On this article, we want to take you on a journey. A great journey of discovering great Cuban cigars that we have personally tasted and that we feel confident in sharing with you. By no means is this an organized list of best to worst or from cheapest to the most extravagant. We genuinely believe that you should try them all and then decide for yourself.
Cohiba Behike 52
There are very few things we can say about this cigar. It is a cigar that every aficionado is after and it is considered by many the perfect cigar, the holy grail. It comes in 3 different sizes: 52, 54 and 56. These numbers are related to its ring gauge. The Cohiba Behike 52 was the #1 cigar of the year ? according to CigarAficionado ? and it comes in the size of a 4.70″x52, the smallest of the bunch. 2010 was considered one of the best years for Cuban cigars so if you can get your hands on a (very pricey) box of that year, please do because they are majestic. The beautiful reddish brown wrapper is flawless and it is closed with the iconic pigtail. It is made with a portion of medio-tempo, a type of filler tobacco that grows on top of the plant, grown in the sun. Its medium to full body strength offers creamy flavors and characteristical earthy notes. If you feel like waiting for some years to age them properly, they will get better and better.
Trinidad La Trova LCDH
This mighty cigar from Trinidad is a true delight and a must-have in your collection. Trinidad is a highly reputable brand in the Habanos portfolio, rubbing shoulders with Cohiba as the most well-known cigar brands in the world using the highest quality of Cuban tobacco. Over the years, this brand became iconic among aficionados and rumor has it that Trinidad was actually the brand that Fidel Castro smoked, not Cohiba as many believe. The tobacco comes from the world-famous Vuelta Abajo region, in Cuba, considered the best tobacco-growing area in the world. The Trinidad La Trova is an exclusive launch of La Casa del Habano and it is a big cigar ? 6.50″x52 ? but do not feel overwhelmed just yet because it is one of the most delicious pieces of nature you will ever taste. This cigar is not cheap, but it is worth every cent. The flavor of this medium to full body cigar is rich and dense right from the start, coating your palate with white chocolate, spices, earth, and even a touch of a creamy coffee. The La Trova is one of those cigars that you just want to light one after the other.
H. Upmann Magnum 50
For some, this cigar is a solid competitor to the mighty Cohiba Siglo VI, for half the price. It is a big cigar for those of you that like bigger sizes. It comes in the size of 6.50″x50 and boy does it deliver flavor. H. Upmann became well known to the public because of the Cuban embargo story with President JF Kennedy. Long story short, he told Salinger ? his Head of Press at the time ? to go to Havana and grab him 1.200 H. Upmann Petit Coronas, his favorite cigar that many photos document he smoked on a regular basis. After securing his cigars, he signed the Cuban embargo, banning all the imports, and the rest is history. The brand continued to evolve and produced many iconic cigars, being the Magnum 50 one of its best-sellers. This wonderful light to medium cigar delivers leathery notes with hints of wood and even vanilla, capable of bringing even beginner cigar smokers to a delight.
Partagas Series ?1 Edicion Limitada 2017
The cigar world surprises you some time. And what a surprise that 2017 gave everybody. The Partagas Series ?1 EL 2017 is one of those cigars that went under the radar and it went undervalued because of all the craziness over the Cohiba Behike and all the other special releases. True collectors, however, they knew exactly what they were tasting. Picture this: you are with your best friend at a wine tasting event and everybody is going nuts about a wine just because it is a famous brand. Then you taste something really special and you look at each other like: ?man, we got to buy all the boxes we can find? ? without saying a single word. This is what happens with this cigar. Coming in a size of 5.40″x52 and with a dark and very oily wrapper, this cigar is more than enough to keep you delighted for more than one hour with some of the most exquisite flavors you have ever tasted like dark chocolate, earth, oak, and just the most amazing creamy smoke. For sure one of the great ones of this list.
H. Upmann Magnum 54
The bigger brother of the Magnum 50 is only bigger in the ring gauge, being shorter on the length. It comes on the size of 4.75″x54 which means that, when comparing the two of them, the 54 has a bit more of filler tobacco in it. The Magnum 54 is a medium body smoke, making it perfect to light up at any time of the day and particularly great as an afternoon or pre-dinner cigar. Because of its balance and complexity, it is recommended for those who are used to smoke a cigar on a regular basis, so these characteristics can be fully appreciated. The flavors range from woody with an evolution towards pepper and dark chocolate.
Ramon Allones Club Allones EL 2015
When you look at this Ramon Allones you immediately know that you are about to smoke something special. The beautiful dark and oily wrapper smell like a buttery sweet when you take a cigar out of the box. Its smoothness almost guilts you into not lighting it, but you can?t resist. You really should try this great cigar. Do not let the flame of your lighter touch the leaves, they deserve your respect. Feel free to check out our article about how to smoke your first cigar. Chances are, if you are thinking about trying this Club Allones EL 2015, you are no longer a beginner, but it is worth a read. The Edicin Limitadas (Limited Editions) are built with the best tobacco of the island and are very much appreciated and sought after by cigar aficionados all over the world and this cigar is no exception. The Club Allones is a medium to full body cigar, delivering the classic powerful and rich flavors of the brand, enhanced by the amazingly aged Cuban tobacco.
Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure ?2
Cigar store owners love to recommend it to beginners and beginners love to smoke it. When in a store for the first time, don?t be cocky by ordering the biggest Cohiba they have. Instead, order an Epicure ?2 and you will be the happiest beginner cigar smoker of your town. If you don?t want to throw up on your first cigar, this is the way to go. This cigar comes in a Robusto size ? 5.88″x50 ? and it is probably one of the most well-known Cuban cigars of the world. The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure ?2 is a classic beginner cigar with a light body but packed with flavor and sophistication. It also has a solid consistency from box to box (which is a rare thing when it comes to Cuban cigars).
Partagas Series D ?4
Probably the best-selling cigar of the entire Habanos portfolio. It has been around since 1930, making it one of the oldest production cigars ever. Once you open a box of the D4s you know immediately that you are in for a treat. The chocolaty smell is almost sweet to the point that you want to chew on them. The wrapper is a beautiful dark brown with some reddish tint on it, oily and with almost no relevant veins to the touch. But do not be fooled with the sweet smell and delicate appearance, this cigar will kick you in the mouth. It is a very strong and full-bodied Robusto (4.88″x50) while still remaining smooth and creamy. Take your time while smoking this cigar because it truly deserves it.
Montecristo No. 2
Talking about Cuban classics, the Montecristo ?2 belongs to that league. The iconic torpedo shape is a true delight to the eyes of every cigar smoker. It is a big and bold cigar, measuring 6.13″x52 with a beautiful light brown wrapper, very soft to the touch. You can expect some notes of spices and pepper alongside with almonds and cedar. While it starts very mellow and medium when you light it up it slowly evolves to a full body cigar in all its glory, without ever compromising the flavor. The first ?2 was introduced in 1935 and it remained untouched ever since, winning the #1 position in Cigar Aficionados?s ranking in 2013. There are a lot of controversies and mixed feeling around this cigar. Some say it is an amazing cigar, perfect for every occasion. Others may say it is not good at all by the most various reasons. This cigar is like a celebrity, either you love it or you hate it, there are no middle opinions about it. On this side of the fence, we happen to love it.
Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe LCDH
This one is just a show stopper. You cannot just pass by an open box of Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe and not look twice. It is like looking at your loved one for the first time: you fall in love because of the looks and you stay because of the flavor. It has a very unusual way of presenting itself. With a thin piece of cedar wrapped around the body, only a small portion of it is uncovered. Even the bands are on top of the cedar which you have to remove before smoking (please don?t light the cigar with the cedar still on ? yes, we?ve seen it all at this point). The flavors on the Cedros De Luxe are on the medium side with hints of floral and some fruitiness. You can also find some notes of vanilla when lighting up making the cigar a bit sweet, evolving progressively to the characteristic earthiness of premium Cuban tobacco. The Cedros De Luxe is an exclusive cigar to the La Casa del Habano franchise and it comes in a box of 10 cigars with a size of 5.60″x50.
Cohiba Siglo VI
Fact: the Cohiba Siglo VI is one of Cuba?s finest cigars. It has multiple entries on Cigar Aficionado?s Top 25 list and that doesn?t happen by chance or luck. A cigar really has to deliver to be featured on such a list. When the Siglo VI was introduced in the market it established a new era for the brand. It was the fattest cigar of Cohiba?s portfolio (the factory gave it the name of ?Caonazo? ? cannon shot) and it also introduced the brand new lipstick style aluminum tubes that we know today, which were quite innovative for that time. Measuring 5.88″x52 is by no means intended to be smoked by an inexperienced smoker. The Siglo VI is a true full body, with intense flavors, delivering notes of leather and coffee and a perfect draw every time. Cohiba claims that the best tobacco in Cuba is reserved for the brand and this cigar is a proud flagship of that.
Romeo y Julieta Churchills
No collection would be complete without some classic Churchills from Romeo y Julieta. The date of its launch is highly discussed among historians. Some say it was launched on the 1940s after a visit of Sir Winston Churchill himself who was a true aficionado of the brand. Others say it was released on the 1950s. Today the Churchill line evolved to more references like the Wide, Short and Petit Churchills, but the only thing they have in common is the name because the size, blend, and strength are not the same as the Churchills. This cigar was so important to Habanos that today, all the cigars in the same range are called Churchills. It is a big cigar ? 7.00″x47 ? very strong and the recommended aging period is around 3 years when the cigar starts to lose some of its initial tartness.
Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas
The Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona is a cigar for those who are not afraid of showing some size. At a mighty 7.60″x49, it makes a Churchill look like a kid?s toy as it is a big and stately smoke. The Double Corona has also a very famous rival and an iconic cigar from Partagas: the Partagas Lusitanias, with the exact same length and ring gauge as this Hoyo. Its medium bodied flavors are very appreciated in the cigar community offering some sweet spices, coffee and a tiny bit of citrus on the back. It is a cigar that should be smoked in a calm environment and not in a rush. The subtleness of its evolution along the burn is something to be appreciated. As with any other high-quality cigar, a few years on the humidor will be very beneficial.
Punch 48 LCDH & Habanos Specialist
Being launched in 2016, the Punch 48 is the youngest cigar on this list, in terms of it being introduced in the market. It is also the first cigar that ever wore the La Casa del Habano and Habanos Specialists second band. The number 48 sure looks cool on the cigar band but it doesn?t have any specific reason to be there rather than being the cigar?s ring gauge size. The most surprising characteristic of this amazing cigar is its flavor. For a young cigar, it already shows a lot of subtleness and complexity on its flavors, which is great because we can already have a very good experience with it without putting it away for a long time. It is not a super premium cigar and it will not break your bank, but this medium-bodied smoke surely deserves a place on this list for all the reasons presented above.
Read the full review here.
Partagas Maduro No. 1
No collection would ever be complete without the impressive Partagas Maduro ?1. The wrapper on this cigar is something that you have to witness for yourself. It is a thick, oily and leathery tobacco leaf, so well fermented and cured that it is almost insulting to other maduros. It is also a special cigar because it was the first Partagas to ever carry the ?Maduro? name on the second band. Maduro means that the tobacco leaves were fermented for an extended period of time, making them darker in color and enhancing their flavor. To buy this wonderful cigar, you have to go to a La Casa del Habano or a Habanos Specialist distributor because the Maduro ?1 was made exclusively for these stores.
Read the full review here.
As we noted at the beginning, the intent of this article is not to evaluate the cigars from best to worst. It is simply a list of ?cigars to try? that we curated for you. Some of these cigars are available on our portfolio. If you are interested in knowing what cigars we have on stock, send us an email or talk with us on Instagram.
All Things Cigars brings you the best premium cigars, cigar accessories, amazing prices, and great customer service. Get to know our products at allthingscigars.com
