The day we’ve all been waiting for and in our case, smoking towards, is finally here. Weeks and weeks of tasting and re-tasting have resulted in these five outstanding smokes which we are proud to proclaim as the Top 5 Cigars of 2023.
Congratulations to everyone involved in producing the 25 cigars that make up this list, but especially these five. The blends in these specific sizes stood out among the over 300 cigars tasted throughout the year. It’s a testament to the vision, dedication, and passion of the brand owners, cigar factories, tobacco growers, and the armies of artisans that work to make these wonderful cigars.
Enjoy the list, smoke through it, discuss it in stores, share it on social media, and be sure to let us know your thoughts on the list. We always love to hear from you.
1.) Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata
Manufacturer: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez In Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Concerto; Physical size: 7 x 50
MSRP: $13.37
Rating: 93
The Aging Room line started back in 2011 to bring small batch cigars to market. The “small batch” designation referred to blends of select tobaccos only available in limited quantities. The blends were differentiated by a numbering scheme based on the day of the week and the Gregorian calendar. A cigar blended on a Monday on the 356th day of the year, for example, would get M356. A Friday on the 55th day of the year would get F55. While that numbering scheme was thankfully done away with, what has remained and become more prominent is the use of musical terms in the brands. Terms such as “concerto,” vibrato,” and “espressivo” were cleverly employed to denote the size and shape of the cigar. The 2023 release of the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata went with “sonata.” It’s a loaded name to be sure, but the cigar behind the label is far and away the star of the show.
This cigar is a shining example of how a blend can differ from one size to another. While our panel enjoyed the other sizes of the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata, they were blown away by the Churchill or “concerto” size. The complex and balanced combination of cocoa powder, caramel, roasted nuts, and hazelnut along with smooth pepper in the background make this masterpiece the 2023 Cigar of the Year.
Watch the call to inform Rafael Nodal of Aging Room Cigars that the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata had been crowned the Cigar of the Year for 2023.
2.) Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata
Manufacturer: Nicaragua American Cigars S.A. in Nicaragua
Wrapper: USA / Connecticut; Binder: Mexico; Filler: Nicaragua & USA
Vitola: Filet Mignon; Physical size: 5 x 54
MSRP: $14.95
Rating: 93
It’s not often that a cigar that was originally created to support a charity as a store exclusive grows up to be a regular production line. It’s even more rare for that blend to make its way to a Top 25. And for it to reach #2 is downright legendary. The name Red Meat Lovers refers to the club, started by Evan Darnell, that regularly hosts dinners, which they call “Meatings” and always feature cigars. The cigar was blended by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, manufactured at Nicaraguan American Cigars in Estelí, Nicaragua, and originally released as a store-exclusive for Smoke Inn’s Microblend Series. It was such a successful store exclusive that Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust decided to make it available to all its retailers. The cigar was blended for the purposes of being enjoyed alongside a steak but our panel’s praise for this cigar should be proof enough that you don’t need the steak to enjoy it.
Read our story on Red Meat Lover’s Club and their back-to-back “meatings”.
3.) Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario Connecticut
Manufacturer: Agricola Ganadera Norteña (Aganorsa) in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Toro; Physical size: 6 x 54
MSRP: $13.75
Rating: 93
It’s difficult for a Connecticut shade covered cigar to climb into the Top 5. In fact, it has happened just twice in the history of our list and one of them was the predecessor to this blend, the Aganorsa Connecticut. That cigar took our panel by surprise in 2020 and scored 93 points, placing 4th in the Top 25. This year the Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario Connecticut matched that score but jumped to 3rd with its impeccably balanced combination of sweet cedar, toasted cashews, smooth pepper, and cinnamon. The blend first made an impression on us when it was unveiled at the annual PCA trade show and it marched right into our ratings section in the September/October 2023 issue. Produced in a strikingly beautiful box-press, the cigar’s consistently flawless construction has undoubtedly contributed to its high scores.
Get to know the history of Aganorsa and the man who made it all happen.
4.) Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro
Manufacturer: Oliva Cigars in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Robusto; Physical size: 5 x 52
MSRP: $14.00
Rating: 93
No other brand has made more appearances in this magazine’s Top 5 list than the Oliva Serie V Melanio. It is the only brand to win Cigar of the Year twice, with the natural in 2012 and the maduro in 2021. This year, as in 2021, it was the Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro that caught our attention. This cigar has reached a mythical level of consistency in delivering its trademark combination of dark chocolate, roasted almonds, and smooth pepper complemented by a rich note of caramel. Such high-level consistency is rare in a cigar of this production quantity, and it only comes about as the result of wise leadership and a heartfelt passion for making the best cigars possible. These values are seen from Oliva Cigars’ tobacco growing operations to its tobacco processing and extending to the blenders and cigar makers tasked with executing the crucial last step of rolling the cigars.
Peek inside the Oliva Cigar factory’s technology transformation.
5.) Artesano del Tobacco El Pulpo
Manufacturer: San Lotano Factory in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Toro Grande; Physical size: 6 x 56
MSRP: $16.00
Rating: 93
Artesano del Tobacco’s latest hit, El Pulpo, burst onto the scene in May 2023 after brand owners Billy and Gus Fakih reportedly spent five years developing the blend with AJ Fernandez. By the time the annual PCA trade show kicked off in July, there was already a buzz about the company’s second regular production release, the first being Viva La Vida. As for the name El Pulpo, which translates to “The Octopus,” Artesano del Tobacco stated, “We wanted a blend that fits people’s palate the way an octopus fits in different shapes, spaces, and becomes that shape, we wanted a blend that becomes hard for any smoker to put down once they light up, like an octopus that doesn’t let go of its prey.” The cigar seemed to get better as the year went along; our panel scored the Toro Grande a 92 in the July/August 2023 issue and an even loftier 93 in the tastings leading up to the Top 25 announcement.
Check out how we captured El Pulpo in all of its smoky glory.
6.) Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro
Manufacturer: Tabacos Cubanica in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Torpedo; Physical size: 6 x 52
MSRP: $19.05
Rating: 93
Certain brands need no introduction in annual lists. Year after year, the Padrón family produces the Padrón 1964 Anniversary line with astounding consistency. The line commemorates the year that the late José Orlando Padrón started Padrón Cigars and delivers a balanced blend of dark chocolate, smooth pepper, cedar, and a touch of espresso.
7.) Plasencia Alma Fuerte
Manufacturer: Plasencia Cigars in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Sixto II Hexagon; Physical size: 6 x 60
MSRP: $21.63
Rating: 93
The Cigar of the Year from 2017 returns to the Top 25 list in this most unique of shapes, the Sixto II Hexagon. The hexagon shaped, box-pressed vitola was initially introduced in the natural version of the Alma Fuerte in 2020 but it was the maduro version that blew our panel away in the May/June 2023 issue and qualified it for Top 25 consideration.
8.) La Aroma de Cuba Reserva
Manufacturer: My Father Cigars in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Divino; Physical size: 6 1/4 x 52
MSRP: $11.85
Rating: 93
Fans of the brand won’t be surprised by this ranking but they may not recognize it. The cigar was previously known as the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Reserva but a 2022 rebranding dropped the “Mi Amor.” It’s now known as La Aroma de Cuba Reserva. No matter what it’s called, it is a fantastic blend worthy of the number eight position.
9.) Ramon Allones by AJ Fernandez
Manufacturer: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Churchill; Physical size: 7 x 50
MSRP: $14.00
Rating: 93
AJ Fernandez’s dominance in the cigar world continues this year with no less than five of his creations making the cut. But while the others on this list are new brands, the Ramón Allones is a veteran of this list. The toro took the number four spot in the 2019 rankings. This year it was the Churchill that smoked like a dream every time our panel tasted it.
10.) My Father Le Bijou 1922
Manufacturer: My Father Cigars in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Grand Robusto; Physical size: 5 5/8 x 55
MSRP: $11.90
Rating: 92
The ultra-flavorful My Father Le Bijou 1922 was an instant hit when it was released in 2009. The toro scored a 92 that year, a rating that would have qualified it for Top 25 consideration but sadly we were not compiling a list back then. This year, its 92 score in the July/August 2023 issue brings this masterpiece some well-deserved recognition.
11.) Espinosa Laranja Reserva Azulejo
Manufacturer: AJ Fernandez San Lotano Factory in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador; Binder: Brazil; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Corona Gorda; Physical size: 6 x 46
MSRP: $11.00
Rating: 92
Espinosa’s stock was on the rise long before the Laranja Reserva Escuro was awarded Cigar of the Year for 2020, but taking the top spot certainly opened some eyes. The Azulejo, released on the heels of that award, didn’t initially live up to its predecessor, but has since begun to gain fans nationwide, including our panel.
12.) Aladino Sumatra
Manufacturer: Fábrica de Puros Aladino in Honduras
Wrapper: Honduras; Binder: Honduras; Filler: Honduras
Vitola: Toro; Physical size: 6 x 52
MSRP: $16
Rating: 92
Honduran tobacco’s living legend Julio Eiroa has been growing Sumatra-seed tobacco on his farms near Danlí for the better part of a decade, but it wasn’t until 2023 that his company released the Aladino Sumatra. The cigar immediately grabbed the attention of our panel, and its lofty rating and spot on this list are well-deserved.
13.) Rocky Patel DBS
Manufacturer: Tabacalera Villa Cuba (TAVICUSA) in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico; Binder: Nicaragua & USA; Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
Vitola: Robusto; Physical size: 5 1/2 x 50
MSRP: $20.00
Rating: 92
Rocky Patel increased the level of difficulty in this blend by employing a double broadleaf binder. Broadleaf tends to be a thicker, heartier tobacco that can cause burn problems if not selected carefully, and doubling down makes it even harder. The upshot, however, is a cigar jam-packed with flavor from start to finish and a #13 ranking.
14.) EP Carrillo Allegiance
Manufacturer: TABOLISA Factory in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Confidant; Physical size: 6 x 52
MSRP: $13.10
Rating: 92
La Alianza, the Ernesto Perez-Carrillo-led factory, is known as one of the cigar world’s most esteemed manufacturing facilities, but for this release, EPC enlisted Oliva’s TABOLISA factory to produce their latest release, the EPC Allegiance. The blend consistently produces a beautifully balanced, medium-bodied smoke.
15.) Blackened M81 by Drew Estate
Manufacturer: La Gran Fábrica Drew Estate in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico; Binder: USA/Connecticut; Filler: Nicaragua & USA
Vitola: Toro; Physical size: 6 x 52
MSRP: $9.85
Rating: 92
When regular folks get together to enjoy whiskey and cigars, they fantasize about launching their own brand. But when Metallica’s James Hetfield and Blackened Whiskey’s master distiller Rob Dietrich did it, they partner with Drew Estate to produce a flavorful and balanced maduro that took the #15 spot.
16.) Cuba Aliados Original Blend
Manufacturer: Fábrica de Puros Aladino in Honduras
Wrapper: Honduras; Binder: Honduras; Filler: Honduras
Vitola: Churchill; Physical size: 7 x 50
MSRP: $11.50
Rating: 92
The Cuba Aliados brand, originally owned by the late Rolando Reyes Sr., was purchased by Oliva Cigar Co. along with Puros Indios and Roly in mid-2021. Since then, the company has thoughtfully re-branded Cuba Aliados and distributed it worldwide. The Original Blend version brings a classic, Cubanesque profile that resonated with our panel.
17.) Tatuaje Cojonú 2012 Sumatra
Manufacturer: My Father Cigars in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola:Toro; Physical size: 6 1/2 x 52
MSRP: $13.00
Rating: 92
Since its original release in 2003, the Tatuaje Cojonú line has represented some of Tatuaje’s most captivating recurring blends, but the 2012 version, which is available in three different wrappers, is certainly one our panel’s favorites. The Sumatra version was the highest rated cigars in the March/April 2023 issue, qualifying it for this list
18.) Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante
Manufacturer: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Robusto; Physical size: 5 x 54
MSRP: $22.86
Rating: 92
The original Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua, a maduro released in late 2020, took the #3 spot with its flavors of bittersweet chocolate, espresso, and smooth pepper. The company followed up that homerun with the Edición Diamante, which was born of one of the finalist blends for the original.
19.) A. Fuente Don Carlos
Manufacturer: Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Cameroon; Binder: Dominican Republic; Filler: Dominican Republic
Vitola: Presidente; Physical size: 6 1/2 x 50
MSRP: $13.50
Rating: 92
The Arturo Fuente Don Carlos has always scored well with our panel and has appeared on our year-end list more than a couple of times. It is considered by many to be the benchmark for Cameroon-wrapped cigars and with good reason. It delivers an impeccably balanced combination of cedar, nuts, and cream with a touch of spice.
20.) Illusione Singularé Origen
Manufacturer: Agricola Ganadera Norteña (Aganorsa) in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Corona Gorda; Physical size: 5 5/8 x 46
MSRP: $12.35
Rating: 92
The Illusione Singularé, along with most other Illusione brands, underwent a branding overhaul in 2023. But unlike most of the rebranded Illusiones, the Singularé Origen was also re-blended and shifted from a limited, annual “vintaged” blend to regular production. The corona gorda scored a 92 in the May/June 2023 issue.
21.) Gurkha Colección Especial
Manufacturer: PDR Cigars in Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuador; Binder: Mexico; Filler: Undisclosed
Vitola: Robusto; Physical size: 5 x 52
MSRP: $12.95
Rating: 92
The Gurkha Colección Especial took a slightly different path to market than most cigars on this list. The line started out with one shape, a double perfecto that was exclusive to TAA (Tobacconists Association of America) retailers in 2022. Later that year the company decided to roll out the robusto, toro, and lonsdale to all retailers.
22.) The Oscar Connecticut
Manufacturer: Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. in Honduras
Wrapper: Honduras; Binder: Honduras; Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
Vitola: Toro; Physical size: 6 x 52
MSRP: $12.90
Rating: 92
Brands built by Oscar Valladares and his team in Honduras have been appearing on our list for years, but this is the first time his company has produced a Connecticut shade wrapped cigar that scored this well. The Oscar Connecticut just barely qualified for consideration but made an impressive jump during the re-tasting sessions.
23. Cohiba Riviera
Manufacturer: Scandinavian Tobacco Group Estelí in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico; Binder: Honduras; Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
Vitola: Perfecto; Physical size: 6 x 60
MSRP: $23.99
Rating: 92
This beautifully produced Cohiba in this elegant shape started to appear in stores by mid-2023 and it didn’t take long for our panel to catch on to its quality. The impeccably constructed perfecto, which sports a flawless Mexican San Andrés wrapper, made the cut by scoring 92 points in our Jul/Aug 2023 issue.
24.) Villiger 1888 Nicaragua
Manufacturer: Villiger de Nicaragua Cigar Factory in Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador; Binder: Nicaragua; Filler: Nicaragua & USA
Vitola: Toro; Physical size: 6 x 50
MSRP: $9.20
Rating: 92
Villiger has been playing the long game in the US for several years but there was a noticeable step-up since opening the Villiger de Nicaragua factory in Estelí in late 2021. The factory, a joint venture with Joya de Nicaragua, has paid early dividends with high-flying releases like Villiger de Nicaragua Limited Edition and now the Villiger 1888 Nicaragua.
25.) Camacho Broadleaf
Manufacturer: Diadema Cigars in Honduras
Wrapper: Honduras; Binder: Honduras; Filler: Honduras & Dominican Republic
Vitola: Toro; Physical size: 6 x 50
MSRP: $9.75
Rating: 92
We’re not privy to the inner workings of Camacho’s factory in Honduras but we can tell when something has changed. To our palates, this blend ushered in a new era for Camacho, still as bold and flavorful as ever, but with an elevated refinement that set this one apart. Wrapped in a Honduran Broadleaf, this blend muscled and finessed its way up the ranks.
Calvino, E. (2024, June 4). Top 25 Cigars of 2023 (1-5) | Cigar Snob Magazine. CigarSnob. https://www.cigarsnobmag.com/cigars/2024/01/10/top-25-cigars-of-2023-1-5/
Calvino, E. (2025a, January 8). Top 25 Cigars of 2023 (6-15) | Cigar Snob Magazine. CigarSnob. https://www.cigarsnobmag.com/cigars/2024/01/09/top-25-cigars-of-2023-6-15/
Calvino, E. (2024b, June 4). Top 25 Cigars of 2023 (16-25) | Cigar Snob Magazine. CigarSnob. https://www.cigarsnobmag.com/cigars/2024/01/08/top-25-cigars-of-2023-16-25/
0 Comments