The Stogie Guys

EO Brands has created some memorable lines since it was founded in 2003 by Eddie Ortega and Erik Espinosa. In relatively short time, the 601 Series, Murcielago, and Cubao cemented the Nicaragua-based brand as a favorite among cigar enthusiasts.

The smoke that usually comes to mind when I think of EO is the 601 Green. That habano oscuro-wrapped cigar is mighty and powerful with black pepper spice, coffee, and leather. While it may not be the most intense stick on the market, you can’t deny the sheer boldness of the so-called “Green Label.”

So when EO, now distributed by Rocky Patel, announced they would be releasing their strongest 601 to date at the 2011 industry trade show, I did a double-take. I also remember thinking that “La Bomba” is a fitting name if this blend is half as strong as it’s rumored to be.

La Bomba’s recipe includes 100% Nicaraguan tobacco and a dark, oily habano wrapper. Four explosive sizes are available: Atom (5.5 x 46), Napalm (5 x 52), Atomic (6 x 60), and Nuclear (6 x 50). Each retails for $7 to $9 apiece and is packaged in boxes of 10, and each is made at Don Pepin Garcia’s My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua.

The Nuclear vitola has a unique pigtail cap that doubles as a “fuse” and a yellow band across the foot. Once the cap is clipped and the band is removed, it looks much more serious and a lot less gimmicky. Only then do I find myself appreciating the cleanliness of the wrapper, the extreme firmness of the roll, and the pre-light aroma of sweet cocoa and earth.

After taking note of the cigar’s smooth draw, a peppery profile of leather, dry wood, and espresso emerges. Many Don Pepin creations have strength, spice, and full body at the outset. But the power displayed here is more formidable than anything I’ve smoked in recent memory.

As it progresses, La Bomba Nuclear gives off traces of chocolate, nuts, cream, and black licorice. But the unwavering core of the smoke remains similar throughout. All the while the physical properties are superb, including a white ash that holds solid and a straight burn line.

If you’re looking for loads of complexity and nuance, this isn’t your best option. Cigars with this much power usually have the subtlety of an AC/DC song. That said, sometimes I’m in the mood for the screeching vocals of Brian Johnson and the blaring guitar solos of Angus Young. So don’t be surprised if the mood strikes you for a heavy post-meal smoke that can stand up to a stiff drink. The flavors are solid, and you won’t find anything to complain about in terms of construction. All things considered, this cigar is worthy 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

“The Ashton Classic is truly a smoke for anytime and anywhere and, like an old friend, never lets you down.” So reads the Ashton website.

I wasn’t thinking these exact words as I was browsing the humidor at one of my local shops, but I might as well have been. Going back to my earlier days with cigars—when I regularly tended toward the mild side of the spectrum—the Ashton Classic was my go-to if I wanted something special. And why not? The blend is reliable, tasty, and well-constructed.

These days, even though I still enjoy milder smokes and I make sure to include them in my rotation, I don’t find myself smoking many Ashton Classics. Not sure why. So, as I was scanning the shop’s humidor, I selected a couple Prime Ministers (6.9 x 48) for just under $10 apiece.

Like the 15 other vitolas in the line, the Prime Minister features aged tobaccos from the Dominican Republic wrapped in a golden Connecticut shade leaf. The cap is applied well and there are no soft spots from head to foot. The pre-light aroma smells of honey and hay.

Using a V-cutter to clip the cap, I find the draw is a bit stiff. This makes establishing an even light a bit more time-consuming than you’d normally expect from such a slender smoke. Once the light is set, traditional Connecticut flavors shine through. These include honey, hay, nuts, and some creaminess.

In the final third, a grassy taste becomes dominant. Then the stiff draw starts to get more difficult. As a result, I take more frequent puffs, and this probably contributes to the traces of stale flavors that emerge toward the end. Next time I’ll probably elect a guillotine cut rather than a V-cut to see if this improves the draw experience. Otherwise, the physical properties are very good, including a solid white ash and a very straight burn line.

Aside from the draw, my recent experience with the Prime Minister format was a good reminder of why I used to rely on the Ashton Classic fairly regularly. Sure, there are plenty of other Connecticut-wrapped smokes on the market, and many of them can be purchased for less. But this blend, when at its best, has a wonderfully balanced profile of traditional Connecticut flavors that’s more unique than you might expect. Keeping all of this in mind, I award the Prime Minister 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.”

La Riqueza isn’t Pete Johnson’s most glamorous blend. However, I think it might be the most underrated. This little (4.4 x 42) cigar demonstrates why La Riqueza always impresses me. It has excellent construction and combustion qualities. The petite corona-sized smoke tastes of dry chocolate, roasted flavors, and woody spice. It’s medium- to full-bodied with excellent balance. Despite being a 30-minute cigar, it still demonstrates ample complexity.

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.”

Released in 2009 by cigar maker Alec Bradley, the Prensado blend sports a box press and a corojo wrapper that’s grown in Trojes, Honduras. I reviewed the Robusto (5 x 50) back in July 2010 and recently decided to spark up another that I had been storing since late 2009, just to see how time had impacted the flavors. What I found was a cigar that has the same basic profile—black pepper, coffee, a chalky texture, some sweetness—but is slightly more toned down. I’m still underwhelmed by this blend, and I think the price point is too high, even though the cost seems to have come down from the original MSRP of $10.

Verdict = Sell.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Bulleit has been making bourbon since 1999, but its rye is a new and welcome development. Introduced last March, Bulleit Rye is a new twist on that classic American spirit, rye whiskey.

Bulleit is most notable for it’s high rye content. In order to be a rye, a whiskey must use at least 51% rye mash, supplemented by corn, barley, and wheat. Bulleit surpasses that minimum by leaps and bounds with 95% (the highest of any production rye), with just 5% barley.

The result is a whiskey full of character that is quintessentially rye. It has a deep copper color with a nose of fruit, toffee, and oak.

On the palate, the Bulleit Rye Whiskey really begins to shine. It has the spice I’ve come to expect from rye, but not the overwhelming amount that you’d think a spirit made with 95% rye would. Instead, it’s a remarkably balanced, somewhat dry combination of crisp apple, pepper, wood, rock sugar, wood, and toffee. The finish has sweetness, nuts, and woody pepper.

All in all, there’s everything to like about the Bulleit Rye, including the price, which is a most reasonable $25. For that price, the balanced, complex rye is a tremendous value.

The complex spice makes for an excellent accompaniment to a cigar. Spicy Honduran smokes (like the CAO OSA or Humo Jaguar) and earthy Nicaraguans (like the Tatuaje Brown Label or Padrón 1964) go equally well. Spicier Dominican smokes like the Fuente Opus X and La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero also make for a good pairing.

No matter your choice of cigar, whiskey fans—whether bourbon aficionados, Scotch connoisseurs, or rye enthusiasts—should give the Bulleit Rye a try. It’s the rare combination of cheap, tasty, and unique, which has quickly made it a staple in my collection.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In December, I reviewed the Habano Oscuro from the reinvented Tiant Cigar Group, and I was impressed. I later received an email from Daniel Tiant who was prodding me to try the Habano Rosado blend since, in his words, it has more complexity than the Oscuro.

Daniel is the son of Cuban-born baseball legend Luis Tiant, known to many simply as “El Tiante.” Tiant launched his own line of cigars in 2007 (around the time of the 25th anniversary of his final major league game) and only recently unveiled the two new blends that serve as the cornerstone of the company’s reintroduction: Habano Oscuro and Habano Rosado. Each is made at Don Pepin Garcia’s My Father Cigars Factory with Ecuadorian-seed wrappers and Nicaraguan binders and fillers.

Why scratch the company’s original creations and launch two entirely new blends? “I wanted a more serious image with our cigar company, and that is the reason we recreated our cigar bands, boxes, and overall presentation,” Daniel told me.

Both new blends come in four vitolas that retail for $6.80 to $8.60 apiece: Pyramid (6 x 52), Robusto (5 x 50), Toro (6 x 50), and Toro Gordo (6 x 60). They are sold mostly in the New England area, including shops in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, but are also available at several locales in Florida. Daniel is looking to expand distribution nationwide.

The Habano Rosado Toro has a nice triple-cap, a firm feel in the hand, and a clean, silky exterior leaf. The pre-light aroma is mostly earthy with a touch of sweet cocoa. The maroon band is easily removed and the cold draw has just the right amount of resistance.

Where the Habano Oscuro starts with a chary, chewy Nicaraguan zing, the Habano Rosado has a jasmine-like floral taste with notes of toast, cinnamon spice, and a toffee sweetness on the finish. This is an entirely different cigar with a more medium-bodied profile (the Oscuro is a bold, full-bodied smoke). Still, the spiciness makes it no pushover, and the complexity makes it quite interesting.

As the straight burn line works down the cigar and the white ash builds off the foot, I notice that the resting smoke has a pronounced sweetness. I also notice that the taste of the cigar mellows halfway through with some of the spice giving way to more sweet notes. The overall balance of the profile from this point to the end is how I will remember the Toro, and perhaps the main reason why I look forward to smoking more of this blend.

Now I can see why Daniel prefers the Habano Rosado to the Habano Oscuro. I’d have to agree with him, giving the Rosado a slight edge over its partner in crime and awarding it four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

How often do you get the chance to strike a blow for democracy, support your hobby, and win cigars? Well, step right up. Here’s your opportunity.

But before we get to the contest, I must confess that I had been trying to come up with a giveaway idea ever since I received a two-cigar “Blogger Edition” pack of the new Montecristo New York Connoisseur Edition (review here). I was also thinking about trying once again to generate more support for legislation barring the Food & Drug Administration from regulating premium handmade cigars when—voilà!—I realized could shamelessly combine the two.

If you’re a regular Stogie Guys reader, you know we’re big supporters of this bill. Passage would be a landmark event. And we need everyone to join the effort.

So, how does this contest tie in? Well, it begins with the assumption that Stogie Guys readers are honorable folks because we’ll take your word that you did what needs to be done before you enter. And what do you need to do? Simply contact your representative and/or senators to urge support of the legislation in their chamber and leave a comment here. If both your senators and your representative have signed on (currently possible only in Florida), just note that in your comment. If you’ve already appealed to your elected officials, write that in your comment.

For those who haven’t acted, here are links to make it easy. If you don’t know your representative, go here. You’ll also find a link to the rep’s website that includes contact info. Then, to find out whether he or she is a cosponsor of the bill, known as HR1639, click on Thomas. Go to “Legislation in Current Congress” in the middle of the page, highlight the “Bill Number” button, type HR1639 in the window, and click SEARCH. On the new page, click Cosponsors. If your rep’s name isn’t there, you need to get in touch.

My strong preference would be for you to compose your own email or postal letter, or call the office rather than sign a petition or use a form letter urging support for HR1639. Your own words have much more impact. Again, though, how you do it is up to you. You can find more on the bills by searching Stogie Guys and checking in at Cigar Rights of America.

For the Senate, it’s pretty straightforward. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) introduced the bill (S1461) and his GOP counterpart, Marco Rubio, is a cosponsor. The only others signed on are Democrat Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. You’ll find senators by state with contact information here.

When you’re done, leave a comment. We’ll keep it open for a week and then randomly select a winner of the two Montecristo New York Connoisseur Edition cigars. Please enter only once. Be sure to include your email address in the appropriate field so we can contact you if you win. And if you’re interested, here’s the fine print.

Good luck. This is one contest where we can all be winners.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys