The Stogie Guys

Like the Tatuaje Black and the Avo Classic No. 2 that my colleague recently reviewed, the CAO Lx2 Rosado Especial is exclusively available in a ten-stogie sampler for Cigar Rights of America (CRA) members. So, since the samplers are limited to one per member, this review is likewise based off a single sample.

The original Lx2 (“ligero times two”) line was released by CAO at last year’s IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas. Following CAO’s Mx2 (Maduro) and Cx2 (Cameroon) blends, it features a hearty helping of spicy, full-bodied ligero leaves surrounded by a Honduran binder and a sungrown Nicaraguan wrapper.

The six-inch Rosado Especial instead has a Nicaraguan-grown rosado leaf. Made exclusively for CRA at the CAO Fabrica de Tabacos facrory in Danlí, Honduras, it is said to have “a bold, muscular structure layered with flavors of bittersweet chocolate, paprika, and woody tobacco notes,” according to Tim Ozgener, president of CAO. “The exquisite rosado wrapper imparts a pleasant floral note upon the flavor profile, which balances superbly with the three different ligero fillers.”

Before firing up the Rosado Especial for myself, I surveyed its handsome appearance. This cigar is easily distinguished from other Lx2s by its pink band extension and CRA logo across the foot. Underneath is an oily, somewhat veiny wrapper with plenty of tooth and a sweet smell.

The firm toro cuts neatly to expose an easy draw. Then, almost immediately after the first puff, I began to compare the taste to my limited experience with the regular Lx2 line. Based on the handful of Lanceros that I’ve smoked recently, I’d have to give the edge to the Rosado Especial.

The base flavors remain largely unchanged. These include black pepper, smoky wood, roasted nuts, and coffee beans. But here, as Mr. Ozgener correctly pointed out, they are complemented by floral characteristics—definitely lavender and maybe a bit of coconut. Personally, I find this combination more interesting than the sweetness offered by the traditional sungrown leaf.

I also wasn’t disappointed by this cigar’s construction or how it develops with spicy, creamy, and savory textures.

Becoming a CRA member is already a good idea if you value freedom and want to join the fight against excessive tobacco taxes, regulations, and smoking bans. Having the chance to try this cigar is just another reason to sign up. CAO definitely made a nice addition to the sampler, which is why the Lx2 Rosado Especial 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.”

Montecruz bands have surrounded many different cigars over the years. This Altadis-made Montecruz, introduced January 2009, features a ten-year-old Cameroon wrapper surrounding a Nicaraguan binder and a filler of tobacco from Peru, Honduras, and Nicaragua. It’s attractive, notably silky, and vein-free. The cigar is balanced and medium-bodied, with a straightforward graham cracker sweetness with a bit of cedary spice. At around $5 each, and with excellent construction, it certainly warrants a try.

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.”

Even though this line from Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega is only a few years old, smoking a Toro (6 x 50) for the first time in awhile feels like catching up with an old friend. The Nicaraguan puro, dressed in an oily habano wrapper, displays a masterful balance of power and subtlety. Flavors include cocoa, pepper, and toasty tobacco. Minor burn issues detract only slightly from the outstanding taste of this Don Pepin Garcia creation.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

There were many sought-after new releases at this year’s IPCPR Trade Show, but perhaps none as anticipated as Padrón’s newest creation. Unlike most cigarmakers, Padrón doesn’t always put out a new cigar every year. When the company does, though, it’s usually in high demand.

That was certainly the case with the new Padrón Family Reserve No. 45. Released in two versions (natural and maduro) with one size (six inches with a 52 ring gauge), it celebrates the 45th anniversary of Padrón Cigars. The cigar comes in boxes of 10, and individual cigars sell for around $25 each.

For that price you’d expect a well-made cigar, and the Padrón 45 certainly has the look of a well-made smoke. The Nicaraguan puro features an oily, dark maduro wrapper carefully pressed into an ultra-firm toro shape.

The Padrón Family Reserve starts out medium-bodied but soon becomes a full-bodied treat. It has a combination of rich espresso, cocoa, and a spicy, woody edge.

Despite that powerful combination of flavor, the defining characteristic of the new Padrón is how remarkably smooth it is from start to finish. It’s an amazing intensity of balanced flavor without a bit of edge.

Surprisingly, the two samples I smoked both had unexpected construction issues, as the wrapper on each became slightly detached from the binder. The other physical properties were excellent, however, with the densely packed smoke creating a long, sturdy ash.

Back in June, Jorge Padrón told me that he plans to make the Family Reserve an annual release.  Ideally, around September 8 each year (the anniversary of the company’s founding) they will release a new limited release in just one size.

And of course I’m looking forward to that natural version of the No. 45.  Until then, though, we just have the Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro, an extremely decadent cigar that earns a rating of four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Since my return from the IPCPR Trade Show in August, many of my reviews have focused on fairly expensive cigars that debuted at that New Orleans event. But, in these lean times, I thought it appropriate to take a step back and check out something more affordable.

The Bering Hallmark fits the bill. This six-vitola Altadis lineup sells in the $2.50 to $5 price range. At five and three-quarters inches with a 44 ring gauge, the Corona frontmark runs only $65 for a box of 25 at JR Cigars.

Sadly, as evidenced by the two samples I smoked for this review, it has the appearance of a cigar that’s easy on the wallet. The Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper is dry and wrinkly. The barely noticeable pre-light aroma of hay is less than mouthwatering. And the feel is firm in some areas and soft in others—a warning sign of combustion problems.

Perhaps most alarming are the large lumps and veins that cover the Corona’s surface. Some of these imperfections aren’t on the thin exterior leaf itself, but rather protrude from the Indonesian binder underneath.

Moving past first impressions, the cap clips well and the cold taste reveals a moderate draw and a taste of paper through the Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos. The foot toasts and lights easily with a single wooden match.

Each easy puff produces large tufts of smoke and a light, airy taste. While picking out individual flavors is a difficult task given the Bering Hallmark’s frail profile, I found subtle notes of pine, butter, and toast. Cigar enthusiasts who are accustomed to full-bodied sticks, however, will likely have a hard time tasting anything other than hollow smoke.

Surprisingly, the Corona actually performs well in the construction department. The burn may meander a bit and the gray ash may flake off from time to time, but the physical properties are relatively impressive at this price level.

If you’re looking for a value stick with interesting flavors, though, I’m afraid this cigar isn’t likely to satisfy. Perhaps the new Bering Puro Nicaraguan line, introduced by Altadis with suggested retail prices from $6.75 to $7.25, will fare better. A reminder that, when it comes to cigars, you often get what you pay for, the Bering Hallmark Corona earns only two stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In March, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo ended his nine year tenure with  General Cigar. The move effectively made the Artesanos de Miami his last blend with La Gloria Cubana, the brand he built from relative obscurity to industry prominence.

Perez-Carrillo parted ways with General to establish his own family-owned boutique. He wasted no time in that endeavor. With a factory in Santiago and a work-in-progress website, the EPC Cigar Co. was up and running in time to debut their first blend at the IPCPR Trade Show in August.

But the core lineup under the new E.P. Carrillo brand name still won’t be available until the spring. Meanwhile, Perez-Carrillo chose to craft and debut a single-vitola limited edition line made from aged tobaccos that are too rare to serve as ingredients for regular production.

The Edición Inaugural 2009, as it is called, uniquely features two binders: one Nicaraguan and one Dominican. They are wrapped in a three-year-old Ecuadorian habano leaf that won’t be available again for a few years (at which point Perez-Carrillo may include it in a future project). Only 150,000 sticks will be made, which are sold in boxes of 10 for $130.

This super-premium, measuring five and three-eighths inches with a 52 ring gauge, looks like it’s worthy of its $13 price tag. The wrapper is clean and flawless, the double bands are interesting and impressive, the cap is nearly perfect, and the pungent pre-light aroma smells of peat.

From the first few puffs, it is clear that the Edición Inaugural 2009 bears little resemblance to anything in the La Gloria Cubana lineup. It notably marks a stark contrast from the powerful and popular Serie R. The medium-bodied flavor is, to say the least, distinctive, with dry notes of potato, olive, and cork and a light aftertaste of oats and pepper. The voluminous smoke smells heartier than it tastes.

Aside from the welcome addition of a graham cracker spice, the flavor remains unchanged until the nub. Both of my samples were complemented by outstanding combustion qualities. These included a remarkably stable and firm ash, a smooth draw, and a slow, even burn.

Overall, I’m not going out on a limb when I say that this is one of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s finest creations. I hope the Edición Inaugural 2009 is a sign of things to come from the new EPC Cigar Co. With the only drawbacks being price and limited availability, I can confidently award this 120-minute smoke four and a half 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 five inch by 50 ring gauge cigar may not be the prettiest stick around, what with its splotchy, somewhat veiny skin. But it sure is a treat to smoke. Pre-light notes of earth and cocoa give way to a balanced profile that’s both peppery and sweet. With oak barrel-aged Cameroon, Brazilian, and Dominican tobaccos, the flavor is smooth and creamy with a medium body of dark chocolate and coffee beans. And the physical properties are befitting a $10 cigar.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys