A Dozen Delightful Cigars You Need To Try Right Now
The July/August issue of Cigar Aficionado contained many interesting topics—an interview with “Ray Donovan” actor Liev Schreiber, an overview of charred whisky barrels and coverage of the country’s best car shows—but the tasting section was the real star. Our editorial team selected the issue’s absolute top performers and collated this list of a dozen cigars that scored 92 points or higher.
Every cigar rated by Cigar Aficionado is smoked blind by our panel of editors. The tasting coordinator removes the cigars’ identifying bands and replaces them with plain white, numbered labels before handing them out. Members of the tasting panel have no idea what they are smoking, and cigars are evaluated without potentially prejudicial information such as price, country of origin and brand.
Padrón Serie 1926 No. 1 (94 points, $25.95)
Debuting in 2002 to honor founder José Orlando Padrón’s 75th birthday, the Serie 1926 is among the strongest of the company’s blends. Its bold notes of cedar and espresso bookend a sweeter mélange of cocoa powder, maple and marzipan which all harmonize to delicious effect. See full tasting note.
Viaje Fifteen Plus Two and a Half Anniversary Silver (94 points, $16.32)
This cigar is part of a quartet of color-coded blends (Silver, Black, Red, Gold) made by Aganorsa Leaf to commemorate exactly 17-and-a-half years of the Viaje brand. Featuring an all-Nicaraguan blend, including the Criollo cover leaf, this cigar reminds us of the holiday season: richly layered with notes of gingerbread, nuts and caramel. Hints of candied orange peel and nutmeg usher in a satisfying buttercream finish. See full tasting note.
Bolivar New Gold Medal (93 points, £45.10)
The Bolivar brand might be a bit overshadowed by bigger Cuban brands like Cohiba and Montecristo, but the snazzy packaging might change that at La Casa del Habano shops, which this toro is exclusive to. Gift-wrapped in an eye-catching sleeve of gold foil, this is a nutty smoke, accented by impressions of graham cracker, fruit and a bit of chocolate before the malty finish. See full tasting note.
Camacho Corojo Churchill (93 points, $10)
While Davidoff’s flagship brands are typically on the pricier side, the company’s Honduran Camacho series has remained quite approachable, making this 93-pointer a real bargain. Its leathery, peppery core is given complexity by a sweet, precise note of molasses, along with elements of chocolate-covered peanut and candied orange peel tagging along for a truly refined smoke. See full tasting note.
Leaf by Oscar Corojo Lancero (93 points, $11.65)
Instead of being packaged in cellophane, these lanceros are instead clad in a rustic tobacco leaf. This slender, all-Honduran cigar draws and burns evenly, delivering a sweet, nutty smoke that calls marzipan to mind. Intonations of black pepper and roasted coffee add some bolder touches, segueing to an opulent finish of chocolate-covered raisin. See full tasting note.
Partagás Línea Maestra Origen (93 points, £66.20)
Partagás is known for its red bands but in 2023, the brand went blue with Línea Maestra—an ultra-premium line on par with Montecristo’s Línea 1935 or Romeo y Julieta’s Línea de Oro. The 109-style belicoso heads (rare on Cubans) certainly make these cigars stand out, and the Origen is as good as it looks, offering a smoke of toasted almond, marzipan and café au lait, with a bit of red pepper spice for zest. See full tasting note.
San Cristobal Revelation Triumph (93 points, $11.25)
Made in Nicaragua for Ashton Distributors Inc. by My Father Cigars, San Cristobal Revelation cigars are rolled with the same Ecuadoran Sumatra cover leaf found on Ashton’s Virgin Sun Grown blend, but it’s a lower priming on the tobacco plant, meaning it gets less direct sunlight (resulting in less strength). From first puff to last, a sweet-and-spicy note of gingerbread drives this softly pressed Churchill, buttressed by chocolate and espresso. See full tasting note.
Cohiba Lancero (92 points, £89.10)
Cuban cigars—particularly Cohibas—are getting more difficult to find (and more expensive), so if you can get your hands on this long, pigtailed lancero, it is the Cohiba to try. This was the size made especially for Fidel Castro before Cohiba’s commercial release, and we can see why. Its creamy smoke leaves floral, nutty impressions on the palate with a pronounced woodiness. Orange, honey and graham cracker notes also come through. See full tasting note.
Illusione Original Documents Habano Lancero (92 points, $12.70)
Most Illusione cigars are produced by Aganorsa Leaf with tobaccos grown by Aganorsa, but the Habano line marks a departure as it’s not only made by A.J. Fernandez, but also consists entirely of tobacco from Fernandez’s farms. Brand owner Dion Giolito was intrigued by the Nicaraguan Habano wrapper Fernandez was growing and created a new line to showcase it. The smoke is chewy and nutty, layered with dried fruits such as fig and dates before a molasses-like finish. See full tasting note.
My Father Le Bijou 1922 Churchill (92 points, $13.20)
It was one of Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 cigars of 2022 and continues to be a consistently excellent smoke. The star of this all-Nicaraguan Churchill is the Cuban-seed cover leaf that My Father refers to as “oscuro-oscuro” due to its dark appearance. Despite the inky exterior, it’s not a powerbomb but rather a complex, tasty smoke of leather, caramel and blackstrap molasses with some black pepper preceding the Heath Bar finish. See full tasting note.
Saint Luis Rey Carenas Toro (92 points, $10.44)
We’re starting to see Honduran broadleaf appear in premium blends and this cigar from Altadis U.S.A. is a perfect example. Sandwiched between the Nicaraguan wrapper and Honduran filler is a broadleaf binder grown Honduras. The smoke’s earthy core is elevated by a briny olive note. Some sweet-and-spicy elements of gingerbread, pepper and cinnamon also enter the fold. See full tasting note.
Tatuaje Black Petite Lancero (92 points, $8.50)
Retailing for less than $9, this is the least expensive smoke on this list, but is loaded with character. Initial impressions of marshmallow, graham cracker and chocolate combine for a charming s’mores effect. As the smoke progresses, some oak and nuts also come through. See full tasting note.
