The Best Cigars of 2025: A Year in Review
Here's where it gets interesting—2025 wasn't just another year in cigars. It was the year the industry collectively decided to stop playing it safe. We saw legendary families collaborating for the first time, limited releases that actually lived up to the hype, and award results that genuinely surprised even the most jaded aficionados. Myself included.
I've been doing these year-end reviews since I traded my sommelier certification for a humidor, and 2025 stands apart. Not because every cigar was mind-blowing (let's be honest, some weren't), but because the ambition on display was remarkable. So let's break down what made this year special.
The Big Winners: Awards That Actually Mean Something
Cigar Aficionado's 2024 Top 25 (Released Early 2025)
The big reveal dropped in December, and My Father The Judge Grand Robusto took the crown with a stunning 98-point score. [For context: only a handful of cigars in history have scored that high.] The Garcia family has been on a tear lately, but this one felt earned. The Judge delivers that signature My Father complexity—dark chocolate, espresso, a hint of dried fruit—but with a refinement that sets it apart from their other lines.
The rest of the top 5:
- #2 Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua Espeso (96 points) — Altadis proving they can compete in the premium Nicaraguan space
- #3 E.P. Carrillo Encore Celestial (95 points) — Ernesto finally getting the recognition he deserves
- #4 Padrón Serie 1926 No. 6 (95 points) — Because of course a Padrón made the list. It's basically a legal requirement at this point
- #5 Partagás Línea Maestra Maestro (94 points) — The sleeper pick that had everyone scrambling
Full disclosure: I'm probably biased toward the Padrón, having smoked an embarrassing number of them over the years. But the 1926 No. 6 genuinely earned its spot.
2025 Cigar Trophy Awards (Consumer Voted)
The consumer awards told a different story—and that's what makes them valuable. Here's what actual smokers chose:
Best Cigar by Country:
- Nicaragua: Oliva Serie V Double Robusto — The people have spoken, and they want bang for their buck
- Honduras: Leaf by Oscar 10th Anniversary Criollo Toro — A boutique pick that surprised everyone
- Dominican Republic: Casa Carrillo Allegiance Confidant — James Rodriguez would approve of this value play
- International: Toscano Master Aged Serie 1 (Italy) — Genuinely exciting to see Italian cigars getting recognition
Best Brands:
- Nicaragua: A.J. Fernandez Días de Gloria
- Honduras: Plasencia Cosecha 151
- Dominican: Arturo Fuente Don Carlos (classic for a reason)
The Plasencia win is noteworthy—Nestor Andrés Plasencia Jr. has been quietly building something special in Honduras, and Cosecha 151 represents their philosophy perfectly: tobacco-forward, no gimmicks.
New Releases That Defined 2025
The Historic Collaboration: Fuente y Padrón Legends
I could talk about this for hours, but here's the short version: Carlito Fuente and Jorge Padrón created cigars to honor each other's fathers. Carlos Fuente Sr. and José Orlando Padrón—two men who literally built the modern premium cigar industry.
At $178 per cigar (or $7,120 for the 40-count humidor), this isn't an everyday smoke. It's a piece of cigar history. The nerdy version: each cigar uses the other family's tobacco, blended by the opposing principal. Jorge blended the Fuente tribute with Padrón tobacco; Carlito blended the Padrón tribute with Fuente leaf.
The score (90 points) might seem modest for the price, but honestly? The charity component and historical significance matter more here than raw ratings.
Padrón PB-99 (Padrón Black)
Speaking of Padrón, they're notoriously conservative with new releases—which is why the PB-99 matters. At 6¾ inches with a 60 ring gauge, it's a substantial smoke honoring what would have been José Orlando Padrón's 99th birthday.
Available in maduro and natural, retailing around $44. The Padrón Black line is small-production enough that it's not even listed on their website. If you find these, grab them.
Oliva Edición Año 2025
Oliva's annual limited release continues their streak of delivering premium quality at non-boutique prices. The 2025 edition started shipping this week, and early feedback suggests it's their best vintage release yet.
The Everyday Champions: Best Value Picks
Not everyone can (or should) be smoking $50 sticks daily. Here's what delivered genuine quality without requiring a second mortgage:
Padrón Classic Series — The Cigar Trophy "Best Value Nicaragua" winner. I've been recommending these to newcomers for years, and they consistently over-deliver. Around $8-12 depending on size.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1999 — Honduras Best Value winner. Full disclosure: I used to be dismissive of Rocky Patel, viewing them as more marketing than substance. I was wrong. The Vintage 1999 changed my mind—complex, well-constructed, genuinely enjoyable.
Kristoff Original Maduro — Dominican Best Value. If you like sweeter, chocolate-forward profiles, this is your move.
Casa Turrent (Mexico) — International Best Value winner. Mexican cigars don't get enough attention, and Casa Turrent is helping change that. San Andrés wrapper with genuine character.
My Personal Top 10 for 2025
After smoking through more cigars than I'd care to admit this year, here's what I keep coming back to:
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My Father Le Bijou 1922 — Full-bodied, complex, pepper and cocoa and earth in perfect balance. When I want something that demands attention, this is it.
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Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo — The benchmark. Coffee, nuts, cocoa, flawless construction. If I could only smoke one line forever, this might be it.
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Oliva Serie V Melanio — Full-bodied but not aggressive. Coffee, nuts, spice. The Melanio wrapper adds sweetness that the regular Serie V lacks.
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Liga Privada No. 9 — Drew Estate's masterpiece. Earth, leather, cocoa. Unapologetically bold. Not for beginners.
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Arturo Fuente Opus X — When they're fresh and properly humidified, nothing compares. Cedar, leather, natural sweetness. Limited production keeps them special.
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Ashton VSG — Virgin Sun Grown wrapper, cedar, espresso, spice. Powerful but refined. Think of it as a well-balanced Napa Cabernet in cigar form.
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Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema — Creamy spice with that Davidoff refinement. When you want luxury without overwhelming strength.
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E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel — Ernesto Perez-Carrillo keeps winning awards for a reason. Balanced, complex, approachable.
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Plasencia Alma Fuerte — The Sixto vitola specifically. Honduran tobacco showcasing what that country can produce when done right.
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Dunbarton Sobremesa Brûlée — Steve Saka's tribute to caramelized desserts. Unique, memorable, and won Best Boutique Nicaragua for good reason.
See our full rankings for the latest standings.
What's Coming in 2026
The industry trends I'm watching:
More collaborations — The Fuente/Padrón success opened doors. Expect more cross-family projects.
Honduran tobacco renaissance — Between Plasencia's work and the Cigar Trophy recognition, Honduras is having a moment.
Boutique brands maturing — The "craft cigar" movement from 10 years ago is producing genuinely premium, consistent products now.
Sustainability focus — Younger smokers care about ethical sourcing. Brands that can prove their supply chain integrity will win.
Final Thoughts
2025 reminded me why I fell in love with cigars in the first place. Not just the flavors or the ritual, but the stories—families with generations of expertise, tobacco farms with specific microclimes, blenders obsessing over wrapper-to-filler ratios.
Every cigar on this list tells a story. The My Father Judge represents three generations of Garcia family craftsmanship. The Fuente y Padrón collaboration honors two men who built empires from nothing. Even the value picks represent decades of accumulated knowledge.
Find a comfortable chair, pour something worth drinking, and take your time. That's what this year taught me: the best cigars reward patience.
And if you disagree with any of my picks? Good. That means you're paying attention to your own palate. That's the whole point.
—Michael
Questions about specific cigars or recommendations? Drop them in the comments below.