Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Dominican, U.S., Undisclosed
Size: 7 x 48 Churchill
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $13.00
Released: November 2024 ~ Limited Release
Factory: Klaas Kelner Dominican Republic

My cigars received 3 months of naked humidor time.

THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The cigar is produced by a member of the Kelner clan. Which leads one to believe we know what’s coming. An excellent blend with no surprises. The leaf stats scream we’ve been here before and we like it. What’s the draw then? The price doesn’t have the usual $18-$25 price tag.

It’s not a bad looking cigar. It has no beauty marks…so it has that going for it. I like the oiliness.

Owner of Stoic, Vance Taylor, does not have a storied career in the business but he has drive and passion. He can go on endlessly about why he named the brand Stoic. One day, someone will follow The Band and just call it: Cigars and have no elongated backstory. No one really cares about stories outside the cigar biz.

Enough of my fol de rol, my children…let us get down to the house of detention and figure out if you should dole out your dough for more needed cigars. The magic quest that no amount of stoic behaviour can fulfill.

Wrapper oozes floral and grape jelly. Milder notes of barnyard, spicy peppers, salty seaweed, cumin, and milk chocolate.

I pierce the toast with my PerfecPunch. Resistance is the way daddy likes it. The cold draw is speecy cinnamon, clove, mint, chocolate, black coffee, and creamy caramel.

I don’t know why I chose the elongated Churchill. I must have felt a sort of Brit pride. Comes from a few years of being forced to eat Wimpy burgers. Gray patties with a scoche of fried onions and a grease covered bun. I still have nightmares.

My previous sticks showed only a bit of promise in that first inch. It raised my expectations that the blend would be believable later.

The beginning is slightly sour with other notes of graham cracker, more seaweed, and vanilla. But there is also a pleasant meatiness to it. The balance is a perfect 50/50 of sweet v. savory.

David Crosby took my Polaroid from me. “Hey man, let me show you something.” I sat in the dressing room with the band while he took photos of everyone. His trick was getting a double exposure by covering half the lens with a piece of paper and taking the photo again. I tried to repeat it for friends and failed miserably. Roger McGuinn had just changed his name from Jim because his guru said Roger was a name more attributable to his spirit animal. As I readied to leave, I asked for an autograph. He wrote a big loopy ‘J’ and then stopped. He continued to write with his correct new name. I thought it was cool that I had this bizarre mistake in print. I bet it’s worth $25 now.

The first inch was mostly a salty dog. But still tasty. The second inch begins. The cigar has a bit of heft but once flame was put to foot, it fattens nicely and feels heavy between my lips. There is something intrinsic for a writer to have that old fashioned Chicago sportswriter feel when at the keyboard. Probably a Boomer thing.

Caramel kicks in with heavy precision. Sweetness overtakes the half and half balance. Creaminess arrives to give the cigar some lift. Only a touch of white pepper…or is it black? Waffling.

The blend approaches a smooth being with relatives in the business. There is a slight crispy thing from an increasing spiciness. It feels a little out of balance.

Kelner blends are typically ready to smoke after 3 months. This debutante is no different. I smoked one a week after receipt and then put the rest away and forgot about them.

Strength began at medium and now in inch two, it kicks my sensibility to the curb. I feel the power in ability to hit the right keys while I type. I’ve tried taking notes and then writing about a cigar. I can’t do it.

In the 60’s my high school cover band played a lot of Love Ins and Freak Outs (Not the Diddy kind). There were always black lights and strobes. Quick flashing lights fucked up my bass playing. Plus it made me dizzy. I bought the first Vox Distortion Booster and during an extended version of “Gloria,” I used the tool for a very cool bass fuzz solo. It even allowed me to get some serious feedback that sent the crowd into wild submission.

At the end of the first third, the blend gets serious. This happened with the previous two sticks. I smoked both with food in the belly. I didn’t notice the strength that much. Now, my timbers are shivering. I have 4” to go. I’m doomed.

My bass teacher Carol Kaye would play me her famous bass lines when I begged. She pretended like it was an imposition…but at the end of each lesson she indulged me. My favorites were ‘Good Vibrations,’ Sloop John B,’ and ‘The Beat Goes On.’ At the end of a year, I had finally heard them all.

12 years later, I lucked out and had the good fortune to play with drummer Hal Blaine on our album. When I bragged to him that I played with Stewart Copeland, he feigned being impressed. I only played with Stew for a year or so. Blaine was a 5-year project and provides the fondest memories. This is an example of Hal and me on a slightly raucous tune by Rick Tunstall called ‘New Orleans Revue.’ I like that it has a false ending.

The first half was pleasant but not surprisingly unique. We’ve all been here a million times. It is a solid workman’s cigar blend that works well in unison. The unique quality is its reasonable price tag.

The Stoic comes in four sizes: Corona Gorda, Robusto, Toro, and Churchill. All crowd favorites.

The second half finds its golden hour. Qualities of richness, refinement, and complexity discover their home. Creaminess, caramel, chocolate, lots of malt, black tea, buttery, and sizeable black pepper. The strength is ensconced in medium/full on its way to full tilt. This is not a morning cigar. But I found in the previous sticks that the complex flavors are able to break through a dirty palate.

Flavors are subtle. The blend falls into the category of ‘I like it and am enjoying it’ and best smoked without dissection.

The second half swings and nails it. A total of 6-8 months of rest will surely provide an even better experience.

I find a secondary band underneath the main cigar band. A series of letters and numbers which leads me to believe it might have been an early rendering. I’m not sure what the symbolism as my previous sticks did not have this band.

This blend is definitely in my wheelhouse. If your palate is anything like mine, I’m sure that you will be pleased as well. There is nothing outrageously delicious going on but it’s a solid blend from start to finish. After promo codes, the four different sizes will go for $9.72-$11.70 each. These days, that’s a bargain.

You can purchase Stoic cigars from sponsor Small Batch Cigar. Take 10% off with promo code KATMAN.

RATING: 94

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar reviews, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, katman, klaas kelner, phil kohn, stoic cigars, Stoic Cigars Wisdom Churchill | Cigar Reviews by the Katman, vance taylor