Twelve Outstanding Cigars To Smoke This Summer
Summer is in full swing, the days are long, the weather’s warm and it’s the perfect time to break out the cigars. This season, we’ve combed through the March/April issue of Cigar Aficionado to steer you toward a dozen smokes you really should be smoking. These 12 cigars rated 92 to 94 points in our blind tastings—outstanding on our 100-point scale. The list consists of diverse blends presented in all shapes and sizes from all the world’s major cigar-producing countries. There are even a few former Cigars of the Year showing that they can still perform at a consistently excellent level.
Bolivar Royal Corona (Tubo) (94 points, £27)
Though perhaps not as popular as other Cuban brands such as Cohiba or Montecristo, Bolivar is well-known among those Cuban cigar fans looking for a more full-bodied cigar. This particular size was even the See full tasting note.
Casa Magna Colorado Robusto (94 points, $8.90)
AnotherSee full tasting note.
Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Principe (94 points, $11.60)
Since Cigar Aficionado first started publishing ratings,See full tasting note.
Por Larrañaga Galanes (94 points, £22.50)
The Por Larrañaga Galanes is a recent newcomer to the Cuban cigar world, See full tasting note.
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art (93 points, $10.75)
In the 1980s, See full tasting note.
Camacho Corojo Figurado (93 points, $9.80)
Davidoff of Geneva acquired the Camacho cigar brand in 2008 from the Eiroa family and the various lines are now color-coded with bold fonts to distinguish each blend. The Corojo line, which has bright red packaging, gets its name from its reddish wrapper. See full tasting note.
E.P. Carrillo Pledge Apogee (93 points, $15)
Measuring a hefty 6 1/4 by 58, the Apogee size is the big sister to 2020’s Cigar of the Year, the See full tasting note.
My Father Le Bijou 1922 Churchill (93 points, $12.90)
At 7 by 50, this Churchill is the longest cigar on the list, making it a great choice for long summer evenings. The all-Nicaraguan See full tasting note.
Litto Gomez Diez Small Batch No. 7 (92 points, $23.20)
Made in the Dominican Republic, La Flor Dominicana cigars are known for power and this limited-edition toro certainly delivers with a rich, hearty tobacco character. The bold blend consists entirely of Dominican tobaccos grown by Litto Gomez on his La Canela farm. The dark, oily wrapper is See full tasting note.
JFR Lunatic Torch Imagine (92 points, $9.50)
Did you ever wonder how much the wrapper affects the taste of your cigar? This unusual, all-Nicaraguan toro from Aganorsa Leaf can show you. Approximately one inch of exposed binder and filler extends past the wrapper to create a shaggy foot. True to the cigar’s name, the exposed tobaccos take to flame well, giving off a spicy and herbal smoke but it turns nutty and sweet once the cover leaf comes into play. See full tasting note.
La Gloria Cubana Glorias (92 points, $7.29)
Retailing for a little over $7, this corona is the most affordable smoke on this list. It’s made in the Dominican Republic at El Credito, a rolling gallery located within the General Cigar Dominicana factory that’s dedicated entirely to the La Gloria Cubana brand. Notes of nuts and fresh tobacco frame the earthy core. See full tasting note.
Liberation by Hamlet Toro (92 points, $12.90)
Another shaggy-footed cigar scores well, showing just how much influence a wrapper can have on the taste of the blend. Made with a 109-style belicoso head, Liberation by Hamlet is the third collaboration between See full tasting note.
