Cigar Aficionado Cigars of the Year: A History
In the months of December or January, Cigar Aficionado publishes its annual list of the ‘Top 25 Cigars of the Year.’ The publication has been rating cigars since its debut in the early 1990s but began ranking the top cigars of the year in 2004. Only cigars rated 91 points or higher according to Cigar Aficionado’s 100-point scale are eligible to make the ‘Top 25.’ Every year, cigar lovers look forward to the rankings and run out to buy the editors’ top picks.
Now that the ‘Top 25’ list for 2024 is out, we’re updating our roundup of the past ‘Cigar of the Year’ titleholders going back to 2004 for perspective. We don’t sell the Cubans mentioned and certain brands are made in very limited quantities, however, most of the other cigars are readily available for purchase. Consider these classics when you’re looking for new cigars to add to your humidor. And don’t forget to check out our deep library of Holt’s Staff Reviews to see what our cigar experts have to say about today’s highest-rated cigars.
2024: My Father The Judge – Grand Robusto – Rated 98
My Father The Judge marks the third ‘Cigar of the Year’ title for father-and-son cigarmakers Pepin and Jaime Garcia. The Grand Robusto is a thick 5-by-60 box-pressed smoke drawn from an oily Ecuador Sumatra wrapper over a host of premium tobaccos grown in three regions in Nicaragua: Jalapa, Estelí, and Namanji. Tasting notes of leather, wood, and spice layer the palate before a well-rounded, nutty finish resonates. The critics bestowed an impressive 98-point rating, one of their highest ever, on My Father The Judge.
2023: Fuente Fuente Opus X – Reserva d’Chateau – Rated 97
Arturo Fuente is the world’s leading brand of Dominican cigars, and none is prized more than the exclusive Fuente Fuente Opus X line. The blend won a ‘Cigar of the Year’ title in 2005 for the Double Corona size. In 2023, Opus X took the top spot again with the 7-by-48 Reserva d’Chateau. This succulent, 97-rated Churchill unfolds with a stellar profile of cedar, nutmeg, and pepper imbued with a long finish of coffee bean and spice. Savor an authentic Dominican Puro, considered one of the most sought-after cigars ever created, when you can get your hands on a Fuente Fuente Opus X Reserva d’Chateau.
2022: H. Upmann – No. 2 (Cuba) – Rated 98
For 2022, the critics chose H. Upmann No. 2, a 6.125-by-52 Torpedo, as the ‘Cigar of the Year.’ The history of H. Upmann cigars dates to the 1840s, when German banker Hermann Dietrich Upmann began importing cigars from Cuba to Europe. H. Upmann was the first brand to package its cigars in cedar boxes. The brand has been owned by the Cuban government since 1960. The H. Upmann No. 2 is identical in size to a more famous Cuban cigar, the Montecristo No. 2. The Aficionado editors called attention to the historic but lesser-known H. Upmann No. 2 for its luxurious and elegant profile of cinnamon, nutmeg, and spice.
2021: Padrón 1964 Anniversary – Torpedo – Rated 97
The fourth ‘Cigar of the Year’ title for Padrón went to the Padrón 1964 Anniversary in a meticulously handmade 6-by-52 Torpedo. This sharp box-pressed vitola imparts a classic Nicaraguan profile of cedar, coffee bean, cocoa, and nuts with complex hints of cayenne and black pepper. The critics at Cigar Aficionado have never tired of the consistent taste displayed by the well-aged tobaccos the Padrón family relies on throughout their portfolio. This latest accolade-worthy Padrón earned an impressive 97 points in 2021.
2020: E.P. Carrillo Pledge – Prequel – Rated 98
Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is a titan in the cigar industry. His decades-long career began well before the Cigar Boom of the 1990s, when he launched La Gloria Cubana. Today, his E.P. Carrillo brand includes many top-rated releases, including his second ‘Cigar of the Year’ title with the 98-rated Pledge in a 5-by-50 Robusto called the Prequel. E.P. Carrillo Pledge is crafted from long-filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Ecuador beneath a Cuban-seed wrapper grown in Connecticut.
2019: Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua – Maestro – Rated 96
Aging Room is a brand created by Rafael Nodal but blended and made in a consortium of different cigar factories. Quattro Nicaragua hails from one of Nicaragua’s hottest new cigarmakers, AJ Fernandez, who is no stranger to blending cigars for other well-known brands. The 96-rated small-batch Quattro Nicaragua is drafted from a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos from top to bottom. Its medium to full-bodied profile of wood and nuts earned some buzz following its ‘Cigar of the Year’ title in 2019.
2018: E.P. Carrillo Encore – Majestic – Rated 98
Ernesto Perez-Carrillo scored his first ‘Cigar of the Year’ with his eponymous E.P. Carrillo brand in the Encore line. Previously, he cracked the ‘Top 5’ with La Historia, but the 96-rated, medium to full-bodied profile of E.P. Carrillo Encore edged him into the top spot in 2018. Sweet and zesty tasting notes of wood and caramel mingle with hints of citrus in a medium to full-bodied profile. Pick up a 10-count box in one of our recurring weekly deals for a big discount.
2017: Arturo Fuente Don Carlos – Eye of the Shark – Rated 97
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos is a legendary blend created by legendary cigarmaker Carlos Fuente Sr., who debuted the cigar in 1976. His son, Carlito Fuente, created a rare and extraordinary edition of it with Eye of the Shark—a half-box-pressed Torpedo finished in a shimmering Cameroon wrapper leaf. When you’re lucky enough to find one for sale, save this 97-rated gem for a special occasion.
2016: La Flor Dominicana – Andalusian Bull – Rated 96
Litto Gomez gained a reputation for blending strong, small-batch Dominican cigars when he debuted La Flor Dominicana over twenty years ago. His portfolio is full of rich and spicy blends like the top-selling Double Ligero, but the 96-rated Andalusian Bull won the hearts of the critics in 2016 with its unusual Salomon shape and its leathery and silky taste. We get them in regularly, but they sell out fast. Supplies are limited because only a small number of rollers are qualified to roll this shape at Litto’s factory.
2015: My Father Le Bijou 1922 – Torpedo Box-Pressed – Rated 97
Renowned father-and-son cigarmakers Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia and Jaime Garcia scored their second ‘Cigar of the Year’ title with the 97-rated My Father Le Bijou 1922 in a sharp box-pressed Torpedo. This Nicaraguan powerhouse resonates with a dark and peppery zest and is best smoked after a filling dinner. Profound notes of black pepper, chocolate, and leather linger throughout this spicy, intense smoke. The cigar was blended by Pepin as a tribute to his father.
2014: Oliva Serie V Melanio – Figurado – Rated 96
The Oliva brand has grown in prestige and popularity over the past two decades as the company accumulated large reserves of premium tobaccos and aged them for top-selling releases like Serie V Melanio. The box-pressed Figurado scored 96 points and a #1 ranking for its luxurious, medium to full-bodied profile of caramel, wood, and spice.
2013: Montecristo – No. 2 (Cuba) – Rated 96
Among Cuba’s most iconic cigars is Montecristo No. 2, a caramel-hued Torpedo that traces its heritage back to 1935, when the brand was founded by Alonso Menendez. The cigar’s reputation makes it one of the most knocked-off cigars of all time, so only purchase it from legitimate sources when you’re buying Cuban cigars abroad. Authentic Montecristo cigars deliver a sweet and citrusy zest with notes of leather and baking spices. A fake Montecristo won’t taste the same, and the bands can be a giveaway that it’s counterfeit.
2012: Flor de las Antillas – Toro – Rated 96
Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia and Jaime Garcia impressed the critics on several occasions before they debuted Flor de las Antillas, a cool-burning Nicaraguan Puro with complex but approachable taste. The 96-rated Toro officially put the Garcias on the map with other top cigarmakers, like the Padróns and Fuentes. Flor de las Antillas displays notes of cayenne, cinnamon, cedar, and cocoa.
2011: Alec Bradley Prensado – Churchill – Rated 96
Alec Bradley Prensado scored 96 points with a 7-by-48 box-pressed Churchill in 2011 and proved Honduras is a cigar-making nation to be reckoned with. Sweet and spicy notes of molasses, hickory, and red pepper arrive in a box-pressed format that burns easily with a consistent profile of Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers under a Honduran Corojo wrapper. Add Prensado to your collection for a fraction of the price during one of our big Alec Bradley sales.
2010: Cohiba Behike – BHK 52 (Cuba) – Rated 97
Cohiba Behike is another frequently counterfeited Cuban, and much of that has to do with its status as a former ‘Cigar of the Year.’ The blend is sought after in multiple sizes, especially the BHK 52, but be wary of its price—and authenticity. A single Behike cigar can cost hundreds of dollars outside of the US. The 97-rated blend impressed the folks at Cigar Aficionado, but we’re naturally a bit skeptical of spending several hundred bucks for a single cigar. If you decide to splurge on one, let us know what you think.
2009: Padrón Family Reserve – No. 45 Maduro – Rated 95
Besides scoring multiple ‘Cigar of the Year’ titles, including one in 2009, Padrón has never missed ranking in the ‘Top 10’ since Cigar Aficionado began publishing its annual list. Most Padrón cigars actually make it into the ‘Top 5’ every year. The 95-rated Padrón Family Reserve is an excellent example with its oily Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper leaf and a deep profile of dark cocoa, roasted coffee bean, and sweet spices.
2008: Casa Magna Colorado – Robusto – Rated 93
Blended by Manuel Quesada in Nicaragua, Casa Magna stands out as one of the least expensive cigars to score a ‘Cigar of the Year’ title. Its reddish-brown wrapper covers a hearty blend of Cuban-seed tobaccos grown in Estelí and Jalapa. When it debuted, the 93-rated Robusto cost just over $5 per cigar. We bet you can still find them for a nice price today.
2007: Padrón 1926 Series – No. 9 – Rated 97
The 97-rated Padrón 1926 Series was blended to commemorate the birth year of brand founder José Orlando Padrón, who built his company from scratch after fleeing Cuba in the wake of Castro’s ascent to power. The blend is handcrafted from premium Nicaraguan tobaccos aged for approximately eight years. Refined notes of cocoa, coffee bean, and cashew reveal luxurious spices in the chunky 5.25-by-56 No. 9.
2006: Bolivar – Royal Corona (Cuba) – Rated 94
Cuban Bolivar cigars are known for needing some age after you buy them, but the 94-rated Royal Corona format exceeded the critics’ expectations in 2006. Notes of chocolate, leather, and fresh-ground coffee culminate in a creamy, earthy finish when the construction is decent.
2005: Fuente Fuente Opus X – Double Corona – Rated 95
In 2005, Carlito Fuente was celebrating a decade of nonstop demand for his ultra-rare Fuente Fuente Opus X cigars. The 95-rated Double Corona earned ‘Cigar of the Year’ honors and reflected the shift in consumers’ preferences for stronger Dominican blends. Opus X delivers an extravagant profile of cedar, coffee bean, fig, baking spices, and leather. This coveted Puro redefined the Dominican Republic as a nation where the world’s finest tobaccos grow.
2004: Padrón 40th Anniversary – Rated 93
It’s no surprise Padrón 40th Anniversary was the very first ‘Cigar of the Year.’ The Padróns debuted the cigar in 2004 to celebrate their brand’s 40th year in business. The small-batch box-pressed Torpedo was originally only available in a limited-edition, hand-painted humidor containing 40 cigars. Cigar lovers everywhere searched high and low to get their hands on these well-aged Nicaraguan Puros before they sold out. While Padrón 40th Anniversary is easier to find today, the blend is no less decadent than it was in 2004.
