Cigar Aficionado Top Cigars of 2023 Sampler

Cigar Aficionado Top Cigars of 2023 Sampler

Every year, Cigar Aficionado puts the best of the best to the test, reviewing, re-smoking, and blind-tasting hundreds of cigars to crown the ultimate champions. The result? The Top 25 Cigars of the Year list, a true honor roll of world-class craftsmanship, flavor, and consistency.

We’ve pulled together 17 of these highly rated, critic-approved smokes into one exclusive sampler, giving you a front-row seat to the cigar world’s most prestigious lineup. From bold Nicaraguan blends to rich Dominican classics and Cuban-style standouts, this collection captures the magic of the 2023 cigar scene in one sampler.

The Cigar Aficionado Top Cigars of 2023 Sampler Includes:

1 x Padron 1926 Serie No. 48 Maduro (5 ½” x 60, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 96). Selected by Cigar Aficionado as the 2023 #2 Cigar Of The Year. Made of the finest sun grown Habano tobacco Nicaragua has to offer, this Nicaraguan puro is one of the most decorated cigars ever produced. From the very first puff, the 1926 Serie erupts with a copious thunderhead of thick white smoke, blanketing the palate with rich, spicy Nicaraguan tobacco flavor. The complexities of this cigar are indescribable, ranging from nutmeg to cocoa to cedar. The puff concludes with a long, robust finish that coats the tongue like thick syrup. Absolutely marvelous.

1 x Oliva Serie V Melanio Toro (6" x 52, ●●●●● Full, Rated 96). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #3 Cigar Of The Year. Each cigar is handmade by a small cadre of elite torcedores, using expertly aged Nicaraguan ligero fillers and binder tobaccos, all wrapped in a silky, sun-kissed Ecuadoran leaf. Lighting up this cigar reveals an explosion of ligero spice, followed by waves of earthy richness and layers of espresso and bittersweet chocolate. As the cigar progresses, notes of nutmeg and cocoa emerge, leaving a velvety finish that’s both bold and luxurious. Power and refinement exist in perfect balance here.

1 x Rocky Patel A.L.R. Second Edition Toro (6 ½” x 52, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 96). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #4 Cigar of the Year. The secret Nicaraguan longleaf blend at the heart of these cigars could have been an instant sensation, but Patel opted to age them beneath a perfectly fermented San Andres wrapper for over two years. It offers rich cocoa, cedar, and earthy notes that evolve into vanilla cream, malt, and subtle sweetness. Layers of butterscotch, bitter orange peel, meaty char, and hints of red pepper reveal alongside elusive, complex flavors that keep every puff engaging and memorable.

1 x E.P. Carrillo Allegiance Confidant (6" x 52, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 95). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #5 Cigar of the Year. The blend features Nicaraguan binders and fillers, finished with E.P. Carrillo’s signature Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The draw is smooth and effortless, producing thick, white smoke. Flavors open with a burst of spicy Nicaraguan pepper before transitioning into notes of cedar, dark chocolate, and cinnamon, all built on a rich, earthy tobacco core. The finish is long, smooth, and satisfying.

1 x Blackened M81 by Drew Estate Corona (5" x 43, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 95). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #7 Cigar of the Year. Born from the friendship between Metallica’s James Hetfield and Blackened Whiskey’s Rob Dietrich. The filler combines Nicaraguan leaves with potent Green River One Sucker Pennsylvania Broadleaf, one of the strongest tobaccos in the world. A Connecticut River Valley Broadleaf binder adds structure, while the outer layer is a dark, oily Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper. True to its “Maduro to the Core” mantra, the blend is earthy, spicy, and deeply complex.

1 x Alec Bradley Prensado Torpedo (6 1/8" x 52, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 95). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #8 Cigar of the Year. This blend consists of a Nicaraguan and Honduran longleaf filler and complimentary Trojes-grown Corojo wrapper that has been aged to the color of roasted coffee beans and sparkles with oil while carrying some veining and a touch of tooth. The palate will thrill to discover a deep, earthy flavor punctuated with spice and cedar. The smoke will evolve to include the tastes of leather, marzipan, espresso, and dulce de leche.

1 x La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso (5 ½" x 54, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 95). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #9 Cigar of the Year. This box-pressed beauty features a Cuban-seed Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper draped over a hearty blend of Nicaraguan long-fillers, delivering a rich, complex experience worthy of its accolades. Pre-light aromas of cocoa and cedar give way to a decadent profile of chocolate, espresso, leather, and caramel, balanced by notes of pepper, spice, and dark fruit. The result is a luxurious cigar experience that evolves beautifully from start to finish.

1 x El Pulpo by Artesano Del Tobacco Belicoso Grande (5 ¾” x 58, ●●●●● Full, Rated 94). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #10 Cigar of the Year. It features aged Nicaraguan fillers and binders from the Fernandez family farms and a stunning, long-aged Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper—the star of the show. Expect bold Nicaraguan pepper on the light, unfolding into layers of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, baking spices, and toasted nuts, all supported by a rich tobacco core. The finish is both spicy and sweet, balancing the depth of the San Andrés Maduro wrapper with the signature AJ Fernandez intensity.

1 x Trinidad Espiritu Series No. 1 Belicoso (6 1/8" x 52, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 94). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #12 Cigar of the Year. It is a Nicaraguan puro, meaning every single sliver of tobacco used in each cigar has its origin in Nicaragua, most of it coming from Fernandez's own family farms. A spicy opening leads the way to an array of tangy citrus and nutty goodness. White pepper, cream, and cedar become clearly noticeable along the way, in addition to a core of bready, toasty tobacco flavor. The finish is extremely crisp and clean, leaving no trace of an aftertaste.

1 x Caldwell Long Live The Queen Ace of Hearts (6" x 52, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 94). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #14 Cigar of the Year. This cigar is made in the Dominican Republic at El Maestro, a factory owned by William Ventura. The blend is a tour of tobacco from all over the world, and they get along famously, producing notes of coffee and leather sweetened by hints of almond, caramel and chocolate.

1 x Ashton VSG Illusion (6 ½" x 44, ●●●●● Full, Rated 94). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #15 Cigar of the Year. Crafted by Carlos Fuente Jr. of Tabacalera Fuente, the blend showcases 4- to 5-year-aged Dominican tobaccos beneath an exquisite Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper grown exclusively for Ashton by the Oliva family. Once lit, the draw reveals layers of cocoa, leather, and black cherry with a natural syrupy sweetness. Midway, notes of oak and creamy vanilla emerge. The finale heightens the experience with exotic spices, making every puff engaging until the very end.

1 x Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Edición Diamante Grande (6" x 60, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 93). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #17 Cigar of the Year. The recipe contains all Nicaraguan leaves—wrapper, filler, and binder. The wrapper is the star of the show, a low-priming hybrid wrapper grown in Jalapa, one of Nicaragua’s richest growing regions. This cigar starts off with a heavy dose of spicy Nicaraguan pepper, soon smoothing out to an array of cocoa, nuts, and cedar. Leathery, earthy flavors seem to be the main theme of the flavor profile, while touches of dark chocolate and bakers’ spices adorn the retrohale. The finish is smooth, spicy, and rich.

1 x Luciano Foreign Affair Corona (5 5/8" x 42, ●●●○○ Medium, Rated 93). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #19 Cigar of the Year. This is an impressive smoke made in Nicaragua and wrapped in a tasty leaf of Sumatra-seed tobacco grown in Ecuador. The Costa Rican tobacco in the filler gives the Corona a unique bit of X factor. It’s loaded with an array of baking-spice notes such as cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. Hints of graham crackers, almonds and honey round out the smoke.

1 x Olmec Claro Corona Gorda (5 ½” x 48, ●●●●● Full, Rated 93). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #20 Cigar of the Year. Olmec is named after the ancient Mesoamerican people who occupied the area in Mexico where tobacco is grown today. That same tobacco is what defines the Olmec series, as the cigars are wrapped in Mexican cover leaf and are made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez. This cigar has outstanding balance, which delivers a dense, sweet-and-spicy smoke. Bursts of ginger and citrus provide the zest while accents of nuts, toast and vanilla bring sweet detail.

1 x La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Lancero (7 ½” x 38, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 93). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #21 Cigar of the Year. Made in Santiago, Dominican Republic under the discretion of master blender and tobacco expert Litto Gomez, this cigar contains a rich all-ligero filler and binder blend of smooth Dominican tobaccos. It is then finished with a dark Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Opening with a barrage of spice and cedar, the intensity of this cigar makes its presence felt early on. The flavor profile quickly turns sweet, with heavy floral notes and chocolatey undertones.

1 x Crowned Heads Ozgener Family Bosphorus B52 (5” x 52, ●●●●● Full, Rated 93). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #22 Cigar of the Year. This Nicaraguan gem rocks a crazy blend of fillers from the Esteli, Jalapa, and Ometepe regions of Nicaragua. The stick has 2 binders, a Nicaraguan leaf and an Ecuadorian Connecticut. As for the wrapper, they went with a gorgeous Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf. An immediate bombardment of earthy, grassy flavor begins from first light, soon sparked with interesting notes of pine, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes. The earthy core of the flavor profile screams with a heavy presence of aged raw tobacco, and the finish has just a touch of spice.

1 x West Tampa Tobacco Co. Red Robusto (5” x 50, ●●●●○ Medium-Full, Rated 93). Selected by Cigar Aficionado 2023 #25 Cigar of the Year. The name is a reference to the cigar-making city Rick Rodriguez’s grandparents emigrated to, but his cigars aren’t made in Tampa. They’re made in Nicaragua at the Garmendia Cigar Co. factory. West Tampa Red is the company’s third and strongest release. A bold core of chocolate is apparent from first puff to last, also showing layers of hickory, nutmeg, leather and a mocha finish.

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