Highlighting this year’s must-try cigars, selected by the editors at Robb Report Monaco & Côte d’Azur.
CIGAR OF THE YEAR: FUENTE
Fuente Opus X 20th Anniversary Believe
The Fuentes are one of the most storied and admired families in the cigar world. Originally from the town of Güines, Cuba, they were forced to relocate to Florida and then, eventually, to the Dominican Republic, where they established Tabacalera A. Fuente. The OpusX was the first Dominican puro to achieve major international success and status, and this cigar is a perfect example of Old World traditions reborn in New World soil.
Featuring a 5 3/4 x 52 vitola, the 20th Anniversary Believe is a robust Toro-shaped cigar, built around a natural, Rosado-hued, oily Dominican wrapper. This wrapper, renowned for its smooth texture, is grown on the family’s legendary Chateau de la Fuente estate in the Cibao Valley, a region celebrated for producing outstanding wrapper tobacco—a key component of the OpusX line’s refined profile. The Dominican binder and filler further develop the decadent flavour profile of spice, cedar, leather and dried fruit, complemented by a creamy texture and a slight floral sweetness that gracefully builds as the cigar is enjoyed.
Offering a medium-bodied profile, this edition of the OpusX line ensures both approachability and a smooth smoking experience. Behind the initial gentle and elegant notes of cedar and walnuts, a myriad of earthy, leathery and spicy notes emerge, overlaid with pleasingly sweet hints of vanilla and cinnamon. This collectors’ cigar denotes extraordinary complexity and uncompromising richness of flavour.
Intended as a celebration of two decades of OpusX heritage, the Believe is a commemorative tribute to Arturo Fuente’s relentless pursuit of perfection, his family legacy, tradition and creativity in cigar craftsmanship.
BEST NICARAGUAN BLEND: MY FATHER
The Judge Grand Robusto
Jaime García crafts these Nicaraguan titans under the watchful eye of his legendary father, Don Pepín García. Originally from Baez, Cuba, the García family built the My Father brand on audacity, precision and deep-rooted tradition. Wrapped in a dark, oily Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf, this cigar offers earthy notes, black pepper and a molasses finish. The 5 x 60 Grand Robusto features a Nicaraguan Corojo-Criollo binder and a filler blend from Estelí, Jalapa and Namanji. The initial flavours include wood, almond and a touch of salt, followed by a creamy midsection full of anise, coffee and toast. The finish is earthy and sweet, with espresso notes lingering on the palate.
BEST NICARAGUAN PURO: CASA CARRILLO
Encore Majestic
Ernesto Pérez-Carrillo, originally from Cuba and once a jazz musician, became a master blender in the Dominican Republic and now heads one of the most respected boutique operations in the New World. The Encore Majestic is a medium-full Nicaraguan puro with a creamy smoke accented by tea leaf, caramel and baking spice. This 5 3/8 x 52 box-pressed vitola is one of the best-reviewed cigars of all time, beloved by today’s enthusiasts. With a century of tobacco lineage and the support of his family, Pérez-Carrillo has solidified Casa Carrillo’s place among the most respected names in modern premium cigars.
BEST ROBUSTO ROCKY: PATEL
Dark Star Robusto
Rakesh “Rocky” Patel’s journey from entertainment lawyer to global cigar magnate is well documented. Produced in his Honduran factory, the Dark Star Robusto exemplifies the brand’s mastery of medium to full-bodied, complex blends with broad appeal. This cigar combines Honduran, Nicaraguan and Paraguayan tobaccos wrapped in a dark Corojo leaf, delivering bold flavours of roasted espresso, spices and black cherry. It’s a modern, edgy addition to Patel’s repertoire, popular among those seeking strength, finesse and style—a testament to Rocky Patel’s relentless commitment to quality.
BEST HONDURAN PURO: FLOR DE SELVA
Clásica Fino
Maya Selva was born in 1965 in Tegucigalpa to a Honduran father and French mother. She studied engineering in France and received a master’s degree in the US. In 1991, Maya returned to Honduras with a dream of building a 100 percent Honduran cigar brand with the power to put her country on the global map. That dream became Flor de Selva. The Clásica Fino (6 x 44 vitola) is the embodiment of her passion for elegance and craft. With a silky wrapper of Honduran Connecticut Shade leaf and Honduran binder and filler, the cigar has a smooth draw and a refined, aromatic flavour profile. Mild to medium in body, with creamy toasted almond, hay, cedar and a subtle sweetness, it finishes with light spice, coffee and earth. Balanced and approachable, it is perfect for smokers who demand finesse and nuance. The Clásica Fino is a testament to Honduras’s rich tobacco history and a standard-bearer of New World sophistication.
BEST INNOVATION: PLASENCIA
Alma del Cielo Amanecer
The Plasencia family has been growing tobacco for more than 150 years, and its Alma series showcases the best their estates produce. The Alma del Cielo, or “Soul of the Sky”, is a Nicaraguan puro with notes of espresso, dark chocolate and a touch of minerality—reflecting the volcanic soil in which it’s grown. From the Finca San Julian estate in Condega, Nicaragua, at an impressive 1,300 m above sea level, this medium-strength, 6 x 60 hexagon-shaped cigar offers cedar, nougat, honey, sweet almonds and intriguing ginger and orange notes, all underpinned by comforting earthiness—a distinctive recent addition to the Plasencia collection.
BEST DOMINICAN BLEND: DAVIDOFF
Millennium Blend Robusto
No discussion of New World cigars would be complete without mentioning Davidoff. Founded in Geneva, the brand’s move to the Dominican Republic in 1991 marked a new era for premium cigars. The Millennium Blend Robusto is one of Davidoff’s most popular offerings, featuring a sun-grown Ecuadorian wrapper over Dominican filler and binder. Creamy, rich and refined, it offers complex notes of roasted coffee, cedar and a hint of spice. This robusto delivers dark chocolate, white pepper and roasted nuts, combining boldness with elegance— making it approachable for a wide range of smokers.
BEST CHURCHILL: OLIVA
Serie V Melanio Maduro Churchill
Tracing its tobacco lineage back to Cuba’s Pinar del Río in the late 1800s, the Oliva family was forced to leave following the revolution. They eventually settled in Nicaragua, establishing one of the New World’s premier cigar manufacturers. The Serie V Melanio Maduro Churchill, named after family patriarch Melanio Oliva—the first in the family to grow tobacco back in 1886—exemplifies strength and refinement. This 7 x 50 cigar, featuring a Mexican San Andres wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler, delivers waves of leather, spice and chocolate in perfect balance with elegant notes of toasted wood. Since 2016, the Oliva brand has been led by the Vandermarliere tobacco family, with Fred Vandermarliere at the helm—ensuring these two storied dynasties continue to deliver exceptional cigars worldwide.
BEST AGED TOBACCO: PADRÓN
1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo Natural
José Orlando Padrón fled Cuba with his family and built an empire in Miami and Nicaragua, producing masterpieces including the Torpedo-shaped vitola in the Anniversary Series—an exemplar of age-worthy perfection. Each cigar is handrolled in Nicaragua with tobacco aged for four years, resulting in complex flavours of cocoa, coffee bean and roasted almond. The 6 x 52 vitola allows the unique Padrón character to unfold beautifully with every draw. The Padrón family’s unwavering commitment to quality continues to earn international acclaim.
BEST LIMITED EDITION: LA FLOR DOMINICANA
Andalusian Bull
Created by master blender Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana, the Andalusian Bull pays tribute to Gomez’s Spanish roots. Shaped like a classic torpedo and wrapped in Ecuadorian Corojo, the Bull features Dominican binder and filler, creating a layered profile of leather, spices and subtle citrus. This impressive 6 ½ x 64 figurado offers notes of aged cedar, spices and worn leather—a bold cigar that looks as incredible as it tastes.
BEST HUMIDOR: ASCOT SHOES DOLCEVITA HUMIDOR
From Ascot Shoes’ exclusive Yacht Collection emerges the Dolcevita Custom Cigar Humidor Box—a true ode to Italian elegance and 1960s Riviera glamour. Hand-finished in lustrous mahogany and adorned with the finest crocodile hide, this ¤36,000 objet d’art evokes the golden age of the dolce vita, recalling the deck of a Riva Aquarama under Mediterranean sun. Inside, four height-adjustable trays cradle up to 150 Churchill cigars, preserved flawlessly by advanced polymer humidifiers. A genuine 150 mm porthole—a maritime touch— allows aficionados to admire their curated selection at a glance.
Whether found on a yacht moored off Monaco or gracing a Cap Ferrat salon, the Dolcevita humidor is both heirloom and indulgence. Owners are invited to customise the box with initials, family crests or logos to ensure each piece is as unique as the individual.
BEST CIGAR MERCHANT: DOMINIQUE LONDON
Dominique London exemplifies European sophistication and cigar artistry. After the 2021 merger of UK-based C.Gars Ltd and Belgium’s La Casa del Tabaco, the brand now stands as the world’s most premium cigar merchant. The family-led company—founded by Dominique Gyselinck more than four years ago—distinguishes itself from the competition through relentless passion, uncompromising vision and a dedication to exceptional service across more than 30 stunning boutiques in Europe, including the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the Canary Islands.
Founder Dominique Gyselinck’s journey began in the early 2000s, when her curiosity was sparked by a humidor of Cuban cigars in a Brussels pen shop. After winning the prestigious Hombre del Habano award in 2016, alongside her husband Frédéric Dechamps, CEO of Dominique London, she has built a legacy of excellence, leaning on the company’s 200 years of collective experience to elevate the European cigar scene.
The brand’s crowning achievement, however, is the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club, located inside the iconic Casino de Monte- Carlo. Designed by Moinard Bétaille and featuring a walk-in humidor by DeART, the alluring 200 m² venue captures Dominique London’s blend of tradition, modernity, and the art of shared cigar enjoyment.
BEST CIGAR CLUB: MONTE-CARLO CIGAR CLUB
Opened in May, the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club is swiftly establishing itself as one of the world’s most distinguished destinations for cigar enthusiasts. A private sanctuary for connoisseurs, the club was created by Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer in collaboration with Dominique London, a celebrated name in luxury cigars and spirits. Situated in the elegant upper floor of the Casino de Monte-Carlo’s iconic Atrium, it offers an exclusive setting steeped in history.
Access is reserved for privileged members and select guests of SBM establishments, making it a truly elite experience. With an exceptional collection of 276 cigar references spanning both Cuban and New World varieties, the club caters to the most discerning tastes. Expert cigar sommeliers and bespoke spirit pairings elevate each visit into a sensory journey, affirming the club’s mission to preserve and celebrate the finest traditions of cigar culture.
