Churchill
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Factory Smokes Sungrown
$37.69 – $52.84Factory Smokes Sungrown 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!
A point often overlooked is that bundled cigars are rarely review and rated. But it’s no surprise that many critics were duly impressed. With this in mind, here’s what some had to say about Factory Smokes Sungrown:
Smooth burn/Clean finish/Notes of cedar and spice/Good draw/No sour or bitter tastes/Great taste/
Notes of cream, natural tobacco, and sweet woodsy nuancesYou be the judge. But without a doubt, these cigars are worth more than their price for sure!
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Habano Sungrown
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Indonesia
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blenders: Willy Herrera, Jonathan Drew -
La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor
$223.75 – $248.75It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since this 90+ rated highly acclaimed edition came to market. Since then, Mi Amor has remained a consistent favorite for all the right reasons. This medium to full bodied stick is absolutely stuffed with tobacco yielding a great draw and slow burn. The selected blend of Nicaraguan inners combined with the dark, vintage San Andreas Mexican wrapper yields a totally enjoyable cigar for a more than fair price. The balance of sweetness and slight spice combined with hints of chocolate and espresso are wonderful. Try a five pack and you’ll see what we mean.
Origin – Nicaragua
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – San Andres -
Montecristo White
$124.78 – $469.68Montecristo White is one of this long storied company’s most popular cigars.
When this White banded edition appeared in 2017, an entirely new group of smokers discovered this brand for the first time. Many of those folks that gravitated to mild to mellow tasting cigars now had a Montecristo to call their own. The addition of tamer Nicaraguan fillers with Dominican leaves and encasing it with an Ecuadorian grown Connecticut seed wrapper yields a smooth, lighter smoke with a tiny bit of crispy spice that’s enjoyable for everyone.
There was no doubt this cigar was a hit as the accolades poured in. When Blind Man’s Puff rated it at 94, they said it best. “Excellent smoke! One of the best mild-medium smoked I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. The rich buttery and vanilla notes that were the backbone of this cigar were thoroughly enjoyable. Only smoke this cigar when you have the time to sit back, relax, and savor a truly high quality cigar. ”
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera de Garcia
Blender: Grupo de MaestroSee all the Montecristo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
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Alec Bradley Spirit of Cuba Corojo
$67.32 – $71.10Alec Bradley Spirit of Cuba Corojo is one of this super premium maker’s value priced edition.
The Alec Bradley Spirit of Cuba is an everyday cigar for everybody! We all know Alec Bradley produces many top rated premium cigars. Black Market, Prensado and Tempus to name a few. With attention to detail, this budget entry consists of a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, Honduran binder, and Nicaraguan & Honduran fillers. Without doubt, the result is a mild to medium-bodied premium grade smoke that can be enjoyed on a daily basis for a nominal price.
With this in mind, if you’re looking for a top quality smoke that’s totally affordable, this one is a top pick for you!
Origin:Honduras
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran -
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Kristoff Connecticut
$41.00 – $176.13Kristoff produces an extensive line of highly rated cigars. What sets their Connecticut aside from other top quality mild tasting cigars is that the four different Dominican leaves making up the filler actually gives this smoke a full flavored mild taste! Hard to explain I guess. Yes, it’s mild but it’s smoothness is unmatched.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Ecuador Connecticut -
Brick House Double Connecticut
$155.00 – $181.12Brick House Double Connecticut is rolled with the same highly-acclaimed Brick House filler blend with a genuine Connecticut Shade wrapper and Connecticut Broadleaf binder. Fewer and fewer cigars are being made with genuine Connecticut wrapper because many cigar manufacturers have found it to be more profitable to take Connecticut seeds and plant them elsewhere, like Ecuador or Honduras. J.C. Newman takes the use of genuine Connecticut tobacco by using it both in the wrapper and binder.
The result of this combination is a very spicy and peppery rich flavor- one not only unlike regular Brick House- but one unlike any other cigar on the market today. Using both Connecticut Shade wrapper and Connecticut Broadleaf Binder is what makes this new Brick House Double Connecticut such a truly unusual and unique cigar.
WRAPPER: Genuine Connecticut Shade
BINDER: Genuine Connecticut Broadleaf
FILLER: Nicaraguan
FACTORY: J.C. NewmanRATINGS:
Cigar Aficionado: 89
Cigar & Spirits: 93
Cigar Journal: Top 25 Cigars of 2018
AromaG: 91
El Gusto: “El Gusto’s Favorite” -
Factory Smokes Shade
$38.69 – $52.84Factory Smokes Shade 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! Jonathan Drew’s creation of Drew Estate started a revolution of amazing cigars. From Acid to Liga Privada , Undercrown and beyond. No matter which Premium or Super Premium brand he produced we knew one thing, we got what we paid for.
This Shade entry offers those of us that enjoy smooth tasting mild to medium bodied cigars an everyday choice. Blind Man’s Puff gave this cigar a 90 rating! And on top of this, Factory smokes were created by Master Blenders Willie Herrera and Jonathon Drew himself! What more do you need to know?
Check out the other three blends on Factory Smoke available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Indonesia
Factory: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Blenders: Willy Herrera, Jonathan Drew -
Cusano Premium Maduro
$24.99 – $95.84Don’t’ let the plain Jane packaging fool you. This is one of three great blends offered by Davidoff under the storied Cusano name for a more than fair price considering what you’re getting.
This Maduro edition is well made, medium bodied, smooth and tasty with a great draw. It also possesses a nice bit of sweetness and spice.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican
Binder – Coming Soon!
Wrapper Type – Maduro
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Cusano 18 Double Connecticut
$27.99 – $124.74Ok, I’m sticking my neck out here. I think this is one of the absolute best cigars you can buy for the price. Oddly enough, this edition has been flying under the radar for over 15 years. Since it’s been available, I’ve emphatically recommended it more times than I can remember. Davidoff acquired the Cusano brand many years ago and performed magic with the brand. All you need to know is that every component in these cigars has been seriously aged up to 18 years. The result of this true luxury blend is a spectacularly tasty, rich and flavorful mellow to medium flavored jewel with a great draw and a perfect burn. Try a five pack when we have them and see for yourself.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf
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Saint Luis Rey Serie G Maduro
$147.16 – $188.44This brand started in Cuba in 1940 and is still being made there. When Cigar Giant Altadis acquired the name for the US, production went from the Dominican Republic to Honduras where it remains. As time passed the brand began to evolve attracting new smokers. Over 10 years ago the Series G Natural came to market giving folks who enjoy medium bodied cigars a treat that captured the brand’s heritage of rich taste in a slow burning, smooth stick.
Soon after, the addition of pitch black Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper on this maduro edition raised the needle of the taste meter just a bit more than it’s natural counterpart.
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf -
Romeo y Julieta Aniversario
$252.22 – $334.08Romeo y Julieta Aniversario is a very, very special cigar to say the least.
You’re definitely a serious shopper if you’re looking at this amazing cigar. In 2003, Altadis reached out to Master Blender Jose Seijas who is a veritable icon of the industry for over 40 years. With attention to detail, his skillful multi country blend of long fillers is encased in a dark Ecuadorian Sumatra seed wrapper. Without a doubt this produces an amazingly complex, smooth tasting medium bodied cigar. While this masterpiece took a while to get passed around, it’s eventual 92 rating is a testament of Seijas’ ability to give smokers a truly great experience.
Just so you know, along with the high score, Cigar Aficionado placed this great cigar in the top 25 of the year. If you want to see what has been pleasing discerning smokers for over twenty years, this Romeo has to be in your humidor today. Hands down!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan-Peruvian
Binder – USA Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper – Ecuadorian SumatraSee all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
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H Upmann Vintage Cameroon
$117.75 – $158.26You found it! While most of us know the H. Upmann brand, few know the rarity of this 90 rated beauty. Yes, it’s medium to full bodied like most Upmanns are. What may folks don’t know is something I’ve talked about before. The Cameroon wrapper is amazing! It changes the character of this cigar to yield a smoother, tastier Upmann. Not that the others aren’t great! These Cedar wrapped beauties are unique and are even better if you let them age.Try a five pack for yourself.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan-Peruvian
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Cameroon -
Casa De Garcia Maduro Blend
$32.78 – $48.82When Altadis, the cigar giant thats brings us Monte Cristo, Romeo and Upmann….to name a few decided to create a value priced entry they didn’t take any shortcuts. These handmade sticks use Dominican tobaccos across the board with a bit of Honduran binder giving it a mild to medium bodied taste that’s smooth and mellow. The Connecticut Shade dark Maduro wrapper is a rarity in the budget friendly category. It gives this particular cigar a more robust taste without increasing its overall strength Enjoy!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Honduran
Binder – Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf
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Alec Bradley Spirit of Cuba Habano
$67.32 – $72.00Alec Bradley produces many top rated premium cigars. Black Market, Prensado and Tempus to name a few. Spirit of Cuba is their value priced addition giving you a mild to medium bodied premium grade cigar hat can be enjoyed on a daily basis for a nominal price. This Habano is a solid medium bodied smoke.
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Colombian-Honduran-Nicaraguan-Mexican
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Nicaraguan Habano
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Alec Bradley Black Market
$140.40 – $232.20Alec Bradley Black Market is one of this great company’s most popular cigars. For starters, Cigar Aficionado named the Black Market Churchill the 2022 #6 Cigar Of The Year with a rating of 94.
With attention to detail, this medium to full bodied gem encases a Sumatran binder and Panamanian/Honduran filler with a dark and oily Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper. To say the least, this is a medium to full bodied Cuban style smoking experience that’s hard to beat. In fact, when it came to ratings, Black Market beat out many of it’s Cuban counterparts! How’s that for value!
With this in mind, it’s hard to believe this terrific cigar has been around for over 10 years. If you consider yourself a discerning smoker and haven’t yet tried one, what are waiting for!
Factory: Tabacos de Oriente in Danli, Honduras
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Jalapa- Colorado Maduro
Filler: Honduran Jamastran Valley, Panamanian
Binder: Ecuadorian SumatraSee all the Alec Bradley cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
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Romeo y Julieta by AJ Fernandez
$141.84 – $170.28Romeo y Julieta by AJ Fernandez is an incredible collaboration between this iconic brand and legendary blender AJ Fernandez.
With attention to detail this masterfully crafted cigar contains a dark and oily Habano 2000 wrapper encasing super premium vintage grade Nicaraguan fillers and binder leaves grown specifically for this edition. The result is a super smooth full bodied smoke that’s a joy to behold. To say the least, this is a cedar wrapped powerhouse of a cigar with a wide open draw. Seasoned smokers and connoisseurs will thoroughly enjoy flavor notes of milk cocoa, dried fruits and hardwoods along with crisp spices and plenty of aromatic smoke.
If you’re a fan of Romeo y Julieta and AJ Fernandez, this cigar should be in your humidor today!
Wrapper: Habana 2000® Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Factory: Tabacalera Fernandez S.A. (Nicaragua)See all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
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Montecristo By AJ Fernandez
$94.14 – $118.26Montecristo By AJ Fernandez is a very special edition of this iconic brand.
With attention to detail, this box pressed cigar uses an Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro wrapper, a San Andres Mexican binder and Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. How’s that for complexity! To say the least, the Montecristo crafted by Master Blender AJ Fernandez cigar is an ultra-premium gem that puts AJ’s modern spin on this classic Cuban heritage brand. Just so you know, this cigar is probably the boldest cigar to carry the Montecristo name.
To illustrate this, Cigar Coop rates it a very respectable 91. With flavors of coffee, cedar, pepper and heaps of natural tobacco taste, this is a cigar that delivers medium to full strength and full-bodied flavors from start to finish. Without doubt, if you’re a fan of rich, robust cigars, this Montecristo is a must try.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro
Binder: San Andres Mexican
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduran
Country of Origin: Nicaragua (Tabacalera Fernandez)See all the Montecristo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
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