The Stogie Guys

I was browsing my local tobacconist in Chicago the other day when I came across a display of Select Cabinet Reserve cigars. Alec Bradley introduced this line back in 2009, but I couldn’t remember trying any of the five vitolas.

I decided to purchase three Gran Robustos (5.5 x 60) for $7.50 apiece. I can’t say I was particularly drawn to this thick size—I’m usually not a fan of cigars wider than 52 ring gauge—but, for one reason or another, I gravitated to it over the line’s more traditional formats: Robusto (5 x 50), Corona (5.5 x 42), Torpedo (6.1 x 52), and Churchill (7 x 48). (more…)

When Jonathan Drew announced the release of his personal blend—named My Uzi Weighs a Ton (presumably after the Public Enemy song) and available only in sizes with a 60 ring gauge—I assumed the cigar would be another full-bodied flavor bomb.

And when it came to light that the cigar would be made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory, known for producing full-bodied cigars, I considered my assumption confirmed. As you’ll see below, I was wrong.

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CHARLOTTE AMALIE, ST. THOMAS — When you think of the phrase “cigar vacation,” images of factory tours in Honduras, Nicaragua, or the Dominican Republic often come to mind. As well they should. If you want to learn as much as possible about the artisan craft of handmade cigars, there’s no substitute for observing and talking to the fine people who make them, in their native environment no less.

To me, though, a cigar vacation can mean many things. My recent trip to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands certainly qualifies in my book. Here’s a pic from the hotel balcony:

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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.”

There are may reasons why Northern Virginia is a good place to be a cigar smoker, including having PG Cigars’ flagship shop nearby. There, you not only can buy every hard-to-find PG smoke currently made, but they also sell a number of cigars with well over a decade of age on them. This corona, for example, was rolled back in 1993. Despite the often mellowing effects of age, it has plenty of flavor with leather and cedar notes and a musty tinge. It’s well-balanced and medium-bodied with flawless combustion. If you’re ever in the neighborhood, it’s well worth picking up.

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys

Like Entubar, Clasico, and Exile Wired, Mooch is a product of the merger between Albert and Michael Argenti of Cuban Imports and Don Kiki Berger, creator of several lines for Cuban Crafters. The blend was introduced at last summer’s industry trade show as a more affordable addition to the Berger & Argenti portfolio. (more…)

Last summer marked a rebirth for Augusto Reyes, a respected cigar maker who traces his Dominican tobacco roots back six generations. It was at the 2010 industry trade show that he premiered two new lines: Signature and Sixth Generation.

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Pete Johnson’s newest release of the Havana VI Verocu blend, the No. 5, arrived on the market last summer. The 4-inch by 40-ring gauge No. 5 is the smallest release of the blend and it is also markedly cheaper than the other releases with a retail price of only $4.50 each. (more…)