Awards and recognition
The most decorated cigars on earth
Every year since 2004, Cigar Aficionado names one cigar the best in the world. Half the time, it's Nicaraguan.
Meet the 11 legends 11of 22 Cigars of the Year made in Nicaragua, 2004–2025
By country
Cigar Aficionado's list Cigar of the Year wins, 2004–2025
- Nicaragua
- Dominican Rep.
- Cuba
- Honduras
Year by year
Every Cigar of the Year
- 2025 Padrón 60th Anniversary Perfecto 97
- 2024 My Father The Judge Grand Robusto 98
- 2023 Fuente Fuente OpusX Reserva d'Chateau 97
- 2022 H. Upmann No. 2 98
- 2021 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo (Natural) 97
- 2020 E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel 98
- 2019 Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro 96
- 2018 E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic 96
- 2017 Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark 97
- 2016 La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull 96
- 2015 My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Pressed 97
- 2014 Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado 96
- 2013 Montecristo No. 2 96
- 2012 Flor de Las Antillas Toro 96
- 2011 Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill 96
- 2010 Cohiba Behike BHK 52 97
- 2009 Padrón Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro 95
- 2008 Casa Magna Colorado Robusto 93
- 2007 Padrón Serie 1926 No. 9 97
- 2006 Bolívar Royal Corona 94
- 2005 Fuente Fuente OpusX Double Corona 95
- 2004 Padrón Serie 1926 40th Anniversary 93
Scores are Cigar Aficionado's 100-point blind-tasting ratings. Each row links to the magazine's own page.
The market agrees
America's favourite source
60%of premium cigars imported into the US in 2025 were Nicaraguan: 258.4 million of 429.8 million premium cigars.
2016The year Nicaragua passed the Dominican Republic to become the biggest supplier.
Source: Cigar Aficionado, citing the Cigar Association of America · the 2016 crossover.
On the cover
Front-page Nicaragua
Magazine issues where Nicaraguan cigars and their makers took the spotlight. Covers shown with the publishers' permission; tap one to open the issue on the publisher's site.
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Cigar Journal Summer 2026 Perdomo: father and son collaboration, "A New Legacy" Cover courtesy of Cigar Journal Open the issue -
Cigar Journal Autumn 2020 Jonathan Drew, Drew Estate Cover courtesy of Cigar Journal Open the issue -
Cigar Aficionado September/October 2022 ’A Tale Of Two Families’: Jorge Padron and Carlos Fuente Jr. Cover courtesy of Cigar Aficionado Open the issue -
Cigar Aficionado January/February 2026 The Top 25 Cigars Of The Year Cover courtesy of Cigar Aficionado Open the issue -
Cigar Aficionado January/February 2022 The Top 25 of 2021 Cover courtesy of Cigar Aficionado Open the issue -
Cigar Aficionado January/February 2020 Top 25 Cigars Of The Year Cover courtesy of Cigar Aficionado Open the issue
Read more
Latest from Cigar Journal
The international cigar magazine, and the first publisher to share its covers with us. Its reports travel the world's cigar regions, Nicaragua included.
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Autumn 2026 Chateau Diadem: The High-Flyer -
Spring 2026 Leonor Abzaradel and Nova Cigar: Passion and Light -
Winter 2025 Henke Kelner: Chosen by Tobacco
Covers courtesy of Cigar Journal.
What the world says
In the press
AFP via Arab News, 2019 Nicaragua puffing up status in rarefied world of premium cigars Nicaraguan tobacco chamber director calls the country the biggest premium exporter to the US; CAA data show about 140M cigars in 2018, ahead of the DR and Honduras. Cigar Coop, 2025 Cigar of the Year (#1): Perdomo Legacy Shade-Grown Epicure Made by Tabacalera Perdomo (Estelí, Nicaragua).