The Classics
Have you ever wondered—what are the highest rated cigars of all time? Wonder no more. These 72 smokes are the crème de la crème of the Cigar Aficionado blind tastings, each with a “classic” rating of 95 points or higher in a standard Cigar Aficionado review. This list does not factor in scores from our Connoisseur’s Corner reviews of vintage cigars, but it does include all classic ratings from our Top 25 ranking.
The standout is the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona, which earned a near-perfect 99 points in our Winter 1992 issue. The top of the list also contains the 98-point E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel and seven 97-point giants from Padrón, Fuente, My Father and Cohiba. The remainder of the list features a variety of exceptionally complex and flavorful cigars, all of them gems, including fan favorites such as Cohiba, Fuente Fuente OpusX and Padrón Family Reserve.
In the 30 years of this magazine’s publication, only 16 cigars have scored 96 points; only 47 have earned 95 points.
99 Points
Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona Winter 1992
98 Points
E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel 2020 Cigar of the Year
H. Upmann No. 2 2022 Cigar of the Year
97 Points
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark 2017 Cigar of the Year
Cohiba Behike BHK 52 2010 Cigar of the Year
Fuente Fuente OpusX Double Robusto 2020 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Pressed 2015 Cigar of the Year
Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Hermoso 2020 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo Natural 2021 Cigar of the Year
Padrón Serie 1926 No. 9 2007 Cigar of the Year
96 Points
Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro 2019 Cigar of the Year
Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill 2011 Cigar of the Year
Cohiba Robusto Autumn 1992
Cohiba Siglo V Spring 1993
E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic 2018 Cigar of the Year
Flor de las Antillas Toro 2012 Cigar of the Year
Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona Spring 1995
La Flor de Cano Short Churchill Autumn 1992
La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull 2016 Cigar of the Year
La Mission L’Atelier 1959 2020 No. 4 Cigar of the Year
Montecristo No. 2 2013 Cigar of the Year
Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado 2014 Cigar of the Year
Padrón Serie 1926 80 Years Maduro 2008 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Padrón Serie 1926 No. 2 2017 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Punch Double Corona December 1999
Ramon Allones Specially Selected 2015 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Rocky Patel Sixty Sixty 2022 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
95 Points
Aging Room Quattro F55 Concerto 2013 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Alec & Bradley Gatekeeper Robusto 2020 No. 7 Cigar of the Year
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark December 2020
Bolivar Belicoso Fino 2020 No. 11 Cigar of the Year
CAO Flathead V660 Carb 2015 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
Cohiba 55 Aniversario Edición Limitada 2021 2022 No. 17 Cigar of the Year
Cohiba 1966 Edición Limitada 2011 2012 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Cohiba Behike BHK 54 June 2013
Cohiba Esplendido April 2017
Cohiba Robusto 2019 No. 4 Cigar of the Year
Cohiba Siglo III Spring 1993
Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema 2022 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
Davidoff Nicaragua Toro 2013 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
E.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III 2014 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Flor De Las Antillas December 2018
Fuente Fuente OpusX Belicoso XXX 2010 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
Fuente Fuente OpusX Double Corona 2005 Cigar of the Year
Fuente Fuente OpusX PerfecXion No. 2 2007 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Henry Clay War Hawk Corona 2020 No. 10 Cigar of the Year
Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes 2022 No. 4 Cigar of the Year
Illusione Fume d’Amour Clementes 2014 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur 2020 No. 6 Cigar of the Year
La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso 2011 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
La Flor Dominicana Salomon April 2009
My Father La Opulencia Toro 2018 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua No. 2 2021 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Montecristo No. 2 June 2000
Oliva Serie V Belicoso 2017 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
Oliva Serie V Churchill Extra 2022 No. 5 Cigar of the Year
Oliva Serie V Melanio Churchill 2020 No. 8 Cigar of the Year
Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado October 2021
Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Churchill December 2021
Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series “A” June 2009
Padrón Family Reserve No. 50 December 2021
Padrón Family Reserve No. 44 Maduro July 28, 2020 Cigar Insider
Padrón Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro 2009 Cigar of the Year
Padrón Family Reserve No. 45 Natural 2010 No. 4 Cigar of the Year
Padrón Family Reserve No. 44 Natural December 2011
Padrón Family Reserve No. 44 Natural 2018 No. 4 Cigar of the Year
Padrón Serie 1926 80 Years Maduro April 2008
Padrón Serie 1926 No. 48 Maduro December 2021
Padrón Serie 1926 No. 6 2019 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Partagás Serie P No. 2 December 2011
Punch Double Corona July 21, 2015 Cigar Insider
Punch Short de Punch 2020 No. 5 Cigar of the Year
Rocky Patel Decade Torpedo June 2008
Rocky Patel Number 6 Corona 2020 No. 9 Cigar of the Year
Rocky Patel Sun Grown Maduro Robusto 2016 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Romeo y Julieta Churchill August 2022
San Cristobal Quintessence Churchill 2021 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
The Wise Man Maduro Robusto 2018 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
Viaje Oro Reserva VOR No. 5 2010 No. 2 Cigar of the Year
Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 Robusto 2019 No. 3 Cigar of the Year
