Top 7 Belicoso Cigars
One of today’s most popular traditional cigar sizes is the Belicoso. Think of a Belicoso as a chunky Robusto with an abruptly tapered head. The taper on a Belicoso is less dramatic than on a Torpedo, but it accomplishes a similar effect: the head of the cigar is narrower and easier to fit in your mouth, and the smoke is more concentrated when it reaches your palate. Belicosos are great cigars because you can enjoy a slightly thicker shape without stretching your jaw, and the draw isn’t as tight as a Torpedo. You’ve got more than a few outstanding Belicosos to smoke from today’s best cigar-makers, but here are seven standouts that belong in your humidor.
1. La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso
When La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor debuted in 2011, the critics in Cigar Aficionado rated the Belicoso 95 points and crowned it the ‘#2 Cigar of the Year.’ More than a decade later, this striking soft box-pressed 5.5-by-54 Belicoso reigns supreme as one of the finest Nicaraguan cigars blended by Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia. An oily San Andrs wrapper leaf conceals a vintage blend of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers in a versatile profile of dark chocolate, almond, cracked black pepper, and espresso bean.
2. Ashton VSG Belicoso No. 1
The 94-rated Ashton VSG is drawn from a dark and succulent Ecuador Sumatra wrapper and a vibrant blend of premium Dominican long-fillers assembled and aged to perfection by legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente. The Belicoso No. 1 is an exquisite 5.25-by-52 size which gently concentrates the cigar’s profile of cedar, espresso bean, earth, and black pepper before its luscious and leathery finish. This iconic smoke debuted in 1999 and has earned some of the highest marks from critics over the past two decades.
3. San Cristobal Quintessence Belicoso
In 2021, the critics in Cigar Aficionado awarded San Cristobal Quintessence ‘#3 Cigar of the Year’ honors with a 95-point rating, and you can savor this hearty classic in a big 6.5-by-54 Belicoso. Tasting notes of molasses, cedar, cocoa, and coffee bean accompany an ample spice in an easy-burning shape that lasts for an hour or longer. Pepin Garcia blends Quintessence from a well-aged Cuban-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador over his finest Nicaraguan long-fillers. When you want to sip your favorite whiskey with a cigar, this prestigious Belicoso concentrates the flavor perfectly throughout a long and refined finish.
4. My Father No. 2 (Belicoso)
The My Father cigars portfolio is home to some of today’s bestselling Nicaraguan blends, including the 97-rated Le Bijou 1922 and 95-rated La Opulencia. Not to be overlooked, however, is the original My Father blend, a pillar in an award-winning collection. Father-and-son cigar-makers Pepin and Jaime Garcia articulate a phenomenal profile of cedar, nutmeg, vanilla, and pepper punctuated by sweet and spicy intonations in a 5.5-by-54 Belicoso. The finish is full-bodied but not overpowering.
5. Padrón 1964 Anniversary Belicoso
Indulge in 5-by-52 box-pressed Belicoso in the 97-rated Padrón 1964 Anniversary blend. Padrón cigars are handmade in Estelí, Nicaragua, to uncompromising standards for taste, construction, and consistency. The Belicoso is an impressive shape to experience this critically acclaimed profile of cocoa, cedar, leather, and cayenne pepper drawn from exclusive reserves of well-aged Nicaraguan long-fillers. Padrón 1964 Anniversary is finished in a toothy Nicaraguan wrapper leaf in either a Natural or a Maduro wrapper and has long been considered one of the best Nicaraguan cigars in the world.
6. Flor de las Antillas Belicoso
When Flor de las Antillas scored 96 points a ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ title in 2012 from Cigar Aficionado, Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia’s recognition as a premium cigar-maker seemed inevitable. He began making cigars in Cuba at the age of eleven and never looked back. Flor de las Antillas is among the many remarkable cigars he’s blended over the past ten years. It’s handcrafted from a stellar recipe of premium Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos under an oily and reddish-brown Sun Grown Nicaraguan wrapper leaf you can enjoy in a cool-burning 5.5-by-52 Belicoso. Notes of cedar, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper mingle with hints of cinnamon before a spicy and creamy finish emerges.
7. Oliva Serie V Belicoso
There are dozens of vaunted Oliva cigars to smoke these days, and Oliva Serie V is one of the most popular. A hearty profile of red pepper, black pepper, leather, and earth culminates in a strong finish redolent of Ligero tobaccos grown in the abundant soils of Nicaragua’s Jalapa region. An oily Cuban-seed wrapper conceals a meaty interior of Nicaraguan long-fillers in a 95-rated 5-by-54 Belicoso awarded a ‘Top 5’ ranking in Cigar Aficionado for 2017. This spicy specimen has been a big hit for more than a decade.
