The Stogie Guys

Given this cigar’s pedigree, I’m sure it will come as no surprise to hear that the latest limited edition from La Flor is a powerful smoke. But it’s also a complex, balanced treat that fulfills the promise of a line released only every other year or so.

The V comes in a single vitola that weighs in at 6.5 inches long with a 54 ring gauge and a production level reportedly under 100,000. The price tag ranges from around $9.50 to $11, a reasonable amount considering the size and what you get for your money.

And what you get is a terrific cigar with more changes than a Rockette in the Christmas show. It begins with a nice, tangy pre-light aroma from the Dominican filler, kicks off with pepper in the first few puffs, and then quickly shifts to a deep chocolate undertone. There’s a pleasant bite to the finish that’s present from beginning to end.

This cigar rewards attention. I easily picked up leather, hay, a hint of coffee, cedar, and several spices. I’ve smoked three from a five-pack, and they’ve been remarkably consistent in both flavor and construction. The burn, draw, and ash were all first-rate from start to finish.

Previous Limitado blends featured tobacco from more than one country, and the V continues the trend. In addition to the Dominican filler, the wrapper is Ecuadorian sun grown and the binder is Nicaraguan. Those also are the three countries represented in the first Limitado.

About the only negative I could find is that La Flor packs these in boxes of 48, putting that purchase into the pricing stratosphere (around $500).

For this kind of enjoyment, the La Flor Dominicana Limitado V rates the top-of-the-mark five stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five-stogie rated cigars can be found here.]

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I keep a nice double-digit variety of bourbons at my house, but never more than one bottle of any particular bourbon. The only exception has been Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 Year Bourbon, of which I currently have a stash of three unopened bottles.

And even though they run around $100 apiece, I’d probably pick up a few more if I came across them. So while it’s an understatement to say I’m a fan of this bourbon, that’s not the whole reason why I always do a quick scan for “JPS 18” in a liquor store.

Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 is one of the last 100% Stitzel-Weller bourbons you can buy. Sitzel-Weller is the distillery that made highly regarded wheat-recipe bourbon until it was closed in 1991, including the notoriously difficult-to-find Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, which uses the same mash bill recipe. (Reports are the distillery began production of bourbon again earlier this year, but it will be a while before that production hits the market.)

These days, Pappy Van Winkle may still use 100% Stitzel-Weller bourbon for its oldest bourbons (20 and 23, as of 2011), but the younger varieties use bourbon made at Buffalo Trace. Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 (which was preceded by a 17 year variety, and will be followed by a 21) is 100% Stitzel-Weller. It’s also all sold out, although you may find some on a few shelves.

In other words, it’s rare and old (18 years is very old for bourbon, even if it is only slightly past middle-age for scotch). But being very old and rare doesn’t do much for me, unless it’s also very good. And the 94-proof spirit has that too.

The deep copper-colored bourbon has a nose that reminds me of aged rum, with vanilla, dates, cake-batter, and wood. On the palate it really shines with an intensity that combines lots of oaky woodiness with a silky sweetness of toffee, dried fruit, and just a hint of citrus apples. The finish is long and balanced, with more toffee, wood, and resin.

It’s a flavor rollercoaster that shows the best of well-aged bourbon without the downsides that sometimes manifest as over-the-top oak or dry spice. As such, it requires a cigar that is equally well-balanced but still flavorful. The two that specifically fit that bill are the Padrón Serie 1926 Maduro and the Arturo Fuente Añejo.

Now $100 is a lot to spend on single bottle of bourbon (think how many excellent bourbons can be bought for half that much), which makes it something of a special occasion indulgence. Still, there’s a highly limited supply (it’s all been sold to retailers at this point) and the upcoming 21-year-old edition will certainly be even more expensive. Which is why I’d suggest serious bourbon fans scoop up a bottle or two if they get the chance. I know I will.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Last summer, Emilio Cigars entered into an agreement with American Caribbean Tobacco to distribute their Herederos de Robaina cigars in the U.S. Those cigars started to hit retailer shelves in September.

Since, there have been a number of reviews published about Herederos de Robaina. But they all suffer from the same deficiency that plagues the article you’re currently reading: Not much is known about this cigar. Gary Griffith of Emilio has not disclosed the makeup of the blend, so I don’t have anything to share with you about the origins of the wrapper, binder, or filler.

What I know for sure is this cigar is made in Estelí, and it’s available in four standard sizes, including the five-inch Robusto I’m sampling for this review (the others being Churchill, Toro, and Torpedo).

I can guess the name of the blend is a nod to Alejandro Robaina, a roving ambassador for Cuban cigars who passed away three years ago. Robaina is remembered as Cuba’s foremost producer of top wrapper leaves and for being the voice of small tobacco growers in Pinar del Río. He refused Castro’s request to join a government cooperative and, choosing to remain family-owned and independent, he consistently outperformed state-owned tobacco plantations.

The Herederos de Robaina Robusto retails for about $8 and is sold in boxes of 10 or 20. It features a clean, milk chocolate-colored wrapper with thin veins. The foot exhibits a moderately loose packing of tobacco with pre-light notes of cocoa and earth. A punch cut to the head is all that’s needed to free up an easy draw.

That easy draw results in voluminous smoke production once the cigar is lit. The accompanying flavor is short, salty, and biting, characterized predominantly by dry wood and clove. This is balanced by some cream and a slight sweetness on the finish. While not much changes from light to nub, attentive smokers may notice flavors like pepper, oak, and white chocolate.

Aside from the wonderful draw and great smoke production, construction leaves a little to be desired. The white ash is flaky and sandy, with bits of ash likely to scatter at any time. And the burn line requires a few touch-ups to stay even.

Distribution of the Herederos de Robaina brand, according to the Emilio Cigars website, is restricted to a handful of shops spread across seven states (Florida, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey). I would imagine Griffith is currently working to expand this. If you find Herederos de Robaina in your local shop, pick up a Robusto or two. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, and I also don’t think you’ll be wowed. That’s ultimately why this cigar earns 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.”

This Lancero edition of the the Serie D Maduro was created by Eddie Ortega just for the DC Cigar Tweetup. (Each attendee received a bundle of ten with their ticket.) Only the size is new; the blend is the same as the regular Serie D Maduro sizes: Mexican wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and filler. The cigar has sweet earth, coffee, and cocoa all particularly focused by the Lancero’s narrow size. It’s reminiscent of the Padrón 1926 Maduro, including excellent construction, but with a little more grittiness.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Dante is a brand new cigar created by two guys I know pretty well. Mike Huff and Mo Fakhro formed M Tabacos Inc. to create and distribute Dante, but I’ve known them far longer as the general manager and owner, respectively, of Cigar Connection, the shop I frequent the most here in Northern Virginia.

Over the years we’ve talked quite a bit about cigars, but more recently they started talking about a project they were very excited about. I feel obliged to point out that it would be fair to say I hope they succeed. The industry, however, is full of friendly people I wish nothing but success for, and like any other new cigar this one will have to stand on its own in field already full of good smokes. I’m convinced it does.

Like many new cigars, Dante is a collaboration with a well-known cigar maker. For Dante, the M Tabacos pair teamed up with Tabacalera Tropical/Casa Fernandez, which makes Dante at its Miami factory using the Aganorsa leaf they are known for.

The cigar is made with a deep brown San Andreas wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler. It comes in five sizes ranging from the Imp (4 x 44) to a large Toro (6.5 x 52). For this review I smoked four of of the corona gorda-sized Asmodeus (5.5 x 46), named after the demon king.

Pre-light the cigar, which features a small flattened pigtail cap, is full of woody oak flavors. The first few puffs show that to be a telling preview of what is to come, though once lit the woody notes are more charred and hickory flavored. In addition to wood, which also manifests as a light spice, the Dante features cocoa and a bread-like flavor that coats the palate in thick, powdery smoke. It took me a while to pick it out, but that powdery, bread-like component reminded me of the Tatuaje Anarchy.

The result is a cigar that starts out just north of medium-bodied and slowly ramps up until it’s just shy of completely full-bodied. It’s full of flavor yet also restrained. And considering my samples were rolled only a month earlier, I’m impressed by the balance. Each of the four Dantes I smoked burned wonderfully, with no touch-ups needed, and each had draw with just the right amount resistance.

The Dante range sells for $8.90-12 with the suggested retail price of the Asmodeus being $11.85. While Dante puts itself in some pretty exclusive company with that price, it’s not out of its league. Flavorful, but with subtleties and excellent balance, the Dante Asmodeus earns four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Green candela wrappers were once very popular with American cigar smokers. So much so that candela wrapper leafs—which go through a special quick and hot fermentation process that locks in the green color—were known as “American Market Selection,” as opposed to more traditional brown “English Market Selection” wrappers.

These days candelas are less popular and more of a novelty. Which is why cigar makers who bring American Market Selection cigars to the U.S. market often attach their release to St. Patrick’s Day, where consumers sometimes pair them with green beer (pictured).

If you’re thinking about trying a candela, this weekend (St. Patrick’s Day) is as good a time as any. To that end, here’s a quick rundown of some of the green cigars available:

Black Market Filthy Hooligan by Alec Bradley — This is 2013’s new addition to the candela ranks. It features the same blend as the regular Black Market (Panamanian and Honduran filler with a Sumatra binder) coupled with a candela wrapper. If you like the regular Black Market cigar, this is your best bet.

Illusione Candela — Illusione makes it’s original blend (Nicaraguan binder and filler) with candela in a few sizes. Back in 2011 when it first came out, we found the 88 size to be a pleasant smoke with tea and plenty of sweet flavors, and lacking the bitterness that sometimes defines candela cigars.

Viaje WLP St. Patrick’s Day — Now in it’s third annual release, this Viaje is part of the limited release “White Label Project” series. I’ve smoked a few of the 2012 edition, which features the brightest candela wrapper I’ve ever seen, and found that it equaled the Illusione as my favorite candela.

Camacho Candela Monarca — Many years ago I reviewed this candela by Honduran producer Camacho. One of the first candelas I ever smoked, it features the classic banana peel and grassy notes that I strongly associate with green wrappers.

Don Tomás Candela — My colleague reviewed this candela with some skepticism when the company claimed it was the result of three bales of candela wrappers that had been “lost” for 18 years. Ultimately, though, he found it to be a “respectable” smoke with enjoyable flavors, even if it wasn’t destined to be a regular in his rotation.

Fuente 8-5-8 Candela — Fuente’s regular line is known for smooth, mild flavors produced by Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. I smoked one of these a few years back and recall just that: a mild, balanced smoke with just a hint of classic grassy candela flavors.

Those are the candela cigars we can personally speak to, but there are a few others. La Flor Dominicana recently released their “double claro” (another name for candela). Rocky Patel makes the Edge blend with a candela for St. Patrick’s Day. And for while La Gloria Cubana also made one in a few sizes, it isn’t clear if it’s still produced.

If you’ve considered trying one before, I’d encourage you to use St. Patrick’s Day as a reason to take the plunge. Pick a brand with non-candela smokes that you like, and see what a world of difference a green wrapper can make. Finally, remember that for better or worse, with enough Jameson and Guinness, any cigar is bound to taste good.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

There are seven different H. Upmann blends listed on the Altadis website, including Reserve Maduro, Vintage Cameroon, Cabinet Selección, Sun Grown, and 1844 Reserve. The newest is a three-vitola line called “Legacy” that’s just hitting the market.

Legacy is handmade in Honduras with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper around “a savory binder from the cloud-cooled rain forests of Nicaragua and an intense mix of prized Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos.” It features “vintage 2008 tobaccos grown from heirloom seeds treasured for generations.”

This recipe is notable because it marks the first H. Upmann with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. In addition, Altadis is not accustomed to tobacco vintage dates, so Legacy is somewhat of a departure in that regard. And the packaging is unlike any other H. Upmann.

The Legacy Toro (6 x 52) retails for $6.85. It has a rustic, rough-around-the-edges exterior, including a hastily applied cap and several thick veins that run the length of the mottled, moderately oily wrapper. The foot yields an earthy pre-light fragrance, and the head clips cleanly to reveal a smooth draw with some sourness on the lips.

Altadis is calling this an “exquisite blend” with a “vibrant, fuller-bodied smoke complemented by a myriad of subtle and complex flavors unlike any H. Upmann before it.” The three Toros I sampled—each provided to me by Altadis—started with a dry, woodsy profile of salted cashew, cedar, and dried apricot. The sensation is medium-bodied.

As the Toro progresses, it mellows into a smoother smoke with less spice and more earth and mustiness. I find the aroma to be more intriguing than the actual taste, which is pleasant though straightforward. The final third is slightly more intense but otherwise very similar to the flavor at the midway point.

Construction is top-notch. The gray ash holds firm off the foot, the burn is straight enough to not require touch-ups, the draw is clear, and each puff produces ample smoke.

This is a solid smoke at a fair price, though probably not one I’d pair with an after-dinner cocktail. Rather, for me, the Legacy Toro is better suited for the golf course. Or it would be a great choice to share with friends who aren’t regular cigar enthusiasts, as its smooth demeanor makes it very approachable. These conclusions result in a rating of three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys