Simply Stogies

Peter Stokkebye PS 41 Cube Cut

Peter Stokkebye PS 41 Cube Cut is an old fashioned burley forward bulk offering. Cube cut is made by heating then pressing Virginia and Burley in the Cavendish process. This yields a hard plug that is then chopped into hard, dense little nuggets. Michael gives a brief overview of PS 41, its production, and components….

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Vegas Robaina Famosos 2020

The Vegas Robaina Famosos is a regular production cigar from Habanos S.A. The brand is one of the youngest brands in the Habanos portfolio with its introduction to the world of cigars in 1997. The Famosos is a Hermoso No. 4 vitola that offers a perfect balance between mild and full bodied cigars. With youthfulness,…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 11: Villa Casdagli Coffee and Tatuaje Havana IV

James and Tim are back and they’re drinking Villa Casdagli Coffee from Coffee People and Casdagli Cigars while smoking a Tatuaje at David’s Fine Tobaccos in Clive, Iowa. The pair discuss how they choose their coffee and cigars, rave about the new Villa Casdagli Coffee from the Coffee People, and how they choose a cigar….

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Cigar Review: Tatuaje Series P is Mixed Filler and All Killer

Since I wrote my first budget cigar review, I’ve smoked a lot of inexpensive sticks. I had planned on making a La Vieja Havana Maduro or a La Aurora Connecticut my next review, but I just didn’t have enough to say about either of those cigars. They’re fine. Mild flavor profiles and low priced, so…

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Lounge Review: Davenport’s the Drawing Room QC Has a Private Club Feel

Opened at the end of September 2020, the Drawing Room QC is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa in the same building as a distillery. The lounge is cozy and has an old time feel. Humidified cabinets line the walls ending with lockers. The furniture is leather and inviting. The employee is friendly enough. A skylight…

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Cigar Review: The FREAKSHOW From Nomad by Ezra Zion Is No Laughing Matter

A few years ago, Ezra Zion purchased Nomad Cigar Co. Since then, they have released some of the best boutique cigars on the market. Going through our other cigar reviews of Ezra Zion, you can see that Mike Breig (our former Content Director and resident cigar reviewer) loved a lot of their blends. So I…

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Episode 47: A Conversation w/the Organizers of the Queen City Cigar Fest

I chat (via Zoom call) with two of the three organizers of the Queen City Cigar Fest, Clinton Douglas and Damon Robinson. Clinton and Damon tell us about the upcoming Queen City Cigar Fest being held in Charlotte, NC from May 19 – May 23, 2021. There will be daily and nightly events held at…

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Lounge Review: Perfect Ash Is a Strip Mall Gem in Twin Cities

I am still surprised each time I visit a lounge in a strip mall, but that seems to be the norm for lounges in the Midwest. Located in a busy area surrounded by businesses in Inver Grove Heights, a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota, Perfect Ash blends in with its surroundings. The storefront is very…

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Pipe Tobacco Review: Sutliff Cringle Flake 2019 Has Great Flavor But Doesn’t Stay Lit

Cringle Flake is a small production Virginia Flake, limited holiday release started by Sutliff in 2019. It appears to be an annual tradition as this was followed up with Sutliff Cringle Flake 2020, a Virginia-Perique Flake. This is fantastic news for Virginia fans who had looked forward each year to McClelland’s Christmas Cheer. Christmas Cheer…

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Cigar Aficionado Misses the Mark With Its Top 25 By Leaving Out Boutique Brands

Every year the cigar industry waits with bated breath to find out which cigars will make Cigar Aficionado’s annual Top 25 list. And every year I become a little bit more disappointed — and a lot more jaded. For years the Top 25 was the “it” list that could make or break a cigar producer;…

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