The Very Best
Cigar Aficionado has rated cigars blind in every issue dating back to our first in Autumn of 1992. Based on a 100-point system, our highest ranking is a classification we refer to as “classic,” and it’s reserved for cigars that scored 95 points or more. We have gone into our ratings database archive and poured through our classics by brand and manufacturer. This list of overachievers goes back 30 years and shows the top-rated cigar from each brand to earn this rare distinction.
99 Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona
Reviewed Winter 1992
This Cuban cigar set the standard for cigar reviews. In the second issue of the magazine, this stately double corona earned a near-perfect score of 99 points, a mark that has never been matched in one of our blind tastings.
98 E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel
Jan./Feb. 2021
This spicy creation from Ernesto Perez-Carrillo made Cigar of the Year history in 2020, earning our highest Top 25 score to date. It was the second time that an E.P. Carrillo was named Cigar of the Year, the industry’s highest accolade.
97 Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark
Jan./Feb. 2018
Cigar powerhouse Arturo Fuente has more than 100 years of history, and two of its cigars have scored 97 points. The unique Eye of the Shark from the Dominican Republic, our 2017 Cigar of the Year, stands out for both shape and flavor.
97 Cohiba Behike BHK 52
Jan./Feb. 2011
Arguably the best-known cigar brand in the world, Cohiba commands high prices and high ratings. None have rated higher than the exclusive and elusive Cohiba Behike BHK 52, named Cigar of the Year for 2010.
97 My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Pressed
Jan./Feb. 2016
The Garcia family makes a host of amazing cigars in Nicaragua, none more acclaimed than this spicy, full-flavored torpedo. It was named 2015 Cigar of the Year.
97 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo Natural
Jan./Feb. 2022
With 15 classic cigars to its name, and four Cigar of the Year awards (including 2021), Padrón has earned more high ratings than any other brand. This elegant, Nicaraguan figurado is just one example of its long history of excellence.
96 Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro
Jan./Feb. 2020
Rafael Nodal and A.J. Fernandez teamed up on this bold, zingy smoke, Cigar Aficionado’s 2019 Cigar of the Year. It’s a box-pressed torpedo loaded with Nicaraguan tobacco that’s both strong and resonant.
96 Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill
Jan./Feb. 2012
This inky black Honduran Churchill is the highest-rated Alec Bradley ever rolled, a cigar that put the boutique company on the map when it was named Cigar of the Year in 2011.
96 H. Upmann No. 2
July/August 2022
This Cuban smoke is a near carbon copy of the iconic Montecristo No. 2. Some say it’s milder and it’s definitely made in smaller quantities—we say it’s a delicious figurado that deserves a spot in one of your humidors.
96 La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull
Jan./Feb. 2017
Litto Gomez is known for making powerful smokes, and few are as strong as his Dominican Andalusian Bull. It’s complex, large and flavorful, and remains hard to find years after being named Cigar of the Year.
96 La Mission L’Atelier 1959
Jan./Feb. 2021
Pete Johnson is best known for his Tatuaje brand, but his highest-scoring smoke is his smaller (and lesser known) La Mission L’Atelier line, made in Nicaragua.
96 Montecristo No. 2
Jan./Feb. 2014
The highest-rated Cuban Montecristo is fittingly its most famous size, the torpedo-shaped Monte 2. It’s consistently superb and one of Cuba’s finest smokes.
96 Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado
Jan./Feb. 2015
Oliva is an industry powerhouse, known for quality and value. When this tapered Nicaraguan smoke was named 2014’s Cigar of the Year, it cemented the company’s legacy and set a new standard for its cigars.
96 Punch Double Corona
Nov./Dec. 1999
The largest size in the venerable Cuban Punch line has excelled in our taste tests, none scoring higher than this blind tasting conducted in December 1999, in the early days of the magazine.
96 Ramon Allones Specially Selected
Jan./Feb. 2016
Cuba’s Ramon Allones line is a small one, and its boastfully named robusto size is the best rated in the brand. In 2015, it was named No. 2 Cigar of the Year.
95 Bolivar Belicoso Fino
Jan./Feb. 2021
Named for the liberator of South America, the bold (but small) Bolivar brand is best enjoyed in this figurado size, which has performed well again and again in our blind tastings.
95 CAO Flathead V660 Carb
Jan./Feb. 2016
The fattest cigar to be named a classic, this black-as-night smoke is cloaked in Connecticut broadleaf and brimming with full flavor, which earned it No. 3 Cigar of the Year honors for 2015.
95 Davidoff Nicaragua Toro
Jan./Feb. 2014
When Davidoff decided to make something different in 2014, it looked to a completely new blend, bringing in Nicaraguan tobacco and crafting a fuller-bodied line that has outscored every other Davidoff to date.
95 Henry Clay War Hawk Corona
Jan./Feb. 2021
A new take on the old Henry Clay brand, this smaller cigar is stronger than it looks. The wrapper might be light, but the blend had enough intensity to earn this smoke a spot on our Top 25.
95 Illusione Fume d’Amour Clementes
Jan./Feb. 2015
This version of the boutique Illusione brand is made without ligero, the strongest type of tobacco. It’s balanced and elegant, and not oversized like so many modern smokes.
95 Joya de Nicaragua Número Uno L’Ambassadeur
Jan./Feb. 2021
If you think you know the cigars of Joya de Nicaragua, this one might surprise you. It’s creamier and milder than the typical Joya, and topped with a pigtail that helps it stand out in a humidor.
95 La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso
Jan./Feb. 2012
Ashton’s La Aroma brand, made by the Garcias in Nicaragua, has a host of incarnations, none more flavorful than this Mexican-wrapped beauty. In 2011 it earned the No. 2 spot on our Top 25.
95 Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua No. 2
Jan./Feb. 2022
The year in this brand name is a nod to when Montecristos were born, but this is a spicy new creation rolled in Nicaragua. It’s also our reigning No. 2 cigar of the year.
95 Partagás Serie P No. 2
Nov./Dec. 2011
The Partagás brand is an old one, dating back to 1845. It has a wide range of sizes, none scoring higher than this (relatively) new one, a pirámide that first appeared in the year 2000 as a limited edition before going into regular production in 2005.
95 Rocky Patel Decade Torpedo
May/June 2008
The cigars of Rocky Patel are mainstays in cigar shop humidors. This landmark, classic rating only added to the brand’s popularity and marked Patel’s 10-year anniversary in the cigar business.
95 Romeo y Julieta Churchill
July/August 2022
This Romeo is Cuba’s quintessential Churchill size and a true benchmark in the entire Cuban portfolio. It’s also a survivor, as most Cuban Churchills have been discontinued.
95 San Cristobal Quintessence Churchill
Jan./Feb. 2022
Ecuador wrapper and Nicaraguan filler combine beautifully in this Nicaraguan smoke. Quintessence comes in five different versions, but this blend hits that medium-to-full bodied sweet spot.
95 The Wise Man Maduro Robusto
Jan./Feb. 2019
From Nick Melillo’s Foundation Cigar Co. comes this combination of Nicaraguan and Mexican tobaccos, which coalesce for a full-flavored blend that was named No. 3 Cigar of 2018.
95 Viaje Oro Reserva VOR No. 5
Jan./Feb. 2011
When this Viaje earned our second-best score in 2010, it was the first time many cigar smokers had heard of the name. It remains a smaller brand and stays true to its mission of creating cigars in limited quantities.
95 Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 Robusto
Jan./Feb. 2020
Kyle Gellis is making a name for himself in the cigar world via his small but impactful Warped brand. This Nicaraguan puro comes in only one size, but it resonates with big flavor.
