Special Report: Cigar Aficionado's 2025 Cigar Insider Year In Review

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Special Report: 2025 Cigar Insider Year In Review

An analysis of all of the cigars rated by Cigar Insider this year

Dec 23, 2025 - By Gregory Mottola

Now that Cigar Insider has finished rating cigars for 2025, we’ve compiled all the scores and put together our annual Cigar Insider Year in Review—perhaps the most comprehensive evaluation of premium cigars available. We say this with confidence because the analysis is based on numbers, drawing from our database of hundreds of scores published throughout the calendar year. By looking back on a year’s worth of cigar ratings, we’re able to assess the quality and performance of the premium cigar industry from a purely data-driven approach.  

Cigar Insider is the twice-monthly newsletter from Cigar Aficionado magazine, and distinguishes itself not only by rating new cigars as they come to market, but also by conducting vertical brand tastings—rating every size in a cigar brand—so that readers have a broader view and can ultimately make more informed choices when buying a cigar. Additionally, Insider rates industry mainstays that may not be particularly new, but are still driving the cigar market. Because we publish scores twice a month, Insider is a very current, up-to-date source and an accurate reflection of the market.

This annual report represents 12 months of blind tastings from Cigar Insider, allowing us to present the ratings from a few crucial angles: by score, country, size and price. Examining the data through these different perspectives enables us to answer some important questions: 

Which brands performed best over the last 12 months? 

Which countries had the highest average score? 

How did the handmade cigar industry perform as a whole? 

We rated 249 cigars in Cigar Insider this year, many of which were released in 2025. All of them were handmade, and the majority of them were made in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Cuba, which are the four top producers of premium, handmade cigars by volume. While Insider rates high-profile brands with huge name recognition and distribution, it also rates lesser-known lines, limited editions, new releases and industry newcomers starting to make traction in the premium sector. 

90 Points or Higher

Based solely on the scores, the ratings for 2025 suggest that the industry is still maintaining exceptional levels of quality, as 126 of the 249 cigars we rated this year (50.6 percent) scored at least 90 points, nearly identical to last year’s results. Nicaragua produced just over half (68) of the cigars that scored 90 points or higher, unsurprising considering the country is the leading producer of handmade cigars in the world. Nicaragua has been the largest exporter of premium cigars to the United States since 2016. Despite the relatively high volume, Nicaragua seems to have sustained a high level of quality: Insider rated 125 Nicaraguan cigars in 2025, and 54.4 percent of them scored 90 points or higher.

While Nicaragua produced more 90-pointers than any other country, it does not have the highest percentage of 90-plus-point scores. Technically that honor goes to the United States, but it’s from an extremely small sample (only four cigars) so that the average is statistically irrelevant. Cuba ranked second, with 60 percent of the 15 Cubans we rated in 2025 scoring 90 points or higher. While impressive, it’s actually a decrease from last year: In 2024, 86 percent of the 22 Cuban cigars we rated scored at least 90 points.

Honduras came in fourth, with 18 of its 36 cigars (50 percent) reaching or surpassing 90 points, followed by the Dominican Republic, with 28 of the 69 Dominican cigars we rated (40.6 percent) reaching the 90-point mark.

Where The Top Scorers Are Made
Country          Cigars Rated     90 Points or Higher     Percent
U.S.A.               4                             3                            75.0%
Cuba                 15                           9                            60.0%
Nicaragua         125                         68                           54.4%
Honduras           36                          18                           50.0%
Dom. Rep.         69                          28                           40.6%

The highest individual score we awarded in 2025 was 94 points, just short of Classic status. Only five cigars scored 94 points, all of them new to the market. The Fuente Fuente OpusX 25 Aniversario La Familia, for example, was released in a humidor this year to belatedly celebrate the brand’s 25th anniversary. The double-tapered perfecto is made in the Dominican Republic by Arturo Fuente Cigar Co. and is a slightly milder version of the core OpusX line, rolled in a wrapper generated from a different seed varietal. Like all OpusX cigars, the wrapper was grown in the Dominican Republic at Chateau de la Fuente, but the 25 Aniversario comes in a green band rather than red. 

Two of the 94-point cigars were made by Aganorsa Leaf in Nicaragua: the OneOff Black Toro (formerly Black & Tan) from Illusione and Viaje’s oddly-named Fifteen Plus Two and a Half Anniversary Silver. The OneOff is the second size in the line and was released in 2025, while the Viaje was created to celebrate the company’s 17 years in business.

There is one Cuban cigar in this elite 94-point category and it hails from the most recognizable cigar brand in the world. The Cohiba Ambar debuted in 2024, and it’s an unusual vitola known as a Placeras in Cuban cigar factories. It measures 5 1/4 inches long by 53 ring gauge and comes topped in a pigtail cap, most likely a nod to the brand’s Lancero, which was the first cigar to every be called Cohiba. 

2025 Humidor Selections

Score     Brand                                                                      Price   Ring Gauge  Length   Country
94     Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto Impromptu     $17.08     52     6"     Nicaragua
94     Cohiba Ambar                                                                  £74.60     53     5 1/4"     Cuba
94     Fuente Fuente OpusX 25 Aniversario La Familia            $64.80     52     6 1/4"     Dom. Rep.
94     OneOff Black Toro                                                            $17.60     52     6"     Nicaragua
94     Viaje Fifteen Plus Two and a Half Anniversary Silver      $16.32     54     6"     Nicaragua
93     Aging Room La Bohéme Poeta                                        $24.52     54     5 3/4"     Nicaragua
93     Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto Espressivo     $14.85     50     5"     Nicaragua
93     Black Label Trading Co. Super Deluxe Toro Box Press   $13.00     50     6"     Nicaragua
93     Bolivar New Gold Medal                                                   £45.10     48     6 1/2"     Cuba
93     Diplomaticos Genios Exclusivo Phoenicia                        £21.74     52     5 1/2"     Cuba
93     JFR 20 Years Super Toro                                                  $9.50     52     6 1/2"     Nicaragua
93     La Aurora Family Creed Series Fuerte Sol Robusto         $15.50     50     5"     Dom. Rep.
93     Macanudo Emissary France Churchill                               $16.99     48     7"     Honduras
93     Padrón 60th Anniversary Perfecto                                     $75.00     56     6 1/2"     Nicaragua
93     Padrón Black PB-97                                                          $40.80     54     6 3/4"     Nicaragua
93     Padrón Black PB-97 Maduro                                             $40.80     54     6 3/4"     Nicaragua
93     Rocky Patel Emerald Robusto                                          $11.75     50     5 1/2"     Nicaragua
93     The Wise Man Maduro Lancero                                        $15.24     40     7"     Nicaragua
93     Villiger 1888 Gran Reserva Toro                                       $22.50     54     6"     Nicaragua
92     Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto Concerto         $15.23     50     7"     Nicaragua
92     Aladino 85th Aniversario Reserva Toro                             $20.00     52     6"     Honduras
92     C.L.E. Maduro 11/18                                                          $22.91     52     6"     Honduras
92     C.L.E. Maduro 50x5                                                           $11.06     50     5"     Honduras
92     C.L.E. Maduro 60x6                                                           $12.26     60     6"     Honduras
92     Cavalier Genève Project Broadleaf Wayfinders 9x48        $28.00     48     9"     Honduras
92     Crowned Heads Blood Medicine Limited Edition 2025      $10.50     52     5"     Nicaragua
92     Don Pepin Garcia E.R.H. Robusto                                     $8.90     54     5"     Nicaragua
92     El Pulpo The Squid                                                             $20.00     60     6 1/2"     Nicaragua
92     La Aurora Family Creed Series Fuerte Sol Gran Toro        $18.50     58     6"     Dom. Rep.
92     La Flor Dominicana Suave Grand Maduro No. 6                $12.80     54     5 3/4"     Dom. Rep.
92     La Gloria Cubana Los Gloriosos Gigante                            $9.99     60     6"     Dom. Rep.

92     League of Fat Bastards Serie O Toro Box Pressed             $13.00     54     6"     Nicaragua
92     Liga Privada T52 Corona Viva                                             $16.25     46     6"     Nicaragua
92     New World Decenio Robusto                                               $12.50     54     5 1/2"     Nicaragua
92     OZ Family Cigars Karatoba Robusto                                   $12.00     52     5"     Nicaragua
92     Quai d'Orsay Corona Claro                                                  £27.90     42     5 1/2"     Cuba
92     The King is Dead Escape Plan Autopilot                             $18.83     48     7"     Dom. Rep.
92     Villiger La Capitana Toro                                                      $12.00     50     6"     Nicaragua
91     A.J. Fernandez 20th Anniversary Toro                                 $25.00     56     6"     Nicaragua
91     Casa Magna Maduro Toro                                                    $12.60     52     6 1/2"     Dom. Rep.
91     Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Troublemaker                      $18.00     52     5 3/4"     Dom. Rep.
91     E.P. Carrillo Connecticut Corona                                           $9.25     44     5 1/2"     Honduras
91     E.P. Carrillo Endure Toro                                                       $20.00     52     6"     Dom. Rep.
91     El Pulpo The Eel                                                                   $16.50     38     7"     Nicaragua
91     El Vinyet Cuvée Especial 2024 DC47                                   $12.73     47     7 5/8"     Dom. Rep.
91     Eladio Diaz La Diana Biloria                                                  $11.00     52     5"     Dom. Rep.
91     Eladio Diaz La Diana Brevas                                                 $7.50     46     4 1/2"     Dom. Rep.
91     Foundation 10 Year Aniversario Salomon                              $35.00     58     7"     Nicaragua
91     Fuente Fuente OpusX 25 Aniversario El Tributo                    $44.44     50     7"     Dom. Rep.
91     H. Upmann Magnum Finite Edición Limitada 2024                £55.70     53     5 1/8"     Cuba
91     JFR 20 Years 770                                                                   $12.50     70     7"     Honduras
91     Knuckle Sandwich Puro Nicaragua Gordo                              $14.99     60     6"     Nicaragua
91     La Aurora Family Creed Series Fuerte Sol Toro                      $18.00     54     5 3/4"     Dom. Rep.
91     La Flor de Cano Diademas Exclusivo Asia Pacifico                £62.63     47     7"     Cuba
91     League of Fat Bastards Serie O 6x60 Box Pressed                $13.50     60     6"     Nicaragua
91     Liga Privada T52 Corona Doble                                               $20.25     54     7"     Nicaragua
91     Litto Gomez Diez Emeraude TAA 2024                                   $26.00     54     6"     Dom. Rep.
91     Macanudo Emissary España Torpedo                                     $17.99     52     6"     Honduras
91     Macanudo Emissary France Toro                                            $15.99     52     6"     Honduras
91     Montecristo Open Slam                                                           £44.40     52     5 3/4"     Cuba
91     Montecristo M Toro                                                                  $32.00     52     6"     Nicaragua
91     Murciélago Shikaka TAA 2024                                                 $15.00     54     6"     Nicaragua
91     My Father Blue Robusto                                                          $10.50     52     5 1/4"     Honduras
91     OZ Family Cigars Karatoba Gordo                                          $13.00     60     6"     Nicaragua
91     Padrón 60th Anniversary Perfecto Maduro                              $75.00     56     6 1/2"     Nicaragua
91     Partagás Cedros Year of the Snake                                         £97.40     50     5 3/8"     Cuba
91     Perdomo Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown Churchill             $14.50     54     7"     Nicaragua
91     Perdomo Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown Epicure               $14.00     54     6"     Nicaragua
91     Redemption by El Titan de Bronze Robusto                             $16.99     50     5"     U.S.A.
91     Redemption by El Titan de Bronze Toro                                    $17.99     52     6"     U.S.A.
91     Perdomo 30th Anniversary Sun Grown Torpedo                       $13.75     60     6"     Nicaragua
91     Rocky Patel Emerald Toro                                                         $12.75     52     6 1/2"     Nicaragua
91     Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary Balconet                            $27.00     54     6"     Dom. Rep.
91     Saint Luis Rey Tabacales Toro                                                  $8.25     54     6"     Dom. Rep.
91     Tatuaje Corojo Avion 13                                                             $13.00     52     6 7/8"     Nicaragua
91     The King is Dead Escape Plan The Grand Tour                        $18.83     54     5"     Dom. Rep.
91     The Wise Man Corojo Corona                                                    $10.50     40     7"     Nicaragua
91     The Wise Man Corojo Lancero                                                   $15.24     40     7"     Nicaragua
91     Trinidad Cabildos Edición Limitada 2024                                    £98.50     49     6 3/8"     Cuba
91     Warped Corto Maduro X46                                                         $13.65     46     4 1/2"     Nicaragua
91     Warped Sarto Toro                                                                      $15.00     52     6"     Nicaragua

The last 94-point cigar comes from Rafael Nodal of Altadis U.S.A. and Nicaraguan cigarmaker A.J. Fernandez, an accomplished team who have once again collaborated for the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto line, made in Nicaragua. This is the newest brand in the expanding Aging Room series, and the high-scoring Impromptu size is a box-pressed figurado tapered at both ends. Fernandez grows all the tobacco for this cigar as well. The entire Aging Room series is owned by Nodal, distributed by his employer, Altadis U.S.A. and manufactured by Fernandez.

Top-Scoring Brands

For an even broader view, we’ve arranged the 249 cigars rated in 2025 by brand. The highest average of any cigar brand with more than one cigar rated during the calendar year came from Padrón Black. The Nicaraguan line averaged 93 points for two cigars, but two cigars still fail to give much insight for a brand’s overall quality. There was the Dominican La Aurora Family Creed Series Fuerte Sol that averaged 92.5 points over three sizes, as well as Rocky Patel’s Emerald brand (91.7 points, three sizes) made in Nicaragua at his Tavicusa factory. 

Another noteworthy brand performance was the Honduran C.L.E. Maduro (90.4 points for five sizes), a quintet of cigars that combines the Honduran tobacco of the Jamastran Valley with Mexican wrapper. 

Average Score By Brand

Brand            Rating
Cohiba (1)     94.0
OneOff Black (1)     94.0
Bolivar (1)     93.0
Diplomaticos (1)     93.0
Padrón Black (2)     93.0
The Wise Man Maduro (1)     93.0
Villiger 1888 Gran Reserva (1)     93.0
Fuente Fuente OpusX 25 Aniversario (2)     92.5
La Aurora Family Creed Series Fuerte Sol (3)     92.0
Padrón 60th Anniversary (2)     92.0
Rocky Patel Emerald (3)     91.7
El Pulpo (2)     91.5
A.J. Fernandez 20th Anniversary (1)     91.0
Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto (6)     91.0
Cavalier Genève Project Broadleaf Wayfinders (2)     91.0
Diamond Crown Julius Caeser (1)     91.0
Foundation 10 Year Aniversario (1)     91.0
H. Upmann (1)     91.0
La Flor de Cano (1)     91.0
Litto Gomez Diez (1)     91.0
Macanudo Emissary España (1)     91.0
Montecristo (1)     91.0
Murciélago Shikaka (1)     91.0
Partagás (1)     91.0
Warped Corto Maduro (1)     91.0
Eladio Diaz La Diana (3)     90.7
Redemption by El Titan de Bronze (3)     90.7
JFR 20 Years (4)     90.5
C.L.E. Maduro (5)     90.4
Aging Room La Bohéme (4)     90.3
Crowned Heads Blood Medicine Limited Edition 2025 (3)     90.3
Macanudo Emissary France (4)     90.3
OZ Family Cigars Karatoba (4)     90.3
League of Fat Bastards Serie O (5)     90.2
Perdomo Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown (5)     90.2
Aladino 85th Aniversario Reserva (2)     90.0
Black Label Trading Co. (1)     90.0
Casa Carrillo La Historia Silk (1)     90.0
E.P. Carrillo Endure (2)     90.0
Illusione The Group of Five (1)     90.0
Knuckle Sandwich Puro Nicaragua (3)     90.0
La Aroma de Cuba Habano Reserve (1)     90.0
La Gloria Cubana Los Gloriosos (3)     90.0
Montecristo M (4)     90.0
OZ Family Cigars Pi Synesthesia (1)     90.0
Para José Seijas by Matilde (1)     90.0
Punch (1)     90.0
Rocky Patel Year of the Snake (1)     90.0
The King is Dead Escape Plan (4)     90.0
The Wise Man Corojo (5)     90.0
Trinidad (2)     90.0
Illusione Epernay Tuonela (4)     89.8
Quai d'Orsay (4)     89.8
Black Label Trading Co. Super Deluxe (3)     89.7
Casa Magna Maduro (3)     89.7
Don Pepin Garcia E.R.H. (3)     89.7
E.P. Carrillo Connecticut (3)     89.7
New World Decenio (3)     89.7
El Vinyet Cuvée Especial 2024 (5)     89.6
Ferio Tego (2)     89.5
HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary (2)     89.5
Montecristo 90th Anniversary (2)     89.5
My Father Blue (4)     89.5
Viaje Fifteen Plus Two and a Half Anniversary (4)     89.5
Villiger La Capitana (4)     89.3
Aganorsa Supreme Leaf (1)     89.0
Cohiba Spectre (1)     89.0
Crowned Heads Four Kicks Mule (1)     89.0
Gellis Family Cigars Absolutos (2)     89.0
La Aurora 100 Años (4)     89.0
Leaf by Oscar 2025 Limited Edition Broadleaf (1)     89.0
Plasencia Alma del Campo (1)     89.0
Plasencia Alma del Cielo (3)     89.0
Por Larrañaga (1)     89.0
Ramon Allones (1)     89.0
Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary (3)     89.0
Surrogates Big Ten (1)     89.0
Tatuaje Corojo (3)     89.0
Viva La Vida Connecticut (2)     89.0
La Flor Dominicana Suave (5)     88.8
Liga Privada T52 (5)     88.8
Enclave by Eladio Díaz (3)     88.3
Gold Star (3)     88.3
Saint Luis Rey Tabacales (3)     88.3
Southern Draw Morning Glory (3)     88.3
Alec Bradley Chunk Maduro (3)     88.0
Camacho (1)     88.0
Crowned Heads Blood Medicine B Positive (1)     88.0
Davidoff Escurio 10th Anniversary (1)     88.0
Fratello Bianco Nero Reserva (1)     88.0
Gellis Family Cigars (1)     88.0
La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut (2)     88.0
Plasencia Cosecha 151 (1)     88.0
Room101 15th Anniversary (1)     88.0
Surrogates Backline (2)     88.0
Villiger (1)     88.0
Warped Sarto (3)     88.0
West Tampa Dark Time (1)     88.0
West Tampa Circle of Life (3)     87.7
Curivari Buenaventura Favoritos Natural (2)     87.5
HVC Hot Cake Fresh Out of the Oven Broadleaf (2)     87.5
Villiger Cuéllar Caribe (4)     87.5
La Aurora Cazadores Nicaragua (3)     87.3
Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario 25 Edición Limitada (1)     87.0
Davidoff Chefs Edition 2025 (1)     87.0
Davidoff Winston Churchill Limited Edition 2025 (1)     87.0
Tatuaje La Riqueza SE 2024 Tuxtla (1)     87.0
E.P. Carrillo Honduras (3)     86.3
Cohiba Serie M Reserva Azul (1)     86.0
Room101 Namakubi 2025 (1)     86.0
Avo Syncro Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Edition (1)     84.0
Tatuaje La Riqueza SE 2024 (1)     84.0

Three brands averaged 90.3 points over four sizes: The Aging Room La Bohéme line made in Nicaragua by A.J. Fernandez; Macanudo Emissary France, which is produced in Honduras and features some French tobacco; and Karatoba from OZ Family Cigars. It’s made at Nicaraguan American Cigars S.A. factory, better known as NACSA, and distributed by Crowned Heads out of Tennessee. All three of these brands were released this year. 

Analysis By Country

When we shift the focus of Cigar Insider’s ratings to country, Cuba had the highest average score at 90.7 points. Nicaragua was second with an average of 89.7 points and the United States came in third with 89.5 points. Honduras (89.4 points) and the Dominican Republic (89.1 points) rounded out the list. On the whole, the four major cigar-producing countries averaged within a point of each other and no nation dipped below 89 points. 

Average Score By Country

Country     Cigars Rated     Avg. Score
1. Cuba           15                   90.7
2. Nicaragua   125                 89.7
3. U.S.A.            4                  89.5
4. Honduras     36                  89.4
4. Dominican Rep.69             89.1

Analysis By Country

Brand     Cigars     Average Score     Average Price
Cuba             
Bolivar            1     93.0     £45.10
Cohiba            1     94.0     £74.60
Diplomaticos     1     93.0     £21.74
H. Upmann          2     91.0     £55.70
La Flor de Cano     1     91.0     £62.63
Montecristo           1     91.0     £44.40
Partagás             1     91.0     £97.40
Por Larrañaga     1     89.0     £28.90
Quai d'Orsay        4     89.8     £34.28
Ramon Allones      1     89.0     £57.50
Trinidad               2     90.0     £82.80
TOTAL                 15     90.75     £52.71
            
Brand     Cigars     Average Score     Average Price
Dominican Republic             
Avo Syncro Nicaragua 10th Anniversary Edition     1     84.0     $22.00
Casa Carrillo La Historia Silk     1     90.0     $16.50
Casa Magna Maduro     3     89.7     $12.43 
Cohiba Spectre     1     89.0     $149.99
Crowned Heads Four Kicks Mule     1     89.0     $15.95
Davidoff Chefs Edition 2025     1     87.0     $55.00
Davidoff Escurio 10th Anniversary     1     88.0     $37.00
Davidoff Winston Churchill Limited Edition 2025     1     87.0     $49.00
Diamond Crown Julius Caeser     1     91.0     $18.00
E.P. Carrillo Endure     2     90.0     $19.00
El Vinyet Cuvée Especial 2024     5     89.6     $15.89
Eladio Diaz La Diana     3     90.7     $10.33
Enclave by Eladio Díaz     3     88.3     $9.50
Ferio Tego     1     89.0     $24.00
Fuente Fuente OpusX 25 Aniversario     2     92.5     $54.12
Gellis Family Cigars     1     88.0     $40.00
Gold Star     3     88.3     $13.00
La Aurora 100 Años     4     89.0     $19.19
La Aurora Cazadores Nicaragua     3     87.3     $5.58
La Aurora Family Creed Series Fuerte Sol     3     92.0     $17.33
La Flor Dominicana Suave     5     88.8     $11.52
La Gloria Cubana Los Gloriosos     3     90.0     $9.99
Litto Gomez Diez     1     91.0     $26.00
OZ Family Cigars Pi Synesthesia     1     90.0     $15.50
Para José Seijas by Matilde     1     90.0     $18.00
Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary     3     89.0     $26.67
Saint Luis Rey Tabacales     3     88.3     $8.30
The King is Dead Escape Plan     4     90.0     $18.83
Villiger Cuéllar Caribe     4     87.50     $11.63
West Tampa Circle of Life     3     87.7     $13.99
TOTAL     69     89.13     $19.57
            
Brand     Cigars     Average Score     Average Price
Honduras             
Aladino 85th Aniversario Reserva     2     90.0     $18.75
Alec Bradley Chunk Maduro     3     88.0     $7.22
C.L.E. Maduro     5     90.4     $10.28
Camacho     1     88.0     $17.50
Cavalier Genève Project Broadleaf Wayfinders     2     91.0     $22.50
E.P. Carrillo Connecticut     3     89.7     $9.83
E.P. Carrillo Honduras     3     86.3     $10.00
Illusione Epernay Tuonela     4     89.8     $11.75
Leaf by Oscar 2025 Limited Edition Broadleaf     1     89.0     $18.00
Macanudo Emissary España     1     91.0     $17.99
Macanudo Emissary France     4     90.3     $16.49
My Father Blue     4     89.5     $11.13
Plasencia Cosecha 151     1     88.0     $19.50
Punch     1     90.0     $6.99
Villiger     1     88.0     $15.00
TOTAL     36     89.4     $12.99
            
Brand     Cigars     Average Score     Average Price
Nicaragua             
A.J. Fernandez 20th Anniversary     1     91.0     $25.00
Aganorsa Leaf Aniversario 25 Edición Limitada     1     87.0     $29.99
Aganorsa Supreme Leaf     1     89.0     $14.00
Aging Room La Bohéme     4     90.3     $22.81
Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto     6     91.0     $15.44
Black Label Trading Co.     1     90.0     $7.90
Black Label Trading Co. Super Deluxe     3     89.7 $12.00

Crowned Heads Blood Medicine Limited Edition 2025 B Positive     1     88.0     $12.95
Crowned Heads Blood Medicine Limited Edition 2025     3     90.3     $11.50
Curivari Buenaventura Favoritos Natural     2     87.5     $5.65
Don Pepin Garcia E.R.H.     3     89.7     $9.57
El Pulpo     2     91.5     $18.25
Ferio Tego     1     91.0     $24.00
Foundation 10 Year Aniversario     1     91.0     $35.00
Fratello Bianco Nero Reserva     1     88.0     $15.00
Gellis Family Cigars Absolutos     2     89.0     $14.50
HVC Hot Cake Fresh Out of the Oven Broadleaf     2     87.5     $16.50
HVC La Rosa 520 10th Anniversary     2     89.5     $13.50
Illusione The Group of Five     1     90.0     $16.00
JFR 20 Years     4     90.5     $10.94
Knuckle Sandwich Puro Nicaragua     3     90.0     $14.33
La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut     2     88.0     $9.80
La Aroma de Cuba Habano Reserve     1     90.0     $9.85
League of Fat Bastards Serie O     5     90.2     $12.00
Liga Privada T52     5     88.8     $18.25
Montecristo 90th Anniversary     2     89.5     $39.38
Montecristo M     4     90.0     $32.63
Murciélago Shikaka     1     91.0     $15.00
New World Decenio     3     89.7     $13.83
OneOff Black      1     94.0     $17.60
OZ Family Cigars Karatoba     4     90.3     $12.50
Padrón 60th Anniversary     2     92.0     $75.00
Padrón Black     2     93.0     $40.80
Perdomo Legacy Nicaraguan Shade Grown     5     90.2     $14.50
Plasencia Alma del Campo     1     89.0     $18.25
Plasencia Alma del Cielo     3     89.0     $27.33
Rocky Patel Emerald     3     91.7     $12.75
Rocky Patel Year of the Snake     1     90.0     $35.00
Room101 15th Anniversary     1     88.0     $14.99
Room101 Namakubi 2025     1     86.0     $24.99
Southern Draw Morning Glory     3     88.3     $11.88
Surrogates Backline     2     88.0     $9.75
Surrogates Big Ten     1     89.0     $11.00
Tatuaje Corojo     3     89.0     $11.67
Tatuaje La Riqueza SE 2024     1     84.0     $11.00
Tatuaje La Riqueza SE 2024 Tuxtla     1     87.0     $11.00
The Wise Man Corojo     5     90.0     $12.65
The Wise Man Maduro     1     93.0     $15.24
Viaje Fifteen Plus Two and a Half Anniversary     4     89.5     $16.94
Villiger 1888 Gran Reserva     1     93.0     $22.50
Villiger La Capitana     4     89.3     $11.75
Viva La Vida Connecticut     2     89.0     $14.75
Warped Corto Maduro     1     91.0     $13.65
Warped Sarto     3     88.0     $15.00
West Tampa Dark Time     1     88.0     $29.99
TOTAL     129     89.71     $17.40
            
Brand     Cigars     Average Score     Average Price
U.S.A.             
Cohiba Serie M Reserva Azul     1     86.0     $29.99
Redemption by El Titan de Bronze     3     90.7     $16.99
TOTAL     4     89.52     $20.24

Bargain Cigars and Where They’re From

We’ve said it many times and it bears repeating: this is a golden age of cigars, with fantastic creativity and high-quality smokes coming from all the major cigarmaking countries. It’s something to be enthusiastic about. Prices, on the other hand, might sour your mood. The bad news is that they are still on the pricier side, with very few relative bargains to be had. One could blame inflation or tariffs. One could blame Cuba for starting a trend when Habanos S.A. doubled and, in some cases, tripled the prices of its Cohiba and Trinidad brands in 2022. One could even point the finger at manufacturers for releasing cigars that retail for $50, $75 and $100, thereby shifting the market away from the $10 “sweet spot” that held for so long. But there’s some good news: not all the major cigarmaking countries saw a significant rise in prices from last year. And while cigars that offer both a good price and quality continue to be tough to find, there are still some out there.

To be classified by Cigar Insider as a Best Buy, a cigar must have a suggested retail price of $8 or less and score at least 87 points. Of the 249 cigars Cigar Insider rated, only 10 qualified as Best Buys. There are two more Best Buys on the list than there were last year, but the number is still abysmally low. The most impressive was the Dominican Eladio Diaz La Diana Brevas (91 points, $7.50). At 4 1/2 by 46, it’s by no means a huge cigar, but the Brevas is made by talented industry veteran Eladio Diaz at his small factory in the Dominican Republic. Three Best Buys scored 90 points: the Alec Bradley Chunk Maduro XL from Honduras ($5.89); a small, pointy Nicaraguan cigar from Black Label Trading Co. called Coffin Nails ($7.90); and the Honduran Punch Bottle Rocket ($6.99).

Prices are up consistently. The Cuban cigars we rated this year are up £8.43 per cigar (about $11.34), Honduran cigars are up $1 per cigar, Nicaraguan cigars are $0.74 more expensive and Dominican cigars up a mere 31 cents. 

2025 Best Buys

Score                Cigar                                    Price 91     Eladio Diaz La Diana Brevas               $7.50 90     Alec Bradley Chunk Maduro XL           $5.89 90     Black Label Trading Co. Coffin Nails     $7.90 90     Punch Bottle Rocket                               $6.99 89     Curivari Buenaventura Favoritos Natural 60     $5.90 89     La Aurora Cazadores Nicaragua Robusto     $5.00 88     Saint Luis Rey Tabacales Rothchilde     $7.70 87     Alec Bradley Chunk Maduro 3XL           $7.49 87     C.L.E. Maduro 40x4                              $5.40 87     La Aurora Cazadores Nicaragua Toro     $5.25 If you’re looking for a bargain, Honduras offers the most options, as the country had the lowest average price per cigar at $12.99. The average price of a Nicaraguan is $17.40, an average that included a wide range of prices from Padrón’s 60th Anniversary ($75) and the Montecristo 90th Anniversary from Altadis ($39.38) to the Curivari Buenaventura Favoritos Natural ($5.65).  The cost of labor in the Dominican Republic is higher, and the country average worked out to $19.57. Again, these ranges varied greatly, from the La Aurora Cazadores series ($5 to $6.25) to the Davidoff Chef’s Edition ($55) and the Cohiba Spectre ($149.99).  The United States has the second-highest average price per cigar at ($20.24) but that pales to Cuba, consistently the most expensive every year. Cuban cigar prices averaged £52.71 (about $70.56) per cigar. The high prices of Trinidad and Cohiba helped to elevate the numbers, especially cigars like the Cohiba Ambar at £74.60 (about $100) and the limited-edition Partagás Cedros released for the Lunar New Year (£97.40, or about $131). But Cuban cigars in general tend to lean pricey, as no Cuban cigar that we rated had a retail price of less than £21, or $28.  The Best-Scoring Sizes Fat, heavy-ring-gauge cigars such as toros, grandes and robustos are certainly the most popular sizes in the market. According to most retailers and manufacturers, thick cigars are their best sellers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the thickest smokes score the highest. In terms of the best ratings by size, it was led by “A” sizes (92 points), followed by the panetela (91.7 points) and corona categories (91 points), but this doesn’t tell us much, as Insider only rated one “A,” three panetelas and three coronas.
The figurado and toro categories, which tied for fourth at 89.7 points, are more revealing. A figurado can be a torpedo, belicoso, perfecto, Salomon or any cigar with a taper, curve or tip. We rated 36 figurados in 2025. Toros are somewhat fat cigars measuring anywhere from 46 to 59 ring gauge. We tested more toros this year than any other cigar size, 101, accounting for a bit more than 40 percent of our reviews. Because of the high sample size of figurados, and very high sample size of toros, the near-90 averages show that cigarmakers are staying cognizant of consistency despite volume. We rarely come across a brand that does not have a toro-sized cigar in its line. Churchills, double coronas and robustos all tied for the No. 5 spot, with an average of 89.5 points. Insider rated 17 Churchills and only two double coronas, but 48 robustos, which has long been among the most popular cigar sizes on the U.S. market.  Average Score By Size
Size Cigars Rated Avg. Score "A" 1 92.0 Panetela 3 91.7 Corona 3 91.0 Figurado 36 89.7 Toro 101 89.7 Churchill 17 89.5 Double Corona 2 89.5 Robusto 48 89.5 Grande 24 89.1 Miscellaneous 10 88.7 Petit Corona 1 87.0 Lonsdale 3 86.7
Grandes are one of the most popular sizes sold today, but they trailed behind most sizes in terms of quality, sixth place overall. They’re fat cigars with ring gauges of 60 or higher. We rated 24 in 2025 and they averaged 89.1 points.  At the bottom of our ratings by size we find miscellaneous cigars (too thick, thin, short or unusual to be placed in any traditional category) at 88.7 points, followed by petit coronas (87 points) and lonsdales (86.7 points). Conclusion One thing has remained steady in 2025: quality. Average scores from our blind tastings are still relatively high and, like last year, around half of the cigars rated by Insider scored at least 90 points, some reaching as high as 94 points. Prices are notably higher, across the board, extremely so in the case of Cuban cigars, far less so in the case of Dominican cigars.  There seems to be a tolerance—and perhaps a new market—for cigars in the $50 to $100 range. Smokes in this bracket are usually more expensive on account of older tobaccos. Aging leaf means sitting on inventory rather than selling it so, naturally, the older the tobacco the more expensive the cigar. This segment is still a very niche category. The most current numbers reported by the Cigar Association of America so far indicate that handmade cigar imports into the United States for 2025 continue to remain positive. Imports were up 4.6 percent over the first half of 2024, with a little more than 200 million premium, handmade cigars shipped to the United States through the end of June. Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic all reported gains. (Third quarter results for 2024 have yet to be posted). Nicaragua continues to provide the United States with the most handmade cigars. When you look at the shelves in your local cigar store, most of what you see is probably Nicaraguan. This fact is reflected in the high number of Nicaraguan cigars tested this year in Insider compared to other countries. Despite concerns of oversaturation and dips in quality that can come with high volume, Nicaragua has handled the burden of high demand well, maintaining a high standard and adapting to higher production numbers. Its major producers brought a consistently high-scoring product to the market. The lack of bargain cigars in 2025 might be a source of contention, as the number of Best Buys were, once again, very few. Finding a high-scoring cigar for under $10 may not be as easy as it used to be. On the other hand, finding an excellent, high-scoring cigar has never been easier. Value calls are always personal, but when you look at the scores, it appears that the industry is able to justify its prices with a consistently great cigar.  Data compiled by Thomas Pappalardo Source: https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/special-report-2025-cigar-insider-year-in-review

[PartagasIV]

Wholly unsurprised they threw HSA a bone for a new ultra premium. That said, it's a very, very good cigar.

[Gubbins]

Am I right in thinking that all cigars rated are rolled in that specific year.

For this reason I suppose it makes a bit of sense that some of the top Cubans arnt scoring regular 96/97 scores etc.

Whilst Cohiba get 3 years extra fermentation on their tobacco, the majority of Cuban cigars don’t get this treatment and so will be rated off a lot fresher tobacco?

where as most new world cigars are rolled from tobacco with a lot of years on it already.

obviously there’s a lot of other stuff that goes into the ranking system that we already know about, but I suppose this could also be something to consider?

[MrBirdman]

Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar Insider for Cigar Enthusiasts (Who Like Cigars)