As passionate as cigar smokers are, the overall community is actually quite small compared to other industries like spirits or men’s fashion. That means there are less YouTube channels for cigars than there are for other related industries, but it doesn’t mean that there aren’t some great channels out there.
On a whim I’ve put together a list of the cigar-centered YouTube channels that I’m subscribed to. They each have their own unique vibe and offer different kinds of value, so check them out. Maybe you’ll find your new favorite youtuber!
Relatively new to the scene, Mister Lancero electrified the Instagram and YouTube community with his highly produced videos featuring energetic music, stunning shots of LA and a chill but knowledgeable personality. I’ve been a huge fan of his videos since he first started, and I really hope he starts posting more significantly and even expands into new content. He videos are produced at a level of quality that the cigar community deserves but rarely gets.
For adventures in the world of cigar and spirits pairings, hosted by a major industry figure
If Mister Lancero is brings world-class YouTube production quality, Imperfect Pairings brings the adventure and personality that most review channels sorely lack. The channel was founded by Omar de Frias of Fratello Cigars, a boutique cigar brand that exploded onto the scene with great blends in 2013. Each episode, he explores new and unlikely pairings for his blends.
If you’re looking for a big personality to guide you through your cigar journey, Tim Swanson over at Cigars Daily is a great choice. He started his journey on TNT Cigars, and after growing that channel monumentally decided to strike out on his own.
On his channel you’ll find cigar reviews, guides on major cigar topics like beginners cigars, and a lot more.
Cigar Dojo makes the list here for a few reasons. First, their videos are fairly well produced. Second, they have some truly unique videos, like where they crack open a barrel of barrel aged tobacco (very cool). Lastly, because they own the largest cigar social app on the app store as well as a website full of reviews, they’re able to do video interviews with significant industry personalities.
Interested in Cuban cigars and/or extreme luxury cigar accessories? Dutchcigars is your channel. On his channel, Dirk reviews some of the rarest Cuban cigars on (and off) the market, as well as extremely expensive accessories. He’s got a chill attitude, is very knowledgable and will teach you something new, especially if you’re new to the world of Cuban cigars. He also has an active Insta profile with over 30k followers and posts some great content.
For very honest, knitty gritty reviews and anything IPCPR
Known by many as the leader in cigar industry news, haflwheel also has a YouTube channel where they mostly post (thousands? millions?) of IPCPR videos. But they also have video reviews where they do a great job of going in depth on new products, and most importantly giving the honest truth about whether they recommend buying or not. If there’s one source you can trust to not give you bullshit “yes man” reviews, it’s halfwheel. Just be prepared to sit through a few minutes of detail that may or may not feel relevant.
The above are the cigar YouTube channels that I enjoy. There definitely are many more out there, including Cigar Vixen, Cigar Obsession, and more – so do your own research and let me know if I forgot to mention any in the comments!
Center: Billy and Gus Fakih. Photos courtesy of John DeMato Productions (www.johndemato.com)
“Family” is a cherished value in the world of cigars. Families preserve the hard work that the founder put into building the business, and give next generation an opportunity to leave their mark. Thus, as a family member of a cigar family, you need to pick something to learn be it operations, sales, blending, or farming. The process is arduous, process laden and handling all of the elements is tough! Given the importance of family to the industry, it makes sense that brothers Billy and Gus Fakih entered the cigar industry together with the launch of Artesano Del Tobacco.
The two started their journey into cigars back in 1990 down in Greenwich Village with a store called Zig Zag. I used to walk through Washington Square Park in 1990 and I can assure you Zig Zag was a good name choice for a tobacconist located at the convoluted intersection that was W4th and 6th Ave.
Locals found in the brothers an inviting and knowledgeable entryway into cigars, which at the time had taken off like a rocket nationwide. The Fakih’s immediately bred loyalty from customers, providing exceptional product selection and a high-level retail experience.
A few decades later, the two brothers, moved uptown and opened Cigar Inn on 71st street with their brother Bass. Under the management of Billy, Bass, and Gus, the lounge took off. It was so successful, in fact, that the brothers soon opened another location on 54th st. Both these locations gave smokers in these heavy residential areas access to an upscale but inviting environment that appealed to high rolling businessmen, blue collar workers, and retirees all the same. The moment a customer walked through the doors, staff was ready to help them find that genuine love of cigars and not feel the wall of snobbery that other Manhattan stores might exude.
I remember thinking that they could have added another 5000 feet to the lounge after the popularity soared even further. A few years later, the brothers sold the lounges to Casa de Montecristo for an undisclosed amount, and it seemed like the brothers were out of the industry for good.
And really, you might expect anyone to lose that passion for the industry even after a lot of success. But the Fakihs continued to love both the business and the cigar smokers themselves. Thus, more than two decades after opening their first shop, Billy and Gus are at the helm of Artesano Del Tobacco and in turn the inaugural blend Viva la Vida which is a combined effort by the brothers and the esteemed AJ Fernandez.
Always attentive. Billy and Gus Fakih speaking with an enthusiast at the March 14 launch at The Carnegie Club in New York City. Photo cred: John DeMato Productions
The Viva La Vida blend launched in New York City at The Carnegie Club on March 14th. Matthias Clock, Founder of Fine Tobacco NYC, had hinted to me how great this cigar and the night was going to be (reviewed by him for this site here). Who could have known how right he was! I have never seen a first-offering cigar received with as much love as the Viva La Vida.
Viva La Vida is rolled in five sizes, from the standard robusto up to a limited edition diadema size. It’s a full-flavored, medium-bodied Nicaraguan puro made with a combination of a Habano Oscuro 2000 wrapper, Criojo 99 binder, and Criojo 98 filler. All are chosen from Tabacalera Fernandez by the Fakih’s and Fernandez.
The Viva La Vida in robusto size
The tobacco has a fantastic taste, exuding incredible flavors and quickly making loyal fans. Remember when you first started smoking and you found that perfect place to finally light up and half way through you said, “this is the life.” You never stopped loving that cigar…right? This is that cigar. I don’t want to ever catch myself saying anything like this but I will. This is a cigar I would choose if I was forced to choose only one cigar to smoke for the rest of my life. Complex yet even, flavorful but not horribly spiced up. There are only a couple of others out there and you can feel free to message me on Facebook for that list.
Back to Billy and Gus. I think their path to blending makes sense. After years in the business, they have all the relationships and they know what they love. Working with A.J. was a brilliant move, too. He would never let a blend of his go down a rabbit hole, and his generosity as a craftsman shows in how damn good the cigar is.
There is one final aspect about the Brothers Fakih that I admire: they are real New Yorkers. They live in my home boro of Queens (also home to the worst airport in NYC!), and their personalities are warm and genuine just like all New Yorkers. Also, they are in this to win it. Class and patience wins the race in the cigar world and they exude both.
My advice? Get your hands on several of these (one is not enough, you’ll see). I wouldn’t be surprised if, given the hype, this cigar becomes much more scarce soon.
Unlike other articles outlining the best places to buy cigars online, this article also goes into detail on online cigar stores to avoid. That’s important, because there are some truly terrible websites to purchase cigars from, including companies that have terrible service or are straight up scams.
So how do I determine the best websites to buy cigars online? After 10 years of personally ordering from a number of retailers, the most important components of a cigar store are customer service, price, selection, quality, and the usability of the website.
Famous Smoke Shop was the winner on my original list back in 2016, and it remains there to this day. First, although not perfect, the website is easy to navigate, has a modern and mobile friendly web design, and makes it easy to sort product by price, brand, country of origin, ring gauge, strength, and more.
Second, after a number of years of making large and small purchases with Famous, I’ve never had a bad order—never late, never any dried out product, no bait-and-switch orders, etc. And when I have needed customer service (to change shipping addresses, etc), their customer service department has been friendly and completely on point.
Third, Famous Smoke Shop still maintains Cigar Monster, which is a newer take on the old deal-an-hour fad of the early 2000’s. The benefit there is they have five packs of major brands that are discounted 20%-30%.
Gotham Cigars comes ranked as the number two online cigar retailer for a couple of reasons. First, the websites does a good job of appealing to a broader arrow of cigar smokers, including those looking for cheaper, machine made cigars (which are all of their top sellers). Second, the website is very clean and easy to navigate, which might not sound like a big deal but if you’ve ever tried to shop on some of the more archaic cigar websites (*cough* Cigar Auctioneer *cough*), you’ll know that having an easily navigable experience is a big plus.
When I wrote my last ranking in 2016, Smoke Inn was a runner up, with the caveat that its web design needed some work. Well, somewhere in the last two years this site upgraded. It still isn’t 100% intuitive to navigate, but the product pages are slimmed down and much easier to understand than most other online cigar retailers.
Two other reasons Smoke Inn makes the list. First, they have the standard cigar selection, and second, they also have a huge selection of boutique smokes (good gifts for the enthusiast in the family).
Cigar Page’s slogan is “A smorgasbord of cigar deals,” and boy does it deliver. The website specializes in five and ten packs from major brands, and really does have excellent deals. I haven’t purchased from this website personally, so I can’t vouch for the quality of the product, and hence why I strongly recommend Famous Smoke. But some of the deals are impressive, so if you’re a current cigar smoker it’s a website to look at.
And now, with the best websites out of the way, it’s time for…
The Worst Websites to Buy Cigars Online
If you’re going to buy cigars online, you need to know that there absolutely are retailers to avoid. Here are the cigar retailers you should pass over in favor of our recommendations above.
Thompson Cigars
I hate to say it, but even after writing my first article on online cigar stores more than five years ago, Thompson Cigars still hasn’t improved their reputation much. True, they have a A+ rating on Better Business Bureau, but if you look at the reviews page, you’ll find negative review after negative review. They seem to have a reputation for signing unsuspecting shoppers up for expensive monthly subscriptions without their consent, which is, you know.. Bad.
I don’t have first hand experience, but here are some of the comments on my previous post about Thompson:
“Please avoid Thompson Cigar…they did exactly what you said they would do…Back in the summer my boyfriend spoke to them about starting a monthly subscription starting September 11 2017…and told them he would call them first before he wanted his card charged…Well on September 1 2017 they went ahead and charged his card….he immediately called them and told them to cancel it….after all kinds of back and forth they refused to cancel the order and we would have to wait until after he received the cigars then call them back to have a return slip sent to him…2 months later he was still waiting, he finally got it after several months but at that point decided to keep them, which I’m sure was done deliberately so he did keep them…well they got $120.00 but he won’t ever purchase from them again…Thank you”
“I placed an order online with Thompson Cigar and within half an hour cancelled it. I received an email acknowledging the order was cancelled. Much to my surprise, I received an email telling me it had shipped. When I called their CSC line, I was told there is nothing that can be done (is the CSC out of the country?) I usually order from another large online vendor but they did not have what I wanted to send and had heard good things about Thompson. My mistake and will not order again. Consumer beware.”
“Thompson’s cigar club is a nuisance, as are their pushy sales people!”
Cigars International
Cigars International on my worst list boils down to the fact that they still have an F rating with Better Business Bureau. The rating is largely due to an IT issue that surfaced in February 2017 that resulted in thousands of customers being charged for orders that then had extreme delays in delivery. You can read the ground floor from the consumer point here. The problem has mostly been fixed, but I’ve still seen reviews surfacing around the internet from customers who are still reporting problems.
CigarBid
Cigar Bid was actually on my “best” list in previous years, but due to my own personal experience they are now on my worst list. Cigar Bid is certainly a website to get good deals, but I’ve found a number of my orders were delivered with dry cigars inside. Cigars that aren’t humidified are mostly ruined, so this is equivalent to getting a box of wine bottles that have oxidized and turned into vinegar. Second, I had one order placed where I was then told they didn’t actually have the product in stock and would be sending me something else.
If you want a full breakdown between CigarBid and Cigar Auctioneer, read my detailed breakdown here.
Solo Cigars
I’ve never purchased through Solo Cigars, but I’ve read on countless internet forums now that, not only do they sell fake Cuban cigars, but they’ve also been involved in creating fake accounts on popular cigar forums to try to get people to change their mind about the retailer. Just google their name and look at result 2 – 10. You’ll get the idea. Key point here is: always check the reputation of any cigar retailer you purchase from. Just google their name and add “reviews”.
Do you have a favorite cigar retailer that should be on this list? Or, if you have a question about a cigar retailer, or a comment (good or bad), drop it in the comments section below.
Affiliate disclosure: when you purchase something using the retail links on this or other Fine Tobacco NYC pages, we may earn a small commission. Our opinions remain our own!
In this post, I’ll recommend the top three Arturo Fuente cigars to purchase based on price, availability and quality.
If you’re on this page, you’re either likely a new cigar smoker trying to prioritize which Fuente cigars you smoke first, or you are here because you are looking to purchase cigars for a family member or friend and you know they like Arturo Fuente cigars.
The good news is, Fuente cigars are popular because they are outstanding. The cigars are packaged beautifully, they are high quality and carry lots of brand recognition, and they have good options at both ends of the price spectrum. The brand has also been featured on Cigar Aficionado’s annual Top 25 list, even winning first place in 2017.
So let’s get down to it. If I were to make recommendations on which Arturo Fuente cigars to buy, the following would be my top three.
My top three cigars from Arturo Fuente
Arturo Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau
The Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau sits at the lower end of the price spectrum for Fuente cigars. But the quality is absolutely there. The Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau is rich and extremely smooth, and features notes of cedar, coffee, touches of salt, vegetal notes and dark chocolate.
Perhaps the most recognizable cigar from the Fuente family, the Fuente Hemingway Short Story is perfect for shorter smokes. Its tapered size (which changes the proportions of the blend as the cigar burns) affords a complexity of flavor basically unheard of for cigars in the $5 price range. Smoking the Short Story, you’ll experience balanced flavors of wood, pepper, and subtle sweetness.
A bit pricier than the Sun Grown Double Chateau, but still very moderately priced at about $10 per cigar. Less subdued than the Double Chateau, expect a brighter, more robust smoke, with creamy coffee notes, floral, touches of pepper and cinnamon.
Fair warning: this cigar is popular enough that it is often backordered!
Those are my top three cigar recommendations for cigar smokers looking to experience Fuente cigars. Of course, there are much more expensive and rare Fuente cigars like the Opus X, but I haven’t listed them here because they are nearly impossible to find in significant quantities online. For Opus X, your best bet is to call the major cigar retailers in your area and ask if they have it in stock.
If you’re on this page, you’ve likely decided that you want cigars at your next corporate event but aren’t sure which cigars to choose. You’ve got a budget, and you want to make sure that whatever cigars you choose will impress attendees, offer real quality, and not push you over budget. Most of all, you don’t want attendees seeing the cigars and whispering quietly to each other, “who picked these horrible cigars?”
If this describes your situation, you’ve come to the right place.
I’ll start off below by recommending some cigars that are budget-friendly ($5 – $7/cigar), good quality, and have the name recognition that will ensure your attendees have a great experience. Below that you’ll find more expensive cigars that will make an even greater statement of luxury and prestige. For each cigar recommendation, I’ve linked out to where you can purchase the cigars on Famous Smoke Shop, which we regard as the best website to buy cigars online (read more about that here).
Finally, I’ll list the types of cigars to stay away from if you are purchasing for corporate events, and list a few critical rules to follow to ensure your cigars aren’t ruined before the event (lighters, cutters, humidification).
Cigars for Corporate Events: Budget Cigars
In the budget category are cigars in the range of $5 to $8 per cigar. I’ve hand picked three cigars that will appeal to the broadest number of people, carry brand recognition, and be genuinely enjoyable to anyone smoking.
Oliva Connecticut Reserve – ~$6/cigar
~$6/cigar
The Oliva Connecticut Reserve is extremely flavorful while remaining mild and very smooth. For the price, it’s hard to beat.
Darker and richer than the Oliva Connecticut Reserve, the Fuente Chateau Fuente is a true classic in the cigar world and carries great name recognition. Any cigar smokers at your event will recognize the Fuente band immediately (a good thing as Fuente is associated with quality).
The Camacho Connecticut isn’t exactly a classic, but it is a high quality cigar that comes in somewhat flashier packaging. It’s a regular in my lineup and, for the price, is a great value.
Below are three additional recommendations for cigars that make a bold statement of luxury. These are the kind of cigars that true cigar aficionados will appreciate and immediately recognize. They aren’t cheap, but if you are looking to leave an impression, these cigars will do it.
Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 – ~$23/cigar
There is perhaps no greater name in cigars than that of Davidoff. The company produces some the world’s most elegant, flavorful, and smooth cigars. The Davidoff Aniversario No. 3 is one of the company’s milder blends and will appeal to any cigar smoker’s palate.
The 1964 Anniversario is a classic from Padron. This cigar is dark, rich, and bold, with notes of espresso, cedar, and dark chocolate. This would be a good cigar if your cigar event is taking place after dinner.
The Davidoff Nicaragua is one of the newest additions to the Davidoff core offerings. Unlike the Aniversario No. 3, the Nicaragua is a bit stronger and falls somewhere in between what you’d experience with the Aniversario No. 3 and the Padron 1964.
Here are a few types of cigars to avoid for corporate events:
Cheap cigar samplers: the cigar world is full of sampler packs that seem to promise everything at a low cost. Most are terrible. Samplers also don’t make sense for corporate events because you want everyone smoking the same thing (that way it can be an easy conversation starter).
Machine-made cigars: cheap and extremely unpleasant to smoke, you won’t be doing yourself any favors by cutting costs in this way.
Additional Tips for Purchasing Cigars for Events
One last note. If you’re making a big cigar purchase for corporate events, there are some critical tips/rules that you absolutely must follow.
Cutters: don’t forget to buy cutters, otherwise your guests won’t be able to cut their cigars and you’ll have wasted hundreds of dollars! Here’s a cutter from Vertigo that will get the job done for just a few dollars per cutter. I’d recommend purchasing one cutter for every ten attendees at the event.
Lighters: lighters are important as well, especially since your event is likely to be outside. Trying to light a cigar with matches with even minimal wind can be very frustrating. So I recommend picking up a few Vertigo Cyclone torch lighters. Recommend one lighter for every five attendees at the event because, unlike cutters, your guests will likely need to light their cigars multiple times if they go out while they are networking.
Humidification: this part is critical. If you buy boxes of cigars online and they are delivered to you, do not remove the outer plastic wrap until the day of the event. The plastic wrap covering the outside of the box serves specifically to keep the humidity inside of the cigar box. In general, it is best to order cigars for your event sometime within a two week period before your event. Don’t order cigars further out than that unless you have a way of keeping your cigars humidified.
Temperature: simple rule, but if you’ve purchased a few boxes of cigars and are storing them for any length of time (a few days to a couple of weeks), do not store the boxes of cigars anywhere where the temperature exceeds room temperature (72°f).
And that’s it. If you buy one of the cigars recommended above, get your cutters and lighters, and make sure your cigars are only opened on the day of the event, you’ll be set for a great event! You can also find an additional list of cigars on Famous Smoke here.
If you have any questions, leave a comment and we’ll reply within 24 hours. Alternatively, you can email me using our contact form here.
Before the internet, whiskey fans had to settle for whatever meager offerings their local liquor store had on hand. However, with the advent and proliferation of online shopping, a whole world of fantastic liquor is now on our metaphorical (and physical) doorsteps. But what are the best online whiskey retailers?
The tough part is, there are a lot out there. I will say straight up that one of the most important considerations you’ll face buying whiskey online is the cost of shipping. Not only are bottles heavy, which bumps your bottle purchase price up, but many of my favorite whiskey websites are based in the UK. So, much of “the best” has to do with what you’re buying and where you live. If you live in the USA but want more selection (9,000+ whiskies), buy from The Whiskey Exchange. I’ve noted which states each company can ship to.
So with that little summary out of the way, let’s dive in to the list.
Winner: The Whisky Exchange
The Whisky Exchange sits at the top of our list for the UK, with a five star meta-rating on British consumer advice website TrustPilot. You can find many top shelf whiskies on The Whiskey Exchange at prices that are 10%, 20%, or even 30% lower than what you find on US based websites, though you have to deal with sky-high shipping costs.
The Whisky Exchange stocks a fine range of both popular and esoteric whiskeys in almost any variety, and, unlike Wine Searcher, is a lot more straightforward to navigate. With separate tabs for Scotch and World Whisky, browsing or discovering new spirits you’d never heard of before is simple. The World Whisky tab has sections for American whiskies, as well as for several European and Asian countries, and other far-flung locations such as New Zealand and South Africa.
Of course, while The Whisky Exchange offers global shipping, you are going to need to pay a premium to get your chosen drink delivered to the US. The key here is to make bulk purchases. If you buy three or four bottles, you’ll save enough to offset shipping costs, and if you buy even more you can start buying really expensive scotches for way less than you’d pay in the USA. Your goods will be packaged with great care and should reach these shores in top condition.
Ships to: Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wyoming
Runner Up: The Whisky Barrel (UK)
As we hear your wallets creaking under the strain of further shipping and import costs, an apology may be in order, because taking the second spot on our best list is another store from across the Atlantic – The Whisky Barrel.
The Whisky Barrel offers a similarly wide range of spirits, with several exclusive to the website. The site’s navigation and sorting tabs are just as detailed as those found on The Whisky Exchange, with separate menus for scotch, independent, and world whiskeys.
The Whisky Barrel, however, allows you to browse by distillery with an easily-accessible A-Z tab (which comes in handy).
On the price side, The Whisky Barrel seems to be slightly lower than The Whisky Exchange on some products. For example, 70cl of Glenfiddich XX comes in at $72.92 on The Whisky Exchange, compared to $59.22 at The Whisky Barrel [correct at time of writing] – so do some price comparing before buying.
While certainly not for the average whiskey drinker (or the faint of wallet), Hard to Find Whisky is a must-visit destination for those connoisseurs with a bit (read: lot) more money to put down on the best drinks in the world. These guys built a business answering the question “where to find rare whiskey online.” It was a smart strategy, and they’ve done a good job delivering.
With prices ranging from $42.12 for a 150th Anniversary Edition of Jack Daniels, to an eye-watering $49,227.43 for a (presumably) sublime 37-year-old Macallan 1940, Hard to Find Whiskeys has a wide selection of the very finest and rarest whiskey available. The site also offers a “Whisky Masterclass” gift voucher. You’ll need to make a trip to the company’s headquarters in Birmingham, UK, but the voucher entitles you to a tasting selection of five fine whiskeys, as well as a special tasting tutelage using a bespoke Hard to Find Whisky method.
Even if you have no intention of splashing out a few grand on a bottle, the website is well worth a visit just to peruse some of the fantastic and rare whiskeys on offer.
Ships to: all states
Love Scotch (USA)
Love Scotch may not be the best online whiskey retailer in the world, but it gets our nod as a solid online retailer in the United States.
Aside from a wide range of great whiskeys from around the globe, Love Scotch has a fascinating gallery of photos showing tours the staff have taken of various whiskey distilleries. That’s right, the folks at Love Scotch have heart. Most importantly: being an American-based company, you can expect to spend a lot less in shipping and customs fees on your favorite drinks than you would from one of our top two choices.
Ships to: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
The Worst
Whisky Shop USA (USA)
Whisky Shop USA is an interesting one. Customer testimonials for the San Francisco based brick and mortar location are very positive. Why then did the company decide to create a website that is so difficult to navigate or even at times read? The UI is pretty uninteresting, and there are several whiskey entries which don’t have an image attached.
There are few things I find more unappealing in an e-store than the “image coming soon” placeholder.
But let’s be honest, these aren’t the most devastating critiques of an online store. It’s a fact of God’s goodness that, unlike the online cigar retail world, we whiskey drinkers don’t have whiskey websites flat out ripping people off.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to enjoying the pleasure of a smooth and soothing glass of whiskey, there have never been more options available. Whether your budget is in the tens or thousands of dollars, there’s a wide range of liquor out there ready to be shipped to keep your cabinet well stocked.
Do you have a favorite online whiskey retailer that should be on this list but isn’t? Let us know in the comments.
Disclaimer: affiliate links may be included in this post at no cost to you. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
If you’re visiting this page, chances are it’s because you’re either a new cigar smoker, or you’re looking to buy a cigar for a friend or a special occasion. You may be standing in a cigar shop with your smartphone out or doing some research before purchasing online.
It’s likely you’re looking at a range of options, from $5 to $40 and just want to know “how much does a good cigar cost?”
There’s no one right answer, but there are some important tips. For each tip, I’ll also offer a number of cigar recommendations based on my personal experience (including price and cigar strength). For purchasing online, I’ve linked out to Famous Smoke Shop, which I consider the best cigar retailer on the market today.
Tip #1: Start in the $10 range if you can
As much as a cigar salesman might hate to hear me say this, you don’t need to spend more than $10 to get a great cigar. There is a glut of wonderful cigars in the $10 range. In the last two decades, there has been a ton of innovation in the cigar market, and that has led to a market full of great product. Brands like Rocky Patel, Camacho, Arturo Fuente, San Cristobal and more have great regular production cigars on the market in the $8 – $12 range. There have also been great value releases like the Casa Magna Colorado (retails for around $8), which won Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year in 2008.
Some great $10 price range cigars include:
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto ($10, medium): one of the best cigars from Arturo Fuente, the Don Carlos features extremely smooth and silky flavors of coffee, vegetal notes, white pepper, and spice.
Oliva Connecticut Reserve ($8.50, mild): One of the best mild to medium bodied smokes you’ll find under $10 . Creamy, smooth, and slightly sweet with notes of cedar, nuts, and hints of pepper.
The Tabernacle ($10, medium-full): The Tabernacle is just a beautiful smoke. It serves up some of the deepest, richest flavors and is in my top 25 of all time. Expect notes of chocolate, white pepper, toasted bread, and cedar.
A.J. Fernandez New World Puro Especial ($9, full): a breakout cigar which won many cigar of the year awards in 2017. Clocking in at $9 a cigar, expect creamy, smooth smoke, with balanced flavors of earth, cedar, cocoa, and cinnamon.
Tip #2: Be careful about going under $5 for a cigar
The $5 price point does still have some gems, but for the most part you’ll be settling for less if you are only willing to spend $5 on a cigar. It would be great to say that every price point has the best cigars in the world available to it. But that just isn’t true.
If you’re purchasing for yourself, you can safely ignore this advice. Smoke what you want! But, if you’re purchasing for a special occasion like someone’s wedding or bachelor party (and haven’t already spent a fortune on it), shoot for at least the $7 – $12 range.
That said, there are great cigars in the $5 price range. Here are some of the best $5 cigars:
Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro ($5.75, medium): a rich, dark smoke with lots of cocoa, earth, and espresso notes. Very smooth and a favorite for many smokers.
Arturo Fuente Hemmingway Short Story ($5.95, medium): a true classic from the Fuente family, and a favorite short smoke for many cigar smokers. It just also happens to be incredibly affordable!
Tatuaje Tattoo Caballero ($5, medium full): from Pete Johnson and Don Pepin, the Tatuaje Tatto Caballero features thick, rich and balanced flavors
Camacho Connecticut ($7, mild): the Camacho Connecticut is one of my personal favorites. Extremely smooth but with nice body – nutty, with cedar and a bit of cream. Always a great draw and good construction, and always in my humidor.
Tip #3: Some of the most common celebratory cigars do cost $20 or even $30
If you aren’t fazed by paying $10 or even $15 a cigar and are looking for some of the more legendary smokes on the market, I’ve listed a few below. They range in price from around $20 to $30. These are spectacular, the kind of cigars you buy when you are having a child, when your childhood friend is getting married and you are best man, or when you’ve just closed a massive business deal. These are not only celebratory cigars, they are legendary in their own right.
Arturo Fuente Opus X ($30, medium-full): Creamy, balanced notes of coffee, white and black pepper, and cedar.
Davidoff Millennium Blend ($25, full): As the cigar develops, the strength increases consistently. The combination of coffee, cocoa, and spices with floral notes makes this a must-smoke cigar.
Padron Anniversario 1926 Maduro($17, full): A true classic, and found at most cigar shops. Deep and rich smoke, with chocolate and fresh roasted espresso notes. Careful though, there’s also a dry cedar aspect of this cigar that makes it enjoyed best with a drink on hand.
Padron Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro ($27, full): similar to the 1926, but with a more concentrated flavor (also a bit less dry). Best enjoyed after a heavy dinner of steak, and not early in the afternoon.
So there you have it, a run down on how to think about cigar purchases in light of price.
As I mentioned before, there are great cigars in each category. There are, however, important and substantial differences between the best cigars in the $10 category and those in the $20 – $30 category. Whether or not those differences justify the cost is up to you. If you are just getting into cigars, I recommend starting in the $5 price range and working your way up from there so that you can appreciate the nuances of the cigars in the $20 – $30 space.
One last note. Where you are purchasing makes a big difference on the price you’ll pay for these cigars. If you’re looking to purchase a cigar in Europe or Canada, for example, you might have to bump up your expected price range by about $5 or even $10 to get the same quality as a $10 cigar here in the states.
If you live in the United States, it also matters which retailer you buy from. You’ll get better prices online than you will in a brick and mortar store. As mentioned earlier, I recommended Famous Smoke Shop for their ease of use, affordability, and overall quality of the experience over the years I’ve been purchasing through them.
Do you have a cigar in the $5, $10, or $20 – $30 range that you’d recommend? Tell us in the comments section below!
Editors Note: check out our Top New Cigars of 2019 post here.
2017 saw some truly special releases from boutique brands like Foundation Cigar Co, Cornelius & Anthony, and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, as well as established brands like H Upmann, Padron, Drew Estate and Davidoff. Even with an unrelenting pile of new federal and state regulations hitting the cigar industry recently, 2018 is shaping up to be a great year for the cigar industry. Here are some of the new cigars of 2018 that are worth dropping what you’re doing to buy.
The Best New Cigars of 2018
Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas Diadema
The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas presents a flavor profile that no JdN fan could miss: dark oak and charcoal, creamy cocoa, leather, and light spiciness. What Cinco Décadas achieves is to take the JdN flavor profile that we know and love and elevate it into the realm of art. I know that is high praise, but it is true, particularly given the cigar’s sheer complexity and balance. Highly recommended. You can read our full review here.
Strength: Full
Fine Tobacco NYC rating: 93
Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Quesada Vega Magna
A worthy follow up to the Casa Magna which secured Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year in 2018. The Vega Magna, rated 93 on this site, competes well with the Cinco Decadas above in terms of flavor, complexity, and balance. The cigar hits salty, savory, sweet, and bitter all at once, with notes of milk chocolate, leather, spices, and dry sliced apricot. Absolutely marvelous, and worth the higher price point.
Strength: Medium to Full
Fine Tobacco NYC rating: 94
CAO Nicaragua
The newest from CAO cigars, and it’s awesome. The CAO Nicaragua has lots of flavor and complexity without crossing into overaggressive territory. From a flavor standpoint, it starts with a base of rich espresso, with a great combination of chocolate, leather, and roasted peanuts on top. Impeccable construction. Easily one of our favorite releases from CAO in a long time. You can read our full review here.
Strength: Medium
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 90
Buy the CAO Nicaragua from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Aging Room Pura Cepa
Once again, Rafael Nodal of Aging Room/Altadis has hit the ball out of the park. The Aging Room Pura Cepa features notes of smoked wood, augmented by light chocolate, cream, floral, and leather notes. Impeccable construction. Highly recommended.
Strength: Medium
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 90
Buy the Aging Room Pura Cepa from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Joya de Nicaragua Clasico
Joya de Nicaragua is known for its full bodied Nicaraguan blends. The Clasico is a revival of the company’s first blend, and it is extremely mild. If you are looking for a new-release cigar on the mild side, this is your cigar. Strength and body would both qualify as mild. Extremely smooth, the Clasico starts with cedar and salted peanuts, with a creamy texture and subtle spice developing halfway through the cigar. You can read our full review here.
Strength: Mild
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 86
Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Clasico from JR Cigars here.
AVO 22 30 Years
The AVO 22 30 Years is a re-release of one of the most legendary limited edition cigars from AVO. Best-fitted for fans of mild to medium bodied cigars, what the AVO 22 lacks in strength it more than makes up for in complexity. Expect notes of notes of sweet cream, floral, and touches of pepper and spice. You can read our full review here.
Strength rating: mild to medium.
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 88
Purchase the Avo 22 30 Years from Famous Smoke herebefore they’re all gone.
Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta
One of the newest cigars from Romeo y Julieta, the San Andres features the legendary San Andres maduro wrapper, known for rich, robust flavors. With the Romeo San Andres, expect dark notes of earth, barnyard, dark cherry, chocolate, and pepper. You can read our full review here.
Strength: Full
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 85
Buy the Romeo San Andres from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Macanudo Inspirado Red
Macanudo is not a brand that I typically recommend, but parent company General Cigar Co has been on a tear with this brand over the last couple of years, most recently with the Macanudo Red. On the strength scale the Red falls right on the medium side of things, with bright flavors of cinnamon, oak, coffee, and toasted bread. Read our full review here.
Strength: medium to full
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 89
Buy the Macanudo Inspirado Red from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Las Calavaras LE 2018
A limited edition from Las Calavaras, a brand that took the cigar world by storm in 2014. This year’s limited edition blend is lighter in strength than previous years. From this cigar, expect a flavor profile dominated by cinnamon, spice, nuttiness, and black pepper.
Strength: mild to medium
Purchase the Las Calaveras LE 2018 from Famous Smoke Shop here.
AVO Maduro 30 Years
That’s right, AVO makes the list twice, and not just because they’re one of my favorite cigar brands. The AVO Maduro was brought out of production by parent company Davidoff in 2015 (much to the chagrin of AVO fans). For the 30 year anniversary of AVO as a brand, they’ve brought back the AVO Maduro in limited supply. Though dark, this cigar is not a huge powerhouse smoke. But it does deliver great flavors including earthy spice, seared steak, cedar, all with a slightly creamy finish. You can read our full review of the AVO Maduro 30 Years here.
Strength: Mild
Fine Tobacco NYC rating: 90
Purchase the AVO Maduro 30 Years from Famous Smoke Shop here.
2018 is far from over, with many cigars yet to be released onto the market. We’ll be adding to the above list periodically, but in the meantime, here is a list of the most exciting cigar companies from 2017 and some of the cigars we recommend from those brands.
Founded in 2015 and led by Nick Melillo (formerly of Drew Estate), Foundation Cigar Co. won massive awards in 2016 and 2017, including listings in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 and a number of top five and even number 1 rankings across the cigar blogosphere.
If you haven’t smoked cigars by Foundation Cigar Co., yet, I recommend starting with The Tabernacle (tasting notes: extremely smooth with dark chocolate, sea salt, white pepper, and cedar) and then moving on to El Gueguense The Wise Man Maduro, which earned Cigar Dojo’s number one cigar of 2017.
Top three cigars to try from Foundation Cigar Co.:
Another company founded in 2015 by Steve Saka (another former Drew Estate executive!), Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust has released a number of phenomenal brands in its relatively short period of time. Saka’s cigars are famous for their ingenious use of the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper to create extremely smooth, flavorful cigars that contain depth, richness, and complexity. Mi Querida, one of Saka’s earlier blends, ranked number nine on our Top 10 of 2017 list.
Top three cigars to try from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
In 2018, the only question I have for Drew Estate is, “What are you going to come up with next?” Drew Estate is the most disruptive cigar company in the industry because they never give up on trying new ways of altering the cigar production process to create new smoking experiences.
The brand, which was recently acquired by Swisher International on account of it’s booming popularity, continued to be just as disruptive in 2017, releasing two cigars that made our Top 10: Pappy Van Winkle Tradition (tasting notes: very peppery, with leather and touches of vanilla) and the Undercrown Sun Grown (tasting notes: extremely smooth, with cinnamon, cedar, and coffee).
Do the disruptive cigar co’s on this list have you craving an older, more traditional but still phenomenal cigar? Davidoff—though pricey—is a fool-proof place to start. In 2016 and 2017, the company released a number of new cigars that made waves among cigar enthusiasts. At the top of the list is the Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour, which is aged in ex-single malt scotch casks (tasting notes: leather, cocoa, rich earthiness, malt).
Editors Note: check out our Top New Cigars of 2019 post here.
2017 saw some truly special releases from boutique brands like Foundation Cigar Co, Cornelius & Anthony, and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, as well as established brands like H Upmann, Padron, Drew Estate and Davidoff. Even with an unrelenting pile of new federal and state regulations hitting the cigar industry recently, 2018 is shaping up to be a great year for the cigar industry. Here are some of the new cigars of 2018 that are worth dropping what you’re doing to buy.
The Best New Cigars of 2018
Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas Diadema
The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas presents a flavor profile that no JdN fan could miss: dark oak and charcoal, creamy cocoa, leather, and light spiciness. What Cinco Décadas achieves is to take the JdN flavor profile that we know and love and elevate it into the realm of art. I know that is high praise, but it is true, particularly given the cigar’s sheer complexity and balance. Highly recommended. You can read our full review here.
Strength: Full
Fine Tobacco NYC rating: 93
Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Quesada Vega Magna
A worthy follow up to the Casa Magna which secured Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year in 2018. The Vega Magna, rated 93 on this site, competes well with the Cinco Decadas above in terms of flavor, complexity, and balance. The cigar hits salty, savory, sweet, and bitter all at once, with notes of milk chocolate, leather, spices, and dry sliced apricot. Absolutely marvelous, and worth the higher price point.
Strength: Medium to Full
Fine Tobacco NYC rating: 94
CAO Nicaragua
The newest from CAO cigars, and it’s awesome. The CAO Nicaragua has lots of flavor and complexity without crossing into overaggressive territory. From a flavor standpoint, it starts with a base of rich espresso, with a great combination of chocolate, leather, and roasted peanuts on top. Impeccable construction. Easily one of our favorite releases from CAO in a long time. You can read our full review here.
Strength: Medium
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 90
Buy the CAO Nicaragua from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Aging Room Pura Cepa
Once again, Rafael Nodal of Aging Room/Altadis has hit the ball out of the park. The Aging Room Pura Cepa features notes of smoked wood, augmented by light chocolate, cream, floral, and leather notes. Impeccable construction. Highly recommended.
Strength: Medium
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 90
Buy the Aging Room Pura Cepa from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Joya de Nicaragua Clasico
Joya de Nicaragua is known for its full bodied Nicaraguan blends. The Clasico is a revival of the company’s first blend, and it is extremely mild. If you are looking for a new-release cigar on the mild side, this is your cigar. Strength and body would both qualify as mild. Extremely smooth, the Clasico starts with cedar and salted peanuts, with a creamy texture and subtle spice developing halfway through the cigar. You can read our full review here.
Strength: Mild
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 86
Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Clasico from JR Cigars here.
AVO 22 30 Years
The AVO 22 30 Years is a re-release of one of the most legendary limited edition cigars from AVO. Best-fitted for fans of mild to medium bodied cigars, what the AVO 22 lacks in strength it more than makes up for in complexity. Expect notes of notes of sweet cream, floral, and touches of pepper and spice. You can read our full review here.
Strength rating: mild to medium.
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 88
Purchase the Avo 22 30 Years from Famous Smoke herebefore they’re all gone.
Romeo San Andrés by Romeo y Julieta
One of the newest cigars from Romeo y Julieta, the San Andres features the legendary San Andres maduro wrapper, known for rich, robust flavors. With the Romeo San Andres, expect dark notes of earth, barnyard, dark cherry, chocolate, and pepper. You can read our full review here.
Strength: Full
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 85
Buy the Romeo San Andres from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Macanudo Inspirado Red
Macanudo is not a brand that I typically recommend, but parent company General Cigar Co has been on a tear with this brand over the last couple of years, most recently with the Macanudo Red. On the strength scale the Red falls right on the medium side of things, with bright flavors of cinnamon, oak, coffee, and toasted bread. Read our full review here.
Strength: medium to full
Fine Tobacco NYC Rating: 89
Buy the Macanudo Inspirado Red from Famous Smoke Shop here.
Las Calavaras LE 2018
A limited edition from Las Calavaras, a brand that took the cigar world by storm in 2014. This year’s limited edition blend is lighter in strength than previous years. From this cigar, expect a flavor profile dominated by cinnamon, spice, nuttiness, and black pepper.
Strength: mild to medium
Purchase the Las Calaveras LE 2018 from Famous Smoke Shop here.
AVO Maduro 30 Years
That’s right, AVO makes the list twice, and not just because they’re one of my favorite cigar brands. The AVO Maduro was brought out of production by parent company Davidoff in 2015 (much to the chagrin of AVO fans). For the 30 year anniversary of AVO as a brand, they’ve brought back the AVO Maduro in limited supply. Though dark, this cigar is not a huge powerhouse smoke. But it does deliver great flavors including earthy spice, seared steak, cedar, all with a slightly creamy finish. You can read our full review of the AVO Maduro 30 Years here.
Strength: Mild
Fine Tobacco NYC rating: 90
Purchase the AVO Maduro 30 Years from Famous Smoke Shop here.
2018 is far from over, with many cigars yet to be released onto the market. We’ll be adding to the above list periodically, but in the meantime, here is a list of the most exciting cigar companies from 2017 and some of the cigars we recommend from those brands.
Founded in 2015 and led by Nick Melillo (formerly of Drew Estate), Foundation Cigar Co. won massive awards in 2016 and 2017, including listings in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 and a number of top five and even number 1 rankings across the cigar blogosphere.
If you haven’t smoked cigars by Foundation Cigar Co., yet, I recommend starting with The Tabernacle (tasting notes: extremely smooth with dark chocolate, sea salt, white pepper, and cedar) and then moving on to El Gueguense The Wise Man Maduro, which earned Cigar Dojo’s number one cigar of 2017.
Top three cigars to try from Foundation Cigar Co.:
Another company founded in 2015 by Steve Saka (another former Drew Estate executive!), Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust has released a number of phenomenal brands in its relatively short period of time. Saka’s cigars are famous for their ingenious use of the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper to create extremely smooth, flavorful cigars that contain depth, richness, and complexity. Mi Querida, one of Saka’s earlier blends, ranked number nine on our Top 10 of 2017 list.
Top three cigars to try from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
In 2018, the only question I have for Drew Estate is, “What are you going to come up with next?” Drew Estate is the most disruptive cigar company in the industry because they never give up on trying new ways of altering the cigar production process to create new smoking experiences.
The brand, which was recently acquired by Swisher International on account of it’s booming popularity, continued to be just as disruptive in 2017, releasing two cigars that made our Top 10: Pappy Van Winkle Tradition (tasting notes: very peppery, with leather and touches of vanilla) and the Undercrown Sun Grown (tasting notes: extremely smooth, with cinnamon, cedar, and coffee).
Do the disruptive cigar co’s on this list have you craving an older, more traditional but still phenomenal cigar? Davidoff—though pricey—is a fool-proof place to start. In 2016 and 2017, the company released a number of new cigars that made waves among cigar enthusiasts. At the top of the list is the Davidoff Winston Churchill Late Hour, which is aged in ex-single malt scotch casks (tasting notes: leather, cocoa, rich earthiness, malt).
In this post, I’ll recommend my three favorite cigars from Montecristo Dominican Republic. For now, I’m focusing on the Dominican and Nicaraguan brand as opposed to the Cuban brand owned by Habanos SA, Cuba’s state-owned tobacco company.
Before I begin, I do need to admit that prior to a few years ago, I wouldn’t have had a ton of good to say about Montecristo. I find some of their blends to contain so little complexity of flavor that, compared to the dearth of great product on the market, there is little reason to smoke them.
However, Montecristo has, in recent years, produced some truly fantastic cigars, which have appeared on my Monthly Burn list of my all-time favorites.
At this point, I know what you’re thinking: Matthias, answer the question! What are the best cigars from Montecristo?
Ok, ok. Here is your answer.
My top three Montecristo cigars
Montecristo White Churchill
Strength: Mild to Medium
The mildest of my favorites from Montecristo. The Montecristo White opens with touches of spice and pepper, but those notes soon disappear revealing sweeter notes of coffee, cedar, a creamy texture, and touches of freshly ground pepper. Delicious with a cup of coffee in the morning, and avoids the bitterness that is often present in milder cigars.
Released at IPCPR in 2014, the Montecristo Espada is the first Nicaraguan puro (all-Nicaraguan) cigar from Montecristo. And it is a phenomenal, complex, full bodied cigar with extremely smooth smoke.
Tasting notes include wood and hay, with additional cocoa and light pepper notes. The warmth, smoothness, and dynamism of this blend make it a must-buy.
So there it is, my three favorites from Montecristo by Altadis. They run from $10 to about $15.
What are your favorite Montecristo cigars? Would you like a breakdown of the best from Montecristo by Habanos SA? If so, leave your response in the comments!
Also, if you’re in the price investigation stage, take a look at our article that discusses how much a good cigar costs.
