Best Buys of 2016
Life seems to get more and more expensive each year, so it’s comforting to know that you can still get a highly rated, handmade cigar for only a few bucks. In 2016, we rated nearly 50 smokes that scored 88 points or higher but cost $6 or less (before taxes). Our list includes offerings from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Cuba—even two of our Top 25 cigars. They come in a range of shapes and sizes, with a considerable number of familiar brand names. And while some of these cigars are small, like the 4-inch-long Arturo Fuente Short Story, there are a few large Churchills that made the grade, two from Alec Bradley Cigars and one from Oliva Cigar Co. Cigar fans on a budget, take notice: affordable luxury is alive and well.
—David Clough
91
pointsBrick House Corona Larga
Issue Date: June 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.55
- Size: Toro
91
pointsPunch Gran Puro Santa Rita
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $5.29
- Size: Robusto
91
pointsArturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story Maduro
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $5.60
- Size: Figurado
91
pointsLa Libertad Churchill
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $6.00
- Size: Toro
91
pointsOliva Serie O No. 4
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.36
- Size: Petit Corona
91
pointsPadilla La Pilar Robusto
Issue Date: April 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $5.50
- Size: Robusto
91
pointsSaint Luis Rey Belicoso
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $5.48
- Size: Figurado
90
pointsCAO Pilón Corona
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.99
- Size: Corona
90
pointsCasa Magna Colorado Pikito
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.40
- Size: Petit Corona
90
pointsFonseca Nicaragua Toro
Issue Date: September 6, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.99
- Size: Toro
90
pointsHeat Corojo by J. Fuego Robusto
Issue Date: April 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $5.50
- Size: Robusto
90
pointsJoya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970 Machito
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.40
- Size: Petit Corona
90
pointsNica Rustica Short Robusto
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.95
- Size: Robusto
90
pointsOliva Serie G Maduro Belicoso
Issue Date: February 2, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.93
- Size: Figurado
90
pointsPadrón 2000
Issue Date: April 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.50
- Size: Robusto
90
pointsPunch London Club
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $2.89
- Size: Petit Corona
89
points7-20-4 Hustler Series Dog Walker
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $6.00
- Size: Petit Corona
89
pointsAlec Bradley American Classic Blend Churchill
Issue Date: October 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.90
- Size: Churchill
89
pointsAlec Bradley American Sun Grown Blend Churchill
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.90
- Size: Churchill
89
pointsAsylum Premium 44x4
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.00
- Size: Odd
89
pointsH. Upmann Vintage Cameroon Petite Corona
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $5.70
- Size: Petit Corona
89
pointsH. Upmann Vintage Cameroon Lonsdale
Issue Date: April 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $5.81
- Size: Lonsdale
89
pointsJoya de Nicaragua Antaño Dark Corojo Peligroso
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.40
- Size: Odd
89
pointsJoya Red Robusto
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.75
- Size: Robusto
89
pointsNat Sherman Metropolitan Selection Habano Short Robusto
Issue Date: August 23, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.50
- Size: Robusto
89
pointsOliva Serie G Maduro Robusto
Issue Date: February 2, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.56
- Size: Robusto
89
pointsPadilla Connecticut Short Robusto
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $6.00
- Size: Odd
89
pointsPadilla Corojo '99 Robusto
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $6.00
- Size: Robusto
89
pointsPerdomo Small Batch Series Sun Grown Half Corona
Issue Date: June 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.00
- Size: Odd
89
pointsRomeo y Julieta Reserve Corona
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $5.89
- Size: Corona
89
pointsVegueros Mañanita
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Cuba
- Price: £3.22
- Size: Figurado
89
pointsViva Republica Advanced Warfare Petit Corona
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $5.00
- Size: Petit Corona
88
pointsArturo Fuente Cuban Corona Maduro
Issue Date: June 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $5.65
- Size: Corona
88
pointsArturo Fuente Petit Corona
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $5.65
- Size: Petit Corona
88
pointsBrick House Robusto
Issue Date: March 22, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.75
- Size: Robusto
88
pointsFonseca Nicaragua Petit Corona
Issue Date: September 6, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $4.99
- Size: Petit Corona
88
pointsFonseca Nicaragua Robusto
Issue Date: September 6, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.79
- Size: Toro
88
pointsKristoff Cameroon Matador
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $5.08
- Size: Toro
88
pointsLast Call by AJ Fernandez Geniales
Issue Date: October 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.00
- Size: Robusto
88
pointsMacanudo Crü Royale Poco Gordo
Issue Date: February 1, 2016
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Price: $5.49
- Size: Odd
88
pointsNat Sherman Metropolitan Selection Habano Robusto Fino
Issue Date: August 23, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.00
- Size: Robusto
88
pointsNew World Connecticut Corona Gorda
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.50
- Size: Toro
88
pointsNew World Connecticut Robusto
Issue Date: June 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $6.00
- Size: Robusto
88
pointsNeya F8 Patriot
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $6.00
- Size: Robusto
88
pointsOliva Connecticut Reserve Petit Corona
Issue Date: August 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $4.93
- Size: Petit Corona
88
pointsOliva Serie G Churchill
Issue Date: December 1, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $5.84
- Size: Churchill
88
pointsPerdomo Small Batch Series Sun Grown Rothschild
Issue Date: February 16, 2016
- Country: Nicaragua
- Price: $6.00
- Size: Robusto
88
pointsRoom101 The Big Payback Connecticut Chavala
Issue Date: October 1, 2016
- Country: Honduras
- Price: $5.90
- Size: Robusto