Companion de Warped

Warped Cigars

• Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
• Factory: TABACALERA LA iSLA
• Wrapper: Mexico (San Andrés)
• Binder: Dominican Republic
• Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
• Length: 4 1/2 Inches
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Vitola: Rothschild
• MSRP: $12 (Box of 25, $300)
• Release Date: December 2021
• Number of Cigars Released: Regular Production
• Original Score: 92

There are several small cigars on this year’s list, a testament to the fact that it doesn’t take a big cigar to deliver a big performance. In the case of the Companion de Warped, this Rothschild vitola does a deep dive into a robust, earthy and slightly peppery profile, delivering a rich and balanced experience for the person lighting up this cigar.

That profile was driven by the Mexican San Andrés wrapper, with Companion only the second time that Kyle Gellis has used that varietal on a release—the other being the El Oso Mama. He said that he came across it when sourcing tobacco in the Dominican Republic, and instantly knew it would be a leaf he wanted to create a blend around. It certainly seems like Gellis made the right decision.

The cigar was also an impressive showing for TABACALERA LA iSLA, the fairly young factory opened by Hostos Fernández Quesada that had another one of its creations just miss qualifying for this list. In my experience, the Companion de Warped was one of the best-constructed cigars that I smoked in 2022—amongst the 25 cigars on this, this tied for second in terms of best construction scores—and great construction helps a cigar deliver what the blender intends.

Designed to be a cigar taken anywhere with you as a companion to daily life, Companion de Warped established itself as a cigar you’ll want to pay attention to when you smoke it, as it offers top-notch performance that can make any day into a special day. — Patrick Lagreid.