Cigar Aficionado's top 10 for '14

[BigAsh]

Let the fun begin....#'s 8,9 &10....

10. A. Flores 1975 Serie Privada Capa Habano SP52
9. Monte by Montecristo Jacopo No. 2
8. Ashton Estate Sun Grown 22-Year Salute

[nutcracker]

I've only tried the Ashton in this group.
It's got to be up there, for sure.

[jjirons69]

Haven't tried any of these three. I don't get out much.

[The Poet]

Haven't heard of any of these three. I don't get out at all.

[Remo]

The A. Flores is by Pinar Del Rio...I have been smoking the half corona's and they are good!

[WhiteMamba]

Haven't tried any of these three. I don't get out much.

Ditto

[sweater914]

Before I found the crew on the forum I used the CA 10 best list as a gauge for solid cigars, funny thing was I could never find any available after they published their list. Duh, :bh

[Porch Dweller]

The Ashton ESG 22-Year Salute is an absolutely fantastic cigar. It's easily in my top 5 ever smoked.

[icehog3]

Haven't tried any of them. Maybe will look for the Ashton based on James' (and not CA Top 25's) recommendation.

[The Poet]

Haven't tried any of them. Maybe will look for the Ashton based on James' (and not CA Top 25's) recommendation.

I checked JRs and CI, and they're only $450 a box. :r

I've had a few VSGs, and love them. I've never had an ESG, and at those prices I never shall. :tg

[Porch Dweller]

I checked JRs and CI, and they're only $450 a box. :r

I've had a few VSGs, and love them. I've never had an ESG, and at those prices I never shall. :tg

For me it's definitely a special occasion smoke only.

[Porch Dweller]

I checked JRs and CI, and they're only $450 a box. :r

I've had a few VSGs, and love them. I've never had an ESG, and at those prices I never shall. :tg

If you want to get a couple to try at a decent price, look at the "Four Horsemen Super Sampler" here: http://www.holts.com/category.html?id=86664. That's not a bad deal at all.

[icehog3]

If you want to get a couple to try at a decent price, look at the "Four Horsemen Super Sampler" here: http://www.holts.com/category.html?id=86664. That's not a bad deal at all.

Holy crap, don't know much about the new La Aromas, but those are some great cigars for the price!

[JohnRogers]

Trend going on here, I have not tried any of these.

[icehog3]

Holy crap, don't know much about the new La Aromas, but those are some great cigars for the price!

Haven't bought any NCs for a while except singles at the B&M, went ahead and pulled the trigger.

[Ogre]

Holy crap, don't know much about the new La Aromas, but those are some great cigars for the price!

Haven't bought any NCs for a while except singles at the B&M, went ahead and pulled the trigger.

Good call Tom. I am thinking about that one myself.

[icehog3]

Yeah, with the Anejos and Padrons on top of the ESGs, don't know how you could go wrong, Larry.

[The Poet]

Haven't bought any NCs for a while except singles at the B&M, went ahead and pulled the trigger.

Good for you, brother. Merry Christmas from you to you! Enjoy. :tu

[icehog3]

Good for you, brother. Merry Christmas from you to you! Enjoy. :tu

I didn't think of it that way, Thomas, but, Hey! Right! Merry Xmas to me. :)

[Remo]

Holy crap, don't know much about the new La Aromas, but those are some great cigars for the price!

That is a good price, and free shipping :tu

[Porch Dweller]

Holy crap, don't know much about the new La Aromas, but those are some great cigars for the price!

I think the "regular" LADC Mi Amor is tastier than the Mi Amor Reserva, but it's still a tasty, complex cigar. But like you said, at that price you can't go wrong.

[BigAsh]

7. Padrón Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro
6. Fuente Fuente OpusX PerfecXion X
5. Rocky Patel Royale Toro

Hmmmm....I guess all the sticks from that other island are in top 4? :sh

[dave]

7. Padrón Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro
6. Fuente Fuente OpusX PerfecXion X
5. Rocky Patel Royale Toro

Hmmmm....I guess all the sticks from that other island are in top 4? :sh

Never had those, either. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard of RP Royale. Is that because of the metric system?

[Remo]

Is that because of the metric system?

A royale with cheese!

[The.Sheepdog]

Just had a Padron Londres maduro. AWesome smoke.

[smokin5]

I just found a potato that looks exactly like Marvin Shanken's profile.
Should I smoke it now or age it?
If I age it, cello or not?

[AdamJoshua]

I just found a potato that looks exactly like Marvin Shanken's profile.
Should I smoke it now or age it?
If I age it, cello or not?

Let it rest, as you found it, roots down, skin on, nose to the right.

[BigAsh]

4. Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial (Tubo)
MADE BY: N/A

FACTORY LOCATION: CUBA

WRAPPER: CUBA

BINDER: CUBA

FILLER: CUBA

DIMENSIONS: 5 1/2" BY 50 RING

PRICE: £21.26

RATING: 94

3. Illusione Fume d’Amour Clementes
MADE BY: TABSA

FACTORY LOCATION: NICARAGUA

WRAPPER: NICARAGUA

BINDER: NICARAGUA

FILLER: NICARAGUA

DIMENSIONS: 6 1/2" BY 48 RING

PRICE: $9.50

RATING: 95

2. E.P. Carrillo La Historia E-III
MADE BY: TABACALERA LA ALIANZA S.A.

FACTORY LOCATION: DOM. REP.

WRAPPER: MEXICO

BINDER: ECUADOR

FILLER: NICARAGUA

DIMENSIONS: 6 7/8" BY 54 RING

PRICE: $8.75

RATING: 95

[mcgoospot]

These ratings are a joke. A review of their magazines through their first four issues last year showed the following:

a) 3 cigars rated 94-All Cuban: Punch Serie D'Oro #2, Hoyo Epi Especial and RyJ Churchill
b) 4 cigars rated 93- 2 Cuban (Upmann #2 and Party Lusi Gran reserva)
c) 14 ciigars rated 92- 5 Cuban

So out of the top 7 rated cigars 5 were CC's and out of the top 21 10 were CC's yet only ONE (maybe 2) make the top ten? Advertising $$$ baby...

[The Poet]

These ratings are a joke. A review of their magazines through their first four issues last year showed the following:

a) 3 cigars rated 94-All Cuban: Punch Serie D'Oro #2, Hoyo Epi Especial and RyJ Churchill
b) 4 cigars rated 93- 2 Cuban (Upmann #2 and Party Lusi Gran reserva)
c) 14 ciigars rated 92- 5 Cuban

So out of the top 7 rated cigars 5 were CC's and out of the top 21 10 were CC's yet only ONE (maybe 2) make the top ten? Advertising $$$ baby...

You may have a point. You may also be arguing in circles. If you contend that these Top Ten ratings are a joke, you undermine your position that the previous ratings are valid. Who is to say which rating was the right one?

Not me, certainly. :r

[icehog3]

I like turtles.

[mcgoospot]

You may have a point. You may also be arguing in circles. If you contend that these Top Ten ratings are a joke, you undermine your position that the previous ratings are valid. Who is to say which rating was the right one?

Not me, certainly. :r

I get your point. There is no reason whatsoever to inflate the scores of CC's since there are no advertising $$ to be gained from their sale. The last five years Cuba has produced, by cA's own rating system, 54% of all cigars rated 91, 65% of all cigars rated 92 and 85% of all cigars rated 93 or above yet in not one of those years has cA given Cuba more than three spots in their top 25 ratings for the year. Statistics don't lie. There can be no logical reason why CC's CONSTANTLY score higher in the bi-monthly reviews yet seem to "tank" when it comes to the top25 other than the fact that the Top25 issue is cA's top selling issue due to people in the US wanting tobuy the year's best stuff. Thus advertising $$$ are rewarded.

[shilala]

There is no reason whatsoever to inflate the scores of CC's since there are no advertising $$ to be gained from their sale.
Of course there is.
You rate the cc's way up there and then compare a Rocky Patel dogrocket in the same breath, and it conveys the idea that Rocky Patel is capable of making a cigar that is worthy of your money, because it's as good or better than some arbitrary cc.
Rocky buys more ads because you made him a ton of money, and everyone is happy.

The fact that a Rocky Patel anything is anywhere near a top 10 best list of is reason enough to validate that the ratings are manufactured.
This is a guy who takes pride in dragging his tobacco through dye and molasses.
I rest my face. :)

[pattersong]

I am extremely pleased with the #1 cigar of 2014. Solid cigar!
Oliva Serie V

BOOOM!

[CigarNut]

I like turtles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObzsX4HhU-M

[icehog3]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObzsX4HhU-M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNry4PE93Y