Best Torpedo Cigars

Torpedo and belicoso are related but distinct vitolas:

• Torpedo: Classic tapered shape, typically 6–7 inches long, 52–60 ring gauge, with a pointed head that tapers to a literal point.
• Belicoso: Shorter, slightly tapered head — more of a rounded taper than a true point, typically 5–5.5 inches, 50–52 ring gauge.
• Pyramid: Wide foot tapering to a narrow head, similar to torpedo but with a more dramatic taper profile.

In practice, many cigar brands use these terms interchangeably. For this guide, "torpedo" covers all three shapes. The cutting technique is the same: cut above the taper, not at the very tip.

The pointed head requires more care than a standard cap. Cut above the taper — typically about half an inch above the point, where the shoulder begins to flatten. If you cut at the very tip, the wrapper will unravel as the cigar draws tight. A guillotine or V-cutter both work; a punch does not (the taper prevents a clean punch). See our full how to cut a cigar guide for step-by-step instructions.

Cigar	Strength	Flavor	Best for	Price tier
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story	Medium	Toasted nut, cedar, cream	Best overall torpedo	$10–14
Padrón 2000 Torpedo	Medium–full	Cocoa, earth, pepper	Best value torpedo	Under $10
Oliva Serie V Torpedo	Medium–full	Coffee, cocoa, spice	Best flavor-to-price torpedo	$12–16
Drew Estate Liga Privada T52	Full	Dark chocolate, earth, pepper	Boldest torpedo	$20–28
Montecristo White Torpedo	Mild–medium	Cream, almond, cedar	Mildest torpedo	$12–16
Rocky Patel The Edge Torpedo	Medium–full	Coffee, dark spice, leather	Spicy torpedo	$10–14
Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Torpedo	Mild–medium	Cedar, nuts, sweet cream	Value torpedo for beginners	$10–14

The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story is a belicoso/torpedo format that is arguably the most famous figurado in the cigar world. It uses a Cameroon wrapper over Dominican filler tobaccos, producing toasted nut, cedar, cream, and a complex sweetness that few cigars match at this price.

The Hemingway Short Story is 4 inches by 49 ring gauge — shorter than many torpedoes — which means it smokes in about 45 minutes. The tapered head concentrates the Cameroon wrapper's spice and sweetness in a way that the same blend in a straight Churchill or robusto does not replicate. Construction is impeccable, as you would expect from the Fuente family.

Best for: The best single torpedo on the market — mild enough for newer smokers, complex enough for veterans.

Padrón's 2000 series is one of the best value propositions in premium cigars. The Torpedo version delivers the classic Padrón profile — cocoa, earth, pepper, and a smooth finish — in the tapered format for under $10 per stick.

Natural and maduro versions are both available and worth exploring. The maduro adds dark chocolate and sweetness; the natural runs drier and more earth-forward. Both use aged Nicaraguan tobacco and Padrón's famous construction quality. See the full lineup on the Padrón brand page.

Best for: Smokers who want excellent torpedo quality at an everyday price.

The Oliva Serie V Torpedo uses Nicaraguan tobacco under a Habano-seed wrapper for a medium-full blend with coffee, cocoa, and black pepper. The torpedo shape tightens the draw slightly and deepens the spice on the retrohale — a noticeable difference from the robusto version of the same blend.

Serie V is one of the most awarded blends in the cigar world, and the torpedo is the format that most enthusiasts prefer for it. At $12–16, it overdelivers on quality. Oliva's full lineup is on the Oliva brand page.

Best for: Medium-to-full smokers who want maximum value from a torpedo.

Liga Privada T52 (the "T" stands for torpedo) is Drew Estate's flagship torpedo blend. It uses a Brazilian mata fina wrapper over Connecticut broadleaf binder and Nicaraguan fillers for a full-body experience centered on dark chocolate, earth, and black pepper. This is not a beginner's cigar.

T52 is produced in limited quantities and can be harder to find than the Liga Privada No. 9 robusto, but it is worth seeking out if you are a full-body torpedo enthusiast. See more at the Drew Estate brand page.

Best for: Experienced full-body smokers who specifically want a torpedo format.

Montecristo White is the mild end of the torpedo spectrum. It uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over Dominican filler for cream, almond, and cedar in a mild-to-medium format. The torpedo shape adds a slight taper that focuses the creaminess without adding strength.

For smokers who want the torpedo experience without committing to full-body blends, the Montecristo White Torpedo is the right call. The brand page covers more Montecristo lines.

Best for: Beginners who want to try the torpedo shape in a forgiving, mild format.

Rocky Patel's The Edge series uses an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper over Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers for a medium-full blend centered on coffee, dark spice, and leather. The Corojo wrapper is spicier than the Habano or Connecticut options — the torpedo shape concentrates that spice on the draw.

The Edge Torpedo is a popular choice among smokers who want their torpedo to have more kick and spice than the creamier options on this list.

Best for: Medium-full smokers who want a spice-forward torpedo.

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Torpedo delivers mild-to-medium cedar, nuts, and sweet cream in an accessible torpedo format at a friendly price. The construction is reliable, the draw is consistent, and the tapered head cuts cleanly without the wrapper fragility you sometimes get from lesser cigars.

For new torpedo smokers, the Reserva Real Torpedo is a safe, satisfying entry point. More from Romeo y Julieta is on the brand page.

Best for: Beginners trying the torpedo format for the first time.

Best overall: Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story. Famous for good reason — a complex, creamy torpedo that rewards any palate.

Best value: Padrón 2000 Torpedo. The clearest value in the category — premium Nicaraguan quality for under $10.

Best for full-body: Oliva Serie V Torpedo or Drew Estate Liga Privada T52.

Best for mild smokers: Montecristo White Torpedo or Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Torpedo.

For a guide to cigar shapes and sizes, see our cigar sizes guide. For the broader best cigar roundup across all vitolas, see best cigars. Store your torpedoes at 65–70% RH — the tapered heads are particularly sensitive to drying out.