9 Best Dominican Republic Cigars That Are Natural AND Authentic

The Dominican Republic is one of the largest exporters of cigars worldwide. The country’s climate is a sweet spot for growing high-quality tobacco, allowing them to have a booming cigar market.

Numerous cigar makers find themselves working in the Dominican Republic, including many famous Cuban manufacturers.

The top-pick Dominican cigar would have to be the Arturo Fuente Hemingway

Not only is the brand extremely reputable, but the Hemingway is chock-full of rich flavors.

With that in mind, there are several other Dominican Republic cigars that are worth checking out. In this post, I’ll review the top Dominican cigars based on tobacco quality, flavor, and brand.

Sam H.
Sam H.

Cigar Enthusiast

TOP CHOICE Arturo Fuente Hemingway

  • Perfect blend between wrapper & tobacco
  • Delicious flavor combination
  • Well constructed
 

The smooth smoke and delicious flavor combination is what makes this one of the best Dominican cigars out there.

Ashton ESG

  • Dominica filler tobacco
  • Dominican wrapper
  • High-quality tobacco

Romeo Y Julieta 1875

  • Complex flavors
  • Indonesian wrapper
  • Affordable

9 Best Dominican Republic Cigars

  • Strength: Medium
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Cameroon
  • Shape: Multiple
  • Flavor: Mixed
  • Suitable for: Beginner Cigar Lovers
 

You can’t talk about the best cigars without mentioning Arturo Fuente. The Fuente family is world-famous for producing some of the most desired Dominican cigars available, and their Hemingway is no exception.

Author Ernest Hemingway had a deep love for Cuba, so the cigar is named after him and his Cuban love story. The construction and craftsmanship that goes into this cigar is unreal. You can literally feel the passion and skills that goes into every single handmade Hemingway cigar.

The African Cameroon wrapper goes together perfectly with the sweet blend of Dominican tobaccos.

With every puff, you’ll feel how well constructed and high-quality the Hemingway is.

The smooth smoke and delicious flavor combination is what makes this one of the best Dominican cigars out there.

  • Strength: Full Bodied
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Habano
  • Shape: Torpedo
  • Flavor: Spices/Botanicals
  • Suitable for: Daily Smoking
 

It goes without saying that high-quality tobacco varieties are part of what makes a cigar great.

The Ashton Estate Sun Grown (ESG) is packed with some of the best Dominica filler tobacco on the planet, and you can feel it with every puff.

Funny enough, all the tobacco inside the Ashton ESG is grown at the Fuente family estate. They load their premium cigars with Dominican tobacco from world-class cigar makers, and that’s why the ESG is one of the best.

The pure Dominican wrapper combines beautifully with the Dominican binder leaf, adding to the cigars overall taste and construction.

The aromas and flavor produced by the Ashton ESG is almost unmatched in the industry. It’s the perfect first cigar for beginners or daily smoke for seasoned aficionados.

  • Strength: Mild/Medium
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Indonesian
  • Shape: Robusto
  • Flavor: Spices/Nuts/Coffee
  • Suitable for: Lounge Smoking
 

Romeo Y Julieta is another household name for cigar lovers. They create an extensive line of Cuban-like cigars for the whole world to enjoy. The Romeo Y Julieta 1875 is a benchmark Dominican cigar that’s full of complex flavors from select tobaccos.

The caramel-colored Indonesian wrapper leaf gives this stogie a unique look, and the taste of the essential oils are incredibly smooth.

You get a nice blend of nuts, spice, chocolate, and coffee mixed into every puff.

The brand has perfected the formula of cigar production, so they can offer these premium Dominican cigars at an affordable rate. While they are extremely famous in the Dominican Republic, Romeo Y Julieta have reached cigar superstardom in various other countries.

  • Strength: Mild
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Connecticut shade wrapper
  • Shape: Torpedo
  • Flavor: Sweet/Grassy
  • Suitable for: New Smokers
 

Montecristo is perhaps one of the most famous Cuban/Dominican cigar brands in the world. Their Montecristo signature cigar is packed with phenomenal Dominican tobacco that rests underneath an oil-soaked Connecticut shade wrapper.

The construction and look of the Montecristo is quite impressive, so you’ll be able to win the hearts of fellow cigar smokers when you light one up.Nonetheless you’ll get an absolute kick out of smoking it, especially if it’s one of your first cigars.

Although it’s a dark cigar, it’s not necessarily strong.

The Dominican blend is relatively mild compared to full bodied cigars with the same color.

The Connecticut wrapper feels nice on your lips, and you can taste the rich flavor profile with every draw.

I’d recommend choosing a Montecristo if you’re into mild cigars, but still want a nice punch of taste notes.

  • Strength: Mild
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Connecticut wrapper
  • Shape: Multiple
  • Flavor: Spices/Cedar Wood/Cream/Coffee
  • Suitable for: Social Smoking
 

If you’re a cigar lover with a big budget, then it’s worth checking out the Davidoff Aniversario. While it is more on the pricey side, you definitely get what you pay for. Rarely do you find a premium stogie that ticks all the boxes in terms of tasting notes, build, and burn.

However, you can’t go wrong with the beautiful combination of cedar wood, cream, coffee, and rich spice that hit your palate while smoking on a Davidoff.

Moreover, it’s a completely mild cigar that won’t feel too harsh on your throat.

The blend of Dominican filler tobaccos along with the Dominican binder leaf ensure that this cigar burns incredibly smooth. You can puff on it while relaxing at your hotel, or while having a barbecue with close friends. The versatility along with the character of the Davidoff Aniversario make it one of my go-to Dominican cigars.

  • Strength: Medium
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Connecticut wrapper
  • Shape: Toro
  • Flavor: Spices/Wood
  • Suitable for: Cuban Cigar Smokers
 

Even if you’re new to smoking cigars, chances are you’ve heard of Cohibas. That’s because they are among the most popular Dominican cigars worldwide. The original Cohiba brand started in Cuba, and was Fidel Castro’s preferred tobacco blend.

They were typically only available to private customers up until 1982. You can still get your hands on Cuban Cohibas wherever they’re legal, but the ones in the United States are usually Dominican.

The cavalcade of tasting notes and aromas are incredible with every Cohiba cigar.

You get a nice mix of wood, leather, and spice whenever you take a puff.

Although Cohibas are medium bodied cigars, they aren’t too strong if you’re a beginner. That said, you still get a pleasant kick when smoking them.

  • Strength: Full bodied
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua
  • Shape: Robusto
  • Flavor: Citrus
  • Suitable for: On-The-Go Smoking
 

The Carrillo Encore EPC is not only an award winning cigar, but a popular stogie that’s suitable for just about any kind of cigar aficionado. These cigars go through a tried and tested aging process to produce the smooth and sweet taste. The fine-grade Dominican tobacco along with the premium Nicaragua wrapper make this full bodied cigar one of the best within its price range.

The Robusto shape ensures that the Carrillo Encore burns smoothly, making it the perfect cigar to smoke at home, in the lounge, or on-the-go.

The combination of citrus and orange peel tasting notes pair nicely with bourbon or scotch.

The slight creamy note is somewhat relatable to a Davidoff cigar, but the price is much less.

  • Strength: Mild
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Connecticut shade wrapper
  • Shape: Corona
  • Flavor: Coffee
  • Suitable for: Smoking With Coffee
 

If you’re a fan of java juice and smoking cigars, then you’ve got to check out Macanudo Cafe. The Dominican tobaccos are incredibly mild with this cigar, you can even enjoy one while having your morning cup of Joe.

Macanudo Cafe is known throughout the community for creating some of the best infused stogies, and their Dominican cigars hold a candle to their reputation.

The Connecticut shade wrapper pairs nicely with the sweet blend of Dominican tobaccos. Moreover, the corona shape offers such a smooth burn that you can smoke this cigar virtually anywhere.

  • Strength: Medium
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Wrapper: Connecticut wrapper
  • Shape: Panatela
  • Flavor: Mixed
  • Suitable for: Collecting
 

The Davidoff No.2 cigar might come with a high price tag, but it’s still an excellent value for money. The beautiful blend of Dominican tobaccos and Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper really brings this cigar together. It’s no wonder it’s considered one of the best Dominican stogies in the country.

You can truly tell that the Davidoff Signature No.2 is a handmade cigar rolled and perfected by an expert cigar maker. From wrapper to filler, you can feel and taste all the hard work in every puff.

The Davidoff Signature No.2 produces such an everlasting aroma that’s native to Dominican cigars.

Best Mild Dominican Cigars

  • Macanudo Cafe. Delicious espresso flavored cigar that’s incredibly mild and easy on the palate.
 
  • Davidoff Aniversario. A more high-end option that offers you everything you would expect from a top-notch mild cigar.
 
  • Montecristo. A variation of the Cuban classic cigar that’s worth trying if you prefer mild stogies.
 

What Makes Dominican Cigars Special?

The Dominican Republic and Cuba are extremely close geographically.

As a result, both countries have the perfect climate for growing amazing tobacco and making some of the best cigars on the market.

While Dominican and Cuban cigars might share some similarities, Dominican stogies have unique qualities that make them stand out. However, many people from Cuba moved to the Dominican Republic during the Cuban Revolution, and they brought their passion for cigars with them.

Here are a few reasons why Dominican cigars are considered some of the best around:

 

1. High-Quality Factories

Factory standards need to be high in order to make premium-grade cigars. The emerging factories in the Dominican Republic have proven to be extremely clean and well-managed. You can find numerous cigar factories around Santo Domingo, La Aurora, and other parts of the country.

 

2. Various Tobaccos

The blend of tobaccos is one of the primary reasons people can instantly recognize Dominican cigars. Some cigars use a blend of Dominican and Mexican tobaccos, where others strictly only use native leaves.

 

3. Experienced Rollers

Every Dominican cigar you smoke just screams passion. Although you can find excellent cigars from other countries, such as Nicaragua, Cuba, and Mexico, there’s just something about Dominican sticks that stand out.

Everything from the wrapper, binder, and filler tobacco is handled incredibly well.

 

FAQs

 

What’s the best Dominican cigar?

Choosing the best Dominican cigars is tough considering all the options.

If you’re looking for a cigar that ticks all the boxes, then you can’t go wrong with the Arturo Fuente Hemingway. The wrapper, filler, and smoke are all outstanding.

 

Does the Dominican Republic have good cigars?

Given the list above, you can see that the Dominican Republic is a country that knows its cigars. Besides Cuba and Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic is pretty much the only country to produce cigars at such a massive scale.

 

Are Dominican cigars as good as Cubans?

From the surface, it can be tricky to tell the difference between Cuban and Dominican cigars. The taste and overall construction are extremely similar. While some long-term cigar lovers might tell you that Cubans are the best choice, it really boils down to what you like.

I’d argue that the aging process used in the Dominican Republic makes some of their stogies superior to Cuban or even Nicaraguan cigars. You’ll need to try a few brands from Cuba and the Dominican Republic to truly see which one suits you better.

 

Verdict

After evaluating all the best Dominican cigars, I’m almost tempted to go further down the Dominican rabbit hole.

I consider the Arturo Fuente Hemingway to be the best of the bunch.

If you’re planning on trying your hand at Dominican cigars, I recommend giving each of the cigars above a try. They all offer their own unique twist, so it should be easy to find one that matches your style.