The Stogie Guys

Not to be over-simplistic or anything but, when it comes to cigar bands, stogie enthusiasts fall into one of two categories: those that trash ’em and those that hoard ’em. For reasons heretofore unexplained, I fall into the latter category.

I never had a good reason to carefully remove each paper ring that adorns the many sticks I’ve smoked over the years, cautiously straightening them under the weight of my torch lighter and haphazardly placing them in old, wooden cigar boxes (pictured). Like most pack rats—and this is the one and only item that qualifies me as such—I guess I always thought I would need them one day.

But that day hasn’t come, and my mound of ornate and colorful bands keeps growing. So what do brothers of the leaf do when they’re up to their necks in cigar bands?

Well, some trade them in for other (arguably more useful) stuff. Bandwagon USA accepts cigar bands, as long as they’re on a pre-accepted list of manufacturers, in exchange for all sorts of items—from flasks and money clips to polishing appliances and luggage. Even some retailers, most notably United Tobacco, are in on the game, allowing fans of their products to trade in bands for company T-shirts, humidors, and LCD TVs. This option seems to be best for smokers who find little or no inherent value in the cigar bands themselves.

Many smokers, however, do and therefore go out of the way to stash away their stockpiles. While the International Label, Seal and Cigar Band Society said back in 1994 that the popularity of U.S. cigar band collecting was dwindling, a quick search on Ebay reveals some are still willing to pay cash, albeit very little, for hundreds of bands. My understanding, though, is that you can’t get into this hobby expecting a big payout.

The final cigar band option, if you’re not going to commit them to the trash, is to use them for decoration. I’ve seen homes with framed assortments of bands on the walls and, depending on the décor, it could work. My dream is to one day have a smoke-filled study complete with wooden bookshelves, dark green walls, and leather chairs. Perhaps portions of my collection could be on display there.

But I haven’t decided what I’m going to do with my bands yet. One thing is for certain, though: I will hang on to a select group that were smoked on memorable occasions because (try not to laugh) they carry some sentimental value. Maybe I’ll trade in others for a cigar store Indian for my future den or a ridiculous coat. What will you do?

–Patrick A

photo credits: Stogie Guys

In a previous Stogie Tip, I passed along some things to remember when it comes to aging cigars. Here, we go in-depth with Doc Stogie, whose Stogie Fresh website is unique in rating cigars and evaluating their aging potential over time.

Stogie Guys: What part does aging play in your enjoyment of cigars?

Doc Stogie: I mostly smoke younger cigars that I feature on the Stogie Fresh 5 podcast or that I am just getting started with in a reviewing cycle. It is not until I get later on in the reviewing cycle of any given cigar that I may smoke a cigar that is a year and a half to two years of age. On the other hand, when I do get to smoke a cigar “just for myself,” I will often times dig into the archives. For example, I recently smoked a Dunhill from 1987 that was absolutely fabulous.

SG: Do you buy cigars specifically to age?

DS: You never can tell how good a cigar will get with age, nor can you be sure whether or not you will even like the cigar after is has some significant time in your humidor. I can taste an LFD DL Chisel, or La Aurora 100 Años, or Ashton ESG and say, man these are good, but they will have much more complexity and smoothness with a bit more age. But, you never really know until you actually try them when they are older.

SG: What sort of questions do you get from Stogie Fresh readers about aging?

DS: I do get a few questions from readers about aging, but not a huge amount. Many people who have recently gotten into cigars either don’t have the wherewithal to purchase enough cigars to lay down, or they haven’t yet had the time to enjoy the effects of long-term aging on the cigars they do have. Laying cigars down to age takes a major commitment: of time, of money, and of effort.

Time is a concept that is lost on many cigar smokers. Many people buy cigars in small batches, say five to ten cigars. They buy them that way so they can smoke one or two and then “lay down” the rest to “age.” However, long-term aging may take years and will require much patience. This is difficult for many people who don’t have the patience to let their cigars age for more than a few months.

SG: What are some of the major considerations to getting into aging cigars?

DS: Ideally you should buy cigars by the box for aging. That way you can keep them in their original box and away from the influences of other aromas and flavors of cigars in the same humidor. Plus, by buying boxes, you will have enough cigars to enjoy periodically for the long term. In any case, this could cost a lot of money. Another monetary consideration is the space to keep all these boxes of cigars. People that want to seriously age their cigars must be thinking in terms of large volume humidors. Either large coolers, or cabinet style humidors, or walk-ins. Providing space for hundreds, if not thousands, of cigars can be costly.

Finally, it takes some effort and even more patience to stick to a process that will reward you with the benefits of aging cigars. By keeping cigars in boxes you can pluck one out at various intervals and try it to note the changes that 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and more have made on the smoke. If you smoke from a box of 25 cigars, at an interval of, say, one every 3 months, that box will last you 6 years. Thus, depending on how well you think a cigar will age, you must either slow your smoking or purchase more boxes. Either way, you can see the cost and time constraints.

Many thanks to Doc Stogie for taking the time to speak with StogieGuys.com. Please check out his website, StogieFresh.com, for more great cigar information.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“Rich, dark, and unexpected.” That’s the tag line of the new Macanudo 1968.  The newest extension of General Cigar’s best-selling Macanudo brand was introduced at the IPCPR trade show in July and began hitting cigar stores in mid-August. The blend celebrates 40 years since Ramón Cifuentes began developing Macanudo, which was eventually released in 1971.

This five inch by 50 ring gauge Robusto retails for $8.50, and is one of four sizes. The line also comes in a Toro (6x 54), a Churchill (7x 49) , and a Gigante (6x 60)—a size being emphasized by General in a number of different blends.

According to General Cigar’s promotional materials, the 1968 features tobacco “grown by General Cigar or cultivated for the company under an agreement of exclusivity…aged in tercios and charcoaled wooden barrels to further enrich its flavor.”

The blend features a Dominican and Nicaraguan filler that includes tobacco grown on the Nicaraguan island of Ometepe, volcanic land known for its rich soil that rises out of Lake Nicaragua. The binder is Connecticut Habano, wrapped in a Honduran San Agustin leaf.

Before lighting the classically proportioned Robusto, I find a highly aromatic cigar filled with leather and earth. The wrapper is oily with only a few small veins, and with classic Macanudo construction the cigar is firm to the touch with no soft or spongy areas.

Once lit, I was greeted with lots of leather, burnt cedar, and roasted coffee. The taste is distinctly chewy, and the finish had muted licorice flavors with a very subtle pepper spice. There is also an underlying salty characteristic to the 1968 that leaves your mouth dry.

Like most Macanudo sticks I’ve smoked, the physical properties are nearly flawless. The burn was even, the ash steady, and the draw firm but never difficult. The only construction complaint I have is that a few times the Macanudo 1968s I sampled for this review seemed to go out prematurely, requiring relights to enjoy the cigar as the burn neared the attractive black band.

Despite being billed as the fullest Macanudo, I would be more inclined to call the Macanudo 1968 medium- to medium-full. It reminded me of a slightly toned down Partagas Black, although the 1968 is a far more complex smoke.

Overall the Macanudo 1968 is a nice addition to the line. It will go a long way towards combating Macanudo’s reputation among smokers as simplistic or as a beginner’s cigar (a reputation I don’t think is always deserved.) The flavors won’t be enjoyed by all, but it is a unique, interesting, and complex profile that I found quite pleasant. The Macanudo 1968 Robusto earns a rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

From Cupido, J.L. Salazar, Don Kiki (Brown and White), La Carolina, and Cameroon, Cuban Crafters makes some excellent, under-priced cigars. And, as you probably know, we have not been shy about providing honest reviews of these wonderfully blended, expertly constructed lines.

Cuban Crafters’ modus operandi has thus far focused on value. But, in the coming weeks, the Miami-based boutique manufacturer will introduce its “crown jewel”: the new Medina 1959 blend. We’re told the idea is to create a pre-Castro stogie (hence 1959) made by masters who have cigar experience from the forbidden island nation. The five vitolas in this premium line, therefore, will be handmade in Miami by Cuban expatriates under the supervision of Manuel Medina, formerly of the H. Upmann and Davidoff factories in Cuba.

Our friends at Cuban Crafters were nice enough to send us a pre-release box of 25 Robustos (5 x 50), which has an MSRP of $200. The presentation is brilliant; the finished maroon and gold cedar chest won’t be one of those cigar boxes you toss once the sticks are gone.

You’ll also want to hang on to at least a few of the ornate double bands. They rest perfectly atop the clean Cuban-seed Sumatra wrappers, which exude prelight hints of sweet hay and field grass.

I tasted about eight Robustos for this review and found that my V-cutter works best. You only need to carefully puncture the tip of the cap to reach the Cuban-seed Habano long-filler and establish an even draw—a strategy that preserves more tobacco for smoking.

The most prominent flavors are of toast, cream, and butterscotch, but careful cigar enthusiasts will also find an onion-like spice when smoked through the nose. The whole effect is mild yet tasty with interesting flavors weaving in and out as the straight burn progresses. While the smoke becomes spicier and richer in the final third, I think the cigar is accurately labeled as mild- to medium-boded.

My understanding, according to Cuban Crafters’ marketing materials, is the tobacco in this fine cigar is already “extremely aged.” That may be, but I have a feeling what remains from my box will benefit significantly from an extra six months or so of humidor time.

Still, these are great cigars now. And although you don’t need me to understand that you can get some fine stogies for $8 apiece, this new line is undoubtedly worthy of your attention—especially for fans of creamy, toasty cigars. The Cuban Crafters Medina 1959 Robusto earns 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 take on a single cigar.

I like lanceros. So when I saw this 7 inch Serie V I had to give it a try. I used a V-cutter and a conventional butane lighter, fearing a torch would be too much for the 38 ring gauge foot. It drew fine from start to finish and produced lots of smoke. I was disappointed, though, in the flavors. The cigar just wasn’t as smooth or as tasty as other Olivas I’ve enjoyed. Perhaps there’s too much of the Habano Sun Grown wrapper relative to the Nicaraguan filler. I recommend other vitolas—Cigar Aficionado named the Torpedo the fourth best cigar for 2007—in this high-quality line.

Verdict = Sell.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief take on a single cigar.

I decided to test “Nub theory” with this Connecticut-wrapped torpedo (4 x 64) on a sunny morning with a cup of Kona coffee. (Interestingly, the Nub website doesn’t list this size, although they were being distributed at the IPCPR show, where I grabbed this particular stick.) The medium-bodied flavors of this stubby little smoke melded perfectly with the coffee, featuring a smooth creamy base with cocoa and a touch of cedar. The construction was also impressive, with the distinctive firm solid ash.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

From Erik Espinoza and Eddie Ortega’s United Tobacco, the outfit that brought us the smash hit 601 Serie blends, comes a new highly anticipated cigar. Cubao, the Taino word for “where fertile land is abundant” or “a great place,” was recently introduced at this year’s IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas.

Like the older Green, Blue, and Red labels, Cubao has the advantage of the tried and true Pepin-blended, Estelí-made combination. The six vitolas are marketed as full-bodied with Ecuador Sumatra oscuro wrappers and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

The robusto-sized 4 and 7/8 inch by 50 ring gauge No. 4 is oily, firm, and fragrant with an attractive band that blends into the wrapper and serves as a departure from the flashy bands of the 601s. Singles sell for about $6 and rustic boxes of 20 in the $130-150 price range.

After smoking over ten No. 4s between the two of us in the past several weeks, we’re convinced that cost is more than reasonable. We think you’ll agree from the moment you light up a Cubao, which predictably starts with a trademark blast of peppercorn that has become synonymous with Don Pepin Garica’s creations.

What we found most interesting about this blend is its unwavering balance. After the initial greeting of spice we found a variety of tastes including wheat, oak, and bread. While the profile is definitely medium to full, and while the flavor is consistent throughout, this balance keeps the smoke exciting and cool—never too spicy, too strong, or too harsh. Look for a slight increase of bitterness in the last two inches.

The mechanics of the stogie’s performance are also top-notch, probably superior to those of some cigars in the more expensive 601 blends (of which we are huge fans). We found even burns, moderate draws, and firm ashes across our array of samples.

All told, perhaps this is the best compliment we can give this new addition to United Tobacco’s lineup: This is the kind of cigar that makes you want to smoke one more right away, preferably another Cubao. So don’t hesitate putting the EO Cubao No. 4 on your “Must Try” list; we give it four and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick A & Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys