97 rated cigars are le crème de la crème. In a great group, these are among the very greatest. It can be hard to quantify what makes cigars like this better than others, of course. After all, cigar smoking is a subjective experience. However, the common theme is that these cigars don’t have flaws, and deliver an enjoyment that almost always lets you know that you’re smoking something special.
While many cigars are pleasant to smoke, 97 rated cigars almost immediately grab your attention with exquisite flavor, perfect rolling, and aromas that even people who don’t like cigars will find intriguing. And if you’re wondering about 100-point cigars, you might be surprised to hear that there aren’t any among modern production smokes (a couple of 30-year old Dunhill classics were scored with 100s in the 80s). Very few cigars have ever been rated higher than 97. There’s a single 98 (the E.P. Carillo Pledge Prequel from 2020) and a single 99 (the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona from 1992) that we’re aware of.
97 rated cigars from the modern era include two brands that you probably are familiar with, as they became legendary soon after achieving the distinction. The first is the My Father Le Bijou 1922 box-pressed cigar. This is a Nicaraguan puro that cemented José “Don Pepin” Garcia as one of the cigar world’s grandmaster blenders. The Le Bijou 1922 offered an “uncanny” note of chocolate-covered raisin, rich leather, and was also balanced with a salty and sweet finish that simply couldn’t be beaten. For around twelve bucks, you can experience one of the finest cigars ever created. Not a bad deal, right?
The other 97 rated cigar we know of at the time of this writing is the Padrón Series 1926 No. 9, which took home Cigar of the Year honors in 2007 (and has hit the charts in other years as well). Again, the cigar was chocolatey, but also offered outstanding notes of coffee, nuts, and even black cherry. Much like My Father cigars, Padrón gained a reputation for making cigars that are head and shoulders above the rest.
It’s easy to see that the blending skill of companies like these is at the master level, but anyone who knows cigars understands that 97 rated cigars have to start with great tobacco. From seed to harvest, pretty much everything has to go right to get a leaf that has the potential to be part of a blend that will become an all-time great. The right soil, the right cultivation methods, the right sun… it all comes together to produce a gift from nature. This tobacco is then put to use by wise cigar makers in a blend that just might spoil you for good. Once you’ve had a 97 rated cigar, it’s hard to go back, so buy multiples.
Please browse our selection of 97 rated cigars at your leisure.
