Cigar Stories

Spring Has Sprung, and So Has Your Excuse to Smoke: 8 Must-Try Premium Cigars for Backyard Bliss

Written by Scott K. James

Spring’s here. Ditch the house, light a premium cigar, and pretend your backyard throne isn’t just a busted chair and a judgment-free zone.

It’s about damn time spring got here, I need a cigar! If I were truly master of my domain, I’d smoke in my house. All winter long! I’d be loving on a Perdomo Champagne Reserve as I write this missive from my spare bedroom/studio. But I don’t have a death wish, nor a spare bed upon which to sleep. Mrs. James is mean and means business.

So let’s get outside and enjoy this magical season when the snow melts, the birds chirp, and you can finally escape to your backyard without frostbite or judgment. It’s the perfect time to light up a premium, hand-rolled cigar and pretend you’re the master of your domain—even if your “domain” is a patchy lawn and a plastic chair. To give you a goal, here are eight cigars that are worth every penny and every eye-roll from your significant other.

1. Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story

  • Price: ~$7–9
  • Flavor Profile: Creamy, citrusy, earthy, with sweet notes.
  • Strength: Medium
  • Size: 4″ x 49
  • Why You Need It: This little perfecto packs a punch of flavor in a compact size, making it perfect for a quick smoke when you’re dodging chores.
  • Buy It: Neptune Cigar

2. Oliva Serie V Melanio Robusto

  • Price: ~$10–13
  • Flavor Profile: Hazelnut, coffee, chocolate, with a hint of spice and earth.
  • Strength: Full
  • Size: 5″ x 52
  • Why You Need It: Smooth and complex, this cigar is like a symphony in your mouth—without the pretentious conductor.
  • Buy It: Cigars Daily

3. My Father Flor de Las Antillas Toro

  • Price: ~$8–10
  • Flavor Profile: Cocoa, pepper, sweet cedar, and earth.
  • Strength: Medium to Full
  • Size: 6″ x 52
  • Why You Need It: Consistent and flavorful, it’s the reliable friend who always brings good vibes—and doesn’t borrow your tools.
  • Buy It: Casa de Montecristo

4. Padron 2000 Maduro

  • Price: ~$8–9
  • Flavor Profile: Coffee, cocoa, nuttiness, creaminess, earthiness, and dried fruit.
  • Strength: Medium to Full
  • Size: 5″ x 50
  • Why You Need It: A classic Nicaraguan cigar that delivers rich flavors without breaking the bank.
  • Buy It: Cigars Daily

5. AJ Fernandez New World Toro

  • Price: ~$6–7
  • Flavor Profile: Earth, spicy espresso, dark chocolate, with hints of cedar.
  • Strength: Medium to Full
  • Size: 6.5″ x 55
  • Why You Need It: Affordable yet complex, it’s the overachiever that makes you feel fancy without the price tag.
  • Buy It: Holt’s Cigar Company

6. Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Toro

  • Price: ~$9–11
  • Flavor Profile: Toasted almonds, leather, cedar, a kiss of creamy spice.
  • Strength: Mild to Medium
  • Size: 6″ x 54
  • Why You Need It:
    When you want a smooth, luxurious smoke without needing a glass of bourbon in your other hand to survive it — this is springtime in cigar form.
  • Buy It: JR Cigars

7. Warped La Hacienda

  • Price: ~$9–11
  • Flavor Profile: Honey, floral notes, almonds, and a whisper of citrus.
  • Strength: Medium
  • Size: 5.25″ x 52
  • Why You Need It:
    Boutique magic that tastes like the sun decided to kiss your mouth. Light it up when you’re feeling dangerous enough to admit you sometimes like things that don’t punch you in the throat.
  • Buy It: Small Batch Cigar

8. Liga Privada Undercrown Maduro Gran Toro

  • Price: ~$10–12
  • Flavor Profile: Chocolate, black pepper, espresso, sweet earth.
  • Strength: Medium to Full
  • Size: 6″ x 52
  • Why You Need It:
    This thing is like a velvet sledgehammer. Rich, dark, slightly dirty — perfect for when you want to kick spring in the nuts and do it with a grin.
  • Buy It: Cigars International

Final Puff of Wisdom

Eight real premium, hand-rolled cigars.
Zero gas station trash.
Plenty of excuses to disappear into your backyard and avoid repainting the garage like you promised.

Spring is fleeting, much like your patience for indoor restrictions. So, seize the season, claim your backyard throne, and indulge in these premium cigars and their perfect bourbon companions. After all, you’ve earned it—or at least, you can pretend you have while savoring every smoky, flavorful moment.

Now, light up, sip up, and enjoy the great outdoors—because inside, it’s just not worth the risk.

🥃🔥💨

About the author

Scott K. James

A 4th generation Northern Colorado native, Scott K. James is a veteran broadcaster, professional communicator, and principled leader. Widely recognized for his thoughtful, common-sense approach to addressing issues that affect families, businesses, and communities, Scott, his wife, Julie, and son, Jack, call Johnstown, Colorado, home. A former mayor of Johnstown, James is a staunch defender of the Constitution and the rule of law, the free market, and the power of the individual. Scott has delighted in a lifetime of public service and continues that service as a Weld County Commissioner representing District 2.

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