Alfonso Extra Añejo No. 3

1. Alfonso Extra Añejo No. 3

Selected Tobacco S.A.

  • Country of Origin: Costa Rica
  • Factory: Tabacos de Costa Rica
  • Wrapper: Ecuador (Connecticut)
  • Binder: Ecuador (Connecticut)
  • Filler: Nicaragua & Peru
  • Length: 6 Inches
  • Ring Gauge: 54
  • Vitola: Toro Extra
  • MSRP: $39.99 (Box of 25, $999.75)
  • Release Date: September 2022
  • Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
  • Original Score: 92

I have always found the process of how we come up with a final list fascinating: every cigar is given the same chance to shine, and no one knows exactly what to expect of each cigar before they are smoked. As reviewers, we don’t know what the winner is until after everyone has turned in all of their scores. Going into this year, there were a number of releases from companies, brands, and cigar lines both new and established, which is one of the reasons this job is so interesting. But at the end of the process, the first thing I want to know is what is #1?

For 2022, that cigar is the Alfonso Extra Añejo No. 3.

The Alfonso part of the name references Nelson Alfonso Egüed—the founder of Selected Tobacco S.A.— and the Extra Añejo, Spanish for “extra aged,” part refers to a five-year aging process that is quite different from what occurs with the vast majority of cigars on the market today. Alfonso said he was inspired by the use of French oak in winemaking and so he decided to incorporate French oak into the aging process. Previously, Selected Tobacco used cedar-lined rooms to age cigars, but this line—as well as the recently-released Byron 1850—were aged in both cedar- and French oak-lined rooms, where the humidity was intentionally raised and lowered throughout the lengthy five years of aging.

Whether it’s the aging process, the tobaccos themselves, or the recipe that was created, the results are distinct aromas and rich flavors in the profile: aromatic cedar, lemongrass and peanut butter, not to mention a wonderful combination of white pepper and creme brûlée sweetness on the retrohale.

As it oftentimes is for this list, the difference between first and second place is quite small: this year, a paltry 0.05 points.

While the actual flavors make up the majority of the score, construction plays a large role as well, so it is no surprise that the Extra Añejo No. 3 excelled in each of the three aspects of burn, draw and smoke production. Across the six total Alfonso Extra Añejo No. 3 cigars that were smoked as part of this process, there were just two deductions out of a possible 114 points. That resulted in the Alfonso Extra Añejo No. 3 having the highest average construction score amongst the 25 cigars on this list.

For a long time Selected Tobacco has been known as the company behind a trio of brands—Atabey, Bandolero and Byron—but the company’s newest line should not simply be looked at as its fourth brand. For halfwheel, it’s the top cigar of 2022. — Brooks Whittington.