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Cigar Buying Guide: How To Choose Lonsdale CigarsSep 25 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Lonsdale cigars are perhaps my favorite style of cigar. Good length, good girth, ample opportunity for cigar manufacturers to blend tobaccos and create unique flavor profiles.
Some of the silliest categories at Epinions are the "buying Guides," particularly in the Cigar category. Indeed, it is such a silly category that no one has written a review here... until now. In the world of cigars, a Lonsdale is a reference to a cigar that is generally 6½ inches long and having a ring gauge of 44. Ring gauge is expressed in 1/64ths of an inch increments. Therefore, a cigar that has a ring gauge of 44 is actually 44/64ths of an inch in girth (diameter). There is no such thing as a standard size for cigars, and some Lonsdale cigars can be found -- depending upon the manufacturer -- in sizes ranging from 6" to 6¾" in length and having ring sizes from a 40-to-45 gauge. Then, too, some manufacturers call these cigars by a different name, such as: Corona Larga (Menendez y Garcia), Rothschild (Macanudo), or Royale (Partagas). But, as I have written, the generally accepted standard for a Lonsdale cigar having a 6½" length and a ring gauge of 44 -- a cigar that is typically one-inch longer than a Corona and about 5% thicker in girth. For most smokers, the Lonsdale sized cigar is a very comfortable style and size. Prices for non-Cuban brands range from as low as $1 per cigar to as high as $20 per cigar. The market is currently in a state of over-supply, and there are some very good deals on the market if you shop around. Cigars for Consideration -------------------------------------------------- For purposes of this review, I will simply ignore all Cuban brands since they are not available for purchase in the U.S.A. Some Lonsdale-sized cigars that I would recommend are: Bacchus Lonsdale - 6½" x 44 Purchased at Thompson & Co. -- I tried a box of these cigars last year. An excellent value. Highly recommended. (Dominican Republic, $39.00 per box of 25) Bolivar Tubo No. 1 - 6¾" x 43 http://www.epinions.com/content_25552326276 (Dominican Republic, MSRP $90.00/box of 20; JR Cigars: $68) Cohiba Lonsdale Grande - 6¼" x 47 (Dominican Republic, MSRP $310.00/box of 25; JR Cigars: $165) Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur V - 6-1/8" x 44 (Honduras, MSRP $90.00/box of 20; JR Cigars: $60) H. Upmann Lonsdale - 6½;" x 42 (Dominican Republic, $106.00/box of 25 at Thompson & Co.) Montecristo MX1 - 6-2/3" x 44 (Dominican Republic, MSRP $182/box of 25; JR Cigars: $118) Partagas No. 898 - 6-7/8" x 44 (Dominican Republic, MSRP $156/box of 25; JR Cigars: $105) Punch Punch - 6¼" x 44 (Dominican Republic, $88.00/box of 25 at Thompson & Co.) Romeo y Julieta Cedro Delux No. 1 - 6½" x 44 http://www.epinions.com/content_18189160068 (Dominican Republic, MSRP $112.00/box of 25; JR Cigars: $85) What I am Buying -------------------------------------------------- This past weekend, I tried a handmade cigar from Panama that impressed me tremendously: a Flor de Gonzalez Torpedo, 6½" x 52 ring gauge. It is made with a Costa Rican grown Sumatra-leaf wrapper, an Indonesian-leaf binder, and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic. The flavor was exotic, rich, and this cigar turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. In checking prices at J.R. Cigars (www.jrcigars.com), it appears that this cigar is being steeply discounted and the line is being closed-out. I don't know what the story is, but I ordered two boxes yesterday: 1) Flor de Gonzalez Lonsdale, 6½" x 44 Handmade in Panama, featuring mixed-filled, sandwiched tobaccos Price: discounted to $11.95 per box of 25 2) Flor de Gonzalez Churchill, 7" x 48 Handmade in Panama, manufacturers suggested retail: $168.75 per box of 25 cigars. JR's price: $19.95 per box of 25. As I mentioned: there are some good cigar deals on the market. The Lonsdale sized cigar is very popular, and you should be able to find some tremendous bargains online right now. Two of my favorite places to shop: J.R. Cigars and Thompson & Co. You should be able to find some very good Lonsdale cigars for about $3 or $4 apiece. Two of my strongest recommendations at the moment: Thompson & Co.: Bacchus Lonsdale - 6½" x 44 $39 for a box of 25 cigars, featuring an exotic Indonesian/Sumatran wrapper. J.R.Cigars: Romeo y Julieta Cedro Delux No. 1 - 6½" x 44 An exquisite cigar, under $4 apiece when purchased in quantity.  |
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