Cigar Aficionado Back Issues: How to Choose a Reading Order
By Cigar Chief | Published: 2026-11-04
Category: Product Reviews
A practical reading order for Cigar Aficionado back issues, from the 2021 Nicaraguan tasting to the 2025 cover story, with checkpoints to avoid duplicates.
Quick answer
Start with the Cigar Aficionado November/December 2021 issue for its 95-point Nicaraguan tasting, then move to the March/April 2024 Kentucky Derby package, and finish with the July/August 2025 Liev Schreiber cover story. Read in that order to build from ratings to lifestyle features without repeating themes.
Why the order matters more than the year
Back issues are easy to buy in a pile and hard to actually read. Ordering them by theme rather than date prevents the common trap of starting with a cover story that assumes you already know the magazine's ratings format.
The 2021 issue works as an entry point because its centerpiece is a trio of 95-point Nicaraguan smokes led by Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Churchill and two top-scoring Padrón maduros. That gives you a concrete tasting reference before you reach the broader lifestyle sections in later issues.
When to skip a cover story and go straight to ratings
If you buy back issues mainly for buying guidance, the 2025 and 2024 issues are weaker first picks than the 2021 issue. Their draws are profile and event coverage, not a single high-scoring tasting flight. That is not a flaw, but it changes which issue you should open first.
Collectors who already own several issues should check the cover subject and main package before buying, because two issues can feel similar if both lean on celebrity interviews or event coverage.
Your back-issue reading plan
- Set your purpose before you open any issue: Decide whether you are reading for buying guidance, lifestyle features or collector value. If you want ratings, start with the 2021 issue; if you want a single narrative package, start with the 2024 Derby issue. Write your purpose on a note before you buy so you do not default to the newest cover.
- Read the 2021 issue first for tasting context: Work through the 95-point Nicaraguan flight and note which wrappers and brands you would actually seek out. Treat the scores as a reference point, not a shopping list. Check that the issue you received matches the 2021 Nicaraguan tasting description before you start reading.
- Move to the 2024 issue for long-form structure: Read the Kentucky Derby package as one sitting. It is a history overview, track guide and interview in one, so it rewards continuous reading more than dipping in. If you dislike event coverage, skip this step and go straight to the 2025 issue.
- Finish with the 2025 issue for a current profile: Use the Liev Schreiber cover story as a palate cleanser after the ratings and event coverage. It is the most current of the three and works well as a standalone read. Do not buy the 2025 issue expecting a large ratings section; its draw is the profile.
Issue notes
- Cigar Aficionado Magazine November/December 2021 Issue: Features a trio of 95-point Nicaraguan standouts, led by Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Churchill and two top-scoring Padrón maduros. This makes it the strongest starting point if you want ratings-led reading rather than a celebrity cover story.
Cigar Aficionado Magazine November/December 2021 Issue - Cigar Aficionado Magazine Mar/Apr 2024 Issue: Includes a cover package on the 150th Kentucky Derby, with race history, a Churchill Downs track guide and a Q&A with analyst Michael. Best for readers who want a single long-form package with a clear theme rather than scattered ratings.
Cigar Aficionado Magazine Mar/Apr 2024 Issue - Cigar Aficionado Magazine July/August 2025 Issue: Liev Schreiber returns to the cover after first appearing in December 2013, with a profile that touches on his acting and activism. Choose this issue when you want a current personality interview, not a tasting reference.
