Factory Location: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Dom. Rep.
One day in the early 1990s, Carlos Fuente Jr. was thumbing through the dictionary looking for inspiration. He had a new cigar brand in the works but it needed a name. Fuente found a good word: opulent. Then he found an even better one right below it: opus.
In late 1995, the Fuente Fuente OpusX brand was released. Today, the cigar is still a phenomenon and one of the few Dominican
puros on the market. OpusX owes much of its character to its wrapper, which is grown under shade from Corojo seeds in the Dominican Republic at Chateau de la Fuente.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexico
While most serious cigar smokers are well-aware of Tatuaje, fewer know that brand owner Pete Johnson has an experimental arm called L’Atelier where he produces less traditional, more offbeat products. From that subsidiary came La Mission L’Atelier, a spin-off from the core L’Atelier line. As far as appearance, the La Mission L’Atelier may be a bit curious with its squarish box pressing and pigtail cap, but the 1959 size has proven to be a consistent performer and an ambitious climber. The same size made our Top 25 list of 2015, and was ranked No. 17. This year, it returns to our list 13 positions higher.
Factory Location: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Although it’s certainly easy to make a mild cigar, it’s difficult to make a mild smoke that’s actually interesting and flavorful. Joya de Nicaragua, Nicaragua’s oldest producer of premium cigars, has accomplished this blending feat with its Número Uno L’Ambassadeur, a light cigar of both character and understatement.
According to the story behind the brand, L’Ambassadeur was previously a commercially unavailable smoke and created to be presented as a diplomatic gift to visiting dignitaries and heads of state. If that sounds familiar, it’s because the Cuban Cohiba brand has a similar backstory. Regardless of its previous status, the Número Uno L’Ambassadeur is now available to anyone, whether you’re an international emissary or someone who just prefers lighter cigars.