When you have a chance, click on the “Ask Richie” icon on the upper part of the screen and read my “Bundles of Joy” submission. You’ll then understand how important the valued priced bundle category has been to both cigar makers and lovers.
This edition is one of the best medium bodied smokes available for the price. It’s well made with a great draw yielding a smooth, satisfying smoking experience across the board.
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican
Binder – Connecticut
Wrapper Type – Cameroon
Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata is a round size variant of the box-pressed Avo Syncro Nicaragua, which debuted in 2015.
The Nicaragua Fogata has an exquisite Ecuadorian Habano 2000 wrapper encasing a Mexican San Andrés binder along with an extensive array of Dominican Republic and Nicaragua tobaccos. To say this blend is complex would be an understatement.
The results are as expected. Noted reviewer KATMAN rates it a 90. His take…”It is smooth. Transitions are the best since I first lit the cigar. The finish is long and luxurious.” Halfwheel ups the score to 91 with great words. “The construction remains amazing in just about all aspects and the smoke production is outrageous.” Cigar Coop feels this cigar is a smoke recommended to either a novice or experienced cigar enthusiast. Cigar Aficionado says this cigar smokes evenly, showcasing elements of rich woods, spice and a touch of eucalyptus with a spicy finish.
No doubt that this Syncro is another winner from this storied brand. The Short Torpedo is a top pick!
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 2000 Clara
Binder: Mexican San Andrés
Filler: Dominicana Yamasa viso, Dominican Piloto, Dominican San Vicente ligero, Nicaraguan Esteli ligero, Nicaraguan Condega viso, Nicaraguan Ometepe
See all the Avo cigars available on The Cigar Thief HERE
As you cruise our site you’ll come upon many small batch brands. As many of these newcomers came and went, Caldwell rose above the herd. The Long Live the King edition ventures where few if any have gone before. A totally unique combination of Dominican, Nicaraguan and Peruvian tobaccos creates a very complex medium to full bodied flavor. This highly rated masterpiece draws perfectly, burns evenly and is said to be Caldwell’s greatest achievement.
Wrapper: Corojo Dominicano 2008
Binder: Corojo Dominicano 2009
Filler: 50% Corojo Ligero dominicano 2006 – 10% Viso Pelo De Oro Peruno 2008 – 40% Habano Ligero Nicaraguense 2007
Factory: Tabacalera Ventura (Dominican Republic)
After years of planning the first original style San Cristobal was launched in 2007, crafted by famed Master Blender Jose “Don Pepin” Garcia along with the owners of the Ashton brand. The Elegancia blend is a mild to medium bodied cigar that can be enjoyed any time of the day.
Check out other San Cristobal styles here!
Wrapper: Connecticut seed Ecuadorian
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
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!
Don’t let the dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper scare you off! This 92 rated beauty is still true to Ashton’s classic mild taste. This maduro edition yields a more complex flavor that’s uniquely smooth to the finis
Filler – Dominican Binder – Dominican Wrapper -USA/ Connecticut Broadleaf
ACCOLADES
92 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, March 2023
92 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, August 2018
90 Rated – Cigar Aficionado, December 2000
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. This edition was launched in 2017 and is a special one. Those of us that know this brand understand what full bodied smokes are.
The great part of this one is that it is literally packed with tobacco to the point of it feeling hard to the touch. This is one of the slowest burning, best drawing sticks around. The blend yields a very robust tasting mixture of sweetness and spice that increases as you move along.
Origin – Honduras
Filler – Honduran
Binder – Nicaraguan
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Broadleaf
Romeo y Julieta 1875 Reserve Maduro consists of a four country blend that’s a joy to behold.
It’s hard to believe this great smoke is over two decades old. In fact, way back in 2003 Cigar Aficionado gave it a 90 rating. With attention to detail, this cigar is jam packed with vintage tobacco. Once lit, the wrapper combines with Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian filler to create tasty nut and coffee flavors. While being medium-full bodied in taste, it remains smooth to the finish with very rich flavor. Think coffee beans, dark chocolate and natural tobacco for starters.
With this in mind, don’t be afraid of the dark. Grab some of these outstanding Maduros today!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan-Peruvian
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper – USA Connecticut Broadleaf
See all the Romeo y Julieta cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
Don Diego cigars have been around forever. This amazingly consistent cigar often gets lost in a sea of new entries. It is probably one of the mildest , smoothest and mellowist smokes in existence. The prefect Connecticut Shade wrapper is your first sign of how special this cigar is. The bit of Nicaraguan filler combined with selected Dominican leaves from the top of the plant yields a perfectly balanced smoke. Want mild with character…….Don Diego is it!
Origin – Dominican Republic
Filler – Dominican-Nicaraguan
Binder – Dominican
Wrapper Type – Connecticut Shade
Alec Bradley Black Market Esteli is the second version of this very popular brand.
With attention to detail, the Esteli cigar is a more refined version of the popular Black Marker Cigar line. While the original Black Market is made in Honduras, Estelí is produced at Plasencia Cigars S.A., Nicaragua. For starters, Cigar Aficionado rates this blend an astounding score of 93 naming it in their top 10 cigars of the year. In fact, Esteli beat out many of it’s Cuban made competitors.
Their review describes it best. ” It’s earthy and leathery with sweet, concentrated undertones of raisins and cocoa. The draw is flawless, delivering a weighty, substantial smoke to the palate, which speaks to the cigar’s excellent construction and fine tobacco. ”
Without doubt, this medium to full bodied Esteli blend gives you more of what you love about the Original Black Market. The Torpedo is a top pick.
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua | Honduras
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: Plasencia Cigars S.A. (Nicaragua)
See all the Alec Bradley cigars available at The Cigar Thief HERE
CAO Limited Edition Arcana Thunder Smoke, experience a rare blend crafted for the adventurous aficionado. This limited edition cigar showcases a rich, complex profile with notes of earth, dark cocoa, and subtle spice, wrapped in a deep, robust leaf that’s aged to perfection. Embrace the intense flavors of this unique release and savor the true artistry of CAO’s Arcana series.
Unleash the Monsters!
Prepare for the ultimate thrill as the Tatuaje Monster Series returns in 2024 with a wicked twist. The highly coveted Monster Smash 14-cigar sampler offers a robusto-sized collection (5 ¼ x 52 box-pressed) of fan-favorite blends from the infamous Monster lineup. This year, alongside iconic blends, the sampler includes a second limited edition release of the popular Tatuaje Creature, making this collection an absolute must-have. As always, stock is extremely limited and won’t last long, so secure yours before these monsters disappear for good!
This 2024 edition includes one cigar each of:
