Father’s Day is this Sunday and for last minute shoppers, Beverly Hills Cigar Club (BHCC) has chosen five fabulous cigars for Dad.

“This year, Father’s Day is special, explains Vin Lee, president of BHCC. “Shoppers should go out of their way to make their gift something special.”

The first observance of Father’s Day is believed to have been June 13, 1910 – 100 years ago.

After hearing about the newly recognized Mother’s Day, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Wash., a felt strongly that fatherhood also needed recognition. She lobbied for a special day to honor fathers.  Her own father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran, raised his family alone when his wife died giving birth to their sixth child.  YMCA members helped create the first celebration.  But it wasn’t until 1972, that President Richard Nixon, made Father’s Day a national holiday.

Since President Nixon loved cigars, a special cigar for Day is right in line with Father’s Day celebrations.  Lee’s choices accommodates a variety of tastes and budgets.

1.  CAO America Monument Pinstripe Torpedo

CAO America’s wrapper is the product of two leaves pin striping the length of the cigar, a golden brown Connecticut Shade and a chocolate brown Connecticut Broadleaf.  The blend of long fillers is tobacco sourced from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Italy and the United States.

“Warm summer nights this Father’s Day, heat up the Kalamazoo 900 Grill and let Dad light up America while he slow grills his special burgers. No, he still won’t tell you what’s in the sauce though,” Lee says.  $9/each

2.  Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur V EMS Lonsdale

The Hoyo de Monterrey delivers a confident, honest taste. The Excalibur is one of the best selling lines and is an authentic Honduran cigar grown from Cuban seed.  Legend tells of how the origin seeds were smuggled in a diplomatic pouch to create this world class cigar.

Lee suggests, “Let Dad light up the Excalibur as an aperitif to a big steak at Morton’s and glass of warm bourbon preferable Woodford Reserve.”  $8/each

3.  Alec Bradley Maxx The Culture Habano Toro

The Alec Bradley Maxx line recently received a 91 rating in Cigar Aficionado.  The satisfying full flavor and balanced body is achieved by using all strong upper leaf tobaccos from Nicaragua, Honduras, Colombia, Mexico, and Costa Rica. A rich Nicaraguan Habano wrapper envelopes this full bodied cigar.

“Dads will love enjoying the Maxx while hanging out with the boys watching the 2010 FIFA World Cup and washing it down with icy cold Guinness”, says Lee. $25/5 sticks

4.  Oliva Serie V Torpedo Sungrown

The Oliva Family creates some of Lee’s favorite cigars, given hi preference for Nicaraguan tobacco.  Oliva cigars consistently achieve the highest ratings and year after year launch great new products.

“Oliva creates the type of cigar that Dads can smoke after he puts the top down on his new Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet and cruises the coast at sunset,” says Lee. $8/each

5.  Macanudo Robust Portofino Natural Lancero

The Macanudo Robust utilizes a blend of triple-aged premium long fillers from three countries combined with Connecticut Broadleaf binder wrapped in Connecticut Shade leaf delivers a smooth and even tempered cigar full of complex flavors consistently throughout the cigar.

“This is the cigar that Dad would enjoy relaxing with a chilled glass of Tattinger while texting on his new iPhone 4G how much he loves you more than your brother.  He’ll appreciate the Macanudo much more than that tie,” Lee says. $130/25 sticks

Our favorite cigar on the list is the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur V EMS Lonsdale.

What’s yours?