I’ve been extremely fortunate to meet a lot of amazing manufacturers in the industry as well as try a lot of different cigars from all different companies. Since I started working here in February of 2019, I’ve had aficionados such as Nick Libretti to guide me in the right direction. What cigars to start off with, some other cigars to try that will gradually enhance my intake of different tobaccos, etc. In the last year and a half, my palate has developed specific tastes that I thoroughly enjoy in each and every cigar I’ve smoked. For these reasons, I’m excited to share with you this week’s top list!

It was extremely tough to narrow this list down, but for this week’s Top 5 list, I’ll be going over some of my favorite cigars I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying. My taste for cigars has significantly changed, but these five cigars I wrote about are ones that left an everlasting impression on me and ones I hope to smoke again real soon. Sorry, the sampler is sold out!

The first cigar on our list is none other than a gem from master blenders Skip Marin and Mike Rosales. The CroMagnon is a boutique blend from the geniuses over at RoMa Craft Tobac. Handcrafted in Nicaragua, the CroMagnon Mandible is a full-bodied smoke that does not disappoint. One reason the RoMa Craft CroMagnon Mandible is on my list is that it may be short in size, but it is packed to the brim with so many complex flavors.

Another reason the CroMagnon Mandible is one of my favorites is that it uses a plethora of different and diverse tobaccos from all over the globe. With a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a binder from Cameroon, and Nicaraguan fillers, this slow-burning smoke overflows your palate with distinctive flavor notes. Some notes you’ll detect are sweet spice, toast, dark coffee, cedar, and caramel. This affordable smoke is worth every penny, so make sure you get the RoMa Craft CroMagnon Mandible today!

Born out of the endless search for the “perfect cigar”, the Liga Privada Unico Serie Velvet Rat is one of our personal favorites and is popular with a lot of tobacco enthusiasts. This gem from Drew Estate is so unique and contains rare tobaccos that it would be near impossible to endorse a full production line. So, the expert craftsmen at Drew Estate created the Unico Serie that is essentially a collection of private blends Drew Estate released in limited quantity.

The Velvet Rat is one of Eight cigars in the Unico Serie line and is one of my go-to smokes from Drew Estate. The size and smoothness of the cigar is a reason this smoke is a popular one amongst everyday smokers. The Velvet Rat is cloaked in a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, with having a Brazilian Mata Fina binder, and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. This medium to full-bodied smoke has a rich, hearty flavor profile that is an extremely easy and enjoyable smoke.

The Romeo y Julieta brand was founded in Havana, Cuba in 1875. Since the birth of the brand, it has been worshiped by millions for its consistency in smoothness and flavor. The Romeo by Romeo y Julieta has taken that status to a whole new level. This unique twist on the popular classic brand is one of the top tier cigars was one of the very first Romeos I ever experienced and boy it didn’t disappoint one bit!

The Romeo by Romeo y Julieta has binder and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and is drenched in an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. This full-bodied cigar provides rich, full-flavored notes of pepper, earth, coffee, and dark chocolate. Romeo y Julieta is an ever so popular brand throughout the industry, and Romeo by Romeo is a must-try for all cigar lovers out there.

The Oliva Serie V is one of the most sought-after cigars in the industry due to its friendly pricing and consistently high ratings their cigars score every time they release a new smoke. This handmade gem in the Double Robusto size is specially fermented in Central America. It’s been at the same location since 1886, where the Oliva family started producing and manufacturing cigars.

The Double Robusto has an oily Habano Sun-grown wrapper, with a binder from Nicaragua and Ligero fillers from Jalapa Valley. This medium to full-bodied cigar in the 5 x 54 size has delicious flavor notes of coffee, spice, and dark chocolate. With impressive tobaccos in the blend, appetizing flavor notes, and the perfect size, it’s no wonder I fell in love with the Oliva Serie V Double Robusto from the first time I smoked it.

When your father is the legendary Don Pepin Garcia, following in his footsteps may be a daunting task. But Jaime Garcia took it upon himself and accepted the challenge and boy he didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t until his own line, “Crafted by Jaime Garcia” was released that the cigar community took him very seriously and discovered that he in his own right has extraordinary talents in blending cigars.

The Robusto size in the crafted by Jaime Garcia line has a unique clay red Habano Rosado wrapper, while the binder and filler tobaccos hail from Nicaragua. This bold medium to full-bodied cigar has complex flavor notes of sweet spice, white pepper, coffee, and cinnamon. Jaime Garcia created one of the most admirable premium cigars on that market that is totally affordable for any cigar lover to experience.