Match M64 paired two 5-1 contenders for Third Place. Liga won Group C and advanced past Crowned Heads Mil Días and Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado before falling to Angel's Share. Encore won Group E and advanced past Plasencia Alma Fuerte Eduardo I and Davidoff Millennium before falling to Padrón.
The match contrasted a full, 6 x 52 Nicaraguan Toro with a medium-full, 5 3/8 x 52 Dominican-made Robusto. Liga used a Connecticut River Valley Habano wrapper, Brazilian Mata Fina binder and Honduran-Nicaraguan filler; Encore was a Nicaraguan puro made at Tabacalera La Alianza in the Dominican Republic.
The published category scores ended level at 29.5 to 29.5. Construction, draw, complexity and balance tied at perfect 5.0 scores. Encore won burn 5.0 to 4.5; Liga answered by winning finish 5.0 to 4.5. The official Championship page records Liga as the M64 winner and 2026 Third Place finisher.
Matchup at a Glance
| Category | Liga Privada T52 | E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Drew Estate | Casa Carrillo / E.P. Carrillo |
| Origin | Nicaragua | Dominican Republic |
| Wrapper | Connecticut River Valley Habano | Nicaraguan |
| Binder | Brazilian Mata Fina | Nicaraguan |
| Filler | Honduran and Nicaraguan | Nicaraguan |
| Factory | La Gran Fábrica Drew Estate | Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. |
| Vitola | Toro, 6 x 52 | Majestic Robusto, 5 3/8 x 52 |
| Strength | Full | Medium-Full |
| Ashology score | 29.5/30 - Exceptional | 29.5/30 - Exceptional |
| M64 result | Winner - #3 Overall | Loss - #4 Overall |
Liga began with dense earth, cedar, cocoa and pepper on the cold draw. Black pepper, dark earth and espresso arrived through thick, oily smoke. Dark chocolate, leather and charred oak deepened the center over controlled sweetness before espresso, pepper and mineral-rich earth became concentrated in the final third.
Encore began with sweet cedar, raisin, cocoa and baking spice. Cedar, cinnamon and natural tobacco sweetness opened the cigar as cocoa and pepper developed gradually. Caramel, roasted nuts, coffee and dried fruit formed the center before espresso, oak and baking spice grew richer while sweetness remained intact.
Both cigars shared cedar, cocoa, coffee, espresso, oak, pepper and sweetness. Liga expressed those elements with greater darkness and concentration through oily smoke, leather, charred oak and mineral earth. Encore was brighter and sweeter through raisin, cinnamon, caramel, dried fruit and baking spice.
Where Third Place Was Decided
Four categories produced no separation. Construction and draw tied 5.0 to 5.0: Liga supplied excellent airflow, heavy smoke and strong ash, while Encore delivered an excellent draw, steady combustion and firm ash. Complexity and balance also tied at perfect 5.0 scores because both cigars transitioned richly without losing composure.
Published score: 29.5-29.5; official M64 winner: Liga Privada T52.
Encore gained half a point on burn, 5.0 to 4.5. Its steady, precise combustion earned the perfect mark, while Liga's burn remained Outstanding. Liga recovered that half point on finish, winning 5.0 to 4.5 with an exceptionally long, dark and forceful close built on espresso, pepper and mineral-rich earth.
Those opposing advantages returned the public scorecard to a deadlock. CigarOfTheYear.com's public pages do not state an M64 tiebreak formula. The accurate record is therefore a tied published assessment and an official bracket victory for Liga—not an invented numerical margin.
Official Result: Liga Privada T52 Wins Match M64
The official Championship page awards Third Place to Liga Privada T52 over E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic. Liga finished #3 overall with a 6-1 record and an Exceptional 29.5 evaluation. Encore finished #4 overall at 5-2 with the same Exceptional 29.5 score.
Match M64 completed the 2026 Cigar of the Year tournament: 48 group-stage matches, eight Top 16 matches, four Grand 8 quarterfinals, two Final Smokeout semifinals, the Championship and the Third Place Match—64 publication-ready matchup articles in official tournament order.
Final Ashology Verdict
Encore delivered a podium-caliber performance. It matched Liga in construction, draw, complexity and balance, then gained the cleaner burn. Its cedar, cocoa, cinnamon, caramel, nuts, coffee, dried fruit, espresso and oak formed a polished, complete final appearance.
Liga secured Third Place in the official record after an equally exceptional performance defined by deeper power and a perfect finish. The transparent conclusion matters: the published cards are tied, the category exchange is even, and the bracket—not a fabricated point differential—places Liga on the podium.
Tasting notes reflect the cigars and vitolas evaluated during the 2026 competition. Flavor, strength and burn performance may vary based on storage, age, vitola and individual palate. Tobacco products are intended only for adults of legal smoking age.