After hearing about owner Glen Case crafting this blend to honor two of his dearest, late friends, I knew it would provide a memorable smoking experience – I just didn’t know how well it would align with my own palate. Tres Compadres is creamy and earthy with a hint of sweet, atypical for a Nicaraguan puro. 

Not many are willing to undergo a triple fermentation process on their tobaccos, and even when they do, there’s a risk involved. Thankfully, Pepín and his son, Jaime know what they’re doing. The richness in flavor and aroma with the re-released Noblesse is sublime. Rolled entubado style and finished with a Cuban triple cap, an old favorite is reborn.

Without a doubt, my favorite vitola in Made Man is M1911 A1. Coronas are classic and often utilized by blenders for testing purposes, so for me, it’s usually the best size in a line. The interplay between minerals, cedar, and a delightful floral bouquet make it suitable for any time; it’s attractive appearance and artwork are simply a bonus.

Justo Eiroa of JRE Tobacco came to our offices a few months back, handed out some cigars, and after one Aladino Corojo, I was sold: I can’t believe I never had an Aladino before! This Honduran puro is now part of my regular rotation, with its notes of baking spice, cedar, and white pepper rich on the palate thanks to its Corojo wrapper.

If you know anything about the history of the El Corojo farm in Cuba, then you’ll understand why what the Eiroa family did with this blend is so important. The adherence to old Cuban tradition transplanted to Honduras resulted in a multi-dimensional cigar that speaks cleanly on the palate. A perfect pairing with my afternoon coffee.

If good things come to those who wait, then I’d happily wait 1,000 days for these cigars. My preference is for the Double Robusto, as I enjoy the more nuanced interplay between sweeter and spicier notes in that vitola. You’ll often catch me celebrating “Mil Días Mondays” to start my week off right, and I suggest you do the same!

The concept of Legend is to acknowledge those who built the Partagas name; the blend, however, is 100% modern. Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Honduran Olancho San Agustin binder, Dominican Piloto long-fillers...Medium to full-bodied, it's teeming with baking spice, leather, cocoa, and some sweetness. Rather complementary alongside a dark red wine like Syrah/Shiraz.

I implore you to give a good, hard look at the wrapper on this one. Stunning. Simply one of the smoothest Connecticut wrappers I’ve ever seen. But what else would you expect from Nick Perdomo? This Nicaraguan-made treat offers warm notes of cedar, spice, and hints of vanilla on the finish. Smooth enough for the morning, flavorful enough to end the evening, this gem will hit the spot for any enthusiast!

This ‘90’-rated Nicaraguan puro made by AJ Fernandez looks modern, but it’s really an homage to the famous blends that came out of Havana during the late ‘60s to early ‘70s. Medium to full-bodied, an attractive chocolate-brown wrapper greets the senses before paving way for a flavor profile laden with notes of pepper, vanilla, coffee bean, citrus, and toast.

When AJ Fernandez was asked to blend a Nicaraguan puro for Montecristo, it resulted in this ‘93’-rated, #10 of 2018. Notes of earth, hay, red pepper, red berries, cedar, and sweet hickory in this medium-bodied blend provide a new take on that classic Monte experience. Construction is flawless, with the right amount of pull on the draw.

This ‘93’ rated spin-off of the original Black Market was Cigar Aficionado’s #9 of 2018. Sourcing prime tobaccos from the Plasencia family, this handmade utilizes a double binder (Honduras and Nicaragua) amid a Nicaraguan wrapper and long-filler bunch. Medium to full-bodied, it contains a consistent woodiness, with notes of caramel, cashew, cocoa, and a bit of raisin on the finish.

El Diario in this instance means “daily,” so welcome to your everyday La Palina indulgence. This ‘93’ rated blend gets its spice from the top-choice Nicaraguan long-fillers, and its natural sweetness is courtesy of the Honduran Rosado wrapper. Offering up dense smoke and a fluid draw, expect notes of earth, cedar, pepper, nuts, and stone fruits.

This ‘93’ rated premium marked the golden anniversary of the Toraño Exodus line – a blend commemorating all cigar families forced to flee Cuba. A toothy Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper atop long-fillers from two prized Nicaraguan regions dance on the palate with notes of earth, baking spice, black pepper, and turbinado. Medium to full-bodied, a long finish awaits all who enjoy it.

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!

The boldest within the Elite Series, the '94' rated Selección Oscuro was the #4 Cigar of 2016 with good reason: its nuanced profile and impeccable construction remind long-time fans of EPC's Little Havana days. Notes of spice, chocolate, cedar, and dried-fruit sweetness all remain balanced, because only a true master is capable of such harmony.

When AJ was approached by Altadis' Grupo de Maestros to re-blend a classic, the result was a cigar rather befitting of today's audience. The Ecuador Sumatra wrapper brings out the nuttiness of the Corojo '99 binder, and a Criollo '98 plus Piloto Cubano filler yield plumes of nuanced smoke with a razor-sharp burn.

Many covet Cuban cigars, but I covet Nicaraguan made by Cuban ex-pats such as Jose Pepín García. '94' rated, this blend exemplifies excellence in quality, complexity, and delivery. A Cuban-seed Rosado wrapper plus Nicaraguan long-fillers equals full flavors of earth, leather, cashew, coffee bean, and an undertone of spice with a long, full finish.

Nicaraguan puros are some of my favorite cigars on the market, and the elegant look of this line extension exudes premium. A collaboration between AJ Fernandez and Rafael Nodal has resulted in notes of dark chocolate, espresso bean, dried berries, and cedar in a medium to full-bodied package. Supremely balanced.

Ave Maria is a classic, and is still one of my favorites. Nicaraguan fillers are wrapped up in an Ecuador Habano leaf, bringing in rich notes of leather and cedar, along with hints of earth. Certainly strong enough for a warrior, its smoothness is heavenly, and is an experience all can truly enjoy.