Top 8 Macanudo Cigars
Macanudo is one of the top-selling premium cigar brands in the world. The iconic, mild Macanudo Cafe line has been many a newcomers’ first cigar for decades because you can find the brand in nearly every premium cigar shop, as well as a host of convenience stores and gas stations. Macanudo was the first non-Cuban brand to achieve a global audience following the Cuban trade embargo of the 1960s. The first Macanudo cigars were rolled in Jamaica, and most were sold in Great Britain until 1969 when the General Cigar Company acquired the brand and launched a new and mellower Macanudo in the early 1970s to appeal to American cigar lovers. They’ve never looked back. Since 2000, all Macanudo Cafe cigars have been produced in the Dominican Republic, while some newer Macanudo blends are rolled in Nicaragua and Honduras. Here are the top Macanudo cigars you can smoke today.
1. Macanudo Cafe
A silky, golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper cradles a mild and easygoing blend of Dominican and Mexican long-fillers in several traditional sizes. Tasting notes of cedar, buttered toast, fresh hay, and coffee with cream furnish a touch of spice before an elegant and non-lingering finish. Macanudo Cafe is easy on the palate if you’re smoking your first cigar because it’s neither too peppery nor overloaded with nicotine. Check out our staff review of Macanudo Cafe for an in-depth look at this iconic cigar.
2. Macanudo Inspirado White
Macanudo Inspirado cigars debuted in Europe in 2014 and were exclusive to the European market until 2016 when they became available in the States. There are four color-themed blends, and Inspirado White is the most popular. An Ecuador Connecticut wrapper is aged for six years and patiently crafted over a complex blend of Nicaraguan, Mexican, and Indonesian long-filler tobaccos in a handful of shapes. The creamy and mild profile of Macanudo Inspirado White offers a bit more spice and intensity than Macanudo Cafe, but it still delivers a soft and velvety finish.
3. Macanudo Gold Label
Every year, Macanudo releases its coveted Gold Label cigars. This creamy and easygoing blend is based on Macanudo Cafe, but it’s even milder because the Connecticut Shade wrapper leaves are harvested from a lower priming on the plant which receives less sunlight, resulting in a lighter and mellower profile. Under the wrapper is a creamy blend of Cuban-seed long-fillers grown in the Dominican Republic and San Andrés. Notes of cedar, nuts, and blonde roast coffee beans leave a faint impression on the palate.
4. Macanudo Inspirado Black
To accompany the launch of Inspirado White cigars, Macanudo Inspirado Black debuted at the same time in 2017. A dark and oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper conceals a complex core of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran long-fillers in a series of well-made shapes. A dense and decadent profile of dark chocolate, dried fruit, hickory, and espresso coats the palate with nutty and spicy texture. Read our staff review for Macanudo Inspirado Black, and find out why this is a solid after-dinner cigar to smoke with ice-cold beer around a campfire.
5. Macanudo Inspirado Orange
Macanudo Inspirado Orange was the first of the Inspirado series to go on sale in Europe before the brand became available across the pond. This Honduran-drafted Macanudo is drawn from a shimmering Honduran wrapper leaf over a meaty combination of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran long-fillers in a handful of medium-bodied sizes. Notes of earth, coffee bean, and cayenne pepper culminate in a chewy and spicy finish.
6. Macanudo Cru Royale
An oily, Cuban-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador encapsulates a hearty blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Brazilian long-filler tobaccos in Macanudo Cru Royale. The critics awarded it a 91-point rating in Cigar Aficionado, but this blend flies under the radar when compared with other milder cigars in the Macanudo portfolio. The finish is leathery and nutty and more complex than Macanudo Cafe, for example.
7. Macanudo Maduro
Classic flavors of dark cocoa, coffee, raisin, and wood mingle in a mild and chocolaty Maduro from Macanudo. A moderately toothy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper boasts a standard blend of Dominican and Mexican long-fillers in a collection of popular Macanudo shapes. Macanudo fans enjoy the Maduro with a bourbon or cognac.
8. Macanudo Inspirado Red
Macanudo Inspirado Red is blended to appeal to cigar lovers who prefer the antithesis of a typical, mild Macanudo cigar. Inspirado Red is bold and spicy with lots of pepper and wood in a profile characterized by leathery texture and aroma. A deep and lustrous Ecuador Habano wrapper is drawn over a beefy blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran long-filler tobaccos that deliver a full-bodied, zesty finish.
