The Stogie Guys

For my money, there are few places where cigar smoking is a better accompaniment than on the golf course. I may not be playing scratch golf, but with an excellent cigar and the panoramic views of a nice course it is easy to shake off a bad three-putt.

And entrepreneurs are not oblivious to the fact that golf and cigars go so well together, especially now that the golf course is a rare public place where smoking is largely still welcomed. To cash in on this niche, there are a host of devices on the market that are specifically designed to hold your stogie on the golf course. Over the last few months I’ve played over a dozen rounds with four such devices.

Heater Holder: I first mentioned the Heater Holder over a year ago and praised the device for its simplicity. The small metal cigar holder attaches to the snaps atop golf bags that are normally designed to secure a rain cover. The basic version sells for $25, but other models are available in silver, sterling silver, and gold for those looking for a little more flash. It also features a chain that attaches to your bag, so that you won’t lose the Heater Holder if you knock it off the snaps. The device is perfect for those who prefer to walk the course, but isn’t as useful if you strap your clubs to the back of a motor cart.

Cigar Wedge: In true gadget form this cigar holder resembles a golf club, only with a V-shaped top that will cradle your cigar. Don’t try and hit a golf ball with the plastic head because it or the wooden shaft will likely shatter, but that’s OK because the $25 Cigar Wedge won’t count against your 14-club limit. If your experience is anything like mine, other players in your foursome will take notice of this gadget, which is kind of the point of gadgets anyway, isn’t it?

Puff Caddie: Like the Cigar Wedge, one end of this device is embedded into the ground while the other metal top provides a stable platform for your cigar to rest on while crushing your drive or lining up your putt. The Puff Caddie is made with a modified actual steel golf shaft with a real grip near the top just below the cigar platform. The steel shaft means it is easy to push into even the firmest tee box. Also, like the Cigar Wedge, it is a sure conversation starter.

Hole in One Cigar Holder: By far the most affordable of the group was the Hole In One, which can be had for under $5. The simple plastic device resembles a golf ball on a tee, only with a hole in the middle for you to place your stogie through. I had to learn the hard way that when placing your cigar in the Hole In One, you should be sure to place the head through, otherwise you’re likely to knock the ash off. Also, don’t bother with the huge ring gauges as I’m not sure that anything larger than 56 could fit. Still, this has all the characteristics of a successful gadget; sure it’s functional, but it also reminds you that it is a gadget designed for the golf course, form and function as it were.

All in all, none of these gadgets are must buys for the average stogie-puffing hacker, and quite frankly, given that the only requirement for a cigar holder for golf is something that will keep your cigar off the chemical-filled grass, two tees will work just as well.

But gadgets are all about flash, and each of the four devices has some in its own way. So if you’re looking for flash (perhaps to distract from your triple-digit golf score) you may want to pick one up.

If you like to walk the course I’d go with the Heater Holder. If your back already aches from teeing up your balls and marking your putts, go with the flashier Puff Caddie or Cigar Wedge. If you’re looking for function at a value, pick up the Hole In One.

Most of all, remember to use your cigar gadget proudly. After all, it’s a great conversation starter. And when you do strike up a conversation about your cigar gadget with a fellow golfing cigar enthusiasist, make sure to tell him that you read about it on StogieGuys.com.

–Patrick S

photo credits: 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.

With a firm ash, an even burn, and a bargain price of $105-118 per box of 25, this Honduran puro is hard not to recommend. The 6 inch by 60 ring gauge Gigante is well-balanced and satisfying, encompassing notes of dry wood, clove, and smooth spice. I’d purchase this again in a heartbeat, not so much as a stand-alone smoke, but as an excellent accompaniment to a round of 18 holes or, as Cigar Jack says, a friendly barbeque.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Taking up cigars is exciting. So much to enjoy, so much to explore. But it can also be an intimidating time, what with all the new lingo, aficionados, and a seemingly endless range of options.

If you’re a new smoker, my first recommendation is to take a deep breath (before lighting up) and just relax. This is, after all, cigar smoking. Not rocket science, brain surgery, or even changing the oil in your car. About the worst thing that’s likely to happen is you’ll mess up a cigar or two, and while that might be a shame, it’s certainly not a crime.

From time to time, Stogie Guys will specifically address new cigar smokers. And, who knows, maybe a grizzled vet or two will stumble across something new as well. Here’s our first round of tips:

Get a Little Salty: You need to make sure your hygrometer is properly calibrated to monitor the humidity level where your cigars are stored. There’s really only one way: the salt calibration test. Everything you need to know to perform this simple, effective operation is here.

Light Right: Wonder if you’re clipping and lighting your cigar correctly? Let Doc Stogie entertain and enlighten you with his demonstration of the proper techniques at Stogie Fresh TV, and also read our tip on choosing the proper cutting tool.

Talk is Cheap: You probably have a great cigar resource nearby: the owner of your local B&M. The next time you stop by strike up a conversation. It’s a particularly good time now because you can ask what’s new from IPCPR. Describe what you like and ask for recommendations. A good owner can greatly increase your knowledge and enjoyment.

Caveat Smoker: Sooner of later, nearly every cigar smoker is presented with the “opportunity” to buy Cuban cigars. Warning: They are almost unquestionably counterfeits. Back in 2006, Patrick S. detailed how you can avoid getting stung.

Fancy or Plain: There’s nothing wrong with expensive lighters, high-priced cutters, and other upscale cigar accouterments. If you like them, go for it. But sometimes you can get Porsche performance at Hyundai prices. Read Patrick A.’s take on a terrific butane torch lighter for under $3.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Like cigars themselves, pairing a spirit with a cigar is part science, part art. So while I’m as big a fan as anyone of pairing a fine cigar with scotch, bourbon, or rum, some of the most interesting pairings have been the result of a little more experimenting.

In my opinion, beer often doesn’t get a fair shake as a pairing with cigars. Perhaps this is because many Americans think of the watery, unflavorful beers that we see marketed on television, overlooking the many hand-crafted, flavorful beers that are widely available to consumers.

Like Sam Adams and Ommegang Ale, which have been the subject of previous Stogie Spirits articles, the Trappist beers of the Chimay Brewery are flavorful hand-crafted beers with flavors that seem more like fine wines. You won’t find Chimay in an aluminum can; instead, it comes in a 75cl bottle, the same size as a standard wine bottle, capped with a champagne-style cork.

Chimay has three main lines of beer, all produced in the Scourmont Abbey in the Belgian municipality of Chimay, where beer has been made since 1863. Here’s an overview of the three varieties of Chimay, and some suggestions of cigars to pair them with:

Chimay Rouge Première

Available for $9 a bottle, the Première is a copper-colored, top fermented ale. It features muted fruit and nut flavors with underlying unfinished barley. That wheaty flavor would go well with a creamy mild cigar like a Macanudo Gold or an Ashton Classic.

Chimay Blanche Cinq Cents

This golden ale is a “tripel” ale, bottled at 8% alcohol at $10 per bottle. Despite its strength, it is a dry, refreshing beer with orange and lemon citrus flavors. The beer is slightly cloudy in color and extraordinarily aromatic. The crisp citrus flavors go well with a peppery cigar like the Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic, or with the spicy sweetness of a Cameroon wrapper.

Chimay Bleue Grande Réserve

This copper brown beer is considered to be the “classic” Chimay ale. It’s also the strongest at 9% alcohol ($11 per 75cl bottle). It has a creamy head with fruit and nut flavors and a slightly bitter taste. Reportedly, it can benefit greatly from cellaring for a few years. With all the fruit and nut flavors, it pairs well with a criollo cigar like the CAO Criollo or the Don Kiki Brown Label.

–Patrick S

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 bought a box of 25 of these box-pressed beauties for my dad and recently tried one during a trip back home to Chicago. The 5.5 inch, 44 ring gauge Corona Canela is every bit as good as the torpedo-shaped Capitan (pictured) with notes of fruit and leather, fine physical properties, and a berry-like sweetness off the wrapper. Cuban Crafters produces only 7,000 boxes annually and, at $50 a pop, you can’t go wrong.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Just about two years ago, Patrick S awarded this small, pig-tailed robusto four stogies, praising its cool smoke and complexity. I’ve had one resting for about a year and a half and thought it might be interesting to see if I agreed.

Though my palate didn’t pick up that Pabst Blue Ribbon in a can flavor he mentioned (though, alerted, I was on the lookout for a hint of Falstaff), there was much similarity in what we found: a peppery blast at the start, a tight ash, some sweetness replaced by a hint of bitterness about halfway through, and an overall pleasant experience. It appeared that aging had little or no significant impact on this Criollo Pato.

The cigar takes its name from the Criollo ’98 wrapper, a hybrid developed in Cuba to resist devastating blue mold. With its Habano heritage, Criollo was a natural to promote as a Cubanesque cigar when CAO introduced the line in 2002. Like the wrapper, the fillers and binder are grown in Nicaragua.

CAO calls it a medium strength cigar, and I’d agree.

The five-cigar Criollo line has something for everyone, at least in size. The Pato is 4 and 7/8 inches long with a 50 ring gauge and generally retails for under $6. You can go smaller and cheaper to the Pampa, a 4 inch, 38 ring gauge smoke packed five to a tin for around $10. Or go larger with the Conquistador, 6 and 1/8 inches long with a 52 ring gauge and a price tag of about $125 for a box of 20.

I’m with Patrick on the rating as well. I look forward to smoking more of these and concur with his rating of four out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Today Cigar Rights of America launches a four-day, five-city whirlwind “Freedom Tour” in Chicago. The event will be followed by tour stops in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and New York before a final gathering in Orlando on Friday. The list of cigar makers attending the events reads like your dream humidor: Toraño, Ozgener, Rocky Patel, Padilla, Padrón, Avo, Drew, Oliva, Fuente…you get the idea.

In late May we first got word of the formation of Cigar Rights of America (CRA), a new organization whose stated goals are “to fight unjustified tax increases and halt smoking bans.” The organization’s logo (which looks like a silhouette of George Washington holding a cigar) and rhetoric hearken back to America’s founding principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The website announces:

“On a daily basis, your freedom to enjoy a cigar is being stripped away by an overzealous, anti-smoking movement. Their tactics are varied; be it through supporting onerous cigar taxes or lobbying government for restrictive smoking bans. The anti-smoking movement will stop at nothing short of the complete prohibition of tobacco.”

I recently spoke with Jeff Borysiewicz, owner of the three Corona Cigar Company locations, who described the details, goals, and challenges of the new organization, which aims to be the consumers’ voice against cigar taxes, bans, and other regulations.

Legally the CRA is a 501(c)(4), which means it is a grassroots membership organization that can advocate for or against legislation but cannot accept tax-deductible donations. Examples of other 501(c)(4) organizations include The National Rifle Association, MoveOn.org, and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

Borysiewicz describes some “friction” from other industry groups, particularly the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association, but he thinks they now see the value of a new organization that focuses exclusively on representing cigar smokers, as opposed to retailers or cigar manufacturers. He envisions the CRA, the IPCPR, and the CAA (Cigar Association of America) as an Army, Air Force, and Navy ready to defend the rights of cigar smokers against harmful taxes and regulations.

While the CRA is currently dependent on industry sources for funding, the idea is for it to be completely self-sufficient within a few years. The aim of the “Freedom Tour” is to recruit 4,000 members. Within a year or two, Borysiewicz says the goal is a hundred thousand members or more—all fully activated and involved in fighting for their rights.

For details on the CRA “Freedom Tour” visit CigarRights.org.

–Patrick S

photo credit: CRA