Sultan Cigar - Ron Stacy Signature Corona - Video Review

The Sultan Ron Stacy Signature - Corona

It's been said that a man's signature is like a handshake. It's his mark on something that he is giving his ultimate word on. It gives us a level of trust in the product being endorsed. In short, he knows that by giving us this mark, he's giving us his word as a gentleman that the product is something that he endorses with his heart and soul. And so it is with the Ron Stacy Signature Corona.

Unless you go to cigar trade shows where new things are introduced and the creators/blenders behind your favorite smokes are there, it's somewhat rare that you actually get to meet the person behind a blend or who approves a particular blend. It's even more rare if you can count that person as a friend. Such is the story behind this review.

A bit of background, before we get into the review. Ron Stacy is the sole U.S. distributor for Sultan Cigars out of Indonesia. He is also well-known on many cigar forums as "Shuckins," the one man bombing machine. To say that he is generous would be an understatement. The man is a legend and is extremely well regarded among the cigar aficionado community as someone who is incredibly knowledgable about cigars, and I feel very fortunate to be able to count him as a friend.

Ron is also the man behind the Ron Stacy Signature Edmundo by Sultan, as well. In short, the man has some serious cigar pedigree and I was incredibly excited when I saw Ron post on one of the forums that he  had selected some reviewers to review an as-yet unreleased Sultan cigar called the Ron Stacy Signature Corona. I was looking forward to seeing the reviews and to being able to purchase this stick once it came out. However, Ron's one of those guys that is full of surprises and when he sent me a private message asking if I would review this stick, I was floored. So, I want to send a quick thanks out to Ron for his generosity (the man can't seem to send just one stick... when he sent the review cigar, a bunch of stragglers made it into the box as well and he also sent a prototype box with a nice little message on it, "Enjoy the smokes, Neal. Ron Stacy")

Well, Ron, here's to you brother... and I am indeed enjoying the smokes.

The Review:

Sultan Cigars: Ron Stacy Signature Corona

Cigar Facts:
Country of Origin - Indonesia
Wrapper, Binder and Filler - Indonesia
Length - 4 3/4"
Ring - 42
Box Count - Unknown at time of review
Vitola - Corona
Price - Free! (Actual price unknown at time of review)

Indonesia is well-known for its spicy cuisine, however, many aficionados may not realize that the soil of Indonesia is perfectly suited to growing some fine tobacco. In fact, many premiums include Indonesian tobacco in their filler blends, wrappers, and binders. Sultan Cigars is taking things a step forward by producing Indonesian puros. The Java region of Indonesia sports a climate is perfect for tobacco with an average temperature of roughly 80° F and a relative humidity of about 64%, and is the only region where tobacco for all parts of a cigar can be grown in Indonesia. Sultan currently produces the Sultan Churchill and Robusto and the Signature, which is only available in U.S. markets.

Normally, I would review this cigar with a brew that I think would pair well with it. However, I want to try and capture as much of the essence of the cigar as possible, so I'll be sticking to regular ol' H2O as my libation of choice.

Appearance and Construction

The Signature Corona has a dark oily wrapper that just begs to be touched and smelled. There are some very minor blemishes on the body of the cigar and a small abrasion on the foot. The cigar is beautifully rolled with a barely visible seam. There are small veins on it, but they add to the beauty of the stick rather than detract.

Despite its size, there is a certain "plumpness" to the cigar that you would normally find in a larger sized stick. The double cap is affixed perfectly to the head and extends low enough that I have no worries cutting it.



Pre-Light


The initial aromas are of earth and tobacco. After cutting, the pre-light draw seems a bit tight and some minor earth, oak, and tobacco flavors whet my appetite for what's to come.

Smoking Characteristics

Using the three-match method, I light the cigar and purge. After the purge, the first draw contains enough pepper to bring tears to the eyes of a novice smoker. However, I like it. The aroma of the cigar takes on the form of tobacco and a light smell of toasted oak barrel. This is a big cigar dressed up like a small cigar and I'm liking what I'm tasting in the initial draws. The draw remains tight, but I was expecting that due to the size. It's not enough to distract from the smoke, though.

The cigar puts out a lot of creamy thick smoke with each puff and when you set it down, the smoke continues its lazy drift from the tip.

Now, when it comes to cigars, I have yet to enjoy the "twang" of a fine Cuban. However, beyond the heavy pepper and habano-like spice of this stick, I'm enjoying what I am only able to describe as a minor "twang" flavor that tickles the edges of my palate. It's reminiscent of a very tiny piece of lemon on the tongue, or even the taste of lemon-pepper. Since I have nothing to compare it to, I won't say that it's the same as a Cuban, however, I have to wonder if Sultan isn't on to something here.

There is a wonderful aftertaste on the retrohale that has the aroma of nutmeg and the taste of roasted English walnuts.

Through the first third of the cigar, pepper is really the star. It's the dominant flavor and really shines like a Naga Jolokia pepper in good Indian cuisine. Secondary flavors of curry and nutmeg are blended with a slight sweetness like molasses. Ash is dense, but a bit flaky on the outside. As I was smoking, I was thinking of Sichuan cuisine, however, this cigar really does seem to take on the flavors of its region in terms of the spice.

There are some burn issues with this stick. I let it rest in my coolidor for several days before smoking it, so I would imagine that if I had let it rest longer, it may not have had the same issues. The burn is slightly uneven and required a couple of touch-ups, but never went out.

During the second third, the draw loosened up considerably and the smoke continues to be nice and creamy-dense. The pepper and spice flavors backed off and gave in to more gentle flavors. Leather, toasted oak barrel and earthiness begin to take the stage and leave a really wonderful aftertaste. Oddly enough, there is even a slight undertone of smoked venison. At this point, I'm getting a decent nicotine hit (again, small cigar wanting to be a big cigar and doing a damn good job of it). At this point, I'm about twenty-minutes into the smoke. The pepper remains, but has definitely taken a back seat to the other flavors.

By the final third, the pepper is making a comeback. The smoke is heating up, but isn't harsh. I've had no problems keeping the stick lit and aside from the minor two touch-ups, I'm very happy with the burn. As I continue to smoke, the pepper really does begin hitting hard. It's a great way to finish off a smoke and what's really great about this size of stick is that you can smoke it over your lunch hour. However, I'd advise eating a bit because of the nicotine hit. Yes, it's a small cigar that packs a punch.







Final Thoughts


This cigar really surprised me. I didn't realize this much power could be contained in a small stick. I'm not normally a small vitola smoker. I enjoy the 60 RGs that are over 5-inches. It's a medium to strong cigar, despite its size and is immensely full of flavor. It's not overly complex, but it's definitely not one-dimensional and one of my favorite aspects is the amount of time you can smoke it in.

Rating


I give this cigar 4 out of 5 puffs. It's a great cigar and I enjoyed it enough to want more. I would also strongly recommend this stick to the seasoned smokers who have a good understanding of quality and who will appreciate the strength of pepper and spice and the nuance of toasted oak barrel, leather, and even slight undertones of smoked venison.

Many thanks to Ron Stacy for sharing this with me and for being kind enough to ask me to review it.

That's all for now...

Great Divide - Samurai Rice Ale vs. Diesel Unholy Cocktail

So, I decided to go with a commercial brew from Great Divide Brewery out in Denver, Colorado. They're one of my favorite breweries and many of their beers find their way into my fridge on a pretty consistent basis. However, the Samurai Rice Ale was a brew that I hadn't had the opportunity to enjoy and I thought that maybe it was time to take this beer for a test drink.

The Diesel Unholy Cocktail is a cigar that's been garnering a lot of praise. Diesel cigars in general are also enjoying a lot of publicity, especially with Shorty Rossi of "Pit Boss" endorsing the Diesel Shorty. This particular cigar is one that Shuckins (one of my buddies from Puff.com) bombed me with recently. I figure since Shuckins endorses it, that's all I need to know. So, I'm planning on an amazing smoke complemented by a crisp sparkling brew.

Brew Background: The Samurai Pale Ale from Great Divide is advertised as "something different." It's brewed with rice and barley malts. Easy drinking, unfiltered that "changes the status quo for unfiltered beers." The addition of rice gives Samurai a slightly fruity, crisp, refreshing and clean taste. The idea of an unfiltered brew general puts me in a Wit or Wheat frame of mind. I'm not a huge fan of wheat beers, but I'll drink them if they're all that's available.

Specs: 
Great Divide Brewery - Samurai Rice Ale
Availability - Most liquor stores within relative proximity to Denver, Co. Specifically, this means most states bordering Colorado and maybe even a bit beyond Kansas (Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC and believe it or not, Belgium and Japan).
ABV - 5.2%
Seasonal: Summer
Type of Beer: Higher ABV, possibly a session beer for the initiated.

The Diesel Unholy Cocktail, however, "Un" in unholy. By definition, unholy means Sinful; wicked. Not holy; unconsecrated. I'd have to disagree on this definition, though, because the marriage between the tobaccos in this torpedo has definitely been consecrated. And it's "wicked" good.

Diesel Unholy Cocktail Facts:
Origin- Nicaragua
Vitola - Torpedo
Length - 5"
RG - 56
Filler - Three regions of Nicaragua; Jalapa, Condega, Esteli
Binder - Nicaragua
Wrapper - Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro

The price of this cigar was FREE (thanks to Shuckins). However, I'm averaging about $2.55 per sticks by purchasing 5-ers or 20 packs of samplers. This stick is available in boxes of 30 for around $100, 5-ers are about $23 and a single runs around $6.

The Review:


Pint
The appearance of the Samurai Ale is golden. Small (about 1/2") but bubbly head. Nice sparkle in the sunlight. Lacing is gossamer thin and almost semi-transparent. It reminds me more of champagne than beer, to be honest.

Puff
I started this cigar at about 8:15pm, so I was running later than usual. I used a Dickman cut because I really like that cut on torpedos. The overall appearance of this cigar is wicked right down to the typography on the footband. Normally, I'm not a fan of bands arund the foot of a cigar, but this particular cigar works it like a hot stripper on a pole. Very few veins and nearly invisible seams give this cigar a great overall look. The cigar is "plump" in a good way almost tight. The wrapper has a beautiful deep brown and slight oily sheen.

Pint
The aroma of this beer is somewhat floral/citrus. Not overwhelming. I don't get a real hops profile and the malt seems to take a leading role. I'm not a rice aficionado, but I assume that there's supposed to be some sort of aroma profile. I don't get one, though.

Puff
The cold draw on the UC is a bit tight. I'm concerned that the humidity is going to make this into a tough smoke. The initial toast and light is very easy with a very even light right from the start. Initially there is a lot of smoke. After purging, my first draw brings initial flavors of cedar and some nuttiness, specifically peanuts. There is a slight black pepper and the overall blend is earthy tobacco. The draw is perfect and the cigar smokes easily.

Pint 
As I take my first sip of the Samurai Pale, I'm hoping for something that makes it unique. When it hits my tongue, the initial taste is reminiscent of a pilsner. It's very easy on the tastebuds, but the flavor is almost neutral. It's a good beer, but it doesn't give me the "OMG! This is going to be an amazing beer" flavor that I'm looking for. I'm concerned that this beer is not going to be able to hold its own against the UC.

Puff
The first third of the UC is very good. It's not overwhelming. The smoke is beautiful. It's not overly complex, but the blend is amazingly good. The smell of the smoke is very fragrant in a good way. I pull four long puffs per draw and the smoke doesn't even think about getting warm. After the stick has been lit for about 20 min., the smoke tapers off. The peanut flavor is still carrying through, but the aroma of the tobacco still has that deep earthiness to it. The ash is slightly flaky, but overall very dense. The draw seems to be tightening up a bit due to the humidity outside.

Pint
My first impression of this beer being similar to champagne is fairly accurate. The mouthfeel has a light smoothness to it that I would describe as almost like pop-rocks. Sparkly and tingly, however, this leaves the tongue fairly quickly and finishes off smooth and slightly malty.

Puff
I'm hitting the 45-minute mark on this stogie and I'll be damned if I don't lap the ash. This is really disappointing to me after seeing so many photos of this particular stick with a solid ash almost to the nub. The draw has tightened up considerably, but there's a nice floral aroma coming from the cigar that actually matches up really nicely with the Samurai Pale. Through the second third the floral morphs into gentle citrus. Then the pepper kicks in again and the cigar hits an earthy phase that's stronger than the first third. The peanuts are gone. I nudged the head with my teeth a bit and the cigar opened up immediately. The draw was much better after this. The cedar has also returned for the second third. There's warmth in the smoke, but it's not bitter or unpleasant.

Pint
My overall impression is that the Samurai Pale Ale is a perfect "sit on the deck and enjoy summer" type of beer. No overwhelming flavors that beg to be tasted. The rice may be more of a gimmick than anything because I'm not noticing that it imparts any rice characteristics or flavors to the beer. This brew has a nice aftertaste, the lacing is a bit weak. With a 5.2% ABV, this beer does have a bit more of a kick than a normal session beer, but it's still very good after a long day at work or hot day out doing yardwork. Oddly enough, this beer actually matches up pretty well with the first third of the Diesel Unholy Cocktail.

Puff
The first two thirds of this stick were just getting warmed up. During the final third, the shit really hits the fan, but in a good way. This diesel takes its time. You start it. It warms up and runs at a nice even pace, but then, once it gets going, it starts to fly like a Cummins on a dark highway. The heady aroma and smokability of the first two-thirds fool you into thinking that this cigar is going to meld with your lips and gently lull you into pleasant thoughts. Then, it nails you to the floor with the final third. It's not bitter, but the spice and pepper start kicking you in the tongue like David Beckham with a bad attitude. The good thing is... you'll enjoy this beatdown. There are no "notes" of pepper/earthiness/spice at this point. It's a full on heavy metal concert in your mouth. The aroma of fresh cedar also blends nicely with these flavors. If you breathe in slightly (not inhaling, just try to catch the aroma of the cigar while you puff), it's almost like cutting down an evergreen in November.

Final Thoughts: The Diesel Unholy Cocktail is a cigar well worth nubbing. It's consistent throughout and I fully blame my ash issues on the humidity here in Kansas. Medium to full-bodied, and definitely the final third is full-bodied. High notes of pepper and spice blended with earthiness and cedar and some peanuts thrown in for an extra kick. I would recommend this cigar to a seasoned smoker. It does have a bit of ass-kick after you get through the first half. Overall, very aromatic and vigorous.

Rating: 
The Diesel Unholy Cocktail gets a great rating of 4 out of 5 puffs.

The Great Divide Samurai Pale Ale is overall good and gets a rating of 3 out of 5 pints.

That's all for now...