Do you love to smoke Cuban, Brazil, or Dominican cigar? Are you looking forward to starting your journey in the cigar world with one fine stogie? Well, you are definitely on the right page. Over the years, some of the best cigar producing and exporting countries have gained a competitive advantage by launching special cigars – the best cigars you can have as beginners in 2024.
Everyone seems to be looking for the best stick in the market. Cuban cigars remain some of the best you can find. The richness of Nicaragua cigars is something worth your attention too because they’ve been topping the list of best cigars this year. Some new cigars are also coming into the limelight. In this article, we provide a list of the best cigars you can try this year for the best experience of smoking.
1. Rocky Patel Hamlet 25th Year Salmon
Are you going to smoke or take coffee? This is the big question Rocky Patel asks you whenever you stare at it. Rocky Patel is a big, inconspicuous, and self-fulfilling cigar. If you are a novice smoker, this one doesn’t give you a hard time.
It has a clipped perfecto foot and cap, which makes it easy to cut and light simultaneously. The cigar has a thick and hard wrapper and binder. That means it takes some time to light up, but ones it catches fire you can’t stop having more of this salmon. For those who love a thick smoke, the Rocky Patel Hamlet is the best you can have for the cold day. It is probably going to stay in your humidor for the longest time.
2. Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No 2
When choosing a stogie as a beginner, you might be tempted to go for the big ones or the Cuban cigars. There is this rumor that big cigars are for class and Cuban cigars are the best you can have. Well, you haven’t had your share of Hoyo de Monterrey.
Most cigar lovers and retailers are likely to recommend this cigar to you if you are a beginner. It is made for those who want to start their journey in smoking. The stick is packed with a balanced flavor and a delicious borderline, making it the best you can have.
It is a premium Cuban tobacco that’s been selling in most countries for decades now. Hoyo de Monterrey is very popular amongst beginners, and you can have two or three sticks somewhere in your humidor. If you are confused on the best cigar to choose, this is one you can trust as a novice smoker.
The cigar comes in a Robusta size measuring 5.88 X 50. It has a light body but well-packed with rich flavor and unique aroma. Whichever box you choose, you can always expect the same flavor and taste in your Epicure No 2; this is a rare character in most Cuban cigar series.
3. Cohiba Ciglo I
If you cannot go to bed without a cup of coffee, Cohiba Ciglo I is another friend you can have on the table. Cohiba cigar is one of the most distributed cigars in the world today. It is also the most counterfeited, so you have to be careful when shopping for this stogie. For those who’ve been smoking for quite a while, you can try Cohiba, and join the big boys club.
Cohiba appears on this list of best cigars for its rich flavor. It is a light-medium cigar which makes it suitable for a beginner. It gives you all the time to learn how to make that puff and push the smoke through your nose. If you want to take time having a lighter cigar, Cohiba is the right place to begin.
This is a short cigar measuring 4.0 x 40. It comes with a rich profile and note that hits you right from the start when you light it. You can expect profiles like cocoa, vanilla, and coffee when you smoke it for the first time. If your palate is still developing you may not get the unique flavors in this cigar – it takes time to discover the flavors in every cigar.
4. Por Larranaga Panetelas L
Larranaga is another unique short-filler cigar you can try as a beginner. There is more into smoking every cigar as a beginner, and before you discover the right stogie for your palate, Larranaga is something you want to try.
Although it’s a short-filler, the cigar has a bigger body, making it stand out from the rest of long-fillers. The cigar is about 5.00 x 38, an ideal size for a beginner. If you want a cigar that lights up fast, this one is meant for you. Larranaga has a sharp light, and the ash falls off easily while you smoke, which makes it comfortable.
It is also budget-friendly if you don’t want to spend more on smoke.
Some note and profile you can expect when smoking Larranaga includes caramel, earth thyme, and cedar. This is a unique cigar, and its special aroma will have most people asking you where you got it –another way to start that conversation.
5. Davidoff Winston Churchill
The medium-body cigar, Davidoff Winston Churchill, is another special brand every novice smoker should try. If you are developing your passion for a cigar, this brand can help you complete your journey of no return. It is named after the legendary cigar smoker, Winston Churchill, so you can expect some great profile when you light this one.
It is a heavier body cigar that lights for at least 50 minutes, just enough time to practice taking a puff. If you have a weaker palate, this cigar can help you trigger it. The handmade cigar has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and Mexican binder. It measures 5.25 x 52 and comes in four different fillers, Condegas, Piloto, Estelí, and Olor-Piloto.
6. Macanudo Gold Label
Macanudo Gold Label cannot miss in your list of best cigars for beginners. Made of golden Connecticut wrapper and San Andrea Mexican wrapper, the mild-medium cigar offers you the best you can have for your palate. It is creamy and quite aromatic on your palate. This cigar earns its name from the ‘cap special’, a unique wrapper obtained from the first priming of the USE Connecticut volado leaf.
The cigar is more refined compared to other brands in its series. If you prefer a thicker smoke for a start, this may be the right one for you. It comes in a robust size measuring 5.2 x 54 with a smoking time of 60 minutes. You can always have the best experience of smoking Macanudo for the first time.
7. Sixty Rocky Patel Toro
The best cigar is hard to find if you smoke for the first time. If you want to smoke cigars like a pro, you don’t have to look any further than this Sixty by Rocky Patel Toro.
This cigar is named after one of the top and legendary cigar aficionados, Rocky Patel. It is available 6 ½ Ix 52 inch cigar in 4 vitolas, a Toro cigar like no other.
This cigar is made in Nicaragua, the home to the best cigars globally, like most cigar aficionados claim. It comes from the Tavicusa factory, the top-quality Toro–sized cigars makers. It’s made of Mexican San Andreas Leaf wraps for the best quality smoke.
How it tastes:
You get a creamy taste when you smoke this cigar for the first time. The Toro will unfold in cocoa, leather, and coffee aroma and fill the whole room with some pleasure. You enjoy the chocolaty sweetness and touch of pepper. This is a full-bodied and harmoniously balanced cigar.
Key specs
Brand: Rocky Patel Premium Cigars
Factory: Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A
Wrapper: Mexico
Size: 165 X 20.6
Binder: Nicaragua
Origin: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
8. Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Box Reserved
According to most of the cigar journals, this was the cigar of the year in 2021. The cigar was updated with box-pressed Sun Grown and Maduro cigars. This is a box-pressed Toro measuring 6 x 54 cigar wrapped in a Nicaraguan Maduro leaf. It has gone through 14 months of fermentation in ex-bourbon barrels.
It means you get the best when this cigar is finally out of the barrel and served to you. The six-year-old Nicaraguan tobacco is also featured through the blend for some special taste.
How it tastes:
When you taste this cigar for the first time, you get the taste of roasted notes of espresso, cocoa, spices, pepper, and caramel. The smoke is a bit smooth and soft on your palate. Some hint of the fresh cigar comes at the end of the cigar-making you feel lively.
Key specs
Brand: Perdomo Cigars
Factory: Tabacalera Perdomo SA
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Size: 152 x 21.4
Binder: Nicaragua
Origin: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
9. Padron Anniversary Series 1964
When the year comes at the end of the cigar, it simply reminds you that this is a brand you can count on for some quality. The Padron cigar has been around for years and never gets tired of giving you the aroma and taste you deserve.
This is one of the most delicious cigars you can have in your humidor. If you are stepping into a casino, most of the big boys will likely be smoking this one, just for the class and touch it gives.
This is a dark chocolate Maduro wrapper cigar. It is box-pressed and firmly constructed to keep the tobacco just intact for you. It gives out a clean and tasty smoke that makes you feel like you’re a boss.
How it tastes:
If it is your first time smoking a top-quality cigar, you will be amazed by the taste of cedar and earthy aroma this cigar gives. As you start smoking the cigar, you are welcomed with some smooth and bitter chocolate or espresso when it gets rolling.
Key specs
Brand: Padron Cigars Inc
Factory: Miami, Florida
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Size: 5.50 x50
Binder: Nicaragua
Origin: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
10. Davidoff Dominicana Robusto
The best of cigar awaits you here in this Davidoff Dominicana Robusto. This cigar pays homage to the Dominican Republic, where it originates. It features completely hybrid leaf 257 wrappers.
The filler includes five Dominican tobaccos, namely Yamasa Viso, San Vicente, Piloto Viso, Corojo 99, and Mejorado Seco.
This special cigar can easily blend with the hybrid 151 from Ecuador. This cigar is rolled a year before releasing the tobacco from the 2014 crop.
How it tastes:
The taste from this cigar is not what you get from any ordinary cigars in the market. This cigar is made of Robustos tobacco that develops the sumptuous coffee aromas that are also joined by the nuts. It also gives sweetness, acidity, spice, pepper, and earthy tone aromas.
Key specs
Brand: Oettinger Davidoff AG Basel
Factory: Tabadom
Wrapper: Dominican Republic
Size: 130 x 20.6
Binder: Ecuador
Origin: Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaragua
11. Vegan 1998 Vintage 1 VF42L
This is another best quality cigar you should be looking forward to smoking with your friends. It was released in mid-2021 and has grown to become one of the top brands in the cigar market. The Vega Final Vintage 1 is a limited-edition extension to the VegaFin 1998 brand.
This cigar blend features similar components to the Vega Final 1988 but comes in a thinner ring gauge format. VF42L and VF40 all come in a Dominican, Colombian, and Nicaraguan fillers. There are made of Ecuadorian wrapper and the Indonesian binder. The tobacco has been aged for over three years, giving you all the quality you need in a genuine smoke.
How it tastes:
You get to enjoy it a lot when you are smoking Vegafina for the first time. The cigar comes in an elegant format of flavor sensations. It gives tones of sweetness and fruity acidity. Other aromas you enjoy when smoking this cigar include herbal spice and some gentle pepper. It gives out a creamy smoke full of some roasted flavors of sponge cakes and coffee.
Key specs
Brand: Tabacalera SLU
Factory: Tabacalera de Garcia
Wrapper: Ecuador
Size: 187 x 16.7
Binder: Indonesia
Origin: Dominican Republica
Filler: Colombia, Nicaragua, and Dom. Rep
Final Thoughts
What do you consider most when choosing your first cigar as a beginner? Go for the size, smoke, profile, and most importantly, the leaf primings. If you want the best of cigars for beginners, you should not look beyond the six cigars listed here.
Other cigars worth your time as a beginner include Syncho Ritmo, JC Newman Brick House, Nub Connecticut, Ramon Allones Superiores LCDH, and Davidoff Aniivesario Special. As a beginner, you can try several cigars and find one that suits your palate.
When smoking cigar for the first time, it’s advisable to keep your body hydrated. Have a glass of mineral water by your side. Note that coffee, coke, and other beverages may affect the cigar flavor. As a beginner in smoking, you should give your palate some time to activate before you can change to another brand of cigar.
Did You Enjoy This?
Then consider joining thousands of other people who receive my monthly newsletter. It’s a collection of knowledge and guide for Cigars and Bourbon. It’s free to subscribe. Be part of my my team.
Comments