May/June 2025 | Cigar Aficionado

In this issue

Michael Cudlitz • May/June 2025

Veteran actor Michael Cudlitz is known for portraying imposing figures on hit TV shows, from the zombie world of "The Walking Dead" to the battlefield in "Band of Brothers." While these characters smoked cigars on screen, it wasn't all just for show. Cudlitz is a serious lover of the leaf and is even a cigar bar owner. He spoke with executive editor David Savona to share his ion for cigars and reflect on his 30-year acting career. Also in this issue, we look at F1 on the Vegas Strip, top-caliber golf courses on Florida's Gulf Coast, twists on classic cocktails and Cuba's newest Behike. Plus, we explore three generations of My Father Cigars, recap cigar celebrations like ProCigar and Cigar Aficionado's Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest and discover the favorite cigar of country music star Travis Tritt. There's also 72 new, expert cigar ratings alongside a review of a 1986 Davidoff in our latest edition of Connoisseur’s Corner.

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Features

The Craftsman

It’s night two of the Las Vegas Big Smoke Weekend and a cigar lover is walking through the ballroom. He slows his pace, taking a second, then a third look at the tall, strongly …

Formula 1 Hits The Strip

Days before the $15 million McLarens, Benzes and Ferraris would turn the Las Vegas Strip into a racetrack, Sin City bookies have already revved up. Engines are scrutinized, …

Gulf Coast Treasures

To golfers, the lures of Florida are many: the most courses of any U.S. state, summer weather practically year-round, miles of beaches, easy access by plane, great food and an …

Riffing On Cocktail Classics

Some mixology theorists have posited that—like plots in the theater world—there are only a handful of basic cocktails and the hundreds of others are just variations on a theme. …

Cigars

The Mission of My Father

Three generations of the Garcia family operate one of Nicaragua’s largest cigarmaking operations with unfailing devotion.

Cuba’s Newest: The Cohiba Behike BHK 58

One of the largest Cohibas ever made takes center stage at the Habanos Festival.

ProCigar Holds 17th Fest in Dominican Republic

A weeklong celebration of the country’s finest cigars.

A Sold-Out Show: Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest

Tampa, Florida (aka Cigar City) once again played host to the biggest celebration in the cigar industry.

My Favorite Cigar

Cigar aficionados describe their smoke of choice.

Connoisseur’s Corner: Davidoff Château Mouton Rothschild (1986)

Cuban Davidoffs are among the rarest cigars in the world, and this (almost) 40-year-old gem did not dissapoint.

ratings from this issue

The cigar ratings for this issue have not been released yet. Please check back at a later date.

Up Front

Tariffs and Cigars—A Bad Mix

It was news that was impossible to miss. On April 2, President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on virtually every item imported into the United States. He ordered a minimum 10 …