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...