It's that time again: Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars starts December 16

[westg]

11 hours ago, Gubbins said:

Brick House Churchill. Top ten? People rate Brickhouse this highly??

I can think of another word to replace brick 🤔 it's an anagram of this. 

[westg]

Good to see a few Cuban big guns thereabouts.  

[Bagman]

15 hours ago, Gubbins said:

Brick House Churchill. Top ten? People rate Brickhouse this highly??

Did you try one this year? I would place in the top 5 for 2024. I was blown away with this cigar and went deep. Given it's price, I question anyone's sanity buying Cuban over this.

[Cigar Surgeon]

#5. Partagás Línea Maestra Maestro

Pretty sure Coop had this pick. 

#6. Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Torpedo

Was sure this was top 3

#7 Rocky Patel Conviction Toro

A bunch of us had this dead to rights. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

Alright well things are getting VERY interesting:

#4 Padrón Serie 1926 No. 6

#3 E.P. Carrillo Encore Celestial

#2 Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua Espeso

• At #10 - I had JC Newman but the Diamond Crown at #18
• At #9 I had Arturo Fuente but Añejo Reserva No. 48 at #3
• At #8 I had Cohiba but the Novedosos at #12
• At #7 I had the Rocky Patel Conviction Toro but at #5. I'll take this as a win
• At #6 I had the Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro Double Toro at #2.  Partial win
• At #5 complete whiff for me
• At #4 I had the Padrón Serie 1926 40th Anniversary at #1.  Partial win
• At #3 I had the E.P. Carrillo Encore Celestial but at #8. I'll take this as win
• At #2 I had the Montecristo Espada Oscuro Quillon at #9, Partial win.

So with the #1 announcement today we could see a few things happen. 

• Fuente and Padron are off the board, or are they? Do we see Fuente doubling up again? 
• I had another Cuban cigar, the Por Larrañaga Fénix Exclusivo Phoenicia or the Romeo y Julieta Cazadores, scoring quite high does that take the #1 position? 
• Do we see La Flor Dominicana 30th take the #1 spot? A limited cigar again from LFD that is a one and done?
• Does My Father jump all the way to #1 with the Judge or La Opulencia?

[MagicalBikeRide]

Based on what you know now John - give us a prediction for the No1 spot..? @Cigar Surgeon

[Cigar Surgeon]

5 hours ago, MagicalBikeRide said:

Based on what you know now John - give us a prediction for the No1 spot..? 

It's so hard to predict but the three brands that are up are Cuban, LFD and My Father. I don't think it's LFD because it's a limited run. I think Habanos getting another #1 spot would alienate a lot of the NC readership.

I have to go with the My Father La Opulencia Toro Gordo. Technically The Judge Grand Robusto scored better in initial tasting, but I think the La Opulencia will do better with the panel.

If it was Cuban, I have it as either the Romeo y Julieta Cazadores or the Por Larrañaga Fénix Exclusivo Phoenicia.

[SMELTZ]

Ashton Heritage Puro Sol Churchill, lets go!

[Bagman]

5 hours ago, SMELTZ said:

Ashton Heritage Puro Sol Churchill, lets go!

You beat me to it! Going with odds and for me, it was one of the best cigars of the year. Hope it doesn't, it will disappear for years if it does.

[Lamboinee]

5 hours ago, SMELTZ said:

Ashton Heritage Puro Sol

I think I preferred them back in the day when they used cameroon wrappers...but a great smoke either way.

[SCgarman]

5 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

It's so hard to predict but the three brands that are up are Cuban, LFD and My Father. I don't think it's LFD because it's a limited run. I think Habanos getting another #1 spot would alienate a lot of the NC readership.

I have to go with the My Father La Opulencia Toro Gordo. Technically The Judge Grand Robusto scored better in initial tasting, but I think the La Opulencia will do better with the panel.

If it was Cuban I have it as either the Romeo y Julieta Cazadores or the Por Larrañaga Fénix Exclusivo Phoenicia.

I really don't think the RyJ Cazzie would have a chance in hell to win CA cigar of the year. To my taste buds, they are very one dimensional, tannic and just not pleasant. A total outlier to the typical RyJ profile. Savona and Mottola are suave, refined New York cigar snobs. You and I both know it won't be Cuban. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

#1 My Father The Judge Grand Robusto 

I had La Opulencia, at least I had My Father down. 

[LizardGizmo]

I couldn't be more disappointed it wasn't a Cuban Trinidad - would've set up about six months of fun content for us 

Just ordered these for review - three years ago we did another The Judge in a different format and rated it a 5.6. Hopefully this one does better.

[SCgarman]

I just ordered two. We'll see...

[Cigar Surgeon]

I will say I agree with Bear and Coop from our CA show. In my opinion the Le Bijou 1922 100 Anos is the best cigar My Father has put out in easily a decade, and that cigar deserves a #1 crown.

[Capn_Jackson]

I quietly predicted to my friends that My Father would be the winner of the dog-and-pony show. With no representation in #2-10, and as much $ as they spend advertising, they were bound to grab #1. But the Judge?? I figured Opulenca or Bijou. Surprised that CA felt the Judge should be hoisted up that high, and “scored” a 98. I’m a big fan in general of how Garcia has risen to prominence and operated, even if I don’t smoke them as much as I used to, but overall these ratings are more laughable, year after year.
 

Top of my list has gotta be ‘23-‘24 BBF. Followed maybe by Padrón 1926 natty #6, and Illusione Haut 10.

[Ford2112]

And the number one cigar of 24 is...a 60 ring guage jawbreaker!!! 

[VeguerosMAN]

CA should only list new cigars in the market like the Cigar Journal for Top 25. 

[Li Bai]

I call BS on that list...Not a single Nudie in the top 10 ?? Come on...

[SCgarman]

1 hour ago, Capn_Jackson said:

I quietly predicted to my friends that My Father would be the winner of the dog-and-pony show. With no representation in #2-10, and as much $ as they spend advertising, they were bound to grab #1. But the Judge?? I figured Opulenca or Bijou. Surprised that CA felt the Judge should be hoisted up that high, and “scored” a 98. I’m a big fan in general of how Garcia has risen to prominence and operated, even if I don’t smoke them as much as I used to, but overall these ratings are more laughable, year after year.
 

Top of my list has gotta be ‘23-‘24 BBF. Followed maybe by Padrón 1926 natty #6, and Illusione Haut 10.

I believe LeBijou from My Father was #1 a few years back.

 

[DrinkSmokeGolf]

What an absolute farce of a publication. 

[SCgarman]

31 minutes ago, DrinkSmokeGolf said:

What an absolute farce of a publication. 

I agree, they are no longer relevant as maybe in the past. But they are all multi-millionaires and likely laugh all the way to the bank.

[Puros Y Vino]

As bad as CA may be, I hope they don't falter. CJ is a better magazine IMO, no others really come close. I was predicting either an AF or Padron as #1. My Father didn't even come to mind.

[zeedubbya]

They’re an absolute farce but I’ll be damned if I didn’t buy a box of those jawbreakers immediately. I have a ton of respect for The Garcia family, they make superb cigars and have done some amazing things. Outside of Padrón, probably my favorite NC. I hate to state the obvious elephant in the room, but with HSA price increases, I am back to hunting more NCs to age and enjoy. They are out there…
 

And oh @Cigar Surgeon you nailed it!  You did mention The Judge, you sir are a master!  🙇 

[Cigar Surgeon]

3 hours ago, zeedubbya said:

and oh @Cigar Surgeon you nailed it! You did mention The Judge, you sir are a master!  🙇 

Kind words but at the point I made the guess it's a bit of a fish in a barrel situation.  As Aaron points out in his PowerPoint, we can nail 15/25 brands consistently every year, another 5 pretty accurately and then it's just a matter of dialing in the releases that likely float to the top.

Once 2-10 brands were identified MF just became the highest probability of remaining brands.