Top Cigars to Smoke on Thanksgiving
Mmmm. Turkey. Stuffing. Football. Pie. The in-laws. It’s Thanksgiving. What more could you ask for on such an epicurean occasion? How about the perfect after-dinner cigar? If you’re the ultimate holiday host, slaving over the oven and seating arrangement and greeting every guest with a handshake and a hug, you deserve a fine cigar at the end of the day. Or, maybe you’re hiding out with your pals behind the flat screen down in your man cave watching the game until dinner is served. Nothing passes the time like a premium smoke.
Cigars are indulgent by design. That’s why they’re essential at Thanksgiving. Enjoying a fine cigar with family and friends is the perfect way to unwind around the holidays. We’ve put together some great suggestions for cigars to smoke this Thanksgiving. Following are a handful of cigars you can smoke earlier in the day or in the afternoon while you’re hanging out with your nearest and dearest waiting for the Turkey to come out. And after the tryptophan kicks in, we’ve got a decadent menu of after-dinner cigars guaranteed to perk you up with a stiff drink after a gluttonous meal. Relax, reminisce, and savor the taste and aroma of a great cigar this Thanksgiving.
Perfect Pre-Dinner Cigars
For many, Thanksgiving is a day off from work, so there’s no shame in getting a jump on the festivities. If you’re not tied up taking care of the Turkey, you’ve probably got plenty of downtime to kick back and catch up with your friends and family. Here are some excellent milder cigars to share midday while the big meal is getting cooked and you’re watching some football, snacking, or having a beer.
#1 - Ashton
Creamy, mild and handmade at the legendary Fuente factory in the Dominican Republic, Ashton is a classic brand perfect for an afternoon relaxing in the backyard or camped out in front of the TV with a craft beer or a glass of white wine. Ashton is handcrafted to an impeccable standard in a wide variety of traditional shapes like Magnum (Robusto), Double Magnum (Toro), Corona, Prime Minister (Churchill), and more.
A glistening, golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf embraces a stunning combination of premium aged Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. Notes of cashews, almonds, cedar, and coffee beans accompany creamy spices throughout a silky finish. Cigar-loving friends and relatives will display no hesitation in applauding your top-shelf choice of Ashton cigars.
#2 - Arturo Fuente Hemingway
Arturo Fuente Hemingway is impeccably handcrafted in an award-winning portfolio of delicious Figurado shapes like the iconic Short Story and Signature. A perfectly fermented Cameroon wrapper leaf hugs a magnificent recipe of premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos blended by legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente.
The easygoing medium-bodied profile delivers notes of woody spices, brown sugar, molasses, and walnuts. A mix of shorter and longer shapes makes it easy to decide to have a cigar before dinner if you’re unsure when the bird is coming out of the oven.
#3 - San Cristobal Elegancia
Award-winning cigar-maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia reveals a nutty and approachable profile in San Cristobal Elegancia. An elegant Ecuador Connecticut wrapper leaf harbors a creamy and rich interior of premium Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos grown on select Garcia family estates.
The medium-bodied profile of white pepper, chestnuts, cashews and coffee with cream is ideal, both for those who only smoke occasionally as well as seasoned connoisseurs. Indulge in San Cristobal Elegancia with an afternoon martini or a crisp light beer. The blend is expertly crafted in a collection of traditional sizes, as well as the more rotund Grandioso.
#4 - Montecristo
Cuban-legacy label Montecristo needs no introduction. The iconic brand name rings a bell in any discussion about cigars. Montecristo is drafted in the Dominican Republic from a supreme recipe of Dominican binder and filler tobaccos beneath a honey-colored Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf.
A mild and luscious profile of blonde roast coffee, sweet grasses, hazelnuts, and a touch of pepper blesses the palate in a celebrated menu of classic shapes, including one of the best-known Torpedos ever made, Montecristo No. 2. Guests will admire your great taste in cigars and gladly join you without feeling woozy or overwhelmed if you fire one up ahead of dinner.
#5 - Romeo y Julieta 1875
A caramel-hued Indonesian wrapper leaf blankets a dynamic core of binder and filler tobaccos grown in the Dominican Republic in Romeo y Julieta 1875. Although this famous brand originated in Cuba, its Dominican heritage is equally popular in a wide variety of classic cigar sizes.
Notes of pistachios, black pepper, cayenne, almonds, and coffee beans arrive in an exquisite and affordable profile your Thanksgiving company will easily appreciate. Pair it with a cup of coffee, a pinot noir, or a creamy chardonnay.
Delightful After Dinner Smokes
Before the tryptophan kicks in, fire up a nourishing cigar to go with a big glass of cabernet, a fresh cup of coffee, or that rare bottle of cognac or whiskey you’ve been saving for a special occasion. A fine cigar wraps up a herculean feast just as well as a magnificent piece of chocolate cake with a shot of espresso. Is your mouth watering? Check out our menu of the best cigars to pass out after dinner on Thanksgiving. If you can’t smoke around the fireplace, plug a space heater in out in the garage. You won’t regret it.
#1 - La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor
Following its debut, La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor scored a stunning 95-point rating and Cigar Aficionado’s ‘#2 Cigar of the Year’ honors. A lustrous San Andrés wrapper leaf houses a delicious ensemble of premium aged Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos blended by legendary cigar-maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia.
Notes of cracked black pepper, espresso beans, almonds, and nougat deliver a spectacular finish in a host of savory shapes. You’ll easily decide to postpone your nap when the room note stirs your senses. Enjoy La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor with a big red wine, a vintage port, or any premium whiskey that’s been uncorked after the table is cleared.
#2 - Ashton Symmetry
Its complexity is unrivaled and its flavors are purely distinct. Ashton Symmetry hails from the unsurpassed blending abilities of renowned cigar-maker Carlito Fuente. A reddish-brown Rosado wrapper is grown from Cuban seeds harvested in the volcanic landscape of Ecuador. Beneath it, a rich and perfectly paired marriage of premium Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos exists with unparalleled taste.
Dried fruit, figs, fresh ground coffee, and chewy hearth-like spices emerge with marvelous accord. Even occasional cigar lovers can’t help but be mesmerized by Ashton Symmetry. Its seductive, layered, and medium to full-bodied finish easily impresses after a hearty meal. Choose from five classic shapes. We suggest enjoying Ashton Symmetry with a top-shelf scotch.
#3 - Flor de las Antillas
Drawn entirely from vintage Nicaraguan tobaccos, Flor de las Antillas took home a 96-point score with Cigar Aficionado’s coveted ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ title in its debut year. Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia blends Flor de las Antillas from an uncompromising recipe of select Nicaraguan binder and filler leaves beneath a gingerbread-hued Sun Grown Nicaraguan wrapper leaf.
A collection of cool-burning shapes reveals notes of nutmeg, cedar, cayenne, and wood in a medium to full-bodied profile. An ample, creamy, and complex finish is an excellent encore for your Thanksgiving feast. The cigar’s versatile taste is great in conjunction with rum, wine, whiskey, and a number of seasonal mixed drinks.
#4 - Oliva Serie V
A trio of 94 and 95-point ratings is the icing on the cake with Oliva Serie V. It scored the ‘#3 Cigar of the Year’ in 2017 in Cigar Aficionado. A potent and peppery profile of primarily Ligero tobaccos is patiently handmade in Esteli, Nicaragua. A chewy Cuban-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador encapsulates a spicy and selective recipe of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers.
An after-dinner lull or sleepy food coma stands no chance against the peppery zest Oliva Serie V delivers. Notes of earth, molasses, and leather accompany shimmering spices in a menu of classic formats and popular bigger ring gauges. Oliva Serie V is a fine collaborator with scotch or other intense dark spirits. Savor the blend at a measured pace. It’s a quintessential after-dinner smoke, but too much Ligero can go to your head quickly. We want you to relax but not turn green.
#5 - Padrón 1964 Anniversary
Persuade any guests who are on the fence about joining you for a cigar to jump in with the prestigious profile of Padrón 1964 Anniversary. Satisfying and celebratory, Padrón leaves a special impression. An exquisite blend of extensively aged Nicaraguan tobaccos makes up the binder, filler, and wrapper components.
Nutmeg, cinnamon, cedar, cocoa, and cayenne pepper characterize legendary Padrón flavors in the brand’s iconic box-pressed shapes. You won’t go wrong, whether you choose the blend in a Natural wrapper leaf or a sumptuous Maduro for an enhanced sweetness. Because no one knowingly turns down a Padrón 1964 Anniversary, you may have to break out some sleeping bags down in your man cave in case anybody snooping through your humidor discovers you’ve got a full box. Bon appétit!
