Best Cigars Of 2022
Bestowing the industry’s highest accolade upon a cigar is not something that we at Cigar Aficionado take lightly. A meaningful year-end list like this requires going back to the ratings, reviewing the highest scores of the last 12 months and smoking cigars anew in a search for the ones that truly stand apart. It’s a process of analysis and re-analysis, one that strives to find the most distinguished cigars we rated all year. Our blind smoking process—where bands are removed and replaced with numbered white labels—ensures that we assess a cigar as objectively as possible, eliminating the biases that can arise from knowing the brand name or price of a cigar beforehand.
To be a contender on this list, a cigar has to stand out in a previous Cigar Aficionado or Cigar Insider blind taste test. For a cigar to rise to the very top, it must excel again and again.
1 - 2022 Cigar of the Year - H. Upmann No. 2 (98 points)
It might be one of the best-kept secrets in the Cuban cigar world, as the typical Cuban cigar smoker tends to overlook the H. Upmann No. 2 for its more popular counterpart, the Montecristo No. 2. Because the two cigars are rolled in the same pirámide format, comparisons are going to be inevitable. Both share the exact same dimensions, but they don’t have nearly the same star power. Some smokers tend to come around to Upmann after going through the more common Cuban standards, so it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call the H. Upmann No. 2 an insider’s cigar. Nor would it be the first time that this cigar has made it to our Top 25 list, as we’ve often recognized it as a smoke of complexity, nuance and character. This year, we found the H. Upmann No. 2 to be the most exceptional cigar of 2022.
Like many Cuban cigar brands that are still on the market today, H. Upmann has a long history that spans more than 178 years and has managed to thrive despite changes in ownership, bankruptcy and a political revolution that resulted in H. Upmann becoming property of the state. To say it’s a survivor would be putting it mildly. The brand is an understated icon.
H. Upmann was started in 1844 by German banker and financier Hermann Upmann, who had owned and operated a branch in Havana and manufactured cigars as well. His bank eventually went insolvent and H. Upmann was acquired by British distribution company J. Frankau & Co. In 1937, the brand ended up with Menendez y Garcia, the same company that produced Montecristos. The enormous success of Montecristo is what allowed Menendez y Garcia to subsidize the H. Upmann brand and keep it alive. When Fidel Castro nationalized the cigar industry in 1960, H. Upmann became property of the state and has been owned by the government ever since.
The H. Upmann No. 2 is sometimes dismissed as being too mild. It may not have been blended for strength, but smoking this cigar (these had a May 2022 box date) is a fully engaging experience with a room-filling aroma and mouth-filling texture that allows one to luxuriate in its layers of nutmeg, cinnamon and salted peanut flavor, all of which intensify, while, at the same time, showing a delicate floral quality that adds superb balance in a way that no other cigar this year could.
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Dimensions: 6 1/8" by 52
Strength: Medium
Price: £32.20
2 - Rocky Patel Sixty Sixty (96 points)
Rocky Patel loves to celebrate birthdays, milestones or anniversaries of any kind. So, when he turned 60 in 2021, nobody was surprised that Patel thought a new cigar was in order. In reality, he had been thinking about a 60th birthday project for quite some time. According to Patel, the cigars were already aged for two years before they were released, and it shows. Made in Nicaragua at his Tavicusa factory, the cigar is composed of Nicaraguan tobacco wrapped in a dark Mexican cover leaf from the San Andrés region. On paper, this combination of tobaccos isn’t particularly uncommon, but two years in the aging room have given these cigars a cohesive elegance and refinement. Big and box-pressed, the Sixty resembles a chocolate bar, and Patel takes advantage of the large ring gauge by loading it with bold tobacco that lays down a foundation of leather and wood and continues to build in flavor with tasty layers of coffee, walnut and a ground red pepper spiciness. This cigar doesn’t just represent Patel’s six decades on earth, but also demonstrates how he’s developed as a cigarmaker and how his understanding of raw materials continues to evolve.
Made By: Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A. (Tavicusa)
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6" by 60
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $18.00
3 - Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema (95 points)
It was quite the revelatory moment in Davidoff’s history when the company went completely off script and introduced the Nicaragua line nearly 10 years ago. For decades, Davidoff was known for producing milder cigars with Dominican tobacco and light, Connecticut-seed wrappers. But then, in 2013, for the first time in its history, Davidoff launched a cigar made entirely of Nicaraguan tobacco. Made in the Dominican Republic to Davidoff’s exacting standards of construction, the cigars were given a black label—another stark change to the brand identity—and suddenly, Davidoff occupied a whole new space in the cigar world.
Shortly after the brand was released, Davidoff added to the line by creating a figurado shape called the Diadema. The blend was already bold to begin with, but the tapers and curves of the Diadema seem to sharpen this already tasty assemblage of tobacco, bringing the overall smoking experience into better focus. Precise notes of red fruit, walnut and maple syrup enhance the rich core of nutmeg with more levels of complexity. It’s as sophisticated in character as it is in appearance, and consists of tobacco from Nicaragua’s major growing regions: Estelí, Condega, Jalapa and the volcanic island of Ometepe.
Made By: Cigars Davidoff
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/2" by 50
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $22.60
4 - Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes (95 points)
Some cigars take the spotlight. Others fly under the radar. The Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes is the latter, and it might be one of those smokes that you missed when perusing cigar shops around the world. To understand why, let’s go back to 2016. It was the year that Cohiba turned 50 years old and Habanos turned all its attention to this flagship brand. At the Habanos Festival that year, the theme was overwhelmingly Cohiba. But on one of those nights, Habanos quietly introduced the Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes. It was done so without fanfare or ceremony and simply included in a sampler pack. Its secondary band told us that the Elegantes was exclusive to La Casa del Habano franchise shops.
The cigar was a bit of a head scratcher. This thin, old-fashioned figurado shape–known as tacos in Cuban cigar factories—wasn’t particularly popular. And early releases were quite underwhelming. More current releases, however, proved to be outstanding. When we smoked the Elegantes this year (the cigars had a June 2022 box date) it gave us an entirely new, unexpected expression of the Hoyo de Monterrey brand. The tapers bring together notes of nutmeg, candied apple and vanilla in a concentrated way we don’t find in Hoyo’s rounder parejo shapes.
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Dimensions: 6 1/4" by 47
Strength: Medium
Price: £25.00
5 - Oliva Serie V Churchill Extra (95 points)
The Oliva Serie V brand is a cigar that’s consistently smoked above its price range since it was introduced in 2007, and the Churchill Extra here is no exception. As a company, Oliva can be chronicled in three major eras. It started modestly in 1995 producing inexpensive cigars. In the mid 2000s, the family-owned cigar manufacturer became serious about the sector, producing brands in its Nicaraguan factory such as the Serie O and Serie V. Then, in 2016, after building a strong following in the cigar world, Oliva sold the company to another family, the Vandermarlieres of Belgium. Any worries about diminished quality have now been forgotten, as Oliva continues to make exceptional cigars under the leadership of Fred Vandermarliere, who vowed to maintain Oliva’s record of excellence. From the beginning, Vandermarliere was clear that he had no interest in changing the company culture of Oliva. Every lively puff here of cinnamon, baked apple, nuts, raisin and minerals reminds us that he’s kept his promise. It’s a great smoke, but it’s more than that. The Oliva Serie V Churchill Extra is also emblematic of how one great cigar family is able to carry on the high standards of another.
Made By: Tabacalera Oliva S.A. (Tabolisa)
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 7" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $12.55
6 - Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill (94 points)
There is certainly a black market that exists in the cigar trade, but it usually has to do with tax evasion, contraband material or stolen goods. In the case of the Alec Bradley Black Market brand, the sinister-sounding name is more to get your attention. To hold your attention, brand owner Alan Rubin put together an unusual but memorable blend.
This dark cigar is made in Honduras by the Plasencias and covered in a Nicaraguan wrapper. A Sumatra-seed binder from Ecuador holds together a filler that’s mostly Honduran, but there’s another tobacco from one country that Rubin believes defines the cigar—Panama. While there’s nothing illegal or illicit about Panamanian tobacco, it is unusual in the cigar world and brings a unique element to this Churchill that kept us interested and made it shine in this Top 25 contest. Like a good cocktail, however, the blend is balanced and no single tobacco speaks too loudly, though all do indeed get their say. Accents of dried herbs and smoked hickory highlight the rich, nutty smoke, which saturates the palate with every puff. Spice plays its appropriate part as well, occasionally bursting in the right places for a medium-to-full-bodied cigar that brings together the familiar with the exotic.
Made By: Tabacos de Oriente S.A.
Factory Location: Honduras
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Honduras, Panama
Dimensions: 7" by 50
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $10.25
7 - My Father Le Bijou 1922 Churchill (94 points)
You’ve heard of dark maduro wrappers and even darker oscuro wrappers but have you ever heard of oscuro-oscuro? If you’ve ever had a cigar from the My Father Le Bijou 1922 line, then you’ve smoked one of these double-oscuro wrappers. The unusual classification is more of an in-house grade ascribed by My Father Cigars than it is an official industrial term, but the dark tobacco sets the tone for this strong cigar, and the Churchill is a blockbuster of Nicaraguan flavor.
Created by cigarmaker and Cigar Aficionado hall-of-famer José “Pepín” Garcia, the My Father Le Bijou 1922 was meant to honor Garcia’s father, who was born in 1922. Le bijou is French for “the jewel,” but it’s unclear as to exactly what the jewel refers to. Perhaps it’s a reference to the Cuban-seed Nicaraguan wrapper. Or maybe Garcia views this all-Nicaraguan blend as the crowning jewel of the entire My Father portfolio. Whatever the case, the dark, oily Churchill is every bit as strong as it looks with heavy notes of chocolate, leather and spice, but the cigar shows refinement and grace, revealing a profound butterscotch sweetness and light hint of cinnamon.
Made By: My Father Cigars S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions 7" by 50
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $12.90
8 - Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Principe (94 points)
As a four-time winner of Cigar of the Year, and placement in the top 10 bracket every year since the Top 25 list has existed, Padrón is the most highly decorated cigar brand in the market. Its consistency is nothing short of remarkable and the 1964 Anniversary Series is the brand that transformed Padrón from a small producer of inexpensive smokes to a marquee name in handmade cigars.
The brand was born in 1994 when Jorge Padrón proposed making a more expensive cigar with aged tobacco to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary. His father, company founder José Orlando Padrón, agreed, and the cigars have been sought after ever since. Most of the sizes in the line are quite large, but the small, box-pressed Principe succeeds in conveying all the personality of the 1964 Anniversary Series in a shorter format. Each puff seems to pour a creamy, cappuccino-like smoke onto the palate, along with the brand’s signature notes of refined milk chocolate.
Contrary to typical industry practice, Padrón does not put its cigars in an aging room after rolling. According to the company, the tobacco has already been adequately aged and is ready to smoke as soon as the cigar is constructed. We agree.
Made By: Padrón Cigars Inc.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 4 1/2" by 46
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $11.60
9 - Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Churchill (93 points)
Over the last decade, cigar giant Altadis U.S.A. did something many large corporations are hesitant to do. The company reconsidered its entire cigar portfolio and fully committed its resources to modernizing its blends and updating the flavor profiles of its most iconic brands.
One brand in particular that got a complete retooling was the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real, a fairly mild Dominican cigar. The original brand still exists, but the newest version went to Central America, and the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua Churchill was born. It’s one of the most impressive cigars we smoked all year. It’s made by A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua in collaboration with Rafael Nodal, who serves as head of product capability for Altadis and has been instrumental in shaping the new portfolio.
Romeo y Julieta is Altadis’ best-selling cigar brand, and this non-Cuban line is available only in the United States, where Cubans cannot be legally sold. The Reserva Real Nicaragua is full of hearty Nicaraguan tobacco that is assertive without being overbearing. As a large-format Churchill, it provides a long progression of flavor that starts with dense, creamy layers of salted caramel transitioning nicely to a palate of Mideastern spices and coffee over a nutty, leathery core.
Made By: Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 7" by 50
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $8.62
10 - Arturo Fuente Rare Pink Vintage 1960’s Séries Sophisticated Hooker (93 points)
The name is certainly curious. And if you’re familiar with Carlos Fuente Jr.’s sense of humor, it won’t surprise you that there’s a double entendre here. Sophisticated Hooker refers to the name of a fishing boat (“hooker” being a term for a fisherman) the Arturo Fuente owner and blender re from his younger days. It’s the largest size in the Rare Pink line, a series of shapely figurados, much like Fuente’s Hemingway series. Only this blend is completely different from that found in Hemingways. It’s also a cigar with a social cause. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of every box goes to fund breast cancer research, hence the bright pink boxes. Pink is the official color of the breast cancer awareness movement.
The brand had only four sizes when it was launched in the spring of 2021, and this wasn’t one of them. Later that year, at the first Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest, the seminar audience puffed a sneak preview of the Sophisticated Hooker. It’s in the market now, but still in limited production. The cigar is as intriguing as the name. First puffs are cedary and herbal, but the cigar takes on a nutty, graham cracker sweetness showing big notes of red meat, black pepper and caramel before the sweet-and-nutty finish.
Made By: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua
Dimensions: 7 1/4" by 53
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $17.70
11 - E.P. Carrillo Pledge Apogee (93 points)
E.P. Carrillo Cigar Co. won Cigar of the Year with its Pledge Prequel in 2020, its second No. 1 cigar in two years. So where could cigarmaker Ernesto Perez-Carrillo go from there? The answer to him was obvious: bigger. He took the blend and beefed it up to a 58 ring gauge, resulting in a bold smoke full of cocoa powder, black pepper and hickory. Some sweet notes of vanilla and marshmallow also come through. Of note is the wrapper, a dark leaf of Cuban-seed tobacco from Connecticut. Perez-Carrillo stopped short of making a 60 ring-gauge cigar; believing that after 58, the true character of this blend was compromised.
Made By: Tabacalera La Alianza S.A.
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: U.S.A./Conn. Habano
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/4" by 58
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $15.00
12 - La Flor Dominicana Oro Chisel (93 points)
With its gold tubo and striking golden band, the La Flor Dominicana Oro Chisel is a subtle nod to brand owner Litto Gomez’s days as a jeweler before entering the cigar business. Now, his precious material is tobacco, most of which he grows himself on his La Canela farm in the Dominican Republic. The drier climate allows him to produce the stronger, spicier tobaccos that his cigars are known for. Oro Chisel is composed mainly of Gomez’s leaf, save for the Nicaraguan wrapper, which is similar to that found on his Coronado line, only a higher priming, for more strength. As if that wasn’t enough, the wedge-shaped head concentrates the smoke, making it even stronger.
Made By: Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Dimensions: 6" by 54
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $15.80
13 - Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970 Churchill (93 points)
With new brands and new blends coming to market each year, it’s easy to forget the classics. The Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970 Churchill is one such example: It comes from the oldest producer of handmade cigars in Nicaragua. It’s made in a traditional size. And the blend is what brand owner Alejandro Martínez-Cuenca regards as quintessentially Nicaraguan, with tobacco that represents the country’s most important growing regions in a cohesive way, giving us a sense of place and origin. The cigar’s steady balance of earth, sweetness and power also remind us of why the house Joya de Nicaragua has been standing for so long.
Made By: Joya de Nicaragua Cigars S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 7/8" by 48
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $9.75
14 - New World Dorado Robusto (93 points)
One could consider this an estate cigar of sorts, as most of the tobacco from the New World Dorado comes from a single plot of land, namely the Dorado farm in Estelí, Nicaragua. Both the farm and the cigar are owned by A.J. Fernandez. Dorado’s all-Nicaraguan blend is made up of a sun-grown, Cuban-seed wrapper and Criollo ’98 binder, both from the Dorado farm. Although there’s some tobacco in the filler from two other fields, the rest is from Dorado. This plantation is only five years old and the tobacco here comes from its maiden harvest, but the results have been impressive. Each puff is rich with layers of caramel, orange peel, nuts and espresso.
Made By: San Lotano Cigars S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/2" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $11.00
15 - La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 2 (93 points)
There’s a small factory in Miami’s Little Havana that’s responsible for some fantastic cigars. Called El Titan de Bronze, the operation makes its own brands, but the factory shines brightest when producing third-party cigars. One such cigar is the La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 2, an elegant panetela with a distinctive flagtail cap. Limited production and the cost of U.S. labor means that you’ll be paying a little more for this cigar. According to La Palina, the blend also incorporates some medio tiempo, which are the coveted top two leaves of a tobacco plant that rarely sprout. It all amounts to a peppery, nutty smoke finely detailed with oak, chocolate and a walnut finish.
Made By: El Titan de Bronze
Factory Location: U.S.A.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6" by 38
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $23.00
16 - Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro Nobles (93 points)
Like the Cuban Montecristo Línea 1935 or the Cohiba Behike before that, the Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro is meant to be a super- version of an already brand. In this case, the tobaccos in the Línea de Oro are stronger than those found in the core Romeo y Julieta line. The sizes are new, and the prices certainly reflect the super- category. To emphasize the brand’s exclusivity, the boxes (box date November 2021) are opulent, made of glossy red sycamore with an embossed medallion. This line comes in three sizes and the star is Nobles, a belicoso with dried fruit flavor that gradually intensifies to a strong, oaky and leathery finish.
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Dimensions: 5 3/8" by 56
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: £42.60
17 - Cohiba 55 Aniversario Edición Limitada 2021 (95 points)
If there was one cigar that stole the headlines this past year, it’s this one. The Cohiba 55 Aniversario Edición Limitada 2021 got the world’s attention not just because it’s a Cohiba, and not because it celebrates the brand’s 55th anniversary. It turned heads because of the exorbitant price tag—$300 per cigar. The Cohiba came a bit late; despite a November 2021 box date, it wasn’t released until 2022, first in Lebanon and Cyprus and then in Havana with lavish parties. It wasn’t all hype, however, as this turned out to be the tastiest Cohiba we smoked all year. It would have appeared higher on the list had it not been for its restrictive price and limited availability.
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Dimensions: 5 7/8" by 57
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $300.00
18 - Brick House Churchill (92 points)
Resurrected in 2009 as a budget-friendly, cigar, Brick House has history that goes much farther back. It started in 1937 by J.C. Newman when the company was operating out of Cleveland, Ohio. Now headquartered in Tampa, J.C. Newman keeps the spirit of the brand alive with this reincarnated version, which is made in Nicaragua at its PENSA factory. We always love a cigar that punches above its weight class, and this big Brick House is certainly an overachiever in the under-$10 category. Composed of mostly Nicaraguan tobacco, the Churchill brings a distinctly autumnal quality with its warm intonations of apple, cedar and baking spices. Creamy notes of coffee and vanilla emerge before a coconut-like finish.
Made By: Puros de Estelí Nicaragua, S.A. (PENSA)
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 7 1/4" by 50
Strength: Medium
Price: $7.60
19 - San Cristobal Clasico (92 points)
Owned by Ashton Distributors, San Cristobal was the company’s entry into Nicaragua when it debuted in 2007. Until then, Ashton’s cigars were mostly made in the Dominican Republic by the Fuente family. When brand owner Robert Levin decided he wanted to diversify, he turned to the Garcia family to produce his first Nicaraguan brand. The brilliantly colored papagallo, or parrot, on the boxes and bands recurs on all the different versions of San Cristobal—five blends in total. We returned to the original brand this year, and it’s every bit as rich and full bodied as it was when it debuted, teeming with earth, very dark chocolate, spice and a bit of cinnamon.
Made By: My Father Cigars S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5" by 50
Strength: Full
Price: $9.50
20 - Casa Magna Colorado Robusto (92 points)
It was a fantastic smoke when it was named Cigar of the Year in 2008 and the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto remains a fantastic smoke today. Back then, it retailed for $5.25. Considering inflation, the $8.90 price tag means it remains a bargain. The tobacco types and blend are still the same, but Quesada Cigars has brought production of Casa Magna in-house, moving it from Nicaragua to the Dominican Republic. One would be hard pressed to detect any changes, as the smoke still entices us with its rich core of dark chocolate, nutmeg and wood. Some spicy elements of red pepper and a touch of bitter aperitif keep the palate engaged before the long, savory finish.
Made By: Quesada Cigars
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/2" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $8.90
21 - Allegria Robusto (92 points)
Allegria has the most curious back story on this list. It was created in 2004 as a spinoff from the OneOff brand, which at the time was owned by a retailer in Italy. After an odd period of dormancy (and another owner), the OneOff and Allegria trademarks ended up in the hands of Illusione Cigars. They’re now produced in Nicaragua with Aganorsa tobacco. Unlike the original, which was milder than OneOff, these Allegrias are stronger, but quite complex with a palate ranging from almond, tangy wood and licorice to orange peel and pecan. The long finish smacks of espresso and sambuca. That peace symbol on the band references OneOff.
Made By: Aganorsa Leaf
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $10.90
22 - Tatuaje Capa Especial Cohete (92 points)
Pete Johnson, owner of Tatuaje Cigars, did an experiment in 2022. He released three short robustos called Cohete (Spanish for “rocket”) and gave them three different wrappers. All of them were memorable smokes, but the blend that really took off for us was the Capa Especial, which is wrapped in an attractive leaf of Sumatra-seed tobacco grown in Ecuador. It was also the tastiest Tatuaje we had in 2022. Made in Nicaragua by My Father Cigars, the cigar bursts with spicy notes of nutmeg, cumin and black pepper all fortified by an underlying earthiness and hint of chocolate. The finish leaves a touch of cinnamon on the palate making this a bold and delicious creation.
Made By: My Father Cigars S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 4" by 50
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $9.00
23 - Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Habano Corona Gorda R (92 points)
There was a lot of hype surrounding the Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich line in 2022. Part of it had to do with television personality Guy Fieri, who’s closely involved with the brand. One can’t mention one without the other. But if you forget about Fieri for a moment, what we have is a spectacular smoke from Erik Espinosa on its own. Knuckle Sandwich is made at A.J. Fernandez’s San Lotano factory in Nicaragua and big flavors seem to be the theme here. The Corona Gorda produces a dense, ample smoke full of pistachio, almond and orange peel notes. Spicy accents of red and black pepper—and a big snap of leather—lead to a smoked hickory finish.
Made By: San Lotano Cigars S.A.
Factory: Location Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 5/8" by 46
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $11.50
24 - La Gloria Cubana Classic Glorias (92 points)
This all started in Miami when La Gloria Cubana was a tiny brand, rolled in Little Havana with a small but loyal following. As La Glorias gained national recognition, tobacco corporation General Cigar took notice and bought the brand in 1997. Today, La Gloria Cubana is made in the Dominican Republic, but General treats it with reverence, and still proclaims La Gloria to be a boutique brand. A rolling gallery within the large factory is dedicated only to the production of La Gloria. Many varieties of La Gloria Cubana now exist, but the original blend, with its Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, still impresses, showing a harmoniously nutty smoke atop an earthy core and fresh tobacco finish.
Made By: General Cigar Dominicana
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/2" by 43
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $7.29
25 - Plasencia Reserva Original Corona (92 points)
It takes a bit of imagination to fully appreciate what the Plasencia family was hoping to achieve with this blend. According to the mission statement, this is the type of cigar that the Europeans would have smoked when tobacco was discovered in the New World more than five centuries ago. One can only speculate, but we’d like to think that this is a more refined product than what the Spanish colonials experienced. With a vast inventory of tobacco at their disposal, the Plasencias give us an all-Nicaraguan blend showing a toasty, nutty smoke accented by notes of orange peel, honey, almond paste and baking spices. Flavors resonate on the palate with a charming tea-and-cookie finish.
Made By: Plasencia Cigars S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/4" by 44
Strength: Medium
Price: $8.24
