The stage is set! This Saturday kicks off the last four teams to remain alive in College Basketballs Big Tournament. The games will occur in Houston, Texas on Saturday, April 1^st, and Monday, April 3^rd.

We have two teams repping South Florida in the final weekend with Florida Atlantic University and the University of Miami. FAU faces the Aztecs of San Diego State while the U will face off against University of Connecticut. These matchups are bound to be hard fought battles that we cannot wait to watch!

Our very own Secret Chris is such a big Basketball lover, we let him curate this specific list for the other basketball lovers out there. With delicious cigars from AJ Fernandez to Montecristo, here are the Top 5 Cigars for the Big Tournament.

Don’t forget to get this limited time sampler in the link below.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf

Binder: Ecuador

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium-Full

Length: 6

Ring: 52

Smoke Time: 90 Minutes

Leading the charge in our Top 5 Cigars for the Big Tournament is the Southern Draw Jacob’s Ladder. One of the main reasons we chose this medium to full-bodied 6 x 52 gem is due to the fact the National Championship game is in Houston, Texas this year. For anyone who’s followed Southern Draw Cigars from the beginning, you’ll know founder Robert Holt prides himself on being from the great big state of Texas.

Another reason we chose Southern Draw Jacob’s Ladder for the this is list is it’s bold flavor and prominent flavor profile that will coat your palate the moment you light it up. Bounded by Ecuadorian tobaccos and filled with tobaccos from Nicaragua, the Jacob’s Ladder is cloaked in a dark, oily Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper that exudes scrumptious flavor notes.

Some notes you may detect while smoking this stunning looking Toro are chocolate, cream, leather, and roasted peanuts on the back end. I’d suggest lighting this one up at the beginning of the second half after you’ve enjoyed a few beers and a plate or two of nachos.

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Dominican Republic

Strength: Medium

Length: 6

Ring: 52

Smoke Time: 90 Minutes

Next up on our Top 5 Cigars for the Big Tournament is an Epic smoke (pun intended) if I do say so myself. We chose the Montecristo Epic Vintage 12 Blue for yet another epic Tournament in the books. With last years St. Peter’s University upsetting University of Kentucky and making their way to the Elite 8, to colleges like Florida Atlantic University and Princeton University making deep runs, these will make for epic sports moments for years to come.

To celebrate all these epic games, lighting up this medium-bodied 6 x 52 cigar from Montecristo is the way to go. Cloaked in an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, the Epic Vintage 12 Blue utilizes tobacco from the Dominican Republic for the binder, and Nicaraguan tobaccos for the filler. During your 90 minute smoking session, some flavors you may detect are cocoa, cinnamon, wood, and leather on the backend.

This treat from the Grupo de Maestros and Altadis USA deserves a spot in rotation during a fun-filled weekend of Basketball!

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Ecuador Habano

Binder: Honduras

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium

Length: 6.50

Ring: 52

Smoke Time: 100 Minutes

For our next cigar on our Top 5 Cigars to enjoy during the Big Tournament, we have the LB1 from the well-renowned cigar manufacturer Rocky Patel. This 6.50 x 52 medium-bodied cigar is a perfect one to light up in celebration if your team has won it all!

Hailing from Nicaragua, the Rocky Patel LB1 has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Honduran Binder, and Nicaraguan tobaccos in the Filler to round out this highly-rated premium cigar. Flavors you may detect when puffing on this Toro are toasted nuts, earthy tones, fresh cut grass, and honey.

Cigars have seemed to gain some steam in college and professional sports while hoisting up the trophy. So while your favorite college team is cutting down the nets, and popping champagne in celebration, I suggest you light up this gem from Rocky Patel.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium-Full

Length: 6

Ring: 46

Smoke Time: 80 Minutes

AJ Fernandez Last Call in the 6 x 46 “Flaquitas” was chosen for this Top 5 Cigars to enjoy during the Big Tournament because one, it’s one of AJ’s most underrated cigars and cigar lines he has in his portfolio. Secondly, the name can be a play on that fact this is the “last call” for college basketball for the 2022-2023 season, as well as the game can come down to a last call in anyones favor.

Regardless of word play, this medium to full-bodied smoke plays no games. The Nicaraguan tobacco that makes up the binder and filler hail from AJ’s farm in Esteli, while he utilized some scrumptious Pennsylvania Broadleaf tobacco for the wrapper. With that flawless combination of ingredients that make up the Last Call, you’ll detect notes of f molasses, black pepper, cedar, and hints of fruit throughout.

This well-seasoned cigar for aficionados around the world should be a go to smoke for the end of the game right before the final buzzer!

Country of Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Honduras

Binder: Nicaragua/ Honduras

Filler: Nicaragua/Honduras

Strength: Medium-Full

Length: 6

Ring: 60

Smoke Time: 100 Minutes

Last but certainly not least, we have the Alec Bradley Magic Toast for our final cigar on the Top 5 Cigars to enjoy for the Big Tournament. The story behind the name “Magic Toast” was inspired by founder Alan Rubin’s almost magical feeling he had while standing in a Honduran tobacco field one afternoon. Months passed by and eventually a toast was made in honor of the future of Alec Bradley, hence the birth of the name. So, if your team has somehow made a magical run in this tournament to get to the final round, then its your duty to make a toast and hope for the best!

Now, back to the cigar! This 6 x 60 Medium-Full bodied smoke is comprised of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos for the wrapper, binder and filler. This combination of premium tobacco grown on the rich soil of Honduras makes for some delicious flavor notes. Some notes you’ll detect while puffing on the Magic Toast Gordo are wood, cocoa, white pepper, and sweet spice on the backend.

We hope you enjoyed some great basketball the last month and end on a magical note from all of us here at JR!