The word cigar automatically infuses an image of luxury and class in our heads. Moreover, owing to our beloved fictional gangsters’ close affinity with it, we tend to associate it with a symbol of wealth and masculinity. Tracing its origin in Cuba way back in the 9th century, cigars have a decorated story of evolution, and the top cigar brands in the world have carried on this legacy since time immemorial.  

Christopher Columbus’s scouts discovered cigars in Cuba in the late 15th century, and later colonization paved the way for the cigar to have its moment. Ever since then, it has been a decorated luxurious item, rather than just an addiction. 

In this article, I have traced a few brands that are living up to the cigar’s Cuban legacy and promise the best user experience. You will be surprised to know how varied they are even though they are selling the same thing: addiction. So, let us begin. 

Luxury Cigar Brands In The World

Choosing a premium brand when it comes to cigars is crucial to having that ultimate experience. Be it the tobacco quality or the precision of its design, a cigar with a firm build and devoid of any lump is a non-negotiable in the smoking community. So deciding on a premium brand is all that you need to have the best cigar experience. 

Here is the list of ten such brands that have proved their worth and stood the test of time for smoking enthusiasts. 

1. Arturo Fuente

One of the finest brands of cigarettes in the world, Arturo Fuente’s story is straight out of a cinema. Arturo Fuente established his cigar empire in 1912 at the young age of 24. This Cuban legend decided on Florida as his base, after leaving Cuba following the Spanish–American War.

But this is where the story gets interesting. Arturo Fuente, then known as A. Fuente & Co., was in the prime of its glory, and after employing almost 500 employees, it was put to the ground by a disaster. In 1924, it caught fire and its recovery from the disaster took 22 years. 

With the ownership being transferred to Carlos Fuentes, Sr. in 1958 (the youngest son), it imprinted its name on the market forever. As of 2010, it was known to produce 30 million cigars per annum. 

Specialty: 

• Arturo Fuente is known as a legend in the world of cigars, owing to the quality of Tobacco and the aging process. 
• With various wrapping leaves, including Ecuadorian, USA Connecticut, Ecuador Habano wrapper leaf, the rare Dominican Rosado wrapper leaf and Anejo-Opus filler and binder leaf for its Opus X, the legacy of Arturo Fuente is unparalleled. 

Awards or Recognitions:  

• • It has been recognized by Cigar Aficionado once again in 2023 as the top cigar in the world. The Fuente Fuente OpusX Reserva d’Chateau holds the top post in its full glory. 
• Arturo Fuente has now become synonymous with premium cigarettes, owing to its loyal following and premium quality. 

2. Cohiba

The legacy of Cohiba dates back to Fidel Castro and was initially a diplomatic gift to the Communist Party of Cuba and the Cuban government. So, you can understand the royal status this brand had even before releasing commercially for the public in 1982.

But there is another dramatic twist to this tale, a time when exploding cigars were a matter of concern for suspected assassination attempts. Cohiba was introduced to Fidel by his bodyguard. He was introduced to Eduardo Rivera, the craftsman behind Cohiba, and he was so mesmerized by it that the production of this elite brand started under hyper-vigilant eyes. However, it was formally launched in 1968 at the direction of Cubatabaco, the Cuban state tobacco marketing bureau. It saw the world market in 1982 during the World Cup held in Spain. 

Specialty: 

• It is a known fact that Cuban Cohibas use some of the best tobacco in the world for its production. The cigar goes through a special third fermentation in wooden barrels at the El Laguito factory. However, Cohiba Vitolas was later expanded to the Partagas factory in Havana.
• Apart from being the only brand that ferments two of the three types of leaves, the tobacco is picked up from the Vegas Finas de Primera or first-class tobacco fields in Cuba.

Awards or Recognitions:  

Initially, being able to smoke a Cohiba was a recognition in itself, since you could only get your hands on it if Fidel gave you one. However, a few tangible awards are as follows. 

• Cohiba BHK 52 was named the cigar of the year in 2011.
• The Cohiba 50 Aniversario cigars were the only commercialized Cuban cigars to reach a full 60-ring. 

3. Montecristo

Inspired by the great literary work, The Count of Monte Cristo, Montecristo became one of the world’s premium cigar manufacturers after joining the Menendez & Garcia Corporation in 1960. It continues to uphold its legacy and is the most popular Cuban cigar brand in the world. 

Accounting for almost one-quarter of Habanos SA’s worldwide cigar sales, the thorough efforts of the Alfred Dunhill Company immortalized Montescristo on the map forever. 

Montecristo’s story also has an interesting chapter during the Cuban Revolution: Menéndez and García the founders fled the country. They were responsible for distributing Cuban cigars in the U.S. However, Montecristo was nationalized by the government. They couldn’t replicate the name due to trademark issues, and the rest is all history. 

Specialty: 

• Apart from its iconic logo, a brand like Montecristo is recognized by smokers and nonsmokers alike. The safest bet when it comes to buying a premium cigarette is the Montecristo No. 4 with its petit corona, which measures 5 1/8 inches long by 42 ring.
• With all its contemporaries, losing out on the 9 1/4 inch Montecristo never let this signature specialty wash out. 
• What works for this premium cigar brand is its array of flavors ranging from leather, coffee, and earth, along with the blend of species.

If you are still somehow unable to gauge how popular this name is in the world of cigars, you will be surprised to know that a box of the extinct Montecristo B once went for $8,500 at a Christie’s auction. 

Awards or Recognitions:  

• The  Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua No. 2 won the Number Two Cigar Award in 2021 as named by Cigar Aficionado. It is known for its spicy and earthy flavor. 
• Montecristo Edmundo won the Cigar of the Year in the year 2014.

4. Romeo Y Julieta

The cinematic brilliance of the cigar continues with Romeo Y Julieta too. Having the reputation of being Winston Churchill’s favorite and tracing its name from Shakespeare’s iconic work, it is one of the premium brands of cigars. 

Established by Inocencio Alvarez and Manin Garcia in the year 1875, it has seen multiple accolades coming its way between 1885 and 1900. However, after being acquired by José “Pepin” Rodriguez aka Don Pepin, it could optimize its full potential and flourish. 

Rodriguez promoted Romeo Y Julieta to the point where wealthy customers started demanding their personalized brand of cigars, and that number reached the point of 2000. Are you wondering how did one promote a brand of cigars back then? Well, it was through naming his horse Julieta and entering it in various racing events. 

The nationalization of Cuba also prompted it to move to La Romana in the Dominican Republic. Its production continues today under the direction of Altadis U.S.A.

Specialty: 

• Even though it has a reputation for being medium-bodied, it punches a stronger flavor than expected. 
• The hand-picked leaves of the Vuelta Abajo region and the flavors of cedar, leather, flowers, and fruits make it a great choice amongst cigar lovers. 
• Along with a classic Cuban profile, it has a sweet undertone and is still now loved by smokers all around. 

Awards or Recognitions:  

• The Romeo y Julieta Churchill is the most famous piece by the brand, and you can see its accolades decorating its packs till now. 
• As per Cigar Aficionado, many of the cigars of this luxury cigar brand have a rating above 90 and a few close to 94, and have established themselves since. 

5. Davidoff

The first on this list which traces its origin in Switzerland, Davidoff has a series of other subsidies apart from cigars and is owned by Imperial Brands, after they purchased it in 2006. Davidoff is produced in the Dominican Republic and Honduras, and tobacco is sourced from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Brazil, Peru, and others. 

At this point, you must be wondering if Davidoff has any cinematic story to tell. Well, like its contemporaries, it does. The brand traces its identity to Zino Davidoff, popular for running a tobacco specialist shop, who is also known as the “King Of Cigars”. 

The Cuban nationalization war prompted the other cigar manufacturers to flee Cuba, but for Davidoff, the story was completely different. Rather, Zino Davidoff was approached by Cubatabaco, Cuba’s state tobacco monopoly, for production. But that collaboration eventually fizzled out since Zino was upset about the production not meeting the set standards. It is said that in August 1989, Zino burned over one hundred thousand cigars for the same reason and shifted his base to the Dominican Republic.

Specialty: 

• The brand’s idea centers around unwinding when it comes to a cigar. They believe in taking their sweet time when it comes to making their cigars and it represents five centuries of precision. 
• A blend of Swiss precision backed by world-class Dominic craftsmanship results in the fine flavor of cream, nuts, and the expensive prices of cigars. But it is not limited to a few certain flavors and you will find one that fits your taste.

Awards or Recognitions:  

• With an “Outstanding” rating of 91 points for its Davidoff Signature Exquisitos, it is one of the most loved products on the line. 
• Another significant line by the brand is its Davidoff Aniversario, which was a tribute to Zino Davidoff’s 80th birthday in 1986. 

6. Oliva

Oliva traces its legacy way back to 1886 when Melanio Oliva had just begun growing tobacco in Pinar del Rio, Cuba. The pressure of the war and the rise of communism in Cuba prompted a lot of changes with this luxury cigar brand. Melanio’s younger son, Facundo Oliva took over the production and had to shift base in search of the ideal Cuban tobacco, which prompted his travels. 

This led to establishing Oliva in the map. Today, Gilberto, along with his family, is Nicaragua’s second-largest grower of Cuban-seed tobac­co.

The brand found its identity in 1996 and could survive the competition owing to the tobacco storage in Nicaragua by Gilberto Sr. However, by 2005, Oliva Cigar Co. was producing 6 million cigars a year. 

Specialty: 

• The best part about smoking an Oliva is its structured Nicaraguan long-leaf tobacco blend, which gives rich earthy flavors. 
• If you are looking for something more passionate when it comes to your smokes, its Serie O Maduro is carefully crafted with spice and rich cedar to fit your taste. 
• You will be surprised to know that Oliva makes about 15 million to 16 million handmade cigars a year. 

Awards or Recognitions:  

• The struggles of Oliva are now completely a thing of the past and its Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado won the Cigar of the Year in 2014.
• But before that, it also tasted a glimpse of victory with Oliva Serie V being named in the list of the Best Cigars of 2008. 

7. Alec Bradley

Alec Bradley has a different story to tell. Established by the son of a hardware supplies importer, Alan Rubin named it after his children. Alec Bradley entered the world of Cigars a bit late, which ensured that his journey was not a smooth one. 

After multiple attempts to sell flavored cigars and after-dinner cigars, Alan changed his business strategy and started approaching budget-priced cigars to tobacconists. From there it reached the peak of success and was selling between two and three million cigars annually by 2011.

To trace its production legacy, it became evident by 2019 that it was using J. Fuego Cigar Co. de Nicaragua factory in Estelí for production. Alan Rubin’s collaboration with Ralph Montero changed his life forever and so did the fate of Alec Bradley. Their ideas together took the brand to a point where it received global recognition. 

Specialty: 

• With a promise of an enthralling experience, its premium cigars are Rensado, Tempus, Mundial, Sanctum, Coyol, and many more. 
• It was under fire in 2014, for its product “Filthy Hooligan”, a green cigar for sale on St. Patrick’s Day.

Awards or Recognitions:  

• With Prensado winning the #1 spot in Cigar Aficionado Magazine, which almost robbed them dry out of their inventory, Alan has been quoted recalling how it was both a blessing and a curse.

8. Padron

Padron’s story is of humble beginnings and traces its origin way back in 1964, in Miami, Florida. It is a private company that produces the Padrón cigar brand from Nicaragua. It has complete control over all aspects of cigar production, from rowing, sorting, processing, cigar manufacturing, and distribution. 

Founded by the Cuban native José Orlando, Padrón owes its legacy to Damaso Padrón, who immigrated to Cuba from the Canary Islands in the 1800s. With the capital coming from his savings, the Padron family bought a farm in Pinar del Río and the rest is history. It prompted José to move out of Cuba after the nationalization and start his legacy, which we now know as Padron. 

I said it had a humbling beginning because José’s carpentry job yielded him $600, which helped him to start his own cigar brand and business. To this day, the brand has a little hammer as a tribute to a friend whose gift to the owner changed the latter’s life. 

Specialty: 

• A new purchase, which is 75,000 square feet (7,000 m2), mostly dedicated to the storage of tobacco, makes it the 17th building owned by the brand. Also, you will be surprised to know that at a time, the company maintained an inventory of producing six years of cigars. 
• The brand is mostly known for its medium to full-bodied flavor with a sharp spiciness, which adds layers to the smoking experience. 

Awards or Recognitions:  

• Padron has won Cigar Aficionado “Cigar of the Year” award four times. 
• They are consistent with winners of the top 25 of Cigar Aficionados annual list. 

9. A.J. Fernandez Cigars

Tabacalera Fernandez, or the A.J. Fernandez Cigars, is run by Abdel J. Fernandez and is known for cigar brands like Man O’War”, “Diesel”,  “San Lotano”, and others. With one of the largest factories in Estelí, it produces 9 million cigarettes per year. 

Tabacalera Fernandez was in the world of tobacco at the age of thirteen, which sealed his fate to establish his legacy and mark his name along with his other contemporaries. 

With the launch of his ‘New World’ cigar line and flavors like New World Connecticut and New World Puro, they have changed the trajectory of smoking cigar in the modern world forever. 

Specialty: 

• Entrusted with the responsibility to rebrand the classic Cuban cigar, its blend is powered with a strong, dark, medio-tiempo wrapper. 
• Its Dias De Gloria is known for its aged tobacco from four of AJ’s oldest farms in Nicaragua. 
• The Bellas Artes is a fine testament to AJ’s cigarette making. 

Awards or Recognitions:  

• Cigar Snob magazine awarded this maestro the Cigar Factory of the Decade. 
• It has also received significant recognition for its blends. 

10. Partagás

Rarely enough, Partagás comprises of two independent brands of companies coming together and leaving behind their animosity. The Cuban version of Partagás is the oldest extant cigar brand established in Havana in 1845.

Weaving another tragic cinematic tale in the world of cigars, when Don Jaime was murdered in 1868 and his son José Partagás took over the business, it started the legacy of Partagás. After a series of incidents and a change of hands, the brand still maintained its flavor and aura. Regardless of the timeline of the Cuban Revolution, the Cuban-produced Partagás has continued to be one of Cuba’s best-selling cigar brands.

Known for its premium sophisticated tobacco blends and Mexican San Andrés wrapper, it is every smoker’s dream to puff one. 

Specialty: 

• The Valle Verde is known for its mellow yet sharp taste and has hints of earth, sweetness, and cocoa, with a blend of Cameroon, Nicaraguan, and Mexican tobaccos that add a subtle spice. 
• Cortado is the first Partagás crafted in Nicaragua, as well as the first to feature a Connecticut shade wrapper. It also has the flavor offset by a peppery earthiness.

Awards or Recognitions:  

• Partagás and Partagás Serie E No. 2 were highly regarded and won multiple recognitions. 
• It has three Golden Awards to its name. 

Conclusion

The list talked about a lot of big-shot names in the world of cigars. But what it didn’t highlight is smoking a cigar is as injurious to health as a cigarette. Even though you do not inhale the smoke, it still has a high level of nicotine, sometimes even more than a cigarette. It does have a cultural significance and adds value to your celebration, but it also has irreparable repercussions. 

Regardless, these were the names and the legacy of the people who are synonymous with the cigar industry. It tells us about their magnificent achievement in selling class and elegance through addiction.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Which cigar brand is known for the best premium cigars?

Brands like Davidoff and Arturo Fuente are some of the best premium cigars. 

2. How can I choose the best cigar for my taste?

You have to first decide what is your preference for the flavour and strength (mild, medium, full) to land on the preferred cigar of your taste. A mild cigar will work better if you’re a beginner who’s still trying to understand their inclinations toward cigars. 

3. What are the differences between Cuban cigars and other brands?

There are multiple reasons why people prefer a cuban cigar over other brands and the use of original tobacco is the first one. Moreover, the cigars from Cuba are traditionally hand-rolled, which leads to a girthy build. Most importantly, the flavor density in the Cuban cigar is unparalleled and tends to have a more earthy feel.

4. What makes a cigar brand luxurious?

The things that make a cigar brand luxurious are its superior craftsmanship and the rarity of the tobaccos. It is not only the packaging that leads to the luxurious appeal of the brand, but also what it tends to offer to its community.

5. What are the most famous Cuban cigar brands?

Some of the most famous Cuban cigar brands are Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, and Monterrey. 

6. How should I store cigars to maintain their quality?

It is necessary to ensure you have favorable conditions for your cigar to retain its flavor and not run dry. You must ensure there is 70 percent humidity and a temperature of around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, avoiding direct sunlight is always a favorable decision.