2017 CA Report: Father’s Day Cigar Gift Guide
2017 Father’s Day Cigar Gift Guide
By the Cigar Advisor Staff
Father’s Day gifts, revealed: every father secretly wants a “World’s #1 Dad” coffee mug, at least once in life. But if you already checked that box, it’s time to indulge Dad’s favorite pastime – cigars.
For some Dads, cigars are a relatively new hobby; others have at least a little time in the aircraft, enjoying a good cigar on special occasions, or even every couple of days. So to make it easy for you to find the right Father’s Day cigar gift, the Advisors have matched up some great smokes and accessories with the kind of cigar smoker your dad might happen to be (Ed. Note: if you’re the Dad, you could always forward this gift list to someone who’s buying for you. Just sayin’.). For instance: if your Pop is an old hand at this cigar thing, there’s not a whole lot of sense in getting him some of the basics – he already has those. Conversely, if your dad has only had a handful of cigars in his life (including the “It’s a Boy/Girl” cigar he handed out when you were born), no need to splurge on a box of full-bodied Nicaraguan pepper bombs that he won’t be able to enjoy, let alone finish. So let’s match the gift to the level of experience he has, with this quick guide.
As it is with the cigar smoking culture, a great way to show camaraderie or to just say “thanks” is by giving the gift of cigars. Your dad surely deserves the same – so feast your eyes on some Father’s Day cigar ideas that will make this year one to remember.
Gary’s Father’s Day Cigar Picks
The Newbie Dad
For the Dad who’s just getting into premium handmade cigars, I suggest that you go with a sampler. Since it takes several different cigars to find a palate pleaser, this “Best of Medium Sampler” will, no doubt, satisfy Dad’s curiosity while offering him a selection of five outstanding cigars in a nice variety of shapes presented in pairs – because just one cigar isn’t enough to know whether it’s right for you or not.
From the ultra-creamy and toasty AVO “No.3” in the Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, to the delicately spicy Romeo y Julieta 1875 “Bully” with its Indonesian shade-grown wrapper, to the Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro Robusto with its naturally sweet Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper and notes of dark chocolate, every cigar in this set is top-shelf and promises to be a memorable experience. At under $54, the price is nice, and if Dad decides he likes any or all of the cigars in the sampler, he can easily find them in practically any cigar shop anywhere in the world.
The Occasional Cigar-Smoking Dad
If your Dad likes to partake on a fairly regular basis, the best thing you can do is give him a cigar that delivers the goods every time he lights-up, like this Romeo y Julieta Vintage No.1, a perfectly-balanced, medium-bodied cigar rolled to a classic, 6″ x 43 Lonsdale format presented in an affordably-priced 5-pack.
Flawlessly handcrafted with vintage, three-year-aged Dominican Olor tobaccos rolled in silky Ecuadorian Connecticut wrappers, the smoke is mellow, nutty, sweet, seductively aromatic, and much richer in flavor than it looks. It’s also another way of saying, “World’s #1 Dad.”
You can also give them to Dad in the XiKAR 10-cigar travel case. This rugged, all-weather, all-terrain case will keep his cigars safe from harm and factory fresh wherever the road takes him. And if he doesn’t have a humidor just yet, he’ll now have a perfect storage space for his modest cigar collection. For around $60, you can’t miss with this combo.
The Aficionado Dad
If your Dad’s a hard-core cigar smoker with at least one or more humidors and a cigar collection to die for, I say go top-of-the-line by getting him this Davidoff Nicaragua Box Pressed Toro 4-pack.
A major departure for Davidoff who wanted to create a Nicaraguan puro that would stimulate the entire palate, the parejo version alone is phenomenal, but the box-pressed version takes this full-bodied blend to an all-time, Nirvana-like high. Dad will not only be impressed with your choice of cigars, he’ll be blown-away by their creamy-smooth and luxuriously complex flavor profile – something only a true “aficionado” can fully appreciate.
John’s Father’s Day Cigar Picks
The Newbie Dad
If your dad is new to cigars, reassure him that keeping his cigar stash fresh doesn’t need to be a full-time commitment, involving a ton of supplies. I think that’s one of the things that scares noobs most – so get his cigar hobby off on the right foot with a Starter Humidor kit. While this Father’s Day cigar treat is trimmed with all the accessories a cigar smoker needs, the centerpiece is our smaller-sized vacuum seal HumiJar that requires almost zero maintenance thanks to the included Boveda pack. Open the lid, add the Boveda, cigars stay fresh and in tip-top shape for weeks, if not months.
Now, stuff it with some cigars; don’t go overboard, he only needs a taste. I recommend the Smooth Like Buttah Golf sampler: five easy-to-smoke Connecticuts that burn mellow, with a diverse bunch of flavors that won’t overwhelm. And once he figures out what he likes best from the bunch, Dad can explore more of what Romeo, Rocky, Montecristo, et al, have to offer – all at his own pace.
The Occasional Cigar-Smoking Dad
Your dad likes to burn one on occasion, say every couple weeks? Time to move him off the zip lock bag and on to a proper cedar-lined humidor. Size matters – but if Dad is a stick-of-the-month kind of guy, he doesn’t need to keep a huge stash on hand. And his humidor doesn’t need to hold half of Honduras, either. That’s why the RyJ Epilogue collection makes my list of Father’s Day cigar picks, as it holds a modest, just-right assortment of cigars within his reach.
We took the liberty of adding a nice array of Romeo y Julieta cigars that will speak to the palate of the occasional cigar smoker: the RyJ 1875 Bully is a mellow Dominican legend; the Capulet and Montague are each a step up in intensity, while the Romeo Reserve and Reserva Real incorporate some heartier Nicaraguan tobaccos that will pump out some bigger body and flavor when Dad takes them along for a round of 18. He may already have a cutter and lighter – but it’s never bad to have backup, which are tossed in as well. Fill humidor, smoke cigars, repeat. Life is good.
The Aficionado Dad
Here’s the tough part about buying cigars as Father’s Day gifts…though it could be your shot at an easy out. If your old man has been around the block a few times and enjoys a smoke on a regular basis, you could just pick him up a box of cigars that he smokes most often. Not very creative, however – and quite frankly, you could do that anytime. This is Father’s Day: a chance to overdeliver for your Dad, and gift him something to go with the “good” Scotch he brings out on special occasions. Quality bests quantity, so Padron fits the bill here…a special Padron cut-and-smoke includes two top-shelf Serie 1926s (natural and Maduro), with both rolled in an exclusive fat robusto size and slightly box pressed. We’ve added a Xikar Xi1 Padron cutter so Pops can add a quality keepsake to his cutter collection.
And because presentation is everything, go the extra mile with your Father’s Day cigar gift and add a Xikar Envoy 3 finger cigar case: sturdy and cedar lined, there’s room for his Padron treats, plus one of his go-to smokes. Happy Father’s Day, Dad.
Fred’s Father’s Day Cigar Picks
The Newbie Dad
So Dad’s been known to throw down a cigar or two at weddings or on the golf course every so often. He likes cigars, but he’s far from an aficionado and you’re looking to change that. Here’s a sweet sampler to help break him into the world of cigar nirvana.
The Famous Mild body sampler, mild because you don’t want anything too strong on Dad’s big day. This sampler features both classic mild brands like Macanudo, the ‘new classic’ Romeo y Julieta Capulet, and some top-rated cigars bursting with flavor yet mellow enough for the inexperienced. Get Dad something you can enjoy together and share the experience of premium handmade cigars.
The Occasional Cigar-Smoking Dad
So Dad’s been looking to upgrade his humidor, or Mom’s ragging on him to clear those baggies of cigars off his desk. Craftsman’s Sonoma Gift Set will be sure to knock Dad’s socks off, and sure as heck beats last year’s tie. Craftsman’s Bench is renowned for quality-made humidors that last a lifetime.
This 65-count humidor is lined with Spanish cedar and decked out in a burled walnut finish. With the gift set you’ll get razor sharp cigar scissors along with a matching wine tool. This Father’s Day, get your old man something he’ll be proud to show off.
The Aficionado Dad
If Poppa is a self-proclaimed cigar expert and you’re going for the real ‘wow’ effect, set him up with a trip to Drew Estate’s Cigar Safari in Nicaragua. While it’s not cheap ($650 + travel), this is a once in a lifetime trip for cigar smokers. You’ll stay at Drew Estate’s La Gran Fabrica, one of the largest Tabacaleras in the world, in one of 11 luxury cabanas. Not only will you get to see how cigars are made from planting to rolling but you’ll get to sample exclusive cigars, blend your own custom cigars, eat like a king, and have your swag customized by Drew Estate’s Subculture Studios. Cigar Safari has gotten so popular we’re even auctioning tickets to this year’s event on Cigar Auctioneer. This is one of those Father’s Day gifts that Pops will talk about for the rest of his life. In the meantime, give him this Best of Drew Estate 6 pack as a preview of the good times to come:
Tommy Zman’s Father’s Day Cigar Picks
The Newbie Dad
There’s a simple rule for buying cigars for the beginner or newbie cigar smoker: Go mild. For the most part, the untrained palate can’t really appreciate or handle full-bodied/full-flavored sticks so you want to get them mild and aromatic smokes. The EO No. 21 is just that, smooth and mild with a sweet aroma and very pleasant on the palate with a cedary and nutty flavor profile.
The inside has an interesting blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran and Panamanian tobaccos and the outer leaf is a silky-smooth Connecticut shade. The inexpensive price on this aged bundle makes it good for you and the rich taste makes it good for them.
The Occasional Cigar-Smoking Dad
This is the guy who breaks out the occasional cigar when playing poker, camping, at a barbeque or hitting the golf course. You want to look for a nice medium-bodied cigar that’s not strong, but full of nice flavor. For this I’m recommending the Perdomo Champagne Epicure, a very popular stick with an awful lot of cigar smokers. The flavor profile gives off a natural sweetness with notes of coffee, cocoa and almond in this creamy and enjoyable smoke. With Nicaraguan tobacco on the inside and a silky Connecticut leaf on the outside, this taste treat will make your Father’s Day recipient a happy camper… literally.
If you really want to make this a thoughtful gift, let Dad’s Perdomo Pride show when you match those Champagnes with a Perdomo leather cigar case. Embossed with the Perdomo logo, it’s crafted with top-grain leather and contrast stitching, and lined with fragrant Spanish cedar to hold the humidity. This beauty will house up to 4 cigars, and is reinforced at each end. Best part is, it makes a classy statement at a very nice price – making it a great gift for yourself, too.
The Aficionado Dad
This is the guy who really enjoys a good stick and makes cigar smoking a part of his weekly repertoire. So, you really want to get this man something a bit special to make his Father’s Day memorable. And for this, I’m going with the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic, an attractive, beautifully rolled perfecto shape that comes in an attractive cedar chest lined with red velvet.
These refined smokes are made with aged Dominican filler and binder with a luxurious African Cameroon wrapper leaf on the outer. This one is medium-bodied but incredibly full-flavored with notes of cedar, coffee and spice. If you want to impress, the Hemingway Classic will bring a happy smile to Dad’s face; if you REALLY want to impress, add a box of Fuente coffee to the mix and send your Pops to cigar heaven.
Hopefully you’ve found something on this list of handpicked cigar gifts that will do the trick – or at least spark a few ideas on what you can give to your Dad to celebrate his big day. And from all of us at Cigar Advisor, Happy Father’s Day!
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Cigar Advisor Staff
The Cigar Advisor Staff is comprised of four good-humored, yet dangerously unpredictable writers who share over 75 years of premium cigar smoking experience. Traversing the tobacco landscape like smoke-shrouded Avengers, they wander (mostly because the fat one ate the map) in search of new leaf adventures armed with nothing but torch lighters and runcible spoons as their weapons. Each is equally knowledgeable on the matters and pursuits of the cigar lifestyle, with his own unique and capricious insights on various luxury, sports, automobiles and entertainment affairs - all served with good counsel for your reading pleasure.