An Alabama guide to cigars ahead of The Third Saturday in October

Nick Saban doesn’t smoke cigars, but even he’ll have one in his mouth this weekend if Alabama takes care of business during The Third Saturday in October.

As per tradition, the winner of this week’s rivalry game between No. 11 Alabama and No. 17 Tennessee will light one up to celebrate the victory.

That’s made for a busy week for Reagan Starner, the co-owner of R&R Cigars, a 7,000-square-foot mansion in downtown Tuscaloosa that provides Alabama its cigars for the game and serves as the top supplier in the city.

Starner says he expects to sell roughly 10,000 cigars by the end of this week. Several of his customers are already well-versed in complex finishes and ranges of flavors, bodies and strengths. However, a large percentage of this week’s crowd will be somewhat new to the cigar game.

To help the Alabama fan looking to find the right smoke for Saturday, TideIllustrated sat down with Starner to come up with a guide to cigars based on their Crimson Tide equivalents.

Like Nick Saban at Alabama, the Padrón Family Reserve won its first national title back in 2009 when it was named Cigar of the Year by Cigar Aficionado. Both have been racking up awards ever since.

Even in years when Padrón doesn’t take home the biggest prize, it always finds itself near the top five of most top-25 lists. Listed at $35, it’s the most expensive cigar on our list. But like Saban, fans won’t be questioning the cost.

Price: $35

Starner says: “It’s smooth. It’s silky. It’s rich. It’s I-have-a-$17-milion-retirement-house-in-Jupiter-Florida-next-to-Justin-Thomas rich. It’s the ultimate luxury. If you had to pick one cigar for any occasion, that’s the cigar you would get.”

Jermaine Burton leads Alabama with 446 receiving yards, but he’s only averaging 2.7 catches per game. In theory, the receiver should be viewed as one of the Crimson Tide’s best players. However, his lack of consistent involvement in games tends to see him overlooked by some.

That’s how Starner feels about Warped Moon Garden. It’s a nice cigar that he’s always glad to smoke whenever it's around, but he never knows the next time he’ll end up lighting one up.

Warped Moon Garden is rich with notes of caramel up front followed by some vanilla. Like Burton, it also has a little bit of pepper and will talk back to you every now and then.

Price: $15

Starner says: “When you have one, like when Jermaine Burton shows up, it’s a really enjoyable experience. You might not come back to it for a while and then you do and it’s like ‘Oh, this is really good. I don’t know why I don’t do this every week?’ I don’t know, why doesn’t Jermaine Burton do it every week?”

Let’s start with the name here. If there’s one thing Dallas Turner is good at, it’s upsetting offenses. The five-star edge rusher isn’t necessarily polite with how he treats opposing quarterbacks either.

The Upsetters Original Rude Boy is a Jamaican cigar that features notes of honeysuckle and sweet tea along with cocoa and earthy flavors. Similar to Turner’s ability to get to opposing quarterbacks on a weekly basis, Starner says it’s also one of his most consistently sold cigars.

Price: $14

Starner says: “It’s gonna give you sweetness, just like it’s sweet having Turner on our team. It’s gonna give you the Jamaican spices. He is spicy with what he does to other teams. It’s one of our most popular cigars, and everyone loves Dallas Turner around here.”

J.C. Latham stands in at 6-foot-6, 360 pounds and is one of the strongest players on Alabama’s roster. Naturally, he needs to be matched up with a cigar just as big and bold as he is.

The La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Digger measures in at 8.5 inches with a 60 ring gauge. Like Latham, it will knock you on your ass if you aren’t careful. It features notes of pepper, spice and leather — all fitting of Alabama’s stalwart right tackle.

Price: $13

Starner says: “If you’re looking for something that’s going to give you that tobacco buzz, that’s the one that you want to get. Please smoke responsibly, and don’t smoke that one on an empty stomach.”

Sometimes you just need something to move the chains. When Alabama needs to convert on short-yardage situations, it often turns to Roydell Williams to get the job done.

Like the 5-foot-10, 214-pound back, the Brick House Maduro is a sturdy short cigar that will do its job in a pinch. Measuring in at 5 inches with a 54 ring gauge, it isn’t the biggest. But if you’re short on time, it’s a nice go-to smoke.

Price: $8

Starner says: “It’s not going to be one of your starters, but if you’re in a pinch or at the golf course and you want something short that’s gonna give you great flavor and is pretty strong, it’s a nice option.”

Famous chef and restauranteur Guy Fieri has a few different cigars in his “Knuckle Sandwich” line. Whether it's the Connecticut, Habano or Maduro, any of the Knuckle Sandwiches fittingly describe the signal-caller of Alabama’s defense.

The Connecticut matches Lawson’s buttery smooth athleticism on the field, while the Maduro and Habano pack the spice and pepper he provides in each of his tackles.

Price: $14-16

Starner says: “All three cigars in the Knuckle Sandwich lines are incredible. They have so much flavor, and they pack a punch similar to what Deontae Lawson gives to opposing offenses.”

Will Reichard doesn’t miss. The Alabama kicker is 13 of 13 on field goals and has made each of his 21 extra-point attempts this season. When it comes to cigars, the Rocky Patel White Label is just as reliable.

You don’t have to know a lot about football to appreciate Reichard’s consistency. Similarly, the Rocky Patel White Label is a cigar both aficionados and novices can enjoy.

The cigar features a cedary, buttery, creamy smoke that is refined and approachable. It’s as smooth as Reichard’s kicking motion.

Price: $22

Starner says: “It doesn’t get enough credit, but it’s every bit as valuable as any other cigar. It’s smooth. It’s rich. You can smoke it every day, and it’s always going to deliver. It’s just a very dependable cigar.”

Kool-Aid McKinstry is perhaps the most dependable player on Alabama’s defense. The Crimson Tide knows what its getting in the lockdown cornerback, just like smokers know what they’re getting every time they light up a Padrón Damaso Churchill.

It’s a sweet cigar that’s a bit nutty — kind of like a certain defensive back famous for bringing a Chucky doll to games. It also brings McKinstry’s pepper and spice to the table.

Price: $20

Starner says: “It’s my favorite cigar. I smoke one every single day. It has the best flavor of anything we sell. It’s consistent. It’s reliable. I don’t have any issues with it.”

Jalen Milroe might be the most polarizing player on Alabama’s roster. Some fans marvel over his deep-ball passing and his ability to pull off electrifying runs. Others can’t get over his inconsistencies in the intermediate passing game.

Deadwood’s Fat Bottom Betty is met with similarly conflicting reviews. The infused cigar is going to give you some sweetness right off the bat, like Milroe did with his first-half performance against Arkansas last weekend. It’s also got some rich, pipe-tobacco flavor with tastes like licorice and maple syrup. That might not be what you’re looking for on every occasion, but when it hits, it hits.

Price: $13

Starner says: “It’s not for everybody. You’re either with the Deadwood experience, or you’re not. But enough people do like it that it’s one of the best-selling cigars here.”

Once you’ve tasted the best, it’s hard to move on. Alabama fans are experiencing that now in their first season without Bryce Young behind center. The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft tore up the Crimson Tide’s record books and is perhaps the best player in program history.

However, he’s gone, and that’s something fans are going to have to accept. Like Young, La Flor Dominicana’s Andalusian Bull has a full shelf of awards. However, the premium cigar is out of stock at R&R. Dream of it, long for it all you want. Eventually, you are going to have to settle for something else.

Price: $20

Starner says: “I’ve had more people asking me about Andalusian Bulls than I’ve seen Alabama fans asking for Bryce to be the starting quarterback this year. That’s how insane Andalusian Bulls are. It’s honestly one of the best cigars out there. It’s incredible. It’s amazing. It always delivers. We just don’t have it.”