The Best Cigars Of The Year
There is no grouping of cigars as elite as Cigar Aficionado magazine’s Top 25, nor any industry honor as high as Cigar of the Year. And with good reason. The list is not a mere compilation of high scores or arbitrary awards—the requirements are stringent and every position from No. 1 to No. 25 must be earned. To qualify for consideration, each cigar has to first turn in a stellar performance during the year in a blind taste test. Then, the top-scoring cigars from throughout the year are smoked blind yet again, this time in a tournament where they are competing against each other. In the blind tasting process, identifying bands are removed by a tasting coordinator and replaced with a numbered label. Cigar Aficionado’s of judges—editors with a century of combined experience—then rate the cigars accordingly. The result is this list of the year’s very finest cigars.
1 - 2023 Cigar of the Year - Fuente Fuente OpusX Reserva d’Chateau (97 points)
“You’re not a cigarmaker. You just assemble tobaccos,” quipped a Parisian retailer in the 1980s. He was talking to Carlos “Carlito” Fuente Jr., now owner and patriarch of Arturo Fuente Cigar Co. Back then, the company was owned by his father and the Fuentes were producing cigars with tobacco from different origins. The snide remark stuck with the younger Fuente, and he knew the problem was wrapper. Dominican wrapper was nearly nonexistent, and this became the young Fuente’s obsession. If that derisive comment was the prologue to the OpusX story, chapter one began in the early 1990s with the ambitions of Fuente Jr. and his plan to grow quality wrapper leaf in the Dominican Republic. Conventional wisdom dictated that Dominican soils were unsuitable for growing good cover leaf. And this was for the most part true. But Fuente was on a mission, and when he finally planted the right Corojo seeds in the right plot of land in 1991, the result was a unique wrapper with a gorgeous reddish hue, enviable elasticity, big aroma and even bigger flavor. What is now known as Chateau de la Fuente is a farm located in Bonao, where the soil differs from other growing regions in the Dominican Republic. It’s lighter and loamier with a higher clay content. Fast forward to a chilly November evening in New York City in 1995. A line of people hoping to enter a Manhattan cigar shop extended all the way around the block. It was premiere night and cigar fans of all professional stripes waited in the cold for their chance to try an OpusX. On that night, a cult classic and cigar phenomenon was born. When OpusX was released, it was a strong cigar in a mostly mild market. Today, it has a lot more competition in the full-bodied segment, yet OpusX remains relevant—and coveted. It’s leathery and assertively spicy without being harsh. Every puff is inlaid with an opulent sweetness of baking spices, nutmeg and vanilla. The balance of power and elegance is astounding and precisely why it’s our Cigar of the Year. Because the ring gauge of the Reserva d’Chateau is somewhat slim, the wrapper plays a major role in the smoking experience. Ultimately, the story of OpusX was about a wrapper that was thought to be unfeasible. In the end, Fuente proved everyone wrong and created a stunning, all-Dominican cigar that’s much more than the sum of its parts.
Made By: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.
Factory: Location Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Dom. Rep.
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Dimensions: 7" by 48
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $19.15
2 - Padrón Serie 1926 No. 48 Maduro (96 points)
Say the word “Padrón” to most cigar smokers, and the response is usually universal. Their heads nod knowingly and their eyes light up. This predictable reaction is a testament to the company’s consistency year in and year out. Because all of Padrón’s tobaccos are grown in the open sunlight, they are bold and rich. Because the tobaccos are properly aged, they impart an elegance without being overpowering. Balance like this is uncommon and the reason why Padrón makes it to the Top 25 list every year. This cigar in particular celebrates two anniversaries. The brand came out in 2002 to celebrate founder José O. Padrón’s 75th birthday. In 2016, Padrón released the No. 48 size to celebrate the 48th anniversary of the Tobacconists’ Association of America. At first, the cigar was sold exclusively through TAA retailers. Today, it’s officially part of the Serie 1926 line. One might expect the thick 60 ring gauge to result in some dilution of the blend, but that didn’t happen. With its rich smoke of cocoa, almond, honey and cinnamon, the No. 48 is proof that Padrón could successfully scale up the blend and preserve all the desirable qualities that make the Serie 1926 so distinct.
Made By: Padrón Cigars Inc.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/2" by 60
Strength: Medium
Price: $24.90
3 - Oliva Serie V Melanio Toro (96 points)
A considerably complex cigar from a company that appears to be improving each year. The Oliva Serie V Melanio Toro is emblematic of Oliva’s serious commitment to quality. After Oliva Cigar Co. was acquired by Vandermarliere Cigar Family in 2016 (then known as J. Cortés), Fred Vandermarliere vowed to maintain the tradition of excellence established by the Oliva family. It was no empty promise. The company recently opened a massive new facility in Nicaragua dedicated to the proper fermentation, aging and processing of tobacco. Oliva has also doubled its rolling capacity and expanded its agricultural operations. All this growth would mean nothing if the quality of the product suffered as a result—which it didn’t. In fact, just the opposite happened. Throughout the year, Oliva has turned in one high score after the next, but none quite as impressive as the Serie V Melanio Toro. With its Sumatra-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador and blend of Nicaraguan tobacco, the smoke brims with earth and spice, offering everything from cumin and cardamom to ground clove and allspice. An underlying thread of cedar brings balance and structure.
Made By: Tabacalera Oliva S.A. (Tabolisa)
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $15.75
4 - Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition Toro (96 points)
This isn’t the first time this exact cigar has been on our Top 25 list. It first appeared in 2019, but back then it was the No. 5. For 2023, it’s moved up a spot, showing us that Rocky Patel continues to improve quality and consistency at his Tavicusa factory in Nicaragua where this cigar is made. The “A.L.R.” in the brand name stands for “Aged, Limited and Rare.” According to Patel, he makes these cigars in very small amounts each year. He also says they’re all aged for two years after rolling. Some might think that this long step is unnecessary, but in the case of the A.L.R. Second Edition Toro, it’s the cigar’s defining factor. The cigar is made with a Mexican wrapper and Nicaraguan tobacco that Patel grew on his farms in Condega and Estelí. It seems that the extra age allowed the tobaccos to marry for an exceptionally harmonious smoke that fully saturates the palate in a luxurious fashion. Rich layers of nutmeg, German chocolate cake and shredded coconut become weightier and more sophisticated with each puff. If you missed this cigar in 2019, we suggest you try it now.
Made By: Tabacalera Villa Cuba S.A. (Tavicusa)
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/2" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $16.25
5 - E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Confidant (95 points)
Usually, cigar brand owners go to Ernesto Perez-Carrillo to make their cigars. If they’re lucky, he says yes. In this case, Perez-Carrillo went to Oliva Cigar Co. to make Allegiance, which is the fourth line in the Perez-Carrillo series—and the series has been nothing less than stellar. La Historia (which is Part I in the series) has made it to the Top 25 list on more than one occasion. Encore (Part II) was named Cigar of the Year in 2018. Pledge (Part III) was named Cigar of the Year in 2020. And now, Part IV has landed the No. 5 spot. The bands across the series are all the same pattern and design for continuity, but the colors are different to distinguish one blend from another. The green band of Allegiance is meant to symbolize nature and tobacco. Other than the Ecuador Sumatra wrapper, the tobacco in this cigar is all Nicaraguan. So, does this taste more like an Oliva cigar or an E.P. Carrillo cigar? We haven’t decided. What we do know is that it comes together brilliantly, setting a sweet-and-spicy tone with a woody undercurrent, snappy bursts of gingerbread and charming accents of nutmeg and cinnamon before the peppery finish.
Made By: Tabacalera Oliva S.A. (Tabolisa)
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $13.10
6 - Partagás Serie P No. 2 (95 points)
Most seasoned smokers of Cuban cigars can recognize this band from across the room. Its glossy red finish and gold lettering is without flourish or ornament, but it’s an unmistakable signifier of Cuba’s Partagás Alphabet Series. For many years, the Alphabet Series consisted of only one cigar, the Partagás Serie D No. 4. Over the decades, the D No. 4 became immensely popular—so popular that Habanos S.A. decided to expand the series in 2005 with the Serie P No. 2, a pirámide made in the same dimensions as the iconic Montecristo No. 2. Today, the Alphabet Series includes many sizes, making it a brand within a brand, but the Serie P No. 2 got our attention. It’s marketed by Habanos as one of Cuba’s more full-bodied cigars. While we didn’t find it particularly strong, the Serie P No. 2 was beautifully balanced and complex, showing a precise palate of nutmeg, maple syrup, fresh coconut and cured tobacco—a honey-like note that you can smell in a barn when the leaves are nearly done curing. Luckily, this cigar is among the easier Cubans to find around the world and is offered in different formats: three-packs, 10-count boxes and standard boxes of 25.
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Dimensions: 6 1/8" by 52
Strength: Medium
Price: £41.80
7 - Blackened Cigars “M81” By Drew Estate Corona (95 points)
Collaborations are common in the cigar industry, but three-way collaborations between a cigar company, whiskey distiller and heavy-metal frontman are quite rare. In fact, we only know of one—Blackened Cigars “M81” by Drew Estate. Two out of the three collaborators are clearly noted in the name: Blackened American Whiskey and cigarmaker Drew Estate in Nicaragua. The third player is James Hetfield, lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the metal mega-band Metallica (M81 refers to the year the band was formed). If there is a cigar equivalent to Metallica’s head-banging guitar riffs, this is it. Loaded with strong, dark broadleaf from both Pennsylvania and Connecticut, this amped-up blend rocked our tasting as it unleashed an electrically spicy smoke with heavy notes of chocolate and earth. In its subtler moments, there’s an assortment of saffron, nutmeg, cinnamon and bready notes of brioche—kind of like an acoustic guitar solo in the middle of a metal set. Ideally, one should light up this cigar while sipping Blackened Whiskey and listening to Metallica’s iconic Black Album. Of course, that’s only a suggestion. Fans of strong smokes will revel in Blackened’s power either way. The fact that it’s all packed into a small corona makes it reverberate that much louder.
Made By: La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico
Binder: U.S.A./Conn. Broadleaf
Filler: Nica., U.S.A./Penn. Broadleaf
Dimensions: 5" by 43
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $9.15
8 - Alec Bradley Prensado Torpedo (95 points)
Alec Bradley Prensado became famous when the Churchill size was named the Cigar of the Year back in 2011. It could be said that this cigar put Alec Bradley on the map. But the accolade had an unexpected consequence and the company had to deal with a level of demand it didn’t necessarily know how to handle. For a brief period, Prensado suffered quality issues as Alec Bradley struggled to meet demand. Alan Rubin, who owned the company at the time, vowed to correct the problems and doubled down on quality control. Now, more than 10 years later, it’s a fantastic cigar and regained its rightful place as one of the best of the year. The blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobacco is still the same; however, Alec Bradley was acquired by Scandinavian Tobacco Group in February 2023. We’re happy to say that so far, it seems STG has done everything it can to maintain Prensado’s quality and character, one that shows a harmonious combination of earth and nuttiness before a substantial note of cocoa brings not only some sweetness but intensity as well.
Made By: Tabacos de Oriente S.A.
Factory Location: Honduras
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/8" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $14.15
9 - La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso (95 points)
La Aroma de Cuba is one of Ashton’s over-achievers. Made in Nicaragua by the Garcia family, the cigar is not only consistently excellent, it delivers tremendous value, offering a smoking experience that goes well above its suggested retail price. Ashton introduced the La Aroma de Cuba brand in 2003. Back then, it was made in Honduras. In 2009, Ashton Distributors turned production over to the Garcias and launched Mi Amor the following year, which was the brand’s first line extension. Mi Amor was new territory for Ashton, as it represented the first time the company sold a cigar with a Mexican wrapper. The rest of the tobacco is Nicaraguan and grown by the Garcias on their many farms throughout the country’s fertile regions. Like all La Aromas, Mi Amor is produced at the Garcias’ My Father Cigars factory and rolled with two binders—one of the factory’s Cubanesque styles of construction. The blend is quite robust, but the Belicoso’s tapered head makes the smoke a bit more concentrated, bringing the cigar’s character into sharper focus. It’s a rich smoke of malted chocolate and mixed nuts, leaving sweet and savory impressions that envelop the palate and resonate on the long finish.
Made By: My Father Cigars S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/2" by 54
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $9.25
10 - El Pulpo Belicoso Grande (94 points)
El Pulpo is one of the newest cigars on this list, as it was released in 2023 by Artesano del Tobacco. It impressed us with its dense and powerful character. The cigar is made by A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper that the company says is aged for a longer period of time than is typical of Mexican wrappers. This is one of the reasons the brand took so long to come to market. When the wrapper was finally ready, the result was a big, bold cigar that also showed balance and purpose. It isn’t strong just for the sake of being strong, but offers layers of coffee bean, dark chocolate, nuts and citrus that make an impactful statement. The cigars come from brothers Gus and Billy Fakih, former New York City cigar-shop owners who left retail to become full-time brand owners. Their first line, Viva La Vida, has appeared on our Top 25 list before. El Pulpo brought them to the next level. The name translates to “the octopus” in Spanish because the tendrils of smoke are supposed to surround your palate the way an octopus grabs its prey. It’s a novel way to describe the smoking experience and one that we don’t disagree with.
Made By: Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 3/4" by 58
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $17.00
11 - Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro Hidalgos (94 points)
The Cuban Romeo y Julieta Línea de Oro line is the super- extension of the core Romeo brand, much the way Behike is to Cohiba or the Línea 1935 is to Montecristo. To indicate its upper-echelon exclusivity in the Cuban portfolio, Habanos dressed the cigars in ornate, holographic bands and packaged them in gleaming boxes made of lacquered red sycamore. But the cigar isn’t just about pageantry or inflated prices. Yes, the cigars here are more expensive than core Romeos, but they are indeed exceptional and the Hidalgos was the finest Romeo y Julieta we had all year, with a festive palate of fruit and nuts, specifically dried fig, raisin, almond and pecan.
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Dimensions: 4 7/8" by 57
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: £61.10
12 - Trinidad Espíritu Series No. 1 Belicoso (94 points)
Altadis U.S.A. has made many attempts to create a non-Cuban version of the Cuban Trinidad brand, but this is one of its finest efforts so far. It’s a collaboration between Rafael Nodal of Altadis and A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua. You’ll notice this Belicoso has a second band that reads “Series No. 1.” Each series is a different blend highlighting a different wrapper, but for this edition, it’s all about Nicaragua. The wrapper is a hybrid of Criollo ’98 and Sumatra developed by Fernandez. First puffs start with concentrated notes of fig, raisin, date and dried blueberry. A meaty, savory element brings it all together for a jammy finish reminiscent of a California Cabernet.
Made By: Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/8" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $10.71
13 - My Father Le Bijou 1922 100 Años LE Corona Especial (94 points)
Offered in only two sizes, the My Father Le Bijou 1922 100 Años celebrates what would have been the 100th birthday of José García Alayón, father to José “Pepín” Garcia and grandfather to Jaime Garcia of My Father Cigars. The Corona Especial was the better of the two and the finest My Father we smoked all year. Although the blend differs from the core Le Bijou line, all the tobacco was still grown in Nicaragua by the Garcia family, namely on their San Rafael, Las Quebradas and San José farms. These cigars are strong and refined, starting with sweet notes of caramel, vanilla and oaky rum before bursting with ground red pepper, baking spices and a truffled honey finish.
Made By: My Father Cigars S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 1/2" by 44
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $13.00
14 - Long Live The Queen Ace of Hearts (94 points)
When Caldwell Cigar Co. released Long Live the Queen in 2022, Ace of Hearts was the only limited-edition size. It was also the highest-scoring size in a vertical brand tasting conducted by Cigar Insider, our twice-monthly newsletter. But in October, Caldwell put it into regular production on of popular demand. Now, the box-pressed smoke is more widely available. It’s made in the Dominican Republic at El Maestro, a factory owned by William Ventura. The blend is a tour of tobaccos from all over the world, and they get along famously, producing notes of coffee and leather sweetened by hints of almond, caramel and chocolate.
Made By: El Maestro Factory
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6" by 52
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $18.00
15 - Ashton Virgin Sun Grown Illusion (94 points)
With a brand as large as Ashton’s Virgin Sun Grown series (12 sizes in total), it’s easy for some of those cigars to get lost in the shuffle, especially with current trends favoring thicker smokes. But it would be a shame to overlook the Illusion, a long, thin lonsdale that gave an enchanting performance. It may not be the most popular size in the line, but it was the most memorable this year and a shape that best showcases the dark Ecuador Sumatra wrapper. Made by Arturo Fuente Cigar Co. in the Dominican Republic, the Illusion has a powerful earthy base punctuated and enhanced by a rich, precise roasted peanut quality that resonates clearly on the palate.
Made By: Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia.
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Dimensions: 6 1/2" by 44
Strength: Full
Price: $14.15
16 - Cohiba Pirámides Extra (94 points)
Excluding limited editions and special releases, the Cuban Cohiba Pirámides Extra is the only figurado in the line. It’s also the thickest, not to mention one of the most expensive. If you’re willing to splurge on this large torpedo, you’ll experience the most dynamic Cohiba we smoked in 2023. The cigar is called Pirámides Extra because it’s a little thicker and a little longer than traditional Cuban pirámides sizes. But that little “extra” was also put into the blend, as it offers an elegant profile starting with chestnut and cinnamon to almond paste and black pepper. The underlying oakiness is a signature of the brand—Cohiba’s tobacco spends time in oak barrels during final fermentation.
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Dimensions: 6 1/4" by 54
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: £105.80
17 - Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante Grande (93 points)
Altadis U.S.A. keeps Montecristo fresh and interesting with the 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante. It started out as a rejected prototype, but Rafael Nodal of Altadis and cigarmaker A.J. Fernandez returned to the blend and realized that a few more years of age transformed the cigar into something extraordinary. Edición Diamante consists of Nicaraguan tobaccos, featuring a wrapper from a hybrid Cuban-seed plant grown in Jalapa. Underneath is filler from Estelí and a Criollo binder from the volcanic island of Ometepe. First puffs erupt with pepper, leather and earth, but a steady flow of roasted nuts, baking spices and dark chocolate even out the smoke.
Made By: Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6" by 60
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $25.16
18 - Tatuaje Miami Havana Cazadores (93 points)
In the back of My Father Cigars’ headquarters in Doral, Florida, there’s a small factory called El Rey de Los Habanos. It serves as My Father’s Miami-made cigar operation and is a throwback of sorts, paying homage to the dying industry of handmade cigars in the United States. In addition to its own lines, My Father produces the Tatuaje brand for Pete Johnson. Although most of My Father’s and Tatuaje’s cigars are made in Nicaragua, a few are still produced in this small facility. Here, the rollers make classic Cuban-style cigars like the Tatuaje Miami Havana Cazadores, a fine lonsdale full of earth, black pepper and coffee with sweeter hints of nutmeg and chocolate.
Made By: El Rey de Los Habanos
Factory Location: U.S.A.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 6 3/8" by 43
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $12.00
19 - Foreign Affair By Luciano Cigars Corona (93 points)
There’s a classic Marlene Dietrich film of the same name from 1948, but this cigar isn’t meant to evoke Hollywood’s Golden Era. Nor was it created to smooth over diplomatic relations. Luciano Cigars calls the brand “an ode to the globalization of the cigar industry and its smokers.” Lofty concept aside, the Foreign Affair is an impressive smoke made in Nicaragua and wrapped in a tasty leaf of Sumatra-seed tobacco grown in Ecuador. The Costa Rican tobacco in the filler gives the Corona a unique bit of X factor. It’s loaded with an array of baking-spice notes such as cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. Hints of graham cracker, almond and honey round out the smoke.
Made By: Luciano Tabacos S.A.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Ecuador, Nicaragua
Filler: Costa Rica, Dom. Rep., Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 5/8" by 42
Strength: Medium
Price: $9.50
20 - Olmec Claro Corona Gorda (93 points)
Foundation Cigar Co. gives us a lesson in anthropology with its Olmec Claro line. Olmec is named after the ancient Mesoamerican people who occupied the area in Mexico where tobacco is grown today. That same tobacco is what defines the Olmec series, as the cigars are wrapped in Mexican cover leaf. Made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez, Olmec comes in two wrapper types, Maduro and Claro (the Claro being slightly lighter). We found outstanding balance in the Claro Corona Gorda, which delivers a dense, sweet-and-spicy smoke. Bursts of ginger and citrus provide the zest while accents of nuts, toast and vanilla bring sweet detail.
Made By: Tabacalera A.J. Fernandez Cigars
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5 1/2" by 48
Strength: Medium
Price: $12.50
21 - La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Lancero (93 points)
This is the third time that this very cigar has made it to our Top 25 list. What can we say other than this is one of the most consistent lanceros on the market. And one of the tastiest. Besides the wrapper, all the tobacco in this lancero was grown on brand owner Litto Gomez’s La Canela farm in the Dominican Republic. The dry, hot microclimate makes his tobaccos strong and concentrated—and this cigar is all about concentration. The thin ring gauge condenses the smoke of each puff, putting an earthy, peppery smoke right in the center of the palate before notes of dark fruit, cocoa powder and leather blossom onto the long finish.
Made By: Tabacalera La Flor S.A.
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Dimensions: 7 1/2" by 38
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $12.70
22 - Ozgener Family Cigars Bosphorus B52 (93 points)
Known for his time running the CAO brand, Tim Ozgener dropped out of cigar society after CAO was sold. When Ozgener returned to the industry in 2022, Bosphorus was his first blend in 12 years. The start was a bit rocky. He parted ways with his first manufacturer before ending up with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, who now makes Bosphorus in the Dominican Republic. It’s named after the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey, which speaks to Ozgener’s Turkish heritage. While there’s no Turkish tobacco here, there is a Havana 2000 wrapper and Nicaraguan filler, all combining for a sweet smoke of cocoa powder, coffee, nutmeg and marzipan.
Made By: Tabacalera La Alianza S.A.
Factory Location: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Ecuador, Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua Dimensions 5" by 52
Strength: Medium
Price: $12.75
23 - Rafael Gonzalez Corona de Lonsdale (93 points)
It’s neither corona nor lonsdale, but the Rafael Gonzalez Corona De Lonsdale is the newest size to the small, overlooked Cuban brand in many years. By Cuban standards, it’s also a tremendous bargain, smoking well above its price tag. Few handmade Cubans retail for so little. Rafael Gonzalez may not have the recognition of the larger brands, but this cigar is every bit as worthy of being part of the conversation, and that becomes evident the moment you light it up. The spicy core of leather and cedar takes on some heady notes of coffee bean, earth and cinnamon, all the while filling the room with an enticing aroma. If you see a box, buy it.
Made By: Habanos S.A.
Factory Location: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Dimensions: 5" by 48
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: 12 Sw. Fr.
24 - Padilla Miami 8&11 Churchill (93 points)
Walk into the bustling El Titan de Bronze factory in Miami’s Little Havana section, and you’ll be standing in one of the last important bastions of handmade cigar production in the United States. The rustle of tobacco leaves and clanking of chavettas is constant. This is a busy place. And one of its finest cigars is the Padilla Miami 8&11, which it produces for Ernesto Padilla. The brand has been made in different factories and different countries, but now Miami 8&11 is back in the city where it started. The Churchill, with notes of walnut, molasses and gingerbread, calls to mind a Christmas cake, although this is a fantastic smoke, no matter the season.
Made By: El Titan de Bronze
Factory Location: U.S.A.
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 7" by 48
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $20.00
25 - West Tampa Red Robusto (93 points)
An industry veteran and alumnus of General Cigar, Rick Rodriguez left General to strike out on his own and start the West Tampa Tobacco Co. in 2022. Since then, he and his partner, Gus Martinez, have been busy building the brand and getting the cigars into the hands of smokers. The name is a reference to the cigar-making city Rodriguez’s grandparents emigrated to, but his cigars aren’t made in Tampa. They’re made in Nicaragua at the Garmendia Cigar Co. factory. West Tampa Red is the company’s third and strongest release. A bold core of chocolate is apparent from first puff to last, also showing layers of hickory, nutmeg, leather and a mocha finish.
Made By: Garmendia Cigar Co.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: 5" by 50
Strength: Medium-Full
Price: $8.99
