The Stogie Guys

Rum and cigars go remarkably well together, sharing complementary flavor profiles and a similarly tropical heritage. This is no secret to anyone remotely familiar with cigars or spirits. So what new light, if any, can be shed on cigar and rum pairings?

Plenty. In fact, I would argue that simply matching a random stogie to a random glass of liquor is doing a grave disservice to both. Care and attention must be paid to selecting a rum that accentuates a cigar’s flavors without overwhelming them.

Perhaps the right rum adds spice where there is little, or adds a touch of sweetness where there is spice (see El Dorado). Either way, you don’t want the match to be too on-the-nose.  The perfect rum for a given cigar will both round out existing flavors and, within reason, hint at new flavors that could not be uncovered without the drink. Like the combination of beans and rice, the marriage of cigar and rum conjures flavors and textures neither product could produce on its own.

Flor de Caña is one of my favorites: a premium Nicaraguan rum sold at upscale supermarkets, served at cigar bars, and probably available online from specialty retailers. In particular, Centenario is well worth the $25-30 or so that you’ll pay for a 750ml bottle. This is a 12-year-old sipping rum, to be enjoyed straight or on the rocks – but never muddied with a mixer.

The Centenario has the medium caramel coloring and peaty aroma of a single-malt Scotch – quite unusual for a rum of any variety. Like a good Scotch, it too must be given some time to “open up” or air out after the first pour. It can be quite strong when fresh out of the bottle, and I find that a few minutes of airing, and perhaps a dash of cold water, will help unlock the complexities of the liquor and mellow out its bite.

Once sufficiently “opened,” the rum still maintains its peaty strength, but will reveal hints of citrus, hazelnut, vanilla, and spice. This is not a sweet rum by any means, and as such I would not recommend pairing it with a light-bodied or overly mellow cigar. At the same time, the flavors of the rum might be cancelled out by a strong or spicy stogie. I would recommend pairing the Centenario with anything from the Fuente Hemingway line, perhaps a Rocky Patel ’92, or especially an Oliva Serie O – the latter being a Nicaraguan puro to match this Nicaraguan rum in character and in flavor.

–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As a coffee lover, it’s only natural that I gravitate toward maduro cigars. The dark, rich, earthy tones of a good maduro pair perfectly with a steaming cup of black coffee (or a nice glass of rum, depending upon the time of day).

Recently I found myself searching for the perfect accompaniment to several pounds of ludicrously expensive and rare Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans I’d been given by an old friend. Coffee aficionados will know instantly, at the mere mention of the Jamaican Blue Mountain appellation, that these are no ordinary coffee beans. And they demand no ordinary smoke to match them.

Ordinarily, I stock my humidor with plenty of 5 Vegas Series A’s. Inexpensive, yet phenomenal, they’ve been my everyday smoke for many months now. But for this special occasion, I decided to be a bit more adventurous, and I splurged on some Montecristo Media Noche No. 2s. At roughly $15 per stick, or $230 for a box, the No. 2 is not the kind of cigar I should have bought on impulse. For many of us, that’s quite a hefty price to pay on a whim – especially for Montecristo’s first foray into maduro territory. For all I knew, they might have screwed this one up.

A quick physical assay of the cigar in question, however, put my fears to rest. Dark, oily, and impeccably wrapped, the Media Noche is quite the show pony. Had Plato smoked cigars, he might have considered this handsome torpedo the archetypal image of ‘cigar-ness.’ To take this stogie in hand is to see and smell the luxury of well-oiled leather. The pre-light aroma gave off deep and striking notes of espresso, leather, and earth. I couldn’t wait to light up this impressively sized, 6.1 inch by 54 ring gauge beauty and find out if my senses weren’t deceiving me.

I wasn’t dreaming. The cigar lit beautifully and maintained a very firm, but manageable draw. The burn was even throughout, producing a light gray ash that contrasted beautifully with the darkness of the Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper. For such a powerful-looking cigar, the Media Noche began with a whisper: a rich, peppery, but decidedly mellow flavor, slowly building up as the smoke progressed. This richness gave way to notes of vanilla and even cream as the cigar reached its final third – a delicate landing after a smooth takeoff and enjoyable flight.

I give this fine cigar a near-perfect four and 1/2 out of five stogies.

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

–Jon N

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The big event that we had been writing about and planning for over a month finally went down yesterday at Carpool in Arlington, Virginia. And I am happy to report that the DC Stogie Guys Cigar Smoke Out was a huge success.

While we had hosted a few of these events in the past, yesterday’s Smoke Out was particularly fun because our friends at Cuban Crafters generously provided free cutters and cigars from their Cameroon line for all attendees. Based on what I overheard, I think it’s safe to say everyone enjoyed the sticks, which boast mild, woody notes and a typical Cameroon sweetness.

But Cuban Crafters’ generosity didn’t end there. They also provided a three-finger black leather cigar case, a stainless steel cutter, a marble ashtray, and a 100-count humidor for us to give away in a free raffle. Stewart Cumbo, seen below, took home the grand prize.

Thank you once again to Cuban Crafters for making the event possible, and thank you to everyone who joined us for a great afternoon of cigars and camaraderie. We look forward to seeing you again soon!

–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.

Big, black, and bold, this five and ½ inch by 60 ring gauge Bucanero behemoth packs rich, textured flavors of dark chocolate and burning timber. The Nicaraguan, Honduran, Italian, and Costa Rican blend is full-bodied and well-balanced. With decent construction – including a fairly even burn for its large girth – I can recommend this at $7 a pop.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

We are pleased to announce an important addition to our StogieGuys.com team. Effective immediately, Jon N will join the StogieGuys.com staff as our Los Angeles Bureau Chief – strengthening our reporting from America’s West Coast.

Despite being 28, Jon smoked his first cigar 15 years ago (do the math) in Las Vegas, as his new bio explains:

Jon Nathanson introduced himself to cigars at the tender of age of 13, when he and some of his enterprising friends procured a fake ID and purchased a box of hand-rolled stogies at a smoke shop on the Las Vegas Strip. Having no clue how to smoke a cigar didn’t deter Jon, and he inhaled a couple of premium sticks. His juvenile curiosity was rewarded with a severe headache, nausea, and a vow not to smoke again for as long as he lived.

Never a man of his word, Jon took up smoking cigars many years later at the age of 25. Since then, he has learned to treat the hobby with the respect, appreciation, and determination it deserves. Now, at 28, Jon considers himself an ardent enthusiast, if not quite a seasoned expert. His personal knowledge of cigars, the cigar lifestyle, and the history of the industry is still a work in progress – but he is learning a great deal more each day.

Jon holds a BA in English and American Studies from Yale University, and he is planning to attend business school in the fall of 2008. He has been working for over five years in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, the city where he was born and raised. When not working hard, or hardly working, Jon enjoys writing, running, fishing, pleasantly inept karaoke, and leisurely smokes on the beach in Malibu (where he is very careful not to start fires).

Jon’s enormous, garish, White House-shaped humidor is the envy of no one in particular. Nevertheless, it is always well stocked with a diverse array of cigars from around the world. Jon’s personal favorites include the Arturo Fuente Hemingway line, the Rocky Patel Vintage series, and most full-bodied maduros.

Jon’s addition to the StogieGuys.com staff will diversify our perspective on reviews, news, commentaries, and tips from the world of cigars. We hope you are as excited to welcome Jon as we are, and we know you will enjoy reading his well-written prose.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

I am proud to report that today’s article is a very special one here at StogieGuys.com. Tim Ozgener, president of CAO Cigars, has graciously donated his time to answer my questions for the latest edition of our Cigar Insider series.

As the purveyor of such notable lines as America, Black, Brazilia, and Criollo, Tim likely needs no introduction. But I will say this: I met him at last year’s Big Smoke Las Vegas (pictured below), and I was pleased to see him right in the thick of things, mingling with fans and lighting their CAO samples. In the following exchange, which occurred via email, I ask Tim about his favorite cigar, CAO’s biggest challenge, and much more.

Stogie Guys: Can you pick a favorite CAO cigar, or is that like asking a father to pick a favorite son? What’s your favorite non-CAO stick?

Tim Ozgener: Choosing one CAO over all of the others is, in fact, quite like asking a father to pick a favorite child. That said, a lot just depends upon my given mood at the time I select a cigar or the time of day I’m smoking. For example, this morning I reached for a CAO Gold Lonsdale because I wanted a nice, smooth, buttery cigar to accompany my morning coffee. Later in the afternoon I might go for something with more body and spice like a CAO Sopranos or CAO Vision. As far as the non-CAO choice goes, I don’t really have a “favorite,” per se. I do believe in smoking other brands and often times do; to not be aware of what the market is doing is a mistake. But the honest truth is that, to me, one brand doesn’t really stand out to me as a “favorite non-CAO.”

SG: With two contrasting wrappers, was it difficult to blend America, the newest CAO line?

TO: America was very difficult to blend, actually. I spent a good deal of time at the factory working to get that blend to where I wanted it to be. Sometimes, you’re fortunate and nail the desired flavor profile within the first three or four samples, but America took a good deal of “tweaking” and adjustments to get it just right.

SG: Do you think today’s barber pole phenomenon is just an industry fad, or is it a sincere attempt to uncover new flavor combinations?

TO: A “barber pole” style of cigars is nothing really new and, in fact, has been around for years and years. In the case of CAO, we don’t perceive the barber pole as a fad in the least. America is a great example of how two wrappers can yield an incredibly unique but flavorful blend that you just wouldn’t be able to duplicate without that second contrasting wrapper leaf.

SG: What new lines can we expect from CAO down the road?

TO: We’re working on several new items and developing various new blends that we plan on bringing to market this summer at the IPCPR trade show in July; however, I can’t really divulge anything at this moment.

SG: In the near future, what is the greatest challenge facing CAO? The cigar industry in general?

TO: I think the greatest challenge for us is and always has been to create new brands and blends that will not only bring something unique to the market but that don’t compete with any of our existing lines, as well. As far as the greatest challenge to the industry as a whole goes, I would definitely put legislation towards the top of that list. With so much anti-smoking legislation going on, and with movements such as SCHIP, it’s an ongoing struggle for today’s cigar smoker to make their voices heard and stand up for one’s individual rights to continue to enjoy a premium cigar.

SG: How has Henri Wintermans’ acquisition of CAO changed your business?

TO: ST Cigar Group’s acquisition of CAO hasn’t really changed our business a great deal. There has been an element of greater corporate structure, reporting, and accountability, but that was a direction we were headed in prior to the acquisition anyway.

SG: What one fact about CAO do you wish more aficionados were aware of?

TO: I would want aficionados to have a better understanding of exactly how much time, effort, and labor really does go into producing a cigar. I think that often times there’s a real lack of respect for the product, but once you’ve actually been down at the factory level and you witness firsthand how much time and labor goes into each step of the process – from planting to harvesting to fermentation to curing to sorting to bunching, rolling, ageing, etc. – you acquire a whole new level of respect for the product that I think too many “aficionados” often take for granted.

Many thanks to Tim Ozgener for taking the time to speak with us. For more information and to find a CAO retailer near you, please visit www.CAOCigars.com.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In all honesty, I’ve pulled fewer sticks from the humidor with lower expectations. The combination of a silly name and a girth that seems more appropriate for a billy club isn’t what I look for in a cigar.

On the other hand, I have read and heard good things about this line. So, with some serious reading to do, I thought I’d give the Maxx a try.

I got the five inch by 58 ring gauge “The Fix” at the 2007 Cigar Artisans a couple of months ago. According to Alec Bradley’s website, the blend is a complex one. The wrapper is a lovely Nicaraguan Habano; the binder from Costa Rica; and the filler is a four-nation mix from Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras.

I’ve seen different listings for the single stick price. Some sources put it at $4.75, others at $5. Boxes of 20 appear to run around $90.

Keeping up the theme of honesty, I have to say that the cigar was much better than I anticipated. It took a bit to get it lit, which wasn’t a surprise given the ring size. But it burned evenly through most of the smoke, even though I put it in the ashtray frequently.

The taste was smooth and the draw was fine. While not a particularly complex cigar — not as full-bodied as its advertising touts — it was satisfying, with a nice tobacco taste and touches of sharp cocoa and coffee.

If a large cigar is what you like, I suggest you give the Maxx a try. For me, however, the ring size is just too big to be comfortable and, because of that, I feel I can give it a rating of only three out of five stogies.

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

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys