I gotta say that American's love Cuban cigars because they are contraban. A Cuban is a Cuban, and my favorites are same as Slappy33, although I would add a Romeo & Julieta Cedro Deluxe Number 2. You can get most lines of Cubans as their Dominican counterparts: they will be as consistant and almost as distinctive, and to the person without a lot of experience smoking Cubans, you won't be able to tell the difference.
Ashton makes a great smoke, but it's pricey. I have a guy that that's all he smokes.
That being said, I have come to believe that the best cigars in the world are coming out of Central America, specifically Nicaragua and Honduras, but sometimes Costa Rica. Padron, Perdomo, Drew Estate, Rocky Patel. I can't name them all. These guys are making great smokes that won't put you in the poor house or get an American fined for illegal importation.
Tonight I smoked a Drew Estates Brazilian Maduro Corona on the way home from work, a Dominican R&J Cedro Deluxe Corona before dinner and a 5 Vegas Series 'A' Toro (I think that's a Nicaraguan/Honduran blend with a Costa Rican wrapper) after dinner, sitting in my back yard with my best friend as we built a bonfire and tried to put a dent in my new wine collection.
It doesn't get much better than that.