Top 5 Cigars for Thanksgiving
A Special Day Calls for a Special Cigar
The Basics:
There is nothing quite like the feeling of Thanksgiving Day – friends and family gathered ‘round, entirely too much food, entirely too much booze, and those festive cornucopias that they put on the sets of the NFL broadcasts are just a few of my favorites.
After the big feast has wrapped up, an excessive amount of desserts and coffee have been ingested, and you have dragged yourself upstairs to put on some more comfortable clothes, you may be thinking that the marathon of an event that is Thanksgiving, has concluded; but this is where you are wrong! Now it’s time for you to pick those old bones up off the couch and gingerly make your way to your humidor to end the day-long event the right way – with a cigar.
Before we jump into our list of the best cigars to smoke on Thanksgiving, let me just preface by saying that there is no wrong cigar to smoke on Thanksgiving (or any other day for that matter) - the cigars that made the cut for our list have two distinct qualities that made them the perfect fit for this joyous occasion.
First, and foremost, every cigar on the list is absolutely top-notch in terms of their quality and construction and were produced at industry-renowned factories such as NACSA and Fabrica Oveja Negra. Second, each cigar is full-bodied and flavorful enough to stand alongside bold Thanksgiving flavors like candied yams and stuffing. Great news, I did confirm this by smoking each cigar while simultaneously eating a bowl of candied yams.
Even better news, you can get all these cigars together in our Thanksgiving Sampler. Whether you are taking a break from all the noise to have a solo smoking session, or plan to share with some guests (that’s what Thanksgiving is all about after all), the cigars in this sampler will undoubtedly impress even the most experienced palate.
Enough chit chat – lets jump right into our list!
Top 5 Cigars for Thanksgiving:
1. Black Works Studio Killer Bee Petite Corona
- Body: Full
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Price Point: $9.50
- Main Flavors: Earth, Black Pepper, Cedar
Kicking off our list we have Black Works Studio’s Killer Bee – a full-bodied gem that instantly became a fan favorite when it was released a few years back. Expect flavorful notes of aged cedar, earth, black pepper, and rich leather with a slightly sweet finish that pulls everything together. Although it has a cool name, cool band, and is a cool looking cigar, the highlight of Killer Bee lies in its immensely flavorful blend and perfect construction. Don’t be surprised if you decide to buy a full box after your first puff of Killer Bee.
2. Latitude Zero Signature Toro
- Body: Medium to Full
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Price Point: $8.25
- Main Flavors: Natural Sweetness, Leather, Dark Chocolate
I want to start by saying the fact that this Latitude Zero Signature Toro is available everyday for only $8.25 is sheer lunacy to me. NACSA, in my opinion, is probably the best cigar factory that nobody talks about – maybe some people do talk about NACSA, but not to the extent that they should. They are the manufacturers of some of your favorite blends from Dunbarton and Dapper, and in this case, Latitude Zero Signature. With Latitude Zero Signature, you’ll find a medium to full-bodied blend that boasts of notes of dark chocolate, leather, and the perfect amount of natural sweetness on the finish. After smoking this blend for the first time, I was immediately hooked, and Latitude Zero Signature is now my daily go-to.
3. Room101 FARCE Maduro Robusto
- Body: Medium to Full
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Price Point: $11.75
- Main Flavors: Dark Chocolate, Cedar, Red Pepper
Matt Booth: genius, madman, innovator, or all the above? Regardless of how you want to describe Matt Booth, there is no denying that he has created a monster of a brand in Room101. Room101’s creative and clean aesthetic and an identity that draws in the masses are only part of what makes the brand what it is today - most importantly (at least to me), is the Room101’s portfolio of exceptional blends. I can confidently say that FARCE Maduro is my favorite blend of the bunch – it is bold and balanced with flavorful notes of cedar, dark chocolate, and sweet and spicy red pepper. Medium to full-bodied and pleasantly complex, Room101 FARCE Maduro is a great choice for beginners and connoisseurs alike.
4. Caldwell Long Live The King Petit Dbl Wide Short Churchill
- Body: Medium to Full
- Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
- Price Point: $13.25
- Main Flavors: Oak, Coffee, Leather
Robert Caldwell can go toe to toe with anyone in the industry as far as I’m concerned, and more importantly in this case, Long Live The King can go toe to toe with the rich flavors of a homemade pumpkin pie. Actually, the more that I think about it, Long Live The King might be the perfect cigar to pair with a slice of Aunt Susan’s pie – notes of coffee, leather, oak and a distinct cinnamon sweetness on the retrohale are the stars of the show for the medium to full-bodied Long Live the King, and provide a perfectly balanced experience that will have you going back for seconds (just like that pie). The only intimidating thing about this cigar is the size name (Petit Dbl Wide Short Churchill), and I can assure you that Long Live The King is one of the better offerings from Caldwell.
5. Dunbarton Mi Querida Ancho Largo
- Body: Full
- Country of Origin: Nicaragua
- Price Point: $12.50
- Main Flavors: Black Pepper, Earth, Chocolate
Industry legend Steve Saka’s dearest blend, Mi Querida, is the prime example of what top-notch Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco has to offer. Mi Querida is sweet and spicy, rich, and bold, and full of notes of chocolate, earth, leather, and black pepper that are perfectly intertwined by the signature sweetness of the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. Just like the rest of Dunbarton’s offerings, Mi Querida will undoubtedly make a lasting impression, so if you are really trying impress one of your guests (or yourself for that matter), this is the blend that I would recommend – an hour and a half of pure bliss awaits you.
Next Steps:
As always, I would recommend, that as you work your way through this sampler, to make sure that you take notes. This is the perfect way to keep a tab on your personal preferences as you are introduced to new brands or blends for the first time, and a good way to shape your smoking and buying habits to properly fit your expanding palate.
Once you identify a blend (or five) that you are absolutely in love with, make sure to grab a couple of five packs or a box to keep handy in your humidor. Or if you can’t decide which is your favorite, pick up another sampler and smoke them all again – you can’t go wrong with any of these blends.
Let us know what you plan on smoking to celebrate Thanksgiving Day and be sure to give us your thoughts on each blend included in our Thanksgiving Sampler!
