7 of the Best Budget Cigars

1. Punch Clasico Maduro Elite
2. La Venga No. 37 Maduro Robusto
3. Stallone The Pony Sumatra Short Gordo
4. Casa Turrent Nicaragua Perfecto 
5. Arango Sportsman 200 Natural Lonsdale
6. Matilde Serena Corona 
7. Nicarango Natural Toro 

You don't have to break the bank to experience a  premium cigar, but it helps to know where to look. This is especially important for anyone new to cigar smoking or looking to try new things to explore their preferences without investing much in something that may not be a favorite.   

That’s why we’ve assembled a list of 7 of our favorite cigars that are as friendly to the cigar smoker’s palate as they are their wallet. Included in this list are cigars of a variety of sizes and profiles so that you can find something that speaks to your individual taste as a cigar smoker. 

Punch Clasico Maduro Elite 

They aren’t called  Punch for nothing—this staple of Honduras’s cigar legacy offers full body and flavor for an affordable price. With the Clasico Maduro, Punch takes the already largely popular Clasico series and swaps the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper for a dark Connecticut Broadleaf to offer an even bolder smoking experience. With Connecticut Shade binder and filled with fine Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican leaf, the Clasico Maduro is proof that affordable doesn’t always mean compromising quality.

La Venga No. 37 Maduro Robusto

Here’s one for the lover of a complex, premium cigar at a great price. The  La Venga no 37 is an exceptionally smooth cigar made with Nicaraguan and Honduran filler and a Nicaraguan binder. The dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper imparts a boldness. Yet at a medium strength, this is a cigar that the casual cigar smoker can enjoy any day.

Stallone The Pony Sumatra Short Gordo 

Stallone Nicaragua Cigars was founded in 2014 by Tony Barrios but only recently broke into the US market in 2020. The following year, The Pony was let out of the stable. The Pony was conceived of in collaboration with Guillermo Pena and is manufactured at his famous Las Villas cigar factory in Nicaragua.

The Short Gordo vitola offers a stubby stogie packed with flavor. Beautifully constructed, notes of pepper and cedar develop into a herbal and cocoa finish in this full flavored cigar. A perfect option for those looking for powerful taste but not too high a nic-hit. 

Casa Turrent Nicaragua Perfecto 

The Turrent’s are not only Mexico’s largest supplier of cigar tobacco, but have concocted masterful blends of their own.

The Nicaragua was released by  Casa Turrent in 2018 as part of their Orígenes series, a line of cigars inspired by modernity, departing from the company’s usual tilt toward more classic presentation. The tobacco for this series has been cured in an innovative process developed by the Turrents—tabaco quemado de toja, or pilón burnt tobacco. This gives the cigar the perfect balance of spice and sweetness.

Arango Sportsman 200 Natural Lonsdale

Arango Cigar Company has been supplying smokers of all kinds with an array of cherished pipes, pipe tobacco and premium cigars for decades as one of the largest importers/distributors in the United States. Of their vast profile, which runs the tobacciana gamut, Arango cigars is one of their most popular brands.

The Arango Sportsman has been a favorite for lovers of flavored cigars since its introduction in 1984. Lush vanilla flavor permeates the filler of Dominican and Honduran tobacco, delivering a sweet taste and heavenly aroma from light to finish, not just at the beginning.

Matilde Serena Corona

Matilde developed their Serena brand to fill out their profile with a dynamic mild strength cigar, and they certainly hit the mark with this one. Starting with more pepper and herbal flavors, the Serena mellows to embrace a sweet lilt that is creamy with undertones of raisin, followed by a nutty, honey finish. This is a cigar to take your time with, not on the pain of a strong nic buzz, but on the pleasure of experiencing each draw.

Nicarango Natural Toro

In 2018, Arango launched their value premium cigar brand,  Nicarango. The brand features hand rolled cigars with Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and binder filled with fine Nicaraguan tobacco. Like other Arango blends, the cigar is crafted at the Nicaraguan America Cigars S.A. factory in Estelí.

The Nicarango offers a consistent and delightful smoke, creamy and sweet notes with a medium body. For this price and this quality, you can’t go wrong.

Hopefully this gives you a place to start, but you can also check out our blog featuring  8 great cigars for beginners for some more recommendations or find all the top rated Cigar Aficionado cigars throughout the years here! And of course, you can always reach out with any questions!