At the end of 2022, the digital magazine Cigar Aficionado[1] published its annual ranking for the year that just ended. On this occasion, the first three
places were divided among the three countries that the entire world recognizes
as the most prestigious manufacturers of cigars: Cuba, Nicaragua and the
Dominican Republic. The first place went to the Caribbean Island, the second
went to Nicaragua and the third position went to the Dominican Republic.
Cigar of
the Year:
The highly
coveted Cigar of the Year award was bestowed in 2022 to H. Upmann No. 2. This
cigar, scoring a 98, with a dimension of 6 1/8" by 52 ring gauge, and a
long history spanning nearly 180 years, represents an iconic brand in the
complex world of tobacco.
Made in
Havana with a blend of 100% Cuban tobacco, H. Upmann No. 2 is often considered
an insider smoke because smokers almost always come to it after trying other
cigars of more common standards. It is not the first time that this cigar has
been selected by Cigar Aficionado to be part of its annual list of the Top 25,
but this time they elevated it to the category of the most exceptional cigar of
2022.
The
prestigious magazine affirms, in a part of the review that it offers to its
readers: “…smoking this cigar is a fully engaging experience with a
room-filling aroma and mouth-filling texture that allows one to luxuriate in
its layers of nutmeg, cinnamon and salted peanut flavor, all of which
intensify, while, at the same time, showing a delicate floral quality that adds
superb balance in a way that no other cigar this year could.”
Rank 2
With 96
points, the second place in the Top 25-2022 was occupied by Rocky Patel Sixty
Sixty, made by Patel at his Tavicusa factory (Tabacalera Villa Cuba, S.A.), in
Estelí, Nicaragua.
This cigar
is almost an inch in diameter and features an oily Mexican San Andres ripe
wrapper, set over a binder and filler made from premium Nicaraguan leaves. It
was conceived as a tribute to the 60 years of life of Rocky Patel and his
refined passion for premium cigars, for which reason its elaboration has
received special attention, with tobaccos that were aged six years before
blending and once elaborated, they spend at least two years in the aging room.
It is a
large, elegant cigar that resembles a chocolate bar, with basic flavors of
leather and wood, augmented with aromatic layers of coffee, walnuts, and a
spiciness of ground red pepper. Once lit, this specially curated blend provides
a balanced yet full-bodied smoking experience, with rich notes of espresso,
caramel, coffee and leather.
Rank 3
The
Davidoff Nicaragua Diadema, winner of third place in the 2022 Ranking, obtained
a score of 95 and was made by Cigars Davidoff, in the Dominican Republic.
With a medium-full
strength, this cigar is part of the Nicaragua line, introduced since 2013 by
the Davidoff brand, which until then generally produced milder cigars with
Dominican tobacco and light wrappers of Connecticut seeds. They are cigars that
follow Davidoff's demanding construction standards, made in the Dominican
Republic with tobacco grown in the main producing regions of Nicaragua: Estelí,
Condega, Jalapa and the volcanic island of Ometepe.
The Diadema
line was introduced sometime later, with the intention of enhancing the smoking
experience with the conical and curved shapes of the Diadema. As sophisticated
in character as it looks, this cigar contains precise notes of red berry, walnut
and maple syrup that provide a complex and balanced smoking experience right
from the start, offering a bittersweet flavor and the typical spicy and peppery
characteristics of a Nicaraguan cigar.