Top 9 Cigars of 2022
Best Cigars of 2022
Now that 2022 is in the rearview mirror, here’s a rundown of the best new cigars we smoked over the past twelve months. Some you’ll easily recognize; others are hidden gems. Top-rated cigars from the critics in Cigar Aficionado are included with small-batch editions that are only periodically available. Put them on your radar when you’re looking for the best new cigars to add to your humidor.
1. My Father Limited Edition Pepin Mania 10th Anniversary
This year, your pals at Holt’s got back to doing events, and the 10th anniversary of our legendary Pepin Mania was a whopper. José ‘Pepin’ Garcia blended a special cigar to commemorate the occasion – My Father Limited Edition Pepin Mania 10th Anniversary. If you didn’t buy a box at the event, we promise you’ll be able to get one in the future. And the wait will be worth it. A full-bodied blend of vintage Nicaraguan long-fillers lies beneath an extra-dark and oily San Andrés Oscuro. Savory notes of hickory, cocoa, leather, and espresso bean resonate in a classic 6-by-52 Toro.
2. La Aroma de Cuba Pasión
La Aroma de Cuba Pasión came out in 2021, but the cigar began shipping to retailers towards the end of the year, so it’s considered new because most connoisseurs smoked it for the first time in 2022. A rare Shade Grown Nicaraguan wrapper, cultivated in Namanji on a special Garcia family estate, is the driving force behind this cigar’s complex and indulgent flavor. Tasting notes of molasses, leather, and cedar mingle with a succulent foundation of smoked cashew. The microclimate of Namanji yields tobacco crops with elegant distinctions. This 94-rated newcomer deserves your attention as one of the finest new cigars in 2022.
3. Nub Corojo
New to the Nub franchise is Nub Corojo, another short and chunky gem blended from premium Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos, but this one is finished in a gingerbread-hued Corojo wrapper. Notes of cocoa, pepper, and nuts come to the forefront in a pair of fat, easy-burning shapes you’ll relish for a longer period of time than you might think. Nub Corojo is handmade at the Oliva factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.
4. New World Dorado by AJ Fernandez
The critics in Cigar Aficionado rated New World Dorado by AJ Fernandez an impressive 94 points not long after its official debut. Fans of AJ will have no problem gravitating toward New World Dorado, and if you’re new to AJ Fernandez cigars, this is an excellent introduction to what he does best. A medium-bodied profile of white pepper, cedar, and cinnamon layers the palate with nutty texture. A Cuban-seed Nicaraguan wrapper leaf conceals a Criollo ’98 binder and long-fillers from Condega and Estelí.
5. My Father Le Bijou 1922 100 Años
World-renowned cigar-maker José ‘Pepin’ Garcia created a special, limited-edition My Father Le Bijou 1922, called 100 Años, to commemorate what would have been the 100th birthday of his father, José Garcia Alayón. We don’t expect this small-batch rarity to last much longer, so we implore you to order a box before they’re gone. The abundant strength and richness of the original 97-rated Le Bijou 1922 is driven up a notch in a hearty profile of espresso bean, leather, earth, and spices, courtesy of a thick Cuban-seed Oscuro wrapper grown in Ecuador.
6. Cain Black
Cain cigars are blended with full-bodied cigar lovers in mind, and Cain Black is the latest palate-pounder to deliver succulent waves and strength and spice for an untouchable value. Hints of gingerbread and nuts mingle over a woody and spicy foundation. An oily Cuban-seed Nicaraguan wrapper covers a robust marriage of Nicaraguan long-fillers matured for maximum smoothness. The Cain brand is handcrafted at the prestigious Oliva Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.
7. Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu Blue
Tatuaje brand founder Pete Johnson has been collaborating with elite father-and-son cigar-makers Pepin and Jaime Garcia for decades. Fans of the small-batch Tatuaje portfolio eagerly devour the hearty Nicaragua smokes Pete creates with the Garcias. Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu Blue is the latest specimen to hit the streets. A shimmering Corojo Rosado wrapper leaf, grown in Nicaragua, embraces a well-aged amalgam of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers. Notes of coffee bean, nuts, and spice crisscross the palate before a long, earthy finish.
8. Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf
Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf is a somewhat experimental blend. A dark-brown Honduran wrapper leaf, grown from Connecticut-seed tobaccos, hosts a bold blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers, some of which are also grown from Connecticut-seed tobaccos. The result is a big and earthy profile of espresso, coffee bean, and black pepper with hints of salt and dark chocolate. The decadent finish of Alec Bradley Broadleaf requires sitting down.
9. Olmec Maduro
Foundation Cigars brand founder Nick Melillo is particularly proud of the small-batch cigars he blends with AJ Fernandez in Estelí, Nicaragua. The latest edition the pair put together comes in two blends – Olmec Claro (Natural) and Olmec Maduro. Both are finished in San Andrés wrappers, and the darker and sweeter Maduro delivers a convincing profile of leather, espresso bean, and dark cocoa before a complex, earthy finale. The wrapper on Olmec Maduro is an Oscuro, which requires extra aging. Melillo, who is an astute history buff, named the Olmec line for the ancient Mesoamerican people who once inhabited the renowned San Andrés tobacco-growing region in Mexico.
