Nearly two weeks ago, I finalized the schedule and cigar selection for the next Stogie Review Twitter Review. Shortly after announcing the details, I had a couple people mentioned that they were looking forward to the review. While some were unable to track down the cigar locally, I was joined by KnightRid and DaByrdman33 to review the Camacho Corojo Maduro.

Below are some of the remarks made about the cigar. If you are interested in seeing the entire transcript, you can use the Twitter Search to look up the #SRTV hastag (Stogie Review Tweet-View). If you are interested in participating in the next Twitter review, keep your eyes out on Twitter for the announcement.

Pre-Light

waltw: Uniform color, slightly lumpy appearance, nice and toothy, one pectin fingerprint, pleasant aroma, mildly soft when pinched. #SRTV

KnightRid: Construction is REALLY squishy at the foot for about 1/2 inch then gets solid the rest of the way #SRTV

KnightRid: very toothy and rustic looking wiht a barnyard smell #SRTV

KnightRid: I am going to use my usual punch on this little guy and I am drinking Coke #SRTV

waltw: Clipped my @camachocigars Corojo Maduro. Draw is typical of this brand, a little on the loose side but decent overall. #SRTV

KnightRid: my draw is SUPER loose – almost like a straw. Maybe because of the squishy foot..?? we shall see #SRTV

waltw: Being that it is still fairly early on a Saturday, I’ll be pairing this cigar up with a cup of Coffee. Like Maduros and Coffee combo #SRTV

First Third

KnightRid: lit very easily, first puff or 2 had a zing to it – especially on the back sides of my tongue #SRTV

waltw: Easy lighting with even burn and lots of initial smoke. Smoke feels a little bitey up-front. Grabs the attention this early in the day #SRTV

waltw: One thing about @camachocigars is that they always have a draw that is a bit loose. On the bright side, never had a plugged one. #SRTV

KnightRid: @waltw yes a very good volume of smoke right off the bat! #SRTV

waltw: Fairly heavy peppery sensation through the sinus. Not getting any distinct flavors across the palate yet. Just a natural tobacco taste #SRTV

KnightRid: pretty spicy on the retrohale getting woody taste up front so far #SRTV

DaByrdman33: Just lit mine. Draw is loose for me too. Pepper blast on retrohale at the outset. #SRTV

KnightRid: definite woody taste with a hint of some sort of sweetness I cant place – still spicy through the retrohale

waltw: Ash on my cigar is flowering a little, but seems fairly strong. Color is dark grey and has a sandy appearance to it with light specs #SRTV

KnightRid: my ash, on the other hand, is light grey and fell off when I sat it on the ashtray already #SRTV

Second Third

DaByrdman33: This is my 3rd Corojo Maduro Monarca in the past week. So far I’m finding it to be very different from the natural wrapper. #SRTV

KnightRid: I would say this cigar is a solid Medium body for me right now – tons of smoke, but not a lot of flavor profile #SRTV

DaByrdman33: Spice is beginning to mellow on the retrohale. I’m starting to get more of a black coffee flavor. #SRTV

waltw: @KnightRid Agree on Medium Body. Getting a combination of wood and pepper flavors. Aggressive across the palate and sinus #SRTV

DaByrdman33: Not as strong as other @camachocigars right now but that could change. Pretty one-dimensional so far. #SRTV

KnightRid: kind of a shame the flavor profile isnt changing, but the woody/peppery/spicy on the retrohale is still nice #SRTV

DaByrdman33: I’m getting a sweetness on the sinuses along with woody spice. #SRTV

KnightRid: 2.75 inches left on mine almost at the first of 2 bands – flavor doesnt change much, but is pleasant #SRTV

waltw: @DaByrdman33 @KnightRid I think the standard Corojo has a flavor that is a little more plain, these seem richer and sweeter to me. #SRTV

DaByrdman33: @waltw @KnightRid I think the natural packs more punch but the flavor is better on the maduro. #SRTV

Final Third

DaByrdman33: @KnightRid @waltw the toasty flavor reminds me of burning wood & the aroma you get during this time of year. #SRTV

waltw: This cigar has been pretty consistent for me. Wood, Pepper, and Toasty flavors make up the profile. Medium body, aggressive on palate #SRTV

KnightRid: @waltw agree, but mine is only aggressive on the retrohale – kinda creamy feel in the mouth for me #SRTV

KnightRid: you cant let this cigar sit very long without giving it some love! It likes to start to go out #SRTV

waltw: @KnightRid I’m running into the same issue. Touching it up for the second time now #SRTV

KnightRid: at my last inch and a half and I am getting a kinda nasty tinge on the tip of my tongue now – lets hope it goes away #SRTV

DaByrdman33: @KnightRid I’m getting a touch of bitterness too. #SRTV

DaByrdman33: I definitely feel like chimney when I smoke this. You can’t follow this one with a weak cigar for sure. #SRTV

KnightRid: @DaByrdman33 that bitter taste only lasted a few puffs for me, now its gone – hope its the same for you! #SRTV

waltw: I get the urge to crack open a Stout with this cigar. Think the two flavor profiles would work extremely well together #SRTV

DaByrdman33: @waltw @KnightRid Almost at the nub. Consistently woody, toasty, & spicy. Less peppery spice at the end with more sweetness. #SRTV

Final Thoughts

KnightRid: Final thoughts – cigar started woody/toasty with a hint of sweetness and some pepper. Pepper developed more as it burnt. #SRTV

KnightRid: retrohale was rough the whole way. cigar did not have very many complexities, but was a decent smoke. #SRTV

waltw: This cigar wasn’t overly complex, but it has rich flavors that are consistent among the Corojo Maduro line. #SRTV

waltw: I’ll definately be smoking more of them in the future but hesitate a bit at the last price paid for a single at $6.25 #SRTV

DaByrdman33: @waltw Overall a consistent quality smoke with a bit of sweetness toasty wood & spice. Loads of smoke & a powerhouse on the sinuses. #SRTV

Camacho Corojo Maduro (Twitter Review) is a post from: The Stogie Review

Just the other day I received an email from our good friend Heather Haddad over at Fumme in Texas. She was sending me a press release informing me that she had partnered up with Charlie Toraño to launch the first Toraño Lounge in her shop, Fumee.

Because Heather is a friend of Stogie Review, and well known in the online cigar community, I thought I would share the press release with you. If you ever find yourself in Cedar Park, Texas, look her up and drop in for a cigar.

Press Release from Fumee:

Toraño Cigars and Fumée Inc. Announce Branded Lounge

Austin, TX (November 1, 2009) – Toraño Cigars and Fumée, Inc. have collaborated to launch the first Toraño branded lounge in Cedar Park, Texas, just north of Austin.

“We are thrilled to be working with the Toraño family.” says Fumée founder, Heather Haddad. “Charlie Toraño and I have been acquainted since I was graduate student trying to get an internship in the cigar industry. I am happy that today we are partners in this exciting and exclusive project to bring both of our companies to the forefront of the Texas cigar industry.”

The lounge, which opened last year, will showcase the entire line of Toraño cigars, including limited release and special edition product. The staff has been extensively trained on the Toraño family history and cigar line.

“Collaborating with Fumée is one step in our new direction of increasing interaction with the consumer.” says Charlie Toraño “With a branded lounge, we have a team of partners who are knowledgeable about our family history, and the passion that goes into each Toraño cigar, and can tell our story to our extended family, our consumers.”

A launch event has been scheduled for December 5th, 2009 from 4-8 PM. Charlie Toraño will personally attend.

Toraño Partners with Fumee for Branded Lounge is a post from: The Stogie Review

In this case, I’d love to know what cigars our readers thought were the best of the best. These cigars don’t have to have been released this year, but I would like it if you had smoked one this year. While that five year old something or other that you smoked back in the summer of 69′ may have been the best cigar ever, I’d like to know about current stuff.

Jerry, Brian, and I will be posting our top 10 lists closer to the end of the year (probably between Christmas and New Years). In the meantime, after you leave your own list in the comment section below, take a look at last years lists.

• Brian’s Top 10 Cigars of 2008
• Jerry’s Top 10 Cigars of 2008
• Walt’s Top 10 Cigars of 2008

Ask The Readers: What would you include on your top 10 Cigars of 2009 list? is a post from: The Stogie Review

Name of Shop: Gloucester Street Cigar Company
Date Visited: 05/10/09 (first of several)
Street Address: 34 Gloucester St (between Comm Ave & Newbury)
City: Boston
State: MA
Zip: 02115
Phone Number: 617-424-1000
Hours of Operation: Mon-Sat 11am-8pm; Sun 11am-6:30pm
Website: N/A

Location: Exceptional
Located off Newbury Street, G-Street Cigar is within easy walking distance of the best high-end shopping Boston has to offer. The building is an old Boston brownstone; indeed, the first time I visited I walked right by it (my nose eventually found and followed some wafting cigar smoke).

Staff: Exceptional
Jose knows cigars; Jose loves cigars; Jose wants you to know and love cigars! He will share–knowledge, opinions, and cigars! He’ll track down what you want; better yet, he’ll track down what you need (even when you do not know what that is). Want a tour of his humongous humi? Be his guest! Want that latest, greatest, unobtainable Tat? He just might have one!

Most important: are you a total newb, uninitiated and ignorant of the cigar lifestyle? Well, Jose is there to help! Non-judgmental, patient, and endlessly passionate, Jose will help you assess your own styles and needs. I have been there several times (with some pretty, uh, basic questions), and Jose was always there; indeed, I do not think I have ever spoken with his other employees (Does he have any? Does the man ever take a break?).

Stock: Exceptional
Did I mention G-Street’s humongous humidor? It’s… humongous! And it is stocked with stuff you are just not gonna get anywhere else in Boston. Sure, sure: he’s got the major brands, the regulars, but he also has stuff he personally sought out or found or received or G-d knows what… but he’s got it! And he is not pushing by price–he prides himself on figuring out what you would like best, whether price dependent or independent, your call. Oh, G-Street also stocks top-of-the line humis and accessories. [ed. note: for you pipers, Jose will just send you on over to Steve at LJ Peretti, so don't waste your shoe leather!]

Now, about those prices… Okay, look folks: we are talking Newbury Street. We are talking one-of-a-kind selection. So, we are not talking cheap. No, these are not the worst prices on the planet, but you must consider location and selection and exclusivity–and consider it money well spent.

Lounge: Above Average
Those one-word ratings never capture what’s really going on. Visiting G-Street is like visiting someone’s house. He’s got couches and lounge chairs in there, like you would in your living room (if your wife would let you). It’s comfy. It’s collegial. It’s… crowded! And just like visiting someone’s house unannounced, you might be unsure whether you are impinging on someone else’s party. Jose always has hangers-on hanging out, just puff-puffing away. And, really, I am sure they are welcoming, but if you are shy or self-conscious (as I am), this might not be your crowd (they tend to be twenty-somethings, not the middle-agers and old fogies over at LJ Peretti’s place). That said: I get the sense that once you’re in, the world is your oyster (at least in cigar terms).

Overall Opinion: Exceptional
Jose cares, really cares–about cigars, about his business, about his industry, and about his customers. When visiting Boston, do not miss your chance to experience this level of Cigar Love. ‘Nuff said?

Cigar Shop Review: Boston, MA – Gloucester Street Cigar Company is a post from: The Stogie Review

I heard rumors about the 35th Anniversary at the IPCPR trade show (reportedly it sold out in the first day and a half), but I didn’t actually see or smoke one until my recent visit to New York. It just so happened these were just hitting the shop that week, and I was excited to try it out. My experience with it was mostly positive, so I decided to buy more for a later review. That time is now, let’s light it up!

Cigar Stats:
Size: 6 x 49
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Arapiraca
Binder: Dominican Criollo-98
Filler: Dominican Republic Havana Vuelta Arriba Ligero, Nicaragua Ligero
Smoking Time: 2 hours
Beverage: Water
Price: MSRP $11.95

The Pre-Smoke
The Quesada 35th Anniversary is a very attractive looking cigar, decorated in not one, not two, but three elegant silver, gold and black bands. Two near the head, and one at the foot. And somehow the cigar pulls off the band blitz without looking gaudy. The wrapper beneath the bands is equally attractive, a dark, oily reddish brown with few visible veins, and no obvious imperfections.

The cigars were firm to the touch, and only slightly lumpy. The wrapper scent was a mild, but funky compost, but the foot had a more pronounced rich chocolate aroma. The cold taste had a dusty chocolate flavor.

The Burn
Unfortunately, the performance of the Quesada 35th Anniversary in the burn department left a lot to be desired. In the best of cases, the cigar required several touch ups, and in the worst, the concern wasn’t correcting the seriously uneven burn line, but keeping the cigar lit. I had to relight one of the cigars I smoked for this review no fewer than six times, four of these were in middle third of the stick.

After smoking the worst offender, I suspected the cigars were simply too wet. I almost never dry box cigars, but I gave the remainder a day’s rest in an unhumidified cedar box. This did result in fewer relights and generally better experiences with consequent sticks. (The cigar photographed for the Tower of Burn was one of these cigars.)

On the positive side, each cigar’s draw was perfect, and between re-lights, the ash was light, attractive and solid.

The Flavor
The first third was a rich combination of coffee, nuts and little bit of chocolate, with coffee being the dominant flavor. Saying simply “coffee” sells it short though, it was a mixture of coffee beans, black coffee and sweeter cafe con leche flavors. There was also a grittiness to the mouth feel, that I didn’t care for, but that didn’t take too much away from my enjoyment of the flavor.

Coffee continued to play a part in the flavor profile during the second third, but not as big a role. Dark and bittersweet chocolates, along with a smoother cocoa were more prominent. Nutty flavors began to reappear past the half way point, as did a bit of sharp tasting cedar.

The final third was introduced by a buttery nutty flavor with a little bite of cedar. There were also elements of creamy cocoa and coffee as the cigar neared its conclusion.

The Price
For a special limited release cigar, the price isn’t surprising. And while a bit higher than I generally pay for the cigars I smoke, it wasn’t a significant deterrent.

The Verdict
Ordinarily a cigar’s burn issues aren’t enough for me to give a stick a thumbs down, especially when it doesn’t involve a bad draw. But in this case, the cigar was so high maintenance, it had me wondering at one point if I was smoking a cigar, or just playing with my lighter.

In spite of the seemingly constant relights and touch-ups, the cigar did prove to have a great flavor profile, but I just didn’t have the opportunity to fully enjoy it. Matasa has a great blend here, and I’d love to love it, especially with a good cup of coffee, if only I could keep it burning. I won’t say I disliked the Quesada 35th Anniversary, but I probably won’t be buying more and I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it either. As always, the choice is yours as to whether or not to try one. If you’re in the camp that thinks flavor trumps everything, you should try this cigar. If you’re one who can’t abide a bad burn, there’s nothing to see here.

Liked It: Enjoyed the flavor, but put off by significant burn problems
Buy It Again: Unlikely
Recommend It: Depends

Tower of Burn
Here for your viewing pleasure is my trademark Tower of Burn.

Quesada Serie Limitada 35th Anniversary is a post from: The Stogie Review

I wanted to write everyone a quick note and touch on some of the concerns revolving around the Tatuaje Drac and Tatuaje Boris Halloween cigars. Please understand that these are big concerns of ours also and we want to assure everyone there is an easy solution.

First: The cigars were finished months ago but the box maker in Nicaragua was delayed and was not able to finish both the Drac and Boris boxes until right before the release. Unfortunately for us, this is a themed cigar that needed to arrive at the retailers before October 31st. We in no way were trying to rush production just to move product. A Halloween cigar released after October 31st doesn’t make much sense. Due to the late production of the boxes, the boxes had very little time to air out the paint smell that comes with any lacquered cigar box. Once the cigars were packed, wrapped in cellophane and shipped to our office in California, the box locked in that smell. The boxes were dry but still contained the smell of fresh paint. The only way to avoid this is let the box sit open for a few weeks before packing the cigars in the box. As long as the cigars are out of the box the smell will dissipate and will not affect the flavor of the cigar.

I recommend to everyone that was able to acquire a box, to open the box first to see if they found a spooky ticket and then to remove the cigars and store them in your humidor. The box should be left out of the humidor for a couple of weeks to air out. This smell will go away. I understand that some people want to keep their boxes intact but this is the best way to resolve any questions or concerns about the smell.

Second: A few people have contacted me about broken cigars. This is something that is hard to control due to shipping and the handling of the individual cigars. As far as we know, the cigars did not leave the factory broken in any way but with the delicate nature of the wrapper leaf, it could have been something we missed during the packing stage or something that happened after it left our offices.

I recommend to everyone that was able to acquire cigars, to examine your cigars carefully. If you see any cigars that are broken in any way that you believe will be unsmokable, do not cut, light or smoke them. Please contact us immediately by email and we will arrange replacement cigars with the retailer that you purchased the cigars from. We will only replace them as long as the cigars are complete and we will need to receive the damaged cigars before we can replace them. Unfortunately, we are not able to replace cigars that have been cut, lit or smoked.

Thank you again for you loyal brand support and for enjoying our products. We strive to be perfect in every way for our customers and want to apologize to all that may have concerns with this year’s release.

Sincerely,

Pete Johnson
Tatuaje Cigars Inc.
7518 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
pete@tatuajecigars.com

A Message from Pete Johnson is a post from: The Stogie Review

Name of Shop: Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe
Date Visited: 09/16/09
Street Address: 528 North Greenbush Road
City: North Greenbush
State: NY
Zip: 12144
Phone Number: 518-238-3781
Hours of Operation: Monday through Saturday 10AM – 8PM, Sunday 11AM – 5PM
Website: http://www.habanahappenings.com/

Location: Average
I am not sure if North Greenbush is a hot destination but for me it’s awesome since it’s a mile from where I work!

Staff: Above Average
They are always asking if they can help me. They are willing to make deals on fivers even if you are mixing and matching. The Staff is very knowledgeable.

Stock: Average
I would say they prices are about the same or slightly less than other shops in my area. They do have a lot in stock, the entire Comacho line including 09 Liberty. Lots of the current hot sticks. I don’t care for the humidifier in there though as it seems like a regular humidifier. I’ve never had a problem with a stick from there so I guess it’s fine. Lots of accessories.

Lounge: Average
It’s nothing special. Not too big. There are a couple tables. There are about 5 chairs, flat screen with cable. Lots of magazines to read. Coffee, soda, and water for a $1. It’s nice though.

Overall Opinion: Above average
On first looks it seem average but once you get to hanging out and dealing with the staff it really stands out. Lots of guys hanging out. They don’t seem to mind if you come in with a couple of your own sticks and hang out and smoke while shooting the breeze.

Cigar Shop Review: East Greenbush, NY – Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe is a post from: The Stogie Review