TOP 20 CIGARS
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his is the annual Cigar & Spirits Magazine Top 20 Cigars issue! We are happy to bring you what our Rating Panel has ranked as the top 20 cigars from the hundreds of brands that they have sampled in the past year. Some of the ranked cigars have only been out on the market for a year or so, whereas some of the more well-known, tried and true cigars made it onto the list.
After compiling a list of all of the cigars that have been sampled by the Rating Panel, and looking back to any that were ranked 90 and above, including some they felt deserved a second chance, these made it into the selection pool of cigars. Each member of the Panel then weighs each of those cigars relative to one another, to come up with a projected ranking. The rankings are then compiled, with the cigars being smoked again and given a final rating and rank based on a group consensus.
Top 20 Cigars
As usual, the ratings were all done by our Rating Panel, which has a combined 100 years of cigar smoking experience. A blind tasting of each cigar is done so that each is given a fair review. The descriptions of each cigar provide the basic blend information, strength profile, as well as a few observed tasting notes and additional relevant information. Given that every person and palate is different, you may find that you notice different aspects than what has been pointed out, and that’s a good thing. There’s a pretty good chance you may also find some of the aspects very similar to your experience. In order to keep the cigar samples in top notch condition and maintain their quality, we proudly use humidification products from Cigar Oasis. It is very important that the Rating Panel sample cigars as they are meant to be smoked, ensuring that they are not too try or too moist. We’ve found that the self-regulating humidifiers from Cigar Oasis require the least amount of effort to maintain consistent and perfect RH levels. Make sure that when smoking cigars to compare to the ratings, the cigars are in good condition. Though we do take pride in our ratings, the most important rating any cigar has is the one that you give it while you’re smoking it. This can often vary as there are many factors that enter into the experience of enjoying a cigar. What you’re doing at the time you’re smoking, who you’re with, where you are, and any number of factors can affect your enjoyment of a cigar. We hope that this list of our Top 20 cigars ignites your own discussions as to which cigars you enjoy the most, and how your own personal list compares to ours. This is also a great reference list if you’re looking for some excellent premium cigars to try. So. . .let’s get on with it! COLLECTOR ’S ISSUE 1007
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TOP 20 CIGARS
Gurkha – Cellar Reserve 5 x 58 This release from Gurkha is blended using an oily Criollo 1998 wrapper, aged Dominican Olor binder, and 15-year old Dominican filler. This vintage made cigar comes in figurado and classic shapes and is incredibly smooth. The nice draw pro-
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duces plenty of smoke, and combines both sweet and savory notes on the palate. The taste of toasted oak merges with a hint of molasses, into a medium to full bodied meaty smoke.
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Arturo Fuente – Fuente Fuente Opus X
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Perfecxion No. 2 6 3/8 x 52 A puro blended with wrapper, binder and filler from the Dominican Republic, the Opus X has a unique Cuban-seed Rosado wrapper and tobacco cured in rum barrels prior to being rolled. The unique combination of Fuente tobaccos is bold yet smooth, and produces a slightly sweet and full flavor. Notes of cocoa and raisin intermingle with some pepper. This is a nicely balanced medium to full-bodied cigar with firm construction and a nice draw.
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95 La Palina – Goldie Laguito No. 2 6 x 38 This unique cigar is limited in production to 1,000 boxes of 10. A long, thin cigar, the construction is superb with a great draw and even burn. Notes of wood and nuts with a hint of cinnamon are present on the palate. Made with an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, this medium bodied cigar is worth a try if you can find one.
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JC Newman/Diamond Crown – Julius Caesar Pyramid 6 1/2 x 52 Julius Caesar was the line created to honor J.C. Newman Cigar Company founder Julius Caesar Newman. Rolled at Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic, an Ecuadorian Havanaseed wrapper is used for the blend that also contains 5 year-old Dominican tobacco. Bold and rich, this medium-bodied cigar has coffee and woody flavors that are both spicy and sweet.
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95 Ashton – VSG Series Torpedo 6 ½ x 55
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This mostly medium-bodied cigar produces a rich and complex flavor. The nice draw provides creamy smoke with some chocolate and cedar flavor on the palate, along with a hint of spice. The Virgin Sun Grown is blended exclusively for Ashton by Carlos Fuente Jr. using 4 to 5 yearold aged Dominican binder and filler tobacco. The wrapper is grown on a private estate in Ecuador owned by the Oliva family.
Rocky Patel – Decade Torpedo 6 ½ x 52 Featuring a dark Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and binder and filler from Nicaragua, the Decade is Rocky Patel’s 10th Anniversary cigar. It is a superb cigar with a smooth, rich, and complex flavor including creamy notes of espresso and nuts. This medium to full-bodied cigar is very well balanced with a perfect draw and nice burn.
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AJ Fernandez – San Lotano Oval 5 x 52 This release from AJ Fernandez is a uniquely shaped cigar that is extremely boxed pressed, but with round edges, making it into an oval. The shape lends itself to a truly effortless draw providing volumes of billowing smoke. Blended using a Habano 2000 wrapper that’s aged for at least 4 years, a Nicaraguan binder, and proprietary fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras, this is a very smooth medium-bodied cigar that’s full of flavor. A hint of spice is present, along with black tea and cedar.
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94 Padron – 1926 Serie No. 6 Maduro 4 3/4 x 50 Released in 2002 to commemorate the 75th birthday of Jose O. Padron, this boxpressed Maduro is made with refined tobacco that is aged 5 years. This Nicaraguan Puro packs a punch and is among the most exclusive of the Padron lines. The 1926 Serie has an exceptionally smooth, complex, balanced, and full-bodied flavor, with a great draw and burn.
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Montecristo – Epic Premium Selection Vintage 2007 6 x 52 Blended with a select Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder and a special selection of vintage filler from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, this is a very smooth medium to full-bodied cigar. The excellent construction allows for a perfect draw and great burn. Rich flavors of coffee and chocolate mix for a slightly sweet and savory cigar with a nice aroma.
Graycliff – Chateau Grand Cru Pirate 6 x 52 This Graycliff is a combination of wrapper tobacco from Costa Rica, binder leaf from Ecuador, and three different filler tobaccos from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Cedar notes are most pronounced, with flavors of cocoa, nuts, and some spice also evident. Overall the cigar exudes great balance and superb flavor with a medium body. Uniquely made with a shaggy foot, the construction and draw help make this flavorful cigar top notch.
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Nat Sherman – Timeless Collection No. 2 6 ¼ x 52 A beautiful deep reddish brown torpedo that is blended with wrapper from Honduras, binder from the Dominican Republican and filler tobacco from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Firmly constructed with a nice draw, notes of chocolate and cocoa predominate with hints of espresso and cinnamon. This is a medium-bodied and well balanced cigar with an alluring aroma.
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93 La Aurora – Cien Anos Belicoso 6 ¼ x 52 This limited edition Puro is blended with a Dominican Corojo wrapper, along with a Dominican binder and Dominican filler. Medium to full-bodied, the primary notes on the palate are cedar, leather, caramel and molasses. Previously released in 2003 to much popularity, limited quantities of the cigar were re-released in 2012 by popular demand.
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TOP 20 CIGARS
93 Toraño – Vault A-008 6 x 50
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This blend from the year 2000 was rediscovered in the special blend book held in the Toraño family bank vault. The Vault A-008 is made using a shade grown Nicaraguan Colorado wrapper, two binders from Ometepe, Nicaragua and Jamastran, Honduras, and filler from both Estelí and Condega, Nicaragua. This cigar produces volumes of full bodied smoke with the effortless draw, and complex flavors from spice and wood, to cocoa and dark chocolate.
93 Aging Room – M356 Forte 5 7/8 x 40-56-40 This preferido shaped Dominican Puro is blended with Habano wrapper and 100% Dominican tobaccos from the Aging Room line. A rich brown color shines from this unique cigar. This is a meaty and very savory cigar that has some notes of spice. The construction is great, with an easy draw that produces plumes of smoke. Overall this is a great medium to full bodied cigar that pro-
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vides a pleasurable smoking experience.
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Davidoff – Colorado Claro Special ‘R’ 4 7/8 x 50 This limited edition cigar features a sun-grown Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, also known as a Claro, as well as binder and filler from the Dominican Republic. The reddishbrown wrapper has a nice appearance and firm construction. The great draw and burn provide a good amount of smoke, consisting of rich notes of wood, with slight sweetness and earthiness. This is a complex medium to full-bodied smoke.
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92 Don Pepin Garcia – Original 6 x 50 Don Pepin Garcia blended this original Puro line using a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, with a binder leaf and fillers from Nicaragua. This cigar is a very well balanced and fullbodied smoke. The excellent draw imparts full flavors of cinnamon, spice and coffee with subtle notes of leather and cedar intermingling on the palate.
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Kristoff – GC Signature Series 5 ½ x 54 Blended with a dark and oily Brazilian Maduro wrapper, Cuban seed Honduran binder, and Cuban seed Honduran and Dominican fillers, this is a strong full bodied cigar. Recommended for the more seasoned cigar smoker, this powerhouse is loaded with rich notes of espresso and dark chocolate with a spicy finish. The nice draw easily produces plenty of smoke with a sweet tobacco aroma.
Oliva – Serie V Melanio Churchill 7 x 50 A nicely box-pressed Churchill, this cigar is blended with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, with carefully aged binder and filler from the Jalapa growing region of Nicaragua. Rolled using ligero fillers, this is a rich and robust medium to full-bodied cigar. Very well balanced with flavors of nuts, cinnamon and spice, with a hint of sweetness, this cigar draws and burns nicely.
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92 CAO – Concert Solo 5 ½ x 54 With an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper, a Connecticut Broadleaf binder and four different filler tobaccos including Honduran and Nicaraguan ligero, this unique blend produces a very nice aroma. This cigar starts off with some noticeable pepper then develops into a sweeter and creamier smoke with some
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herbal qualities. The firm construction provides for an excellent draw and nice burn rounding out this medium to full-bodied cigar.
92 Alec Bradley – Black Market Toro 6 x 50 This medium-bodied cigar is full of flavor. Blended with a nice reddish-brown Nicaraguan wrapper, binder from Sumatra and filler tobacco from Panama and Honduras, this unique blend is savory and subtly sweet. Flavors of toasted oak, raisin and gingerbread are somewhat apparent. The construction provides a nice draw and burn making this an enjoyable cigar.
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