The Stogie Guys

Even though Frank Llaneza was born into the industry, he is undoubtedly a cigar legend in his own right. And now Altadis is honoring his half century of entrepreneurship and innovation with a new blend.

Llaneza, who grew up sweeping floors at his father’s modest Ybor City outfit, is best known for expanding Villazon & Co. by establishing factories in Central America in the early 1960s. He was a pioneer in Honduras immediately following the Cuban embargo, which is why many consider Llaneza to be “the godfather of Honduran cigars.” Decades later, in 1996, he sold Villazon to General Cigar Holdings Inc. for millions.

According to press materials circulated at the IPCPR Trade Show in August, “now he has put his name on a cigar that embodies the perfect balance between his genius and passion.” The blend, made at the Altadis USA factory in Nicaragua, recognizes a man who “has been growing superior tobacco and creating cigars of exceptional pedigree since 1961.”

The Frank Llaneza 1961 features a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican leaves, a Nicaraguan binder, and a dark Ecuadorian criollo ’98 wrapper. Notes of milk chocolate and coffee permeate the toothy surface right out of the cellophane.

With a suggested retail price of $7 apiece, the oily, firm Cuban Corona frontmark measures five and five-eighths inches with a ring gauge of 46. The absence of imperfections serves as evidence of an expert torcedor and quality tobacco.

After lighting the narrow foot with a couple wooden matches and studying the first few puffs, I find a balanced, medium-bodied profile of savory meat, nuts, butter, and cereals. A gentle spice on the lips adds depth. The aftertaste is decidedly smooth and leathery.

As the white, sandy ash works its way towards the middle of the cigar, the flavor remains surprisingly consistent. Here, I discover that the quicker I smoke, the meatier the cigar becomes. And since I enjoy the subtler tastes of the Frank Llaneza 1961 more than the charred steak characteristics at the forefront, I decide to slow down.

That strategy works well through the final third, which is a bit bolder than the rest of the cigar. All the while the combustion qualities—including a slow, even burn, a fairly solid ash, and a good draw—are reliable.

On the whole, I wouldn’t be surprised if this young limited release develops nicely over the coming months and years. It would be a good candidate for my regular golf course rotation if it were easier to find and priced a bit lower. Regardless, cigar enthusiasts who enjoy rich, meaty profiles should definitely check out the Frank Llaneza 1961 Cuban Corona. I give it three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Felipe Gregorio is one of those cigar brands I wish I knew more about. But thanks to Amine Taoulost, Felipe’s marketing director, I got a first-hand look at this company and its products at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans this August.

Felipe, inspired by the Cuban cigars he smoked while growing up in Europe, got his self-titled outfit off the ground when he gave up selling helicopters in the Middle East in 1988. His subsequent cigar journey took him to Honduras and Nicaragua before finally settling in the Dominican Republic. There, at request of Frank Sinatra—who wanted Felipe to craft a cigar bearing his name—Felipe established the Tabacalera Real de Felipe Gregorio factory.

One of Felipe’s most intriguing projects is the Moroccan Series. This unique line of cigars includes four different blends named for the region of Morocco in which their tobacco is grown. Essaoura, an isolated city on the Atlantic coast known for its whitewashed houses, is said to produce leaves of “rich, earthy flavors,” according to Felipe’s website. The blend features 40% Essaoura tobacco, 60% Dominican, and a Vuelta Abajo habano wrapper.

The Amir frontmark, a five inch by 52 ring gauge figurado, has a tapered foot and a broad midsection that narrows at the head. Behind two black and yellow bands, the wrapper is coarse, splotchy, and a bit rough around the edges. Both of my samples were firm to the touch with faint pre-light notes of hay and pencil.

My first impression of the taste is that it’s spicy, complex, and—despite the distinctive blend—quite traditional. A full-bodied array of pepper, cedar, cork, and dried tea shines through with each voluminous puff. While I expected something entirely different given the Moroccan connection, I was pleased with what I found.

The flavor mellows and takes on more balance as the cigar opens to its widest point. Here, cream and almond enter the equation to provide a smooth contrast to the woody base. The final third, characterized by more of a meaty texture, is an appropriate way to end a hearty cigar.

I was impressed by all this 60-minute smoke has to offer, including its near-perfect construction performance. So if, like me, you need to better acquaint yourself with the Felipe Gregorio brand, consider picking up a sampler of the three Essaoura vitolas for $24 from CasaFelipe. You’ll enjoy the Amir, which 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.”

Padrón 1964 is one of the highest-rated and most acclaimed cigar lines for good reason. This square-press, five and a half inch by 50 ring gauge parejo has a dark wrapper and impressive construction. It’s very firm, but never to the detriment of the draw or burn. This stick features a complex blend of coffee beans, unsweetened chocolate, and earthy notes. The result is a classic, rich combination of balanced, medium- to full-bodied flavors.

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.”

While I’ve had many good experiences with many La Flor Dominicana smokes, this Torpedo (6 x 54)—on this particular occasion—wasn’t up to snuff. I mostly enjoyed its flavor of spice, leather, and cream. But this Ecuadorian Sumatra-wrapped cigar suffered from poor combustion qualities that consistently deteriorated from my enjoyment. I wanted more from a $7-9 cigar made by a premier tobacco outfit and, hoping this was merely a dud, I expect the next one to be better.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Generally speaking, I often prefer the bold, rustic taste of American bourbons to Irish, Scottish, or Canadian whiskies. I suspect many of you have the same preference. But, taking a small step outside my comfort zone, I decided to check out the affordable Reserve 10 Year Old from our neighbor to the north.

Poking around on Canadian Club’s video-intensive website, I was surprised to learn that this 150-year-old company isn’t as foreign as its name might suggest. It was founded in 1858 by an American, Hiram Walker. Fearing the temperance movement in his home country, which ultimately culminated in an ill-fated 13-year criminalization of alcohol, Walker built a distillery across the Detroit River in Ontario, Canada. From there he exported his popular “Club Whiskey” to high-end bars, restaurants, and golf courses around the world.

Any company this old is bound to have some history, and Canadian Club is no exception. Legend has it that Winston Churchill’s future mother, visiting New York in the 1870s, requested a cocktail consisting of Club Whiskey and sweet vermouth—inadvertently inventing the first Manhattan. And Canadian Club helped fuel Prohibition-era speakeasies in the U.S. by dealing directly with Chicago gangster Al Capone.

Today, Canadian club’s whiskies, including the Classic 12 Year Old, are sold in over 150 countries globally. They are made from a combination of corn, rye, rye malt, and barley malt that’s uniquely blended before aging to enhance the marriage of flavors.

The Reserve 10 Year Old is aged in once-used white oak. These American bourbon barrels were chosen because, by the time they are used by Canadian Club, they’ve lost their aggressive oak profile—making them well-suited for a mellow spirit.

So it isn’t surprising that the nose is bit tough to pick up, especially for a whiskey. But, after a low viscosity pour, careful attention yields elusive aromas of smoke, butterscotch, honey, and citrus. The bright and crisp taste includes oak, vanilla, corn, and toffee. And while the finish is impressively long and warm, the overall effect is nonetheless soft and slightly dry.

Most will enjoy the Reserve 10 Year Old neat or on the rocks—especially for a whiskey that sells for $15-18 per 750 ml. bottle (80 proof). Those of you who are more accustomed to hearty bourbon flavors, though, may find it approachable yet too mellow on its own. So try it in a highball, old fashioned, whiskey sour, Manhattan, or with a splash of Coke.

The success of various cigar pairings will likely depend on your cocktail of choice. But, in its most straightforward form, I can recommend medium-bodied smokes like the Montecristo No. 2, Cuban Crafters Cubano Claro, PG 15th Anniversary, and the La Aurora Barrel Aged.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

If you haven’t heard of the Vartan Zoravar, you’re not alone. I was sent these cigars as part of a blind tasting and, as of now, they are only available in one shop in the country: Ambassador Fine Cigars in Scottsdale, Arizona.

But Ambassador owner Vartan Seferian has plans to change that, as a national distribution rollout is underway. The Zoravar (named after an Armenian hero, which translates as “Iron Man”) is a most unusual house blend.

Instead of going the traditional route of simply reselling a low-priced bundle cigar, Seferian employed Henke Kelner, head blender for Davidoff, to make his cigars.

Kelner’s blend uses a deep brown Nicaraguan Cuban-seed corojo wrapper around an Ecuadorian sungrown binder (a Connecticut/Cuban-seed hybrid), and Dominican piloto, olor, and San Vicente filler. It’s lumpy with a sharp taper at its head.

Pre-light, the Vartan is aromatic with a combination of barnyard, cinnamon, and notes of rum. The belicoso starts out with a balanced woody flavor that ends in a long, peppery, toasty finish.

As the cigar evolves, cocoa and cedar appear around the midway point. Then it becomes a bit creamy. Throughout, it’s medium-bodied with an abundance of sweet, aromatic smoke.

Surprisingly for a Henke Kelner creation, I noticed some construction issues in two of the three samples I smoked for this review. While the draw was perfect, an uneven burn and unstable ash distracted from the smoking experience.

Not surprisingly, though, the Vartan carries a price more like a Davidoff than like most discount house brands. But for $17 you get a cigar far more interesting than the average “house blend”—even if that makes it less likely to be your daily smoke.

That complexity earns this unique house blend a most respectable rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Along with 1961 and Corojo Especial, “Patel Bros.” was one of three blends released by Rocky Patel at the 77th annual International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show in New Orleans. Inaugural shipments of the new line are arriving at retailers across the U.S. as we speak.

This appropriately named four-vitola blend represents the first collaboration between Rocky and his brother, Nimesh. According to Rocky’s website, “the duo worked for years to find a robust and unique wrapper to accompany a special Nicaraguan filler and binder blend.” They finally settled on an interesting choice: a broadleaf wrapper from the fields of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The result is rumored to taste similar to Rocky’s popular Winter Collection.

I was fortunate enough to grab a Patel Bros. Toro (6.5 x 52) when I was covering the IPCPR event back in August. So please note that this review is based off a single pre-release sample.

As you can see, my sample doesn’t include Rocky’s finished band, which features gold lettering on a black and white background. But it does include a dark and toothy wrapper, an absence of large veins or seams, a heavy weight, and a firm feel.

Pre-light, I find intense, mouth-watering aromas of sweet chocolate and espresso, especially off the foot. The well-constructed cap clips neatly to reveal an easy draw and some spice and sweetness on the lips.

Patel Bros. is full-bodied from the start. The first few puffs greet you with a rich taste of coffee, cocoa beans, and black pepper. Then, after the first inch, the flavor mellows slightly while remaining vigorous. A bit chalky, this profile reminds me of the Cain Habano—but perhaps with a little more depth.

Leather comes to the foreground as the winding yet self-correcting burn works down to the final third. All the while, the draw remains clear and the gray ash holds decently.

I enjoyed the young Patel Bros. Toro today, but I fully expect it to improve with age tomorrow. Still, absent any further development, it is already worth its price tag of $6-9 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