When discussing cigars for Halloween, or any horror-themed cigar in general, the Tatuaje Monster series is always mentioned first.  For 13 years, Pete Johnson and the Tatuaje team have been releasing limited edition cigars named after famous movie monsters.  Among my favorite is the Drac, especially in the skinny monster lancero size.

Named after legendary vampire Dracula, this thin smoke uses Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos along with a zesty Ecuadorian Habano wrapper for a full-flavored cigar experience.  The thinner ring gauge makes it even more flavorful due to the wrapper to filler ratio, which is why it’s among my favorites.

The Boneshaker is still among my favorite private labels we have here at JR.  It is amazingly flavorful and one of the strongest cigars on the market.  However, neither the strength nor the flavor is overbearing.  The Boneshaker is also made in the same factory as the Dunbarton Mi Querida, so you know you are getting quality.

This full-bodied powerhouse is hand-crafted using aged Nicaraguan tobaccos from the Estelí region. Its finishing touch is a jet-black Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper.  The result is intense notes of chocolate, pepper, and a sweet spice at the end.  With its gothic skeleton label and vicious name, this is a great cigar for this time of year.

Black Label Trading Company is quickly becoming a new favorite for me.  I love their back story, their themes, and the fact that the brand has its own small factory, so everything is produced in house.  Among their fine portfolio is the well-rounded Santa Muerte, which is a medium to full-bodied smoke with a ton of complexity to it.

The Santa Muerte uses a six-leaf combination of tobaccos from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, giving it a medium strength and a great combination of flavors.  The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper adds in a lovely touch of spice, nuts, and earth. The cigar takes its name from the Mexican folk personification of death, making it a great choice for All Hallows Eve.

This is one of the few yearly releases that I really look forward to.  For five years, Crowned Heads has teamed up with Don Pepin to create this wonderful cigar that is named after the Mexican Day of the Dead.  Since its inception in 2014, this cigar has received several 90+ ratings and is a release every true cigar nerd looks forward to.

The 2019 version is the best since the original, and that’s not just me saying that.  It is being hailed as a return to form, and one of the best cigars of the year.  It is hand-rolled at the My Father factory using Nicaraguan filler and binder tobaccos.  It is then cloaked with a rich and savory Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper, giving it a mix of rich, sweet and spicy notes.  What better way to celebrate Halloween than with a Las Calaveras.

Viaje is one of the kings of themed cigars. Their Zombie series is highly coveted every year, so much so that we sold out in a week.  However, the Zombie Red and Green are not my favorites among the series.  That distinction belongs to the short, stout and powerful Super Shot. Made to resemble a shotgun shell, the 10 gauge comes packed with a lot of flavors in such a small package.

The super Shot is rolled with 100% Nicaraguan tobaccos, including a zesty Nicaraguan criollo wrapper.  This results in a full-flavored and full-bodied smoke with notes of red pepper, cedar, cinnamon, and a little chili pepper as well.  While I am usually not a fan of short, fat cigars, this blend just works perfectly in this size.  When you need to defend yourself from the zombie horde, load in a super shot.