The Late Smoke — Top 25 Cigars of the Year
A Year Defined by Smoke, Memory, and Craft
Disclaimer
This Top 25 list is a personal editorial ranking based solely on my individual smoking experiences throughout the year.
To avoid any potential conflict of interest, I do not review, score, or rank cigars from brands or companies that I am currently associated with, have represented, or have worked with in any professional capacity during the year covered by this list.
Any cigars included here were smoked independently, without compensation, and selected purely on merit as experienced by my own palate.
This article reflects personal taste and perspective, not commercial relationships or brand affiliations.
Introduction: Why This List Exists
This list is the result of a full year immersed in cigars — not chasing hype, not following trends, but smoking widely and honestly. Over the year I smoked across multiple origins, styles, strengths and philosophies, from quiet Connecticut elegance to wild Broadleaf aggression, from precision-built Cubans to experimental modern blends.
What follows is not a “best sellers” list or a popularity contest.
It’s a personal ranking based on overall experience: flavour development, balance, construction, consistency, identity, and the moments these cigars created.
The Full Countdown: #25 to #1
#25 – Adrian Magnus Imperials Aged 10 Years Wide Churchill
Make it stand out
#25 – Adrian Magnus Imperials Aged 10 Years Wide Churchill A Dominican-made statement cigar built around extended aging and refinement. Medium-bodied, extremely polished, with flavours of toasted cedar, cream, almond, soft spice and a long, elegant finish. This cigar isn’t about power — it’s about restraint, maturity, and texture.
Strength: Medium
Profile: Cream, cedar, nuts, white pepper
Age: 1 year
Make it stand out
#24 – Gran Habano House Blends Connecticut Robusto
A textbook example of how good a Connecticut can be when done properly. Honduran-made, approachable but not boring, delivering clean notes of hay, sweet cream, light citrus and gentle pepper.
Strength: Mild–Medium
Profile: Cream, hay, citrus, soft spice
Age:2 years
Make it stand out
#23 – CAO Amazon Anaconda
A cigar that remains unique years after release. Thick, rustic and unmistakable, featuring Brazilian Amazon Basin tobacco. Earthy, herbal, slightly wild, with cocoa and natural sweetness layered underneath.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Earth, herbs, cocoa, dark sweetness
Age: 8 years
Make it stand out
#22 – Nomad H-Town San Andrés Lancero
A cult favourite that rewards slow smoking. San Andrés wrapper brings depth and grit, balanced by sweetness and spice. The lancero format sharpens everything and keeps it engaging from start to finish.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Dark chocolate, espresso, spice, earth
Age: 10 years
Make it stand out
#21 – Oscar Valladares 2012 Connecticut Petit Robusto
Proof that Connecticut doesn’t mean boring. Honduran-made, creamy and aromatic with underlying sweetness and a surprisingly rich core.
Strength: Mild–Medium
Profile: Cream, nuts, toast, subtle sweetness
Age: 3 years
Make it stand out
#20 – Espinosa 601 Habano Lancero
Bold, spicy, and unapologetic. This cigar leans into strength and pepper while maintaining structure. A throwback in attitude, delivered in a refined format.
Strength: Full
Profile: Red pepper, leather, earth, cedar
Age: 5 years
Make it stand out
#19 – Crowned Heads Mil Días Corona Gorda
Layered, elegant and modern. Dominican production with excellent balance between sweetness, spice and earth. One of the most complete cigars Crowned Heads has released.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Baking spice, cocoa, nuts, earth
Age: 5 years
Make it stand out
#18 – EGM Alexander Kraft Collection Robusto Especial
A cigar with old-world inspiration and modern execution. Dominican-made, composed and nuanced, showing refined wood, leather, dried fruit and subtle spice.
Strength: Medium
Profile: Cedar, leather, dried fruit, spice
Age: 1 year
Make it stand out
#17 – Essenze Zodiaco Lancero
Elegant, aromatic and quietly complex. Built for experienced palates that appreciate finesse over force.
Strength: Medium
Profile: Floral notes, cream, light spice, minerals
Age: 1 year
Make it stand out
#16 – Ramón Allones No.2 EL 2019
Classic Cuban richness in a robust format. Earthy, leathery and spiced, with that unmistakable Cuban savoury core.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Earth, leather, spice, toasted tobacco
Age: 6 years
Make it stand out
#15 – Caldwell Long Live the Queen Club
Broadleaf-forward and attitude-driven. Dense smoke, dark sweetness, and bold construction make this a memorable, modern cigar.
Strength: Full
Profile: Cocoa, molasses, black pepper
Age: 2 years
Make it stand out
#14 – Rojas Guayacán Robusto
A Nicaraguan staple that still delivers. Earthy, spicy and straightforward, with just enough sweetness to keep it balanced.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Earth, pepper, wood, cocoa
Age: 13 years
Make it stand out
#13 – Partagás Legados EL 2020
A Cuban with real gravitas. Rich, layered, and built for slow appreciation.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Leather, spice, earth, roasted coffee
Age: 5 years
Make it stand out
#12 – Drew Estate Liga Único L40
Dense, oily and deeply satisfying. Liga DNA with extra punch and texture.
Strength: Full
Profile: Espresso, dark chocolate, earth
Age: 5 years
Make it stand out
#11 – Foundation The Wiseman Maduro Lancero LE
Precise, intense and beautifully constructed. This cigar showcases Foundation’s mastery of balance and restraint.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Cedar, pepper, cocoa, earth
Age: 1 year
Make it stand out
#10 – Room 101 Conjura LTDC Petit Robusto
Compact, aggressive and flavour-packed. A cigar that wastes no time.
Strength: Full
Profile: Spice, leather, earth, smoke
Age: 15 years
Make it stand out
#9 – Cohiba Behike 52
Silky, complex and unmistakably Cuban. A cigar that defines luxury when at its best.
Strength: Medium
Profile: Cream, honey, refined spice, earth
Age: 6 years
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#8 – Black Works Studio Green Hornet Short Robusto
Dark, edgy and modern. Short format, big personality.
Strength: Full
Profile: Char, black pepper, cocoa
Age: 3 years
Make it stand out
#7 – Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve Robusto
Classic elegance. A cigar that proves balance and consistency never go out of style.
Strength: Medium
Profile: Cedar, nuts, spice, sweetness
Age: 2 years
Make it stand out
#6 – Viaje Zombie Farmhand Andre
Raw, rustic and unapologetic. Limited, rough around the edges, and full of character.
Strength: Full
Profile: Earth, pepper, raw cocoa
Age: 5 years
Make it stand out
#5 – Powstanie Broadleaf Corona Gorda
Broadleaf done right. Power with control, sweetness with grit.
Strength: Full
Profile: Dark chocolate, molasses, spice
Age: 2 years
Make it stand out
#4 – Davidoff Anniversario Special R
Refinement at its peak. Elegant, layered and perfectly constructed.
Strength: Medium
Profile: Cream, almond, baking spice
Age: 1 year
Make it stand out
#3 – Tatuaje Reserva Broadleaf Noellas
A modern classic. Deep, rich and endlessly satisfying.
Strength: Full
Profile: Cocoa, espresso, black pepper
Age: 4 years
Make it stand out
#2 – Plasencia Ehtefal
Luxurious, expressive and beautifully composed. A cigar that feels celebratory without being flashy.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Sweet spice, cedar, earth
Age: 2 years
Make it stand out
#1 – El Pulpo Octo Ocho Culebra
This cigar defined my year. Unique, playful, technically impressive, and genuinely delicious. A reminder that cigars can still surprise us.
Strength: Medium–Full
Profile: Sweet spice, earth, cocoa, complexity
Age: 1 year
Closing Thoughts
This list isn’t definitive — it’s personal. It reflects where my palate was this year, the cigars that stayed with me, and the ones I’d happily light again tomorrow.
If nothing else, I hope it encourages you to smoke wider, argue politely, and keep chasing that next great cigar.