The Stogie Guys

Back in November, I wrote a Quick Smoke of Murcielago, one of this summer’s most anticipated releases. Now, after burning through about a quarter box of this new line from Eddie Ortega, Erik Espinosa, and Don Pepin Garcia, I am pleased to present a more thorough review.

Murcielago was one of two new blends introduced by United Tobacco at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans (the other being the Cubao Maduro). According to the text printed on the tissue paper inside my box, its name—“bat” in Spanish—honors the often misunderstood creature that fertilizes tequila-producing agave plants in Mexico. “No bats, no tequila,” it reads.

Why link this cigar to Mexico and tequila? Well, the five-vitola Murcielago blend is predominantly Mexican in makeup with a San Andreas maduro wrapper and a Mexican binder. The filler tobaccos are Nicaraguan.

When the production of this blend was announced in July, Espinosa said in a press release that “the cigars were better than Eddie and I hoped for.” That struck a chord with many cigar enthusiasts who have grown to love the handful of blends United Tobacco has created since the company was founded in 2003.

Murcielago stands out among them in both name and appearance. The Belicoso (5.5 x 52) is slightly box-pressed with a smooth, dark, and rich-looking exterior leaf, accented by a red and black band. Moderately firm from head to foot, it exudes pungent pre-light notes of powdered cocoa and compost.

This cigar’s makers say Murcielago is supposed to be “medium- to full-bodied.” I think that’s about right, though fans of bold sticks should note that its thick smoke has more smoothness than strength. The chalky profile tastes of nuts, espresso, and leather with little variation throughout.

While this flavor is interesting, it isn’t as captivating as I hope it will become with some age. Otherwise, the young EO Murcielago Belicoso is an excellent smoke with above average physical properties. It’s a good value at $9-10 apiece and worthy 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.”

I’ve had this cigar sitting in my humidor for nearly two years, so I was anxious to see how the aging had affected one of my favorite Cuban smokes. What I found was a cigar that had mellowed slightly from the last time I smoked it, but maintained much of the depth and complexity that made it a highly-rated favorite. The robusto featured a wonderful combination of dark roast coffee, cinnamon, cedar, and earth. As it progressed, leather and a hint of black pepper emerged. After some initial burn issues, it became clear that this smoke is not only still a winner—it’s even better with age.

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.”

Like the Criollo Maduro, El Primer Mundo’s Rosado Oscuro line is handmade by the Plasencias in Estelí. Its blend of Panamanian and Nicaraguan tobaccos yields a creamy, medium-bodied flavor of nuts and molasses with a smooth spice on the finish. The wavy burn can be frustrating but, on the whole, I’d recommend this box-pressed stick if you want to try something off the beaten path.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In March, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo ended his tenure with General Cigar to establish his own boutique. The move effectively left La Gloria Cubana, the brand he built from relative obscurity to industry prominence, without its leader of nine years.

Before parting ways, though, Perez-Carrillo left behind four blends in the La Gloria Cubana portfolio. One is Reserva Figurados, launched in 2004. This line of five different figurado sizes comes in either a natural Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf or a maduro Connecticut broadleaf.

The rest of the Reserva Figurados blend includes a four-year-old Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

They are handmade at the El Credito Cigar Factory in Miami by “level seven” cigar rollers. Only 1,000 boxes of each size are produced annually before they are subjected to a cedar aging process.

With a tapered foot, a short and slender physique, and a rock-hard feel, the jet-black Felicias Maduro (4.6 x 49) looks like it could be fired from a gun. Pre-light notes are tough to come by but, if you pay close enough attention, you might notice aromas of sweet cocoa and coffee.

Snipping the cap reveals a surprisingly even draw and virtually no taste on the lips. After lighting, however, a rich and bold flavor of dry wood, pepper, and steak comes through. Medium-bodied and smooth with a rounded finish—very similar to the Flechas Especiales Maduro.

This profile is fairly consistent throughout, save for a gentle increase in spice down the home stretch. All the while, the combustion qualities are good as the straight burn works its way down the shapely cigar. The draw is easy and the white ash is solid and well-behaved.

With these qualities, and at only $4-6 apiece, the Reserva Figurados Felicias Maduro has been a staple in my humidor for awhile. And this time of year I’m thankful for that. Its stature is suited well for cold temperatures, and its flavor pairs well with warm coffee or a winter brew.

But this cigar is an excellent choice for any season. So despite lacking a great deal of complexity, this La Gloria Cubana earns 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.”

Maybe it’s just me, but La Aurora seems to be an often-overlooked and under-appreciated cigarmaker. Case in point would be the La Aurora Preferidos Maduro Robusto. Its under-stated band surrounds a veiny but oily Brazilian wrapper. Once lit, I found a medium-bodied smoke with dry chocolate, cinnamon, and tea flavors on the finish. It’s tremendously balanced and expertly constructed.

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.”

This six-inch cigar, which came in the sampler that’s available only to CRA members, is a previously unavailable size of the original Casa Fernandez blend. It is built with Cuban-seed corojo tobacco grown in Nicaragua. The sungrown wrapper is clean with a fair amount of oils, and the smooth, medium-bodied flavor is reminiscent of roasted nuts, sweet caramel, and pepper. Delightful from beginning to end with nearly perfect combustion qualities.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Introduced in July 2008, the Soirée blend is among the newest from cigar traditionalist and pioneer Paul Garmirian. PG, after all, is a rarity among today’s manufacturers, resisting the pressure to constantly come out with something new.

Devoid of slick marketing and gimmickry, PG quietly blends and ages classic-tasting cigars from their headquarters in McLean, Virginia. They seem keenly interested in doing a few things right and less concerned about increasing their market share or expanding their operations. But every once in awhile PG debuts a new line.

Such was the case about 17 months ago when Paul and his son, Kevork, launched Soirée. Wrapped in a reddish Nicaraguan Colorado leaf with Dominican binder and filler tobaccos, Soirée is the result of Paul’s quest for “new blends reminiscent of the great Cuban cigars PG enjoyed in the 1950s and early 1960s.”

The blend sports four sizes, including the Connoisseur (6 x 50), which retails for $290 for a 25-count box. My dad, though, paid about $190 at his local hangout in the Chicago suburbs. He was nice enough to gift me a few for this review.

One thing becomes immediately clear when you remove the Connoisseur from its cellophane: This is one of those cigars that values substance over style. The red and toothy wrapper has some coarse veins and prominent seams, and the cap isn’t all that pretty. But the overall feel is one of quality and the pre-light notes of spicy cedar are mouth-watering.

The flavor of the Soirée Connoisseur can best be described as bold yet smooth. Rarely does a cigar come along with such a big taste and yet so much subtlety and nuance. The base flavor is one of dry wood, warm tobacco, and soft pepper—all of which is complemented by creamy caramel, earth, and even some floral notes.

This complex, well-balanced profile carries through to the midway point. As PG says on its website, it is a “full-bodied after dinner cigar with an exquisite aroma and smooth finish.” True, and it’s especially nice in the evening with a glass of rum. But it also works in the afternoon thanks to its smoothness.

I wish the construction were as delightful as the taste. The ash is unstable with a penchant for flowering, the draw is a tad tight, and the burn requires several touch-ups.

Still, the PG Soirée Connoisseur is a special smoke that will satisfy the most discriminating of cigar smokers. It earns four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys