Top 10 Best Mild Cigars
You don’t have to be a beginner to appreciate a good mild cigar. Because so many beefy, full-bodied brands get a ton of attention from critics and consumers these days, the best mild cigars can get lost in the shuffle. Keep in mind, a mild cigar can display just as much complexity and richness as a strong cigar. “Mild” does not mean “bland.” Mild cigars simply are less likely to overwhelm your palate with a rush of spices and nicotine – an effect many anticipate who’ve grown a tolerance for fuller-bodied smokes. If you love whiskey and cigars, there are plenty of premium mild blends that taste great with the right bourbon or single malt.
Certain occasions call for a milder cigar, like when you’re on the golf course with the sun beating down on your face all afternoon. A strong cigar can make you awfully woozy if it’s too early in the day. Plus, the best cigar-makers excel at producing a range of both mild and strong blends. Never overlook the best mild cigars if you’re a seasoned cigar lover. And if you’re just getting into premium tobaccos, a great place to start is with our top 10 recommendations for the best mild smokes.
#1 - Ashton
Ashton enjoys a premium pedigree that dates back to its debut over 35 years ago, and it remains one of the best Dominican cigars. Carlito Fuente blends the entire portfolio to a superlative standard. Few brands stack up against the vast reputation of Ashton’s original mild and creamy profile. A silky, golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf embraces an ultra-refined combination of well-aged Dominican binder and filler tobaccos in several classic shapes. Notes of almond, cashew, cedar, and coffee with cream mingle with approachable spices and a touch of sweetness around the edges.
#2 - Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente
Legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente counts Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente as a major cornerstone in his brand’s world-renowned portfolio. Price, approachability, and magnificent flavor converge in a creamy and easygoing profile of nuts, cedar, and white pepper. Although the Chateau series is available in three wrapper varietals (Natural, Maduro, and Sun Grown), we recommend the Natural for the mildest taste. A glistening Connecticut Shade wrapper conceals a rich and mellow core of Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. The shorter Chateau Fuente (4.5 x 50) and the Toro-sized Double Chateau (6.75 x 50) have been incredibly popular for decades and are considered among the best Arturo Fuente cigars in fine cigars shops around the world.
#3 - San Cristobal Elegancia
Known for blending a host of award-winning, full-bodied smokes, celebrated cigar-maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia proves he’s equally capable of creating an impressive milder cigar with San Cristobal Elegancia. A well-aged recipe of select Nicaraguan long-fillers is grown on prized Garcia family estates and rolled beneath a light and silky Ecuador Connecticut wrapper. Creamy notes of smoked almond, cedar, cashew, coffee bean, and white pepper provide ample flavor without overpowering your taste buds. San Cristobal Elegancia is a versatile and rich cigar that’s easily appreciated by newer cigar connoisseurs as well as those with sophisticated taste.
#4 - Oliva Connecticut Reserve
Although the award-winning Oliva brand is best known for its medium to full-bodied releases like Oliva Serie V and Oliva Serie V Melanio, the marvelously approachable Oliva Connecticut Reserve is ideal for an early-in-the-day cigar. A gleaming Ecuador Connecticut wrapper marries a cool-burning recipe of Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. Notes of wood, hazelnut, and grass combine in a toasty conclusion in several popular shapes.
#5 – Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne
The Perdomo portfolio is full of beefy Nicaraguan cigars but the most popular blend in the entire collection is Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne – and it’s also the mildest in the lot. This creamy and spicy standout is drafted from an Ecuador Connecticut wrapper leaf and a well-aged blend of Nicaraguan long-fillers. Many who are new to Perdomo start out with Champagne and end up keeping it in their regular rotation. Tasting notes of cedar, white pepper, and coffee with cream create an excellent introduction to the best Perdomo cigars money can buy.
#6 - Montecristo
The famous Cuban-legacy brand, Montecristo, owes its far-reaching popularity to the Dominican Republic as much as it does Cuba. The mellow, laid-back taste of Dominican Montecristos has made the brand accessible to a wide variety of new and seasoned cigar lovers. Everyone loves the brand’s Cuban backstory, but its taste is universal thanks to a light-brown Connecticut Shade wrapper and an all-Dominican core of high-quality tobaccos. Grassy, sweet, and creamy notes of cedar and coffee beans continue to make Montecristo a sought-after blend.
#7 - Davidoff Aniversario
The top-shelf, spendy intrigue behind Davidoff’s exclusive white label reputation is exemplified in Davidoff Aniversario. Musty notes of mushrooms, earth, and dried fruit accompany a creamy spice in a wide array of traditional shapes. A golden Ecuador Connecticut wrapper leaf binds a sublime amalgam of Dominican long-fillers. Davidoff cigars are not inexpensive, but many novices try the brand when they’re curious about the price-versus-quality equation.
#8 - Macanudo Cafe
Macanudo can be found almost everywhere cigars are sold, including convenience stores and gas stations, as well as premium smokeshops. The brand’s sheer availability makes it tough to ignore, and why would you? Macanudo Cafe serves as a solid introduction to handmade cigars for a huge number of guys who are just getting into premium cigars. Its relaxed profile of nuts, brown sugar, and herbs hints at a tangy finish in a number of well-constructed formats. A tan Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf holds a consistent blend of long-fillers from the Dominican Republic and Mexico.
#9 - Romeo y Julieta 1875
A gentle but complex profile of leather, nougat, and pistachio blends in perfectly with cold beer, cocktails, or coffee in a well-known, 92-rated Cuban-heritage brand. Romeo y Julieta 1875 is drafted from a gingerbread-hued Indonesian wrapper leaf and an all-Dominican interior of long-filler tobaccos. Romeo y Julieta brand’s extensive menu of classic shapes is easy on the pocketbook, too. Romeo is a solid option when you need a box of cigars for a bachelor party or a casual golf outing.
#10 - Baccarat
Baccarat is one of those old-school brands that’s been around for decades, and the same guys who bought it way back when they started smoking cigars still buy it today. Why? It’s simple: Baccarat cigars have a sweet wrapper leaf. The golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper imparts just a touch of sugar to your lips because it’s coated with a sweetened gum. Beneath it is an eventful blend of Honduran and Mexican long-fillers that burn straight and don’t offend the senses. Baccarat isn’t an over-the-top rarity or a special occasion cigar by any stretch, but it’s probably been smoked in more man caves on poker night than about any brand you can imagine because it’s affordable and easy to find when you’re in search of mild bargain cigars to pass out to your pals.
