Your Current Top 5 to 10 Non-Cuban Cigar vitola choices (as of late 2022)

[JohnS]

Recently @PuroDiario suggested a dedicated thread or poll in the NC purchase thread here...

I thought I would take the initiative and start a thread based on this question to gauge the current NC choices of specific Non-Cuban cigars that you prefer right now.

Please limit it to 5 to 10 choices and include the brand and vitola (e.g. If you choose Padron, for example, which one in particular?)

In no particular order:

1. N1 Nudies Lanceros

2. N3 Nudies Carlotas

3. Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic

4. Oliva Melanio Serie V Churchill

5. Padron 1964 Anniversary Maduro Torpedo

My current choices above are based on my somewhat basic experience in comparison to my familiarity with Habanos cigars. In general, the Padron and Oliva choices are based on my being impressed by the full-bodied flavour of those cigars together with a diminished strength around the medium to medium-mild mark. I openly admit my bias in regards to the Arturo Fuente Hemingway line because of how smooth, mild and sweet these cigars tend to be. The choice of Nudies is a 'no-brainer'.

I look forward to reading your responses.

[dominattorney]

I'll throw in with

N1

N3

Leaf by Oscar lancero maduro

Hemingway short story AF

Tatuaje anything (I have a box of the black petition lancero. No idea if they're still being made but I have them from back in the day and they're on fire right now)

[shokao]

No particular order:

1. Davidoff Grand Cru No. 3 Corona

2. Atabey Divinos Robusto

3. Arturo Fuente Short Story Short Perfecto

4. Arturo Fuente Rosado Magnum R54 Toro

5. Davidoff Millenium Robusto

6. VegaFina Magnum Puro Origen Pyramid

7. Oliva Melanio Serie V Lancero

8. Sobremesa Bruléê 

[Cigar Surgeon]

Hoyyyyyyyy boy. I smoke a lot of NC cigars for review and the challenge is that performance for each vitola can range significantly.

• Black Works Studio Hyena Corona Gorda
• JRE Aladino Cameroon Elegante (Lancero)
• JRE Aladino Habano Vintage Selection Elegante (Lancero)
• E.P. Carrillo Short Run Retro 2021 Short Play (Robusto)
• Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo Toro
• Tatuaje T110 Reserva Broadleaf (Robusto / Short Robusto)
• Anything RoMa Craft large ring gauge
• Anything RoMa Craft skinny (lonsdale, petit corona, short robusto)
• Espinosa 10 Year Anniversary Toro
• Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut Londale

 

[fisherclive]

Nudies N1

Warped Immortal Nightmare 

Plasencia Alma Fuerte sixto Ii

Aldino Palmas

Warped El Oso Blanco 

[jakebarnes]

Plascencia Alma Fuerte robusto

Nudies N3 Maduro 

Padron Anniversary 1964 Maduro Principe

La Paulina Family Series 

Caldwell Last Tsar

[Boxer31]

In no order

Oliva serie v melanio Churchill or figurado 

N1

Illusione epernay 

AF casa Cuba divine inspiration 

crowned heads Juarez 

[Low]

Some of my current favorites with short explanations - 

My Father Le Bijou 100 Años Corona Extra -  a limited release that brings a slightly tweeked Le Bijou blend, featuring more chocolate and less pepper.

Foundation Cigars The Tabernacle in either corona or double corona - Remember what the old Liga 9 tasted like? Well here it is, not watered down by Swisher.

Foundation Cigars Olmec in corona gorda - New Foundation release. I believe these will be competitors to the Padron 1926 line with a couple years on them.

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Brûlée robusto -  Current favorite connecticut. Cream, pepper, vanilla.

Padron 3000 with an additional three years of age - Padron says they're smokeable right out of the box, I say try em at 3 years. They evolve from being good to a 1964 clone.

 

[Chas.Alpha]

This thread will be valuable to me. Being in a strange land, I have joined up with my local cigar lounge. I would never go into someone's establishment without buying a stick, even if I intend on smoking something that I got elsewhere (Australia perhaps?) I am trying many things I haven't before.

1) Southern Draw Lancero

2) Cain Lancero

3: The Tabernacle (52x6 5/8?)

4) WRP Nicotina 52x 5 1/2

5) Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto, Figurado and Churchill

All good.

[BettyHumpder]

crowned heads four kicks capa especial aguilas 2021 LE 

aladino corojo reserva robusto

arturo fuente don carlos edicion de aniversario double robusto

arturo fuente opus x perfecxion no. 77 shark

 

there are many, many expensive fuente cigars i could have put in here but i feel like that’s not really the point. these are what i’ve reached for the most.

[KCCubano]

Casdagli-Daughter of The Winds Robusto

AF-Hemingway Classic

Oliva-Serie V Lancero

Padron-1964 Corona

Camacho-Triple Maduro

[Danskiz]

More often than not I find myself reaching for;

AF Don Carlos Presidente

N3 Rosado

N1 Rosado

[PuroDiario]

Thank you so much @JohnS excited about this. I would love to rank choices and continue the thread by “mass-sampling” and sharing views of that an option once we collected enough data points. 
 

in my limited experience in no particular order or taking price into consideration I have genuinely enjoyed are the following, based on cigars I have purchased or would again after trying them once or being gifted: 

1. Tatuaje Lancero El Triufador 

2. Arturo Fuente Opus X Reserva de Chateau (Churchill)

3. Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill / Figurado

4. Plasencia Reserva Original Robusto

5. N1 Rosado

6. N4 Mareva Fuerte

7. Davidoff Royal Release Robusto

8. Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro (though I would like to try the 1928 double figurado and compare)

9. Arturo Fuente Eye of the Shark 

10. One of these two, only had one of each: Davidoff Late Hour Churchill / Millenium Toro

[jaybo41]

For me in no specific order:

Anything Fuente:  special love to the Hemmingway Line, Classic, Work of Art, Short Story, Don Carlos #4, Opus & Anejo 888 The Gran Reserva line is under rated!  Casa Cuba Double Tres. 

Padron: 64 Maduro Principe, Monarca, Superior and Torpedo, Thousand Series in Maduro, do not sleep on the Dámaso line.  The #8 is my preference but you get the Padron boldness with a bit of cream from the CT wrapper. 

Davidoff: Winston Churchill, Special R, Anniversario.  

La Aurora Preferidos Platinum (Cameroon)

Oliva: CT Reserve, Melanio, Master Blends.  Pick your favorite vitola

Bonus: The Griffins--Under the Radar if you enjoy CT Wrappers and Dominican Tobacco #300, #500 and Perfecto

 

 

[Edicion]

Personal favorites have been mostly

Oliva V

La Ley

My Father (Lancero)

Vegafina Gran Reserva 

I have found most NC Lanceros to be excellent.

There are some other brands I've tried that are pretty decent and other that I'm not able to find where I'm based. Would like to try more/of Tatuajes, AJ Fernandez, Illusione, Leaf by Oscar, Sobramesa.

[pohlmad]

15 hours ago, shokao said:

7. Oliva Melanio Serie V Lancero

Does the Melanio version of the Lancero exist?  I have seen the Serie V Lancero but not Melanio Lancero!  Would be great to try if it’s out there!

[JohnS]

11 minutes ago, pohlmad said:

Does the Melanio version of the Lancero exist?  I have seen the Serie V Lancero but not Melanio Lancero!  Would be great to try if it’s out there!

Yes. It's a recent release (I believe it came out last month in October) currently available in a Sampler box together with the Melanio Figurado and Melanio Churchill in standard and maduro versions.

Further information can be sourced thanks to Halfwheel below:

https://halfwheel.com/oliva-serie-v-melanio-lancero/414626/

[Edicion]

Has anyone tried Cubiche or Licenciados? Can't put my finger on what it is exactly but they look familiar.

[KCCubano]

15 hours ago, Low said:

Some of my current favorites with short explanations - 

My Father Le Bijou 100 Años Corona Extra -  a limited release that brings a slightly tweeked Le Bijou blend, featuring more chocolate and less pepper.

Foundation Cigars The Tabernacle in either corona or double corona - Remember what the old Liga 9 tasted like? Well here it is, not watered down by Swisher.

Foundation Cigars Olmec in corona gorda - New Foundation release. I believe these will be competitors to the Padron 1926 line with a couple years on them.

Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Brûlée robusto -  Current favorite connecticut. Cream, pepper, vanilla.

Padron 3000 with an additional three years of age - Padron says they're smokeable right out of the box, I say try em at 3 years. They evolve from being good to a 1964 clone.

 

Few years back I found a few 3000's in singles drawer. Had close to 10 yrs age and they were just superb in every way.

[Cigarsmoker81]

Fuente opus x 

Oliva Melanio v 

Padron 1926 and 1964 both were amazing 

Warped corto 

[Wookie]

Casdagli/bespoke - pony express and grand mareva

Olivia - V series and melanio

Roma craft in general

Davidoff Late Hour

Joya - Uno/Cinco Decada/Antano CT

Southern Draw - Jacobs Ladder

hit or miss with AJ Fernandez but many of his sticks are very solid…..same goes for My Father cigars

[nKostyan]

My best in terms of price/quality
1. Oliva Serie V all (Aged), Cain (Aged), Melanio Robusto
2. Don Pepin My Father Serie
3. Gurkha Cellar Reserve 15 Years Limitada Maduro Solara (black band)
4. Placensia Alma Fuerte
5. El Viejo Continente Special Edition

Of course, but it stand separately: FOH Nudies

Delicious, but even with the current prices it loses to Cubans:
- AF Opus X
- Padron 1926/1964 Natural

[medzikone]

1. Illusione HL Corojo
2. Casdagli Traditional Cafe Natural Lancero
3. Oliva Serie V Lancero
4. Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature/Best Seller
5. Padron 1964 - anything 

[TR]

1. Davidoff late hour
2. Ashton VSG

Those are the only non-Cubans I’ve had in the last few years.

[Ford2112]

I gotta go with:

Padron 1964

Oliva Melanio V torpedo

Padron 3000 maduro(aged)

Nudies! I am loving the N4

Illusione Epernay.