Atabey vs Atabey Black — What's the Difference?

Atabey vs Atabey Black — At a Glance

What Is Atabey and Why Is It Considered Ultra-Premium?

Atabey is produced by Selected Tobacco S.A. in the Dominican Republic — the same factory behind Bandolero, Byron, and Alfonso. Every Atabey cigar is aged for a minimum of five years in cedar and oak after rolling, a standard almost unheard of at retail price points below $40/stick. The name comes from the Taino goddess of the moon and mother of all living things.

The blend is kept entirely secret. Nelson Alfonso, Selected Tobacco's founder, has never disclosed the binder, filler composition, or growing regions beyond the Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper. What's known is that the filler includes both Nicaraguan Ligero and Peruvian Seco, which together produce the brand's signature creamy-yet-structured flavour profile.

The Cigar Authority has awarded multiple Atabey sizes a 100-point score — a rating that fewer than a handful of cigars have ever received. It is not an exaggeration to say Atabey is one of the best cigars produced anywhere in the world at any price point.

Classic Atabey — The Line in Detail

Atabey — From $22.22/stick

Honey, cream, white pepper, and toasted almond from the first third. The draw is effortless and the burn is flawless — a direct result of five years of post-roll aging that settles the tobacco into perfect equilibrium. Medium body with a long, clean finish that builds in sweetness rather than spice through the final third.

Atabey is sold in 3-packs — a deliberate choice by Selected Tobacco to keep the format premium and personal. All five vitolas currently in stock:

• Hechizos (4x40) — $22.22/stick (3-pack $66.66)
• Divinos (4.4x50) — $29.80/stick (3-pack $89.39)
• Idolos (4x55) — $29.80/stick (3-pack $89.39)
• Brujos (5x52) — $36.36/stick (3-pack $109.08)
• Sabios (5.25x52) — $38.38/stick (3-pack $115.14)

Shop Atabey →

Atabey Black — The Darker Companion

Atabey Black Delirios — $69.99/single

Nelson Alfonso created Atabey Black to explore what the Selected Tobacco house style produces under a darker wrapper. The Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper adds cocoa, molasses, and ginger where the Connecticut Shade delivers honey and cream. The body steps up to medium — not dramatically heavier than classic Atabey, but noticeably fuller through the second third.

The Delirios (5.75x55) is the newest Atabey Black vitola and is currently available as a single or a box of 10. This is the most accessible way into Atabey Black right now — the original Ritos (6.125x55) five-pack is out of stock.

• Atabey Black Delirios single (5.75x55) — $69.99/single ✅ In Stock
• Atabey Black Delirios box of 10 — $699.00 ✅ In Stock

Shop Atabey Black Delirios →

Which Should You Choose?

Choose classic Atabey if: you want the benchmark Selected Tobacco experience, you smoke mornings or afternoons, or you want a cigar that pairs beautifully with Champagne, green tea, or a light cortado. The Idolos at $29.80/stick is the standard recommendation for first-time Atabey smokers.

Choose Atabey Black if: you already know and love classic Atabey and want to explore what the house style does with more wrapper richness, you prefer after-dinner smokes with bourbon or tawny port, or you're building a cellar and want one of the most age-worthy cigars in the Selected Tobacco lineup.

The verdict: Both are exceptional. The decision isn't quality — it's occasion and mood. Atabey is the morning cigar that rewards any time of day. Atabey Black is the evening cigar that asks for your full attention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Atabey Black just a Maduro version of Atabey?

Not exactly. While the darker wrapper is the most visible change, Atabey Black also uses a different binder and filler composition — Dominican and Peruvian tobaccos that aren't the same undisclosed blend used in classic Atabey. It's a genuinely different cigar with the same five-year post-roll aging, not simply the same blend under a darker leaf.

Why does Atabey cost more than most premium cigars?

The five-year post-roll aging commitment is the primary driver. Most premium cigars are rolled and shipped within months of fermentation. Atabey sits in cedar and oak for five years before it reaches your humidor. That aging time, the cost of storage, and the micro-batch production quantities all feed into the price.

What's the difference between the Idolos and Brujos vitolas?

Both are in the same mild-to-medium body range, but the Brujos (5x52) is the larger ring gauge and delivers a longer, cooler smoke with a more pronounced pepper development in the final third. The Idolos (4x55) is a perfecto format — tapered at both ends — which concentrates flavour and gives a slightly sweeter, more cream-forward experience despite the unusual shape.

How should I store Atabey cigars?

65% RH at 68–70°F. They come already well-aged, so there's no need to age them further before smoking — but six months to a year of additional rest at these conditions deepens the cream note and rounds off the white pepper on the classic line. Atabey Black develops further cocoa complexity with 12 to 18 months of additional aging.

Is Atabey available as singles?

Classic Atabey is sold in 3-packs only on LCC. The Atabey Black Delirios is currently available as a single at $69.99. The lounge (R) format Atabey is sold by the single at LCC retail locations.