Best Honduran Cigars
Honduras boasts some of the best cigar brands in the world, and choosing among them can prove quite the task. To help narrow your choices, here are some of the most loved Honduran cigars:
1. Casa Torano
Around the time of Cuba’s nationalization, Carlos Torano fled Cuba with his seeds and knowledge and has been making cigars ever since. Between both his family’s Honduran and Nicaraguan factories, the Torano’s bring about 20 million cigars to market each year.
One of the most popular in their line is the Casa Torano, or “house blend.” It contains a combination of Central and South American tobacco plants that provide a simple, yet rich flavor. There is never a bitter or abrasive taste, and the aroma remains consistent all the way down to the stub.
2. Camacho Corojos
The Camacho company was acquired in 1995 from the famed Eiroa family who have over a hundred year history in the cigar business. The Eiroa’s, originally from Cuba, were forced to leave their country during the Cuban revolution. They settled in Florida and Nicaragua and eventually branched out to Honduras. They claim the one-of-a-kind wrapper leaves grown in Honduras make their cigars unique from all others.
Their Honduran cigars are fully-aged and provide a full-bodied, vintage experience. The seeds, smuggled out of Cuba and now grown in Ranchos Jamastran in Honduras, grow into the unique plants responsible for the Camacho’s strong, complex aroma.
3. Gran Habano Connecticut #1
Even though these cigars are manufactured in Honduras, none of them contain a solitary Honduran tobacco leaf. Today, tobacco is grown all over the globe, and as strains hybridize and blend, the flavors are constantly improving. George Rico (owner of Gran Habano) takes advantage of this evolution and tries to use the “best of the best” in his products.
Perhaps the most sought after aspect of the Gran Habano is the Connecticut wrapper. Although it has its beginnings in Cuba, this leaf is now grown in the unlikely state of Connecticut. The Connecticut River Valley happens to have soil very similar to the Vuelta Abajo region of Cuba and is perfect for growing this shade leaf.
The beautiful leaf burns smooth and even, creates a distinctive ash, and has a tinge of floral and spice, which enhances the Honduran cigar’s main ingredients.
4. El Rey del Mundo
Considered one of the finest cigars in the world, El Rey del Mundo has two sister brands — one located in Cuba and one in Honduras. The company’s history dates back to 1848 and has continued as one of the top in the cigar industry for over a century and a half.
The cigars are handmade and composed of an aromatic blend of Honduran, Dominican, and Nicaraguan leaves. They have a mild, yet complex aroma that is ideal for first timers.
5. Punch
Punch, whose name comes from a street-side puppet show in England, is another cigar brand with roots dating back to 19th century Cuba. Like many cigar companies, they moved to Honduras and were an instant favorite among Americans. They have a bit of a cult following who feel Punch products embody the essence of a cigar.
Punch is strong and flavorful, and while it may be intense for beginners, it is much appreciated by cigar enthusiasts. The rich combination of Honduran tobaccos mixes perfectly with the smooth Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper to make one of the most distinguished Honduran Cigar.
