How We Chose Our Top Cigars of 2025

From Creekside Podcast Ep. 037: The Top Ten Cigars Of The Year (2025), aired Dec 12, 2025. Recorded at Creekside Cigar Co. in Maineville, Ohio.

On the Creekside Podcast, Dave, Conner and Noah each reveal their top cigars of 2025. Their lists reflect a year of trying new styles, revisiting past favorites and deciding which cigars earned repeated spots in the rotation. The conversation is useful for anyone comparing notes on standout smokes, but it also shows why a personal best-of-year list is about more than a single great cigar.

How did we choose our top cigars of 2025?

The crew set a flexible rule: the cigars should be newish to each person this year, but they did not have to be released in 2025. A cigar could qualify if someone had only recently started smoking it regularly. They also agreed not to include their own cigars or shop exclusives.

Repeat visits mattered. Dave said he wanted cigars he had returned to throughout the year, and he noted that he had smoked the cigars on his list at least weekly. Conner also described how the ranking, rather than choosing ten good cigars, was the difficult part. The hosts talked about smoking most picks multiple times, while acknowledging one recent selection had been revisited three times in a short stretch.

That approach makes the lists personal rather than a claim that one cigar is objectively best. Each host weighed consistency, enjoyment and the way a cigar fit their own smoking habits.

Which cigars stood out for flavor and value?

Several picks were praised for bold, memorable flavor. Conner described the aged Proper by FQ as bringing dark chocolate and an unusual mushroom-like funk, with the age adding nuance and rounding the cigar out. Dave put Crowned Heads Thunder Kiss on his list in part because he felt its flavor and transitions stood out at its price point.

Other choices showed the crew’s appreciation for cigars that were distinctive without needing a complicated explanation. Noah called Rojas Blue Bonnet Corona a dependable favorite, while Dave remembered its soft, sweet and nuanced character when he first smoked it blind. Dave also singled out the Aganorsa Rare Leaf Reserve Corojo, describing cinnamon, pepper, leather, peanut and caramelized brown-sugar notes.

The hosts’ tasting language varied from cigar to cigar, but a few themes came up often: sweetness, chocolate, spice, earth and the way flavors changed as a smoke progressed. Those are personal impressions from the episode, not a promise that every smoker will experience a cigar the same way.

Why did some cigars climb the rankings?

Changing preferences played a noticeable role. Noah said he had spent much of his earlier cigar-smoking time with fuller-bodied, heavier cigars, then made a point of exploring lighter and more medium-bodied options. Warped Cloud Hopper 485 became one of the results, with Noah praising its creamy, nutty character and baking spice.

Dave described a similar shift in his palate. He had been drawn to Maduro cigars at one point in the year, then found himself enjoying more delicate and nuanced smokes. That helps explain why a cigar could move up after a revisit. For example, Dave had not connected with Gellis Family Peace Unique the first time, but a later smoke revealed more flavor and complexity to him. He added it to his top three.

Conner’s number one, Warped Villa Sombra Robusto, had a different kind of significance: he had smoked only one, blind, and still considered it his favorite of the year. He recalled a creamy raspberry-and-whipped-cream impression. It was an exception to the crew’s usual emphasis on repeat experience, and a reminder that a single smoke can leave a lasting impression.

What did the top picks have in common?

The hosts’ number ones show how varied a “best cigar” can be. Noah chose the Aganorsa Rare Leaf Corojo, recalling its developing mix of spice, leather, nuttiness and sweetness. Dave chose Warped Corto Maduro, which he described as chocolate cake and cherry with spice and earth. He especially enjoyed it with coffee and as a follow-up cigar.

Conner’s list favored another memorable experience, while Noah and Dave also highlighted cigars they had returned to repeatedly, including Avowed New Dawn Toro and the Vow 11.25. The lists overlap in places, but the rankings are not identical. That is part of what makes a conversation like this useful: the crew explains not only what they liked, but why a cigar suited their individual tastes.

Key takeaways

• The crew focused on cigars that were new or newly revisited for them, not necessarily released in 2025.
• Repeated enjoyment and consistency helped shape the rankings, though one standout blind smoke made Conner’s number one.
• Palates changed during the year, leading some hosts to appreciate cigars they had previously overlooked.
• Flavor preferences differed, with the lists spanning Connecticut, Corojo, Maduro and other styles.

Cigars from this episode

• Tatuaje Cojonu 2003: Conner ranked it tenth and said he smoked it regularly, praising its overall flavor.
• Serino Taino Corona Gorda: Noah ranked it tenth and called it a favorite morning smoke, especially with coffee.
• Foundation Highclere Castle Victorian Petite Corona: Dave ranked it tenth, praising its sweet leather, spice and natural sweetness.
• Valacari Lumer Robusto: Conner ranked it ninth and described a sweet, nutty, creamy, woody profile with spice.
• Principle Cigars Strap Hanger: Noah praised its dark wrapper, complexity and distinctive flavor.
• Crowned Heads Thunder Kiss: Dave praised its flavor, transitions and value.
• Avowed The Vow 11.25 Grand Robusto: Dave praised its distinct blend and construction; Conner also ranked this cigar highly.
• Warped Cloud Hopper 485: Noah praised its nutty, creamy character and baking spice.
• Warped El Oso Papa Maduro: Dave praised its sweetness, chocolate, leather and spice.
• The Proper by FQ: Conner favored aged examples for their dark chocolate and unusual mushroom-like funk.
• Rojas Blue Bonnet Corona: Noah called it a favorite; Dave recalled it as soft, sweet and nuanced.
• Illusione OneOff Black: Dave recalled caramel, peanut brittle and toffee notes.
• Warped Corto Maduro: Dave praised its chocolate, cherry, spice and earth, and ranked it first.
• Crowned Heads Broadway Robusto: Noah praised its bold, leathery, sweet and chocolatey character.
• Aganorsa Rare Leaf Reserve Corojo: Dave praised its cinnamon-candy character; Noah chose the Corojo as his number one.
• Warped El Oso Blanco Connecticut: Conner praised its creamy profile, with floral, marzipan and cashew impressions.
• Geisha Corojo 99: Conner ranked this Corojo cigar fourth and preferred it to the San Andrés version.
• HVC Especiales Corona Gorda: Noah preferred this size when his palate was fresh and praised its flavor.
• HVC Especiales Short Robusto: Noah said he reached for this size when his palate was more tired.
• Crowned Heads Blood Medicine Robusto 2025: Dave praised its sweetness and peanut-butter-like character.
• Crowned Heads Tennessee Waltz Corona Gorda: Noah praised its concentrated, funky, mushroom-like and sweet profile.
• Gellis Family Peace Unique: Dave said revisiting it revealed more sweetness, complexity, leather and white pepper.
• Avowed New Dawn Toro: Dave praised its buttercream, cinnamon, creaminess and balance.
• Warped Villa Sombra Robusto: Conner ranked it first after a blind smoke, recalling creamy raspberry notes.
• My Father Blue: The crew discussed its chocolate, leather, sweetness and spice during the blind reveal.
• Wayfair CG: The blind cigar was identified as Wayfair CG and recognized for its distinctive profile.
• Cuban torpedo cigar, name unclear: Conner ranked a Cuban torpedo-style cigar second and praised its chocolate and complexity.

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