Wrapper: Honduran Corojo (5th Priming)
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Corojo | Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Factory: Diadema Cigars de Honduras, S.A. (Honduras)
Avo XO was created by Master Blender Hendrik Kelner in 1988.
The XO consists of a light-tan Ecuadorian Grown Connecticut wrapper and a premium interior of Dominican binder and filler tobaccos that are aged for at least six years. It’s hard to believe this blend is over 36 years old. Amazingly enough, it continues to get accolades from industry critics.
In 2024, Cigar Aficionado rates this cigar a 92. Their description proves this old soldier can still please the best of them. “This cigar brings a toasty, nutty smoke to the palate with subtle notes of honeyed tea, orange peel and caramel. Elegant and easygoing.” Noted reviewer KATMAN still feels the flavors are very potent and pleasing. The Cigar Authority scored it a solid 90 exclaiming. “A remarkably smooth, yet richly complex medium-bodied composition balanced with notes of wood, spice, dry and sweet fruit.” While Cigar Coop shares that same 90 rating, they conclude it to be an excellent cigar and one that kept true to the milder, creamier experience known the Avo XO line to have.
It’s safe to say, the XO may have been around longer than you! See what discerning smokers have been enjoying for almost 40 years.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian grown Connecticut Seed
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
See all the Avo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
There’s a few reasons why 90 rated Ashtons have remained in the top ten for decades. They are made by the folks at Arturo Fuente. They are insanely consistent and remain one of the benchmarks for mild to mellow taste. If you’ve smoked them you know. If you haven’t, I envy you!
The Cabinet Selection edition amped up the flavor to a medium bodied smoke retaining the silky smoothness that Ashton is known for. The Dominican fillers used in these great sticks are aged between four and five years along with aging the Connecticut wrapper for a year. This expertly made beauty draws perfectly, burns evenly and delivers more of what the classic series offers.
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: USA Connecticut Shade
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tabacalera A. Fuente
ACCOLADES
91 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, October 2019
90 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, February 2019
90 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, June 2006
This brand started in Cuba in 1940 and is still being made there. When Cigar Giant Altadis acquired the name for the US, production went from the Dominican Republic to Honduras where it remains. As time passed the brand began to evolve attracting new smokers. Over 10 years ago the Series G Natural came to market giving folks who enjoy medium bodied cigars a treat that captured the brand’s heritage of rich taste in a slow burning, smooth stick.
Soon after, the addition of pitch black Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper on this maduro edition raised the needle of the taste meter just a bit more than it’s natural counterpart.
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf
Romeo y Julieta Aniversario is a very, very special cigar to say the least.
You’re definitely a serious shopper if you’re looking at this amazing cigar. In 2003, Altadis reached out to Master Blender Jose Seijas who is a veritable icon of the industry for over 40 years. With attention to detail, his skillful multi country blend of long fillers is encased in a dark Ecuadorian Sumatra seed wrapper. Without a doubt this produces an amazingly complex, smooth tasting medium bodied cigar. While this masterpiece took a while to get passed around, it’s eventual 92 rating is a testament of Seijas’ ability to give smokers a truly great experience.
Just so you know, along with the high score, Cigar Aficionado placed this great cigar in the top 25 of the year. If you want to see what has been pleasing discerning smokers for over twenty years, this Romeo has to be in your humidor today. Hands down!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan-Peruvian
Binder – USA Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper – Ecuadorian Sumatra
See all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
Montecristo Monte by AJ Fernandez is another fantastic collaboration between Master Blender A J Fernandez and this iconic brand. This is the fourth cigar blended and rolled by Fernández for Altadis U.S.A.
With attention to detail, this creation contains vintage Dominican piloto cubano and criollo 98 fillers along with a prime Nicaraguan corojo 98 binder. And encasing all this is a 17-year-old Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. How’s that for complexity and craftsmanship! Without doubt the blend yields a balanced, smooth medium-full bodied flavor. To say the least, this dark, box pressed cigar is perfectly made with an exceptional draw.
When renowned industry reviewer Katman rated it at 95, his description of this flavor bomb is spot on. ” This may just be the maltiest blend I’ve smoked. In addition, flavors of chocolate, caramel, creaminess, red pepper, dried fruit, roasted nuts, cedar, and toasted buttered French bread make this cigar a winner.”
If you consider yourself a fan of Montecristo and AJ Fernandez, this one must be in your humidor for sure!
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo 98
Filler: Nicaraguan Criollo 98, Dominican Republic Piloto Cubano
Factory: Tabacalera Fernandez S.A.
Blender: AJ Fernandez
See all the Montecristo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
Without doubt, Montecristo Espada is one of this iconic company’s best cigars ever!
The Spanish lesson for today is: Espada means sword. When the Espada appeared garnering a 92 rating and becoming one of the top 25 cigars of the year we all knew it was worth the price. What must be remembered is Espada is made in Nicaragua at Plasencia Cigars and is a collaboration between Plasencia and the Altadis blending team, Grupo de Maestros.
With attention to detail, the very rare wrapper from 2010 encases vintage Nicaraguan filler and binder tobacco from three prized growing regions. In fact, the filler and binder leaves are even older! The result is a medium bodied purebred with an interesting combination of sweetness and spice thats creamy and balanced. Cigar Aficionado describes this amazing smoke perfectly. “An exceptional smoke offering the spice of a gingersnap with touches of cinnamon that build to a sweet, spicy finish.”
It’s no surprise Espada has been pleasing cigar smokers for almost a decade and is still going strong.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa) Vintage 2010
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa) Vintage 2009
Filler: Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa) Seco Vintage 2008, Nicaraguan Habano (Jalapa) Viso Ometepe Vintage 2008, Nicaraguan Habano (Condega) Ligero Vintage 2008
I have to put my Diplomat hat on to talk about this nearly thirty year old brand. Forgetting about the fact they were just over two dollars when they came out, you have to realize they’ve continued to be produced for decades! Why? Because they have a very devout following of fans that have come to look at this name as a kind of “Comfort Cigar”. It’s mellow to medium bodied with a slight bit of spice that has been pleasing many, many folks for such a long time. The Coronas are the best of the bunch!
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Mexican
Binder – Mexican
Wrapper Type – Connecticut
This is probably one of the best full bodied cigars you’ve never heard of. This 90 rated stick has been flying under the radar for over six years. What sets this Nicaraguan puro aside from many others is the characteristic of its blend, Soon after lighting up it hits you with a robust burst of flavor that begins to settle down with a bit of sweetness as you move along then ramps back up again. This is a very very flavorful cigar with a great aroma.
Origin – Nicaraguan
Filler – Nicaraguan
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Nicaraguan
You found it! While most of us know the H. Upmann brand, few know the rarity of this 90 rated beauty. Yes, it’s medium to full bodied like most Upmanns are. What may folks don’t know is something I’ve talked about before. The Cameroon wrapper is amazing! It changes the character of this cigar to yield a smoother, tastier Upmann. Not that the others aren’t great! These Cedar wrapped beauties are unique and are even better if you let them age.Try a five pack for yourself.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan-Peruvian
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Cameroon
When Altadis, the cigar giant thats brings us Monte Cristo, Romeo and Upmann….to name a few decided to create a value priced entry they didn’t take any shortcuts. These handmade sticks use Dominican tobaccos across the board with a bit of Honduran binder giving it a mild to medium bodied taste that’s smooth and mellow. The Connecticut Shade dark Maduro wrapper is a rarity in the budget friendly category. It gives this particular cigar a more robust taste without increasing its overall strength Enjoy!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Honduran
Binder – Connecticut Broadleaf
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf
Alec Bradley Black Market is one of this great company’s most popular cigars. For starters, Cigar Aficionado named the Black Market Churchill the 2022 #6 Cigar Of The Year with a rating of 94.
With attention to detail, this medium to full bodied gem encases a Sumatran binder and Panamanian/Honduran filler with a dark and oily Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper. To say the least, this is a medium to full bodied Cuban style smoking experience that’s hard to beat. In fact, when it came to ratings, Black Market beat out many of it’s Cuban counterparts! How’s that for value!
With this in mind, it’s hard to believe this terrific cigar has been around for over 10 years. If you consider yourself a discerning smoker and haven’t yet tried one, what are waiting for!
Factory: Tabacos de Oriente in Danli, Honduras
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Jalapa- Colorado Maduro
Filler: Honduran Jamastran Valley, Panamanian
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
See all the Alec Bradley cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
