia, Tatuaje, La Flor Dominicana, and other potent sticks.

I also don’t think I was as open to a milder cigar. Although I continue to smoke many strong cigars, these days I seem to have moved to a different taste plane where I can appreciate subtlety and nuance as well, particularly as a change of pace.

So for this review, I’ll revise my earlier rating of the Lot 23 and award it a very solid four stogies out of five. Who knows what I’ll find if I smoke a Lot 23 in 2019?

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

StogieGuys.com is, first and foremost, a cigar publication. Every day for seven years, we’ve published an article written to interest the informed cigar smoking reader. Our only editorial bias is pro-cigar; we are opposed to tobacco taxes, smoking bans, and cigar regulations.

Despite our narrow focus on cigars, over the years we’ve written quite a bit about bourbons, given how well they tend to pair with a fine cigar. To that end, here’s a StogieGuys.com guide to bourbon. (This is part two; part one was published yesterday.) In addition to a link to the full write-up, I’ve included my take on the defining characteristics of each whiskey.

Obviously, this isn’t every bourbon available (and we’ll certainly be adding to our Spirits articles with more bourbon write-ups in the future), but it’s a pretty thorough overview of what’s out there. To that end, here is the Cliffs Notes version of our coverage of bourbon. And of course, each article has a few recommended cigar pairings:

Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 Year – Phenomenal, though a pricey bourbon with spice, wood, and vanilla.

Jefferson’s Reserve – Elegant older bourbon with lots of vanilla and wood.

Jim Beam Distiller’s Series – Quality for the price ($21) and a versatile mixer or sipper.

Johnny Drum Private Stock – Approachable with plenty of spice.

Knob Creek Single Barrel – Barrel-strength bourbon that’s well-balanced with plenty of vanilla and wood.

Larceny – Sweet, rounded, and lively. Good value and an excellent alternative to Maker’s Mark.

Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel – Chared oak and woody. Nice but pricey.

Noah’s Mill – Old, balanced, woody, and spicy. And also quite delicious.

Pure Kentucky Small Batch – Overly woody. Lacks balance but well-priced if you like old-tasting bourbons.

Russell’s Reserve 10 Year – More refined small batch variation of Wild Turkey. Still has plenty of spice along with roasted flavors.

St. George Breaking & Entering – Balanced blend of straight bourbons with cherry and caramel notes.

Van Winkle Family Reserve 12 Year  – Hard to find but worth it with thick butterscotch flavors.

Wathen’s Single Barrel – Honey and spice with a long finish.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed – Lively variation of classic Wild Turkey with plenty of spice and wood.

Willet Pot Still Reserve – Smooth sipping bourbon, but you pay extra for the fancy bottle.

Woodford Reserve – Bold yet approachable. A well-crafted classic.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked – Oaky, complex, and nuanced, though you pay for the privilege.

OK, technically our guide only goes to “W” because we’ve yet to find a bourbon that starts with Z. But keep an eye out for more additions (I see a  couple prospects on my shelf as I write this). And, in the meantime, check out our general guide to pairing spirits with a cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

[This is part 1 of our A-Z Bourbon Guide. Read part 2 here.]

StogieGuys.com is, first and foremost, a cigar publication. Every day for seven years, we’ve published an article written to interest the informed cigar smoking reader. Our only editorial bias is pro-cigar; we are opposed to tobacco taxes, smoking bans, and cigar regulations.

Despite our narrow focus on cigars, over the years we’ve written quite a bit about bourbons, given how well they tend to pair with a fine cigar. To that end, here’s a StogieGuys.com guide to bourbon. (This is part one, with part two coming tomorrow.) In addition to a link to the full write-up, I’ve included my take on the defining characteristics of each whiskey.

Obviously, this isn’t every bourbon available (and we’ll certainly be adding to our Spirits articles with more bourbon write-ups in the future), but it’s a pretty thorough overview of what’s out there. To that end, here is the Cliffs Notes version of our coverage of bourbon. And of course, each article has a few recommended cigar pairings:

1792 Ridgemont Reserve – Dry and oaky, with spice and fruit flavors.

A.H. Hirsch Reserve 16 – Basically impossible to find now (think $400+) but very refined and very special.

Angel’s Envy – Deliciously sweet and refined with fruit notes from the port barrel finish.

Basil Hayden’s – Mild, sweet, easy-drinking spirit, though you can get better for the price.

Booker’s – Thrilling and powerful, yet refined, barrel-strength bourbon from Beam.

Buffalo Trace – Balanced, easy-sipping, and an affordable ($22) standby.

Bulleit 10 Year Single Barrel – Spicy with lots of vanilla. Very lively.

Corner Creek Reserve – Dry and woody, with just enough vanilla.

Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel – Tremendous bourbon for the price (~$40) that sadly has been discontinued.

Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage – This edition (1998) is simultaneous clean, balanced, and complex. Also a great value ($25).

Four Roses Single Barrel – Classic balanced bourbon with equal parts sweet and spice.

Four Roses Small Batch – Great combination of richness and value. Very balanced.

Eagle Rare Single Barrel – Hard to beat for the price ($25). Well-rounded, sweet, and plenty tasty.

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrell – Not quite the richness of Blanton’s but similar and nearly half the price.

Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch – Phenomenal value at $15 with good balance.

George T Stagg – A rare (now very hard to acquire) bourbon with serious intensity and full flavors. Worth seeking out.

Hudson Baby Bourbon – Aged quickly in mini barrels, it’s fresh with sweet corn, wood, and lots of fire.

Hooker’s House Bourbon – Finished in pinot noir barrels, it has a soft, fruit edge.

Tomorrow you can see part two, which includes a wide range of offerings from large and small bourbon companies. And of course keep an eye out for more additions (I see a couple prospects on my shelf, pictured above, as I write this). And, in the meantime, check out our general guide to pairing spirits with a cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A few weeks back, I received a notice from Cigar Rights of America (CRA) that my membership was up for renewal. I’ve been a member pretty much since CRA’s inception, and am happy to support their efforts to defend cigars and battle against bans and taxes.

For renewing my membership, CRA sent me two complimentary cigars. One was the Vegas Cubanas by Don Pepin Garcia. Like the other cigars CRA members are entitled to, it is not available anywhere else. From what I can tell, while the makeup of the cigar is the same as the standard Vegas Cubanas blend that’s been on the market since 2005, its proportions (6 x 52) are unique, though very similar to the Generosos vitola (6 x 50), which retails for about $7.

Information is scarce about this CRA offering. Again, though, I have no reason to believe the tobaccos are any different than the original Vegas Cubanas. If that’s the case, this cigar boasts Cuban-seed corojo long-fillers, a Habano Rosado claro wrapper, and a Nicaraguan binder. It is made at El Rey de Los Habanos in Miami.

Like the other Vegas Cubanas cigars I’ve smoked over the years, the pale wrapper is slightly wrinkled, mostly dry, and has a bit of a reddish tinge. The feel is consistently soft from the foot to the triple-cap. Only the faintest pre-light notes of sweet hay are apparent. A double guillotine cut reveals a surprisingly stiff draw.

Once lit, a profile of nuts, coffee, bread, and cedar spice emerges. The spice is dominant, and heavily concentrated on the tip of the tongue. It is offset by sweet honey and a little cream. I don’t think I’m grasping at straws when I say the aftertaste reminds me of graham cracker.

Some of the spice starts to dissipate at the midway point, yet the core flavors remain. All the while the cigar’s physical properties are excellent. The draw opens significantly to enable solid smoke production, the burn line is straight, and the gray ash holds well off the foot.

Truth be told, Vegas Cubanas is not a line that’s been on my radar for some time. So credit is due to CRA for reminding me why I used to light up this line with some regularity. If you’re renewing your CRA membership—or becoming a new member for the first time—you have no way of controlling what they send you. If you happen to get this smoke, you won’t be disappointed. Either way, if you haven’t had a Vegas Cubanas in a while, pick one up. I award this size four 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.”

Exclusively sold as part of the fourth CRA Sampler to support the defense of cigar rights, this is the La Flor Dominicana Colorado Oscuro blend (Ecuadorian ligero Sumatra wrapper, Dominican Sumatra binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler) in a Chisel (6 x 54) size. It features syrupy molasses flavors along with leather, coffee, and floral notes. Construction is flawless. I think I prefer the traditional sizes of this blend a little better, but it’s still a well-constructed, tasty smoke. Plus, the proceeds go to a good cause.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) The latest trend in smoking bans may not necessarily come at the hands of federal, state, or local government officials. In major cities, property management companies may start preventing renters from smoking without government intervention. The most prominent example is New York City’s Related Companies, which is beginning to ban smoking within its 40,000 rental units—both inside and out. “New tenants will sign a contract agreeing not to smoke anywhere in the building (that includes private terraces and balconies.) Breaking the rules could lead to eviction,” reports NBC. “Tenants already renting won’t have to sign until they renew their lease. But with a turnover rate of 10,000 a year, all apartments could be smoke-free in just a few years.”

2) Chris Edge’s Dona Flor brand, reintroduced to the American market in 2012 after a hiatus, is once again making the Alonso Menendez line available in the U.S. “Alonso Menendez made his name in Cuba creating the Montecristo No. 2 while operating the largest cigar factory in the country. The line of Brazilian puros that carry his name has become extremely popular in European countries, largely due to the increased Mata Norte in the blends,” reads a Dona Flor press release.

3) Inside the Industry: Toraño has announced a second addition to their Vault line, the D-042, which will hit shelves in August and is being made in three sizes for $7.20-8.50.  J. Grotto has announced that their Reserve Lancero will become a regular release after initially being limited to just 1,000 cigars. Davidoff announced The Griffin’s Casino as limited release in boxes of 21 cigars (MSRP $252), with 17 featuring the “Casino” secondary band (with an Ecuadorian wrapper) and four mystery blends with a “Joker” band.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan tries the Oja Anniversary. Stogie Review reviews the J. Fuego Edición de Familia. Stogie Fresh smokes the Nestor Miranda Grand Reserve. Robby Ras lights up the Four Kicks “Mule Kick” LE. Cigar Inspector inspects a Black Market.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Best of Dominican Sampler” features some real gems from the Dominican Republic. Only $27 gets you an E.P. Carrillo Elencos, a Four Kicks by Crowned Heads, a Montecristo Platinum, a Pinar del Rio Habana, and an AVO Maduro No. 2.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

Although it isn’t widely broadcast, there are roughly 10 distilleries that make roughly 99% of all the bourbon made in the world. Many are names you know: Beam, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, and Wild Turkey.

One you’re less likely to know is the Barton Brands Distillery (formerly the Tom Moore distillery), home of the 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Barrel Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The distillery, which also makes Very Old Barton, Tom Moore, Kentucky Gentleman, and Ten High, is owned by the Sazerac Company (owners of the Buffalo Trace Distillery).

Known as “Ridgewood Reserve 1792” until a judge ruled it was too close to Woodford Reserve, “1792” is a reference to the year Kentucky became America’s 15th state. I picked up my bottle for $32 at a Virginia ABC, which explains the sticker that reads, “Bottled especially for customers of the Virginia ABC.” (Although I’ve seen no reason to think it changes anything.)

Aged at least eight years before being bottled at 46.85% alcohol by volume (93.7-proof), the orange-tinted bourbon features a nose of green apple, orange peel, vanilla, and baking spices.

The flavors, like the nose, are very distinctive with dry oak, apple peel, fig, and an all-around dry spiciness, likely from the rye part of the mash bill. The finish is more dry oak with hints of leather and fruit that tapers off quickly.

Oak, spice, and fruit are the dominant flavors in this unique bourbon, and so a savory but woody cigar is my pairing recommendation. Cigars that fit that profile include the Crowned Head Four Kicks, Berger & Argenti Entubar V32, Pinar del Rio Small Batch Reserve Maduro, and (if you can get it) the Casa Fuente 800 Series.

If you’re a bourbon drinker there is plenty to like about Ridgemont Reserve, most particularly a unique flavor profile. It’s neither overly sweet, nor does it demonstrate an old woody flavor profile (the dominant trends in bourbon). But at around $30 per bottle it’s well worth a try. Drink it neat or with a splash of water.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys