Curivari Buenaventura Cremas C 100 (Nicaragua, 93 Points)
How often does a 93-point cigar retail for around $6? Not often enough, but that’s all this creamy, nutty smoke from Curivari will set you back. This is a lighter version of the core Buenaventura line, different due to its Connecticut-seed wrapper from Ecuador. The cigar could easily cost twice as much. On a personal note, virtually every Curivari cigar I’ve smoked was terrific!
Días de Gloria Short Churchill (Nicaragua, 93 Points)
Cigarmaker A.J. Fernandez culled tobacco from his four oldest farms in Estelí, Nicaragua, to compose a blend that he calls a homage to the glory days of Cuba’s cigar industry before Castro. There’s no Cuban tobacco here, but the cigar is a wonderful expression of specific Nicaraguan terroir.
Espinosa Habano Lancero (Nicaragua, 92 Points)
Named for its Cuban-seed, Ecuador Habano wrapper, this long, thin cigar is all about concentration, as it puts a very condensed smoke squarely onto the palate. This is due to the thin ring gauge and excellent draw. There’s an interesting tension that exists here between intensity and balance.
Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970 Gran Consul (Nicaragua, 92 Points)
At a 60 ring gauge, this fat belicoso looks more like a round of anti-aircraft ammunition than a cigar. Nevertheless, it’s a big, bold smoke from Nicaragua’s oldest producer of premium cigars and offers what just might be the quintessential Nicaraguan smoking experience.
Pichardo Clasico Natural Toro (Nicaragua, 93 Points)
Tabacalera Pichardo is turning out some impressive cigars, especially the Clasico Natural, a variation on the core Clasico line that switches out a Sumatra-seed wrapper for a leaf of Ecuador Habano. The result is a lovely smoke that’s nutty and precise.
Brick House Churchill (Nicaragua, 92 Points)
A cigar company as old as J.C. Newman often has a big book of old trademarks it can resurrect, and Brick House is one of them. While it’s positioned as a value brand, it certainly doesn’t smoke like one. The cigar speaks of autumn with its notes of apple, baking spices and cedar—a Churchill that truly goes above its paygrade.
E.P. Carrillo La Historia Senador (Dominican Republic, 93 Points)
Part one in what was to become an epic trilogy of cigar brands, La Historia is made by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo. It’s driven by a Mexican wrapper and backed up by Nicaraguan filler for a smoke that’s full of dark chocolate, black licorice and coffee.
Padrón Dámaso No. 12 (Nicaragua, 92 Points)
The Dámaso line was Padrón’s entry into the world of milder smokes and the robusto-sized No. 12 shows how a company known for stronger cigars can show restraint when it wants to. Medium-bodied and full of flavor, this is the perfect choice for someone who wants to go milder without sacrificing character.
Plasencia Alma Fuerte Generacion V (Nicaragua, 92 Points)
A big Salomon shape like this can be intimidating, but don’t let the appearance scare you. In reality, it’s a bold and brilliant assortment of aged Criollo ’98 tobacco from four of Nicaragua’s growing regions—Jalapa, Condega, Estelí and Ometepe.
Rocky Patel Sixty Sixty (Nicaragua, 93 Points)
Birthdays and anniversaries are taken very seriously in the cigar industry, and Rocky Patel decided that his 60th birthday needed a special smoke. According to Patel, cigars from his Sixty line were made two years before release, and this chunky grande is leathery and woody with hints of nuts, spice and coffee bean.
La Aurora Preferidos Gold Robusto (90 Points)
La Aurora is the oldest cigar producer in the Dominican Republic, with a brand that was first rolled in 1903. The company makes a wide array of smokes, including this robusto, made from an intriguing combination of tobaccos from four countries: the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Ecuador and even Cameroon. That’s quite a mix, which comes together in a blend that smacks of honey, nuts and even citrus.
Casa Magna Colorado Robusto (94 Points)
When two great cigar families put their blending skills together, the result can be phenomenal. Such is the case with the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto (5 1/2 by 52) This former Cigar of the Year, is a joint creation from the Quesadas of the Dominican Republic and the Plasencias of Central America. With chocolate, spice, wood and so much more, it’s a cigar that delivers astounding amounts of flavor.
Camacho Corojo Figurado (93 Points)
It seems as though this Davidoff made figurado (6 1/8 by 54) has grown in overall acceptance since its introduction in 2013. While the jury was surly in and out depending on the year, it’s relatively safe to assume that this complex tasting, medium to full bodied Honduran puro is worth a try.
Tatuaje Reserva K222 (93 points, $14)
Cigarmaker Pete Johnson has a beauty in this American-made cigar, which is Cigar Aficionado’s No. 13 Cigar of 2021. The 5 7/8 inch by 52 ring gauge K222 was made in tribute to his dog Kona. Most Tatuaje cigars are made in Nicaragua at My Father Cigars, but the Reserva line is made at the company’s tiny rolling gallery in Miami. It’s a hearty, medium-to-full-bodied smoke full of molasses, coffee bean and red pepper, all before a cappuccino finish.
Herrera Esteli Miami Short Corona Gorda (92 points, $9.80)
The Herrera Esteli Miami line was launched in 2016 as a single-size limited edition available to select retailers before becoming a national release in 2019. The original size of the line, the Short Corona Gorda (back then called Corona) has the distinction of being our No. 24 cigar of 2020. Blended by Drew Estate’s Willy Herrera, this 92 pointer retails for a little less than $10, tough to do given the high prices of American labor.
Don Pepin Garcia Original Exclusivos (91 points, $10.50)
Like the Tatuaje brand, most My Father cigars are made in Nicaragua at My Father Cigars S.A., but Don Pepin Garcia Original line (popularly known as “blue label”) is made where it was born, in Miami. It’s a massive smoke, an “A” size measuring an impressive 9 1/4 inches by 48 ring gauge. This cigar can be kept burning for hours, making it perfect to smoke from the afternoon barbecue all the way in to the evening.
E.P. Carrillo Pledge Apogee (93 Points)
The E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel was named Cigar of the Year by Cigar Aficionado in 2020. A somewhat longer and significantly fatter size in the Pledge line, the Apogee (6 1/4 inches long, 58 ring gauge, $15) is our Cigar of the Week. It’s a 93 pointer, robust and flavorful, with a complex mix of sweet and tannic flavors that combine for a memorable smoking experience.
