2021 CA Report: The Top 5 Best Tailgating Cigars
The Best Cigars to Take Tailgating on Any Budget!
The beauty of tailgating is that whether you’re a rabid sports fan, or don’t know how many players are on a baseball team (like me) – you’re guaranteed a good time. The setup is simple. Pack your truck up to the gills with cigars, beer, food, folding chairs, and a pop-up tent to keep the sun from baking you alive, and then get to the stadium early – ready to party.
Some folks bring grills. Some just fill a cooler. Others bring an entire restaurant (I’m not kidding). But the food game is even bigger than the real game. Mac ‘n’ cheese, bacon cheeseburgers, jalapeno poppers, chips and dip – the list goes on. I figure that most of you will occupy the first two groups, but all I can really tell you is that the normal ‘rules’ no longer apply. Rules like, “No drinking before 5:00 p.m.” Good luck with that. Just bring your favorite feast and come hungry.
And you don’t even need a tailgate. Sure, it serves as a handy table for your hot dogs, burgers, and brews, but you’ll have just as good of a time in a regular old car with a trunk. Tailgating is about camaraderie, forgetting about all of life’s bullshit. Just letting loose and enjoying yourself with friends. Relaxing – even when cigars are involved – sometimes gets rowdy, and this pastime is a perfect example.
Below we have five of the best cigars to take tailgating and they range from economy-priced to super premium smokes, all depending on the investment you want to make for your best cigar tailgating party. Plus, a sampler that takes the guesswork out of deciding.
It Just has to Burn – Odyssey Habano Robusto Bundle
Sometimes you just want something to puff on. Maybe your group has a larger cigar appetite than your budget affords, or they go big on the BSing, leaving little room for you to sit back and fully appreciate your smoke. If what they’re smoking is less important than smoking itself, don’t shell out on a big brand that’s gonna get lost in the sauce and underappreciated. Consider something like Odyssey Habano instead. No frills, 20 cigars, and a price under $2 a stick. You’ll still get a medium-bodied burn, plenty of spice, and flavors that’ll pass for most smokers. Unlike that horrendous QB you landed in the draft…
B.Y.O.B. – Liga Privada Undercrown Maduro Corona 5-Pack
And by B.Y.O.B., we mean Bring Your Own Burn. Maybe you don’t need to buy for everyone – just for yourself. If you’re traveling light, a five pack of Liga Privada Undercrown Coronas makes an epic companion filled with delicious complexity to keep your taste buds excited. The wrapper is a oily Mexican San Andres Maduro with savory spices and sweetness. It gives the blend a cocoa-like flavor with a round of coffee, pepper, and nuts. Best part – no need to splurge. It’s all the Liga Privada deliciousness you want without the high price tag. Perfect when you’re cheering your team to victory!
For the Experienced Cigar Smokers – Romeo y Julieta House of Romeo
If your tailgating tagalongs are full-blown aficionados, Romeo y Julieta House of Romeo will quench their picky palates with a cigar so good, we added it to our exclusives list. The Toro size fits most smokers comfortably with a 6” x 52 format that goes long without diving into overtime. Among its flavors are floral elements, tangy notes of wood, and an overall profile that reminds me of a good Cuban. Calling the cigar complex is an understatement, but I think you’ll just call it tasty. And of course, it’s got a great price too – just north of $5 a stick. A perfect full-bodied puffer after you’ve stuffed yourself stupid with burgers and coleslaw!
It’s My Turn to Buy – 3X3 Tubo Churchill by Davidoff
If you’ve got a big tailgating group that needs a large supply of cigars, check out 3X3 Tubo Churchills by Davidoff. They’re around $3 bucks apiece – smaller sizes are even less – and that means all your buddies can get one without your bank account falling into the red. And with the Davidoff pedigree and a mellow, creamy appeal, everyone’s gonna look at you like the hero (see our full review on 3X3)! Unlike that kicker who chokes the field goal on 3rd and 10. 3X3 come in bundles of 9, and the convenient tubo makes sure it doesn’t get destroyed in your pocket amidst all the shenanigans.
Spared No Expense – Padron Serie 1926 No. 1
If you’re for tailgating box seats that come with their own catering staff, you’re probably looking for the finest cigars money can buy. Padron stands among the few brands that can deliver the goods that their super premium price demands. Considered the gold standard of the Nicaraguan cigar flavor profile, Padron’s signature coffee and cocoa combo smokes smooth with a perfect balance between spices and sweetness. And even if you don’t manage a hedge fund, rally your buddies and split a box ahead of game day and your wallet won’t take as big of a hit.
I Can’t Decide… – Bomb Diggity Tailgating Sampler
With so many options, choosing can feel overwhelming – I’ll make it easy. Why choose when you can have it all with the Bomb Diggity Tailgating? It comes with one cigar each of*:
Cohiba Robusto
Romeo Reserve Toro
Camacho Criollo Robusto
Oliva Baptiste Toro
Rome y Julieta 1875 Bully
*substitutions may be made due to stock limitations
They range from medium to full-bodied and dish out flavors like a zesty sweetness from Oliva Baptiste, full throttle pepper and spice from the Camacho Criollo, and the dependably silky-smooth smoke that has made RyJ’s 1875 series a go-to daily smoker for decades. Factor in a healthy discount and your gameday hype-up has never been easier.