You know the drill: Every year since 2019, we've compiled a list overviewing our favorite cigars from that year — not necessarily those released in the calendar year, but the ones we found ourselves returning to most throughout the previous 12 months. It's an entirely subjective list, and we certainly recognize that this list isn't an exhaustive compilation of the world's best cigars ever made. However, this list is pure: We weren't paid promotional dollars to highlight certain brands. This is a list of cigars from a panel of dedicated, avid, and highly knowledgeable cigar connoisseurs, and we hope most of all that our Top Cigars of 2024 list introduces you to some new favorites and helps to guide your cigar journey to even greater smoking heights.

The format remains simple and unchanged: Together we compiled a list of our most memorable smokes from 2024; we each individually smoked every cigar on the list; and then we ranked them according to the following criteria:

• Construction: the quality of the roll, draw, and burn consistency
• Flavor: how enjoyable the flavor profile is overall*
• Presentation: the overall aesthetic appeal of the packaging, band, and branding
• Value: the ratio of overall quality to price

*In the case of equal scores, the Flavor ranking acted as tie-breaker.

This year's participants featured the usual suspects — Shane Ireland, Steve Mawby, Alan Britt, Tyler Caldwell, and James Shores — joined by Andy Wike, beloved member of the Mystery Review series and Laudisi Enterprises' Vice President of Marketing.

Top Cigars of 2024

• 20. RoMa Craft: Maestranza Castillito Murcia
• 19. Atabey: Sabios
• 18. Warped: Gellis Family Cigars Marevas
• 17. Plasencia: La Cosecha 149 La Vega
• 16. Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust: Umbagog Bronzeback
• 15. Crowned Heads: Las Calaveras 2024 LC48
• 14. J. London: Gold Series Lancero
• 13. Wildfire: B-Sides
• 12. Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust: Sobremesa Brûlée Wagashi
• 11. Tatuaje: 10th Anniversary Belle Encre Capa Especial
• 10. ADVentura: Blue Eyed Jack's Revenge Corona
• 9. Stolen Throne: Crook of the Crown 5th Anniversary Corona Gorda
• 8. Caldwell: 10th Anniversary Añejado
• 7. Warped: Isla del Cocodrilo Corona Gorda
• 6. Lost & Found: Agasaurus
• 5. Joya de Nicaragua: Clasico Medio Siglo Numero 6
• 4. Illusione: Group of Five Robusto
• 3. Caldwell: Long Live the Queen Maduro Queen's Crest
• 2. Blackbird: Smokingpipes Flamingo
• 1. Dapper: La Madrina Lonsdale Smokingpipes

Cigars 20 through 11

20. RoMa Craft: Maestranza Castillito Murcia

Someone had to come in last, and RoMa Craft's latest series, the Maestranza, debuts our list at number 20. Don't let the ranking fool you though: It's an incredible showcase of Mexican San Andrés leaf with an enticing flavor profile. Originally introduced in a select size as part of the brand's limited CRAFT release, the blend was soon welcomed into the brand's regular-production lineup. It reveals a dark Mexican San Andrés Rosado wrapper over a Brazilian binder and fillers from Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, all in a soft-box press and offering delicious notes of cocoa, subtle spice, cedar, and earth.

• Price: $9.90
• Length: 5"
• Ring Gauge: 60
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: San Andrés
• Wrapper Country: Mexico
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Brazil

19. Atabey: Sabios

To address the elephant in the room: $30 is a lot for a cigar, and a low-scoring Value category dropped Atebay's Sabios' overall ranking a touch. That said, it placed in the top five in both Construction and Flavor, so it's not to be dismissed. It showcases one of the most beautiful Connecticut wrappers on the market, and the flawless burn and consistent draw allow for such a perfect wrapper to shine uninhibitedly. Fans of Connecticut-wrapped cigars would do well to try the Sabios; there are few better, and for the higher price, it's worth lighting for a special occasion — even if it's just a normal Tuesday.

• Price: $30.00
• Length: 5.75"
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Country: Costa Rica
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut Shade
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Peru, Undisclosed
• Binder Country: Undisclosed

18. Warped: Gellis Family Cigars Marevas

We've been fans of Warped founder Kyle Gellis's cigars for years, and earlier this year, he announced a new venture: Gellis Family Cigars. The Marevas cigar is the new brand's first release, and it fits nicely into Kyle's wheelhouse with a Habano Rosado wrapper from Nicaragua around a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The 5.13" x 43 size provides a perfectly practical and portable smoke, while the flavor profile is reminiscent of classic Cubans but with a bit more kick.

• Price: $9.90
• Length: 5.13"
• Ring Gauge: 43
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Habano Rosado
• Wrapper Country: Nicaragua
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

17. Plasencia: La Cosecha 149 La Vega

A cigar for lovers of Honduran leaf, the La Cosecha 149 La Vega from Plasencia celebrates the tobacco family's 149th harvest, entirely featuring Honduran tobacco from that specific crop in 2014. It's Plasencia's first Honduran puro, and it honors the country's rich and burgeoning tobacco tradition with leaf from the Jamastran Valley, Talanga, and Olancho regions, offering a medium- to full-bodied profile of spice, cedar, chocolate, and earth.

• Price: $11.70
• Length: 5"
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Country: Honduras
• Wrapper Type: Rosado
• Wrapper Country: Honduras
• Filler Country: Honduras
• Binder Country: Honduras

16. Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust: Umbagog Bronzeback

Named for founder Steve Saka's favorite wilderness lake and fishing spot, Dunbarton's Umbagog series has been a staple within the brand's portfolio, and connoisseurs have appreciated the line's no-nonsense branding, its approachable price point, and the attention to blending and construction that Saka has built his brand upon. The Bronzeback release in 2024 not only introduced a new 5" x 48 Rothschild size but also a subtle blend variation: Both feature Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers, but the Bronzeback trades the standard Umbagog's Medium/#1 Dark wrapper for one of 2LS designation. Saka translates that priming difference as, "Rather than those classic sweet, earthy and cocoa notes exhibited by Broadleaf, the 2LS leaves typically give the smoker a slightly less sweet, but significantly more peppery smoking experience."

• Price: $8.78
• Length: 5"
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut Broadleaf
• Wrapper Country: United States
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

15. Crowned Heads: Las Calaveras 2024 LC48

Crowned Head's annual Las Calaveras series crossed a significant milestone with 2024's release, marking the brand's 10th Las Calaveras edition. According to founder Jon Huber, the 2024 version is reminiscent of the line's 2015 debut — a personal favorite of Huber's. Like the other limited editions, the Las Calaveras 2024 is crafted by My Father cigars. This year, it's a Nicaraguan puro highlighting a Habano wrapper and expressing vibrant branding and a satisfying flavor profile to match.

• Price: $12.55
• Length: 6"
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

14. J. London: Gold Series Lancero

An impressive feat of craftsmanship and flavor, J. London's Gold Series Lancero combines a delicate Connecticut Shade wrapper with the Lancero vitola — a notoriously difficult and ornery cigar shape. The Lancero's extended length and diminished ring size allow for a minimal margin of error, and any deviation from the ideal can cause a poor burn and cumbersome draw. Crafted at Tabacalera William Ventura in the Dominican Republic, the J. London Gold Series excels as a Lancero, offering perfect construction and a combination of fermented tobaccos to provide a delicious smoking experience.

• Price: $18.90
• Length: 7.5"
• Ring Gauge: 40
• Country: Dominican Republic
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut Shade
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic
• Binder Country: Ecuador

13. Wildfire: B-Sides

Founded by Jeremy McDonald in 2021, Wildfire Cigar Co. has been a favorite of ours here at Smokingpipes: The Wanderer Robusto placed fourth in our Top Cigars list last year. This year, Wildfire returns at number 13 with the recent B-Sides release, a singular 7" x 48 Churchill vitola. Comprising an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Mexican San Andrés binder, and Nicaraguan fillers from Jalapa and Estelí, it reveals a rich and robust flavor profile that's bold yet smooth with notes of cream, spice, earth, nuts, and subtle sweetness.

• Price: $13.50
• Length: 7"
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Mexico

12. Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust: Sobremesa Brûlée Wagashi

For the uninitiated, Dunbarton's Sobremesa Brûlée is a wild cigar that has to be smoked to fully understand. A deviation from the standard Sobremesa line, the Brûlée version removes Pennsylvania Ligero from the filler with an increase of Nicaraguan Seco leaf from Condega, while also trading the Ecuadorian Habano wrapper for one of Connecticut Shade G2BW-grade leaf. Specially cured to maximize Connecticut Shade leaf's natural sweetness, the Sobremesa Brûlée offers a dessert-like flavor unlike any other cigar, and that's accentuated in the Wagashi vitola — a special, box-pressed Toro size made in collaboration with the Cigar Dojo online blog.

• Price: $16.16
• Length: 6"
• Ring Gauge: 50
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut Shade
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Mexico

11. Tatuaje: 10th Anniversary Belle Encre Capa Especial

Pete Johnson's Tatuaje brand has been a pioneer in the boutique cigar industry since its founding in 2003. In 2013, Johnson commemorated the brand's 10th anniversary with a special blend wrapped in Ecuadorian Habano leaf. Over a decade later, the 10th Anniversary was reintroduced in 2024 as a Capa Especial — a Tatuaje designation that features Ecuadorian Sumatra wrappers. Crafted by My Father, the 10th Anniversary Capa Especial features Nicaraguan fillers, and the Belle Encre is a feat of craftsmanship in a parejo size that burned flawlessly for us. Wonderfully balanced and complex, it's a cigar worthy of honoring Tatuaje's illustrious history and one that captures the essence and intrigue of Johnson's signature blending style.

• Price: $10.80
• Length: 5.38"
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Sumatra
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

Top 10 Cigars

10. ADVentura: Blue Eyed Jack's Revenge Corona

A followup to ADVentura's 2022 Barbarroja's Invasion release, the Blue Eyed Jack's Revenge debuted earlier this year and features a similar, pirate-centered theme of talking cigar boxes: When opened, the box sneers, "a small price to pay for the taste of sweet revenge." However, the cigar doesn't rest solely on its branding. Blended by Henderson Ventura, the Blue Eyed Jack's Revenge is a bold yet approachable and nuanced profile thanks to its Mexican San Andrés Colorado wrapper, Dominican Olor binder, and Dominican fillers aged for five years before being rolled.

• Price: $11.88
• Length: 6"
• Ring Gauge: 44
• Country: Dominican Republic
• Wrapper Type: San Andrés
• Wrapper Country: Mexico
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic
• Binder Country: Dominican Republic

9. Stolen Throne: Crook of the Crown 5th Anniversary Corona Gorda

Stolen Throne's flagship Crook of the Crown series debuted in 2019, and in 2024, founder Lee Marsh introduced a special 5th Anniversary edition of the line. Presented in a single 6" x 46 size, the Crook of the Crown 5th Anniversary Corona Gorda also benefits from tweaked component ratios to accommodate the select size, though the blend remains the same as the standard Crook of the Crown: a Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper, Indonesian binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. It offers a full-bodied smoking experience, replete with intersected notes of sweetness and spice.

• Price: $10.80
• Length: 6"
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: San Andrés Maduro
• Wrapper Country: Mexico
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Indonesia

8. Caldwell: 10th Anniversary Añejado

A symbolic representation of Robert Caldwell's roots and his evolution within the cigar industry, Cadwell's 10th Anniversary Añejado is a culmination and celebration of the Caldwell brand. Like the company itself, this cigar's creation progressed dramatically from its inception. Robert's personal preferences fall within mild- to medium-bodied cigars, and much of Caldwell's early portfolio since its 2014 founding centered around those profiles. Over the years, however, the brand has grown and expanded its selection to cater to a wide variety of palates —— so too with the 10th Anniversary Añejado. Initially, Robert wanted to blend an archetypal Caldwell cigar for this celebratory release, "something that was mild to medium and packed with flavor." He gradually shifted, though, to a special blend that showcases how the brand itself has grown, progressed, and expanded over the years. It begins with a Mexican San Andrés Rosado wrapper over a Dominican binder and fillers from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua. The wrapper was aged for three and a half years, maintaining Caldwell's signature use of well-aged tobacco, and the Colombian fillers add an exotic touch and provide a nod to Robert's Colombian co-founders and friends. A cigar that tells a story, it was crafted at Tabacalera William Ventura, a longtime collaborator with Caldwell, in a 5.75" x 52 Añejado size, limited to only 200 boxes of 10 cigars in individual coffins, the impeccable branding and attention to detail earning the top spot in our Presentation category.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the high price tag — as I did with Atabey's Sabios — and while that did decrease the cigar's Value ranking, there's something to be said for the worth of a significantly aged cigar crafted in celebration of a notable milestone and available in extremely limited quantities. $45 is a lot for a cigar, but I'd consider the singular experience offered by Caldwell's 10th Anniversary Añejado worth the price.

• Price: $45.00
• Length: 5.75"
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Country: Dominican Republic
• Wrapper Type: San Andrés Rosado
• Wrapper Country: Mexico
• Filler Country: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Dominican Republic

7. Warped: Isla del Cocodrilo Corona Gorda

An homage to Cuba, Warped Isla del Cocodrilo was released earlier this year at the PCA trade show. Kyle Gellis has long honored Cuban cigars throughout his Warped portfolio with complex and nuanced flavor profiles, and the Isla del Cocodrilo extends that inspiration to its name: a reference to the country's nickname, "Crocodile Island," in reference to its geographic shape. As a blend, the Isla del Cocodrilo highlights an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and a double binder of Ecuadorian Habano 2000 and Brazilian Arapiraca leaves around Nicaragua fillers.

• Price: $12.60
• Length: 5.63"
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Dominican Republic
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Brazil, Ecuador

6. Lost & Found: Agasaurus

A brand that revitalizes cigars relegated to the dark corners of factory warehouses, Lost & Found was founded by Robert Caldwell and Tony Bellatto. Whenever a cigar brand rolls and boxes cigars for a particular line or release, they're inevitably left with a surplus: either only so many boxes were made, or the series was capped at a certain number. Lost & Found "finds" these "lost" cigars, rebrands them, and offers them to consumers. — often with the benefits of significant age. The Agasaurus debuted in 2024, and its name playfully hints at the cigars' place of manufacture for those discerning enough. A wonderfully crafted Perfecto, it's a Nicaraguan puro with a Corojo wrapper and tasting notes of bold spice, hay, cedar, earth, and citrus.

• Country: 8.39
• Price: $9.90
• Length: 6"
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Undisclosed
• Wrapper Country: Nicaragua
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

Top 5 Cigars

5. Joya de Nicaragua: Clásico Medio Siglo Número 6

Though Joya de Nicaragua's Clásico Medio Siglo series was released in 2021 as part of the brand's 50th anniversary celebration, it was originally distributed only outside the United States. This summer, however, welcomed the blend to the U.S. market. It's a bolder version of the standard Clásico blend: a Nicaraguan puro with a Habano Criollo wrapper, showcasing Joya's signature tobaccos, beloved blending style, and unmitigated construction quality. Approachable, easy to smoke, and satisfying, the Clásico Medio Siglo Número 6 is an everyday-smoke type of cigar, ranking fifth on our list and also placing first in the Value category.

• Price: $7.42
• Length: 6"
• Ring Gauge: 41
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Habano Criollo
• Wrapper Country: Undisclosed
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

4. Illusione: Group of Five Robusto

Illusione founder Dion Giolito has always enjoyed a clandestine approach to cigar blending and branding, with many of the brand's cigars couched in secrecy and reliant upon abbreviations and numerology. What we do know is that the Group of Five will eventually include five vitolas, but only the Robusto has been made available. Moreover, they're crafted by Aganorsa and include tobacco that was only recently cultivated in Nicaragua, as well as Nicaraguan Criollo '98 and Corojo '99. Other than that, the blend remains a mystery. With eye-catching branding that includes a scarab beetle and the phrase "whispering tongues are treachery" in both English and Latin, the Group of Five Robusto is an enticing cigar with a flavor profile to match, and it ranks on our list — one spot higher than its name — at number four.

• Price: $14.40
• Length: 5"
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Undisclosed
• Wrapper Country: Undisclosed
• Filler Country: Undisclosed
• Binder Country: Undisclosed

3. Caldwell: Long Live the Queen Maduro Queen's Crest

An extension of Caldwell's renowned Long Live the King series, the Long Live the Queen debuted in 2023 with a four-country blend of Cameroonian wrapper, Sumatran binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. This year, LLTQ welcomed a Maduro version, trading the Cameroonian wrapper of the original for one of Mexican San Andrés leaf. Plus, the Maduro tweaks the filler blend to include tobacco from the United States instead of Nicaragua. Personally, I've long enjoyed San Andrés Maduro wrappers, and the Long Live the Queen Maduro hits all of the notes associated with that leaf: It's a perfect balance of sweetness and spice, supported by ample complexity and plenty of body. Plus, the cigars' boxes and bands are positively stunning — as expected from Caldwell.

• Price: $12.78
• Length: 5.5"
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Dominican Republic
• Wrapper Type: San Andrés Maduro
• Wrapper Country: Mexico
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, United States
• Binder Country: Indonesia

2. Blackbird: Smokingpipes Flamingo

Blackbird founder Jonás Santana has developed a distinctive style within the cigar industry, known especially for his avian-themed cigars and his "Can't Clip My Wings" mantra. The Flamingo, released this year, extends the brand's thematic portfolio as a single-size Lancero packaged in aptly pink boxes. As a blend, the Flamingo boasts an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over a United States binder and filler leaf from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and the United States. Despite its slender size, it's a bold, powerhouse of a blend crafted in extremely limited quantities. It's also Blackbird's first store-exclusive release — available only here at Smokingpipes. Admittedly, it does come across as a bit self-aggrandizing to have it place second on our Top Cigars list; however, as stated, this selection overviews our personal favorites of the year, and when one has collaborative power in the creation of a cigar, it's going to cater to one's personal preferences. I rest my case.

• Price: $9.27
• Length: 7"
• Ring Gauge: 38
• Country: Dominican Republic
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, United States
• Binder Country: United States

Smokingpipes #1 Cigar of 2024

1. Dapper: La Madrina Lonsdale Smokingpipes

Okay, I'll admit this looks bad. It's one thing to have your own store exclusive rank number two; it borders on narcissism to have another one rank first. I promise our scoring wasn't rigged. I'll justify it once again: If you have a hand in blending a particular cigar — smoking sample after sample and offering feedback over the course of months — you will create a cigar that aligns perfectly with your palate. That's what happened with Dapper's La Madrina Lonsdale Smokingpipes.

More importantly, however, Dapper has now ranked number one two years in a row, with last year's list won by the HolySmoke Genesis. It's now the third time in this list's six-year history that a Dapper cigar has taken the crown, beginning with the La Madrina Corona Gorda in 2020. What can we say? Founder Ian Reith makes cigars that we at Smokingpipes love. Our preferences must be simpatico, and that's more than enough reason to collaborate on an exclusive La Madrina blend with Dapper.

Not only is the Lonsdale a special, exclusive size within the La Madrina line but these cigars were also aged for more than a year before release. Crafted at Raul Disla's NACSA factory, these cigars benefit from paramount construction, and the flavor profile is rich, nuanced, complex, and intoxicating thanks to a filler blend of leaf from Oliva's farms in Nicaragua with Habano '92 tobacco from the Dominican Republic and Pennsylvania Broadleaf from the USA. Encasing this tri-country combo, then, are a Mexican San Andrés binder and a wrapper from Oliva's La Luchita farm in Ecuador.

A massive thank you to Ian for, once again, crafting such an exquisite cigar and for Dapper's third top cigar on our end-of-year list.

• Price: $13.99
• Length: 6.5"
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, United States
• Binder Country: Mexico

Category Finalists:

• Construction: three-way tie between Dapper: La Madrina Lonsdale Smokingpipes, Blackbird: Flamingo, and J. London: Gold Series Lancero
• Flavor: Dapper: La Madrina Lonsdale Smokingpipes
• Presentation: Caldwell: 10th Anniversary
• Value: Joya de Nicaragua: Clasico Medio Siglo Numero 6

Honorable Mentions:

• Espinosa: Laranja Reserva Robusto Extra
• Black Label Trading Co.: Coffin Nails
• E.P. Carrillo: Sumatra Robusto
• Crowned Heads: Coroneta Habano Earl
• La Aroma de Cuba: Noblesse Monarchy

Thank you to all of these brands for another great year of cigars! Hopefully, our compilation introduces you to some new cigars and encourages you to start 2025 with an excellent smoke. What were some of your favorite cigars of this year? Share your thoughts in the comments below!