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The 10 best vanilla cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024

Vanilla sticks and cigars on stylish background.
Jocelyn-Morales | Edited by Briley Kenney / Unsplash

Cigars fall into two major categories: naturally flavored and infused. Like many that come from Acid, infused cigars are soaked in essential oils, sugars, botanicals, or beverages like cognac to make them fruitier, sweeter, and wholly unique. Natural cigars, on the other hand, get their flavors from the blend of tobacco leaves they’re made from. Some cigar enthusiasts like both kinds, while some like one or the other. It’s mainly up to your preferences and tastes. But if you’re looking for a much broader range of flavors, infused cigars are the way to go. Some other popular brands that make infused cigars are Dutch Master, Rocky Patel, Drew Estate, and Baccarat. Here are a few of the best vanilla cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024.

Acid Blondie Blue Natural

Acid Blondie Blue cigar bundle best small cigars
Drew Estate Acid
  • Strength: Mild to Medium
  • Infused: Yes

I’ve recommended the Acid Blondie Blue before, and I stand by that. It’s a great mild to medium-bodied smoke infused with various flavors, including vanilla. Yes, you’ll get a few more flavors from the experience, but if you like sweet, creamy vanilla notes, you’ll love this one.

Avanti Vanilla

Avanti Vanilla cigar single out of the box from best vanilla cigars.
Avanti
  • Strength: Mellow
  • Infused: Yes

Made of Kentucky tobacco, the Avanti Vanilla is a small, quick cigar brimming with vanilla flavors. You’ll also get a little spice, but don’t worry; it’s still a mellow, relaxing smoke. When I tried these, I paired them with some coffee in the late morning.

CAO Bella Vanilla

CAO Bella Vanilla cigars in the box from best vanilla cigars.
CAO
  • Strength: Mellow
  • Infused: Yes

CAO’s Bella Vanilla is wrapped in a gorgeous Cameroon leaf over Nicaraguan tobacco and infused with vanilla beans to give a short, sweet smoke rich in flavor. They also come in a cigarillo size, but when I tried the blend, I opted for the Robusto.

Azucar by Espinosa

Azucar by Espinosa single cigar from best Vanilla cigars.
Espinosa
  • Strength: Mellow
  • Infused: Yes

This vanilla-flavored cigar hails from the Dominican Republic and features a natural Dominican wrapper and tobacco. It’s sweet and creamy and pairs well with your choice of a sugary beverage. Fun fact: Azucar means “sugar” in Spanish.

Garcia y Vega Game Palma Vanilla

Garcia y Vega Game Palma Vanilla in packaging from best vanilla cigars.
Garcia y Vega
  • Strength: Mellow
  • Infused: Yes

Aromatic, flavored, and plentiful, since they come in boxes of 40, the Garcia y Vega Game cigars are excellent everyday smoke. The Palma Vanilla features — you guessed it — lots of vanilla, some sweetness, and some creamy goodness.

La Gloria Cubana Corojo de Oro

La Gloria Cubana Corojo de Oro in Toro size from best vanilla cigars.
La Gloria Cubana
  • Strength: Medium to Full
  • Infused: No

Okay, first things first. The La Gloria Cubana Corojo de Oro is a traditional cigar, so it’s not infused, but the blend works together to produce some incredible flavors. It has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Brazilian Mata Fina, Dominican Piloto Cubano, and Nicaraguan Ometepe filler tobaccos. The primary flavor is caramel all the way through, with some dark flavors like coffee, nuttiness, and cedar. But the way the caramel and sweet notes roll off the tongue gives it a delightful, vanilla-like experience.

M by Macanudo Vanilla

M by Macanudo Vanilla / French Vanilla
Macanudo
  • Strength: Medium
  • Infused: Yes

This cigar has been discontinued, so it’s a tough find. That’s a shame because it’s chock full of vanilla, sweet, and creamy flavors. Since I’ve been able to try one, and they may still be available at select stores and locations, I’m including it on this list. I recommend grabbing more than one if you can get your hands on it. While it is unfortunate, cigars are often available in limited releases due to the natural agriculture behind them and the availability of grown tobacco strains. Sometimes, they don’t sell well; other times, continued production isn’t viable or sustainable. You can, however, try some of the other labels in the M by Macanudo line. They’re just as flavorful.

Sobremesa Brulee

Sobremesa Brulee delicious medium bodied cigars
Dunbarton Tobacco
  • Strength: Medium
  • Infused: No

While it’s not infused and instead a traditional cigar, the Sobremesa Brulee is pretty damn close thanks to light flavors like wood, caramel, and vanilla. It’s also nutty, creamy, and extra sweet. Even if your taste buds don’t pick up the vanilla, it’s still a phenomenal smoke.

Tatiana Classic Vanilla

Tatiana Classic Vanilla from best vanilla cigars.
Tatiana
  • Strength: Mild
  • Infused: Yes

Aged specifically in vanilla essence, this smooth, mild smoke never lets up on that flavor. You’ll taste it all through, along with lots of sweetness, sugar, and cream. Be careful; if you light one of these around some guests, they might beg you for one, too. They give off a lovely aroma.

If you like the Classic, you’ll also like the .

West Tampa Tobacco Co. White

West Tampa Tobacco Company White from best vanilla cigar.
West Tampa Tobacco Co.
  • Strength: Medium
  • Infused: No

Rich and creamy, this medium-bodied smoke from West Tampa Tobacco Company is a stunner. They’re handmade in Nicaragua and feature a Habano wrapper with an Ecuadorian Habano binder. The fillers are from Ometepe, Pueblo Nuevo, and Jalapa. You’ll get some leather, pepper, brown sugar, and plenty of vanilla cream. Since I live near Tampa, I cheated a little here — they may be harder to find out west if you’re not fond of shipped cigars.

If you like these, you should also try:

Get to know our expert

Best Connecticut cigars up close and personal
Briley Kenney / The Manual

Why should you listen to me? It’s a valid question. I smoke cigars all the time, and I have many recommendations and plenty of advice to share with others. But none of those things qualify me as an expert. Instead, it’s the years of experience, the time I’ve invested in the world of cigars, the excellent connections I’ve made with cigar makers and sellers, and the vast wealth of knowledge I’ve gained during that time. I know what goes into an excellent cigar, and I’ve certainly earned the right to recommend some to others, whether you’re a beginner and this is your first time smoking or have your own cabinet humidor stocked and maintained. Instead of waxing poetic, I’d rather let my recommendations speak for me.

Briley Kenney

Briley has been writing about consumer electronics and technology for over a decade. When he's not writing about deals for Digital Trends or The Manual, he's writing how-to content and guides for other online publications. He's also a ghostwriter for more than one confidential SEO marketing agency. In his downtime, he's either spending time with his family, playing games, or enjoying a good ol' stogie.

Send all editorial inquiries HERE.

The 12 best Connecticut cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024
Best Connecticut cigars up close and personal

Connecticut cigars are the clear winner for smoking on a hot summer day, in the morning with some coffee, or when you just don't want a swift kick in the teeth (of pepper). There's no shortage of options, either. Connecticut shade wrappers are one of the most prevalent in the world of cigars, and it's certainly the most common natural shade. Maduro is also popular, but the two wrapper types couldn't be any more different. Connecticut wrappers, and by proxy Connecticut cigars, are typically mild to medium in strength and brimming with creamy, smooth flavors. They're composed of tobacco leaves grown in the Connecticut River Valley in the United States -- which is where the name Connecticut comes from. Consistent and flavorful, some of the best beginner-friendly cigars are Connecticut-wrapped, but you should never sell them short. A Connecticut shade cigar can be just as refined, elegant, and premium as any other. If you know where to look, you may even find some of your favorite blends in the category across a wide range of brands and cigar makers.

I'm about to take you on a magical, doughy, and delicious trek through the broad range of Connecticut cigars. In short, here are the best Connecticut cigars tried and tested by a genuine enthusiast of the craft: yours truly.
The best Connecticut cigars I've tried and tested
While the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is considered a Connecticut shade, I did my best to steer clear of recommending them for this list. They're better classified as a Maduro shade or darker cigar. That doesn't mean you should avoid them, quite the contrary. But for this list, I wanted to stick to smooth, relaxing smokes that are strong on flavor but not quite so strong on pepper and spice. I also tried not to choose a lot of repeats. If you see your favorite cigar missing, that might be because it was recommended on another list or it just didn't make the cut. If you have any recommendations of your own, I'm always available through social media or email. Without further ado, let's get this thing started.
Aganorsa Leaf Connecticut

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The 10 best Dominican cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024
Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Every seasoned cigar lover has a preference for where their cigars come from. Cuban and Cuban cigars are the more obvious choices, but there is also Nicaraguan tobacco, Central African, Indonesian, Mexican, Ecuadorian, and Dominican. Some tobacco is even grown in the United States. Each region has a distinct flavor profile that adds a little something extra to the tobacco grown locally, as well as the cigars made there. The Dominican Republic is prized by many connoisseurs because of exactly this -- a rich, unique profile that enhances Dominican-grown cigars. That's in no small part due to the fertile soil and thriving climate of the region, which is ideal for tobacco growth and cultivation. If you've never tried a Dominican cigar, you're in for a real treat, there are some fantastic options out there.
The best Dominican cigars I've tried

Out of all the cigar guides I've put together so far, this one was one of the more interesting experiences for me. I had a great time trying out Dominican cigars, and I've definitely come away with an appreciation for blends made in the region. I'd also like to point out that Corey Suarez helped recommend some of these. If you haven't tried the JR Cigars or Cigars.com concierge service yet, you really should. Here's a little more about all of the best Dominican cigars I've tried:
Ashton Symmetry

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The 12 best small cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024
man smoking small cigar by engin-akyurt unsplash

Big cigars take a while to smoke. We're talking hours for some of the largest stogies out there unless you're puffing too often -- which you shouldn't do. But the cigar world is vast, and not only does that mean a ton of different cigar blends, from Maduro and Corojo to Nicaraguan and Cuban-made, but there are also a plethora of sizes from small to big. You don't have to buy, smoke, or even try a massive stogie, and I would argue against doing so for something like the . There are cigars much bigger than that. I can't imagine that would be a relaxing smoke, if at all enjoyable. Shrinking things down is possible, and I'm not referring to a Robusto or petite size either. I mean closer to a cigarillo. If you're looking for something short and sweet but packed with loads of great flavor, here are the best small cigars I've tried and tested in 2024.
The best small cigars tried and tested in 2024

Most of the time, if I want a quick cigar or something smaller, I'll reach for a nub or Robusto size. I prefer a full-bodied cigar and small cigars typically don't provide that. However, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy a smaller cigar or cigarillo occasionally. My top recommend is the . They are fantastic. Here is a little more detail about all the small cigars I've tried and loved in 2024.
Acid Blondie Blue

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