10 Best Tasting Cigars for the Money

With so many different options, how is one to know what the 10 best tasting cigars for the money are? Especially if you’re a newbie; choosing an exceptional cigar can be a bit overwhelming. And with so much to take into consideration, where do you even start?

Fortunately for you, after you have read this list you should feel a lot better about how to go about choosing the right cigar(s) for YOU! ‘Cause let’s be real, here—no two smokers, whether a novice or expert have the exact same taste for cigars. Not to mention, not everyone has the same price range. An “expensive” stick to one could merely be pocket change to another.

This might leave you wondering: how much should I pay for a good cigar? This is 100% up to the buyer/smoker. One can find good cigars for under $10. Hell! There’s nothing wrong with spending $5 or less for a decent stick! However, those smokers with deeper pockets may beg to differ.  Don’t pay attention to them! Be real with yourself, especially if you happen to be starting out. Think about not only what you can afford, but how much are you willing to spend on a stick… and stick to it (haha)!

But just to give you an idea, some of the best cigars under $10 are Punch, Partagas, Cohiba, La Gloria Cubana, Gran Habano, Gispert (just to name a few) and I’ll let you in on a little secret: every brand featured on this list will have an assortment of sticks to choose from in this price range. Honestly, most brands will have cheaper sticks to try; which I would suggest spending less if you are just starting out, ’cause let’s face it—just because you spent a little extra on a stick does not ensure that you are going to like it!

Take Black Abyss Cigars, for example. Very highly rated sticks and a bit on the pricier side, too. However, if you are new to this, its bold flavors might be a little much for you. These rich sticks are medium-bodied; which can be a lot of flavor—especially, to someone who has never smoked anything in their life (but if intricate flavors are your thing, then these are definitely worth the price tag). Good cigars for beginners would be mild or “mellow” in flavor. Once you acquire a taste for them you can work your way up to medium and then full-bodied. But, by all means, if you are already a cigarette smoker, starting in the middle could be the way to go. Some of the best mild cigars (2017) include Ashton Classics and La Aroma de Cuba. Many more will be mentioned later on.

Now, while it can be nice to physically walk into a cigar shop, see and smell the cigars, and even ask questions, chances are you stumbled upon this list because you don’t want to appear like you know nothing about cigars. If that is the case, check out Jasmin’s list on the 7 Best Online Cigar Stores to Shop in 2017. There you will obviously find some good places to shop online, but also learn some of the pros and cons of purchasing online as opposed to in person.

You may find yourself asking, what are good, cheap cigars at gas stations? And pretty much every gas station you walk into will carry Swisher Sweets, White Owls, Black & Milds, Games, and Backwoods just to name a few. Some expert cigar smokers will wonder why these poorly made and otherwise disgusting sticks even exist! But all stoners know these are the best cigars for blunts, and that is about all they are good for. Do yourself a favor, and stay away from these cheaply made and poor-quality cigars at all costs!

I’ll admit, compiling a list of the 10 best tasting cigars for the money was not easy! This list could have been doubled—if not tripled or even quadrupled—in size and STILL would not have covered even half of the brands out there that are worth the money. So, how did I come up with just 10 brands to feature? Again, I tried to take into consideration that every smoker’s palates AND wallets vary. Aside from looking at different forums (only to get nowhere in my search), I turned to a few trusted sites with similar lists. A handful of articles featured on famous smoke paired with a top 25 list on cigar aficionado, and lastly holts cigar site helped determine the brands to feature on this list. Holts even had a section with sticks with a heftier price tag that included customer ratings.

I did, however, choose to stray away from picking specific cigars. There are just too many to touch on based on such a small list, not to mention a lot of these brands have multiple highly-rated cigars and I did not want the same brand to be featured twice. So, I simply tallied up the brands mentioned on both forums and sites and came up with a good list of best tasting cigars for the money. Enjoy!

10. Romeo y Julieta

I’ll give you three guesses as to where the brand established in 1875 got its name. Although, you will only need one! It is quite appropriate that the brand was named after the famous Shakespearian play because there is often a love story to be told between the smoker and his/her Romeo y Julieta. Cute, isn’t it? True to their Cuban roots, for a brand to have been around for over 100 years and STILL considered to be one of the best on the market, you know they’re doing something right! And with an array of different flavor profiles, these sticks are sure to please anybody! Easy on the wallet, too as many can be found for under $10 a stick.

9. Alec Bradley

Here’s a newer brand on our list of best tasting cigars for the money, to hit the shelves. Founded by a man who knew nothing about cigars prior to 1996, I’d say the company has made a pretty good name for itself. And they certainly live up to their motto: to give you, the cigar smoker, an unforgettable experience. Over the years they have proven to do just that! Made with Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco, their ever-increasing line-up is a huge hit! Most sticks can also be found for under $10, as well!

8. Padron

The truly legendary Nicaraguan blends of these cigars, which rank 8th on our list of best tasting cigars for the money, date back to 1964, although its founder, Jose Orlando Padron, had experience with tobacco as he grew up on his family’s tobacco farm. Little did he know, he would grow up to be one of the most respected names in the cigar industry. And if you’re into the bolder flavors, then these sticks are definitely worth a try, as most varieties come in medium to that full-bodied flavor. They can be a bit on the pricier side, so I would suggest starting off with a cheaper stick before you go blindly spending upwards of $30 for just one cigar.

7. Perdomo

With such an extensive variety of cigars to choose from, with Perdomo, which ranks 7th on our list of best tasting cigars for the money, there is a little something for everybody! It’s actually hard to believe that the brand is fairly new. Nick Perdomo Jr.–founder of the company—had been interested in the cigar industry all his life and essentially was fueled by the passion his father and grandfather had in the business before him. But not their own business! Nick was determined to make a name for the Perdomo family in cigars, and he has definitely done just that. And his dedication to the brand can be honored through his many blends. Cigars truly crafted with love, and available to any budget!

6. Macanudo

A highly sought-after cigar by both novice and expert cigar smokers, this brand often serves as the perfect starting point for a newbie AND even a classic go-to stick for connoisseurs. Many of their varieties are milder in flavor, yet so intricate they can even satisfy the smoker who prefers something a bit richer on their palate. That’s not to say that they don’t cater to these consumers by offering special blends with full-bodied flavors. Regardless of your tastes, Macanudo holds up to its high reputation and always worth every penny.

And now, let’s see the top five best tasting cigars for the money.

5. Olivia

The list of the 10 best tasting cigars for the money just wouldn’t be complete without Olivia cigars. Here is another brand that has the ability to please everyone from a beginner to a connoisseur; one who enjoys more delicate flavors to one who craves boldness; and one with a limited budget to one with some deep pockets! Over the years they have been consistently featured as one of the highest-rated brands out there—making it onto cigar aficionado’s top 25 time and time again, and even taking their #1 spot in 2014! While they are one of the best value cigars (2017), don’t be afraid to try some of their varieties with a heftier price tag.

4. Davidoff

Don’t be intimidated by the price tag of this top-shelf brand which ranks 4th on our list of best tasting cigars for the money. Truly a luxurious brand that holds up to its reputation. They are known for very distinct boldness in flavor, yet with delicately smooth finishes. And while some just couldn’t afford to pay [sometimes] upwards of $30 per stick, Davidoff offers a great selection of cigars more affordable for everybody! I mean, c’mon! If you can’t afford $1 or less for one of their cigarillos (a mini cigar), then perhaps you should not be an avid or even occasional cigar smoker. Some of their basic cigars even start as low as around $3 per stick, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to save your wallet a bit. Especially, when you are sticking with a quality brand like this one.

3. Rocky Patel

Anyone who believes women don’t love cigars just as much as men hasn’t heard the story behind this particular brand, as it probably wouldn’t exist without a woman. For it was a woman who got the founder of this company passionate about cigars in the first place. Patel, a former lawyer, took that passion to the next level and created one of the biggest brands in the cigar industry; and he did it in just a matter of a little over two decades, as this company has only been around since 1995 (formerly Indian Tabac). Rocky Patel has earned their impeccable reputation in such a short amount of time because of the man behind them. Rakesh “Rocky” Patel has drive like a motherlover and is often referred to as the “hardest working man in the cigar business”. But the brand wouldn’t be anything it Patel didn’t bring the quality to back it up! You KNOW you’re getting a good stick when you’re dropping $20 or more on just one of these bad boys! Don’t have that kind of money to spend on a stick? Don’t worry! Some of the best cigars under $10 come from this brand, as well.

2. Montecristo

 If you’re wondering how cheap you can go and still get a good quality cigar, these are pretty much it! No doubt, they have sticks that most smokers would only be able to buy to treat themselves every once in a while, they have a few more affordable varieties and are often considered to be one of the best cigars under $5. Not only my favorite kind of sandwich, but the name “Montecristo” should ring another (probably more prominent) bell in your head. As it should since Alonso Menendez (founder) got the name from the story. What is it with cigars being named after famous books? Whatever it is, no matter how much (or how little) you are spending on one of these sticks, rest assured you are purchasing one of the best cigars your money can buy! 

Shall we see the number one on our list of best tasting cigars for the money?

1. Arturo Fuente

 If you’re an avid smoker, surely this did not come as a surprise. I mean, how could it? It’s not every day you find a brand with as much as Arturo Fuente’s have to offer. Not only are they one of the world’s favorite cigars, but they also have so many different lines and varieties—you just can’t go wrong. Some very affordable sticks to some of the most expensive ones in the world; ones you can find everywhere to special and limited editions that are nothing short of a once in a lifetime experience. These top-notch sticks are some of the most appreciated all across the globe, with some of the most iconic lines in history. With the consistency they have maintained over the past 100 years, these sticks are next to impossible to beat, and have more than earned the number one slot in the 10 best tasting cigars for the money.