I have smoked a tremendous number of different cigars over the years as part of my daily routine. Many are new cigars that others wish for me to sample and assess, and honestly most are ho-hum smokes. Every once in awhile though, I come across a cigar that I find to be real joy to smoke and I add it my rotation along with my old time favorites. Below are three cigars that I consider worthwhile - some are new, while others are time tested veterans. I can not promise you will like them all, but I regard each as fine cigar well worth your sampling. I offer them as smokable suggestions.

Henry Clay Brevas Conservas

Honduras Saint Luis Rey Series "A"

Rafael Gonzalez Lonsdale

Henry Clay Brevas Conservas

The Henry Clay Brevas Conservas is one of the ugliest cigars made. It has a dark coarse wrapper riddled with veins and an abnormal shape that can be round, square, triangular, or anywhere in between. Its odd shape is the result of the cigar being tightly bundle-pressed after rolling. It looks like something that Clint Eastwood would smoke in a "Spaghetti Western" as he exacts his revenge on those who spited his family. However, what these cigars lack in elegance they more than make up for in taste. They are hearty smokes with a solid core of bittersweet cocoa and a long spicy finish. This is the perfect example of a "leathery" smoke, and if you like your cigars "bold" this is a definite "must try" cigar.

Honduras Saint Luis Rey Series "A"

Introduced in mid-1996, the Honduran Saint Luis Rey Series "A" is one of the few boom cigars that really made the mark with my palate. It is a well made Honduran puro that delivers a tremendous amount of flavor and body to the smoker. The draw is smooth and easy, while the burn is even and slow. It is a robust smoke with a rich, uncut, spicy flavor that rewards the cigar puffer who likes his cigars to be high octane. This full-bodied stick is too much for most new smokers, but for those of you out there that crave their tobacco to provide a punch, this is an ideal cigar. Add the less than $4.00 price tag into the equation, and this also becomes a fantastic bargain.

Rafael Gonzalez Lonsdale

Every time I light a Rafael Gonzalez Lonsdale I pay a silent tribute to Sir Hugh Cecil Lowther, the Fifth Earl of Lonsdale. This exquisite Havana brand was made per his personal request and in turn, this particular size was named in his honor. This elegant cigar is a beautifully constructed box pressed vitola. It is a slow, cool burning cigar with a rich, textured smoke. Tempered flavors of earth and wood combine with a slight honey-like quality to make this a delectable cervante. The aroma from this cigar is like the finest French perfume on the nape of beautiful woman's neck to the cigar aficionado's nose. This was the first Lonsdale ever made, and is possibly still the very best in the world. Consider this a "must-have" cigar.