After tasting the Cubans, are you eager to explore the neighboring cigars from the Dominican Republic? Do you want to savor the best Dominican cigars?
You're in luck, this article will guide you!
The Dominican Republic is globally renowned for its tourism, sparkling blue ocean, white sandy beaches, and rum... But that's not all!
The climate and lands of this island nation also house some of the world's richest tobacco fields, making it a prestigious terroir for cigar enthusiasts.
Historically milder, Dominican tobacco has evolved and is now used in a wide range of blends.
The top 10 Dominican cigars are:
- Cohiba Red Dot
- Davidoff Aniversario
- La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero
- Arturo Fuente Hemingway
- Romeo y Julieta 1875
- Macanudo Cafe
- La Aurora 1903 Emerald
- Montecristo Classic Series
- Ashton Originals
- Arturo Fuente Opus X
Let's explore them in detail below!
1 - Cohiba Red Dot
The brand was created on the Cuban island in 1966 to be Fidel Castro's personal blend. In fact, until 1982, they weren't even available to the public. While Cuban Cohibas are still produced today, a Dominican version eventually emerged.
Among the range, Cohiba Red Dot stands out with a medium-bodied blend of Dominican and Indonesian long-filler tobacco beneath a toothy Cameroon wrapper.
- Wrapper: Cameroon
- Strength: Mild - medium
Flavor profile: The Dominican Cohiba Red Dot cigar offers consistent leather, wood, and pepper notes. The classic shape exudes a certain smoothness.
2 - Davidoff Aniversario
An aficionado of high-quality Dominican cigars has likely heard of Davidoff Aniversario. Once in your hand, you can't ignore the soft and luxurious design of this exceptional cigar, which is reflected in its price.
Nevertheless, you don't need to wear white gloves to enjoy these famous white-label Davidoff cigars, even though your taste for complex flavors will definitely be satisfied by this acclaimed cigar.
The Connecticut wrapper leaf from Ecuador combines a centuries-old blend of Dominican filler and binder tobacco in various traditional shapes.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
- Strength: Mild - medium
Flavor profile: Spicy cedar aromas combine with creamy coffee and spices to create musky yet mild profiles.
3 - La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero
Some cigar connoisseurs are not interested in a mild Dominican experience and want spicy flavors. This Double Ligero, peppery and powerful, will appeal to strong cigar enthusiasts.
The cigar is presented with an Ecuadorian oscuro wrapper and a double Ligero filler grown in Dominican farms, resulting in a cigar of exceptional strength. This makes it one of the strongest cigars available to the public.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Oscuro
- Strength: Strong
Flavor profile: This Dominican cigar combines earthy and cedar flavors with spicy notes and a strong finish. La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero offers a fine blend of bite and sweetness with an intoxicating aftertaste.
4 - Arturo Fuente Hemingway
The Fuente family is considered the world's most famous distributor of Dominican cigars. It's no coincidence that these cigars are highly appreciated by celebrities like Sylvester Stallone.
The Fuente house offers a plethora of unforgettable cigars, but for this selection, we've focused on the "Hemingway," which pays homage to the renowned writer.
Popular Dominican tobacco is meticulously wrapped in an oily Cameroon wrapper and is part of the best-selling Figurados collection.
- Wrapper: Cameroon
- Strength: Medium
Flavor profile: This Dominican Republic cigar offers a medium-bodied flavor of earth, caramelized yeast, baked spices, and a hint of cedar.
5 - Romeo y Julieta 1875
Amateur cigar enthusiasts who are seeking a balance between lighter and medium-weight cigars might find appreciation for the Romeo y Julieta 1875.
The recipe of Dominican tobacco rests beneath an Indonesian caramel-colored wrapper. The Romeo y Julieta 1875 has gained a favorable reputation, partly due to its collection of affordable formats.
- Wrapper: Indonesia
- Strength: Medium
Flavor profile: Roasted nut, pepper, and fresh coffee aromas give rise to an extremely popular and well-liked Cuban heritage blend.
6 - Macanudo Cafe
It's challenging to write an article about the best Dominican cigar brands without mentioning Macanudo. The unique blend of Dominican and Mexican tobacco from the San Andrés Tuxtla valley is wrapped in Connecticut wrappers, offering a fresh and creamy flavor.
Discover the famous silky blend that has become one of the world's most sought-after cigars since the 1940s.
- Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
- Strength: Mild
Flavor profile: Its aged, silky Connecticut Shade wrapper offers a smooth and creamy smoke that's warm and inviting. The Dominican-Mexican filler blend creates a mild-bodied, flavorful, and accessible cigar for all.
7 - La Aurora 1903 Emerald
While this cigar is an assembly of tobaccos from various regions, La Aurora 1903 Emerald must be included in this top 10 for several reasons.
La Aurora was the first cigar manufacturer in the Caribbean. It was created by Eduardo León Jimenes in 1903. Their first cigars were "Prefidi," and this 1903 blend pays homage to that legacy.
The 1903 Emerald cleverly utilizes the renowned tobacco from the Cibao Valley, found in both the binder and filler as well as the wrapper.
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
- Strength: Medium
Flavor profile: The combination of Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and Brazilian tobacco produces a very harmonious smoking experience.
8 - Montecristo Classic Series
The Montecristo, a true icon of Cuban heritage, offers a "Classic" variant with Dominican binder and filler, carefully balanced beneath a high-quality Connecticut blonde wrapper, creating a masterpiece of a cigar.
The result is an unforgettable smoking experience with a creamy and pleasant finish. Modern Dominican Montecristo cigars carry the same legend as their Cuban ancestors, and it's well-deserved.
- Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
- Strength: Mild
Flavor profile: The Montecristo Classic stands out with a complex and savory smoke, featuring generous fruity and herbal notes, along with an easy draw.
9 - Ashton Originals
The Ashton Originals are also Ashton Classics, and they epitomize the essence of Dominican cigars and the reasons why the region is so renowned.
The golden-hued Connecticut wrapper shines over a fine blend of aged Dominican tobacco, crafted by the Fuente family.
Ashton is a globally distributed brand and is a must-have for all cigar enthusiasts. The immense popularity of these classics is based on taste, accessibility, and consistency.
- Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
- Strength: Mild
Flavor profile: An appealing profile of cedar, almond, coffee bean, and cashew with a slightly sweet finish.
10 - Arturo Fuente Opus X
We conclude this selection with a true cigar legend. This is the one that allows you to say there was a "before and after" in your cigar-smoking journey—no less!
The most sought-after Dominican puro of all time is Fuente Opus I, but Carlito Fuente wanted to go even further! He combined the exceptional profiles of Opus I with the fruit of his patience in producing Dominican wrappers. This resulted in Opus X...
Thus, the rich, oil-covered wrapper grown on Fuente Chateau lands contains an aged base of Dominican tobaccos, creating an exceptional, unparalleled, and highly sought-after cigar.
- Wrapper: Dominican Republic
- Strength: Medium - strong
Flavor profile: Fuente Opus X offers nuances of leather, cedar, oak fruit, and spices for an exquisite, deeply complex, and powerful finish.
Dominican cigars, better than Cubans?
Capable of providing both incredibly mild cigars with genuine identity and rugged cigars with robust characters that might not be accessible to beginners, the Dominican Republic is truly a land of cigars!
In fact, our top 10 showcases the diversity of Dominican cigars, with a variety of strengths and flavors that can satisfy cigar smokers from novices to seasoned aficionados.
Some might even argue that Dominicans are better than Cubans... For us, it's impossible to determine, as both islands have influenced each other throughout history.
But one thing is certain for cigar enthusiasts like you: you will undoubtedly find a Dominican cigar that suits your palate. It's simply a matter of time before you discover it.
When you do find it, carry a few in a cigar case to share with your friends.
>> Discover our elegant cigar cases to carry your favorite cigars securely!
