The Stogie Guys

In September, fresh off my trip to New Orleans for the IPCPR Trade Show, I reviewed the 777 Corojo, a wonderful new release from master blender Jesus Fuego. I was impressed and made a commitment to better acquaint myself with the other lines of the relatively young J. Fuego brand.

The “Natural” blend is as good a place to start as any. It was, in late 2006, the first blend to debut after Fuego launched his eponymous brand by the Miami-based Tabacos S.A. company. Before this venture, Fuego had completed a master’s degree in agronomy at Havana University, worked at Camacho, and gained industry prominence through his instrumental role in developing Rocky Patel’s Vintage lines.

Now, in partnership with the Plasencia family, J. Fuego features the Gran Reserva, Delirium, and 777 Maduro lines—in addition to the aforementioned 777 Corojo and Natural. The latter is handmade in Honduras with Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos and a shade-grown criollo wrapper.

With a six inch by 54 ring gauge frame, the Natural Belicoso is a heavy, sizeable smoke. It sports two white bands, faint pre-light notes of grass, and a firm feel. The clean, oily wrapper is attractive despite some lumps and discoloration.

After toasting the foot, the initial flavor is of oak, damp earth, and butter with a balanced texture that’s both creamy and spicy. Black pepper keeps the taste interesting, as does a faint sweetness. But the overall effect is pretty mild.

That remains true at the midway point. Here, about 40 minutes into the cigar, the sweetness becomes more pronounced as the spice slowly dissipates. And a few new flavors—namely sage and walnut—also join in.

With a burn that requires little maintenance, a decent gray ash, and a draw as smooth as its taste, the Natural Belicoso won’t disappoint in the construction department. It smokes true to the finish, just as a $6-9 cigar should.

I think I most enjoyed this J. Fuego creation for what it isn’t. It isn’t flashy. It isn’t ground-breaking. And it doesn’t start off with a pleasant mellowness only to turn boring or harsh.

While it may not carry the character or value of the 777 Corojo, the J. Fuego Natural Belicoso is a traditional midday smoke with an agreeable taste that won’t leave you weak in the knees. It earns three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Available at a only a select few stores, Tatuaje built on the success of last year’s “Frank” with two more limited release Halloween cigars in 2009: “Boris” (a Frank “out of costume”—i.e., with a different, less green wrapper) and the Drac.

Drac is a fang-shaped torpedo (6.75 x 52) with a simple red and black band around the foot. Only 1,300 boxes of 13 cigars each were made of the habano maduro-wrapped Nicaraguan puro.

Individual cigars sold for $13 each, if not a few dollars more due to the high demand for the smokes. I was fortunate enough to land a pair of the sought-after sticks from a friend of a friend who had gotten his hands on a box.

In response to some issues with those boxes, Tatuaje maker Pete Johnson put out a special bulletin on the Tatuaje website recommending that people put the cigars in their humidor without the box for a few weeks. It seems that since the coffin-shaped boxes were delayed, they smelled of fresh paint when the cigars were boxed. So Johnson recommended waiting for that odor to dissipate.

I didn’t notice any paint smells from the samples I smoked, which had spent enough time in the humidor before they were smoked. But the Drac did have a distinct aroma of sweet licorice and it left a notable bready flavor on my lips when I drew on the unlit cigar. The dark brown, matte wrapper had a few prominent veins and was slightly spongy to the touch.

The Drac opened up with an interesting combination of raisin and prune flavors mixed with a bit of chalk and subtle mint. It was also peppery on the lips. As the cigar progressed, it became leathery, occasionally to the point of some bitterness. In the final third, dry woody notes were added to the lively flavor profile.

Construction was quite good, with an exceptionally sturdy light gray ash. The torpedo produces plenty of smoke, although at times the deliberate draw bordered on tight.

This is an interesting cigar, with many twists and turns and a very unique and complex combination of flavors. The Tatuaje Drac earns four 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.”

This version of the Liga Privada is found exclusively in the CRA sampler, which is available only to Cigar Rights of America members. It is a well-constructed cigar with a dark, coarse Connecticut wrapper, very few veins, and pre-light notes of chocolate. It starts out toasty, but soon evolves into a dry, cool smoke with dark chocolate flavors and a hint of peppery spice.

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.”

I recently picked up this long corona (6.25 x 45) from my local tobacconist. He said it had been aging in an Old Man and the Sea limited edition book box since 2006 and, after looking over the yellowed cellophane, I was inclined to believe him. With a rough Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, a Connecticut broadleaf binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras, the Library Edition yields a leathery taste with spice and a bit of nutmeg. It smokes well with a finely layered white ash. Give one of these a try if you’re lucky enough to find an aging cache.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Of all the cigars I’ve been lucky enough to try since the IPCPR Trade Show in August, the Entubar Torpedo remains my favorite. The only problem? That magnificent smoke, the flagship blend of the new Berger & Argenti brand, is too pricey to be an everyday stogie.

Luckily, this Miami-based boutique has another, more affordable line: Exile Wired. Its four vitolas carry MSRPs ranging from $108 to $144 per Spanish cedar box of 24.

While they currently sell under the Berger & Argenti label, they debuted back in 2008 as a product of Cuban Imports, Inc. You may recall that Albert and Michael Argenti of Cuban Imports launched Berger & Argenti in August with Don Kiki Berger, who fashions the Cupido, Cubano Claro, and Don Kiki lines for Cuban Crafters.

At any rate, the ingredients of Exile Wired include a filler blend of Nicaraguan (ligero and viso) and Dominican (seco) tobacco surrounded by a Connecticut broadleaf binder. The dry and clean wrapper is an Ecuadorian Havana-seed criollo leaf that was previously unavailable to the U.S. market.

The result tested well in the mainstream cigar media. Exile Wired was hailed by Cigar Insider as a Best Buy of 2008 and rated 90 by Cigar Aficionado—the highest score for a non-Cuban smoke in the publication’s Winter 2008 issue.

With a clean look, a firm feel, and a sharp head, the Torpedo (6 x 54) certainly appears worthy of high praise. I also find the double bands to be unique and attractive. Too bad they cause trouble when it’s time to remove them. On the two Torpedos I smoked for this review, both bands were tightly stuck to the wrapper, making it nearly impossible to take them off without tearing the exterior leaf.

Troublesome bands like these are a pet peeve of mine because they usually cause construction issues. But here, thankfully, the combustion qualities remain excellent, including a razor-sharp burn, a fortified white ash, and a smooth draw.

The medium-bodied flavor, notably consistent from light to nub, has a spicy cedar core with tones of ginger, walnut, and wine. Balanced, albeit slightly dry. The aftertaste is smooth and mellow with a soft pepper tingle.

That’s ultimately why I think this 90-minute smoke is good for beginners. It has enough flavor and nuance to keep you interested, but little strength or harshness. For me, the $5.50 Exile Wired Torpedo offers a wallet-friendly, not-too-exciting and not-too-bland change of pace from my regular rotation. It earns three stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

While Scotch gets most of the glory, we’ve made no secret of the fact that Irish whiskey can be an equally exciting spirit. But unlike the Jameson blends we’ve praised before, Michael Collins is a single malt whiskey, an attribute more commonly associated with Scotch.

Still, with a name like Michael Collins, there’s no mistaking that this spirit comes from the Emerald Isle. Collins was an leader in the fight for Irish independence from Great Britain. Known affectionately by the Irish (but not necessarily by the English) as “The Big Fella,” he was later assassinated in 1922 at the age of 31 by factions in Ireland who opposed the treaty of independence he signed with the British.

Collins’ image emblazons the tall tapered bottle and, if he happened to be a smooth yet bold character, his spirit would certainly be captured within. This single malt is a most exemplary whiskey, as evidenced by the Double Gold it won at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. (Note: A blended Michael Collins Irish Whiskey is also available, although it doesn’t seem to be as widely available.)

The first thing that strikes me about Michael Collins is its bright bronze hue, which, while dark, isn’t at all cloudy. After pouring a few fingers in a glass, you’re greeted with a nose of peat, citrus, honey, and oak. The oak is imparted from the 8-12 years that the whiskey is aged in oak barrels.

When I enjoyed it neat I found flavors of peat, a hint of spice, and a toffee-like sweetness. It’s a warm, balanced combination that is very smooth. The finish is long with a bit of vanilla bean.

For those who can’t handle a bit of heat on the tongue, though, Michael Collins also does well with an ice cube or two. But drinking it on the rocks will spoil  some of the subtleties this whiskey has to offer.

Either way, this $35-40 spirit goes great with a cigar. I found medium- to full-bodied smokes to be the best paring. The Paul Garmirian Soiree, San Cristobal, and EO 601 Red all went very well. If you’d prefer something from that certain island south of Miami, light up a Hoyo de Monterey Epicure Especial, Hoyo No. 2, or Montecriso Petit Edmundo, pour a bit of Michael Collins Single Malt, and enjoy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

With all of the hype surrounding the Tatuaje “Monster Series,” it’s easy to forget that Pete Johnson has plenty of other limited cigars on the market that are easier to find. At least, that is, until Tatuaje’s loyal fans locate all the hidden gems.

Along with other shop-specific releases—which include the T-110, Bombazos, and Cohete—the Tatuaje Porkchop can be found at only one B&M. This four inch by 46 ring gauge cigar is a limited release  with reportedly only 100 boxes of 25 made for Gloucester Street Cigar owner Jose Agosto.

The Porkchop features a Nicaraguan ligero wrapper similar to the one used on the Reserva J21 and is finished with a wrapped, fuma-style foot. As with most Tatuajes, the construction on the Porkchop is almost flawless.

The cigar has very few veins and the pre-light draw has just the right amount of resistance. The wrapper smells of pepper, earth, and faint floral notes.

In typical Tatuaje fashion, the Porkchop opens up with a blast of pepper and spice that fades after a few minutes. Then a very sweet butterscotch flavor emerges.

After some initial burn irregularities, probably due to the wrapped foot, the burn straightens out and produces a nice gray ash. The spice returns slowly near the end.

The Porkchop is sweeter than the other Tatuaje Reservas that I have smoked and, despite its small size, takes an hour and fifteen minutes to smoke. With an MSRP of around $9 per stick, the it is a wonderful cigar that is definitely worth a try, especially if you’re a fan smaller formats.

All of which earns the exclusive Tatuaje Reserva Porkchop an impressive rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick M

photo credit: Stogie Guys