2018 was a fantastic year for new releases in the cigar industry. We saw some excellent portfolio additions at major companies like General Cigar and Altadis, as well as some very good boutique releases (see our Top 10 of 2018 here).
But, it’s a new year, and that means there is an internet’s worth of people wondering what the best new cigars are to smoke in 2019. We’ll be adding new cigars to this list as we review them, but for now, here are some of our all-time favorites which you should drop everything to smoke.
1. Aging Room Pura Cepa
Once again, Rafael Nodal of Aging Room has hit the ball out of the park. The Aging Room Pura Cepa makes the list of best 2019 cigars with notes of smoky wood that’s augmented by light chocolate, cream, floral, and leather notes. Impeccably constructed, this cigar achieved a score of 90 and we highly recommend it.
Strength: Medium
Box Price: from $234
Buy the Aging Room Pura Cepa from Famous Smoke Shop here.
2. Macanudo Inspirado Red
Macanudo is not a brand that we typically recommend, but parent company General Cigar Co has been on a tear with this brand over the last couple of years, most recently with the Macanudo Red. On the strength scale the Red falls right on the medium side of things, with bright flavors of cinnamon, oak, coffee, and toasted bread.
Strength: Medium
Box Price: from $120
Buy the Macanudo Inspirado Red from Famous Smoke Shop here.
3. Romeo San Andreas
One of the newest cigars from Romeo y Julieta, the San Andres features the legendary San Andres maduro wrapper, known for rich, robust flavors. With the Romeo San Andres, expect dark notes of earth, barnyard, dark cherry, chocolate, and pepper.
Strength: Full
Box Price: from $168
Buy the Romeo San Andres from Famous Smoke Shop here.
4. Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas
The Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas presents a flavor profile that no JdN fan could miss: dark oak and charcoal, creamy cocoa, leather, and light spiciness. What Cinco Décadas achieves is to take the JdN flavor profile that we know and love and elevate it into the realm of art. We know that is high praise, but it is true, particularly given the cigar’s sheer complexity and balance. Highly recommended, and a no-brainer for a top cigars of 2019 list. You can read our full, 93-point review here.
Strength: Full
Box Price: from $152
Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas from Famous Smoke Shop here.
5. Gran Habano Blue In Green
The newest from Gran Habano, the Blue In Green is one of the best mild-bodied cigars in recent memory. The cigar blew us away with great construction, cool smoke, and notes of toasted bread, coffee, and light spices. Highly recommended for new, occasional, or veteran cigar smokers.
Strength: Mild
Box Price: from $120
Buy the Gran Habano Blue In Green from Famous Smoke Shop here.
6. Warped La Relatos
Warped Cigars is a boutique brand that quickly developed a reputation for blending tremendously complex and enjoyable cigars. La Relatos (“The Stories”) is a revivification of one of the original warped releases, and it is damn good. A real connoisseur cigar, it astonished us with its notes of deep chocolate, baking spices, nuttiness, and perfume. Easily one of the top cigars of 2018, and will likely retain that position in 2019.
Strength: Medium to Full
5-Pack Price: from $42
Buy the Warped La Relatos from Famous Smoke Shop here.
7. CAO Nicaragua
You might know CAO as the brand behind cult classics like the “Brazilia” or the “Italia.” After resting on its laurels for a few years, the brand step forward again with the CAO Nicaragua. By our estimation, they nailed it. The cigar has consistently excellent construction, and features rich, complementary notes of cocoa, espresso, and leather. If you want a crowd pleaser, look no further.
Strength: Medium
Box Price: from $105
Buy the CAO Nicaragua from Famous Smoke Shop here.
8. Joya Silver
Joya de Nicaragua makes the list again with the Joya Silver. This is a cigar for the full-bodied cigar smoker – the veteran who wants more flavor and isn’t afraid of spice. Like other cigars on this list, Joya Silver is expertly constructed, so you won’t be dealing with any over-packed cigars with tight draws. From a flavor standpoint, Joya Silver delivers full bodied notes of leather, ground black pepper, and oak, with sweet balancing notes of dark cherry and creamy espresso.
Strength: Full
Box Price: from $125
Buy the Joya Silver from Famous Smoke Shop here.
9. Caldwell Blind Man’s Bluff
There’s no other way to say it, Blind Man’s Bluff from Caldwell Cigars is a damn sexy smoke. Besides an obviously cool look, the cigar delivers an excellent medium to full bodied profile consisting of charred oak, earth, leather, and cocoa. Layered underneath are balanced secondary flavors of stone fruits and lemon peel. Definitely a smoke to try if you haven’t already!
Strength: Medium to Full
Box Price: from $140
Buy the Blind Man’s Bluff from Famous Smoke Shop here.
10. Diesel Whiskey Row
Diesel Whiskey Row is one of the few barrel-aged cigars on the market that we can truly recommend. While many cigars that utilize barrel aged tobacco deliver overly sweet, simplistic profiles, Diesel Whiskey Row delivers tons of complexity and bears the hallmarks of the Rabbit Hole Bourbon barrels its tobacco is aged in. If you are looking to branch out into a new experience, and can handle full-bodied cigars, this is one to pursue.
Strength: Full
Box Price: from $150
Buy the Diesel Whiskey Row from Famous Smoke Shop here
So there it is, our top 10 cigars to smoke in 2019. As mentioned before, we’ll be updating this list as 2019 releases are made available and we have a chance to review them.
One final note – for our purchase links, we’ve linked to Famous Smoke Shop, which we believe to be the best online cigar store currently in existence (read more on that here). If you’d like to support our work, be sure to use this link to purchase!
Is there a cigar missing from this list? Let us know in the comments!