Top 5 Budget Cigars of 2009 by The Weekly Cigar

Posted in Cigar Lists | 4 comments

I hope you guys are enjoying the collection of lists I’ve created of my Top Cigars in 2009. Today, we have the list of the Top 5 Budget Cigars of 2009. By definition, at least for me, a budget cigar has to be below $6.00 MSRP. I think this is a reasonable price, and allows a lot of great cigars to be added into the mix. Some of my favorite day-to-day cigars fall into this category, so this was definitely a tough list for me to put together. Anyway, onto the list. I hope you enjoy it.

1. Tabacos Baez Serie SF Toro by Don Pepin Garcia - If I had to pick a cigar to smoke for the rest of my life that was under $6.00 MSRP, this would be it. The Tabacos Baez Serie SF has all the flavor of a high priced cigar but has an MSRP of $2.90. Yes, you read that correctly. Two dollars and ninety cents! For the money, there is no better cigar, period. The Pepins could charge double for this cigar (but I’m glad they don’t) and I would still smoke them like it was going out of fashion.
2. Oliva Serie V Lancero – The Oliva V absolutely blew me out of the water the first time I smoked it, and it continues to be among my favorite smokes, especially for the price. With an MSRP of $5.40, this cigar is a bargain, and this vitola really stands out from the group. If you haven’t tried the Oliva Serie V Lancero, do it. You won’t be disappointed.
3. Nestor Miranda Coffee Break – This is another cigar that is a favorite day-to-day smoke for me. I love the size of this short robusto, as it is just about perfect when you only have time to squeeze in a quick smoke. The first time I tried this cigar was when I interviewed Nestor Miranda for the site, and loved it ever since. I am particularly fond of the Rosado wrapped version of this cigar, mainly because of the creamy, rich flavors that coat your palate after every puff. This cigar barely makes it into the budget category, with an MSRP of $6.00, but it is well worth it.
4. CAO La Traviata Divino – The La Traviata is a new line from the people at CAO that was released at the 2009 Internatonal Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers convention. The cigar has some awesome flavors, and at an MSRP of $4.95, is a definite must buy.
5. Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 Machito – This is another outstanding smoke from Joya de Nicaragua, a company which happened to be the first cigar production company in Nicaragua. My favorite size of the line is the Consul, but unfortunately it comes in at an MSRP of $6.15, which is over the $6.00 limit. The Machito is still a great smoke, but with the prices you can find the Consul at, you might as well pick up some of both to try. The two sizes fit two different lengths of smoking time, and both are full bodied and full flavored.