25
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2026
BEST CIGARS
of
2025
editorials JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2026
24 GIFT GUIDE This year we start with a real he-man kinda map for gifting. Knives, meat, powerful flashlights, leather cases for your "check-it-out" timepieces. It's an impressive collection of masculine presents, hinting at our culture's optimistic direction.
26 PERFECT PAIRING 26 THE GLENLIVET 18 SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY / OLIVA SERIE V MADURO
28 KNOB CREEK AGED 21 YEARS / LIGA PRIVADA UNICO UF-4
47 OUR MAN IN D.C. Josh Habursky has been the man of the moment as governments state, local and federal continue their full-court press on our rights to enjoy a premium cigar. We sit down with Josh for a cigar and some Beltway banter to get the background on his political climb.
65 TOP 25 This is our annual Top 25 Cigars, drawn from everything we smoked and scored over the past year. This list is for the readers looking for their next great smoke and for the cigar makers who keep raising the bar. It's one of our favorite traditions, and judging from our inbox, it's also one of yours. We appreciate your appreciation.
74 BEST OF 2025: LIMITED EDITIONS We don't include rare cigars in our Top 25, not because we have anything against them but because when it comes to cigars, we are populists at heart. Here are some that you still need to consider, if you know the right person.
76 BEST OF 2025: VALUE CIGARS Who doesn't like a good deal? Today, even used cars are not used, they're "pre-owned." These are not cheap cigars, they're simply reasonably priced and worth your time.
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features JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2026
14 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
16 FEEDBACK
18 WHAT’S BURNIN’
33 RATINGS
50 SMOKING HOT CIGAR SNOB EMPIRE OF THE SUN FEATURING LA AURORA FAMILY CREED FUERTE SOL CIGARS
78 X SCOREBOARD
80 INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD
82 EVENTS 82 SMOKE THIS! 84 LAUNCH OF ROCKY PATEL 30TH ANNIVERSARY CIGAR 86 MONTECRISTO 90TH ANNIVERSARY LAUNCH PARTY 88 PUROS WITH A PURPOSE 90 CREATIVAS 24TH ANNUAL TOY DRIVE 92 YBOR CITY CIGAR FESTIVAL 94 ABSOLUTE CIGAR LOUNGE CARTAGENA GRAND OPENING 96 DREW ESTATE BARN SMOKER 98 PCA MEET & GREET
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48 CIGARS
EMPIre
SUN FEATURING
64 | CIGAR SNOB | JAN / FEB 2026
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