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 was a fan of the 7th Capa Especial (5.9 x 46) when it first was released, quickly smoking my way through one of the first boxes available. The cigar features a rustic Sumatra wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos. Except for the wrapper, it’s the same blend as the regular Tatuaje Brown Label. While this particular cigar had many of the coffee and earth flavors I remembered, it lacked the sweetness and balance that made the Tatauje 7th Capa Especial a favorite of mine. Maybe this particular stick was dud—I’m certainly not writing off the blend with one subpar stick out of a few dozen—but for $8-9 I would expect better.

Verdict = Hold.

–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.”

I’ve been a fan of Dona Flor since I was introduced to the Brazilian company’s cigars in 2006. More recently, when Dona Flor re-launched in the U.S. market this summer, I enjoyed reviewing the Puro Mata Fina and Seleção lines, both of which I liked. The Reserva Especial is another good blend with solid flavors of tea, earth, chocolate, and leather. But I find the Robusto (5 x 52) has occasional stale notes and some burn issues, so I can’t fully endorse the smoke—especially since it retails for $12.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

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) With the new year well underway, state legislatures across the U.S. are reconvening—and you can bet a wide variety of cigar-related bills are up for consideration. In Washington, a smoking ban exemption has been introduced on behalf of tobacco shops and cigar lounges (yes, it’s currently illegal to smoke inside tobacco shops or lounges in Washington). In Virginia and New Jersey, cigar tax hikes are in the works. In Oregon, some lawmakers are hoping to enable municipalities to place additional excise taxes on tobacco. And in Hawaii, banning smoking on beaches, tobacco display regulations, and excise taxes are all being considered. Be sure to keep an eye out for threats to cigar rights in your neck of the woods.

2) Anti-tobacco zealots also continue to push for outdoor smoking bans. The latest fight is in Marshall County, West Virginia, where officials will be voting on a measure that would criminalize smoking in parks, playgrounds, outdoor dining areas, fairs, and festivals. West Virginia does not currently have a statewide ban, but Marshall County prohibits smoking inside restaurants. For now, county bars, tobacco shops, and private clubs are still afforded the freedom to choose their own smoking policies.

3) Inside the Industry: Alec Bradley’s candela-wrapped St. Patrick’s Day cigar is changing names. Originally called the “Dirty Hooligan,” the cigar is now called “Filthy Hooligan,” a move designed to ensure no trademark issues with Drew Estate, purveyors of the Dirty Rat. According to Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley, “I had to make a decision that was based on integrity. The product is good enough to sell on its own, no matter what we called it.”

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Tatuaje Apocalypse. Tiki Bar kicks back with a La Gloria Cubana Trunk Show LR-1. Nice Tight Ash checks out an Emilio Series H Maduro. A Cigar Smoker smokes the 601 La Bomba. Cigar Coop fires up an Asylum 13. Cigar Inspector inspects a Ramón Allones Superiores.

5) Deal of the Week: In case you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s a deal created just for StogieGuys.com readers. The “Stogie Guys Cigar Sampler”—offered by longtime supporter Corona Cigar—contains seven cigars for $29.95 (plus free shipping on your entire order). It includes limited edition cigars from Avo and Davidoff, plus cigars from by Rocky Patel, J.C. Newman, Casa Fernandez, and two Corona “house” blends. Pick yours up here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As part of my goal to smoke more milder cigars, I picked up a box of these Ecuadorian Connecticut-wrapped Churchills when I saw them marked down dramatically by an online shop.

My understanding, from speaking with him at last summer’s IPCPR Trade Show, was that when Erik Espinosa took over the 601 line as part of his new Espinosa Cigars, this line was no longer being made. And Espinosa confirmed yesterday that, indeed, the 601 White has been discontinued.

The box I got has a 2009 date and was sealed with an EO Brands strip down the side. I felt I knew what to expect. I’d smoked quite a few of the White Labels, though I’m not sure I’d had the Churchill (7 x 48). I recalled a tasty, relatively mild, satisfying cigar.

When I cracked open the box and tried one, that was what I got. A little pepper at the front end, woody notes toward the middle, and a depth of tobacco taste from the Nicaraguan filler and binder.

I’ve since smoked several more, and consistency has been a hallmark. Construction has been excellent, as have the burn and draw. I haven’t noticed any significant differences in flavor or texture from the age of these cigars, as opposed to those I smoked out of the box in the past.

If you enjoy a milder smoke, this is one that’s not to be missed. Whatever the production situation, finding them isn’t at all difficult. And finding them at a bargain price isn’t, either. I paid less than $4 per stick. All in all, a fine cigar. I give it four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Scottish town of Cambeltown once claimed the title “whisky capital of the world,” but today it’s a shell of its former self. Where once there were reportedly 28 active distilleries, now there are just a few, with Springbank the largest remaining operation.

Springbank 10 is the distillery’s most widely available expression. It also makes a wide variety of other bottlings, including a “Wood Expressions” line with various finishes and ages, including the 12 Year Claret Cask. (In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, “claret” is commonly used in Britain as a synonym for red Bordeaux wine.)

Fortunately, Springbank puts all the details of their Single Malt Whisky on the label. This particular bottle (one of a run of 9,360) was distilled in 1997 and finally bottled in 2010 at a strength of 108.8-proof. It spent nine years in refilled bourbon casks, before being transferred to fresh claret barrels.

Springbank uses a unique distillation process where the whisky is distilled two-and-a-half times. As shown in this graphic, there are three distillations in each batch, but a certain percentage skips the second still. Also, Springbank doesn’t chill-filter or add coloring to their whiskies, the latter of which is an unfortunately common occurrence.

The natural color is golden and straw. The nose is a fantastic combination of smoke, butterscotch, orange peel, and honey. The whisky coats the palate with a consistency that is not so much syrupy as oily. There’s lots of smokiness, some brine, but not a lot of peat, and hints of apricot, mint, and vanilla. The finish is long with dried fruit, salt, and wood spice.

While Cambeltown whiskies have not always been my favorite, this one impressed me, even at $90. It’s complex and layered, with just the right combination of fruit, smoke, and spice. A few drops of water open it up nicely, but ice is wholly unnecessary.

Medium bodied cigars suit the Springbank and, depending on your mood, you couldn’t go wrong with any of these: La Riqueza, PG 15th Anniversary, El Centurion, or Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Cohiba is considered the pinnacle of Cuban cigars, and recent additions to the Cohiba portfolio have succeeded in capturing the attention of cigar enthusiasts the world over.

Most notable among these is the super-expensive Cohiba Behike, which was dubbed “the new standard among smokers worldwide” when it became available in May 2010—albeit in very limited quantities. The Pirámides Extra is another important development, as it was the first addition to the core Cohiba line in 20 years, a line that launched in 1982 (the Siglo line didn’t come around until later).

But perhaps no addition diversified the Cohiba portfolio like the Maduro 5 line, launched in 2007. The first Cohiba cigar to feature a maduro wrapper, it’s made in the Partagas factory in Old Havana and boasts a five-year-old wrapper with thin yet prominent veins and a mottled, reddish hue.

Maduro 5 is available in three sizes: Genios (5.5 x 52), Secretos (4.3 x 40), and Mágicos (4.5 x 52). Secretos earned the number six slot on Cigar Aficionado’s list of the best cigars of 2007 with a 93 rating. The Mágicos cigars I smoked for this review run $23-28 apiece (with a black varnished box of 25 selling for $590).

The pre-light aroma is of cocoa powder and caramel and the cold draw is moderately stiff. Once an even light is established, a profile of coffee, leather, spice, and black licorice emerges. The texture is syrupy. Notes of cream and roasted nut add complexity. The resting smoke is sweet and pleasant.

Sadly, the physical properties leave much to be desired, especially for such an expensive cigar. The burn line is atrocious and will easily canoe without close attention. And while the gray ash holds firm and the draw is smooth, the Mágicos gets exceptionally hot and burns way too quickly—even if smoked slowly and after several months resting in the humidor. Perhaps age will do this cigar well.

All this is a shame, especially since the flavor profile is so agreeable. I wish I could tell you the burn line is straight. I wish I could tell you the Mágicos burns slow enough to savor the flavor. And I wish could say this smoke is worth its high asking price. But the three samples I smoked for this review say otherwise. Torn between the depth of the interesting flavor and the substandard construction, I’m awarding this high-priced Cuban a somewhat disappointing rating of three and a half 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.”

The Illusione Singulare 2012 continues to improve. The toro features lots of roasted notes, along with cafe-au-lait and oak. The well-constructed cigar features perfectly balanced medium- to full-bodied flavors. Needless to say, I highly recommend it. For a surprisingly enjoyable pairing, smoke one with a glass of champagne.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys