The Best NEW Cigars to Smoke in 2021

2020 was a great year for new cigar releases, from boutiques like RoMa Craft Tobac all the way up to iconic brands like Montecristo and Trinidad. But it’s a new year, and that mean’s there’s a lot of people wondering what the best new cigars are to smoke in 2021. We’ll be adding more cigars to the list as we blind review cigars throughout the year, but we’ll start with some of the greatest blends we’ve encountered over the course of the last 24 months.

The Best Cigars to Smoke in 2021

Cohiba Royale

The most expensive cigar on our list of must-smoke cigars in 2021 is the Cohiba Royale. This blend earned a huge 93 rating in our blind review in 2020, and deservedly so. The combination of rich tobacco, earth, cherries, spice and a creamy finish gives this cigar a complexity and deliciousness that are hard to beat.

• Release Year: 2020
• Strength: Medium-Full
• Box Price: from $260
• Buy the Cohiba Royale from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua

The original Reserva Real from Romeo y Julieta has long been a classic. The team at Altadis worked tirelessly to create a Nicaraguan follow up that delivers a classic Romeo y Julieta experience while adding a bit more body than the Dominican original. An elegant smoke, ideally suited for new cigar smokers. Read our full review here.

• Release Year: 2020
• Strength: Medium
• Box Price: from $197
• Buy the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Nicaragua from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut

Don’t let the Connecticut wrapper fool you: the Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut is a flavor bomb, albeit slightly milder than many on the market. In our blind review, we were impressed with the creaminess, oak, leather and wood that gave this cigar so much flavor.

• Release Year: 2019
• Strength: Mild-Medium
• Box Price: from $150
• Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Antano Connecticut from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Herman’s Batch The Banker by H.Upmann

Released in 2020 and blended by AJ Fernandez, H. Upmann Herman’s Batch impressed us with its spicy, strong start that morphs into a delicious combo of toast, coffee, leather and honeyed notes.

• Release Year: 2020
• Strength: Medium-Full
• Box Price: from $160
• Buy the H. Upmann Herman’s Batch from Famous Smoke Shop here.

Fonseca by My Father

One of the true break-out blends of 2020, receiving a whopping 93 rating in our blind review. My Father Fonseca is expertly constructed and features notes of sweet spice, milk chocolate, tea and floral notes that develop nicely throughout the blend. A must smoke, especially for the veteran cigar smoker.

• Release Year: 2020
• Strength: Medium-Full
• Box Price: from $155
• Buy the My Father Fonseca from Famous Smoke Shop here.

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.

• Release Year: 2018
• Strength: Full
• Box Price: from $152
• Buy the Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas from Famous Smoke Shop here.

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 cigars to smoke in 2021 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.

• Release Year: 2018
• Strength: Medium
• Box Price: from $234
• Buy the Aging Room Pura Cepa from Famous Smoke Shop here.

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And there you have it, our initial recommendations for the top cigars to smoke in 2021. We’ll continue adding to this list as stellar blends from our 2021 blind reviews come in.

Affiliate note: we may receive a small commission for purchases made through links on this page–but that doesn’t affect our review scores or recommendations.