Best Infused Cigars
If you’ve got an unapologetic sweet tooth for flavored or infused cigars, look no further. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, infused cigars serve a purpose. Scores of aficionados have crossed the flavored gateway to get into premium cigars back when they were smoking cigars for beginners. Even those who move onto traditional non-flavored brands still indulge in the occasional infused blend. “Infused” is basically a fancy word for “flavored,” and flavored cigars are processed with artificial additives that mask the natural taste of tobacco. Purists take issue with flavored brands because traditional, non-flavored premium cigars taste great on their own without the help of artificial ingredients. Nonetheless, here are the best infused cigars to try if you’re on the fence.
1. Acid
The Acid brand occupies a huge chunk of the Drew Estate portfolio. Acid cigars are handmade in the company’s sprawling factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. The brand was developed in the late 1990s and gained a large following for the exotic and unusual flavors of its cigars. Acid cigars are created through a propriety infusion process in special aroma rooms at the Drew Estate factory. The tobaccos are exposed to an extensive selection of botanical oils, herbs, spices, and extracts. Acid cigars deliver a range of distinct tasting notes that include cooking herbs, tea leaves, lilacs, cloves, baking spices, and more. Acid Kuba Kuba is the most popular cigar in the collection.
2. Nub Nuance
Nub Nuance is the ultimate brand for fans of sweet cigars in short fat shapes. Nub cigars are handmade at the award-winning Oliva factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Nub Nuance includes a trio of coffee-infused blends that are luscious and cloying. Cappuccino (Single Roast) is reminiscent of the taste of cappuccino with a profile of cedar, coffee beans, and vanilla. Macchiato (Double Roast) reveals tasting notes of caramel, chocolate, and coffee with cream. Espresso (Triple Roast) is a touch more intense with notes of dark chocolate and a toasty bittersweet finish intended to taste like an espresso.
3. CAO Flavours
CAO ignited its popular Flavours brand over a decade ago. The line includes several flavored options, the most popular of which is Moontrance thanks to its exotic profile of bourbon vanilla and fruit. Eileen’s Dream is loaded with notes of Irish crème and white chocolate. Bella Vanilla reveals a pronounced vanilla note derived from vanilla beans procured from Madagascar. Gold Honey tastes of orange blossom and spices with a lush aroma. And, the Cherry Bomb blend is an idyllic mélange of cherry, black currant, and vanilla tasting notes.
4. Tabak Especial by Drew Estate
Tabak Especial is also handcrafted in Estelí, Nicaragua, for the Drew Estate portfolio. The coffee-infused line boasts a rich and creamy series of decadent cigars in a Natural (Dulce) or a Maduro (Negra) wrapper leaf. Gourmet tasting notes of caramel, coffee beans, mocha, and dark chocolate can be found in a nice array of popular shapes.
Strength: Flavored
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador Connecticut, Connecticut Broadleaf
5. Tatiana
Tatiana is a straightforward and basic flavored brand popular with folks who want to hand out a sweet and inexpensive cigar when a new baby arrives. Tatiana is available in five distinct flavors: Cherry, Chocolate, Honey, Rum, and Vanilla. Each blend is handmade in a classic 6 x 44 Corona format and is a direct reflection of the flavor cited in the name.
6. Isla del Sol by Drew Estate
Isla del Sol by Drew Estate is bargain-priced brand crafted in Nicaragua to deliver easygoing tasting notes of coffee and cocoa. The blend is made in a handful of traditional shapes packed in 20-count boxes filled in with a bed of loose tobacco shreds – a hallmark of Drew Estate packaging – to amplify the bouquet of flavor and aroma the cigars produce.
