The 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.”

Much of the talk about the Hammer + Sickle cigar seems to focus on the use of a symbol used, even though the creator of Hammer + Sickle  insists the name, which comes from the brand of vodka he owns, is about the Russian people—not communism. Sensitivities in the area are understandable given the Cuban history that permeates cigars, but when I grabbed this Robusto (5 x 50) from my humidor the only thing that concerned me was if the cigar was any good. It’s a distinctly mild smoke, but a complex combination of cashew, cream, subtle cedar, and pepper makes it interesting. With excellent construction, the $7 Hammer + Sickle is a strong buy for fans of mild cigars.

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.”

Introduced in late 2009, this Robusto (5.25 x 52) is composed of Nicaraguan tobaccos dressed in a dark Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper. It has a bold, spicy flavor of pepper, dry wood, and espresso with acceptable construction properties. This is a fine smoke from Don Pepin Garcia’s son, but it misses out on the nuance that’s characteristic of other creations from My Father Cigars—and I’m unconvinced that its monotone profile is worthy of the $6-7 asking price.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Xikar is primarily known as a leading purveyor of cigar accessories like cutters, lighters, cases, and humidification devices. But this Kansas City-based company is also in the business of crafting premium cigars.

Xikar’s cigar-making partner is Jesus Fuego, a Cuban expat with a master’s degree in agronomy and five generations of tobacco cultivation in his blood. Today he has his own cigar outfit in Miami where he produces such gems as the 777 Corojo and the Origen.

In early 2009, Xikar and Fuego teamed up to launch the HC Series. Named for Xikar’s Havana Collection, the line boasts three blends: Connecticut Shade, Criollo, and Habano Colorado. “No matter your time, mood, or your preference, the HC Series has the perfect blend for every cigar lover’s palate,” said Fuego in a press release.

Each HC cigar is handmade at one of Nestor Plasencia’s factories. The four-vitola Criollo line features a two-country filler blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos along with a sun-grown criollo binder and a five-year-old Nicaraguan shade-grown criollo wrapper. The Robusto (5 x 50) is a clean, silky cigar with a pre-light aroma of earth.

After toasting the foot and studying the initial taste, I find a nicely balanced profile of leather, dry wood, and tea with a bit of sweetness and some chili pepper on the finish. The flavor is full but the strength is subdued, resulting in that all-too-elusive combo of bold spice and velvety texture.

The second half has a little less leather and a little more cream and roasted nuts. The transition is a welcome one, serving as a reprieve from the preceding spice. As the Criollo Robusto progresses, the construction remains excellent: an effortless draw, a tight ash, and a straight burn.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the HC Connecticut Shade, my only reservation was that its $7.50-9 price tag rendered it slightly overpriced—especially considering the other great Connecticut-wrapped smokes on the market. Not so with this Criollo, which is similarly priced but packs a more interesting profile. A terrific smoke, it is worthy of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Though you may not have heard of him, chances are you’ve enjoyed one of A.J. Fernandez’s smokes. The prolific cigar maker has crafted stogies for Rocky Patel, Padilla, Graycliff, and Gurkha, and he’s also made limited distribution lines like 5 Vegas AAA, Man O’ War, Diesel, La Herencia, and Sol Cubano.

Fernandez, who has as much cigar blending talent as anyone his age, has made quite a name for himself in recent years. So it wasn’t completely surprising when he announced just before this year’s industry trade show that he would be producing his first solo nationally distributed cigar. The San Lotano brand originated with Fernandez’s grandfather in San Luis, Cuba, but has not been made in decades.

The brand is being released in three versions: Connecticut, Maduro, and Habano. On the latter, beneath the shiny Brazilian Habano wrapper is a Honduran binder and Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos.

Each blend is released in four sizes: Churchill (7 x 52), Robusto (5 x 52), Toro (6 x 52), and Torpedo (6.5 x 52). The Toro that was the subject of a Quick Smoke and each of the three Robustos I sampled for this review were notably firm.

The San Lotano features an impressively complex combination of flavors. Warm tobacco, spice, toastiness, cedar, meaty char, and roast coffee are all apparent in the full-bodied blend.

It’s not knock-you-on-your-ass full-bodied, but there’s a lot going on here, including a certain “crunchiness” that is hard to describe properly, but easy to enjoy. The hour-long smoke features excellent construction as the firm cigar has a deliberate, but not difficult, draw.

Having sampled all three of the San Lotano blends, I can definitely say that while none are disappointing, the Habano is my clear favorite. And at $6 apiece, it provides good value.

The San Lotano doesn’t change much from beginning to end, but it doesn’t need change to be enjoyable, as the interplay between the flavors keeps the smoker plenty interested. That complexity, combined with excellent construction and solid value, earns the San Lotano Habano Robusto four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–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.”

Around this year’s industry trade show, Pete Johnson announced multiple new sizes for his Tatuaje lines, including this “7th” size, which is the first full-size Seleccion de Cazador to be made in Don Pepin’s Nicaraguan factory instead of in Miami. The well-constructed vitola (5.6 x 46)  features classic Pepin woody spice along with toasty and meaty notes. For those of you worried that not being crafted in Miami may mean this is a lesser Tatuaje, rest assured. This new size is every bit as good as the original six cigars in the blend.

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.”

Made under the direction of Luis Sanchez, this Corona Gorda (6 x 50) comes dressed in a Spanish cedar sleeve with a clean Ecuadorian wrapper, a Honduran binder, and a two-country filler blend from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The cigar has a light profile of vanilla, cream, almond, and woodsy spice. With absolutely flawless combustion qualities, this is an excellent offering from La Tradicion Cubana—especially considering its $4 price tag.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Among the new brands that debuted at this summer’s IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans is Reinado. It’s not crafted like your typical Nicaraguan puro.

Created by Antonio Lam, Reinado is a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos aged up to five years. “What makes this cigar very special is the fact that it’s got a unique fermentation process being employed, making the flavors extremely rich and smooth for a Nicaraguan puro yet letting a nice spice run right through it,” says Lam.

Reinado, Spanish for “reign,” is still a young company, but Lam is happy with his brand’s reception. “We’re in the early stages and the initial response has been excellent, from online reviewers to in-store customers at events.”

As you might imagine, Lam is hard at work expanding the number of Reinado retailers and trying to achieve more widespread recognition of his cigars. His attractive, easy-to-navigate website and solid grasp of social networking media will help. He’s also counting on the online cigar community.

Eager to try Reinado for myself, I smoked a handful of Torpedos (6.1 x 52) for this review. This vitola, one of three in the Reinado portfolio, features an oily Habano rosado wrapper with few veins and virtually invisible seams. The pre-light aroma is bold and woody.

After establishing an even burn, a full-bodied profile of leather, espresso, and cherry quickly emerges. Rarely do cigars smoke with such strength right out of the gate. The Torpedo, however, sports an unapologetically intrepid flavor from the get-go, one that’s more refined than harsh. Its balance includes a sweet aftertaste and a floral-smelling resting smoke.

Consistent from light to nub, the cigar neither mellows nor intensifies. All the while the construction is outstanding. Expect a straight burn, a clear draw, and a solid ash.

Would I smoke the Reinado Torpedo every day? No. After the occasional heavy meal, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better selection if you’re craving something bold and brawny. That’s why this $9 cigar earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys