Churchill
-
Padron Series ‐ Maduro
$114.75 – $344.50Padron Series ‐ Maduro is one of this iconic company’s most popular entries.
This box pressed Padron Maduro is a beautifully balanced and full-bodied smoke of exceptional quality and value. With attention to detail, all the tobacco ages for a minimum of two-and-one-half years before production. It has a strong natural tobacco aroma with notes of leather and spice. Needless to say, this cigar has a perfect draw and produces a lot of aromatic smoke.
In other words, no matter what size or style, Padrons medium to full bodied cigars are always consistently perfect in every way. With a smooth draw, large volume of smoke and robust taste that increases in intensity along the way, it’s no wonder this company’s products are always difficult to find. Rightfully expensive and worth every penny.
Check out all the Padron Cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
-
La Gloria Cubana Maduro
$137.99 – $192.99This cigar which is still being made in Cuba is the masterpiece created when the founding family fled to the United States. Without access to Cuban tobacco the family developed a signature blend that many feel exceeds the Cuban original. With a size for every smoker this medium to full bodied cigar has been enjoyed for decades by countless smokers.
Yes it’s an old one but a superlative and consistent smoke. This maduro blend has just a bit more kick than its natural sister.Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Brazilian-Dominican-Mexican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Sumatra -
Romeo y Julieta Reserve
$67.52 – $180.00Romeo y Julieta Reserve is yet another highly rated edition from this iconic company.
The Reserve is a successful offering appealing to a more diverse group of smokers. The addition Honduran leaves to selected Nicaraguan fillers and binder changes the body of the cigar for sure. Encasing it with a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper completes the formula. The result is a medium-full bodied taste with a flavor that’s not overpowering to your palate.
Cigar Aficionado rates this complex smoke a very respectable score of 90 points. Their description is spot on. “Initial puffs of leather and cinnamon segue into a nutty smoke of almonds and marzipan before the warm, toasty finish. Burn and draw are perfect throughout.” With this in mind, if other Romeos are too mild for you, the Reserve is what you’re looking for!
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Honduran-Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper – Nicaraguan HabanoSee all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
-
Padron Series ‐ Natural
$114.75 – $344.50Padron Series ‐ Natural is one of this iconic company’s most popular entries.
This Padron Natural is a Nicaraguan puro cigar with a rich, oily, and naturally sweet wrapper. It’s a robust cigar with a thick, creamy smoke and notes of coffee and cocoa. The cigar is hand-rolled with aged Cuban seed tobaccos and aged for at least 2.5 years.
No matter what size or style, Padrons medium to full bodied smokes are always consistently perfect in every way. With a smooth draw, large volume of smoke and robust taste that increases in intensity along the way, it’s no wonder this company’s products are always difficult to find. Rightly expensive and worth every penny.
Check out all the Padron Cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
-
Quorum Shade
$39.24 – $60.84You know you’ve seen Quorums everywhere. What you may not know is that the Quorum Brand is the world’s best selling cigar! Brought to us by JC Newman, makers of Julius Caesar and Diamond Crown, the fact that all three styles have received a 92 rating while maintaining a value price point is more than enough to get your worthwhile attention.
This Shade style is a more mild to medium bodied smoke given its Ecuadorian grown Connecticut Shade wrapper combined with a Sumatran Sungrown Binder. The Torpedo is definitely a top pick!
WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
BINDER: Sumatra Sungrown
FILLER: Nicaraguan
FACTORY: J.C. NewmanRATINGS:
Smoke Magazine: 92 -
Odyssey Habano
$34.02 – $52.02The Odyssey line is a super value priced array of everyday cigars brought to us by Premium powerhouse General Cigar. When the makers of Macanudo, Partagas and Punch…to name a few, decided to produce a well made economical smoke for everyone’s taste, they hit the mark!
If you’re a fan of well balanced medium bodied cigars, The Habano blend is for you!
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Habano -
Romeo y Julieta 1875 White
$71.96 – $200.59Romeo y Julieta 1875 White is one of this renowned company’s best selling cigars…..HANDS DOWN!
When this original 1875 line was launched it rapidly became one of the country’s top sellers. Over the years Altadis continued adding many more sizes and shapes while achieving consistently high ratings along the way. With attention to detail, this cigar’s blend truly achieves a sweet spot and unanimous acceptance among countless smokers.
Cigar Aficionado rates this legendary medium bodied cigar a more than respectable 92. Their description is short and sweet and still stands.”This cigar delivers big, chewy notes of nougat, pistachio and almonds fortified with leathery intonations. Rich and elegant.”
If you are one of the very few smokers that have not yet tried these universally loved cigars, what are you waiting for? From the small coronas to the enormous Exhibicion #1, any size you choose will be a top pick for sure!
Country of Origin: Dominican
Wrapper: Indonesian Sumatra
Binder: Dominican Piloto
Filler: Dominican Piloto and Olor
Blender: Grupo De MaestrosSee all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
-
La Estrella Cubana Connecticut
$61.02 – $71.82Take the band off this Connecticut wrapped cigar, give it to your buddy, let him light it up and get it going and then tell him it’s about a $3 smoke! General Cigar produced Las Estrella to give us a value priced BOXED cigar worthy of any occasion.
It’s mild to slightly medium bodied in taste with an even burn.Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Coming Soon!
Binder – Coming Soon!
Wrapper Type – Connecticut -
Factory Smokes Maduro
$38.69 – $52.84Factory Smokes Maduro is one of four of Drew Estate’s entries into the ever growing handmade Budget-Value category for all of us to enjoy for under $2 a stick!
With attention to detail, all Factory Smokes are made by hand. The big difference is the tobacco inside is made up of mixed fillers available at the factory. To put it another way, these leaves are the same crop used in their premiums! And on top of this, Factory smokes were created by Master Blenders Willie Herrera and Jonathon Drew himself!
This darkly wrapped beauties are medium bodied in taste with hints of dark chocolate and espresso. They have a great draw like the others and burn well.
Check out the other three blends of Factory Smokes available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Indonesia
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blenders: Willy Herrera, Jonathan Drew -
Oliva Serie V Melanio
$91.00 – $161.78Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Sumatra -
-
La Aurora Cameroon 1903
$103.50 – $112.50Origin – Dominican Republic Filler – Dominican and Nicaraguan Binder – Ecuadorian Sumatra Wrapper Type – Cameroon Africa
-
Cusano CC
$51.12 – $63.99When you have a chance, click on the “Ask Richie” icon on the upper part of the screen and read my “Bundles of Joy” submission. You’ll then understand how important the valued priced bundle category has been to both cigar makers and lovers.
This edition is one of the best Cuban styled full flavor smokes available for the price. It’s well made with a great draw yielding a robustly satisfying smoking experience across the board.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper Type – Sumatra
-
Quorum Maduro
$42.84 – $64.44You know you’ve seen Quorums everywhere. What you may not know is that the Quorum Brand is the world’s best selling cigar! Brought to us by JC Newman, makers of Julius Caesar and Diamond Crown, the fact that all three styles have received a 92 rating while maintaining a value price point is more than enough to get your worthwhile attention.
The Maduro style’s oily dark Sumatran Sungrown wrapper combined with a Connecticut Broadleaf binder yield a medium to slightly full flavored treat.
WRAPPER: Sumatra Sungrown
BINDER: Connecticut Broadleaf
FILLER: Nicaraguan
FACTORY: J.C. NewmanRATINGS:
Smoke Magazine: 92 -
Davidoff Winston Churchill
$34.60 – $450.00The Winston Churchill line of cigars was introduced as a tribute to Sir Winston Churchill, the famous British Prime Minister. Quite frankly, here, you have a cigar in which Davidoff Master blenders have embraced and accomplished an exciting challenge by blending a cigar of complex character with a rich mixture of fine qualities by drawing on and harmonizing the tobaccos of Nicaragua, Mexico, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
What can definitely be said is that Winston Churchill will probably be the smoothest, creamiest and tastiest cigars you will ever smoke.
Wrapper: Habano Ecuador Rojiza
Binder: Negro San Andrés (Mexico)
Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli Seco, Condegas Seco) Dominican (Piloto Mejorado Seco, Hybrid Olor/Piloto Seco, Piloto Seco) -
Cohiba Black
$120.11 – $584.78The super dark and oily wrapped Black edition was introduced in 2006. It’s proprietary blend of tobaccos were aged three years before release.This Cohiba is an espresso of a cigar with a deep, lustrous wrapper that consistently delivers rich, concentrated flavor. The result is a long burning, super smooth medium to full bodied taste that is so satisfying you’ll forget about the price and hesitate to share them!
I can’t think of better gift as well than a box of 10 glass tubes.
Wrapper: USA Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: USA Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Filler: Dominican (Piloto Cubano) -
Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented
$48.00 – $168.63Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented is probably one of Drew Estate’s most exclusive and elusive brands.
There is no dispute that the Pappy Van Winkle line is one of the most sought after cigars on the planet. When Drew Estate decided to produce a more complex blend, the industry took serious notice. With extreme attention to detail, this extraordinary cigar is made by soaking Kentucky fire-cured tobacco in Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels for 12-18 months. The tobacco is then combined with prime Mexican and Indonesian tobacco and hand-rolled in very limited quantities in Estelí, Nicaragua.
Stay tuned to The Cigar Thief for availability. And when they’re in, get them! Any size is always a top pick for these.
Check out all the Pappy Van Winkle cigars we carry when they’re available HERE
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés) & U.S.A. (Kentucky Tapa Negra)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua & U.S.A. (Kentucky) -
Undercrown Maduro
$73.80 – $240.88When Drew Estate launched Liga Undercrown Maduro back in 2017 not only did it get a 91 rating, it was placed in the top 25 cigars of that year. Those of us that have enjoyed the coveted, super exclusive Liga Privada brand over the years looked twice! Not only is this fantastic cigar made in the image of Liga Privada, it uses some of their signature blends blends as well.
This well balanced medium to full bodied beauty is a superb smoke that’s actually available available to us all in ample supply. The amazing Flying Pig is a top pick…..when we have them! Get your favorite whiskey, bourbon, beer or wine in hand and get ready for a superb smoking experience!
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Otapan Negro Ultimo Corte
Binder: T52 Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Habano
Fillers: Brazilian Mata Fina, Nicaraguan Cuban SeedBlender: Willy Herrera
-
Oliva Gilberto Reserva
$113.25 – $137.52This 90 rated edition was appropriately named paying homage to Oliva’s founder. The interesting blend of tobaccos from four countries produces a mellow to medium bodied kind of crispy taste that’s unique for Oliva.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Habano
Wrapper Type – Indonesian Sumatra
-
Oliva Flor De Oliva Original
$71.44 – $79.38This great brand traces its roots back to 1886 when Melanio Oliva began growing tobacco in Cuba. After the revolution, his grandson Gilberto went to Spain and then settled in Nicaragua. In 1995 Gilberto and his son Gilberto Jr. launched the company.
If you’re a fan of Oliva cigars, you’ll agree that this company delivers what you pay for. While their super premiums are priced fairly considering the great sticks they are…….they ain’t cheap! When the Flor De Oliva bundles of value-priced premiums were launched, the company made it very clear that everyone can now enjoy their brand every day for around $3 each! Even those folks that smoked long cigars with big ring sizes.
The Original edition is a medium-bodied stick that burns slowly and increases in intensity as you move along. I’ve often smoked the Churchills halfway down and thrown the rest away without any guilt!
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf-Sumatra
-
Primo Del Rey Original
$62.84 – $240.16There’s a reason why this brand has been around forever. They’re very good cigars! The intricate three country blend has remained eerily consistent over decades. This mellow to medium bodied stick draws well, burns perfectly and has a smooth finish. What it lacks in marketing sizzle it more than makes up for in substance and character.
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Honduran-Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper
-
-
Factory Smokes Sweets
$33.45 – $45.59Factory Smokes Sweets are one of four of Drew Estate’s entries into the ever growing handmade Budget-Value category for all of us to enjoy for under $2 a stick!
With attention to detail, all Factory Smokes are made by hand. The big difference is the tobacco inside is made up of mixed fillers available at the factory. To put it another way, these leaves are the same crop used in their premiums! And on top of this, Factory smokes were created by Master Blenders Willie Herrera and Jonathon Drew himself!
This well made sweet capped cigar is medium bodied with definite hints of vanilla and coffee along with bits of gentle spices. For those who want a good tasting cigar without the associated price tag, Factory Smokes are surely the way to go!
Check out the other three Factory Smokes blends available at the Cigar Thief Here
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Indonesian Sumatra
Filler: Indonesia Sumatra
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blenders: Willy Herrera, Jonathan Drew -
La Aroma de Cuba Original
$173.75 – $212.50To begin with, Master Blender Jose “Don Pepin” Garcia created La Aroma de Cuba. This Ashton sister brand received a “Top 25” award twice! It’s 93 rating over 20 years ago is still a testament to its quality today. This Cuban seeded Nicaraguan blend of vintage fillers combined with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper yields a Cuban style medium bodied smoke that’s hard to beat at any price! The Robusto is a top pick!
Want to see more La Aroma de Cuba cigars? Click HERE.
-
Ashton Heritage Puro Sol
$225.21 – $265.16There’s a few reasons why 90 rated Ashtons have remained in the top ten for decades. They are made by the folks at Arturo Fuente. They are insanely consistent and remain one of the benchmarks for mild to mellow taste. If you’ve smoked them you know. If you haven’t, I envy you!
Those of us that have enjoyed Ashton’s Classic series over the years have become accustomed to their signature taste. When the Puro Sol edition was launched it was Ashton’s first venture into the medium bodied category. Bang! Not only did it get a 94 rating, it placed #7 of the top 25 best cigars of the year. So if you’ve enjoyed Ashton Classics, you must step up and try the Ashton Heritage Puro Sol flavorful beauty.
Country: Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium-Full
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano wrapper
Binder: Dominican
Filler: DominicanACCOLADES
Top 10 Cigars of the Year – Cigar Aficionado, 2012
Top 10 Cigars of the Year – Cigar Aficionado, 2008
Top 10 Cigars of the Year – Cigar Aficionado, 2005
Top 25 Cigars of the Year – Cigar Aficionado, 2021
Top 25 Cigars of the Year – Cigar Aficionado, 2004
94 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, May 2021 -
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real
$88.21 – $237.33Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real is another highly rated offering of this iconic brand.
When the original 1875 White line was launched it rapidly became one of the country’s top sellers. Shortly after, the Reserva Real series hit the ground running. While this blend upped the flavor to the medium bodied level it remained smooth and balanced with just a hint of spice to liven up your palate.
As luck would have it, Cigar Aficionado recently rated the Lonsdale size a respectable 91. Their description says it best. Initial notes of dried citrus and vanilla combine on the palate for an orange creamsicle effect. There’s a slightly cedary element as well, making for a bright, sweet cigar that draws and burns evenly.” Not convinced yet? The Porto Real came in at 92!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper Type – Ecuadorian grown ConnecticutSee all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
-
Oliva Serie O Maduro
$109.20 – $190.10Oliva has been turning out amazing cigars for many years. Most of their selections offer smokers a wide array of top rated cigars ranging in taste from mild to medium.
Enter the Series O Maduro and things change dramatically! The great aspect of this 90 rated stick is that it delivers a solid full flavor with an uncanny smoothness
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Coming Soon!
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro -
La Estrella Cubana Habano
$61.02 – $71.82Take the band off this Habano wrapped cigar, give it to your buddy, let him light it up and get it going and then tell him it’s about a $3 smoke! General Cigar produced Las Estrella to give us a value priced BOXED cigar worthy of any occasion.
It’s medium bodied in taste with an even burn.Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Coming Soon!
Binder – Coming Soon!
Wrapper Type – Habano -
Macanudo Inspirado White
$51.49 – $142.50Macanudo Inspirado White is another of the company’s hugely successful boutique entries.
With attention to detail, Inspirado White features a six year old proprietary Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade leaf. This unique wrapper encases a vintage Indonesian binder. The fillers are four year old Mexican San Andrés and Nicaraguan Condega leaves and two year old Jalapa Valley tobacco. To say this is a very complex blend is an understatement!
The company describes this great cigar best. “We spent several years developing this blend, using tobaccos we refined and aged to perfection. Think of the most creamy, alluring cigar you’ve ever had, amplify the complexity and you have Inspirado White.” What more do you need to know?
Like all Macanudos, this Inspirado is perfectly constructed with a consistently good draw. You can be rest assured that Macanudo is still one of the world’s reigning brands for all the right reasons.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade (6-year-aged)
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Condega, Nicaragua (4-year-aged) | Jalapa, Nicaragua (2-year-aged) | Mexican San Andrés (4-year-aged)
Factory: General Cigar Dominicana (Dominican Republic)Looking for more Macanudo products available on The Cigar Thief? Click HERE
-
Cusano M1 Connecticut
$52.20 – $66.60The Cusano family sold their company to the folks at Davidoff some years ago. This value priced cigar is probably one of the best sticks available for under $3! This is a mild to medium bodied smoke that’s worth far more than its price!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican
Binder – Connecticut
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Connecticut
-
Baccarat Game
$17.00 – $216.00First off this brand is produced by Davidoff. This value priced cigar is one of America’s top sellers. Why? It’s mild, consistent and affordable. Baccarat is an everyday smoke for countless smokers throughout the country. I recommend a five pack of very cool burning Lanceros and you’ll see what I mean. The bonus is that if you age them for at least six months they get better!
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Honduran
Binder – Mexican
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf
-
-
Dunbarton Umbagog Bundle
$82.88 – $93.08If you’ve read my “Bundles of Joy” article posted in the ASK RICHIE section of this website, you know how most cigar makers increased the amount of bundled value brands they offer to budget conscious smokers. Umbagog, named for Dunbarton’s owner’s favorite New Hampshire lake, doesn’t quite fall into this category. While the cigars are wrapped in paper and priced considerably lower than their other entries, they’re definitely not bargain smokes. What they are is another great medium to full bodied edition that is well made like the others offering a more straightforward taste. Natural tobacco, black licorice and some peppery spices appears early on and remain throughout.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaragua
Binder – Nicaragua
Wrapper Type – USA Connecticut Broadleaf
-
Camacho Connecticut
$31.68 – $180.00The Camacho website introduces the Connecticut by stating, “This is one Camacho smoke that doesn’t kick in the door. It knocks. And enters with a mild, smooth taste.” With that being said, as the high ratings came in, the industry knew this cigar was a winner. Without a doubt, this well made cigar is not your father’s Connecticut. When the highly critical folks at Cigar Dojo rated it a 90, they described it best, “The Connecticut begins with notes of spice that grows the further you go along. It’s the same bold flavor I have come to expect from Camacho, sans the heaviness you get from stronger blends. The blend of Dominican and Honduran tobaccos brought out the spice but with hints of sweetness not found in other Camachos.”
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Grown Connecticut
Binder: Corojo (Camacho’s original Cuban seed)
Filler: Generoso, Aleman Ligero
Factory: Agroindustrias Laepe S.A. (Honduras) -
-
Alec Bradley Project 40
$119.88 – $205.20Alec Bradley Project 40 is the first of the company’s new Experimental Series blended by Alan Rubin himself.
With attention to detail, Project 40 is being produced at Jesus Fuego’s factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. With this in mind, it includes a complex blend made up of a Nicaraguan wrapper covering a Brazilian habano binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua. What’s more amazing is that this amazing medium bodied cigar sells for around $5.
It’s safe to say that this 2019 “Experiment” is a huge success. To put it another way, Cigar Aficionado @ 92, Halfwheel @ 91, Blind Man’s Puff @ 92 and Cigar Authority @ 91. And that’s just for starters! Need we say more about this fantastic cigar that you can thoroughly enjoy any time of the day!
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Colorado
Binder: Habano Brazilian
Filler: Nicaraguan
Factory: J. Fuego Cigar Co. De Nicaragua SA.
Blender: Alan RubinSee all the Alec Bradley cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
