There are thousands of cigars in the world, and the prospect of trying them all is daunting—if not impossible. Besides, a cigar is meant to be a relaxing experience. There are a few, however, really worth hunting down. That’s why we created The Cigar Bucket List. Some of the cigars on this list are hard to find or expensive. Some are waiting at the tobacco store around the corner. All of them, however, are interesting and worthy of your time. This list is not designed to rank one cigar ahead of another; this is simply a guide for some incredible experiences if you are serious about how you spend your down time.
Drew Estate Liga Privada #9 Flying Pig
Liga #9 has been a highly regarded cigar since its introduction back in 2006. It continues to be one of the hottest cigars on the market. In 2009, Drew Estate produced a special vitola called “Flying Pig.” Clocking in at only 4.125″ long but with a hefty 60 ring gauge, this size really highlights the flavors of the unique tobaccos contained within the blend. Alas, this production run was limited to only 2,000 boxes of 12, but there are still some out there floating around. If you find yourself in the right place at the right time, we highly recommend you pick one up. The MSRP on these is only $12 but expect to pay a bit more if you find one. $12
Cohiba Behike BHK 54
For many of us, when we think of Cuban cigars, the Cohiba robustos is the stick that comes in mind. They are terrific little cigars. However, if we are talking bucket list level smokes, you need to look for the harder to find Behike BHK 54. Extremely rare medio tiempo tobacco leaves are used in the blend. This tobacco gives off strong notes of coffee and leather with a slight salted nut flavor. $50
Padron 1964 Anniversary Series A
Despite it being relatively easy to come by, this cigar is often counterfeited, which is something you usually only need to worry about if you are buying Cubans. Every size of the Padron 1964 Anniversary series is consistently rated among the top of the industry by “experts” all over the world, but our pick is the “A” Presidente natural. At 8.2 x 50, you can expect over two hours of enjoyment. The tobacco is aged 4 years, so while definitely full-bodied, the smoke is very smooth. $34
Camacho Pre Embargo
The name of this cigar says it all. This smoke was produced with tobacco that was imported before the Cuban trade embargo in 1962. While the cigar is by no means an authentic Cuban puro, you can definitely get a taste of that 50-year-old tobacco. It was produced just one time but you still find them at many online retailers. $20
The Edge Habano Torpedo
The Edge series of cigars were originally envisioned as powerful everyday smokes. When they first came out, the cigars sold for $5 each and didn’t even have a band. That makes it even more impressive that the powerhouse Habano version took #7 on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 cigars of 2015. Not only should you try this cigar at least once, we recommend filling the humidor with it as it is still a great value. $7
Auturo Funte Opus X Perfecxion #5
Opus X is one of the cult cigars you have to try at least once. Dominican tobacco has been used in cigars as filler for as long as cigar production has been documented, but the Opus X line is the first cigar to use 100% Dominican leaves. It was believed that the climate was not right to produce a good wrapper leaf. Arturo Fuente turned that thinking on its head by producing one of the finest wrappers in the world for this stick. With that in mind, our pick is the Perfecxion #5. This is a petite corona clocking in at just 4.8 x 40. The smaller ring gauge brings out the tremendous flavor of the wrapper. This stick is small but a slow burner. Expect a little over an hour of smoking time. $16
Ashton VSG Torpedo
Ashton cigars are known for their wonderfully approachable, mild flagship line. Their super premium Estate Sun Grown line is highly regarded and worthy of any cigar lover’s bucket list. It’s surprising, then, that the cigar you must try is essentially the Estate Sun Grown’s “little bother,” the Virgin Sun Grown. All of the flavor at nearly half the price of the ESG, this stick is one of the best easy-to-find high-end cigars on the market. Scratch this one off the list when the wallet is a little light. $13
Hunters & Frankau Ramone Allones Aniversario 225
Hunters & Frankau is the importer and distributor for Cuban Cigars in the UK. This cigar was produced in Cuba in 2015 to celebrate the distributor’s 225th anniversary. Only 50,000 cigars were produced, so it will be somewhat of a white whale to get your hands on if you don’t happen to live in the UK, but we assure you that it would be worth the effort. This is the best new Cuban we smoked last year. $42
Davidoff Royal Salomones
This one is a monster cigar. Coming in at 8.25 x 57, it looks like something a cartoon character would light up only to have it explode in his face. Tell yourself it’s important to have a cigar in your humidor that you keep to celebrate a special occasion, and then smoke it when you have nothing to do for the next two plus hours. The Davidoff Royal Salomones is the perfect way to pass the time all by yourself. $45
Oliva Serie V Melanio
Oliva produces a ton of cigars. From the Cain brand to Nub, to the bargain priced Flor De Oliva, we have never had a bad smoke from them. We recommend checking out all of their smokes if you can get around to it. If you don’t have that kind of time, just reach for the Serie V Melanio. This cigar is very strong when you first light it up. Expect a ton of spicy pepper that transitions nicely to a smooth, medium body. Stunning cigar. $15
San Lotano Habano Toro
A.J. Fernandez is definitely the king of delicious, reasonably priced cigars. In our opinion, the San Lotano Habano in the toro size (6 x 54) is the one you absolutely have to try. This stick is definitely one of the easier to come by on this list, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy. Smoke starts out at a solid medium strength, but around the half way point the flavors and nicotine ramp up to make it truly one of the strongest cigars on this list. Do not smoke this on an empty stomach. This is hands down the best sub-$10 cigar we have ever tried. $7
Montecristo #2
Cohiba may be the brand we most associate with Cuban cigars, but the Montecristo #2 is an iconic cigar in its own right. Do not confuse this with the Dominican made Montecristo. While that’s still a decent cigar, the original Cuban blend surpasses it in every way. This is the Cuban cigar to reach for when you are on vacation but you don’t want to look like a tourist. $16
Camacho American Barrel Aged Robusto
This is the only cigar on this list that boasts an American pedigree. Most of the tobacco used in this blend was grown in the USA. On top of that, a portion of the filler is aged 6 years in bourbon barrels. This may sound like a cheap gimmick but the flavor from the wood really shines through. This is truly an innovative cigar. It should go without saying, but this cigar is perfect for pairing with your favorite bourbon. $10
