The Stogie Guys

Ramón Allones Specially Selected is a highly-regarded robusto from one of Cuba’s lesser-known trademarks.

The brand hails all the way back to 1845 when it was created by brothers Ramón and Antonio Allones – neither of whom is related to Antonio Allones, who brought El Rey del Mundo to fame in the late 19th century.

According to legend, Ramón Allones was the first brand to have colorful lithographs for box art, the first brand to utilize bands on cigars, and the first to package cigars in the “8-9-8” style. (Although others also claim to be the first for each of the developments.)

With a classic robusto shape (four and 7/8 inches by 50 ring gauge) and a slight box press, the “Specially Selected” is an attractive cigar. The wrapper is a nearly flawless medium-brown matte color.

Prelight, I take a moment to appreciate its rich and earthy aroma before I clip the head and use a few matches to get a good light. I also notice that the Specially Selected is very firm to the touch and it is denser than most of the other Cuban robustos I have smoked.

Immediately after lighting, I enjoy an abundant amount of leather flavors paired with pepper, earth, and even caramel. As the cigar progresses I find the spice fades out before coming back for a strong finish to this medium- to full-flavored smoke.

The overall construction of the Ramón Allones is also impressive. The draw is firm, but not overly so, and the ash is very sturdy. The only downside is the burn starts off a bit uneven, but fortunately quickly corrects itself.

Ultimately, this is one of the best Cuban cigars I have tasted, and it produced the same well-balanced flavors in each of the sticks I sampled for this review. Because it isn’t as famous as many of its Cuban counterparts, this cigar is available at a reasonable price of just $7.50 per cigar when purchased in a box of 25.

For attractive looks, solid construction, well-blended flavor, and a reasonable price, this Ramón Allones earns a rare rating of five out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Is there anything trendier in the world of cigars than the new barber pole phenomenon? The fad, characterized by two diagonally-woven, contrasting wrapper leaves, seems to be cropping up everywhere from CAO and Don Pepin to Arturo Fuente and Arganese.

But is this technique a sincere and creative attempt at new flavor combinations, or just a mere marketing gimmick? There’s only one way to find out: one at a time.

With Dos Capas, loosely translated as “two capes,” Felipe Gregorio is the manufacturer of one of the most recognizable barber poles. It sports a Connecticut-Sumatra wrapper combination with Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. (The company also makes Tres Capas, which brings a Nicaraguan candela wrapper into the mix.)

I recently tried my luck with a few Dos Capas Churchills. They weigh in at seven inches with a 50 ring gauge and sell in the $4.50 to $5.50 range. I am told they can be had for $3 or less at times on Cbid.

Made at the Tabacalera Real factory in the Dominican Republic, these sticks are a bit bumpy and uneven with some large veins. Like most barber poles, the seams are less than perfect.

After an even light, I found well-balanced, light flavors of oak, straw, and black tea. With two contrasting wrappers, I guess it’s no surprise that these earthy and woody notes – which aren’t quite mild, but aren’t quite full either – produce a taste that’s complex and even on the palate.

Once the first few inches are turned into a solid, well-layered gray ash, the flavor leads into a big, warm tobacco taste that’s familiar and inviting. I experienced a clear draw and a very even burn.

That good fortune turns sour towards the end, however, when heavy bitter notes kick in and the construction begins to suffer. I am also perturbed by the brown and gold band’s tendency to tear the frail wrapper when it is removed.

For me, this cigar demonstrates how barber poles are double-edged swords. While two or more wrappers will often yield a balanced, noble taste, they can also pose troubling construction issues. So, for a promising start and a disappointing finale, I’m giving the Felipe Gregorio Dos Capas Churchill three out of five stogies.

[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.

Between giving it a great review and naming it my 2007 Thanksgiving cigar of choice, I’ve made no secret of my affinity for the Brown Label Toro. The four and ½ inch by 54 ring gauge Figurado, not surprisingly, is another winner. The sun-grown Cuban-seed criollo wrapper and corojo binder provide the same tastes of licorice, spice, earth, toasted nuts, and cocoa in a much shorter format – all for under $1.50 per stick when bought by the box.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Once again StogieGuys.com is using football as an excuse to give our readers an opportunity to win some great cigars. This time, one lucky reader will receive three fine sticks: a Graycliff Grand Cru, a La Aroma de Cuba, and a Bahia Gold – all courtesy of CigarsDirect.com.

The Bahia and the Aroma de Cuba will be the subject of upcoming reviews, while the Graycliff recently received an impressive rating of four out of five stogies.

To win, you need to do the best job picking the following Bowl Championship Series Games:

National Championship: Ohio State vs. LSU

Orange Bowl: Kansas vs. Virginia Tech

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. West Virginia

Sugar Bowl: Hawaii vs. Georgia

Rose Bowl: USC vs. Illinois

To enter, leave a comment on this article that includes your picks for all five games and a prediction for the margin of victory and total points scored for the Championship Game.

The margin of victory, followed by total points, will be used as a tiebreakers if multiple entries correctly predict the same number of games including the National Championship. In the event of matching winning guesses, the first to respond is the winner.

Eligibility: Only one entry per person. Participants must be 21 (verification may be required) and must live in the continental US. You must enter a valid email so we can contact you for a mailing address.

All entries must be received before 2008. Good Luck!

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

“Professional smokers only. Smoke while sitting down.” That’s the somewhat laughable caution adorning Rocky Patel’s Edge line. But after recently smoking about five EO 601 Serie “Green” cigars, I can’t help but think how these Nicaraguan puros are infinitely more deserving of the warning.

Introduced at this year’s RTDA trade show, the Green Label is the youngest, strongest brother in the 601 family. The series – which also includes the habano maduro Blue, Ecuador Connecticut Black, and habano natural Red – is made exclusively for United Tobacco by stogie legend Don “Pepin” Garcia.

The company is headed by Erik Espinoza and Eddie Ortega (thus the “EO” brand name). Keepers of the Flame was nice enough to point out in April that the line name signifies “the date that Eddie and Erik first went to visit Pepin’s factory in Nicaragua.”

Handmade in Estelí, the La Fuerza (loosely translated as “the force”) is five and ½ inches with a ring gauge of 54. This is one fantastic-looking stick. The habano oscuro wrapper is dark and oily with few large veins. For some reason I find the highly detailed green and gold band to be mesmerizing.

A heavy black pepper spice dominates the outset of this smoke with accompanying notes of coffee and roasted nuts – very full and balanced on the palate. That strong flavor settles down after an inch or so into tastes reminiscent of leather, clove, and cocoa bean.

Down the stretch the taste turns slightly bitter. Surprisingly, though, the cigar does not fall into the trap that befalls so many full-bodied sticks by becoming harsh or overpowering at the nub.

The physical properties are exactly what you’d expect from a Pepin-blended stogie: outstanding. The burn is good, the ash holds firm, and the draw is smooth and clear.

When it’s all said and done, this is one of the most full-bodied smokes I’ve ever had the pleasure to enjoy. For about $7 you get 80 minutes of hearty, complex flavors that pair well with anything from black coffee to dark rum.

Not an everyday smoke, but clearly a real treat for special occasions, the EO 601 Serie “Green” La Fuerza is worthy of four and ½ out of five stogies.

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

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Back in June, Nat Sherman Cigars closed the doors of its midtown store on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, in the heart of New York City. It was moving to its new store only a hundred or so feet away on 42nd Street between 5th Avenue and Madison, but that’s easier said than done.

Nat Sherman’s stock of 800,000 cigars moved to storage in North Carolina, where they waited for the new store to open. Eventually, on October 8, Joel Sherman cut the ribbon opening the new three-story space.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I was able to visit the new space myself and sample some of the company’s famous cigars. Upon entering the store – which still has construction scaffolding covering Nat Sherman’s iconic clock – one notices the spacious 30 foot ceilings rimmed by a balcony and surrounded by decorative doors (below). Upstairs is Joel Sherman’s personal office and a conference room.

The main room features four areas of approximately equal size for pipe tobacco, premium cigarettes, smoking accessories and, of course, cigars. Above the main cash register is the same neon cigar sign (right) that was in the old Nat Sherman store on 5th Avenue.

In the back of the store, next to cigar orders from John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, and other world-famous stogie smokers, is a large walk-in humidor (pictured below), complete with personal lockers and an off-limits area in the back for the most expensive sticks.

Downstairs is the future home of the the new Nat Sherman cigar lounge. The manager tells me they hope it will be open by mid-December, and that Joel Sherman will make certain that it will be a fantastic space. As is increasingly the norm, the lounge will be members only, with a limited number dues-paying spots available.

Overall, it is a small oasis for cigar smokers in a city that is increasingly unfriendly to cigars. When the cigar lounge opens and the remaining construction is complete, Nat Sherman Cigars will once again be a must see for cigar smokers visiting the Big Apple.

–Patrick S

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

This five inch by 50 ring gauge cigar is almost too easygoing – even for a smoker like me who’s not afraid to say he likes mild sticks. With a Connecticut Shade wrapper and Dominican filler tobaccos, the only discernible flavors from the Pioneer Valley Especiales line are paper and butterscotch. The physical properties are good, especially for a stogie that retails for just over $4, but you won’t find anything too exciting here.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys