The first
five places in the 2022 ranking carried out annually by Cigar Aficionado
magazine[1], were once again taken by the three countries that the entire world
recognizes as the most prestigious cigar manufacturers: Cuba, Nicaragua and the
Dominican Republic. First and fourth place went to cigars made in Cuba, second
and fifth went to two Nicaraguan cigars and third place went to a cigar made in
the Dominican Republic, but with the particular characteristic that all the
tobacco that makes it is grown in Nicaragua.
Rank 1:
The Cigar
of the Year was won by the Cuban cigar H. Upman No. 2. This iconic brand in the
world of tobacco, achieved the desired award with a cigar rated 98 points. The
H. Upman No. 2, with a dimension of 6 1/8" by 52 ring gauge, was made in
Havana with an all-Cuban tobacco blend.
Although in
other occasions it has also been selected by Cigar Aficionado to be part of its
annual list of the Top 25, this time it managed to achieve the category of
Cigar of the Year.
According
to the jury that evaluated it, smoking this cigar is a totally captivating
experience. It exhales a room-filling aroma and mouth-filling texture, allowing
you to revel in its layers of flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon and salted peanuts,
while displaying a delicate floral quality that brings a delicate balance in a
way no other cigar managed during the year.
Rank 2:
The second
place of the Top 25 of the year 2022, was occupied by the Rocky Patel Sixty
Sixty. It obtained 96 points and was produced by Patel at his Tavicusa factory
(Tabacalera Villa Cuba, S.A.), in Esteli, Nicaragua. This cigar was conceived
as a tribute to Rocky Patel's 60-year life and his refined passion for premium
cigars.
Large and
box-pressed, the Sixty Sixty is covered with an oily Mexican ripe wrapper from
San Andres, placed over a binder and filler made from premium Nicaraguan
leaves. Its elaboration has received special attention, with cigars that are
aged for six years before blending and that, once ready, spend at least two
years in the aging room.
Rank 3:
The third-place
winner of the 2020 Ranking was the Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema. It was made by
Cigars Davidoff, in the Dominican Republic, although the tobacco used for the
wrapper, the filling and the binder are grown entirely in Nicaragua.
At medium-full
strength, this cigar scored a 95, is part of the Nicaragua Series, introduced
by the Davidoff brand in 2013, which until then generally produced milder
cigars with Dominican tobacco and light Connecticut seed wrappers. The Diadema Line was introduced some time
later, with the intention of enhancing the smoking experience with the conical
and curved shapes of the Diadema.
Rank 4
The
Cuban-made Hoyo de Monterrey Elegantes was the fourth-place winner. With
dimensions of 6 1/4" by 47 ring gauge, this cigar scored 95 points in the
2022 Cigar Aficionado classification.
Filled with
the finest Cuban tobaccos, the Elegantes is a beautiful, light-bodied Habano
with a cinnamon wrapper that exudes aromas of cedar mixed with chocolate. Its
smoke starts off with a smooth body and medium strength that builds only
slightly until the finish. Its flavors are a mix of light aromatics with notes
of caramel and cream, almonds, and hints of cinnamon in the middle.
Rank 5:
The
remarkable Oliva Serie V Churchill Extra cigar is the jewel in the crown of the
Oliva Cigar Company in Nicaragua. Made by the best rollers in Oliva, this
incredible cigar, a fifth-place winner in Cigar Aficionado's 2022 ranking, is
crafted with light fillers from the Jalapa Valley of Nicaragua, a spicy binder
from Nicaragua, and a beautiful sun-grown Ecuadorian wrapper.
It's a
large cigar (7" by 52 ring gauge), packed in a box of 24, full-bodied and
flavorful loaded with tons of coffee, spices, and everything good, including
dark chocolate. It packs a punch, both in flavor as in strength and ends with a
thick layer of earth on the palate.
