The third installment in this series on the best cigars made in the USA brings us back to Florida. It also showcases two very different cigar lines.

One is very close to Cuba and has recently been called one of the best cigars made in the United States.

The second is closer to Cuba than the first, and it too has a claim on the title of best U.S.-made cigar.

If that makes sense to you, then you will have a good idea of where we are headed. If it doesn’t, just sit back and relax. It will all be explained in the cigar reviews below the fold.

The order in which cigars are presented in this series does not indicate relative quality or rating. It is not a top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top list. All cigars in this list are quite good, all are quite different, and each one is a #1 cigar in its own way.

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Let’s be honest. When most people think of premium cigars, they do not think of “made in the USA.”

Everyone knows that the best cigars in the world come from Cuba.

…or from the Dominican Republic.

…or from Nicaragua, or from Honduras, or from the Bahamas, or…

Well, you get the idea. Best is always a matter of taste and opinion, and it varies from person to person even though we can usually agree on some general guidelines. What is best for one person may be last on the list for another. The best cigars in the world, however, are usually not thought of as being made in the United States.

In fact, a lot of people assume that the only cigars made in the USA are ones that you buy at gas stations and convenience stores.

If that is what you believe, then prepare to be enlightened. You might have been missing out on some world-class smokes.

Tomorrow, we celebrate Independence Day in the United States. I couldn’t think of a better time to highlight some of these special cigars made in America cigars than during this U.S. holiday season. So, I have come up with a list of ten top cigars that are home-made even if they are not completely home-grown and will focus on two each day over the next week.

Some of the cigars chosen for the top ten list will be familiar to you. Some of them you may not know about. All of them are worthy of your consideration for a place in your humidor.

The order in which they are presented is not a top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top list. These cigars are all quite good, all quite different, and each one is a #1 cigar in its own way.

Also, since this site is international in scope, with readers on every continent except Antarctica, some of you may find these American gems hard to get. Now you know how we in the States feel when we hear you wax eloquent about Cuban cigars.

And on that somewhat ironic note, let me share some U.S. treasures with you.

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Matt at Matt’s Cigar Journal has a review up of the Camacho Select Torpedo. One thing that he mentioned got my attention right away.

“A fantastic, flavorful Cameroon that is as good or better than any other Cameroon I have smoked.”

Check out the rest of his review at his blog.

I am very fond of Cameroons, so this is a cigar that I plan to pick up and sample in the near future. Matt had a chance to sample some of the pre-production versions of this particular cigar and says that the production version has been kicked up a notch.

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Cigar Jack has a brief guest review of a Cuban Bolivar Petit Corona that rates it a 9.5 and has some very positive things to say about it. The review is based on 1990 cigars.

There is also a more detailed review of this cigar over at My Cigar Blog , based on 2003 cigars, that says the brand “lives up to its hype” and is “highly recommended.”

So, if you are not a U.S. citizen and if prime Cuban cigars are legal for you to “consume,” you might want to take note of it.

Over at Mike Salsbury’s Blog, there’s a nice review of this higher-priced premium. I haven’t smoked one of the Graycliff Blue Label’s myself yet, but Mike certainly makes it sound tempting.

Especially since he mentions that he picked his up at a discount on CigarBid. I did a quick check over there and found some of these beauties selling for less than half the regular retail price.

Here’s a small excerpt of what Mike has to say. Head to his site for the full picture, and while you’re there, check out about a half dozen or so other cigar reviews he’s posted.

“The slightly oily Indonesian wrapper is very smooth and slightly darker than a typical Connecticut shade, more of a Colorado - having a touch of redness to it. The filler of the Graycliff Blue Label PGX Professionale is reported to be a mix of tobacco from Brazil, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. At 6.0″ x 50 ring gauge, they feel comfortably large in your hand.”

The review is from the end of August, but the cigars haven’t changed. In fact, with the reputation Graycliff has built I’d stake money that Mike’s review will still be valid a couple of years down the line.

*Sigh*

So many cigars…so little time.

Cigar Jack has a great review up of the AF Don Carlos #2.

Here’s a short excerpt:

The thing I love about Cameroon is how subtle it can be in revealing the flavors and spices. The Cameroon has a wonderfully sweet smell to the smoke that reminds me of toasted vanilla. I’ve also had couple comments from my wife about how she enjoyed the aroma of this cigar (trust me this is not something I normally hear).

I share his fondness for Cameroon wrappers, and while the cigar is one I haven’t reviewed here it is one that I also have enjoyed. I completely agree with what he says about it. and second his opinion. It’s a great smoke, and his review is an interesting read. Check it out.

(It also sounds like his wife and my daughter might agree on a lot of things. )