Top 5 Cigars to Smoke at Graduation
Getting a diploma is a major milestone in life. We spend so many years in school, a mixture of relief and anticipation for the future confronts us as the triumph of graduating sinks in. Whether you’ve completed your undergrad degree, an MBA, or medical or law school, a good cigar is one of the best ways to relish a big accomplishment. Here are five awesome cigars to celebrate your graduation.
1. Ashton ESG
Cigar aficionados love Ashton cigars, and many start with milder blends like Ashton Classic and Aged Maduro when they begin smoking. There’s no question, though, Ashton ESG is an ultimate graduation treat due to its rarity and complexity. ESG stands for Estate Sun Grown, a reference to the world-famous Chateau de la Fuente Estates where the cigar’s wrapper is grown in the Dominican Republic. Under the wrapper, an exceptional marriage of premium Dominican long-fillers blended by Carlito Fuente completes this masterpiece in five sizes. Intricate notes of cedar, graham cracker, cocoa, and molasses mingle with hints of black pepper from beginning to end in a 94-rated classic.
2. Arturo Fuente Hemingway
Arturo Fuente Hemingway is one of the most famous cigars ever created. Its accessibility and reputation land it on our list of the top cigars to smoke on your graduation because a lot of folks who smoke celebratory cigars prefer a blend that’s high quality but not too strong. The Arturo Fuente portfolio is one of the first places you should turn, and Hemingway is our first suggestion from Fuente. A toothy Cameroon wrapper embraces a luscious blend of vintage Dominican long-fillers in a collection of impressive Figurados – cigar shapes that are tapered. A versatile profile of chestnuts, baking spices, and cedar layers the palate with a touch of brown sugar.
3. La Aroma de Cuba Pasión
Nicaragua is the leading cigar-producing country in the world today, and the 94-rated La Aroma de Cuba Pasión is a worthy introduction to the nation’s tobaccos. Award-winning cigar-maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia plants the wrapper for Pasión on a special plot of land, shielded from direct sunlight, in the region of Namanji. Warm afternoons and cool evening breezes create a microclimate where the tobacco thrives. Under the wrapper, long-fillers from Estelí, Jalapa, and Namanji complete this connoisseur-grade smoke in an elaborate profile of smoked cashew, leather, cedar, and molasses. Pasión is perfect when you’re pouring a vintage Scotch to go with your cigar on your graduation.
4. Padrón 1964 Anniversary
The extensive legacy of Padrón cigars is deeply rooted in a Cuban cigar-making heritage. Padrón cigars are synonymous with special occasions, and the brand boasts some of the highest-rated cigars ever reviewed in Cigar Aficionado, including Padrón 1964 Anniversary, the ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ for 2021. This prestigious smoke is drawn from the finest Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos beneath a toothy Nicaraguan wrapper leaf. The sharp box-pressed edges of the cigars add to their allure in a brilliant profile of cocoa, cedar, cayenne, leather, and baking spices. The cigar is available in a Natural or a Maduro wrapper, which imparts more sweetness.
5. San Cristobal Quintessence
The critics in Cigar Aficionado crowned San Cristobal Quintessence the ‘#3 Cigar of the Year’ for 2021 with an impressive 95-point rating. Celebrated father-and-son cigar-makers Pepin and Jaime Garcia blend Quintessence from well-aged reserves of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers beneath a glistening Cuban-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador. Notes of cedar, coffee bean, cocoa, and molasses layer the palate with a plethora of spices before a robust finish. Pop the champagne and savor Quintessence on your graduation.
