Cigar Aficionado 2016 Top 10

[BigAsh]

That time of year again...Numbers 8-10

#10 • 2016 • PUNCH GRAN PURO SANTA RITA (Honduras)


#9 • 2016 • HOYO DE MONTERREY EPICURE NO. 2 (Cuba)


#8 • 2016 • OLIVA SERIE V MELANIO ROBUSTO (Sumatra-seed wrapper grown in Ecuador paired with Nicaraguan tobacco ?!?)

[icehog3]

#9 • 2016 • HOYO DE MONTERREY EPICURE NO. 2 (Cuba)




One of my least favorite CCs of all time. How apropos. :r

[jrw]

One of my least favorite CCs of all time. How apropos. :r

Agreed. The only Hoyos I've liked are the Churchills and Double Robustos.

[icehog3]

Agreed. The only Hoyos I've liked are the Churchills and Double Robustos.

I'm a fan of the "des" and "du" series (du P{rince, des Dieux, du Maire, du Dauphin, etc), but that's about it. I did like the Hoyo Anejado I tried over the summer too.

[The Poet]

Hee-hee-hee. He said "doo".

[pnoon]

Back on topic.

I never put too much stock in Cigar Aficionado's Top 10s. Seems to be driven more by advertising and paybacks. With a token CC or two thrown in an attempt to legitimize their ratings.

[Adriftpanda]

One of my least favorite CCs of all time. How apropos. :r

Because you're pallet is of a 5 year old.

Only the sophisticated like myself can enjoy these

[icehog3]

Because you're pallet is of a 5 year old.

Only the sophisticated like myself can enjoy these

Yes, but the 5 year old is Dick Hacker. So there. :D

[pnoon]

Yes, but the 5 year old is Stinky Dick Hacker. So there. :D

fixed

[BigAsh]

Back on topic.

I never put too much stock in Cigar Aficionado's Top 10s. Seems to be driven more by advertising and paybacks. With a token CC or two thrown in an attempt to legitimize their ratings.

Can't disagree Peter...I post this every year for the lively banter that ensues and also to maybe enlighten some and give some new sticks to try...For me, ratings/reviews, in general, be it cigars, wine, restaurants, etc. are "YMMV"

[pnoon]

Can't disagree Peter...I post this every year for the lively banter that ensues and also to maybe enlighten some and give some new sticks to try...For me, ratings/reviews, in general, be it cigars, wine, restaurants, etc. are "YMMV"

You're a fart smel. . . . er . . . . smart feller.
:hf

[BigAsh]

#7 • 2016 • NORTEÑO ROBUSTO GRANDE (Mexican San Andrés wrapper, a Honduran binder and integrated the two with a filler blend of well-aged Nicaraguan tobaccos)

#6 • 2016 • ARTURO FUENTE ROSADO SUNGROWN MAGNUM R VITOLA “FORTY-FOUR” ( Dominican tobaccos and pairing it with a wrapper leaf from Ecuador)

#5 • 2016 • PADRÓN SERIE 1926 NO. 90 (NATURAL) (NICARAGUA)

[BigAsh]

You're a fart smel. . . . er . . . . smart feller.
:hf

:D :D

[bruceolee]

I gave up my CA subscription a long time ago. It's a wealthy mens lifestyle magazine with a cigar division and a cigar name. For me it goes 2 ways. I either enjoy the cigar or I don't it's that simple. If I REALLY enjoy the cigar and I think it's something special I'll review it with tasting notes and so on but for the most part when I smoke a cigar I'm not thinking about coffee or leather. I'm just enjoying the cigar. For me to desire to review a bad cigar it would have to be unearthly bad and only if there was a funny story to tell about it. The info and reviews I read here are far more important to me than CA. But, as it's been said it's an annual conversation starter and if it gets someone to try something new who am i to knock it? To each their own. :)

[mncigarguy]

I gave up my CA subscription a long time ago. It's a wealthy mens lifestyle magazine with a cigar division and a cigar name. For me it goes 2 ways. I either enjoy the cigar or I don't it's that simple. If I REALLY enjoy the cigar and I think it's something special I'll review it with tasting notes and so on but for the most part when I smoke a cigar I'm not thinking about coffee or leather. I'm just enjoying the cigar. For me to desire to review a bad cigar it would have to be unearthly bad and only if there was a funny story to tell about it. The info and reviews I read here are far more important to me than CA. But, as it's been said it's an annual conversation starter and if it gets someone to try something new who am i to knock it? To each their own. :)

Try Cigar Snob - they do a "ratings" thing in every issue, not so fancy and it showcases one woman, I mean it advertises for some womens apparel. In case you need to find something for your wife or girlfriend

[nutcracker]

I spoke to a cigar producer some time ago (nameless ofr obvious reasons). He was not getting great ratings in the mag, and followed it really closely. Enter a couple of full page adverts - and bingo - suddenly your product is more appealing.

Sorry - it's plain Bull Shiite.

It unfortunately makes a massive impact on sales. Score an 89 and you're not selling. Then the distributor can buy the special stickers for your store "Rated 96 by Cigar Aficionado".

Same deal with Wine Spectator - which I gave up on LOOOONG ago.

Sorry to be a cynic but I don't give it much credence, unless the description really jumps out at me.

I guess I'll still try number 1.

What a hypocrite!!!

[BigAsh]

#4 • 2016 • E.P. CARILLO SELECCIÓN OSCURO PIRAMIDES ROYAL (Mexican wrapper, Ecuadoran binder and Nicaraguan filler)

#3 • 2016 • PARTAGÁS SERIE E NO. 2 (samples with a box date of August 2016 mark the most impressive Cuban of the year)


#2 • 2016 • ROCKY PATEL SUN GROWN MADURO ROBUSTO (Nicaragua)

[icehog3]

C'mon, Gurkha!! :D

[dave]

That RP is also in Snob's top 10....fwiw

[dave]

sorry.....cigar snob's number 8 is RP SG Maduro TORO, not rob

[mncigarguy]

That sungrown Rocky has been on sale on various sites for the last two months, not any more - ha!
Holts had them for like 75 bucks a box!

[T.G]

fixed

Can't argue with a Stinky Dick Hacker.

[jjirons69]

It's a pretty magazine with a lot of expensive crap. Even the cheap stuff is expensive.

I often wonder how the judging comes about - I mean I know how they score them, but who and how. Do they have 100 bandless cigars, say robusto sizes, and they blind taste them all? We all know that band warps the mind. Does one dude blind taste all 100 or is it a crowd? Do the same folks do it month in, month out? If you gave 4 of us 25 to test separately, especially blind, we'd get all kinds of values. The reveal would be like, "Oh, chit, we can't publish this!" Besides, RP would flip over backwards if his Sungrown robusto scored 70 points. He would yank his advertising! I don't think a sleek, beautiful, great-drawing, great-tasting Felipe Dominicana or Free Cuba (might be one on occasion) smoked blind with a score of 93 would ever make the listing on the reveal. Horsefeathers!

[icehog3]

It's a pretty magazine with a lot of expensive crap. Even the cheap stuff is expensive.

I often wonder how the judging comes about - I mean I know how they score them, but who and how. Do they have 100 bandless cigars, say robusto sizes, and they blind taste them all? We all know that band warps the mind. Does one dude blind taste all 100 or is it a crowd? Do the same folks do it month in, month out? If you gave 4 of us 25 to test separately, especially blind, we'd get all kinds of values. The reveal would be like, "Oh, chit, we can't publish this!" Besides, RP would flip over backwards if his Sungrown robusto scored 70 points. He would yank his advertising! I don't think a sleek, beautiful, great-drawing, great-tasting Felipe Dominicana or Free Cuba (might be one on occasion) smoked blind with a score of 93 would ever make the listing on the reveal. Horsefeathers!

It's a secret, but I can tell you.....


It's magic. :)

[bruceolee]

It's a secret, but I can tell you.....


It's magic. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u40mJ_ls5VE

I imagine it's something like this

[icehog3]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u40mJ_ls5VE

I imagine it's something like this

Much like how they gather the cigars for reviewing....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nKkGqHCfCI

[BigAsh]

And the #1 cigar of 2016...


Wait for it...


#1 • 2016 • la flor dominicana andalusian bull

[stearns]

It's a pretty magazine with a lot of expensive crap. Even the cheap stuff is expensive.

I often wonder how the judging comes about - I mean I know how they score them, but who and how. Do they have 100 bandless cigars, say robusto sizes, and they blind taste them all? We all know that band warps the mind. Does one dude blind taste all 100 or is it a crowd? Do the same folks do it month in, month out? If you gave 4 of us 25 to test separately, especially blind, we'd get all kinds of values. The reveal would be like, "Oh, chit, we can't publish this!" Besides, RP would flip over backwards if his Sungrown robusto scored 70 points. He would yank his advertising! I don't think a sleek, beautiful, great-drawing, great-tasting Felipe Dominicana or Free Cuba (might be one on occasion) smoked blind with a score of 93 would ever make the listing on the reveal. Horsefeathers!

I've heard people "in the industry" but not CA employees try to explain the process, I don't remember the specifics but it's supposedly blind and "impartial." doesn't change the fact that those who advertise get higher ratings, and you start seeing ads an issue or two before the end of the year for those that end up the highest (other than the obligatory random cc so people can say "oooo I want to try that one day"). In my opinion that's the only objective part of the process, 8 times out of 10 if a top rated cigar isn't Cuban it is specifically advertised for in their magazine.

Truth is it sells the cigars to those that don't know, when the list comes out people would come into our shop and ask for everything from the top 10 and if we didn't have them they would get frustrated as if we are choosing not to stock what is unanimously the best cigar in the world because that's what the top people are saying. I don't know how much they pay CA to be in the top, maybe it's an unwritten understanding, but a higher rating in their listing = more stores buying the cigars because more people who casually ready CA who want to be an "aficionado" always want to smoke what the "aficionados" smoke. CA knows this and will not give away that power to something as silly as chance, or a group of "experts" who could possibly pick one that doesn't advertise with them. Maybe they only pick from a pool of advertisers, maybe they go off how many they get sent for free, I don't think we'll ever know.

**note I haven't picked up an issue in probably 4 years so I'm just going off my prior experience working in a cigar shop, but I don't think it's changed much

[Alpedhuez55]

I was so sure Phillies Strawberry Blunts were goint to take the #1 spot this year.

Though I will say the RP is a really good cigar and I have not trouble with that at #2. That Sun Grown is a really good line.

[jjirons69]

Thanks, Ben. Makes perfect sense. I like what you said about blind picking from those that participate in our magazine. You pay, you get thrown in the mix - you might win. No pay, no play. So it's the Top 10 of those that pay with the obligatory CC for good measure. That cuts the field way down.

You know I drink Budweiser because it IS the king of beers.

[Arranbrown]

hello
i'm new here.i also like 4 • 2016 • E.P. CARILLO SELECCIÓN OSCURO PIRAMIDES ROYAL (Mexican wrapper, Ecuadoran binder and Nicaraguan filler)
• 2016 • PARTAGÁS SERIE E NO. 2 (samples with a box date of August 2016 mark the most impressive Cuban of the year)
regards
aaran brown

[Footbag]

Devil's advocate here... There would be a number of brands out there that I never would've heard of unless they showed up on their list. Illusione being the first one to pop into my mind. There are also many sticks where I disagree with the CA ratings, but in general, it's no different then any other hobbyist magazine out there. They don't say the bad things about there advertisers. Only the good.

The odd thing about this hobby is it's all about which flavor you like. Hopefully, they're honest and post what they actually like, but there is no guarantee that anyone else will like it.

My overall thoughts are that it's a net positive.

[stearns]

I agree with it being net positive, I think any time we can get more people into the cigar world it's a good thing.

The tricky part is really deciding between the $5k and the $7k prosciutto slicer, but I ready an article in CA one time explaining why the $7k is really worth the extra scratch :D

(true story)

[T.G]

I agree with it being net positive, I think any time we can get more people into the cigar world it's a good thing.

The tricky part is really deciding between the $5k and the $7k prosciutto slicer, but I ready an article in CA one time explaining why the $7k is really worth the extra scratch :D

(true story)

If you were to use the 3 match technique for lighting your cigars then you would understand why the $7k slicer is better, you philistine dolt.

[Footbag]

If you were to use the 3 match technique for lighting your cigars then you would understand why the $7k slicer is better, you philistine dolt.

He's obviously never eaten prosciutto sliced too thick! :sl

[markem]

I liken the CA list to professional wresting. It gets people talking and that isn't a bad thing. Brings together people who might not otherwise meet.

There is also the part that most know that it is for entertainment purposes only and not designed to be taken seriously. A source of entertainment, so to speak. However, some do take it seriously and we can only hope that they don't hurt themselves too badly.

[spark]

If you were to use the 3 match technique for lighting your cigars then you would understand why the $7k slicer is better, you philistine dolt.

This man understands the meaning of life

[holtad]

I have to admit, I'm a noob and did get suckered by the CA top 25. So far I'm just into the AF Sun Grown but haven't smoked it yet.

All that aside, am curious about people's thoughts on #1 on the list at least. is the Bull worth the ride?

[Nazgul]

Few good sticks in there, the Oliva V Melanio and Partagas Serie E no.2 are tasty. I don't put much merit in the rating systems anywhere, everyone's buds are unique

[AdamJoshua]

I just read it for the articles.

[benchjockey]

I just get it for the naked cigars.

[Weelok]

I get it because they support the cigar industry in a time and culture where cigar smokers are under constant attack and those that enjoy cigars are shrinking.

[Porch Dweller]

I have to admit, I'm a noob and did get suckered by the CA top 25. So far I'm just into the AF Sun Grown but haven't smoked it yet.

All that aside, am curious about people's thoughts on #1 on the list at least. is the Bull worth the ride?

I've never had it but have never had a bad LFD, either. So I'd give it a try.