The Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

I’ve had this Cuban tubo in my humidor for at least five years. That time has served it well. The Partagas Serie P No. 2 (6.1 x 52) features notes of earth, coffee bean, cinnamon, nutmeg, cream, and toast. It’s medium-bodied with a balanced profile. While the foot was slightly frayed when removed from the tubo, it still demonstrated excellent construction with an even burn and sturdy ash.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

From time to time we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Made at My Father’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, La Gran Oferta employs tobaccos from the company’s Nicaraguan farms and features an oily Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper. It produces loads of smoke and medium- to full-bodied flavors. Construction is flawless, with a sturdy gray ash. Notes include toast, black coffee, earth, and roast nuts. It’s not my favorite My Father Cigars regular offering, but it is still worth checking out.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

From time to time we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Steve Saka’s Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust makes a variety of well-reviewed, sought-after cigars. On the ultra-premium end is Muestra de Saka, a series of one-off cigars, each with its own size and blend packaged individually in coffin boxes. The latest, Muestra de Saka Unstolen Valor, is the first not to be made at the Joya de Nicaragua factory. Blended by Raul Disla and made at the Nicaragua American Cigars S.A. factory, it’s a Nicaraguan puro. After an initial burst of black pepper, the toro boasts flavors of earth, leather, and a hearty meatiness reminiscent of grilled lamb. It’s a medium- to full-bodied blend with loads of complementary sweet cedar and cinnamon, but never losing that spicy, oaky edge. It has flawless construction with a firm but not overly tight draw and an ash that holds for well over an inch (before I, not the cigar, decided that was enough). You should expect a lot from a cigar that costs over $16. Unstolen Valor delivers.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

From time to time we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Earlier this year, General Cigar launched a regular production extension to its Punch brand called Knuckle Buster. “Punch is committed to staying true to what the brand has represented over the last six decades: a consistent, well-made, no-nonsense cigar at a price that’s fair and reasonable,” said Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager, in a February press release. “Punch Knuckle Buster honors this commitment with a solid, enticing blend for the people who work hard to enjoy the good life.” Made at General’s Honduras American Tabaco S.A. (HATSA) factory in Danlí, Knuckle Buster boasts a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan Habano binder, and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras. The Toro (6 x 50) retails for $5.49 and, while not overly complex or sophisticated, gets the job done in terms of bang-for-your-buck. It’s medium-bodied with ample Honduran leather and black pepper spice offset by a dark cherry sweetness. The burn and draw are good, though the gray, flaky ash tends to fall off the foot prematurely. I’d recommend this cigar for yardwork, fishing, or the golf course.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

From time to time we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

The Cubariqueño Cigar Company’s fourth blend, Official Misconduct, was originally launched in only a Toro (6 x 50) format. The Corona Gorda (5.6 x 46, $9.95) was added later. Made at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory in Estelí, the blend features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around a Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos from Estelí and Jalapa. The profile is dry and oaky with a powdery mouthfeel and a concentration of cinnamon on the tip of the tongue. Background notes include almond and a bit of caramel sweetness. The physical properties—burn line, smoke production, ash firmness, and draw—are all outstanding.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

One of two Brazilian puros introduced by Villiger earlier this year, the Maduro blend (which retails for $9) features a splotchy Aripiraca wrapper, while the other (Claro) sports a Brazilian-grown Connecticut-seed wrapper. The cigar opens with sweet vanilla bean and coffee, but soon is dominated by heavy leather, coffee, and woody notes. It’s an enjoyable and complex, if at times unbalanced, smoke.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

A couple times each week we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Last year Punch released the Rothchild-sized Egg Roll. This month, in celebration of the Year of the Rat, General Cigar launched Chop Suey, a lancero (7 x 37) with a shaggy foot that sports an Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper around Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. It retails for the affordable price of $5.49 and is available in 25-count “takeout-style” boxes (3,650 were made, for a total run of 91,250 cigars). Construction is solid, a testament to the work at the General Cigar Dominicana factory in Santiago. The flavor is leathery and fairly complex for a cigar in this price range. Notes include dry oak, melon, white pepper, and a gentle cedar spice. The aftertaste is characterized by a soft cayenne heat. Join me in celebrating Punch’s decision to introduce a limited edition lancero that won’t break the bank; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys