Favorite Cigarillos?

[jbfrady]

The more I smoke cigars, the more I realize I don't have the patience for them as often as I'd like. As a southerner, I don't prefer to smoke outdoors in the summer, and this is doubtlessly factoring into my mentality. The recent solution has been to opt for cigarillos. I've been a fan of this Ashton pack of senoritas and my wife has loved them as well.

(It also helps in that when it comes to a pipe, I'm a long smoker no matter how much or how little I load. When those around me are finished, my pipe will still be going strong. This doesn't hold true with mini cigars.)

Anywho, what are your favorite cigarillos? I've always liked the Ashton selections and the Deadwood Sweet Jane minis are pretty legit as well. I'm thinking of picking up some of the Drew Estate Tabacs next, but if there are any other must-have's, I'd like to be in the know.

 

[rsshreck32]

The more I smoke cigars, the more I realize I don't have the patience for them as often as I'd like. As a southerner, I don't prefer to smoke outdoors in the summer, and this is doubtlessly factoring into my mentality. The recent solution has been to opt for cigarillos. I've been a fan of this Ashton pack of senoritas and my wife has loved them as well.

(It also helps in that when it comes to a pipe, I'm a long smoker no matter how much or how little I load. When those around me are finished, my pipe will still be going strong. This doesn't hold true with mini cigars.)

Anywho, what are your favorite cigarillos? I've always liked the Ashton selections and the Deadwood Sweet Jane minis are pretty legit as well. I'm thinking of picking up some of the Drew Estate Tabacs next, but if there are any other must-have's, I'd like to be in the know.

The Drew Estate Kentucky Fire Cured Ponies are good as well if you like DFK.

 

[dottlejockey]

I like the Hoyo Excalibur and Partagas Black. Honorable mention goes to Bandidos for best cheapie. Used to get 4 bundles of 60 at a time back in the day.

 

[JoeW]

Those Ashton Señoritas are nice.

I really enjoy a lot of the Drew Estates coronets: Undercrown Shade, Liga 9, and T52s are particularly flavorful, and produce a lot of nice smoke. The Maduros are good too.

 

[greysmoke]

I like what’s cheap … or inexpensive… or a “good value.” I’ve been known to pay good money for a good sized cigar. But for a quick smoke it makes more sense to me to go cheap. I prefer Toscanos, unflavored — but the Macchiatos (like the one pictured) are good for a change of pace. The flavor is noticeable but not over the top.

 

[kcghost]

I used to get some Havana rolled Partagas Culebras. These things lasted about 30 minutes and had the incredible Cuban flavor.

 

[dottlejockey]

I used to get some Havana rolled Partagas Culebras. These things lasted about 30 minutes and had the incredible Cuban flavor.

Love these! I think i still have one or two left in the back of the humi.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I use the Pom Poms.

 

[BenMN]

Those Ashtons can be nice, I think they do best sipped. Also resting them for a year significantly diminishes any harshness you might notice

Davidoff makes an extensive line of Primeros that come 6 to a tin. They are worth trying for sure. I like the regular Dominican and Nicaraguan lines. $6+ apiece though..

Their short-filler Winston Churchill Belicoso (4/tin, aprox. $8 apiece) might just be my favorite little cigar. But those will go for an hour, and we're getting away from cigarillo and into small cigar territory...

The various Drew Estate/Liga Coronets, as mentioned above by @JoeW

La Flor Dominicana makes a petit version of their la Volcada. I've only smoked 3 but they were all obnoxiously tight. Excellent flavors though

Plascencia offers the Nestico vitola in their reserva line. These are excellent. When @BronzeAgePiper said frosted flakes he was right.

I've been really into Fuente lately, and have burned through about 25 Exquisitos in the past few months. Every. single. one. has burned right. This means a lot to me. Do you like the Fuente/Dominican profile? Unsure? Buy 5 of these for $12.50 and see

Oliva offers tins of their Serie O, G, and probably others. If you like those, or don't know yet, these could be a good value. I like them

Probably more, and definitely some I didn't like and have forgotten about. Hope you find something useful above. Good luck!

 

[jbfrady]

Those Ashtons can be nice, I think they do best sipped. Also resting them for a year significantly diminishes any harshness you might notice

Davidoff makes an extensive line of Primeros that come 6 to a tin. They are worth trying for sure. I like the regular Dominican and Nicaraguan lines. $6+ apiece though..

Their short-filler Winston Churchill Belicoso (4/tin, aprox. $8 apiece) might just be my favorite little cigar. But those will go for an hour, and we're getting away from cigarillo and into small cigar territory...

The various Drew Estate/Liga Coronets, as mentioned above by @JoeW

La Flor Dominicana makes a petit version of their la Volcada. I've only smoked 3 but they were all obnoxiously tight. Excellent flavors though

Plascencia offers the Nestico vitola in their reserva line. These are excellent. When @BronzeAgePiper said frosted flakes he was right.

I've been really into Fuente lately, and have burned through about 25 Exquisitos in the past few months. Every. single. one. has burned right. This means a lot to me. Do you like the Fuente/Dominican profile? Unsure? Buy 5 of these for $12.50 and see

Oliva offers tins of their Serie O, G, and probably others. If you like those, or don't know yet, these could be a good value. I like them

Probably more, and definitely some I didn't like and have forgotten about. Hope you find something useful above. Good luck!

What a comprehensive reply! It's much appreciated.

I don't believe I've had an Oliva in years and I couldn't remember whether I was a fan. I don't believe Fuente makes any bad cigars and they've come to represent - in my mind - the platonic ideal of a cigar. Drew Estates are becoming my favorites over time since they use a little flavoring atop a quality product.

I've bought one of those Davidoff packs before, but it was a gift for somebody else and I didn't partake of them. I'm sure they were solid though. I've never heard of the Nesticos though, so that'll be next on my list.

 

[BenMN]

What a comprehensive reply! It's much appreciated.

I don't believe I've had an Oliva in years and I couldn't remember whether I was a fan. I don't believe Fuente makes any bad cigars and they've come to represent - in my mind - the platonic ideal of a cigar. Drew Estates are becoming my favorites over time since they use a little flavoring atop a quality product.

I've bought one of those Davidoff packs before, but it was a gift for somebody else and I didn't partake of them. I'm sure they were solid though. I've never heard of the Nesticos though, so that'll be next on my list.

For sure

I am with you on the cigarillo format. Honestly when I smoke "regular" size cigars I go for Corona or Robusto, and even prefer short or petite Coronas. Something 6.25" X by 52 or whatever can burn for 2+ hours for me.

Incidentally, if I may, I'd suggest that you (or anyone) who "understands the benefits of slow smoking" as @cosmicfolklore has kindly spelled out for the forum, will be better positioned to get the most out of smaller and/or cheaper cigars.

Re: Fuente, they offer Exquisitos in 4.5 X 33 as well as Petite Coronas in 5 X 38. Both are, in my opinion, great smokes that fit my life.

They also offer a Cubanito that is 4.5 X 32. I do not know enough to say how this is different from the Exquisito, component-wise, but it must be.

 

[jbfrady]

For sure

I am with you on the cigarillo format. Honestly when I smoke "regular" size cigars I go for Corona or Robusto, and even prefer short or petite Coronas. Something 6.25" X by 52 or whatever can burn for 2+ hours for me.

Incidentally, if I may, I'd suggest that you (or anyone) who "understands the benefits of slow smoking" as @cosmicfolklore has kindly spelled out for the forum, will be better positioned to get the most out of smaller and/or cheaper cigars.

Re: Fuente, they offer Exquisitos in 4.5 X 33 as well as Petite Coronas in 5 X 38. Both are, in my opinion, great smokes that fit my life.

They also offer a Cubanito that is 4.5 X 32. I do not know enough to say how this is different from the Exquisito, component-wise, but it must be.

Agreed. I won a long smoke my 2nd year smoking pipes. So there's no such thing as a short pipe smoke. Even my Scott's Burners go 45 minutes to an hour thanks to my built-in methodology.

Because cigars are - in my opinion - less variable in taste than pipes, I only have 2 occasions in which I indulge in them. When I'm out at a cigar bar with friends, I'll smoke a full cigar and think nothing of it because I'm spending plenty of time there. When I'm at home, I like to smoke on the porch with my wife, but I'm not looking to camp out there. On those occasions, we're looking for 30 minutes tops.

It's really just the latter case in which I'm looking for cigarillos. I snagged some Ashtons recently after Luna's passing, just so we could get outside and think, remember, chat, and then get the fuck back inside before a case of the sads hit its too hard.

When I first started smoking, Arturo Fuente put on the first cigar event I ever attended and I loved it. An Ashton came shortly thereafter and I loved their products too. It wasn't until later that I realized that Ashton was made by AF, and it immediately made sense.

I've learned over time that I kinda fucked up. By beginning with Fuente cigars, my first introduction into that world was already among the best. Due to this issue, I've always found myself in a predicament of being let down by the cigars I've tried. Davidoff and Drew Estate, thus far, have been the only offerings that have exceeded expectations by any measure.

 

[BenMN]

I infer, then, that you lost a beloved dog? I'm so sorry. Tried to follow a link you posted in another thread but it took me to something about a home blend...

My sincerest condolences. As you may know, I'm a dog guy (pair of mini dachshunds)

 

[BenMN]

Agreed. I won a long smoke my 2nd year smoking pipes. So there's no such thing as a short pipe smoke. Even my Scott's Burners go 45 minutes to an hour thanks to my built-in methodology.

Because cigars are - in my opinion - less variable in taste than pipes, I only have 2 occasions in which I indulge in them. When I'm out at a cigar bar with friends, I'll smoke a full cigar and think nothing of it because I'm spending plenty of time there. When I'm at home, I like to smoke on the porch with my wife, but I'm not looking to camp out there. On those occasions, we're looking for 30 minutes tops.

It's really just the latter case in which I'm looking for cigarillos. I snagged some Ashtons recently after Luna's passing, just so we could get outside and think, remember, chat, and then get the fuck back inside before a case of the sads hit its too hard.

When I first started smoking, Arturo Fuente put on the first cigar event I ever attended and I loved it. An Ashton came shortly thereafter and I loved their products too. It wasn't until later that I realized that Ashton was made by AF, and it immediately made sense.

I've learned over time that I kinda fucked up. By beginning with Fuente cigars, my first introduction into that world was already among the best. Due to this issue, I've always found myself in a predicament of being let down by the cigars I've tried. Davidoff and Drew Estate, thus far, have been the only offerings that have exceeded expectations by any measure.

That's great! Winning the slow smoke...

Yeah so I have learned, after a bunch of unsatisfactory smokes, that most premium cigars need 2, and ideally 6+ months of rest in order to show their stuff.

That's all fine and good, and I'll happily play that game for the chance at exquisite smokes. But I also need functional-satisfying-dependable-short.

Right now, that's Fuente and the mini Olivas. The Nesticos are great, but are often tight, and have 3 bands, and the middle one is glued on good and doubled over. When I'm done with work and headed home I'm not really lookin' to fiddle around with my perfectdraw and fuss with bands... though Nesticos are so good that I will do this ahead of time.

 

[jbfrady]

I infer, then, that you lost a beloved dog? I'm so sorry. Tried to follow a link you posted in another thread but it took me to something about a home blend...

My sincerest condolences. As you may know, I'm a dog guy (pair of mini dachshunds)

You're unfortunately correct.

And damn, you're right... when I go to that thread and copy the link, it captures the wrong one. I went back and found an old link from when I sent it to a buddy via text. This one actually works.

 

[camaguey]

One of my favorites was the Drew Estate La Vieja Habana. Unfortunatley out of production today. I still have around 400 of them. When in Europe i usually buy the Cuban Partagas serie puritos that come in box of 5 puritos. There are some others wich are OK like joya black , liga privada , undercrown , man o war and maybe others.

 

[camaguey]

In a slightly larger format , i think Rocky Patel sun grown petit coronas are one of the best...but much more expensive.

 

[Boychek]

Am no connisseur. I go for high quality long filler cheapies,
Bandidos and Ugly Coyote.

 

[BenMN]

In a slightly larger format , i think Rocky Patel sun grown petit coronas are one of the best...but much more expensive.

Yes, and the 1992...

And (knew I was forgetting someone) Rocky does offer an assortment of Juniors, 5 to a tin.

 

[brooklynpiper]

Liga Privada’s Nasty Fritas is another suggestion, off the wall and not a cigarillo, but definitely a shorter smoke