Top 5 Classic Cigars Every Smoker Should Try

Selecting five cigars everyone should try at least once is like picking the five best movies or albums of all time — impossible. However, because we like to have fun and talk about outstanding cigars, we’re going to try anyway. Whether you’re a new smoker or you’re looking for some classic smokes to (re)discover, each of these five cigars is a certified winner and has been on the market for at least nine years. 

Macanudo Café

Not every smoke on this list had a revolutionary effect on the cigar industry, but it’s fair to say Macanudo Café has. For decades, Macanudo Café has proved to be one of the most popular and approachable cigars on the market. The secret to Café’s success lies in its uniquely sweet and satisfying Connecticut Shade wrapper. Once upon a time, Connecticut Shades dominated the cigar industry, and Macanudo Café was — and still is — the king of this category.

Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series

Padrón first released the 1964 Anniversary Series to commemorate thirty years in business. Fast forward another thirty years, and the 1964 Anniversary Series is still a legend in cigar circles. Padrón is synonymous with rich, Nicaraguan tobacco, and the 1964 Anniversary Series (a Nicaraguan puro) is perhaps the finest example of the brand’s excellent craftsmanship.

CAO Flathead

Looking for a full-bodied classic to try? Look no further than the big and bold Flathead. Featuring a lush Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, this 95-rated cigar offers a complex smoking experience defined by impeccable construction and tasting notes of fruit and leather. CAO Flathead is one of the finest dark cigars any smoker could imagine.  

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real

Romeo y Julieta is a famous name in the cigar industry. With a history that stretches back to the 19th century, Romeo y Julieta boasts a fabulous collection of cigars. For this list, though, we’ve selected the Reserva Real — a creamy, vibrant cigar wrapped in a beautiful Ecuadorian wrapper. There’s a reason why Romeo y Julieta remains one of the most beloved brands in the industry, and it’s cigars like Reserva Real that keep fans coming back for more. 

La Gloria Cubana Classic 

How could we not pick La Gloria Cubana Classic for our list of classic cigars? While La Gloria Cubana (LGC) is a household name now, this wasn’t always the case. Indeed, the brand languished in relative obscurity until a young cigar maker named Ernesto Perez-Carillo Jr. took the reins in the 1980s. By the ‘90s, LGC Cigars had taken the industry by storm. Since then, both the brand and Perez-Carillo have continued to thrive — though Perez-Carillo has since formed his own company. This cigar, LGC Classic, is the blend that started it all, and it still delights smokers all these years later. 

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