Stogie Geeks Podcast – Episode 7 – “The Top Ten Cigars of 2011”

Video version of this episode:

This Week We Are Smoking

Paul – Punch Double Corona (2006)

Tim – Tatuaje J21 (2008)

This week we are drinking

• Knappogue Castle® 12 Year Old
• THE BALVENIE, DoubleWood, Aged 12 Years
• Knob Creek Barrel Aged 9 Years

Paul’s Top Ten Stogies of 2011

1. EP Carillo Dark Ritual’s – Rich flavors but balanced and smooth. “Box Worthy”
2. Partagas Benji Menendez Re-Release – Pours flavor. Box Worthy.
3. Paul Garmarian Symphony 20th Salamone – Enjoy the flavor profile that changes due to the vitola. Could smoke it anytime.
4. Tatuaje Avion – Great stick. “Box Worthy”
5. Avo LE 2011 85th – “Box Worthy” Maybe two, one to age and one to smoke. One of the best medium bodied smokes of the year. Unbelievable!
6. Oro Reserva double torpedo or robusto – Phenonimal! I wish I had bought a whole box in both sizes. “Box Worthy”
7. La Verite 2009 Robusto – Poured smoke with lots of unbelievable cedar. “The Fiver” only because of the price.
8. Alec Bradley Fine and Rare – Hands down the best Alec Bradley on the market. Ten different tobacco’s used. Complex, smooth, and flavorful. “Box Worthy”
9. Quesada Oktoberfest – Classic beer flavors. “Box Worthy”
10. Padrón 1964 Smoke Inn 15th Anniversary Maduro – A journey. A perfect ten. “Box Worthy”

Tim’s Top Ten Stogies of 2011

1. AVO 85th 2011 Limited Edition – Without one my favorite new smokes this year. I buy very few boxes and this was one of the few in 2011. “The Oasis”>
2. E.P. Carillo 2011 Limitada – “Dark Rituals” – My favorite EPC release to date. Great balance, complexity, and quality. “Box Worthy”
3. Paul Garmirian Symphony 20 (2011) Short Robusto – A great stick that just pours smoke and flavor. I prefer the Short Robusto to the larger sizes. I found the Salomone to have a little too much strength and a little less flavor. “Box Worthy”
4. Tatuaje M80 – Wow! wish I had grabbed a box of these. Great flavor, strength, and construction. “Box Worthy”
5. Tatuaje La Verite 2009 Robusto – Nice mix of wood, spice, and cream. Again I preferred the Robusto to the Churchill. “Box Worthy”
6. Liga Privada Unico Serie L40 – I love everything Liga Privada! Nuff Said! “Box Worthy”
7. J. Grotto Serie Reserve Gran Corona – Wood, Spice, and cream. Love this stick. “Box Worthy”
8. Tatuaje TAA – I wish I had grabbed more of these while they were still available. Nice unique flavor profile. “The Fiver”
9. Tatuaje Black Petit Lancero – My favorite vitola in the black series. I cannot wait until Pete does some other vitola’s. “The Fiver”
10. Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial (2011) – I love the new size this year. it is working for me. “The Fiver”

Other Stuff We’ve Been Smoking

Paul’s List:

• Arturo Fuente Short Story Maduro – I think this may have the best flavors of all the maduro hemming way sticks, smooth, TONS of flavor, great burn. A winner!
• Supposed Vintage Pre-Embargo Cuban – So, I was expecting some cuban flavors of some kind, but just didn’t get that. It was a well-aged stick with nice flavors, but I don’t think it was Cuban.
• Illusione Mk Ultra – Strength, but lacking on flavors.
• A Real Cuban (vintage) San Cristobol De La Habana – Torpedo – Soooooo, good. Best stick I’ve smoked in some time.

Tim’s List

• La Riqueza No. 1 by Tatuaje – Wow! Wow! Wow! Check out the review. Nuff said.
• Paul Garmirian Reserva Exclusiva Corona Extra – Another incredible smoke I recently reviewed. Fantastic medium bodied smoke with a Cuban like flavor profile. In the end, my first “The Oasis” rating given on the site.
• Unbanded – LFD Chisel Double Ligero (2003) – A gift given to me my stogie santa during the last recording. This stick still has some power after all this time.
• Unbanded – Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Toro (2nd) from 2009 – Something was so wrong with this stick. I have had RP Vintage 1990 before and never have experienced such bitter or sourness. I had to give the “Lawn Mulch”.