Some Cigars…

The other day, I was thinking about the different perspectives I have on the various cigars I’ve smoked. I started saying to myself, “Some cigars…” And realized that there were lots of different ways I could express that. So, I wrote those thoughts down and included some examples of cigars off the top of my head.

For the negative perspectives, I don’t like to malign any cigar or manufacturer, even if I hate what I’m smoking. It was a policy I had with my popular guitar site, GuitarGear.org, where I’d never write – or more accurately, never waste my time writing – a bad review. So, for those, I provided a few bullet points, but I will leave it to your imagination to fill in the blanks.

Some cigars tell the truth from the first cold draw. Before the flame even touches the foot, I can feel the density of the roll, the tension of the bunch, the quiet promise of structure. They don’t need theatrics. They don’t need a backstory longer than the cigar itself. They simply present themselves with a kind of calm inevitability: this is what I am, and this is what I intend to do.

• Curivari Seleccíon Privada
• Cuban Montecristo No. 2
• Liga Privada No. 9
• Padron 1964 Anniversary
• Martinez Don Antonio Escogido Maduro
• Paul Stulac Blue Lightning Sky
• La Aurora Preferidos 1903 Diamond Tubo (Figurado version)

Some cigars collapse under their own marketing. They arrive wrapped in hype, hashtags, and limited‑edition bravado, only to deliver a profile so generic you could swap the band and no one would notice. They’re the cigars that confuse “rare” with “good,” and “loud” with “interesting.”

• Over‑hyped “limited” Nicaraguan store exclusives
• Boutique blends built around novelty wrappers rather than flavor
• Any cigar whose entire identity is “it’s rare”
• Instagram‑bait releases with no fermentation discipline

Some cigars evolve with a kind of narrative discipline. They start with dark‑sweet density, shift into mineral brightness, then settle into a grounded, earthy calm. The transitions feel intentional, not accidental.

• Tatuaje 7th Habano
• Trinidad Espíritu No. 2
• La Aroma de Cuba Noblesse
• Undercrown Maduro

Some cigars never find their footing. They wander from note to note like they’re searching for a flavor that never arrives. The sweetness is unfocused, the spice is unanchored, the earth is muddy.

• Under‑fermented budget Connecticuts
• Over‑humidified house blends
• “Kitchen sink” boutique blends with no point of view
• Cigars built around flavoring or artificial sweetness

Some cigars carry the unmistakable fingerprint of their origin. Estelí announces itself with volcanic grit and black pepper. Jalapa brings its dark‑sweet calm. The Dominican shows up with mineral elegance and clean refinement.

• Oliva Serie V
• AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial
• La Flor Dominicana Air Bender
• La Aurora Preferidos 1903 Ruby Toro
• Curivari Selección Privada Maduro

Some cigars are technically perfect but spiritually empty. The draw is flawless, the burn is straight, the construction is textbook — and yet the experience is hollow.

• Over‑processed Connecticuts with no backbone
• Factory‑perfect but flavor‑flat Dominican generics
• Any cigar whose best quality is “consistent”

Some cigars hit that rare balance of discipline and personality. They’re expressive without being chaotic, bold without being brash, and creative without being gimmicky.

• Paul Stulac White Blinding Light
• Black Works Studio Green Hornet
• LCA La Sirena Super Sea Monkeys
• Definition The Chairman
• Regius Sun Grown

Some cigars are so derivative you can predict the entire experience before you light them. Same profile, same construction, same safe choices.

• Generic Nicaraguan Habano “medium‑full” blends
• Copy‑paste San Andrés Maduros with no identity
• Big‑box store exclusives made to hit a price point
• Any cigar whose tasting notes read like a template

Some cigars surprise me. A wrapper I usually avoid suddenly behaves with structure. A brand I’d written off delivers a moment of clarity. A blend I expected to be soft shows up with some backbone.

• Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Connecticut
• Rocky Patel Vintage 1999
• Room 101 The Big Payback Maduro
• LCA Dead Stock
• DTT Umbagog Bronzeback

Some cigars smoke like a broken-in pair of shoes. They’re so comfortable that I don’t notice them when I’m walking. It’s effortless mobility.

• Don Emmanuel Annunaki Ki
• Undercrown Maduro
• Olmec Claro
• Alec Bradley Magic Toast
• Montecristo White Label
• AJ Fernandez San Lotano Requiem

Some cigars feel like conversations. They don’t demand my full attention, but they reward it when I give it. They shift subtly, breathe slowly, and meet me where I’m at.

• Curivari BV Pralines
• Rocky Patel Vintage 1990
• Martinez NYC Blend Queens
• CAO Brazilia
• Diesel Vintage
• La Gloria Cubana Serie R Maduro

Some cigars remind me why I’m selective. Why I chase structure over chaos, refinement over noise, identity over trend.

• Curivari Reserva Limitada Café Noir
• My Father Blue
• La Gloria Cubana 8th Street
• Trinidad Espiritu No. 2
• IGM Kalavera Yellow
• Cuban Montecristo No. 4
• Micallef Purple

Obviously, the lists aren’t exhaustive, and I’m sure there will be people who totally disagree with me on my selections. I wasn’t even going to list any at first, but decided to provide a little perspective on actual cigars I felt fit the descriptions.

Here’s a little challenge. I’m curious to know what others’ perspectives are on “some cigars.” Comment below!