Top Underrated Honduran Cigars

Underrated cigars are blended by many of the same cigar-makers who create some of the world’s top-rated brands. Aficionados on a thrifty budget often turn to underrated cigars to get the most bang for their buck. Underrated cigars offer a tremendous benefit to the consumer. A lack of the spotlight among critics and retailers often amounts to a solid bargain for discount-savvy cigar lovers. We’ve already outlined the top underrated Dominican cigars and the top underrated Nicaraguan cigars. Today, we’re digging into our favorite underrated Honduran brands.

Honduras comes in third, behind Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, for the number of premium handmade cigars it produces. Although roughly only 15% of the land in Honduras is considered tillable acreage, it is home to some excellent tobacco-growing regions, namely Jamastran and the Copan and La Entrada valleys.

Cigar production in Honduras has experienced great fluctuation over the past six decades. Tobacco-growers fled there from Cuba in the wake of Fidel Castro’s rise to power in the 1960s. Periods of political and social instability in neighboring Nicaragua in the 1980s prompted cigar-makers like Padron to set up shop in Honduras temporarily. Terrific swells in the nation’s cigar output have bumped Honduras up to the number two spot at different points. Nicaragua is king today and presently surpasses the Dominican Republic, so Honduras is likely to stay in third place for the conceivable future. However, a number of name brands operate in both Nicaragua and Honduras nowadays. Let’s take a look at some great underrated Honduran-made cigars.

Rocky Patel Renaissance

The original Rocky Patel Renaissance debuted over ten years ago and made a nice splash with critics and consumers. An Ecuador Sumatra wrapper covers a quality core of long-fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras. ‘RP’ Renaissance quickly became a top-seller in the Rocky Patel portfolio. But, because Rocky is constantly introducing new brands, all of them cannot occupy the center stage.

To save on costs and offer a better value to the consumer, Rocky Patel Renaissance packaging was changed from traditional wooden boxes to bundles, and rock-bottom prices were applied to every size. The move proved wildly successful, so much so that the ‘RP’ Renaissance portfolio has grown to include Connecticut Broadleaf, Ecuador Connecticut, and Cuban-seed wrapper varietals. You can even try an ‘RP’ Renaissance Fumas edition for as low as $1.74 per cigar. Taste one of Rocky’s most popular franchises today.

Punch Vintage

We’re well aware of the reputation behind the original Cuban-legacy Punch brand. But, Punch Vintage is an absolute hidden gem. The medium-bodied profile comes in an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper or a Connecticut Broadleaf. Inside, a complex recipe of well-aged Connecticut Broadleaf binders is combined with Dominican and Honduran long-fillers.

Tasting notes of cocoa, leather, wood, and coffee beans precede a sweet and spicy finish. Cigar lovers who give Punch Vintage a try ultimately become converts starting around $7 per cigar. Punch Vintage is often on sale for even lower prices in many of our daily or weekly specials.

Alec Bradley Family Blend

Alec Bradley Family Blend actually received a 94-point rating from Cigar Aficionado following its launch, so why would it fall into our “underrated” list? Some premium brands get plenty of buzz when they’re released and sales take off. However, in a crowded Alec Bradley portfolio there simply may not be enough time to really focus on promoting the blend. As a result, the cigar is removed from the company’s distribution list and sold in a more exclusive fashion, often for a generous discount.

Today, Alec Bradley Family Blend is a steal starting for as low as $3.74 per cigar. Once upon a time, the same cigars sold for $7 apiece and up. Alec Bradley Family Blend is an excellent representation of Honduran tobaccos with a reddish-brown Honduran wrapper leaf and an ample interior of Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Indonesian long-fillers. Notes of toasted nuts, cedar, leather, and earth deliver a palate-pleasing finish.