The Stogie Guys

In the latest issue of our “Random Thoughts from the Humidor” series, we ponder humidor maintenance, cleanliness, advertising, and blind reviews:

When I say OCD, I mean it in a good way. Lots of cigar smokers worry about summertime temperatures increasing the chances of a beetle attack. But you’re more likely to see your sticks ruined in the winter from extremely low humidity drying them out beyond repair. Even if you have mild winters, humidity levels will be low and the heat will drive them down even further. Check the hygrometer in your humidor frequently—every couple of days isn’t too often—and add distilled water when necessary.

Brush, brush, brush. I’m no dentist, but I’ve been told by more than one that smoking can lead to an increase of tartar and its associated problems. So, it’s always a good idea to brush as soon as practical after smoking. I don’t know how much it will lessen the buildup, but, hey, it couldn’t hurt. Any dental professionals out there feel free to weigh in.

Cleanliness is at least next to freshness. Whether you smoke inside or out, get rid of the ashes and butts when you’re done. Huge ashtrays are great, but no excuse for collecting tobacco detritus. It creates that unpleasant barroom-at-4 a.m. odor far more than the smoke.

Just wondering. Why are there cigar ads these days in nearly every magazine that aims at an upscale audience except Wine Spectator, the larger sibling of Cigar Aficionado? Aren’t fine wine and premium cigars considered one of the ultimate pairings?

I’m not sure I see the point. I’m always intrigued by cigar reviewing that’s done blind. But does anyone ever smoke that way? Knowing at least a little about the cigar you’re smoking is part of the experience—whether picking up a stick you’ve never heard of or laying out big bucks for a highly regarded limited edition.

–George E

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 6.5-inch Lonsdale is an excellent coffee accompaniment and a great value at under $5. Its golden Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, combined with Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos, produces a light flavor of oak, almond, and cream. And it has combustion qualities characteristic of the Oliva pedigree, including a straight burn and a smooth draw. This is an easy recommendation for cigar enthusiasts who appreciate mild, well-balanced smokes.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Behind it’s larger corporate brother Davidoff, Avo can get lost in the mix. Purchased in 1995 by Davidoff for an estimated $10 million, Avo Uvezian’s Dominican smokes are often a way to get the quality of Davidoff at a (slightly) more approachable price.

Avo Uvezian, the charismatic piano-playing creator of Avo, created the Compañero to celebrate his 83rd birthday. The thick Toro (6 x 54) has a velvety Ecuadorian wrapper with Dominican binder and filler tobaccos.

The cigar is well constructed, which you’d expect given that it costs around $12 each, and is notably firm to the touch and from start to finish. The gray ash is  solid, the burn even, and the draw is flawless. The flavor profile includes a mix of cedar, pepper, cream, and honeycomb. Like many Avo/Davidoff creations, damp mushroom notes are also present.

The Compañero features impressive balance despite its medium- to full-bodied profile, even as it becomes bolder as it progresses. Towards the end, there are earthy notes and more cedar spice.

At the time it came out, the Compañero was quite a change of pace for the Avo line, which almost exclusively consisted of mild and medium blends. Had it not been such a success, today we might not have the full-bodied Avo LE 2010 and the Heritage line.

But even without leading Avo into a more full-bodied era, that Compañero stands well on its own as a full-flavored, complex, well-constructed smoke. It’s enough to earn the Avo Limited Edition 2009 Compañero a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Like many of you, my cigar tastes tend to run to stronger smokes. Those spicy Pepin powerhouses, ligero bombs from La Flor Dominicana, Camacho‘s intense creations, and the like. They keep me engaged and leave me a happy herfer.

But not all the time. Occasionally, I look for a milder cigar and, when I have a good one, I’m always struck by how satisfying it can be. This came home to me again recently when I pulled an Oliva Serie G Toro from my humidor and lit it up. It is an excellent, subtle cigar with a great Cameroon wrapper that blends well with the Nicaraguan filler.

My next milder smoke was a Bahia Blu Toro, which came in some sampler or other. It was the first I’d tried and it, too, provided a good experience: tasty, smooth, and very inexpensive.

I find it interesting that cigars I generally classify as mild are often referred to as medium by manufacturers. Of course, such categories are all relative and subjective.

I rarely, if ever, smoke what I consider to be really mild cigars, such as the original Macanudo and Dominican Montecristo. Again, like many of you, I find those too lacking in flavor and heft.

Part of what I enjoy about cigars is the exploration and surprise that comes from experimenting, though it certainly comes with the risk of disappointment. But I don’t want to get in rut. That can happen by limiting selection to a narrow range of strengths, just as it can with restrictions on wrapper leaf, sizes, or blenders.

One added benefit of smoking some milder cigars is that they usually require greater attention and focus to fully enjoy them. And that can be a nice reminder: The act of smoking a cigar is, in itself, an activity well worth pursuing.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I have a lot of admiration for Tabacalera Perdomo. When politicians raised federal taxes on “large” cigars by 700% for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the folks at Perdomo responded by dropping their prices and absorbing the SCHIP hike on most of their portfolio.

“We’re all in this together in these tough economic times,” says Nick Perdomo, the company’s president. “You should be able to afford great cigars at great price points.” So, in 2009 and 2010, Tabacalera Perdomo made their best-selling blends more affordable, including dropping prices on their popular Lot 23 line by $15 per box.

Lot 23 was born ten years ago when Nicolas Perdomo, Sr. and his son, the aforementioned Nick Jr., cleared a lot of virgin soil near their factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Six years later they were cultivating tobacco from this fertile land to make the original Lot 23. Connecticut and Maduro versions were added later in a variety of sizes.

Among the newest vitolas is the Punta Gorda (5 x 60), a stubby torpedo that verges on Nub dimensions. The Maduro incarnation comes complete with a toothy broadleaf wrapper that’s dark and oily. Its sharply pointed cap clips to reveal an effortless draw. Despite having little pre-light aroma, the Punta Gorda Maduro starts with a zesty, medium-bodied profile of cedar, espresso, and a bit of barbecue tang. Each easy puff yields an abundance of thick, white smoke.

After the first inch, as the textured, finely layered ash works its way down from the foot, the flavor begins to border on full-bodied. Spice, leather, and rich molasses come to the forefront. Still, the taste is more smooth and nuanced than overbearing or powerful. It stays that way until the last puff.

With outstanding construction—including a near-perfect burn—the Lot 23 Punta Gorda Maduro is a great value at under $5 apiece. Perdomo deserves much credit for the way they’ve kept their prices down in tough times, and this particular cigar deserves a rating of 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.”

Despite only being “officially released” for little more than a week, there are already plenty of reviews of the new limited Tatuaje Anarchy (created by Tatuaje for the Florida-based Smoke Inn). With a unique tapered shape, flattened pigtail cap, and oily wrapper, the Anarchy (6.125 x 48-52) makes a good first impression. Like my colleague who wrote up a full review of some pre-release samples, I noticed a lack of the peppery spice that often accompanies Pepin-made smokes. But this is a fine full-bodied smoke with bready flavors, leather, coffee, and meatiness.

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.”

Where Illusione is predominantly corojo with one component of criollo tobacco, Dion Giolito’s Cruzado line—launched in 2008—is predominantly criollo with one component corojo. The result is a blend that’s less aggressive. The Churchill-sized Marios vitola (7 x 47) has a medium-bodied, balanced profile of leather, coffee, cream, and nutmeg spice. Its wonderful combustion qualities and two-hour smoking time make this complex creation worthy of its $9 price tag.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys