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.”

Back when the Liga Privada No. 9 was just hitting the market, I received a few of these “pre-release samples” dated 2007 as a throw-in when I bought a box at a Liga event at my local tobacconist. Now with around five years of age on it, I decided to light up my last remaining one to see how time has changed the cigar. It is well-balanced with milk chocolate, slight spice, and bready flavors. Not nearly as full-bodied as a more recently rolled Liga No. 9, it’s a very good smoke, but I definitely prefer a more recent vintage.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

La Flor Dominicana is best known for ball-busting, full-bodied smokes like the Double Ligero, Airbender, and The Digger. Still, many of La Flor’s cigars don’t fit the big and bold type-casting, inlcluding the Premium line (La Flor’s first line) and the Cameroon Cabinet, the subject of this review.

The Cameroon Cabinet blend was introduced in 2007 and has slowly expanded since. Now it includes four regular production sizes (toro, torpedo, lonsdale, and robusto) plus two limited release sizes (lancero and chisel). Originally, the Cameroon Cabinet cigars were un-banded (as recently as last year) but now many, including the torpedo, use a bronze-colored variation of the classic “LFD” band.

The Cameroon Cabinet features a pale-ish brown Cameroon wrapper with only a few veins and a slight shine. It surrounds a Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

Once lit the Cameroon-wrapped torpedo reveals medium-bodied flavors in perfect balance. The cigar features an exquisite blend of cedar, light spice, cream, and coffee flavors.

The only fault with this cigar is in its construction. The draw is excellent and the ash holds firm, but the wrapper is very frail and each sample I smoked suffered many cracks that resulted in an uneven burns.

The fragile wrapper is, I suspect, a tradeoff for the flavors provided by the Cameroon wrapper. And while it’s a significant tradeoff, it’s well worth the payoff for the balanced, complex flavors the cigar produces.

Ultimately, while I think I slightly prefer the No. 1 size, this torpedo reminded me why I so enjoy La Flor’s Cameroon line. It’s balance and depth of flavor make it an excellent choice for a strong cup of coffee in the morning, or an after-dinner whiskey.

At $10 each ($480 for a box of 50) it’s a cigar that delivers. Despite the construction issues, the exquisite flavors of La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet Torpedo earn it four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As the weather gets warmer, I increasingly find myself pairing my after-dinner cigars with a glass of well-aged rum. Zaya Gran Reserva 12 Year and the Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 are two staples in my liquor cabinet, but recently I picked up a particularly exceptional rum.

Even older and more limited than the Zacapa 23 is the XO. The XO is blended from solera-aged rums ranging from 6 years to 25 years and generally sells for around $90 (though you should shop around because I’ve seen prices range from $60 to $110).

Like the Zacapa 23, the Centenario XO is a blend of rums made from virgin sugar cane juice aged in Zacapa’s “House in the Clouds” distillery 7,000 feet above sea level, in Guatemala. The rum is aged in a combination of American bourbon, sherry, Pedro Ximenez wine, and cognac barrels.

The result is a thoroughly complex, smooth rum that’s dark bronze in color with long legs. The nose is a combination of oak, molasses, citrus, and spice.

But it’s when you take your first taste that you really appreciate what an exceptional spirit the Zacapa XO is. Powdered cocoa, toffee, orange peel, banana, and cinnamon are all apparent in this exquisitely balanced and smooth rum. The finish lingers with plenty of molasses and a touch of spice.

All in all, this is an excellent rum that’s perfect with a fine cigar. (Try it neat or with a maximum of a single ice cube.) Cuban smokes, with their earthy sweetness, go great with Zacapa XO. So do spicier Nicaraguan and Honduran cigars (though really you’d be hard-pressed to find a good cigar that wasn’t an enjoyable pairing).

While I’m not sure the Centenario XO is worth twice the price of the Zacapa 23, it certainly is a fine rum. If you’re a fan of Zacapa 23 or Zaya, you should find a way to try the Ron Zacapa Centenario XO at least once.

–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.”

One of many cigars A.J. Fernandez created for online giant Cigars International, Ruination was the full-bodied followup to the original Man O’ War, made with an Ecuadorian Habano ligero wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan and Honduran filler. The Belicoso (5.7 x 56) features deep, full-bodied flavors, including chewy nut, coffee, cream, leather, earth, and vanilla. It’s a tasty smoke with just a hint of black pepper on the finish. Selling for $6-7 (though discounted below that from time to time), the well-constructed Man O’ War is highly recommended for fans of strong, flavorful cigars.

Verdict = Buy.

–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.”

Haven’t heard of Los Hermanos? I hadn’t until I got one as a throw-in with an order I placed from Atlantic Cigar, apparently the exclusive provider of this cigar made by Casa Fernandez and Tropical Tobacco. The Toro (6.5 x 52) is a Nicaraguan puro that sells for just under $7. It starts out dry and woody with a slight bitterness. Fortunately, it doesn’t stay that way as the bitterness fades and the cigar shows coffee, leather, and even some black pepper. Los Hermanos may not be complex, but it’s a decent, medium- to full-bodied cigar at a fair price.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In the early days of Cigar Rights of America (CRA), the creation of the organization caused a stir for existing groups, especially the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR).

While it’s often forgotten now, just days after the announcement of the founding of CRA in 2008, IPCPR moved to start its own organization for consumers. The group, called “Friends of the Industry,” was hastily announced just a day after CRA was unveiled. Manufacturers, who had lined up behind, and provided the initial funding for, CRA were caught off guard by the IPCPR’s seemingly unplanned attempt to copy the CRA. “All the cigar manufacturers are lining up to be part of the CRA, and we invite the IPCPR to join our organization. I think we should work together,” Ashton president Robbie Levine told Cigar Aficionado.

Nothing much became of IPCPR’s consumer group, at least not officially. Though the association has (thankfully) made more effort lately to encourage consumers to contact their elected representatives, even if they’ve dropped the “Friends of the Industry” group name.

In hindsight this seems to be a good thing. My opinion is informed by being a member of Cigar Rights of America since soon after its founding, and becoming an online media member of the IPCPR last year. Now more than ever I’n glad the CRA was created.

Recently, the need for an independent consumer-oriented group has been reinforced by an ongoing controversy over the role of media (and specifically online media like StogieGuys.com) at the IPCPR annual trade show. My intention isn’t to get into that controversy, but if you want to read more I recommend checking out the opinions of Cigar Craig and Jerry of Stogie Review.

IPCPR primarily represents two key constituencies: the retailers whose numbers make up most of its ranks and the manufacturers who pay a large percentage of its fees, particularly to be part of the trade show. These are important groups, whose fundamental goals are in line with cigar smokers, especially when it comes to anti-tobacco zealots’ attempts to regulate and tax cigars out of existence.

But when it comes to smaller, more internal, issues, cigar consumers’ interests are not always perfectly in line with manufacturers or retailers. The debate over cigar media access to the annual trade show makes this clear. Our readers certainly benefit from our reporting (and that of others) from the trade show, even if some people would prefer a more controlled release of information. That’s part of why the Cigar Rights of America is so fundamental. It represents an increasingly independent voice for consumers and their interests. Cigar smokers need to join the CRA, so the organization can effectively represent cigar smokers exclusively.

“Industry” voices (both manufacturers and retailers) are important and should be supported. But the pure number of voting cigar smokers is a force they need to counter the anti-tobacco lobby. Join today and be proud that you’re a part of the solution.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

These days lots of new blends are designated to be sold exclusively at brick and mortar tobacconists. But there are still many that can only be purchased online.

The Tatuaje NHC Selección Limitada falls into the latter category. It is only available at New Havana Cigars (hence the “NHC”), an online retailer based in Columbus, Ohio. Unlike most online retailers, NHC’s selection is limited to a handful of more boutique brands like Illusione, Viaje, E.P. Carrillo, and 7-20-4, including many rare limited releases. NHC even has its own brand—Surrogates—and some exclusive smokes like the My Uzi Weighs a Ton Bait Fish from Drew Estate and the Tatuaje NHC Selección Limitada.

“We are proud to feature this project for fans of NHC and Tatuaje,” reads the NHC website. “Produced by Pete Johnson and rolled at the My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, the NHC Selección Limitada is based on an original Tatuaje blend and available in both Natural and Reserva (broadleaf) wrappers.”

I sampled two Naturals for this review. Both measured 6.75 inches long with a ring gauge of 42. The cost per cigar is anywhere from $6 to $8, depending on how many you buy at once. That price range seems appropriate based on appearances alone. The smooth, slender Tatuaje NHC Selección Limitada Natural has a beautiful, clean, milk chocolate-colored wrapper, a handsome triple cap, and a slight box press. Sweet earthy notes are apparent off the wrapper and especially noticeable at the foot.

Once the Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos are lit, a taste of contrasts emerges. On the one hand is a searing black pepper spice that bites the tip of the tongue. On the other is a caramel sweetness that’s most apparent on the aftertaste and in the resting smoke. The interplay is both palpable and enjoyable.

I could go on listing the other flavors that are apparent in the cigar—including chocolate, cedar, espresso, etc.—but your experience with the Selección Limitada Natural will likely be remembered for three traits. The first is the aforementioned interaction between spicy and sweet. The second is how classic-tasting the cigar is. And the third is its similarity to Tatuaje’s Brown Label, which isn’t terribly surprising since this cigar is said to be the same blend just in a different size.

With excellent construction, this is another winner from Pete Johnson and the talented folks at My Father Cigars. Only 500 boxes were produced, so be sure to check out this cigar fairly soon. It’s well worth the money and worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys