The Stogie Guys

Few cigar retailers launch a house blend with aspirations of growing it into a highly visible, nationally distributed brand that’s recognizable to nearly every premium cigar enthusiast in the country. But that’s exactly what happened with Ashton, a successful brand made by the famed Fuente family exclusively for Holt’s Cigar Co., a Philadelphia-based retailer.

Ashton debuted in 1985 and is now sold in over 60 countries. Aston’s two sister brands are well-known, too: La Aroma de Cuba and San Cristobal. These ubiquitous brands have helped promulgate Holt’s well beyond its stature at 1522 Walnut Street in downtown Philadelphia. Today, Holt’s is among the top five cigar retailers in the world, including a notable online and catalog presence.

The Ashton portfolio includes, but is not limited to, the Classic, Aged Maduro, Estate Sun Grown, Virgin Sun Grown, and Cabinet Selection blends. The latter sports a Connecticut Shade wrapper around Dominican tobaccos that are at least four years old. Ten vitolas are available. For this review, I sampled three Ashton Cabinet Selection No. 4s (5.75 x 46), each of which ran me $9.90.

While this is a regal-looking, handsome cigar, I find it disappointing that the back of the white, black, red, and gold band is often mis-adhered to itself (the two ends are rarely aligned properly). Aesthetics and presentation may not be the most important attributes when evaluating cigar, but I know many cigar factories go to great lengths to ensure the rings are applied evenly and tightly to leave no doubt in the consumer’s mind about the quality of the cigar.

That said, this is otherwise a very attractive presentation. The pale wrapper is clean with tight seams and a well-executed cap. The cold draw is smooth and there are no soft spots.

After establishing an even light, delicate pre-light aromas of sweet hay and sawdust transition into a mild- to medium-bodied profile of creamy butter, toast, almond, and white pepper. The smoke is dry and a little spicy with a cedar-like texture. A fleeting bitterness comes and goes throughout, though it never manifests into a central part of the profile—nor is it a major concern.

The physical properties are excellent from light to nub. The fact that this is a well-made, expertly constructed cigar is evident for the duration of the smoke, as is to be expected from the Fuente family. All of my samples exhibited even burn lines, clear draws, solid ashes, and above-average smoke production.

For one reason or another, the Ashton brand has never really been a regular in my cigar rotation. I’m not entirely sure why, and this Cabinet Selection No. 4 has me thinking I might have been missing out. This is an interesting, well-layered, tasty Connecticut Shade-wrapped smoke that’s easy to find and pleasing to the palate. For that, it earns an admirable rating of 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.”

After being nearly uniformly impressed by the cigars I’ve smoked by the Nicaraguan-based Curivari brand, I’ve been making a point of getting acquainted with their remaining offerings. Achilles Eternos, introduced in 2013, is a softly box-pressed torpedo (6.5 x 52, $9.50) utilizing all Nicaraguan tobacco, including an attractive light brown wrapper. Once lit, I was somewhat surprised to find flavors that can best be described as grassy and raw. There is also wood and roasted notes, but too often they were overshadowed by unpleasant vegetal flavors and a notable lack of balance. Even with adequate construction, I cannot recommend the Curivari Achilles Eternos based on my first experience.

Verdict = Sell.

–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.”

This creamy, well-balanced cigar is made exclusively for Jeff Mouttet of Riverside Cigar Shop & Lounge in Jeffersonville, Indiana, by Noel Rojas in Estelí, Nicaragua. It sports an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. I paid about $8.50 for the Toro, and found it well worth the price. Construction is excellent—including a straight burn, solid ash, and smooth draw. The mild- to medium-bodied flavor is toasty, bready, and creamy with hints of cinnamon and a soft, woodsy spice. If you’re in the area, I would urge you to drop in and give the Riverside House Blend a try.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) On Wednesday, the FDA issued the third edition of its Substantial Equivalence FAQ Guidance document. This new edition has been revised to reflect the decision that a modification to an existing product’s label does not result in a new tobacco product. As you may recall, back in August, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled a tobacco product shouldn’t be considered new—and therefore re-subject to FDA approval—simply because its label changes. “The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed last year by subsidiaries of Imperial Brands, Reynolds American Inc., and Altria Group over FDA guidelines clarifying what changes to a tobacco product require regulatory approval under the 2009 Tobacco Control Act, which gave the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products,” reported Reuters. The lawsuit specifically challenged how the Tobacco Control Act was being applied to cigarettes, but has significant implications for how the agency can apply its rules to cigars.

2) Cigar Aficionado has named the La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull its number one cigar of 2016. “First impressions are bold and savory with strong notes of hickory and leather,” according to the magazine. “But it continues to take on a complex spiciness of saffron and cumin as well as a slight tangy note that brings the strength and spice together quite gracefully—and it only gets better with every puff.” Rocky Patel, Partagas Serie E No. 2 (Cuban), E.P. Carrillo, Padrón, Arturo Fuente, Drew Estate, Oliva, Hoyo de Monterrrey Epicure No. 2 (Cuban), and Punch also grabbed spots in the top ten. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying this annual best-of list has a measurable industry impact.

3) The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) announced this week it will launch a local reporting initiative in 2017. “One of the greatest challenges facing the premium tobacco industry is the proliferation of local laws and regulations in nearly 40,000 local governments across the United States,” said the IPCPR in an email. The organization is expected to “begin providing increased local reporting to our members in collaboration with the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO) effective January 1, 2017. IPCPR looks forward to expanding legislative reporting to better serve and protect our members in the new year.”

4) Inside the Industry: In response to our Wednesday review of the Umbagog Toro Toro, and subsequent questions from consumers about Umbagog’s availability, Steve Saka announced the following on Facebook: “Umbagog will become more widely available in the very near future. First will be a small batch of Umbagog ‘Misfits.’ These are identical cigars, but due to a bonehead mistake on my part they were shipped to the U.S. without bundle labels and maybe bands… The next batch will be available in early February. Same ugly cigars, but with the correct rings and labels… These are very tasty Broadleaf cigars for $6 to $8 each. The ‘Misfits’ should be priced about $1 lower across the board.”

5) From the Archives: When you’ve been exploring and writing about cigars as long as we have (StogieGuys.com has been publishing for over a decade), not a lot of topics have gone untouched. Case in point: Stogie Guys Cigar University is a curated reference that provides easy access to coverage ranging from how to select a cigar to building a humidor.

6) Deal of the Week: Need a last-minute holiday gift? We recommend Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items delivered to your door for just $45. Past boxes include fine bar accessories, shaving kits, coffee, and more. You can skip or purchase every month. Currently available is “Churchill,” a box featuring four E.P. Carrillo cigars (including one exclusive blend), a reclaimed wood ashtray that doubles as a candle holder, a smoke-eating candle, cedar spills for lighting your cigar, and a cutter. Click here to sign up today.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

What’s supposed to be wrong with my Umbagog? That’s the question going through my head while smoking this cigar, the second Broadleaf-wrapped smoke created by Steve Saka for his Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust portfolio.

The reason that question came to mind wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy the cigar—I did—but that Saka created the bundled cigar to use Broadleaf wrapper deemed too “ugly” for his premium Mi Quireda line. The name, which refers to Saka’s favorite fishing spot, Umbagog Lake, implies this is a cigar to smoke while fishing or anytime when you may not be too concerned with the aesthetics of your cigar.

Looking through the brown paper-wrapped ten-pack, some cigars had obvious flaws like multiple speckled discolorations. For others, whatever made it not Mi Querida-worthy was less easily discerned. Too much color variation? Too prominent veins? (The above photo shows the cigars side-by-side with a Mi Querida.)

Let’s be honest here for a moment: The “factory second” discount cigar that tastes the same as a premium offering but, supposedly due to a small flaw, isn’t quite good enough to make the final cut is a time-honored marketing ploy that has disappointed many a budget-conscious buyer. Still, I had high hopes for Umbagog, especially given Saka’s reputation as one of the more detail-obsessed people in the industry. (It should be noted Saka has never called Umbagog a factory second, but merely a more affordable cigar in simple packaging that provides an outlet for Broadleaf not quite good enough for his higher-priced Mi Querida.)

Beyond the wrapper, Saka has said this cigar isn’t exactly the same blend as Mi Querida, though it’s very similar. Think slightly different primings or grades of tobacco but the same basic Nicaraguan components, all out of the same factory (NACSA) in Estelí, Nicaragua. Seven sizes are listed. I smoked four of the Toro Toro vitola (6 x 52) for this review.

The Toro Toro is heavy on the spice and earth with charred oak, chocolate milk, and white pepper that lingers on the palate. Umbagog is full-bodied with a thick, powdery mouthfeel. There are only slight variations from start to finish, including a building wood spice.

Visually, while Umbagog may not be top-grade, the construction is nonetheless excellent. The draw is firm but not tight, and the cigar burns evenly leaving a sturdy ash in its wake.

Umbagog’s flavors are not as refined as Mi Quireda, and its appearance is almost purposely unrefined, but it is plenty tasty and is offered at an excellent value ($60 for a bundle of ten). All of which earns the cigar a hearty recommendation and a rating of four stogies out of five.

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

–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.”

A blend previously only available as a store exclusive, Cigares Privé was added as a full-production line by Illusione shortly before the IPCPR Trade Show earlier this year. The blend is listed simply as having a Corojo wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler, and I’m smoking the gordo size (6 x 60). (There is also a Mexican Maduro wrapper version, and both come in a gordo, plus a pressed toro and a robusto.) After some initial sourness, the cigar settles into a woody, bready profile with light spice and nice medium-bodied balance. This is another winner from Illusione and I particularly look forward to trying it in a more traditional vitola.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

More than once I’ve praised the Buenaventura line by Curivari as not only an excellent smoke, but an excellent value (the cigars retail for around $5 each). Over the past couple years, Curivari has begun adding extensions to the line, starting with the Pralines blend in 2015. (Since then, a Connecticut-wrapped Cremas extension and a mixed-filler Picadura version have debuted, too.)

An aside: Curivari has adopted one of my favorite practices when it comes to packaging by selling cigars exclusively in ten-count boxes. This is, as far as I’m concerned, a very consumer-friendly decision, and one that makes the commitment (both financially and simply as a matter of confidence that you’ll enjoy it) much easier in which to enter. I wish more companies would adopt the practice.

The Pralines line extension takes the all-Nicaraguan blend of the original Buenaventura line and adds a Mexican wrapper. I smoked three of the P554 size (a pressed 5.75-inch, 54-ring gauge robusto) for this review, though the blend also comes in Toro (6.75 x 52) and Gordo (4.9 x 60) formats.

Visually, it’s a classic, attractive cigar with a relatively vein-free, toothy, medium-brown wrapper and a not-too-sharp box press. Unless you find the classic, albeit simple, band cheap (I don’t), there is nothing about this cigar that gives away its value-oriented price.

Once lit, you’re greeted by dry wood with light spice, bread, roast coffee, and graphite notes. As the cigar develops, the spice becomes a more pronounced red pepper flavor mingled with gingerbread, plus the slightest hint of sourness.

It’s firmly medium-bodied throughout, though there are some notable variations in flavor from start to finish. Construction is excellent with a deliberate but not overly firm draw, mostly even burn, and solid salt and pepper ash.

While not quite as flavorful or perfectly balanced as the original Buenaventura blend, there is still a lot to like about this cigar, including its sub-$6 price tag. That earns the Curivari Buenaventura Pralines P554 a rating of three and a half stogies out of five.

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

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys