Top 10 Box-Pressed Cigars
Box-pressed cigars represent some of the highest-rated and most sought-after cigars ever made. Box-pressed cigars are distinct due to the squared-off shapes they’re pressed in. Not all cigar lovers prefer box-pressed formats, but it’s foolish not to give them a try based on the sheer volume of accolades they receive from critics and consumers. The practice of box-pressing cigars has been around for many decades, though the exact origins are tough to pinpoint. Here are ten amazing box-pressed cigars that belong on your radar.
1. Ashton VSG Torpedo (6.5 x 55)
A bold and luscious Torpedo is pressed in perfectly block-like dimensions in a 94-rated masterpiece blended by legendary cigar-maker Carlito Fuente. Ashton VSG Torpedo is considered a classic cigar thanks to a spectacular, full-bodied blend of premium Dominican binder and filler tobaccos tucked beneath a shimmering Ecuador Sumatra wrapper leaf. Tasting notes of cedar, leather, espresso bean, and earth meld from beginning to end in a flawless shape that finishes with an unrivaled concentration of flavor and aroma. Ashton VSG cigars have ranked in the annual ‘Top 25 Cigars of the Year’ in Cigar Aficionado six times.
2. Arturo Fuente Anejo No. 77 Shark (5.875 x 64)
Among the most sought-after Fuente cigars ever created is the Arturo Fuente Anejo No. 77 Shark. This chunky box-pressed Torpedo tapers from its 64-ring-gauge foot to a perfectly sloping point at the head. A premium Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is patiently aged in a cognac barrel before it’s draped over an ultra-rare interior of Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. Mouthwatering notes of dark chocolate, cognac, wood, and pepper mingle with a succulent Dominican spice before full-bodied finish resonates. They sell out in minutes when we get them in, so keep your eyes peeled.
3. La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso (5.5 x 54)
A 95-point rating and a ranking as the ‘#2 Cigar of the Year’ in Cigar Aficionado followed the debut of La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor. This versatile blend is handmade in Estelí, Nicaragua, in several appealing sizes, including a gently tapering box-pressed Belicoso assembled by expert cigar rollers. Delectable tasting notes of almond, dark cocoa, espresso bean, and black pepper develop with intriguing aroma. This medium to full-bodied profile resonates with phenomenal flavor throughout a sweet and spicy finish.
4. Padron 1964 Anniversary Maduro Imperial (6 x 54)
A medium to full-bodied profile of dark cocoa powder, cinnamon, cedar, cayenne, and spice culminates with marvelous aroma in a world-renowned blend, rated 94 points and ranked in the ‘Top 10’ in Cigar Aficionado on multiple occasions. Padron 1964 Anniversary Maduro in the Toro-sized Imperial is a meticulously box-pressed smoke, drawn entirely from premium Nicaraguan tobaccos matured for optimal smoothness. This lauded blend has been a top choice among connoisseurs around the world for over thirty years.
5. My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Press (6.125 x 52)
My Father Le Bijou 1922 is a 97-rated masterpiece and former ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ titleholder blended by José ‘Pepin’ Garcia in a brilliant box-pressed Torpedo, tapered for maximum intensity. An oily, extra-dark Cuban-seed wrapper, grown in Ecuador, harbors a robust blend of beefy Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos cultivated on select Garcia family estates. Powerful notes of black pepper, earth, mesquite, and espresso bean layer the palate with hearty spices from beginning to end. Enjoy this iconic Nicaraguan handmade after a full meal.
6. Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado (6.5 x 52)
In 2014, Oliva Serie V Melanio scored 96 points and the ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ title in an elegantly box-pressed Figurado format. A medium-bodied profile of pepper, caramel, cedar, and earth emerges in an artfully crafted box-pressed shape that tapers on both ends. A medium-brown Ecuador Sumatra wrapper embraces vintage Nicaraguan long-fillers in a consistently well-made format. Explore the highest-rated cigar to date from Oliva and discover why so many aficionados regularly stock it in their humidors.
7. San Cristobal Revelation Legend (6.25 x 52)
Celebrated cigar-maker José ‘Pepin’ Garcia blends an exquisite 92-rated gem from a milk-chocolate-hued Ecuador Sumatra wrapper leaf and a premium core of vintage Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. San Cristobal Revelation exhibits flawless construction and creamy aroma in a medium-bodied profile of smoked almond, cedar, cinnamon, and cocoa. Fans of both milder and fuller-bodied cigars easily appreciate this accessible Nicaraguan classic.
8. Flor de las Antillas Toro (6 x 52)
Flor de las Antillas Toro was the first ‘#1 Cigar of the Year’ awarded by Cigar Aficionado to father-and-son cigar-makers Pepin and Jaime Garcia. This 96-rated blend is drafted in an easy-burning Toro made from an all-Nicaraguan recipe of premium long-filler tobaccos, including its glistening Sun Grown wrapper leaf. Tasting notes of cedar, nutmeg, cocoa, and pepper mingle throughout a luscious finish. The unflinching consistency and value of Flor de las Antillas cigars have made them highly sought-after box-pressed classics for over a decade.
9. AJ Fernandez New World Dorado Figurado (6 x 56)
All of the tobaccos in the 93-rated AJ Fernandez New World Dorado are aged to achieve optimal taste. A toothy profile of cedar, coffee bean, pepper, and nuts culminates in a medium-bodied finish with tremendous aroma. This patiently handmade Figurado is mostly drawn from tobaccos grown on a single Nicaraguan farm, Dorado – for which the cigar is named. The results have garnered yet more acclaim for its blender, AJ Fernandez. Indulge a decadent box-pressed premium from one of Nicaragua’s most capable cigar-makers.
10. Rocky Patel Decade Torpedo (6.5 x 52)
Among Rocky Patel’s biggest hits in the past thirty years is Decade, a 95-rated Honduran masterpiece handcrafted in a series of box-pressed sizes, including a 6.5-by-52 Torpedo. Savor an earthy profile of black cherry, nuts, and leather throughout a creamy and dense finish. A dark-brown Ecuador Sumatra wrapper leaf conceals premium Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos from head to foot in a popular smoke originally blended to commemorate Rocky’s tenth anniversary in the cigar business. The Decade Torpedo is a prime example of a premium box-pressed cigar from the legendary Rocky Patel portfolio.
