Cigar Library
Cigar TipsAuthor: Cigar Inspector
About once a week, I receive an e-mail from somebody who wants to offer cigars to one of his/her friends and does not really know how to proceed. The question is always the same: “what cigars should I offer to my smoking buddy?”. I would reply with 2-3 suggestions that were first to come to mind, but realized that they often depended on my mood and on my recent experiences. So, not only in order to save time but mostly to provide a longer list of recommended smokes, I decided to write this blog post. Many thanks to brothers from Cigar Asylum for helping me out.
Below you will find a list of smokes that most of cigar smokers will like to receive as a gift, whatever their smoking experience. I tried to select cigars that are more or less available across the country, fall within a reasonable budget (with a couple of exceptions, of course) and are suitable for every kind of smoker (i.e. no powerhouses). I think that this list might be useful not only to non smokers, but also to beginners who have smoking friends with longer experience. As for me, from now on I will only have to paste a link when replying 🙂
Oliva
Oliva Serie G [review] and Oliva Serie O [review] are very good smokes for less experienced smokers. More seasoned smokers would probably prefer the Oliva Serie V [review], one of my all-time favorite cigars.
Padron
The X000 line is probably one of the best price/quality ratios available on the market. My personal favorite is Padron 2000 [review]. If you are willing to spend more money on your gift, you can have a look at 1926 / 1964 series. I’m fairly sure that EVERY cigar smoker will appreciate getting a box of Padron 1926 [review]. However, please note that this is the most expensive cigar in this list.
Don Pepin Garcia
Don Pepin Garcia is a legend in the cigar business and while some of the blends are quite pricey and may be difficult to find, the Cuban Classic [review] is widely available and is not too hard on the pocket. Many smokers enjoy its flavors with a touch of sweetness.
Arturo Fuente
Almost anything from Fuente is quality, however our choice here goes to the Hemingway line. Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story [review] is an excellent smoke, but you can also check out Work of Art and Best Seller lines.
CAO
CAO is another well-known brand that makes quality sticks. It appears that the two blends which will suit everybody’s palate are CAO Gold – including CAO Gold Vintage [review] – and CAO La Traviata, a great budget stick. The latter one is pretty tough to find, so if you see it at your local Brick & Mortar store, don’t think twice.
Ashton
Another major brand in our selection is Ashton. Ashton VSG [review] is the second most expensive cigar in this list, but it’s definitely a great gift.
Brickhouse
Elected as the Best Bargain Cigar of 2009 by Cigar Aficionado, the Brickhouse line [review] is actually good. A decent budget alternative.
Cubao
Both natural and maduro versions of the Cubao [review] deserve the good press and high ratings they earned. The price is also acceptable.
Avo
Avo cigars are usually very reliable in terms of construction and provide an enjoyable though slightly one-dimensional flavor. The typical example is the Avo Domaine [review] which scores very high in the looks and construction departments.
This list should give you enough choice for your gift. Feel free to bookmark it for future use & share it with your friends. We hope that you found it useful.
PS And, of course, feel free to add your suggestions below. Your feedback is, as always, appreciated.
For non-cigar experienced friends and new-smokers I keep a batch of the milder classics in small-ish sizes in my humidor. These names are recognizable around the world: Montecristo Classic robusto, Macanudo, Romeo & Julieta. This way I can impress my friends and they will not be met with blank stares when they share they smoked a “some name they will not remember”… A side benefit is I can do this without having to give up one of my Tatuaje Blacks or My Father/Don Pepin favorites…
All great smokes but I would like to suggest folks check out Kristoff. Great smokes and their website will help guide people to which cigar(s) best suit their tastes after a few simple questions …. which once completed, will push you to a few recommendations.
http://www.kristoff.com
Happy smoking.
Good list … Id like to add to the CAO family of can’t-go-wrong cigars. My personal favorite from CAO is their SOL , it has a bright green band , very unmistakable. One of the few store bought sticks that made me go “Oooooh !!”
Have you guys considered offering your recommendations as a Cigar Inspector variety box?
I would recommend anything from Romeo y Julieta, especially the Bully ( Robusto). Medium bodied, nice smoke…
I’m a sucker for anything Padron. I especially agree with the Oliva Serie V they are very tasty but I have had a problem with a couple being plugged.
How about Casa De Garcia?
Nice selection! I would add the NUB cigar line, especially the newer Maduro
Great list, no complaints from me. I would add the Alec Bradley Family Blend – amazing flavors, medium bodied and pretty cheap too. There are, of course, dozens (hundreds?) of other choices that belong on this list but this is an awesome starting point.