90+ Rated Cigars in Hong Kong: Cigar Aficionado Score Radar EP2

Relive the classics — certified by Cigar Aficionado as unforgettable, hall-of-fame favorites.

Smart move getting in early: legendary blends that are highly rated and in stock don't last. Welcome to the second episode of Cigar Aficionado Score Radar, where we scan the humidor for five certified masterpieces boasting the coveted 90+ point score.

Seasoned connoisseur or curious newcomer, this lineup delivers flawless construction, serious flavor complexity, and — best of all — it's actually available. From the rich, modern complexity of box-pressed New World legends to the timeless, sweet, and herbal soul of authentic Cuban puros, we've got the full spectrum covered.

Grab your cutter, find your chair — five hall-of-fame smokes, ready to secure right now.

Score Check: The Lineup

1. Rocky Patel Gold Label Toro

Cigar Aficionado 93 Points | 6 1/2" × 54 | Toro (Box-Pressed) | Medium to Full | ~60 min

• Origin: Nicaragua
• Wrapper: Ecuador — Habano
• Binder: USA — Connecticut Broadleaf & Connecticut Shade (dual binder)
• Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí & Jalapa)

Rocky Patel has set a new standard in presentation and blending with the Gold Label. Despite its opulent bands and luxury-car-inspired wooden box, it's a masterclass in balance — a rich, medium-to-full-bodied smoke that stands alongside the finest boutique blends.

Construction and Tobacco

The Gold Label Toro is built with real precision, wrapped in an oily, chocolate-hued Ecuadorian Habano leaf. Beneath it sits a unique dual binder of Connecticut Shade and Connecticut Broadleaf, encasing fully aged long-fillers from the volcanic soils of Jalapa and Estelí. The box-press is seamless and tightly rolled, giving it a robust, comfortable feel in hand. The draw is smooth and slightly loose, producing thick white smoke and a sturdy, light-gray ash.

The Smoking Experience

First third: Opens with cappuccino, milk chocolate, and roasted espresso. The double Connecticut binder brings a smooth creaminess right away, balanced by graham cracker and a touch of white pepper.

Second third: The profile deepens — milk chocolate evolves into richer cocoa powder, joined by roasted almond and a touch of oak. The retrohale brings a pleasant warm spice, like cinnamon and clove.

Final third: Exceptionally smooth and robust. Dark chocolate, espresso, and leather take over, with a caramelized sugar sweetness underneath. Pepper ramps up slightly on the finish, leaving a lingering trail of oak and baking spice.

Perfect Pairing

Spirits: The Gold Label's sweet, spicy complexity pairs naturally with a premium Bulleit Bourbon — its caramel and oak round out the cigar's espresso and leather notes.

Non-alcoholic: A well-extracted café latte or cappuccino highlights the natural milk chocolate and cream of the Connecticut binders without overwhelming the almond accents.

Shop the Rocky Patel Gold Label Toro at Migratory Story

2. L'Atelier La Mission 1959 by Tatuaje

Cigar Aficionado 96 Points (#4 Cigar of the Year 2020) | 4 3/4" × 52 | Petit Robusto (Box-Pressed) | Medium-Full | ~35 min

• Origin: Nicaragua
• Wrapper: Mexico — San Andrés Maduro
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua

Inspired by the historic Château La Mission Haut-Brion winery in Bordeaux, Pete Johnson of Tatuaje crafted the La Mission 1959 as a powerhouse of flavor. The name "1959" commemorates one of the winery's legendary 100-point vintages — and the cigar lived up to that legacy, landing a 96-point score and the No. 4 spot on Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars of 2020.

Construction and Tobacco

Made at the My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua, the La Mission 1959 wears a toothy, dark-brown Mexican San Andrés wrapper. The binder and filler are premium Nicaraguan leaves, highlighted by the rare, proprietary Sancti Spíritus leaf — a hybrid tobacco that lends the blend an aromatic sweetness and spice. The box-press construction is robust and clean, delivering a perfect draw with dense, chewy smoke.

The Smoking Experience

First third: The San Andrés wrapper makes a bold statement from the first draw — concentrated dark bitter cocoa, rich earth, and peppery spice. The Sancti Spíritus leaf adds an almost chewy depth, with hints of raisin and molasses.

Second third: The initial black pepper folds into the background. The profile turns sweet and creamy — mocha, toasted walnut, fresh-brewed coffee — grounded by a smoky cedar woodiness.

Final third: Bold, rich, and complex. Spice returns up front, blending with dark chocolate, espresso, and leather, finishing clean and composed with a long, sophisticated close.

Perfect Pairing

Wine: True to its Bordeaux inspiration, pair this with a bold Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux blend — the wine's dark fruit acidity cuts nicely through the cigar's cocoa and earth.

Spirits: An aged, dark añejo rum or a smoky Islay single malt matches the deep, peppery, molasses character of this full-bodied smoke.

Shop the L'Atelier La Mission 1959 at Migratory Story

3. Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill

Cigar Aficionado 93 Points | 5 1/8" × 55 | Robusto | Medium-Bodied | ~45 min

• Origin: Cuba (Habano Puro)
• Wrapper: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo
• Binder: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo
• Filler: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo blend

The Wide Churchill is a modern Cuban titan. Introduced in 2010 to meet global demand for wider ring gauges, this "fat robusto" (the Montesco vitola) takes the aromatic Churchill blend and delivers it in a cooler, slower-burning format that lets the sweet-cream profile flourish.

Construction and Tobacco

Handmade at the Romeo y Julieta factory in Havana, the Wide Churchill is a true Habano puro sourced entirely from the legendary Vuelta Abajo region. The wrapper carries a Colorado shade with a smooth, slightly oily sheen reminiscent of fine leather. At a substantial 55 ring gauge, it holds a generous volume of Cuban filler, yielding a cool, balanced smoke and a reliably even burn.

The Smoking Experience

First third: Mild, sweet, and highly aromatic — bright cedar, light honey, roasted peanut, with no harsh pepper. The room note is fragrant and floral.

Second third: Settles into a quintessential medium-bodied Cuban profile — smooth vanilla cream, sweet orange peel, graham cracker, over a warm base of fresh-cut cedar and soft leather.

Final third: Reaches its peak with a long, buttery finish. Cinnamon spice and cocoa powder mingle with espresso, cedar, and lingering vanilla sweetness. Stays cool and smooth all the way to the nub.

Perfect Pairing

Whisky: A lighter, honey-forward Highland or Speyside single malt (Glenmorangie or Yamazaki 12) enhances the Wide Churchill's delicate vanilla, peanut, and orange peel notes.

Activities: At 55 ring gauge, the Wide Churchill resists wind and burns slowly, making it a popular choice for nine holes of golf or a lazy weekend afternoon outdoors.

Shop the Romeo y Julieta Wide Churchill at Migratory Story

4. Ramon Allones Superiores LCDH

Cigar Aficionado 91 Points | 5 5/8" × 46 | Grand Corona | Medium to Full | ~45 min

• Origin: Cuba (Habano Puro)
• Wrapper: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo
• Binder: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo
• Filler: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo blend

First released in 2010 as an exclusive for the La Casa del Habano (LCDH) franchise network, the Superiores was so well received that Habanos S.A. kept it in limited, small-batch regular production. It's a standout in the Ramon Allones portfolio, prized for its flavor progression and real aging potential.

Construction and Tobacco

Constructed at the historic Partagás factory in Havana, this Grand Corona wears a tawny, cinnamon-colored wrapper sourced entirely from Pinar del Río's Vuelta Abajo zone. The construction is clean, with a classic Cuban triple-cap and minimal veins. The 46 ring gauge gives a traditional wrapper-to-filler ratio, concentrating the blend's flavors into a smooth draw with just the right resistance.

The Smoking Experience

First third: The cold draw offers cinnamon and café latte. Once lit, it opens with a rich, earthy burst of cedar, nutmeg, and dark chocolate — creamy and full-bodied from the start.

Second third: A zesty, sweet citrus note joins roasted coffee bean, leather, and a savory touch of bay leaf. The strength builds to a solid medium-full.

Final third: The dark chocolate sweetness turns into a creamy crème brûlée, accented by a gentle pinch of white and black pepper that keeps the cedar and leather notes vibrant.

Perfect Pairing

Spirits: The gourmet-hot-chocolate and zesty citrus profile pairs brilliantly with a sweet Kentucky bourbon (Woodford Reserve) or a fine aged white rum on the rocks.

Non-alcoholic: A robust double espresso pulls out the roasted coffee bean, cinnamon, and pecan notes of the Vuelta Abajo tobacco.

Shop the Ramon Allones Superiores LCDH at Migratory Story

5. Cuaba Salomones

Cigar Aficionado 93 Points | 7 1/4" × 57 | Double Perfecto | Medium to Full | ~60 min

• Origin: Cuba (Habano Puro)
• Wrapper: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo
• Binder: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo
• Filler: Cuba — Vuelta Abajo blend

The Cuaba Salomones is a monument to the art of cigar rolling. Cuaba as a brand specializes exclusively in double figurados — a tapered format popular in the 19th century and difficult to execute well. The Salomones is the flagship of the line, requiring a level of master-roller craftsmanship that few torcedores in Havana can achieve.

Construction and Tobacco

Handmade at the Romeo y Julieta factory, the Salomones is massive — 7¼ inches long with a flared 57 ring gauge at its widest point. Dressed in a silky, reddish-brown Colorado wrapper, its symmetry is close to perfect. The tapered foot concentrates the smoke at first light, while the bulbous middle lets the Vuelta Abajo long-fillers burn cool and show off a genuinely theatrical flavor progression.

The Smoking Experience

First third: Lighting a double figurado takes patience — the tapered tip lights easily without over-charring. Starts mild and earthy, with grass, fresh soil, and heavy cream. As the burn hits the widening bulb, dark chocolate, cedar, and walnut join in.

Second third: At the widest point, the flavor is spectacular. The draw opens up effortlessly, producing thick, cool smoke. Rich leather and sweet honey emerge, balanced by a subtle citrus zest and warm baking spice.

Final third: Intensifies gracefully. Cedar and cocoa deepen into espresso, black pepper, and toasted shortbread — a long, complex, persistent finish that leaves a sweet, refined memory.

Perfect Pairing

Spirits: A cigar of this stature demands a drink with equal depth — a 15- to 18-year sherry cask single malt or a luxury aged XO Cognac. The dark dried fruit and oak spice harmonize beautifully with the honey and cedar.

Occasions: Not a casual smoke. Save the Salomones for quiet, reflective afternoons, milestones, or celebratory evenings with close company.

Shop the Cuaba Salomones at Migratory Story