 Plus: Opus X, Partagas 150s, Montecristo Limited Edition C and Cohiba Esplendidos on eBay
Los Angeles, October 20 – One of the traps in putting together a ranking list for the top cigars available to U.S. smokers is making too much of a brand’s reputation, rather than its taste, presentation, price, availability and similar factors.
After going through more than 100 brands, we found some surprises and several of them appear today in our list from no. 15 to no. 11. In the rarefied air of ranking in the top 15, each of these brands delivers an outstanding experience and once again confirms Nicaragua as the country of origin of some of the best cigars made today, including four of five in today’s picks:
No. 15: One Off (Nicaragua)
OK, so Italian airline magnate Andrea Molinari is a little crazy. So what if he has another line, Due Mondi which is supposed to be cut in half, with each half smoked separately. Who cares if his Tre Sigari line comes in three shapes: “Breakfast,” “Lunch” and “Dinner”?
All’s forgiven because his One Off line is great. The “peace” symbol on the band is a little dated, but the cigar is not. It offers an addictive, caramelized taste that burns slowly, with outstanding construction and draw. The flavor weakens a little in mid-course and impatient smokers may find the blend tiring, but it’s a cigar to be reckoned with and a rich flavor to be remembered.
No. 14: Padron 30 Aniversario (Nicaragua)
A hat trick for the Padrons, who now have all three of their lines in our rankings: the original Padron line ranked 17th in our survey of medium-bodied brands, the Padron Serie 1926 – their newest – ranked 23rd in this listing and now the celebrated 30 Aniversario ranks 14th.
These are box-pressed beauties, firm and well constructed. The core taste is of pepper, but with a soothing, caramelized undertone and finish. The balance of flavors in the blend is so subtle that the effect is almost calming, despite the primary presence of the peppery elements and a toasty but slightly peppery aroma. The 30 Aniversario speaks quietly, but its self-assured nature reinforces its obvious quality.
No. 13: Nicarao (Nicaragua)
One of the stunning surprises of this tasting. Blended by the Tabacalera Tropical to resemble the original Montecristo (Havana) blend, described by one commentator as “soft, caramelized cigars,” it’s a modern-day mirror of that formula. Nicarao hits you immediately with its intense, sweet, caramelized flavor and a buttery finish. Almost astonishing in its tenacity at the start, it relaxes in mid-course, but remains a taste treat through the finish. At a suggested retail price (before local tobacco taxes) of just $4.60 to $5.80, it’s an accessible treat. Remarkable.
No. 12: Montecristo Platinum (Dom.Rep.)
A spectacular departure from the familiar toast-and-spice Montecristo taste, the Platinum is all about an explosion of spice and pepper flavors. Active and excited, each puff springs to life with a powerful taste that is – at the same time – well controlled and surprisingly light on the finish. This can be a heady smoke for enthusiasts not ready for such strength. But it also rewards those brave enough to stay with it with a less-intense, toasty flavor in mid-course.
No. 11: Juan Lopez (Nicaragua)
Another surprise from Altadis USA. Where the Cuban version of Juan Lopez ranked no. 1 in our ranking of medium-bodied cigars from Havana, here is the new, Nicaraguan version of this brand debuting high up in our list of the best full-bodied cigars available in the U.S.
This blend starts out with a dash of spice, but a somber, deep and dignified taste of dark fruit signals the start of something special. The rich “tang” of this flavor stays with you on the finish of each draw and impresses you with the serious quality of this new take on the Juan Lopez name. At its best, the cigar almost smokes you rather than the reverse because of the inviting nature of its depth of flavor. Add in the colorful band (shown above) and those who see it and your satisfied expression will certainly ask what brand you are smoking. Answer in a happy, steady voice: “Mi amigo, Juan Lopez.”
Hammer time:
We’ve been so busy with our full-bodied rankings stories that we haven’t had the space to follow up with some interesting sales on eBay:
• The lot of five boxes of cigars that included Fuente Fuente Opus X Perfecxion No. 2 torpedos, Arturo Fuente Royal Salutes, Arturo Fuente Hemingway Masterpieces and Puros Indios Victorias and Piramides No. 2 went for the “Buy It Now” price of $1,100 in about 30 hours to an automobile dealer in Calumet City, Illinois.
The price works out to $14.86 per cigar, but if you assume that the Fuente Royal Salutes, Hemingways and Puros Indios cigars were window dressing and added maybe $100 to the overall value, the buyer paid $1,000 for 29 Opus X at $34.48 a stick, about their normal eBay valuation.
• A box of 50 Partagas 150 Robustos drew 14 bids with a high of $510, but did not sell because the reserve price was not met. Oh, well; I am sure we will see these again.
Interestingly, two of the big “show” humidors for the Partagas 150 series – all-cedar with 18 individual drawers – drew good prices during the last week. Neither had any cigars, but one sold for $256 and the other for $161, both with visible cedar sap stains.
• A box of 25 Montecristo (Havana) Limited Edition side “C” (5 3/8 x 46) cigars sold for $315 after drawing 17 bids. That’s $12.60 a stick, quite a reasonable price for a Limited Edition box.
• A first-time seller from Canada moved five boxes of Cohiba Esplendidos for between $250 and $270 each: only $10-11 a stick. Were they real? Only the buyers and the seller know, but as the eBay rules state, the value is in the collectible box and not the tobacco products inside, right?
Coming tomorrow: Into the top ten: full-bodied rankings from no. 10 to no. 6, including the biggest surprise of the tasting!
~ Rich Perelman
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