Churchill
-
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 -
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
-
Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne
$49.00 – $227.03Nick Perdomo and his Dad are well renowned cigar makers. I’ve watched them grow to one of the world’s powerhouse teams producing a wide array of highly rated premiums. In fact, over 20 years ago I remember Nick personally traveling around the country and winding up in my Long Island store soliciting for business! Many years later when I went to the last big Cigar Show trying to see him was like trying to see a rock start! His success is well earned.
When this 10th Anniversary Champagne line was launched it was well received. Let’s face it, Perdomo only makes great cigars! The Ecuadorian Connecticut seed wrapper encasing this Nicaraguan stick yields a mild taste with a nice bit of sweetness.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Connecticut
-
Kristoff Brittania Reserva
$36.00 – $163.17The Kristoff Brittania Reserva is a mild-medium bodied cigar that is actually a creamy and buttery tasting experience. Yes, it’s mild and extremely smooth with a complex flavor that just doesn’t exist in other “Mild” cigars. A winner!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Coming Soon!
Wrapper Type – Honduran Connecticut -
Bolivar Original
$53.00 – $187.00What most people don’t know is that Bolivar has a rich Cuban heritage. In fact, their still be made there! This very modestly priced cigar is a full bodied smoker’s dream. As soon as you light it up you’re off to the races! The robust flavor increases along the way culminating in an extraordinarily overwhelming taste experience .
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper Type – Ligero
-
VegaFina Natural
$123.72 – $155.08The first thing I can say about this brand is that it is still one of the most underappreciated mild to mellow bodied cigars available. It’s four country blend is smooth, balanced and pleasantly tasting with a wonderful aroma from it’s large volume of smoke. They draw great and are made well to boot!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Colombian-Dominican-Honduran
Binder – Honduran
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Connecticut -
Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua
$69.30 – $180.45Romeo y Julieta 1875 Nicaragua is a great example of why this legendary brand retains its top spot in the industry.
With attention to detail, this great cigar is the creation of the Plasencia factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Arriving in 2018, it surprised a lot of smokers. For starters, unlike many Nicaraguan puros, this one is actually mild to medium bodied. The big difference is it has all the flavor and taste you’d expect from a Romeo without being overpowering.
FYI, the folks at Blind Man’s Puff rated it a 91. One reviewer describes it perfectly. ” For a mild cigar this one checked off many of the points I like from a fuller bodied and fuller flavored cigar. I feel this is a cigar for almost anyone to enjoy, and look forward to smoking one again soon!” To put it another way, if you prefer a tamer smoke but don’t want to miss out on the best of what Nicaraguan tobacco has to offer, this one is a must try!
See all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Filler: Nicaragua Habano
Factory: Plasencia Cigars S.A.
Blender: Grupo De Maestros -
-
Romeo y Julieta Connecticut Nicaragua
$151.41 – $183.45Romeo y Julieta Connecticut Nicaragua is the result of a collaboration between Aging Room’s Rafael Nodal and legendary tobacco grower and blender Nestor Plasencia. How’s that for a team!
With attention to detail, encasing this creation is a Nicaragua/Connecticut-seed leaf growing exclusively on Plasencia’s own farms. Aging this wrapper for more than 3 years is no small feat. In fact, this blend took over two years to produce.
Scoring this newer entry at a very respectable 92, Cigar Aficionado describes it perfectly. “While this cigar starts out lightly, with creamy, toasty notes and floral impressions, it gets richer showing profound vanilla notes, a cashew nuttiness and a warm fruity, cinnamon finish that calls to mind apple pie.” With this in mind, Cigar Coop gives it a 91 with equal accolades.
No doubt it’s no surprise that this Romeo is another winner. To put it another way, this is a perfect smoking experience anytime of the night or day!
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Factory: Plasencia Cigars S.A.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Shade-Grown Connecticut seed
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: NicaraguaSee all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
-
-
Odyssey Maduro
$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 enjoy medium to full bodied smokes, the Maduro style has your name on it. These types of dark, oily wrappers are usually found on cigars four times as expensive!
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Maduro-Nicaraguan -
Diamond Crown Julius Caeser
$70.00 – $350.10Ok. So you found yourself looking at Julius Caesar cigars. You’ve heard about them being very, very good and being somewhat expensive. You heard right! Truth is they’re better than very, very good and kind of pricey. Granted, they’re priced better at our site than in your local store. J C Newman is a well renowned name not only in making terrific cigars like Diamond Crown, Brick House and Quorum, the company is the exclusive arm of distributing Arturo Fuente throughout the United States.
The key word about Julius Caesar is SMOOTH. It’s rich taste is a pleasure to your palate. Many, many folks that smoke only mild cigars have tried them and become converts! No matter what your preference, if you’ve never tried one, pick your favorite size and you’ll be back for more. If I could give Julius Caesar another start I would! Enjoy!
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Havana Seed
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Central American Tobaccos, Dominican
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente y CiaRATINGS:
Cigar Aficionado: Top 25 Cigars of 2011 and 2014
Cigar & Spirits: Cigar of the Year 2017
Cigar Insider: 93
Cigar Journal: 94
Cigar Snob: 92
Smoke Magazine: 93 -
Undercrown Shade
$46.00 – $241.08Just in case you didn’t know, Undercrown is made in the image of the coveted limited production Liga Privada line from Drew Estate. The company describes it as follows. “Incorporating many of the same rare tobaccos of different vintages and primings, this cigar is no mere replacement.”
Those smokers that felt the Undercrown maduro was a bit too strong will absolutely love this Shade edition. The most compelling evidence is the great reviews. Halfwheel @ 90. Blind Man’s Puff @ 93 and Stogie Press @ an astounding 95! And this is just a few! One taster says it best.“Want a smoke that’ll blow your pants off with delicious medium bodied notes of vanilla wafers and pancakes, pick this one up now!” What more would you like to know? This Undercrown is another winner for sure.
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blender: Willy HerreraThe Maduro and Sun Grown versions offer more medium to full bodied flavor and are equally wonderful!
-
Isla Del Sol Sungrown
$40.00 – $99.58Isla Del Sol is another masterpiece from Drew Estate. This hand made Nicaraguan and Sumatran beauty is priced literally so everyone can enjoy them. You’ll notice a bit of sweetness when your tongue touches the cap and a hit of infused coffee/cocoa beans throughout. Depending on your taste this cigar steers toward the mild to slightly medium spectrum.
One thing that will not disappoint is the fine construction and aromatic smoke production, the latter of which Drew Estate has definitely mastered. These totally affordable well made cigars are smartly packaged and adorned with tobacco leaves inside.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper – Sun Grown Sumatra
