United States (Miami) / Medium

La Colmena 10th Anniversary Amado No. 50

Warped

By Benjamin Charles Brown

A step up from regular La Colmena with honeysuckle florals, icing-sugar sweetness, honey-cashew midsection, and an oaky Cuban-adjacent close. 87/100. More intensity and better progression than the core blend, though age would help soften the spice and justify the anniversary premium.

In the Cigar Database

87.0Captaincy Score

Published: July 20, 2026
Vitola: Amado No. 50, 5 7/8 x 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Desflorada
Price: $26 single / $260 box of 10
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Dominican / Nicaraguan

Warped La Colmena 10th Anniversary Amado No. 50

Warped La Colmena 10th Anniversary mid-smoke with 10 Anniversary and hive bands — Closed foot, anniversary band, and the La Colmena hive mark mid-smoke.

La Colmena 10th Anniversary with long stacked ash on a porch — Ash can run brittle and flaky even when the draw and density are strong.

La Colmena 10th Anniversary resting on a red and gold ashtray with V-cut — V-cut head resting while honey, cashew, and honeysuckle come forward.

Close-up of La Colmena hive band with early ash and closed foot — Hive band detail as white pepper and floral nectar show on the retrohale.

Final nub of Warped La Colmena 10th Anniversary — Final third: spice eases, monofloral honey and oak take the lead.

Tasting progression

First third

First draw very smooth and reminiscent of a light dry woody Cuban such as Flor de Cano, with a surprising sting on the retrohale. Opens close to regular La Colmena, then matures into a deeper profile with icing-sugar flavour and texture. Light cedar woodiness remains, joined by subtle white pepper plus unique floral notes of jasmine and nectar. Feels like it would benefit from a year or more of age to loosen up and soften the spice.

Second third

Saltiness arrives with honey and cashew. Floral tone clarifies as honeysuckle or another sweet nectary flower. Body stays medium while smoke density improves; a little citrus joins the cedar woodiness. Still stings on retrohale without overwhelming. Remains similar to regular La Colmena but with stronger body and more pronounced flavours. The core blend was a great smoke that lacked this complexity.

Final third

Spice eases off welcome; sweetness develops into full monofloral honey. Woodiness evolves into a strong oak profile while staying reminiscent of woody Cubans: close enough to nod, different enough that an experienced Cuban smoker will tell.

Final Verdict

87/100. The honeysuckle floral notes are unique and delicious. A nice step up from regular La Colmena but not dramatic, so the roughly 50% price jump may not justify itself for everyone, though intensity is certainly greater by the second third, and the excellent progression stops it feeling repetitive (a real downside of the core blend). The light woody profile is remarkably close to some Cubans without fooling an experienced palate. To live up to the hype, this wants age to soften and blend the flavours.