The Stogie Guys

Sometimes you see something and you have to try it. Such was the case during a recent visit to the local spirits store. I hadn’t planned on picking up any scotch, but decided to check out the scotch section to see if anything new had arrived.

When I saw a Talisker I hadn’t seen before, I knew I would be picking it up. Talisker, from the Isle of Skye, has long been a favorite of mine with it’s distinctive smokey and peaty flavors.

Talisker 1996 is a unique expression of the Talisker Single Malt. Distilled in 1996, after its normal aging it is finished in an Amroso sherry cask. Not inexpensive, though not extremely pricey by scotch standards, it sells for $80.

The scotch is a deep chestnut brown color. The nose is peaty with tar and fruit notes.

As is characteristic of Talisker, peaty and smokey flavors dominate. But underneath is an added sweet element, with rich dried fruit and toffee. The finish is long and spicy with a hint of chocolate.

All in all, this distinctive single malt is a new favorite of mine. With it’s double cask aging, it simultaneously has the classic salt water peat flavors I’ve come to expect and enjoy from Talisker coupled with a hint of sweetness that reminds me of a fine bourbon.

Not surprisingly, the Talisker Distillers Edition 1996 makes for an excellent pairing with a fine cigar. The rich but balanced flavors go well with a diverse group of premium smokes. Mild- to medium-bodied cigars like the Cuban H. Upmann No. 2 or the Berger & Argenti Entubar Natural work well. So do refined, full-bodied smokes like the Paul Garmirian Symphony Connoisseur or Tatuaje La Verite.

If you’re a fan of full, peaty scotches like Talisker or Laphroaig, I highly recommend picking up the Talisker Distillers Edition 1996, pouring yourself a few fingers neat, and lighting up your favorite cigar.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Miami-based Berger & Argenti company was established in 2009 as a partnership between brothers Michael and Albert Argenti and Enrique Berger. The outfit’s first lines included Exile Wired, Clasico, and Entubar.

The latter, Berger & Argenti’s flagship blend, made quite an impression on me when I reviewed it after returning from the 2009 IPCPR Trade Show. It had balance, complexity, and interesting flavors. It also had outstanding construction, due in no small part to the “entubar” process, which involves creating delicate “scrolls” of filler tobacco to ensure “chambers” of air flow.

The newer Entubar Quad Maduro—so named for its “cuadrado” press and maduro wrapper—was introduced at the 2010 IPCPR Trade Show. This line makes use of the same painstaking “entubar” procedure but employs a new, bolder blend of tobaccos. Included are Nicaraguan (viso and ligero) and Dominican (seco) filler leaves, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Jalapa-grown maduro wrapper that has been “aged eight years in seasoned oak barrels,” according to a press release.

Like the original Entubar, the Quad Maduro has a “channel” of ligero tobacco that extends a quarter inch beyond the foot, which creates “a startlingly unique ‘fuse like’ appearance that assures a superior draw, flawless conical burn with a long white ash, and a myriad of complex flavors channeled directly onto the palate.” A band around the bottom advises enthusiasts to “thoroughly toast entire cigar foot before smoking.”

It’s easy enough to establish an even light on the Double Corona (7.63 x 54). Once set, the dark cigar produces a full-bodied taste of earth and peppery spice. The profile then settles to include less heft, less spice, and flavors of nuts, leather, cream, and dark chocolate. Quite enjoyable with a chalky texture.

At the midway point and beyond, the Double Corona is decidedly medium-bodied. The flavors never really seem to change all that much, they just moderately intensify and retreat (depending on how quickly you smoke the cigar). Construction, as expected, is superb throughout the two-hour experience, with a near-perfect burn, a solid ash, and an easy draw that yields bountiful smoke.

Quad Maduro comes packaged in cedar boxes of 20 cigars and is available in three other sizes sizes: Corona Macho (4.63 x 48), Robusto (5.38 x 54), and Torpedo (6.88 x 56). The Double Corona retails for $12 apiece. This price point, in my opinion, is an accurate reflection of the quality of the tobacco and the labor-intensive “entubar” process. For its harmonious flavor, beautiful aroma, and notable combustion properties, the Entubar Quad Maduro Double Corona deserves four and a half 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.”

This box-pressed torpedo (6 x 54) has a Costa Rican wrapper around Honduran binder and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. The natural version of this Nestor Plasencia creation, which features a Habana 2000 wrapper, was a favorite of mine nearly a decade ago. The torpedo is constructed well with a sturdy ash and an easy draw, though the burn needs a few touch-ups. The flavors are straight-forward black coffee and roasted notes, with some slight bitterness. All in all, the Magic Mountain Maduro is an average smoke with a reasonable $3 price tag.

Verdict = Hold.

–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.”

The Punch Gran Puro Rancho (5.5 x 54) is a Honduran puro. The wrapper and binder leaves are sun-grown and the cigar is constructed well. It burns medium- to full-bodied in strength with core flavors of cinnamon, pepper spice, and an earthy sweetness. While not extraordinary, it is a fine selection for the golf course.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you were to judge a cigar solely on its ability to win the game of cigar shop one-upmanship, then it would be hard to beat the Mercer Pinar del Rio Custom Cuban Sublimes.  You know, that never-ending competition to have the most impressive answer to the question of “what have you been smoking lately?”

Sure, the other guy may be able to say he’s smoking that vintage limited edition Cuban but, if you’re smoking the Mercer Pinar del Rio, you’ve probably still got him beat. After all, your cigar is a custom-rolled Cuban with an impressive story.

Offered exclusively by Mercer Cigars (La Casa del Habano) in Merida, Mexico, the Mercer PdR Custom Cubans are reportedly made completely from tobacco from Pinar del Rio’s most prominent cigar family (an apparent reference to Robaina family). The cigars are made exclusively for Mercer in three sizes (Canonazos (5.9 x 52), Piramides (6.5 x 52), and Sublimes (6.75 x 54)) and notably are shipped from inside the U.S. un-banded.

For this review, I smoked two of the Sublimes (and I also sampled one Canonazos). The large cigar has some serious heft in the hand and in the mouth. The Colorado brown wrapper has plenty of oil and the excellent construction is accented by a closed foot.

The cigar is well-balanced with quintessential Cuban sweet earth notes, in combination with coffee, toast, nutmeg, and dry cedar. The long finish shows some red and black pepper spice.

It’s an extremely harmonious smoke that’s firmly in the medium- to full-bodied range, though it trends towards the fuller end in the final third. While all around I am very impressed with this Cuban, the earthy sweetness of the cigar’s flavors really strike me.

The Sublimes smokes for a full two hours with a notably solid white ash. And, unlike many Cubans I’ve smoked, there are no burn or draw issues. That, coupled with complex, earthy sweetness, an excellent draw, and a not unreasonable price of around $15 each, makes this a fantastic cigar. That’s why the Mercer Pinar del Rio Custom Cuban Sublimes earns a most impressive rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

There’s so much (mis)information about this Davidoff line floating around that I didn’t want to review these until I satisfied myself that I had the straight stuff. A conversation with Michael Herklots, general manager of Davidoff’s New York stores, provided answers to my questions.

First and foremost, these long-filler handmade cigars are not Davidoff seconds, mistakes, or throwaways. “It’s a brand, just like Avo is a brand,” Herklots said. The natural’s Connecticut shade wrapper and Dominican filler is a specific blend, one that’s repeated year in and year out just like any other cigar, he said.

After going through about half a box, I have found them every bit as consistent as cigars costing three or four times more.

“We really try to go out of our way to clarify that it is not a second,” Herklots continued. He explained Davidoff ‘s strategy to control cost: simple bands and simple boxes coupled with little promotion.

And keep the price down they do. If you look around online, you can find a box of 25 of the double corona-sized No. 1 (7.75 x 48) for about $75. The Private Stock brand also includes several vitolas in maduro as well as medium-filler cigars that are even less expensive. All are parejo shapes.

If you like mild cigars, I urge you to try this cigar. Make no mistake, though. You won’t close your eyes and think you’re smoking a Davidoff Classic. While I find a little of those special Davidoff characteristics in the Private Stock, the cigar is nowhere near as complex, rich, or flavorful. But, then again, it’s a $3 cigar.

While I don’t usually favor mild cigars for newcomers because they may not get enough taste, the flavors in this case lead me to make an exception. I’d probably recommend one of the smaller sizes, though.

I plan to keep a box on hand for when I’m looking to enjoy a mild cigar. It’s tough to beat, and for me it rates four stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

My first encounter with the Xikar EXII lighter was at the IPCPR Trade Show last August. I was sitting in the Davidoff blending seminar, ran out of matches, and didn’t have my lighter with me.

I asked Tim, co-creator of Your Cigar Ratings, if I could borrow his, and he handed me this exact lighter. I was surprised that it was soft flame and intrigued by the fact that it was supposedly “windproof.” That initial experience piqued my interest, and I thought about purchasing one for several months. I was fortunate enough to receive one as a gift.

The Havana Collection EXII is based on the original EX lighter, but has polished steel casings and the center panel features cigar-related artwork. The Havana Collection retails for $100, but you can purchase the original EX for $60. The biggest difference between the two is the casing and the art. The best part about Xikar lighters, besides their reliability, is that each comes equipped with a lifetime warranty.

Looks are great but the most important thing about a lighter is reliability and functionality. Like any product, the EXII has its pros and cons. The cons, in this case, are more tradeoffs than purely negative attributes. First, in stiff breezes it can be a challenge to get a cigar lit, even though the soft flame is windproof, as the flame behaves erratically. It’s tough to light larger ring gauge cigars, although increasing the flame size does alleviate this somewhat. Lastly, touching up a cigar can be a bit of a challenge with a soft flame, but it gets easier with a little practice.

The EXII has plenty of pros though. Over months of use I have consistently been impressed with how long the fuel lasts before the lighter needs to be filled. And my favorite feature has to be the flame adjustment wheel. It is extremely easy to adjust the flame compared to lighters with those tiny recessed adjustments. The flame is as windproof as they come although, as noted, in a strong breeze lighting a cigar can still be a challenge. The biggest benefit of using the soft flame is that it burns much cooler than a torch and won’t char the cigar like a torch can.

Ultimately, if you are in the market for a good-looking, reliable soft flame lighter, the EXII is an excellent choice. The initial expense might seem a little high, but the quality is excellent and the warranty guarantees your investment.

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys