Top 5 Cigars with Cedar Notes
Cedar is one of the most common cigar tasting notes you’ll encounter in cigar descriptions. Cedar falls into the Wood & Vegetal section of our flavor wheel when we’re classifying cigar flavors. Cedar is the type of wood most cigar boxes and humidors are made from because it reacts positively with moisture, encourages aging, and acts as a natural beetle repellent. Spanish cedar, in particular, is considered the best wood for humidors. And many cigars are wrapped in a thin cedar sleeve before they’re packed in their boxes. The traditional way to light a handmade cigar is with a cedar spill. If you’re like a lot of aficionados, you find the smell and taste of cedar appealing, and here are five excellent cigars to smoke that offer notes of cedar.
1. Ashton VSG
An oily Ecuador Sumatra wrapper leaf embraces premium Dominican long-filler tobaccos matured for maximum smoothness in a 94-rated classic ranked in the ‘Top 25 Cigars of the Year’ in Cigar Aficionado six times since its debut in 1999. The hearty profile of Ashton VSG displays prominent notes of cedar supported by an intricate foundation of espresso bean, black pepper, earth, and leather. Legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente established a new benchmark for full-flavored, full-bodied cigars when VSG was added to the world-renowned Ashton portfolio.
2. Arturo Fuente Don Carlos
Arturo Fuente reigns supreme when we look at today’s best Dominican cigar brands, and Don Carlos has been a cornerstone in the Fuente portfolio for many decades. This classic cigar consists of well-aged Dominican long-filler tobaccos tucked under a toothy Cameroon wrapper in a versatile, 94-rated profile of cedar, chestnut, and earth with hints of baking spices. Don Carlos cigars are named for Carlos Fuente Sr., the son of Arturo Fuente and father of Carlito Fuente. Smoke a Don Carlos cigar and savor the legacy of one of the greatest cigar-makers of last century.
3. Padrón 1964 Anniversary
The prestigious reputation of Padrón cigars needs little introduction, and Padrón 1964 Anniversary is an excellent place to taste high-end cigars characterized by a strong cedar flavor. Notes of cocoa, cayenne, cinnamon, and black pepper complete a 97-rated profile that’s routinely ranked in the ‘Top 10 Cigars of the Year’ in Cigar Aficionado. A hearty Nicaraguan wrapper leaf hugs a marvelous blend of Nicaraguan long-fillers matured to perfection. Smoke the most famous box-pressed cigars in the world when you fire up a Padrón 1964 Anniversary.
4. Oliva Serie V Melanio
Over the past twenty years, the Oliva brand has risen to become of one of today’s most popular premium cigar companies. The brand’s biggest release to date is Oliva Serie V Melanio, a medium to full-bodied cigar rated 96 points and awarded ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ honors in Cigar Aficionado in 2014. Creamy and succulent notes of caramel and pepper cover the palate with a noticeable undercurrent of cedar. A medium-brown Ecuador Sumatra wrapper leaf covers vintage Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos from head to foot in a collection that mostly features box-pressed sizes, meticulously assembled by expert cigar rollers.
5. San Cristobal Revelation
San Cristobal Revelation is one of the most versatile Nicaraguan cigars produced today. An oily Ecuador Sumatra wrapper conceals a balanced core of premium Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos blended by Pepin Garcia in several popular sizes. Brilliant notes of cocoa, cinnamon, and cedar meld with ample hints of smoked almond and black pepper throughout a medium-bodied finish. Revelation is a superb example of why the San Cristobal brand is home to several top-rated Nicaraguan smokes.
