CIGAR JOURNAL’S TOP 25 CIGARS OF 2022

[El Presidente]

CIGAR JOURNAL’S TOP 25 CIGARS OF 2022: #19 TO #2

 

 

https://www.cigarjournal.com/cigar-journals-top-25-cigars-of-2022-19-to-14/

[LizardGizmo]

Interesting that "only the cigars that were released less than two years ago were eligible for selection."

[Cigar Surgeon]

1 hour ago, lizardgizmo said:

Interesting that "only the cigars that were released less than two years ago were eligible for selection."

I know Cigar Coop changed his date range, because manufacturers kept pushing more and more releases to the end of the year making the review cycle harder each year. Over at DP I wish we had done the same as we're just now finishing all the glut of releases in August.

Coop goes from the start of the PCA trade show the previous year to the start of the PCA trade show the next year I misspoke here, and it's "The cigar must have been released in a two-year window for release ending the day before the PCA Trade Show of the current calendar year."

I think that's a pretty good approach.

[Lamboinee]

When I saw that cigar journal was using the last two year period I thought it was a bit odd considering that most others seem to use a 1 year cycle.  IMO the most important thing from a consumer standpoint is being able to know whether or not I am able to buy a cigar from the same lot of tobacco/cigars that was used to make the cigar that was rated.   If it's a new stick and it is reviewed upon its release, I am under the the impression that there should be a pretty good chance that I will get a same similar cigar if I also buy it in the year/months following it's release.  However, it also means that the usefulness of a review could decrease over time for a given cigar.   I'm not sure how far out you can go and still be confident that the cigar is comparable with something in a review of a newly released cigar.  This also highlights that the potential dearth in mechanisms that can reliably assist cigar consumers in their purchases of cigars that are 1) older than 1 year, and 2) not "known commodities".

This is an important issue for me as I have come to appreciate tobacco sources and tobacco dates more and more, especially as I've gotten into CCs.  I truly wish there was some kind of consumer bill of cigar rights or some kind of designation (more than a D.O.P.) that could be given so the consumer would have better knowledge.  Like a good housekeeping stamp of approval.  Although some cigar makers are adding more details to certain cigars, I imagine the burden/risks associated with MORE detail is not worth it for the manufacturers.  And, why would they create more work for themselves, unless the consumer demands to be respected?  

CC's have a box code and a somewhat reliable serial # system (that even @El Presidente has demonstrated to be "wishy washy" at times) which is better than nothing.  What do the NC consumer's get???? A bag of human hair and bad press press release tolling the virtues of "perfectly aged tobacco". I suppose we get what we deserve since we seem to buy most anything marketed with a silly name or celebrity.  I've had some NC's with box date "stickers" which I suppose might be reliable and there are a few with "stamps" on certain cigars. Padrons have a serial # band that I'm unsure how to verify or use (if anyone knows, please enlighten me)....but I've never seen/smoked a fake padron that I am aware of and I wouldn't know  what to do with the serial # even if I thought I had a fake paddy.  I think I would know if I was smoking a fake paddy btw....pretty unique flavors imo. Sometimes I scan my padron serial #'s at the self-checkout lane at Kroger just to make sure it won't work, and it hasn't....yet.  As a consumer I want more info, more facts, more accuracy, and more accountability.

I like some time limits to the year-end top cigar lists.  two years might be too far out though in my opinion but I honestly don't think I have enough info to truly assess this position.  Which is how the cigar Illuminati want it I suppose. We should ban together and unite as consumers before all we have left to buy are variations on silly names produced from tobacco from "fertile fields of geographically located farms, rolled in "days of previous past" and aged for "periods of high perceived duration".

1 hour ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

I wish we had done the same as we're just now finishing all the glut of releases in August.

Is there a new/modified criteria that you think would be better for your list? I'm curious.  PCA to PCA is pretty good.  PCA is in July I think, which would fix the August glut issue....but if the big lists change their time frame then cigar makers might just change their release patterns. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

11 minutes ago, Lamboinee said:

Is there a new/modified criteria that you think would be better for your list? I'm curious.  PCA to PCA is pretty good.  PCA is in July I think, which would fix the August glut issue....but if the big lists change their time frame then cigar makers might just change their release patterns. 

I misspoke above. Coop's criteria is from the day before the PCA trade show through 2 years and the day before the next PCA trade show.

I don't think the release patterns are driven by the magazines, or even the tradeshow. It's a byproduct of when most of the purchasing is done for cigars in the US, intermingled with the tobacco growing season.

I'm not sure I'd want to go to a 2 year cycle for us at DP, but I definitely think changing it from the calendar year to the tradeshow year would provide more latitude. Of course then the challenge becomes; when do you put your Top 25 cigar of the year list? In December like everyone else? I'm not sure what the right answer is.

Some NC releases have been really good out of the gate, because they've been given the time to rest before being released to market. Some not so much, possibly because they've been rushed to market. We comment on this from time to time.

[Lamboinee]

4 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

hen do you put your Top 25 cigar of the year list? In December like everyone else? I'm not sure what the right answer is.

Some NC releases have been really good out of the gate, because they've been given the time to rest before being released to market. Some not so much, possibly because they've been rushed to market. We comment on this from time to time.

For what it's worth, I do enjoy having all the lists come out at the end of the year....I get a solid week or so of quality work avoidance.

Yes, I'm becoming a frequent reader of those comments. Thank you for making them.

[El Presidente]

 

CIGAR JOURNAL’S TOP 25 CIGARS OF 2022: #13 TO #8

 

 

[El Presidente]

CIGAR JOURNAL’S TOP 25 CIGARS OF 2022: #7 TO #2

[Namisgr11]

They sure do like the gigantic ring gauges.  

[JohnS]

Cigar Of The Year 2022. - Padrón Family Reserve No.95 Natural

The whole list of Top 25 cigars can be accessed at this link below...

https://www.cigarjournal.com/top-25-of-2022-the-complete-list/

[dowjr1]

Yes a lot of fatties at the top of the list. I am personally not a fan of the 50+ ring gauges but many are it seems.

[Lamboinee]

On 12/23/2022 at 6:57 AM, Namisgr11 said:

They sure do like the gigantic ring gauges.  

I wonder what % of the new cigars that came out in the last two years had a ring gauge greater than 56? 

[Ken Gargett]

1 hour ago, dowjr1 said:

Yes a lot of fatties at the top of the list. I am personally not a fan of the 50+ ring gauges but many are it seems.

yep, too many fat boys. agree. 

[Tstew75]

Having only one CC on the list is laughable

[Ford2112]

70 ring guage????

[Namisgr11]

I'm not saying this validates the list or the paucity of Cubans in any way, but the Journal does call this the list of best new cigars.