Alright, here we go!
Please keep in mind all cigar eligible for the Cigar of the Year, must not exceed retail price of $10 (for the most part). Here is my Top 5 Candidates for Zen Cigar of the Year in random order (picked from the 2009 list):
Alec Bradley SCR (Special Cabinet Reserve) – it was between this and the Casa Fernandez, but since both are made by Arsenio Ramos at the Raices Cubanas factory, I went with the SCR as it has a little more bang for the buck.
Liga Privada T-52 by Drew Estate – this cigar barely beat the buzzer, arriving only a few weeks ago. But this stalk-cut Habano-wrapped cigar is strong, rich and complex!
Room 101 Cigars by Camacho – this cigar got me interested in Camachos again. A dynamite Honduran cigar!
Oliva Connecticut Reserve - a very early release this year, but this a great mild but flavorful cigar that’s also light on the wallet.
Punch Uppercut – this one came in at the last moment for me and it’s really a toss-up between this and CAO’s La Traviata as the “pleasant surprise” of the year. Not a strong as the name implies, but very flavorful and fairly complex.
So there you have it folks! The Top5 Cigars of the Year, as seen by yours truly. I’ve given it a lot of thought and tried to pick cigars from different ends of the spectrum to give all readers a potential favorite in the running. If it hasn’t been released yet, it did not go into the running and will carry over to the 2010 ZCOY. The poll is below, please vote, and if you feel strongly I left your favorite off, write-in votes will count to the Zen Reader’s Cigar of the Year. Please remember the cigar to qualify cannot be a limited edition or release and has to be available in more than one size.
I will announce my choice at the end(ish) of the month, along with the final results from the poll. The poll will be open until I close it, I’ll let you know soon.
Stay tuned for the Limited Edition Top 5!
The Zennie
Based on your criteria and with that list, my vote goes to the T-52.
Thanks Matt! Any you think I missed?
There are so many nice smokes out there that narrowing it down to five is no mean feat. I liked the Casa Ferndandez a bit more than the SCR, but aside from the 101 (which I haven’t smoked yet) I’d say these are all nice choices.
Yeah, I think I went back two or three times between the two. Depending on the day, I would probably pick the other.
Excluding LE’s, I’d say that the Viaje 50/50 & HC colorado are defiitely in my top five ‘new’… I too, would have to include the Room 101 & my top is the T-52 which totally blew me away. I didn’t see the San Cristobal Seleccion del sol – (must be limited). Another another ‘top fiver’, but then again, if this were not excluding LE’s, it would be an entirely different lineup!
Sorry – I see it now…. Top 5 new:
#1 T-52
#2 San Cristobal SDS
#3 HC Colorado
#4 Viaje 50/50
#5 (tie) Room 101 / 7-20-4
LE Top 5:
(From what I have tried)
#1 Boris
#2 Tatuaje Noella Reserva
#3 LFD Habano Corona
#4 Avo Companero
#5 (tie) Drac / Davidoff Colorado Claro (too expensive though)
LE’s I gotta try:
Tat Tubos, LFD Habano DC, Opus Lost City, Viaje Holiday Blend.
Since I’ve only smoked one of the listed, I had to go with Other. I picked the Tatuaje T110. Coming in 2nd for me was the Camacho Connecticut with El Baton a close 3rd.
I have smoked all on your list except T-52. I like all you choices, except the Oliva. Yes, very inexpensive, but just had no flavor at all to me. I voted for the Epernay, currently one of my favs along with new Xikar HC Colrado Habano. Fantastic flavors from both! From your list, I would pick the uppercut since it was so different.
Hey AJ, I’m really with you on the HC colorado habano, what fantastic flavors in that baby! However, the Boris and the Drac, really? I was very let down by the first one of each of those I smoked. I’m letting the others sit for a while. The hype surrounding those this year was really over the top to me. Love the Room 101 too!
I agree w/ you see CJ re: The Drac. I was a little le down there. The Boris, in my mind, was very very good!