The Stogie Guys

About two and a half years ago, Pedro Benitez began sampling blends from different parts of Nicaragua with hopes of creating a new cigar brand. After 18 months of searching, he hand-selected his favorite leaves from Estelí and Jalapa. Then, in January of this year, he officially established P. Benitez Fine Cigars with a factory in Estelí (it has since relocated to Managua, Nicaragua).

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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.”

Only 2,000 boxes of this 5-inch, 52-ring gauge limited edition smoke are available. The pigtail-capped Dominican puro features an oscuro wrapper, Habano binder, and a filler with corojo, Habano and criollo ’98 tobacco. The medium-bodied smoke is dominated by powdered dark chocolate notes. Underneath are roasted nut and earth flavors. It’s extraordinarily balanced, well-constructed, and, at under $5 per stick, it’s easy to recommend.

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.”

Since I discovered La Caya back in 2007, I’ve been a huge fan of the Cameroon blend. The Robusto (5 x 54) is an excellent way to spend around $5. Its Dominican olor binder, sweet Cameroon wrapper, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic combine to yield a flavor of honey, spice, and tea. And the combustion qualities are downright superb.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Say what you will about the big cigar companies. But even the most loyal devotees of small, family-owned outfits have to be impressed with the low prices that are made possible only by high-volume cigar businesses.

Sancho Panza, a brand that was launched in 2001 by tobacco giant General Cigar, is a great example. Named in honor of Don Quixote’s sidekick—and not to be confused with the Cuban brand of the same name—Sancho Panza cigars can be found for $3-5 apiece when bought by the box. They are offered in three different blends: the Connecticut shade-wrapped original Sancho Panza, the Connecticut broadleaf-wrapped Double Maduro, and the Honduran-wrapped Extra Fuerte.

The latter, a Honduran puro that’s available in six vitolas, was introduced in 2004 as the latest edition to the Sancho Panza portfolio. It is marketed as “extra bold and made for the seasoned cigar smoker who wants a kick from his smokes…It is a cigar that you can always rely on for an excellent draw and a decidedly full-bodied, but never harsh, smoking experience.”

The Extra Fuerte Madrid measures 6.25 inches long with a ring gauge of 54. It is an interesting specimen with a rough cap, a spongy feel, an oily texture, and an enticing pre-light aroma of dark chocolate. The cold draw is smooth and easy.

After toasting the foot and establishing an even light on the box-pressed cigar, a medium-bodied profile of dry wood, cayenne spice, and leather emerges. Some cocoa-like sweetness can be found in the aftertaste. The aroma from the resting smoke, interestingly, is decidedly creamier and nuttier than the actual flavor. At the midway point and beyond, black pepper becomes the dominant force, elevating the Madrid towards the fuller end of the medium-bodied spectrum.

It’s worth noting that the Extra Fuerte has its fair share of devotees, some of whom even say that it reminds them of a less sophisticated version of the Padrón Anniversary Series. I’m not that enthusiastic. This fine cigar, which burns well from light to nub, offers great bang for the buck, and I can see why many cigar fans keep it on hand as a reliable, everyday smoke. But a complex treasure it is not.

It would be unfair to expect too much from a cigar that only costs about $3 per stick when bought by the box. What you can expect, though, is an enjoyable experience and a great value. That earns the Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Madrid three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

After being on the defensive for decades, advocates of cigar rights are finally in the advantageous position of being able to push for a bill, instead of just trying to block the passage of bills that further infringe on the rights of cigar smokers.

On April 15, House Resolution 1639—”The Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011″—was introduced in Congress by Rep. Bill Posey of Florida. Four other representatives joined as original co-sponsors: Ken Calvert (R-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Tom Cole (R-OK) and Candice Miller (R-MI).

The proposed bill would stop the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from regulating premium cigars, which would likely be disastrous for cigar makers and consumers.

The step is necessary after a 2010 law that instructed the FDA to regulate cigarettes, but left the door open to the regulation of cigars.  While some observers predicted it would take years for the FDA to add cigars to its already large portfolio of regulated products, by April 2010 bureaucrats had already started the process, which could move forward at any moment.

If you are represented by one of the five Congressmen already on record in support of The Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011, then you should take the time to thank them. But if your Representative is one of the 430 that hasn’t indicated their support yet, then it is even more important that you contact them today. That’s what I did recently when I sent the following letter to my Congressman, Jim Moran:

I write to express my strong support for HR 1639, the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act. Please join the bipatisan group of co-sponsors of this bill that would protect jobs here in Northern Virginia and all across America.

As a cigar enthusiast, I can assure you that premium handmade cigars are very different from mass-produced cigarettes. If the FDA regulates handmade cigars like cigarettes, a process it has already initiated, it will have a devastating impact on the cigar industry. Unlike cigarettes, whose primary purpose is to deliver nicotine, cigars are a hobby that is more like fine wine. If you visit the cigar shops I frequent (which are in your district), you’ll find people of all walks of life stopping in to relax for 30 minutes or an hour with a fine cigar while they enjoy the camaraderie of their neighbors. But all that may come to an end if the FDA imposes strict rules on handmade cigars and treats these artisan-made products like a mass-produced industrial product.

That’s why it is critical that Congress pass the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act, to protect cigars and instruct the FDA to use its resources in other areas. I hope you will become a co-sponsor of this important legislation and will push for passage through the House.

If you haven’t already, please join me in writing your Congressman to pass this important bill. You can find more information about how bad FDA regulation would likely be for handmade cigars here.

–Patrick S

photo credit: CRA

Over two decades ago, Avo Uvezian founded a cigar company. A Lebanese-born jazz pianist and a former jewelry designer, he was an unlikely addition to the world of cigars. But this Juilliard-trained talent, in partnership with Hendrik Kelner, would quickly make an impact on the industry, selling over 750,000 cigars in his company’s third year and inking a distribution deal with Davidoff.

More recently, Uvezian celebrated his 85th birthday with a new cigar. The release follows in the tradition he started ten years ago when he introduced a limited edition smoke to celebrate his 75th anniversary. This year, Uvezian has paired a sun-grown Dominican wrapper with a Peruvian binder and San Vicente and Piloto Cubano filler tobaccos.

The resulting Avo Limited Edition 2011 is available in only one size: Diademas (6.6 x 50). Its production is limited to 100,000 cigars worldwide, including 60,000 cigars for the U.S. market. Such exclusivity helps explain the hefty MSRP of $17.50.

Shipments of the Diademas started to hit tobacconists in late March. Those who were lucky enough to find and afford the cigar were rewarded with a stunning, double-banded perfecto that has minimal veins, a beautiful cap, and pre-light notes of hay and molasses—an aroma that’s very similar to the PG Symphony 20th, which is also crafted by Kelner.

The cold draw is surprisingly easy despite the cigar’s firm feel. Once lit, the rich, abundant tufts of smoke emit flavors of caramel, black coffee, roasted nuts, cream, and cedar spice. The aftertaste is characterized by a sharp bite on the middle of the tongue. I’d describe the profile as medium in body and moderate in strength.

Leather becomes a force into the midway point, adding bitter tones to the flavor and slightly increasing the Diademas’ overall intensity. To its credit, though, the cigar smokes more like an orchestral performance than a heavy metal rock show, displaying a fine balance from light to nub. And the combustion qualities of both of the samples I tested for this review were superb.

In the end, instead of being an example of an overpriced limited edition that’s more style than substance, the Avo Limited Edition 2011 emerges as a top performer. Sometimes you get what you pay for. In this case, that’s a good thing. So I have no qualms about echoing the chorus of praise this cigar has already received, and I’m awarding it a rare rating of five stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five stogie-rated cigars can be found 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.”

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ve been very impressed with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s new cigars, particular the 2010 Short Run limited release. But despite the fact that it is reportedly the third best-selling size, I’ve never been a huge fan of the six-inch by 60-ring gauge size. Still, I was looking forward to trying the Dominantes (6.25 x 60). It’s fuller-bodied than the smaller Short Run sizes, but still features graham spice, butter, and woody notes. Add a bit of leather into the mix and you get an interesting blend with the excellent construction I’ve come to expect from Carrillo’s cigars.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys