Cabaiguan Cigars

Pete Johnson, owner of the Tatuaje brand, works counter to brand building 101. His cigar names are nearly unpronounceable. For those who had trouble with Tatuaje, he followed up with Cabaiguan, a cigar named for Cabaiguán, Cuba, located almost in the direct center of the island.

Cabaiguans have been made for Johnson by the Garcia family since 2006, first in Miami and later in Nicaragua. The brand was good but not remarkable until the addition of the bolder, darker Guapo size that garnered our high ratings.

Rated the #7 Cigar of the Year 2011 with 93 points. The original Guapo is still our favorite, a cigar that is stunning to behold, with an impeccably crafted head and a flag tip-it's unfair to call it a pigtail-that's wider at the top than at the bottom, in the shape of a fan. The cigar has balanced flavor, with sweet but not cloying notes of cocoa powder, a sprinkling of black pepper and cedary, leathery intonations.

Rated the #7 Cigar of the Year 2011 with 93 points. The original Guapo is still our favorite, a cigar that is stunning to behold, with an impeccably crafted head and a flag tip-it's unfair to call it a pigtail-that's wider at the top than at the bottom, in the shape of a fan. The cigar has balanced flavor, with sweet but not cloying notes of cocoa powder, a sprinkling of black pepper and cedary, leathery intonations.

An attractive robusto that is heavy on licorice and wood flavors. Rated 88

An attractive robusto that is heavy on licorice and wood flavors. Rated 88