Your Stand Out Cigar Moment (s) of 2024?

[El Presidente]

As we are about to call full time on 2024? What was your standout cigar moments of 2024? 

Define standout? 

That cigar that literally stunned you with its "magnificence".  In terms of cigars....the untimate "Wow" moment of 2024 

Don't give us more than two picks (if there are that many contenders). 

Your stand out cigar (s) of 2024 

 

[sbsbsb1]

Bolivar Royal Coronas and SCdLH La Fuerza. These were both so great this year. Specifically, BRC from Partagas factory and La Fuerza from La Corona.  Smoking and burning great young.

 

[El Presidente]

My cigar moments of the Year were suprisingly both Cohiba. 

Cohiba Siglo III (2023). Pure honeyed bliss. 97. Ken and I reviewed one the week prior and it was a 95. I went back to the well and pulled this one. 

Cohiba Siglo VI (2012). Everything you wanted in a Cohiba. 99

 

[JohnS]

My two standout cigar moments in 2024 both include new, 'de luxe' releases; namely, the Quai d'Orsay Imperiales and Bolivar New Gold Medal. Sure, I had my fair share of outstanding, aged regular production cigars (off the top of my head - LUB Oct 14 H.Upmann No.2, APU Jul 2015 Trinidad Coloniales and LTB Feb 2013 Cohiba Siglo II) but these two releases stood out for their combined youthfulness and quality.

[Redgoldband]

My standout of 2024 was the PSE2, UBL April ‘22. Man, if heaven was a cigar…Prior to, an aged PSD4 (age unknown) given to me by a friend in 2023 was the height of bliss for me. The PSE2 shattered that and took my expectations to a higher level because of the push/pull of spice at the right moments, but hints of salt, cashew, and smoothness. For only being aged two years, I can only imagine where these will go. I only have one more remaining of said 3-pack and it’s intended to be a celebratory cigar to be had with champagne. Let’s hope from something amazing to happen in 2025!


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[loose_axle]

The Diplomaticos PCC 30th anniversary is my number one for the year. 

My second would be a SCDLH Jarra Torreon from a 2019 jar over Christmas, rich and delicious.

Runners up would be a HDM Rio de Seco from a 2024 box, an H Upmann Mag 50 from a 2023 box and the Tauromaquia Partagas E2.

My main takeaway from 2024 is how much I preferred wider ring gauges so I’ll be stocking up with more next year.  

[garifo]

Nothing has surpassed the Ramón Allones No. 2 EL 2019 for me. I had another one from the same box last week, and it was even better than the 1st one.

[GerardMichaelTX]

I grabbed a 5-er of Meerapfel right at the end of 2023 for my brother as his Christmas gift. That was rewarded with a Meerapfel Ash Tray and a handful of Robustos along with the Opus Dubai Edition and a RP Conviction which I have yet to smoke. Those Meerapfel Robustos were probably the best smoke I have had since I picked up a box of Behike 52's in 2017. 

Cohiba Atmosphere in Prague was the peak of my cigar travels in 2024. Had a Cohiba Robusto/Panatela and RyJ Wide Churchills. Did that pretty much every evening while my cousin napped at the Hotel.

Best mail-in split/gift was the Bond Roberts 109 Split here on the forum. I ran across the lead sales rep for Oscar here in my area at a Heavy Metal Market this past weekend and he himself mentioned that he smoked his last BR just a few days prior. He handed me a Cigars for Warriors toro which was pretty good. I offered him an LFD Cab no. 6. Would have never expected to run across him at a heavy metal market.

2024 was a pretty good year for cigar experiences overall. Can't wait to get back to work in 2025.

[hrs1]

BRO AGO 19 Tainos was just exactly perfect.

REG ABR 18 Siglo Vs never let me down

[joeypots]

I’m a little surprised by my results. 5 of the top 10 cigars I smoked this year were from a SOM AGO ’16 50 cab of Punch Punch.  I shared a few of these. One guy got it, another would have preferred his Macanudo. There’s no accounting for taste.

Other cigars that were special.

’12 Siglo VI, 

’16 MCDE

’15 Siglo III

Happy new year,  may your next cigar be the best evah.

[Chibearsv]

Most perfect cigar of the year was Sir Winston GR that I smoked on Christmas day. 

However, the best smoke of the year was Dip 2 RAT JUL 20. It was the most pleasant surprise by miles. Shockingly good, balanced, complex, flavorful. It had it all. I always enjoy a Dip 2 but this one was spectacular. I'd put it over the CPEs I smoked this year, it was that good.

[Cigarsmoker81]

I bought 8 singles of e2 partagas from Spain last summer and enjoyed them early this year and they were amazing. I kept chasing them in the stock that I have but nothing compares. 

[Bri Fi]

On 12/31/2024 at 3:55 AM, Chibearsv said:

Most perfect cigar of the year was Sir Winston GR that I smoked on Christmas day. 

However, the best smoke of the year was Dip 2 RAT JUL 20. It was the most pleasant surprise by miles. Shockingly good, balanced, complex, flavorful. It had it all. I always enjoy a Dip 2 but this one was spectacular. I'd put it over the CPEs I smoked this year, it was that good.

I have a box of RAT AGO 20 that I haven’t touched in a couple years. Thanks for suggesting my New Year's smoke. 

[Ford2112]

Punch DC

 

[chasy]

CoRo in the warm Florida sun back in October. Was exactly why I chase these cigars, when they are on, they are flawless.

[BrightonCorgi]

There was no super standout moment, but last Sunday's Monte A (~1999) was a real treat. No re-lights and rolled to perfection. The wrapper so large and perfect! The box itself had a few duds. I am down the last one of this box. After that it's just coffin 5 pack boxes. I used to smoke them often, but now it's 2-3 a year.

[Garand]

Ramon Allones Gigantes, fresh out of the box.

[David8406]

I’ve just picked back up with the CC hobby after about a 15 year hiatus. My current humidor has room for about 12 boxes so that was the first thing to do was resupply. Started looking at my old sources and many of them were no longer in business or not guaranteeing delivery so new sources were in order. But my cigar moment was when I realized the new pricing structure. Holy moly! The days of a $200 box of Cohiba Robustos are long past! Even the days of having an inventory list with box codes, those seem to be in the past as well.

Regardless, I have filled the humidor back up with a base supply and I’m already researching a new, larger humidor. Most of my cigars are young and in need of some age. Have not come to grips with the prices of aged cigars yet.

I’ve really enjoyed this forum. Lots of new offerings when compared to 15 years ago and this place has been invaluable.

[Darco]

Cohiba DC EL 2003

[westg]

Honestly this big Kuhana you brought over in May...was it an Alex blend? I gave it some serious thought as the Cuban Cigar Gods may strike down upon me with furious vengeance. Was an incredible cigar. Construction, in depth flavours and beautifully balanced. 

[Texwrangler]

Mine is always the last one I smoked. I try not to take for granted I'll smoke another later. My last one was a 2019 Monte 4 with a very noticeable hint of unsweet chocolate.

[JY0]

A day late but here is mine. I moved recently, had to empty my humidor and found a box of PL Encantos buried deep. Decided to enjoy one. I will savor this box. 

[Glass Half Full]

A “Diplomatic Gift” cigar — provided by and enjoyed with @cigarnv, who estimated it being from some year between 2002-2006. He could recount some stories of going to Cuba. 

A small group, including @yadegari6, enjoyed this with @cigarnv this past June. (Of course, he passed in September of 2024). I didn't appreciate the importance at the time, but whenever we enjoyed something unusual with @cigarnv I would try to take some notes so the group could better remember it. The notes here are just about the wonderfully crazy complex flavors this cigar brought, as follows...

Unusual size:  7 4/10ths x 41  — Just a wild ride of twang throughout. Sweet tobacco & slight dough notes on the cold draw. Mid-to-full flavors on the open but not strong. First 3rd brought wheat berry, cedar and bread notes, constant transitions; 2nd/3rd sees an uptick in boldness, honey, uncooked pastry notes and twang gets deeper, resonant, a mineral-focussed array of umami; the 3rd/3rd is just, well, “Sobroso.”  

That last bit brought a drop and then re-emergence of boldness (mid then medium full), increasing creaminess and a constant changing of flavors from forest floor, morel mushrooms, and must -- then to fruit and desserts (overripe strawberries for a moment; cheese cake or ginger bread for some; raw ginger for a moment for me) just some crazy flavors I'd never experienced in a cigar. Then back to that deep, deep twang, which built up in almost overwhelming intensity to the tiniest of nubs.

Wow.

One in our group gave it a 97 (if I recall right) and deemed it “cigar of the year.” Looking back, that assessment was right for many reasons. Thankful for the memories.  

[oneizzzz]

I was lucky to pick up some Encantos this year, and I smoked 2 of them in 2024. They were both so mild and sweet that I slurped them down very quickly. Each is memorable. To borrow a term from our beloved @JohnS' smoking diary describing this very cigar, I am "singing from the same song sheet" as @JY0.

The other standout was a dark-wrappered LTO DIC 20 Siglo VI. Each of the first two cigars from this box had been muddled in flavor, due in my opinion to the youthful discord between the dark wrapper and the lighter flavor notes for which Cohiba is known. Luckily, this third one seemed to have outgrown its youth and was delivering incredible complexity. On the one hand, the wrapper tasted like dark chocolate, coffee, and prunes. On the other hand, the blend delivered classic light honey and grassiness. What a treat! It is unexpected and can really blow your mind when a cigar delivers such complexity puff after puff.

[Puros Y Vino]

I spent two weeks in Italy last year in Sep/Oct. Brought plenty of cigars. But the best one was at my cousin's place the in mountains near Bolzano. He hosted a pizza night there. He and his wife made about 20 pizzas on the spot in his outdoor grill/pizza oven he built from scratch. Many wines and other spirits were consumed as well. He casually smokes cigars already and is well acquainted with it. Later in the evening, I pulled out two 2002 Cohiba Lanceros. At some points he would just stop and wax poetic on how this cigar was the best he's ever smoked. His reactions were genuine. He commented on what he was tasting, sweetness, grass and some other common Cohiba tasting notes. They were two stellar cigars for sure. It was great to see a casual cigar smoker get their mind blown by something special. I've already smoked a dozen of these 2002 CoLa's myself over the years. They just got better. But this one for sure was the most memorable given the occasion and that it was indeed smoking fantastically.

Here we are hamming it up.