The Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Florida officials recently arrested five individuals and seized “millions of dollars” in counterfeit Cubans. The scheme, called “one of the country’s largest, most sophisticated counterfeit cigar operations” by Cigar Aficionado, involved re-labeling and re-packaging cheap smokes to look like Cuban brands.

2) Illinois may have fallen victim to an indoor smoking ban, but that hasn’t stopped some Chicago bar owners from allowing their patrons to fire up cigars and cigarettes. At least one bar, according to the Chicago Tribune, asks customers to contribute to “smoke jug” fund from which fines are paid. Others simply ignore the law outright. Since the Smoke-free Illinois Act went into effect in January 2008, there have been 889 complaints, 42 inspections, and 13 tickets issued.

3) Inside the Industry: All around the country, cigar retailers are hosting Operation Hope events, where participants can purchase a special Montecristo cigar and accessory  set with proceeds going to the Montecristo Relief Organization, which helps victims of natural disasters.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review lights up a Zino Embassy Selection LE Perfecto. Nice Tight Ash fires up an Alec Bradley SCR. Fire Up That Cigar torches a Room 101. Cigar Inspector reviews the Bucanero Don Douglas Cabinet. B and B Cigar Club looks at the Ambos Mundos.

5) Deal of the Week:  Every cigar aficionado should own a proper cigar lighter and few are as nice as Colibri. Fortunately, right now Lighters World is offering free butane with Colibri purchases over $50 and a free Colibri punch cutter with Colibri purchases of $125 or more. Plus, when you enter the discount code “STOGIE15” at checkout, you get 15% off your entire order. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

This summer, I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Davies at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans. He was in town to debut his first cigars, the result of years spent scouring Central America for quality land and tobacco.

One of the first things I asked Davies was why he settled on the name “José Carlos Cigars.” He told me the story of how, during his exploits in Nicaragua, he met an orphan named José Carlos whose parents had abandoned him for a better life in America.

“What I saw in that young man was amazing…Not a bitter, angry, or mischievous boy, but a happy, well-mannered, polite little man,” writes Davies on his website. “That young man gave me the inspiration to find a way to manufacture excellent quality cigars in a very difficult environment.”

Genuinely thankful for his blessings and intent on giving back to the orphaned children in Nicaragua, Davies built the foundation for his premium boutique cigars in Estelí. “My philosophy is simple: Do things right, not fast,” he says.

His new lineup of cigars, grown on land tested by the Nicaraguan Agriculture University with limited amounts of fertilizers, is a result of those efforts. It is offered in three different wrappers: Connecticut, Corojo, and Habano.

The six inch by 52 ring gauge Habano Toro has a smooth, reddish Nicaraguan sungrown exterior leaf with only a few skinny veins. It is impressively firm to the touch and the draw pulls through with moderate effort.

After toasting the foot, pre-light notes of sweet sawdust give way to a medium-bodied flavor of oak, cream, and cereals. A good amount of spice is also present—especially on the finish—that tastes of dry cedar and black pepper.

The overall effect is a classic habano taste from beginning to nub with hints of sweetness.

With a solid white ash and a straight burn, the physical properties are excellent. And, like a well-made cigar should, this Toro smokes slowly, taking almost two hours to complete.

Currently, information on price and availability of José Carlos Cigars is hard to come by. But if you love traditional-tasting habanos with top-notch construction, seek this blend out. The impressive Habano Toro 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.”

This re-blended version of the CAO Gold features a golden wrapper with some prominent dark veins and soft spots. It’s a mild smoke with roasted nut, butter, and subtle grass notes. As with most CAO cigars, the Crémant (6 x 52) is well-constructed with a sturdy ash. All in all, while it’s a tasty smoke, it doesn’t have a lot of depth. I’d be interested to see if this new version of the CAO Gold develops more complexity with time.

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.”

One of this year’s most anticipated releases, Murcielago is a product of Eddie Ortega, Erik Espinosa, and Don Pepin Garcia. The Rothschild (4.1 x 50) has surprisingly few pre-light notes. But once you add fire to the Nicaraguan filler, Mexican binder, and San Andreas maduro wrapper, it produces a big flavor of roasted nuts, sweet cocoa, and black coffee. I look forward to sampling other sizes in this well-constructed new blend.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Inside the Industry: Late yesterday, a press release announced that Altadis and Tatuaje have “reached a mutually beneficial agreement resolving recent trademark disputes.” The two companies agreed to drop all pending lawsuits in a non-disclosed settlement. While it wasn’t clear from the initial statement, Altadis has since confirmed to StogieGuys.com that the settlement also includes all claims by Altadis against Don Pepin Garcia and his family company, My Family Cigars, Inc.

UPDATE: StogieGuys.com has confirmed that My Father Cigars will continue to hold the trademark on “Jose Pepin Garcia,” which was also at issue in the lawsuit.

2) A new study, conducted by the University of Georgia and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, claims outdoor secondhand smoke is a public health issue. “Secondhand smoke contains several known carcinogens and the current thinking is that there is no safe level of exposure,” said a study co-author. Such flawed “thinking” was examined in this 2007 commentary by George E.

3) Yesterday, the two largest universities in Kentucky became smoke-free. The University of Kentucky has banned all tobacco products on campus outright. Meanwhile, the University of Louisville is relegating smoking to certain “designated outside areas, with plans for a complete campus ban by next November.” While some doubt officials’ ability to implement the new policies, the intentions of these public institutions call into question the rights of adults to reasonably engage in an otherwise legal activity.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review and the Tampa Cigar Examiner light up a Murcielago. Keepers of the Flame smokes a Cabaiguan Maduro. Cigar Inspector inspects the Ashton Cabinet Selection. Velvet Cigar torches an Oliva Serie V.

5) Deal of the Week: Cuban Crafters is having a Thanksgiving Special with some great deals, including a humidor box of Cubano Claros ($99), a box of 25 Cuban Crafters Cameroons ($74), and a box of La Carolinas ($59). Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I’m always a bit leery of cigars bearing the name or likeness of a movie character, celebrity, or TV series. Are big-name endorsements necessary if you’ve got a solid product made from quality tobacco?

But El Tiante Cigars, crafted by Cuban-born pitching legend Luis Tiant, have proven time and again to be excellent smokes. Since it was launched in 2007, my colleagues and I have written favorably about each of the company’s three main blends: Natural, Corojo, and Maduro.

It seems as though Mr. Tiante, know by many simply as “El Tiante,” is determined to follow his successful baseball career—229 career wins—by crafting exemplary boutique cigars. And now he’s adding a fourth series to the lineup.

“La Leyenda” celebrates Tiant’s 1968 season with the Cleveland Indians, a year in which he won 21 games and posted an earned run average of 1.60. No major league pitcher has since come close to that head-scratching ERA.

The blend is, according to El Tiante Vice President Kevin Anderson, intended to “demonstrate in a cigar what Luis accomplished on the mound in 1968.” It features a Sumatra-seed Ecuadorian wrapper and a Nicaraguan habano binder. The filler sports three different ligeros from Nicaragua and seco tobaccos from both Nicaragua and Honduras.

With white bands silhouetted by Tiant’s unique windup, La Leyenda comes in four traditional sizes that cost in the $6-9 range. The Pyramid (6.1 x 52) is coarse with plenty of tooth and pre-light notes of cocoa.

The first puff of this textured, oily cigar is extremely spicy. Then, after a few more smooth draws, the edges round nicely to include flavors of black coffee, dark chocolate, dry cedar, and herbs. Another pleasant taste is also present—one that I’ve found in other El Tiante creations but, frustratingly, can’t quite put my finger on.

At times, especially in the middle and end of the Pyramid, a meaty flavor fades in and out. So does an airy sweetness that’s akin to powdered sugar. While the former tends to build on the medium- to full-bodied profile, the latter counters it nicely with a softer balance.

I enjoyed the La Leyenda Pyramid for this complexity and nuance. The burn may require a few touch-ups, but the unique flavor is enough to make up for any construction flaws, earning this El Tiante four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Magazine editors have forever believed that green is a bad color to put on their covers. After looking at the unpleasant gummy bear green tones in the CL3 band, it’s hard not to think that cigar makers might want to adopt the same shibboleth.

Of course, bands don’t count when evaluating a cigar. But they do help create a first impression and influence the decision to buy or pass. Who, for example, can really take a Helix seriously?

Another problem with the CL3 is trying to find out about it. Argenese’s website reveals almost nothing except that it is grown from “100% first generation Cuban-seed corojo.” Checks on other sites indicate the CL stands for Corojo Ligero and that it is a Dominican puro.

With the emphasis on ligero, this line touts strength and spice. If you’re looking for a Pepin-style stick on steroids, though, I think you’ll be disappointed. I found the CL3 a little slow to develop and not really all that powerful throughout.

Pepper predominates early, but backs off about halfway down to give way to leather and cedar. The biggest drawback is a sharpness that sometimes creates an unpleasant taste and finish.

The torpedo is six and 7/8 inches long with a 52 ring gauge. The price is low, with specials on boxes of 20 hitting down as low as $40. For that, they’re a bargain. They also would seem to have good potential for aging. Maybe that would smooth out some of the rough edges.

All in all, this isn’t a bad cigar. It just isn’t outstanding, either. I didn’t enjoy the Arganese CL3 Torpedo as much as my colleague, so I’d rate it three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys