Best Torpedo-Shaped Cigars
Premium cigars are handmade in a myriad of shapes and sizes. A cigar’s intensity changes based on the length and thickness of the size you’re smoking. Torpedos, or Pyramids, offer a tighter, concentrated draw because the head of the cigar tapers to a narrow point. The heat and the smoke are pulled through a smaller opening when you draw on your cigar, amplifying its intensity. Torpedos represent some of the highest-rated cigars ever produced. They’re handmade by the best rollers in the factory because a Torpedo is a complicated shape to construct. Here are ten excellent Torpedo cigars to add to your collection.
1. La Aroma de Cuba Noblesse Viceroy (6.125 x 52)
La Aroma de Cuba Noblesse Viceroy is an impressive Torpedo blended from a dark San Andrés Oscuro wrapper and a robust blend of vintage Nicaraguan tobaccos cultivated in Estelí, Jalapa, and Namanji. Master cigarmaker José ‘Pepin’ Garcia insists on triple-fermenting the tobaccos to achieve maximum smoothness in this strong and succulent profile. Luxurious notes of dark chocolate lava cake, espresso bean, and Turkish fig mingle with hints of salt and pepper throughout a full-bodied gem meticulously handcrafted in small batches.
2. Ashton VSG Torpedo (6.5 x 55)
Ashton VSG Torpedo is an iconic cigar blended by legendary cigarmaker Carlito Fuente from an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper leaf and the finest Dominican long-fillers tobaccos in the world. Rated 94 points and ranked in the ‘Top 10 Cigars of the Year’ on multiple occasions, VSG is a mandatory smoke for serious cigar lovers, and the Torpedo is among the bestselling sizes in the line. Tasting notes of cedar, espresso bean, earth, black pepper, and leather resonate before a smooth and sophisticated crescendo arrives.
3. My Father Le Bijou Torpedo Box-Press (6.125 x 52)
Few cigars receive ratings as high as 97 points, but My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Press is one of them. This spicy Torpedo also owns a coveted ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ title. The cigar is handcrafted in a striking, sharp box-pressed format created from an oily Cuban-seed Oscuro wrapper leaf and a hearty core of earthy and woody Nicaraguan tobaccos. Reserve this enticing cigar for after dinner thanks to its rich and powerful finish.
4. Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 2 (6 x 55)
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos cigars are handcrafted in several traditional sizes, including a 6-by-55 Pyramid called the No. 2. An oily, cinnamon-hued Cameroon wrapper envelops a well-aged core of premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos blended by world-renowned cigarmaker and Fuente family patriarch Carlos Fuente Sr. A delectable profile of cedar, chestnut, cocoa, almond, and spice intrigues the palate throughout a classic 94-rated cigar. Enjoy a historic Dominican smoke with a Don Carlos No. 2.
5. Padrón 1964 Anniversary Torpedo Maduro (6 x 52)
The critics at Cigar Aficionado awarded the Padrón 1964 Anniverary Torpedo their prestigious ‘Cigar of the Year’ honors with a 97-point rating for 2021. For a slightly more robust and sweeter taste, this prestigious blend comes in a Maduro wrapper that develops with luxuriant notes of dark cocoa, cedar, cinnamon, molasses, coffee, and black pepper. Padrón 40th Anniversary is another lauded Torpedo, and it bears the distinction of earning the first ‘Cigar of the Year’ title from the critics in 2004. Both of these rare masterpieces live up to the illustrious reputation of Padrón cigars.
6. Oliva Serie V Torpedo (6 x 56)
The 95-rated Oliva Serie V comes in a chunky 6-by-56 Torpedo patiently handmade in Estelí, Nicaragua, from a spicy Ecuador Habano wrapper leaf and hearty Nicaraguan long-fillers. This toothy, strong smoke impresses with its meaty profile of leather, wood, earth, nuts, and spice with a hint of anise. Oliva Serie V is a formidable blend when you’re craving a potent Torpedo for a solid value from one of today’s leading brands.
7. Montecristo No. 2 (6 x 50)
Montecristo No. 2 is an iconic Cuban-legacy cigar and arguably the most famous Torpedo, period. The Dominican version of this historic vitola possesses as much curb appeal as its Cuban counterpart due to a creamy and mild profile of cashew, cedar, and coffee bean with a touch of spice. A golden-blond Connecticut Shade wrapper leaf conceals an easygoing blend of Dominican binder and filler tobaccos handmade in a classic and consistent Torpedo. And unlike the Cuban version, you don’t have to worry whether you’re smoking a fake Montecristo.
8. San Cristobal Elegancia Pyramid (6.125 x 52)
San Cristobal cigars are blended by award-winning father-and-son cigarmakers Pepin and Jaime Garcia, and the Elegancia blend is a fabulous introduction to this top-rated Nicaraguan brand. A golden-blond Ecuador Connecticut wrapper surrounds a mellow interior of vintage Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos in a patiently handmade Pyramid. Delicious notes of white pepper, cashew, almond, and coffee bean unfold over the course of an hour before a creamy finish bathes the palate.
9. Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro Torpedo (6.5 x 54)
Brand founder Nick Perdomo is famous for the quality and consistency of his cigars. Perdomo 20th Anniversary Maduro is available in a 6.5-by-54 Torpedo blended from the finest tobaccos harvested on Perdomo estates in Estelí, Condega, and Jalapa. The tobacco is matured for eight years before Nick ages it fourteen more months in bourbon barrels to achieve a sweet, complex taste in every smoke. Indulge in a world-class Perdomo cigar with notes of espresso bean, dark cocoa, pepper, and earth with this stellar Nicaraguan profile.
10. Rocky Patel Decade Torpedo (6.5 x 52)
Decade has been one of the most popular Rocky Patel cigars for years thanks to the complex taste and aroma found in formats like the 95-rated Torpedo. A lustrous Ecuador Sumatra wrapper blankets a bold and earthy core of Nicaraguan long-fillers. Notes of coffee bean, wood, and pepper meet in a lingering finish with a hint of sweetness. Indulge in Decade for a bold but balanced profile in the expansive Rocky portfolio today.
Enjoying Torpedo Cigars
Torpedo cigars burn slowly and allow a blend to develop with desirable nuances as the cigar progresses. There are different ways to cut a Torpedo cigar. For example, a V-cutter creates a deeper draw without cutting off the tapered portion of the cigar’s head. This has become a very popular method for cutting Torpedo cigars. When you cut a Torpedo with a straight cutter, be conservative and don’t cut the cigar too deeply. Otherwise, you will open the draw too much and miss out on the concentration of flavor Torpedo cigars are known for. Avoid inundating the head of the cigar with too much moisture from your mouth, or you risk obstructing the draw. If the draw is too tight on a Torpedo, then you can cut it a little deeper to open it up more.
