2015 CA Report: 60 Ring Cigar Buying Guide
Bigger is Better: CA’s Kick-Ass 60 Ring Cigar Buying Guide
8 of the Tastiest Texas-sized Smokes This Side of…er, Texas.
By Jonathan Detore
As the saying goes, bigger is better. If you don’t believe me, just ask a Texan. They’ll respond by giving you a 72 ounce steak presented on a giant plate (that’s really a complimentary belt buckle) the size of an oversized Frisbee, served personally by “Ham-Hand’s” Haley Hannahan – the bulky, 7’2” former bull wrangling champion out of Doss, TX. Of course, I had to add an extra foot on to her height because of her hair, but her hands still look like two hogs squealing around her waist as she lumbers about. Okay, so maybe Haley’s not a particularly great example of how bigger is better, but there are plenty of southern belles with 10 gallon hats. But the one area where this saying holds true -hands down – is cigars. Americans have been screaming for bigger and better cigars, and the industry responded by rolling massive stogies with some extreme flavor! I’ll warn you right now, these super-sized 60 ring cigar selections make the term “Texas-sized” seem downright puny.
Saint Luis Rey Serie G No. 6
Saint Luis Rey Serie G cigars have been heavy hitters in the biz for a long time now, cornering a solid support group of diehard fans. I swear if they all formed a lobbyist group, they’d be powerful enough to push a federal mandate through Congress to give people the option to receive their tax returns with boxes of these cigars in lieu of cash. In any case, it was quickly decided to give the people more of what they want: more tobacco, longer smoke time, and bigger flavor. Thus, the No. 6 was born. This Roman Candle of a cigar cigar launches blast after blast of full-bodied flavor straight to the head with a killer blend of semi-sweet spice with rich flavors throughout.
La Aroma De Cuba Immensa
The name may translate to “The Aroma of Cuba,” but this freedom stick is full-on ‘Murica-sized! It’s our way of sticking it to Cuba and declaring victory in Cold War II even though it hasn’t even started yet. This 60 ring cigar re-creation of a 19th century brand is handmade in Nicaragua by the acclaimed Garcia family and boasts deep flavors (such as cocoa and roasted coffee beans) from a dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. But be wary, this isn’t one for the mild smoker – it’s chock full of intensity.
Joya De Nicaragua Antaño 1970 Gran Consul
Goodness gracious, is this ever a powerbomb! If you’ve ever smoked an Antano, you already know this is an intense smoke with a lot of complexity. But now that it’s been supersized, we can only assume it will put the American populous into a zombie-like trance from the pure relaxation this sumo cigar offers. This extra full-bodied smoke is injected with a fistful of menacing Nicaraguan tobaccos that aficionados clamor over at the cigar shop like it’s Black Friday at a toy store. Only instead of picking up plastic toys that break 5 seconds after you unwrap them, you can smoke these at your leisure with your buds for hours.
Room 101 El Mas Chingon #3
Meaning “The Bad-Ass,” Room 101 cigars pays homage to all the bad-ass stogie heads out there that love beefed-up cigars. This cigar is stuffed with a ton of premium tobaccos to create a smoke that’s heavier than a Thanksgiving meal with an extra helping of mashed potatoes. Don’t believe me? Just pick one of these bad boys up and experience this 3-nation juggernaut for yourself. Honestly, you’d probably struggle to bench this behemoth, but with an incredibly smooth finish, you should have no trouble smoking it.
Inferno 3rd Degree Sixty
We Americans are a hard-working people. But after quitting time, it’s time to do what we do best: play hard. There’s perhaps no better 60 ring cigar to enjoy your play time with than the Inferno 3rd Degree by Oliva. The 3rd Degree contains a chunky 4-alarm blend of all-Nicaraguan tobaccos encased in an eye-opening Habano-seed wrapper to light a fire that’ll last from the first game of horseshoes to the final toss of ladder golf. Hell, it’s as American as lawn darts – only unlike lawn darts, these flavor bombs haven’t been banned yet. Check out this great smoke from Oliva cigars.
Gran Habano Corojo #5 Imperiales
One of the greatest American past-times is the art of tubing. All you need is an inner tube, a case of beer, and a few hours to spend slowly drifting down a river while you turn as red as a boiled lobster. And what better way to make tubing all the better than with a solid multi-hour smoke, courtesy of Gran Habano? The Corojo #5 Imperiales is the perfect 60 ring cigar to send drifting down the river with you on a sunny day due to the massive flavor output, long burn time, and penchant for pairing well with almost any beer you send down the river with you. Just make sure you don’t rest the cigar on the tube or you’ll be screaming “man overboard.”
La Gloria Cubana Gilded Age Magnum
The great economist/inventor/ladies man Ben Franklin once said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” There’s no greater ambition in America than to strike it big, and this is the sentiment that helped create the Gilded Age in America – propelling average Americans into the millionaire’s club. That’s why the Gilded Age cigar is the perfect cigar for chasing the American dream! This monster stogie puts out a rich and opulent flavor from a serious blend of longfiller tobaccos wrapped in an Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro wrapper, all at a penny-pinching price. You’ll be able to take those savings and invest them so you can rake in the dough like a hot shot!
Punch Rare Corojo El Doble
One of the most popular and best-selling cigars in the United States is the Punch Rare Corojo, and for damn good reason. These are storied cigars that date back generations. Chances are, if your pappy smoked cigars, he smoked these. But to conform to the modern smoker who craves a massive 60 ring cigar, Punch made this popular smoke in a now-popular size. Aside from having perfectly balanced flavor and aroma, this stogie is the only one on my list that comes partially box-pressed for a more comfortable mouth feel when you bite down on it. This is one epic stogie.
Massive cigars are here – and as Americans are always looking for the next best thing, the trend for bigger cigars has been growing. From the Big Apple to the Golden Gate Bridge, stogie nuts are going gaga for gargantuan ‘gars, and these have proven to be some of the most kick-ash fatties on the market. Try them for yourself today, tell us what you think of the list, and let us know your favorite biggies in the comments below!