The Stogie Guys

A few years ago, I wrote about Wild Turkey’s 81 and Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Rye. At the time, I noted that “Wild Turkey also sells a 101-proof rye, but it’s limited in quantity, available only in certain states, and reportedly only comes in one-liter bottles.” Today we look at that offering.

The good news is, anecdotally at least, 101 Rye seems to be getting easier to find than it was only a few years ago when Wild Turkey announced it was limiting 101 Rye to certain states and only one-liter bottles. One of the changes in the shift to only one-liter bottles was an increased price, with bottles selling for around $40 each.

Wild Turkey uses a mashbill that just barely qualifies as rye (which needs to use a majority of rye) with 51% rye, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley. While this is a classic rye recipe, it is at odds with the high rye trend that has become increasingly popular, especially with the 95% rye recipe made by MGP Ingredients used by Bulleit, George Dickel, Angel’s Envy, Templeton, High West, Whistle Pig, and others.

Wild Turkey 101 is a deep copper color that features a nose of fudge, oak, vanilla, and red hot candies. The palate has honeysuckle, roast corn, light oak l, and clove spices. The finish is where you notice the high 101-proof, with a hint of bubble gum sweetness, menthol, cinnamon, and more oak tannins.

Wild Turkey 101’s one-liter bottle is designed to appeal to bartenders looking for rye for use in cocktails, and the rye surely is great in rye cocktails like the Manhattan, Sazerac, or Old Fashioned. However, don’t underestimate this rye neat (or, if you’re sensitive to high-proof whiskey, with a splash of water) as it is a lively, classic, complex rye, similar in many ways to Sazerac Rye, which costs about the same.

Pair it with a spicy cigar of any origin, with suggested pairings including El Güegüense, Illusione Original Documents, La Flor Dominicana Air Bender, or CAO Consigliere.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Last year, Pete Johnson of Tatuaje re-introduced three cigars he had discontinued in 2007: Nuevitas, Nuevitas Jibaro No. 1, and Nuevitas Jibaro No 2. If you don’t recall them by name, perhaps you will remember them as the Tatuaje cigars not made by Don José “Pepin” Garcia.

Tatuaje is synonymous with Garcia and My Father Cigars. Today even more so, because the three cigars that used to be crafted at Tabacalera Tropical in Nicaragua are now handmade at the My Father Cigars S.A. factory in Estelí.

The trio features a Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos. If not for the differences in the bands, you could be forgiven for confusing Nuevitas with Jibaro No 1.; but Johnson threw us a bone and made the former white with orange trim, and the latter orange with white trim. Jibaro No. 1 also has an exposed foot.

But while Nuevitas (5 x 52) and Jibaro No. 1 (5 x 54) are virtually the same size, Jibaro No. 2 is a toro-sized smoke (6 x 52). It sells for just under $10 for a single and also has an orange band and an unfinished foot.

Jibaro No. 2 is a moderately oily specimen with its fair share of thin veins and noticeable seams. The cold draw is smooth. The wrapper has a faint citrus aroma with some dry earth, but the foot is awash with hay and a sweet nuttiness.

After setting flame to the binder and filler, the cigar yields a spice-forward introductory profile with white pepper, black pepper, and cedar at the core. On the palate, the spice hits the tip of the tongue the hardest. Background notes of bread and warm tobacco add some depth, but the overall sensation is very dry and spicy.

If you allow the Jibaro No. 2 to rest between puffs, the smoke will cool and the spice will subside. What’s left, however, is a dry, papery taste that’s in need of… well, flavor. That flavor starts to build around the midway point with soft floral notes, citrus, and cinnamon. A smooth creaminess contributes complexity which, up to this point, had been frankly lacking. The spice recedes, and the texture is bready.

These changes are too little too late, though. They’re also short-lived. The final third is hot, harsh, spicy, and papery. While the physical properties are in line with what we’ve come to expect from My Father Cigars—including a solid ash, clear draw, straight burn, and good smoke production—the flavors simply aren’t up to par.

There are many, many wonderful Tatuaje cigars. Too many to cite here. But I’m sorry to report the Nuevitas Jibaro No. 2 leaves much to be desired. In my book, it earns a disappointing rating of two and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

One of the cigars that put Caldwell on the map, the original Eastern Standard blend features a Connecticut Ecuadorian wrapper that is a hybrid of Connecticut Shade and Brazilian Mata Fina. Underneath are filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic paired with a Domincan binder. The result is a medium-bodied blend with notes of earth, sweetened coffee, subtle spice, and light oak. The corona-sized Euro Express is an enjoyable smoke with integrated, complex flavors and excellent construction.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Yes, this cigar is another collaboration involving the ubiquitous A.J. Fernandez and is handmade at Tabacalera A.J. Fernández Cigars de Nicaragua S.A., in Estelí. Yes, you should give it a try. Added by Altadis as a full-production line last year, the Montecristo Nicaragua Series is a puro that bears little resemblance to the brand’s other core lines. From the peppery start to earthiness, floral notes, and cedar along the way, the slow-burning Toro (6 x 54, $12.50) is a finely balanced and well-performing treat. Well worth lighting up.

Verdict = Buy.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Baseball, a return to smoking in sports stadiums, and Fuente Nicaragua… they’re all in this edition of Random Thoughts from the Humidor.

Baseball: The Perfect Pace for Cigars

We’ve written before about the pairing of cigars and baseball. While there are plenty of reasons why the combination works, it comes down to pace. The leisurely pace of hardball is also the pace of cigars. The 20 to 30 seconds between pitches is the minimum amount of time you want to put your cigar down between draws; the minute or two between half-innings or a pitching change is the opportune moment to refresh your drink, use the facilities, or light a new cigar. Sadly, if you want to watch baseball while smoking a cigar, these days your options are pretty much whittled down to your home or a cigar lounge.

A Million Dollar Idea for Billionaire Sports Team Owners

A long, long time ago (in 2006), StogieGuys.com proposed a cigar night at the decrepit RFK stadium. Why let most of the upper deck go completely empty, when you could host cigar smokers there, at least for a game? We were rebuffed and (I’m just saying) the Nationals have yet to win a playoff series since. To this day, when I see scores of empty seats in a stadium I can’t help but wonder, “Why not host a cigar night?” For example, watching my Mets play the Miami Marlins, I noticed the entire upper deck was not just empty but closed. So why not announce that anytime the roof is open at the park a section of the upper deck will be open for cigar smokers? If any town can pull this off, Miami, with its rich cigar culture, can.

Fuente Nicaragua… Coming Soon

Fuente’s new Nicaraguan factory should be coming online soon. The new factory, called “La Bella y La Bestia,” raises many questions. Most (but not all) Fuente cigars are still under the central Fuente name. Will the new Nicaraguan-made cigars carry the same branding? Or will the Fuentes decide to launch a new brand to distinguish their Nicaraguan offerings from those made at their Dominican factories? Only time will tell, but the prospect of many new, Nicaraguan-influenced cigars should be of great interest to all. (For more on the new factory, cigar smokers will find this interview with Carlito Fuente interesting.)

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Excalibur Cameroon line seems to be among the least heralded offerings in the vast General Cigar catalog. I think that’s a shame because it is, for my taste, among the most enjoyable.

It makes a fine first impression. The band, featuring a subtle green addition, is a classy variation on the regular Excalibur presentation. And the thin African Cameroon wrapper gives off a pleasant pre-light aroma that blends spices and sweetness.

From the initial puff, the spices are at the forefront. They’re light spices, not peppery. After about half an inch, sweetness begins to mingle. A little farther into the robusto, I noticed some leather, an occasional citrus note, pepper here and there, and a bit of espresso.

The flavors are balanced nicely from beginning to end, and the finish is long and smooth. I’d place the strength squarely in the medium range.

Construction was generally good in the half-dozen or so I smoked for this review. I did experience a little tightness in the draw at times in a couple of Merlins, though it worked itself out in each instance. Smoke production was excellent, as was the burn line. My only real complaint is the often flaky white ash.

It’s an interesting, multi-national blend. The binder is Connecticut Broadleaf and the filler combines leaves from Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua.

The Merlin, for which I smoked about a half-dozen for this review, is a slightly long robusto: 5.25 inches with a ring gauge of 50. There are three other vitolas: Lancelot (7.25 x 54), Galahad (6.75 x 47), and King Arthur (6.25 x 45).

While the Merlin carries an MSRP of $7.79, bargain hunters can find it for much less. I bought 10 for just a shade over $2.60 apiece.

I’d recommend this cigar to a smoker at any level of experience. I rate it a solid four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Few names in cigars can boast the history of Dunhill, though the brand is now being discontinued. One of the last new Dunhill blends before the announcement was the Heritage. The full-flavored cigar was produced in Honduras and made with an Ecuadorian wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and filler tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua. The well-constructed, box-pressed cigar is a a spicy, rustic smoke with cedar, clove, anise, and dry dirt.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys