More Reviews By Lindsay

The most premium blend in the AVO family, XO hails from Davidoff's famed Tabadom Factory. A complex array of cream, wood, nuts, and dried fruit subtly unfold on the palate thanks to its five-country tobacco blend. This medium-bodied cigar has a spicy finish, and I enjoy my AVO XO alongside a sturdy Rye served neat.

'92' rated, extensively-aged long-fillers set the tone for a richer, bolder La Gloria Cubana. This initial line extension is still popular 23 years after its release, and the No.4 is a vitola for those who still prefer classic sizing. Expect sweet cedar, spice, earth, citrus peel, and a floral bouquet with an even burn.

Comprised of top crops aged four years plus an extra year in rum barrels, it's an exotic mix of Dominican, Brazilian, and Cameroonian tobaccos capped with a Cameroon-seed wrapper grown under Ecuadorian skies. Notes of black peppercorn are underscored by wheat, leather, and sugar, culminating in a warm, salt-and-pepper-like finish. This medium-bodied Perfecto never disappoints.

The team at Alec Bradley realized a mellow to medium-bodied blend was missing within the Black Market portfolio: enter Vandal "The Con". Utilizing a Connecticut-seed wrapper grown on Honduran soil, this smooth premium showcases coffee bean, roasted almonds, citrus peel, and hints of black pepper that will satisfy the palates of enthusiasts and aficionados alike.

This '92' rated blend is special. For starters, it's the only non-Cuban Cohiba legally allowed to bear the trademark. Perhaps more pertinent, its Cameroon wrapper provides a rich profile of earth, cocoa, pepper, nuts, and caramel. It took five years' worth of blending to get this cigar just right, and the diligence has paid off.

Featuring Mexican San Andrés binder leaves aged in former Rabbit Hole bourbon barrels, AJ Fernandez devised a proprietary process to impart residual nuances evenly among the tobacco. The result? A medium-bodied blend with notes of oak, cream, white pepper, baking spice, and sweet cedar. Cheers to AJ, and here's hoping he continues being an innovator!

Sometimes I want a medium-full-flavor profile without the fuller-body, and that’s why I love the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño Connecticut. There’s still a woody, sweet-and-spicy interplay; however, the Ecuadorian CT wrapper adds a creamy note, taking this premium down to medium-bodied. ‘93’ rated, expect an even burn, draw, and to always have this cigar on-hand.

The harmony of two cigar legends (Avo Uvezian and Hendrik Kelner) plus long-aged tobacco is music to my ears. '90' rated by Cigar Aficionado, this blend is satisfying yet mellow, with notes of cream, coffee, soft spice, and graham cracker. The AVO Classic is made in the same factory as Davidoff, so high standards prevail.

Created by Master Blender Raul Disla, Latitude Zero is the very definition of premium. A small-batch wrapper with 11 year-old Cuban-seed long-fillers brings layered nuances of roasted nuts, pepper, oak, sweet cream, cacao, and caramel. Medium to full-bodied, it's a phenomenal everyday option for seasoned enthusiasts, harkening back to the early days of Liga Privada.

An indulgent, mellow to medium-bodied premium with notes of cedar, earth, nuts, and black pepper. How else would you expect the Grupo de Maestros to mark Upmann's 175th anniversary? Note the Maduro cap as it isn't for show: it creates a bolder, richer experience than any other Connecticut out there.