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CA's 2016 Top 25 - Any Guesses?

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Id like to see the Singulare on there but cant remember the last time I saw a PC or Rothchilde make the list. A handful of stuff I smoke usually makes the Top 25. Love it or hate it, its usually a decent guide for newbies.

They put a heavy weight on appearance, including points for the band design. A clever artisan roll will get you a good head start. They also have been known to just smoke the first 10-15 min of each cigar, sad endings not considered.

Im always more interested in the Halfwheel aggregated list.

If that were true than General Cigar and Davidoff would win every year as they advertise a lot. None of the big companies have won in awhile.
General owns CAO, the Flathead was #3 in 2015
 
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If the Illusione Haut 10 doesn't make it, I'll be a monkey's uncle.

My other votes:

  • Warped Villa Sombra
  • Caldwell Savages
  • Crowned Heads Le Careme
  • Davidoff Yamasa
  • Caldwell/DE All-Out Kings
  • Diamond Crown Black Diamond
  • RomaCraft WunderLust
  • Tatuaje Black Label Petite Robusto
  • Tatuaje Krueger
  • Warped Villa de Nube
  • RomaCraft Neanderthal Lancero
  • Casa Cuba Divine Inspiration
And any Top list that doesn't include the Padron 50th The Hammer is not worth the paper it's printed on. That's a stick for the ages.
 
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Year after year this is more about rewarding their advertisers than picking the best cigars. As mentioned, Alec Bradley, Rocky Patel, My Father, Pardon, etc. Will all get cigars in top 25.

I noticed La Palina now advertises on CA it will be interesting to see if they make it.



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Won't make the list because it wasn't reviewed but my favorite 2016 new release (out of the 52 new releases I smoked in 2016...yikes) has been the Black Label Trading Company Bishop's Blend. Love that cigar.
 
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BOTL - I hesitated to comment, at first...buuuuuut--here's my .02.

The CA Top 25 is fairly easy to predict--at least the first 10 or so spots. You've got a 90% shot that the following will have a place among the Top 10 there: Padron, Fuente, Ashton, Rocky, and some General and/or Altadis product. Throw in a Cuban or 2--AND (very importantly) one you don't really see coming that you wouldn't expect--that's their attempt to prove "See--we're unbiased and this isn't based upon ad revenue." Past examples: Viaje, Aging Room, PdR, etc.

Currently, their 'boutique-golden-boy' is Dion (Illusione)--but I will say that he deserves it. His cigars are excellent.

IMHO, I think Pete (Tatuaje, L'Atelier) has been long overdue and doesn't get his credit due there.

At the end of the day, we can say what we will about the CA Top 25 list; however, it always manages to create good discussion, and let's face it--we all look forward to it because it's just fun to anticipate and watch it unfold.

Cheers!

Jon Huber
Crowned Heads
 

Angry Bill

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BOTL - I hesitated to comment, at first...buuuuuut--here's my .02.

The CA Top 25 is fairly easy to predict--at least the first 10 or so spots. You've got a 90% shot that the following will have a place among the Top 10 there: Padron, Fuente, Ashton, Rocky, and some General and/or Altadis product. Throw in a Cuban or 2--AND (very importantly) one you don't really see coming that you wouldn't expect--that's their attempt to prove "See--we're unbiased and this isn't based upon ad revenue." Past examples: Viaje, Aging Room, PdR, etc.

Currently, their 'boutique-golden-boy' is Dion (Illusione)--but I will say that he deserves it. His cigars are excellent.

IMHO, I think Pete (Tatuaje, L'Atelier) has been long overdue and doesn't get his credit due there.

At the end of the day, we can say what we will about the CA Top 25 list; however, it always manages to create good discussion, and let's face it--we all look forward to it because it's just fun to anticipate and watch it unfold.

Cheers!

Jon Huber
Crowned Heads
As usual Jon spot on.

Pete and Dion seem always to get short changed on the list. Hopefully we see your name on that list this year. All 3 of you are making great cigars. CA list always differs from my personal top 25, but that is because my taste preference and palate is different from a lot of people. But a great discussion about the passion of cigars is always welcome. Smoke what you enjoy.

By the way, enjoying a Jericho Hill short now, yummy with my Cubita coffee.
 
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Every year the TOP 25 list from CA gets a lot of cynicism. I happen to enjoy the magazine. It's a guilty pleasure to read a men's lifestyle magazine that's not full of half-dressed young girls. Of course they tend to review sticks that their advertisers promote. I'd do the same. The top 10 are always great cigars, maybe not my personal preference but they are quality smokes. I enjoy the list every year, especially the list of best bargains.
 

memphsdad

But I don't live in Memphis
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Every year the TOP 25 list from CA gets a lot of cynicism. I happen to enjoy the magazine. It's a guilty pleasure to read a men's lifestyle magazine that's not full of half-dressed young girls. Of course they tend to review sticks that their advertisers promote. I'd do the same. The top 10 are always great cigars, maybe not my personal preference but they are quality smokes. I enjoy the list every year, especially the list of best bargains.
Are you saying that you would enjoy the magazine less if there were half-dressed girls? :)
 
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