Cigar Brands: Popular Choices
Many elements combine to create a fine cigar, one that cigar lovers agree is superior in flavor, a memorable smoking experience. It all begins with how and where the tobacco is grown. Climate and soil conditions affect the quality of the end product. The construction of the cigar, the rolling process, is also key.
Cigar rolling is a craft that, in some countries, has been handed down for generations. The tobacco aging process the manufacturer uses also affects the quality of the cigar, creating a mellower flavor the longer it is aged. Because there are fine cigars being made in many different countries, the cigar enthusiast has the luxury of many great choices.
Montecristo Platinum #3
Considered luxury premium cigars, they provide a full, richly flavored smoke. These cigars are handcrafted from a carefully selected blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos, with a Mexican San Andres Cuban wrapper. They are 5 ½” in length.
Rocky Patel Rosado Torpedo
Made from well aged longfiller tobacco from Nicaragua, and milder longfiller and binder tobaccos grown in the Dominican Republic, Rocky Patel Rosado cigars provide premium quality for a reasonable price. The Rosado radiance of each cigar originates from being finished in an Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf. The resulting flavor of this quality blend is a smooth, medium to full bodied smoke that some have described as spicy, with an appealing aroma.
Oliva Serie V Churchill Extra
These cigars provide a full bodied smoke that is also smooth. The balance comes from the blending of Nicaraguan Jalapa Valley Ligero longfiller with a Nicaraguan binder, finished off with an attractive Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown wrapper. With these robust 7” cigars you can enjoy a smoke with hints of dark chocolate and coffee.
La Flor Dominicana Cabinet Oscuro Natural L-500
The first thing that impresses you about these fine cigars is the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper whose rich, dark color speaks of the full-bodied smoke to come. These cigars are crafted from pure Dominican Republic tobaccos that come from La Flor Dominicana’s highly regarded farm. These cigars are recognized as one the best to come from that country. Despite the depth and richness of the smoke, the flavor is never harsh.
Onyx Reserve Impulse 5/10
Considered a medium to full bodied smoking experience, with a depth and taste that is somewhat sweet, these cigars are handmade in the Dominican Republic. The flavor begins with an intriguing blend of Dominican Piloto Cubano and Nicaraguan tobaccos, with a Nicaraguan binder. Peruvian Cuban-seed Ligero tobaccos add what could be called a spicy element. Additional rich flavor is brought in through a Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper.
Romeo Y Julieta Reserva Real Lonsdale
Skillfully handmade, these cigars take Dominican and Nicaraguan longfillers and an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper to produce a delicately balanced, even complex, flavor of medium strength. This is a very fine cigar whose flavor will remain a pleasant memory long after you are finished smoking it.
Perdomo Habano Robusto
Out of the Esteli, Condega and Jalapa regions of Nicaragua comes the top quality Cuban-seed tobaccos used to craft this full bodied cigar. The care in both the selection of the tobacco and the rolling process is apparent from the first time you pick up this beautiful cigar. Triple fermented Nicaraguan Maduro wrappers add to the flavor that has been described as bold, spicy, and rich but smooth and balanced, a smoke that begins as a mellow experience and then becomes more intense and satisfying.
Cohiba Extra Vigoroso (XV) 550
When you begin with well aged Ligero longfillers and finish this Robusto dimensioned cigar with a carefully aged Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, the result is a potent but relatively smooth flavored smoke, rich and complex. Padron Aniversario Pyramide
An experienced cigar making family in Nicaragua with a heritage in the renowned Cuban cigar industry makes these cigars from Nicaraguan tobaccos that are aged a full four years. The flavors of these cigars are quite complex, making for an exceptional smoking experience. As you enjoy these cigars, you will detect hints of tropical flavors such as coffee, hazelnut and cocoa. Cigar connoisseurs that gravitate toward a full bodied smoke have given these cigars extremely high ratings.
Gurkha G3 Toro
Three Nicaraguan ligero leaves form the core of this full bodied cigar, which is then surrounded by a Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper. Other remarkable flavor elements are supplied by the Cameroon binder, resulting in an overall smoke that is exciting for its complexity. It has been described as earthy, robust, smooth, spicy, sweet and even toasty—a depth of flavor that is difficult to find but easy to appreciate.
Cabaiguan Petites
A small cigar with a smooth yet complex flavor, these 4 ½” long cigars are made from Nicaraguan tobacco with Ecuadorian Connecticut wrappers, and a Cuban-style triple-cap. They are medium bodied cigars that allow you to experience a diversity of flavors from rich and earthy to softer and peppery.
If you’re in the market for a fine cigar, consider these popular, well made options.
Dee Power is a freelance writer who writes about luxury items such cigars .
