The Best Big Cigars to Smoke
In recent years, it seems we’ve gotten away from driving Humvees to work and supersizing our french fries for lunch. That’s great for news for our gas mileage and waistlines. But what about big cigars? They’ve shown no signs of shrinking. Oversized smokes – like the Puros Indios Chief, at a whopping 18 inches by a 66 ring gauge, and the Perdomo Inmenso, which swelled to a 70-ring thickness – once entertained a strictly novel audience. Over the past 20 years, however, big cigars have gone mainstream, even the ones you can’t really fit in your mouth. What gives?
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a wave of bigger shapes began to appear on store shelves in earnest, like La Gloria Cubana Series R and Perdomo Cuban Parejo. They began to sell well. Retailers re-ordered and the fad never passed. Even prestigious cigar-makers who once swore off the plus-sized craze have embraced it, or rather, they’ve been compelled to go along simply to interest the growing number of consumers who won’t consider smoking a cigar under a 60 ring. There is a contingent of cigar lovers who often equate a bigger size with a better value.
Regardless of where you fall in the great debate over how big is too big, we’ve put together a list of the best big cigars to smoke when you’ve got an entire day of vacation to kill.
Ashton VSG Spellbound (7.5 x 54)
Ashton VSG Spellbound is big but less excessive than many cigars on this list. It’s a respectable soft box-pressed Double Corona handmade by senior rollers at the legendary Fuente factory in the Dominican Republic. Celebrated cigar-maker Carlito Fuente blended Ashton VSG from a succulent, extensively aged Ecuador Sumatra wrapper and a luscious core of premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. A creamy full-bodied profile of leather, wood, raisins, espresso beans, and silky spices easily lasts for over an hour before its sublime finish arrives. Cigar Aficionado rated the generous dimensions of VSG Spellbound 94 points.
San Cristobal Revelation Leviathan (6.5 x 64)
Award-winning cigar-maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia created San Cristobal Revelation from a stunning combination of premium aged Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos and a milky, cocoa-hued Ecuador Sumatra wrapper. The Leviathan delivers a cool and creamy draw with notes caramel, cedar, coffee beans, and peppers in a medium-bodied gem that maintains its delicious Nicaraguan profile in a hearty 64-ring-gauge shape.
La Aroma de Cuba El Jefe (7 x 58)
A Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper embraces a vintage recipe of Nicaraguan long-fillers in La Aroma de Cuba. At $7.45 per cigar for the solid 7-inch-by-58-ring-gauge shape of El Jefe, economy and gratification merge in one of the bestselling big cigars in the industry. The 93-rated profile was awarded the “#1 Cigar Industry Best Buy” by Cigar Aficionado. Pepin Garcia blends an accessible and impressive profile of brown sugar, molasses, and chewy Nicaraguan spice in a shape that’s perfect for catching up with pals over a bottle of bourbon.
Padrón 1964 Anniversary #4 (6.5 x 60)
Padrón devotees who simply can’t get enough from the brand’s prestigious blend of premium Nicaraguan tobaccos aged a minimum of six years can take the scenic route with a Padrón 1964 Anniversary #4. Although not the longest smoke in the company’s portfolio – that honor goes the ‘A’ at 8.25 inches – the #4 is definitely the thickest with a 60 ring gauge. Indulge in award-winning notes of cedar, cinnamon, cocoa, and baking spices in an extra-cool shape. The soft box-pressed smoke maintains complexity throughout a long, lingering finish.
Argyle A-Bomb (9 x 95)
Argyle A-Bomb rivals a class of submarine. With its gargantuan 9-inch-by-95-ring-gauge frame, Argyle A-Bomb is truly for the guy who desires cigars that either require a tripod or a sling to smoke. Far more than a prop for your next cigar-smoking selfie, Argyle A-Bomb is actually drafted by senior cigar-makers in the Dominican Republic from a medium-bodied core of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers beneath a resilient Corojo wrapper leaf. In addition, it’s handmade in an elegant and artful Salomon shape. Yes, you’ll get attention enjoying an A-Bomb in public, but its pleasant profile of dried fruit, almonds, leather, and wood will easily outshine any passersby who stop to stare. Set aside about five hours if you want to finish the whole thing.
Rocky Patel Mulligans Snowman (6 x 80)
Also not just for shock effect is Rocky Patel Mulligans Snowman, an ultra-fat shape with an expansive 80 ring gauge. If you can manage to fit it in your mouth, a vibrant profile of peppery figs, coffee with cream, leather, and cocoa awaits. A deep-brown Ecuador Habano wrapper leaf is draped over a bursting interior of Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. The first few puffs are like pulling on a tail pipe, but after that, the uber-smooth draw burns cool and slow. To get the Snowman going, you’ll need either an entire box of matches, a full can of butane, or a bonfire. Bon appétit!
