Smoke in Style: My Top 3 Cigars for the Ultimate Cigar Experience

When someone asks me what my favorite cigar is, it’s similar to choosing a favorite song or movie. There are so many qualifying questions such as, "My favorite cigar in which part of the day? At which social setting? In which weather? Before or after dinner? Is this a celebratory cigar or my everyday smoke?" The list goes on.

Beyond the complex web of variables that help establish my preference and weed out my prejudices, I have three cigars that have never failed consistently to express integrity, joy, and consistency.

• “Flor de Las Antillas” from My Father Cigars

This is my go-to cigar for an evening out with friends, or during happy hour with a good set of Spanish tapas and wine. This cigar is a tasty blend of powerful notes such as cocoa, pepper, cedar, and coffee. It’s been previously rated as #1 Cigar of the year and it's not just hype. It truly is the real deal and is priced usually at around $10-$15. You can’t go wrong with this incredible stick!

• “Diplomatico” special edition Toro by Mombacho Cigars

I’ll never forget the first time I tried out this cigar. I was in the Mombacho Cigars factory in Granada, Nicaragua picking out some cigars to try out. The President of the company and a dear friend of mine Jared Ingrisano told me about their new exciting collaboration with Venezuela’s Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum. Mombacho had created a cigar that paired perfectly with this rum. We then performed the ritual of this perfect pairing, and my life has never been the same. I bought three boxes of this cigar edition and have been doing this ritual with my best friends all over Europe and the Americas. Besides the consistency of how incredible this cigar is, everyone’s response is also consistently the same, “This is the most incredible cigar and rum pairing I’ve ever tasted”.

• “Connecticut” ” by Leaf by Oscar

This cigar is a special treat, like Christmas morning in my mouth. First off, the presentation is original and engaging – the cigar is wrapped in dry/loose tobacco leaves, which I believe helps preserve the integrity of the cigar better than the plastic wrapper. This is my favorite Connecticut-style cigar because it burns so well, tastes incredible, and is so friendly to anyone who smokes regardless of experience. It’s a medium-full cigar, giving you the full experience of its rich flavor and aroma. The draw is effortless and smooth–a pleasant experience from start to finish.

Let us know, what's one of your favorite cigars?