Michael Chen
Senior Cigar Reviewer & Former Sommelier
About Michael
Michael Chen spent a decade in the wine industry before trading his corkscrew for a cutter. His sommelier training gave him a disciplined palate and a framework for evaluating complex flavors — skills that translate directly to cigar reviewing.
His reviews are known for their precision and honesty. He scores based on construction, flavor development, and value, not hype or brand prestige. A $9 Padron Classic that delivers gets the same respect as a $40 limited release — sometimes more.
Michael covers the annual Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Trophy awards, tracks new releases from major and boutique brands, and writes the year-in-review retrospectives. His personal top 10 lists have become a reader favorite.
When he's not writing, he's usually on his back porch in Napa with a coffee and something from his aging collection. He believes the best cigar education comes from smoking widely and taking notes — not from chasing ratings.
Fun fact: Keeps a spreadsheet tracking every cigar he's smoked since 2011 — over 3,200 entries and counting.
Articles by Michael (52)
Seco, Viso and Ligero: How to Read Cigar Tobacco Primings
The same sorting word can carry different context across producers. Read the leaf category together with its origin, processing, and place in the blend.
6 min read
How to Calibrate a Cigar Hygrometer Without Chasing Bad Readings
A three-point error can send you chasing a perfectly good humidor. Test the instrument first, record the result, and change only what the evidence supports.
6 min read
Why Cuban Cigars Are Scarce in 2026
The 2026 Cuban shortage is a distribution break: a cancelled festival, frozen Spanish accounts, and a German insolvency. US buyers still cannot import them.
8 min read
Why Are Cigars So Expensive in 2026? Cigar Prices, Tariffs and Taxes per Stick
Nicaraguan and Dominican cigars are 79% of our priced catalog and have paid a 12.5% Section 301 tariff on import value since 2026-07-24. Here is what that costs per stick, and why this fall’s price lists matter more.
9 min readThe 12 Best Box-Pressed Cigars, Ranked and Priced (2026)
12 box-pressed cigars from 20. My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Pressed leads at 4.85 and $11.40.
9 min read
The 12 Best Maduro Cigars, Ranked and Priced (2026)
12 maduros from 248 USD-priced records, one per brand. Padron leads at 4.9; the $8.60 Rocky Patel and $4.50 Nestor offer lower catalog reference prices.
8 min read
Consumer Awards vs Blind Tastings: What Cigar Recognition Actually Measures
A public-vote cigar award and a blind tasting score can both be honest and still measure completely different things. Recognition is data, not destiny.
8 min read
How to Read a Cigar Top 25 List Without Letting It Shop for You
Top 25 cigar lists are useful if you read the process before you chase the ranking. Blind panels, reviewer lists, consumer votes, retailer samplers, and community polls all measure different things.
8 min read
Padron 60th Anniversary and the Weight of a Modern Cigar of the Year
Padron 60th Anniversary Perfecto did more than win Cigar Aficionado 2025 Cigar of the Year. It showed how modern cigar icons are built from family history, scarcity, price discipline, clear identity, and broad critical validation.
8 min read
The Wrapper Color Trap: Why Dark Cigars Do Not Always Taste Stronger
Wrapper color is the first shortcut buyers use, but dark does not automatically mean strong and pale does not automatically mean mild. Color is one clue, not a verdict.
8 min read
Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras: Reading Flavor by Origin Without Falling for Stereotypes
Country of origin is useful, but only as a probability signal. Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras each matter, but modern premium cigars are too global for one-word stereotypes.
8 min read
The Format Index: How Cigar Shape Predicts Quality, Strength, and Value Across 291 Cigars
We analyzed every cigar in our 291-cigar catalog by shape, ring gauge, and length. Robusto and toro account for 78% of the market. Lanceros are 100% Nicaraguan. Slimmer cigars rate higher than the dominant robusto-ring band. The format you smoke says more than you think.
11 min read
What PCA26 Says Retailers Will Put on Shelves Next
The most important PCA26 trend was not one cigar. It was how cigars are being packaged, priced, explained, and displayed for retailers.
8 min read
PCA26 Releases That Actually Matter
PCA26 produced more announcements than any buyer can track. The useful filter is which releases will change what retailers stock and what smokers should watch.
8 min read
Celebrating Retirement with Premium Cigars: A Buying Guide
Mark the milestone right — from gifting a Padrón 1926 to building a retirement humidor, here's how to celebrate with premium smokes.
9 min read
The Strength-Price Data Gap: What 291 Cigars Reveal About Pricing
We crunched the numbers on 291 cigars to find where strength, wrapper type, and origin actually drive price — and where the market is wildly inefficient.
12 min read
The AI Pairing Report: What 291 Cigars Reveal About Perfect Pairings
We analyzed 291 cigars across 62 brands to uncover the data behind perfect cigar pairings. Original findings on how origin, strength, wrapper, and price predict your ideal drink match.
12 min read
Draw and Burn Troubleshooting as Tasting Data
A bad burn is not just a ruined cigar. It is a clue about construction, humidity, lighting, wind, pace, storage, and whether the cigar deserves a retest.
8 min read
Score Your Cigars Without Pretending to Be a Critic
A personal cigar score should help you buy better, age smarter, and avoid repeating mistakes. It does not need to imitate a magazine panel.
8 min read
Gurkha Cigars Review: Who Makes Them and Which Are Worth Buying
Gurkha is a brand made in other companies' factories. Here is what our catalog shows about its 21 rated cigars, and the five worth buying.
5 min read
Plasencia Cigars: A Family Legacy Six Generations Deep
Six generations of tobacco cultivation and the largest private grower in the industry -- here's why Plasencia's own cigar line deserves a place in your humidor.
8 min read
Boutique Cigar Brands (2026): 19 Independent Makers Ranked by Our Ratings, With Where to Start
Tatuaje, Illusione, Dunbarton, RoMa Craft and 15 more independent makers across 356 rated cigars, plus the trade's competing definitions, the factories that roll them, and three brands that stopped being boutique.
7 min read
Limited Edition & Anniversary Cigars Worth Seeking Out (2026)
From the Padron 60th Anniversary to the Opus X 30th, here are the limited edition and anniversary cigars worth hunting down in 2026 -- plus how to actually find them.
8 min read
Cigars and Scotch Pairing Guide
A region-by-region guide to pairing Scotch whisky with cigars -- from delicate Speyside malts with Connecticut wrappers to full-bodied Islay peat bombs with broadleaf maduros.
9 min read
Cigars and Food Pairing: Dark Chocolate, Steak, Cheese & More
A sommelier's approach to pairing cigars with food -- from dark chocolate and steak to artisanal cheese and desserts, with specific brand pairings and the science behind why they work.
9 min read
Cigars and Bourbon: The Perfect Pairing Guide
A sommelier's guide to matching bourbon with cigars -- from budget-friendly everyday pairings to premium special-occasion combinations, with specific brand recommendations and a flavor-matching framework.
9 min read
Cuban vs Nicaraguan vs Dominican vs Honduran Cigars: Regions, Strength and Price
Growing regions, catalog strength labels and 2,807 USD reference-price records across four origins, with the small Cuban sample clearly separated.
8 min read
Can You Inhale Cigar Smoke? What Happens and Why You Shouldn't
The chemistry behind why cigar smokers don't need to inhale, what the National Cancer Institute, CDC and FDA say about the risks, and how to smoke without it.
6 min read
The Only Cigar Accessories Guide You'll Actually Need
A no-nonsense guide to cigar accessories that actually matter -- humidors, cutters, lighters, and the gear worth spending on versus the overpriced stuff you can skip.
10 min read
Oliva Serie V Melanio Review
Cigar Aficionado's 2014 Cigar of the Year still delivers. Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, aged Nicaraguan fillers, and a silky complexity that punches well above its $12-15 price tag.
8 min read
Padron 1926 Serie No. 9 Review
A deep dive into one of the most celebrated Nicaraguan puros ever made. Five-to-ten-year aged tobacco, flawless construction, and a flavor profile that rivals the best cigars at any price.
7 min read
Cigar Aficionado Top 25 Cigars of 2025: The Complete Breakdown
From Padron's historic Cigar of the Year win to surprise Cuban entries and boutique standouts, here's the complete breakdown of Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars of 2025.
12 min read
Best Cigars for Golf: The Ultimate Fairway Companion Guide
From the back nine to the 19th hole, here's everything you need to know about pairing the perfect cigar with your round.
12 min read
The Best Cigars of 2025: A Year in Review
From award winners to game-changing new releases, here's everything that defined the cigar world in 2025.
12 min read
The Boutique Cigars Your Shop Owner Won't Tell You About
The most interesting cigars aren't always the ones getting 90+ ratings. From factory seconds to regional exclusives, here's where to find the smoking experiences that'll surprise you.
6 min read
12 Best Oliva Cigars: Current Prices and Historical Rankings
Compare exact single and box offers before choosing an Oliva. Five dated retail examples sit alongside twelve historical catalog ranks and a picker for all 52 records.
12 min read
The 12 Best Ashton Cigars, Ranked and Priced (2026)
Eight Ashtons share the top catalog rating of 4.7. The $8.50 Heritage Puro Sol Belicoso No. 2 leads twelve picks from 37 across seven lines.
8 min read
Maduro Wrappers: Rich, Sweet, and Complex
Everything you need to know about maduro cigars and their distinctive character.
9 min read
Dominican Cigars: A Comprehensive Guide
Everything you need to know about cigars from the Dominican Republic, the world's largest cigar producer.
6 min read
The Future of Cigars: Trends and Innovations
Exploring new developments in tobacco cultivation, blending, and cigar culture.
10 min read
The History of Cuban Cigars: From Havana to Today
Explore the rich history of Cuban cigars and their enduring legacy in the cigar world.
8 min read
How to Taste Cigars Like a Pro
Develop your palate and learn to identify flavors, aromas, and construction quality.
9 min read
Understanding Cigar Wrapper Colors and Flavors
A comprehensive guide to cigar wrapper types, from Connecticut to Maduro, and how they affect taste.
8 min read
Tatuaje Cigars: The Boutique Revolution
Pete Johnson's influential boutique brand and its cult following.
8 min read
The 12 Best Arturo Fuente Cigars, Ranked and Priced (2026)
12 Arturo Fuente cigars from 78 after dropping OpusX. Eye of the Shark leads at 4.85 and $12.25; the cheapest ranked Rosado is 4.7 at $8.15.
10 min readUnderstanding Cigar Terminology: A Complete Glossary
Plain-language definitions for cigar construction, sizes, tobacco, tasting and storage, with cautions about misleading shortcuts.
8 min read
The 12 Best Honduran Cigars, Ranked and Priced (2026)
Honduras supplied 37.5 million handmade imports in H1 2026, up 10%. 12 cigars ranked, one brand each from 472. The top is 4.8 at $10.25.
9 min read
The Rise of Boutique Cigar Brands
Exploring the new wave of small-batch, artisanal cigar makers changing the industry.
9 min read
Rocky Patel: The Celebrity of Cigars
The story of Rocky Patel's rise to cigar industry prominence.
7 min read
Cuban vs Non-Cuban Cigars: 12 Picks Below a USD Reference
Twelve non-Cuban picks fall below a $29 historical USD reference from 11 Cuban catalog records. Compare their ratings and dimensions, with the sample limits in view.
10 min read
Understanding Cigar Fermentation and Aging
How curing, fermentation, leaf aging and finished-cigar resting differ, with producer-specific examples and practical storage checks.
6 min read
Davidoff Cigars: Swiss Precision Meets Dominican Quality
The story of Davidoff's luxurious cigars and their commitment to excellence.
7 min read