I’m sure most of our readers and customers are familiar with the plethora of ‘Top 25’ lists published each year exhibiting the absolute best cigars. But with hundreds of premium lines on the market, many excellent cigars will not get the attention they deserve. Today we will be highlighting five underrated cigars that you should absolutely become familiar with.

A cigar can be considered underrated for a variety of reasons. With the rise of popularity of small-batch releases and boutique manufacturers, along with a sizeable chunk of the market sticking with long-time favorites, a top-quality cigar can fly under the radar.

Now, this is not to say that these cigars are not smoked by anybody or that they are completely unheard of. Many of you have probably at least heard of these brands, and some have probably tried them and enjoyed them. These are cigars that are incredibly good, but for one reason or another did not quite reach the level of notoriety that they should have received.

There are a ton of reasons to try an underrated cigar. You might find that you enjoy the unique flavors provided by an uncommon blend. If you have a favorite brand or manufacturer, there might be a hidden gem in their portfolios that you’ve overlooked. There is also nothing quite like finding a diamond in the rough, discovering a new favorite in a sea of options.

Without any further ado, let’s dive into our list of top five underrated cigars!

Ramon Allones is a heritage Cuban brand that was under the care of General Cigars for a long time, but recently the brand has gotten a bit of a facelift from AJ Fernandez. General allowed AJ to run with it, and run with it he did!

Using vintage Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo fillers, and a deliciously dark Medio Tiempo Habano Oscuro wrapper, these hidden gems provide rich Cubanesque notes of spice, espresso, cedar, earth, and hints of nuts. AJ’s reimagining of this historic brand lives up to the name’s reputation, and if you are sleeping on these sticks, you are missing out!

When you think of Montecristo, the White Series or the classic Montecristo are likely to come to mind. But the famous Montecristo portfolio has depth, and you may have missed the Montecristo Espada. Before the flurry of collaborations with AJ Fernandez, these top-shelf gems set the stage for expanding Montecristo into Nicaragua with the help of the Plasencia family.

Plasencia shows off their prowess over Nicaraguan tobaccos with a complex blend all-Habano blend of many varietals, all extensively aged for several years. The result is a rich medium-full-bodied smoke as complex as its blend that encapsulates all things Montecristo: elegance, luxury, precision, refinement.

You can count on anything from My Father to provide you with a top-quality smoking experience, especially with popular lines like Le Bijou and El Centurion. However, with its peculiar name, you may not have been super intrigued by My Father El Centurion H-2K-CT. Although they have an unusual name, the name leads to something special that makes these treats unique and unbelievably delicious.

These gems are named after their distinct hybrid wrapper, composed of Habano leaf grown in the Connecticut River Valley which almost exclusively hosts broadleaf and shade tobaccos. The result is a rich and flavorful but well-balanced medium-bodied tapestry of spice, cedar, honey, nuts, and hints of cream. The unique flavor profile these gems provide makes their lack of attention almost criminal!

Nicaraguan tobaccos have a reputation for being zesty, spicy, peppery, and rich along with bold medium to full-bodied profiles. Casa Fernandez Guardian of the Farm turns those notions on their heads. With each vitola named after a watchdog that guards the family’s Aganorsa farms, these treats show off the softer side of Nicaraguan tobaccos.

Crafted entirely with vintage Corojo and Criollo tobaccos grown on the very farms these brave dogs guard, you will savor a satisfyingly rich yet undeniably smooth mellow-medium bodied medley of cashews, tobacco sweetness, cedar, and warm spice. After just one puff, you will be kicking yourself for not giving up a few bones to try these top-notch smokes sooner!

Much like how Nicaraguan tobacco has a reputation for being strong, Dominican tobacco has a reputation for being on the mellow side. The folks behind the Dominican Romeo y Julieta, Altadis USA, sought to change all that with Romeo by Romeo y Julieta.

Coating a center of aged Dominican long-filler and binder tobaccos is a rich and hearty Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, delivering a flavorful full-bodied bouquet of pepper, coffee, dark chocolate, earth, and subtle dashes of vanilla. Forget everything you think you know about Romeo y Julieta and give these bold sticks a chance!