njstone
BoM January 2010
So do you like the new "V" maduro?
Cigar Aficianado's 2009 top 25 coming in January
- Thread starter bmony
- Start date
I came across this today...
The Top 10 Cigars of 2009:
1. The Padron Family Reserve 45th Anniversary Maduro - (Our Rating: 94)
Ranked a whopping 94 by Cigar Aficionado, the Padron 45th Anniversary cigar touts a big flavor and a big price-tag. Not only are they expensive, they're hard to get! However, any cigar made by Padron with an aged wrapper is going to be one of the best cigars on the planet - and that includes throwing cubans into the mix. The Padron Family Reserve line is the personal blend for the Padron Family. It is set to come out on September 8th of each year following 2009. If you don't mind paying roughly $30-$35 per cigar then these are the best cigars available to US Citizens. This cigar was ranked No. 1 of 2009 because we don't take price into account with these rankings. If you're truly looking for the best cigar of 2009 then price shouldn't be a factor. If you're looking for something almost as good at a lower price then move on to the cigars mentioned below.
2. PIO Resurrection Torpedo - (Our Rating: 92)
The PIO line of cigars is made by Alberto Medine in Miami, Florida and was featured several times in Cigar Insider as well as Smoke Magazine. The earlier edition of the PIO (the Overture series) was rated a 91 by Smoke Magazine and was also one of our favorite cigars. Now, the PIO Resurrection is here and it blew our socks off! We loved it! It is a very unique cigar that has flavors similar to the Padron 1926 series of cigars. We're in love with this cigar! The cigar is wrapped with a broadleaf maduro wrapper and has fillers from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Nicaragua. Comes in three sizes and all three are amazing cigars. Why did we like this cigar so much? Well, most people have never even heard of it so its kind of a cigar that sneaks up on you and makes you say, "wow, this thing is really, really good!" As always, we judge the cigars on flavor, draw, burn, and overall appearance. This cigar didn't do well on the overall appearance because the wrapper is a bit mottled and not beautiful. However, the cigar did extremely well on everything else and had the cigar been "prettier" it could have made a run for No. 1! It is seriously that good.
We aren't the only ones that loved the PIO Resurrection. Here are some other links:
Cigar Cyclopedia gave the PIO Resurrection a stunning A- ! This is NOT easily done!
The guys at Cigar Beat also seem to love the PIO.
3. Rocky Patel Patel Brothers Toro - (Our Rating: 92)
The Rocky Patel Brothers Toro cigar serves two purposes - It's a tribute to Rocky Patel's brother and it is also a reblend of one of Rocky's cigars that did very well with the public (the 2009 Winter Collection). This is a strong, maduro cigar that is packed with flavor. The cigar was originally released at the 2009 IPCPR show (where most of the best cigars seem to emerge every year) and it was a big hit there as well. We gave the cigar high marks because of its flavor, the strong construction, the nice even burn, and the way the cigar draws. If you were a fan of the Rocky Patel 2009 Winter collection you're going to love this cigar. If you're a fan of a full-bodied cigar with a broadleaf, flavorful wrapper you're also going to love this cigar. It has a great price-point at nearly $5 a cigar as well.
4. Alec Bradley SCR Robusto - (Our Rating: 91)
Surprised that Alec Bradley is topping the charts with a new blend? We're not, actually. Alan Rubin has been cranking out some new blends in 2009 and when you put out a 94 rated cigar (The Tempus Centuria) in 2008 it's likely that you might have another big hit in 2009. He does with the SCR Robusto. Not surprising, the SCR is actually very much like the Tempus line except that it is a bit mellower. It has a cuban-style construction with an indonesian binder and Honduran wrapper. You might taste spice, woody notes, and some fruity flavors with this cigar. Why did it do so well with us? Well, the cigar was easy to draw and made tons of full-flavored smoke. The burn was nearly perfect and required no touch-ups. The wrapper is beautiful and the construction was great. The Flavors, as described above, were pleasing and mellow. The Alec Bradley SCR Robusto cigar is just a solid 90-91 all-around cigar.
5. Xikar HC Colorado Belicoso - (Our Rating: 91)
The Xikar HC Colorado line is made in Nestor Plasencia's factory in Nicaragua. This multinational blend is made up of Costa Rican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Nicaraguan wrapper. When we smoked this cigar we tasted flavors of cocoa, cedar, some fruity sweetness, and spice. The cigar buned well and the draw was excellent. The wrapper was evenly done and the construction was acceptable. Cigar Aficionado did rank this cigar very well also, but we're not sure it was quite as good as they said. However, regardless of their rating, it still did a very good job on our charts at a 91. This means the cigar was without question a great cigar.
6. CAO La Traviata Radiante - (Our Rating: 91)
CAO tried to make a "cuban-like" cigar when they made the entire La Traviata line of cigars. Taking the best of the best from Cuba, they've done everything they can to recreate what a cuban cigar looks like, smells like, and tastes like with non-cuban tobacco. Well, they did a pretty good job! The La Traviata Radiante is a winner in anyone's book when it comes to comparing it to the other cigars released in 2009. The cigar has a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper & Cameroon Binder to the nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos this cigar is fantastic. We rated the cigar well because it is a pretty good representation of cuban cigars and had a nice burn, draw, and pleasing flavors. A great buy and a great cigar!
7. Illusione MJ12 - (Our Rating: 90)
The Illusione MJ12 was a well-accepted change for Illusione's Dion and his cigar followers. This cigar is above par in every aspect and has hints of cedar and coffee. We think it's one of the best cigars that Illusione has produced and wish they could do more of these types of blends. Cigar Aficionado, we think, would agree considering that the 91 they gave the Illusione MJ12 is one of the highest ratings given to a cigar by Dion and Illusione. Great cigar and comes wrapped in foil in a box. This cigar is an over-sized toro at 6 x 54 and features Nicaraguan tobaccos only - making it a Nicaraguan Puro. We rated this cigar well because of it's unique flavors, construction, and burn. It did not do as well with the draw, but this was overlooked because it did so well in the other areas of testing.
8. Oliva Cain Habano Torpedo - (Our Rating: 90)
One of our favorite manufacturers is Oliva and that's no secret. Why do we love them so? Well, because they're constantly making fantastic cigars. They do it the right way and they don't cut corners. Oliva scored a huge hit in 2007 with the Oliva Serie V Torpedo that got a whopping 94 by Cigar Aficionado and took the cigar industry by storm. Since then they released a few different blends of cigars including the Oliva Nub, Oliva Connecticut Reserve, and now the Oliva Cain. The Cain is a straight Ligero cigar that is packed with flavor and has a wonderful, spicy aroma. Unfortunately, the Cain didn't do so well with our judges because the cigars were so damn strong! Wooo! These are some strong cigars. If you like the super-strong cigars then you might like this cigar better than we did. The Cain did VERY well on all other categories scored including the draw, burn, and construction. In these three categories it ranked in the 91s to 92s. No bias here, just the facts. These are strong cigars and are made for a specific type of cigar smoker - one that loves strong cigars!
9. La Aroma De Cuba Robusto (Don Pepin Blend) - (Our Rating: 90)
Well, Don Pepin has done it again. He's reblended an old blend of a cigar and made it even better! The new La Aroma De Cuba 2009 Churchill is now rolled by Ashton in Nicaragua. The Cigars now have a chocolaty Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, claimed to to be one of the most flavorful wrappers, and features a rich and spicy blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos. By improving the flavor and quality, Ashton believes that they've produced a new cigar without changing the full-flavored, spicy cigar that smokers have loved for years. We liked this cigar because of its construction, flavor, and burn. The draw was a bit off, but otherwise the cigar scored very well with us.
10. La Flor Dominicana Habano Perfecto - (Our Rating: 90)
La Flor dominicana is also one of our favorite cigar manufacturers. We hoped that they would produce something this year that would help them sway more customers to their lines of cigars. The Habano line was released at the IPCPR show in New Orleans in 2009 and features a habano wrapper and Dominican tobaccos. We liked the cigar because it was medium-bodied and had a great flavor. The cigar struggled with the draw and construction, but it still scored very well with flavor! The La Flor Dominican Habano is another great cigar for anyone that loves cigars because they're only about $7 per cigar.
Not a bad list, I agree with number 1 but the rest IDK. There are no Tats, Fuente, Liga Privada, and only 1 Padron...
The Top 10 Cigars of 2009:
1. The Padron Family Reserve 45th Anniversary Maduro - (Our Rating: 94)
Ranked a whopping 94 by Cigar Aficionado, the Padron 45th Anniversary cigar touts a big flavor and a big price-tag. Not only are they expensive, they're hard to get! However, any cigar made by Padron with an aged wrapper is going to be one of the best cigars on the planet - and that includes throwing cubans into the mix. The Padron Family Reserve line is the personal blend for the Padron Family. It is set to come out on September 8th of each year following 2009. If you don't mind paying roughly $30-$35 per cigar then these are the best cigars available to US Citizens. This cigar was ranked No. 1 of 2009 because we don't take price into account with these rankings. If you're truly looking for the best cigar of 2009 then price shouldn't be a factor. If you're looking for something almost as good at a lower price then move on to the cigars mentioned below.
2. PIO Resurrection Torpedo - (Our Rating: 92)
The PIO line of cigars is made by Alberto Medine in Miami, Florida and was featured several times in Cigar Insider as well as Smoke Magazine. The earlier edition of the PIO (the Overture series) was rated a 91 by Smoke Magazine and was also one of our favorite cigars. Now, the PIO Resurrection is here and it blew our socks off! We loved it! It is a very unique cigar that has flavors similar to the Padron 1926 series of cigars. We're in love with this cigar! The cigar is wrapped with a broadleaf maduro wrapper and has fillers from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Nicaragua. Comes in three sizes and all three are amazing cigars. Why did we like this cigar so much? Well, most people have never even heard of it so its kind of a cigar that sneaks up on you and makes you say, "wow, this thing is really, really good!" As always, we judge the cigars on flavor, draw, burn, and overall appearance. This cigar didn't do well on the overall appearance because the wrapper is a bit mottled and not beautiful. However, the cigar did extremely well on everything else and had the cigar been "prettier" it could have made a run for No. 1! It is seriously that good.
We aren't the only ones that loved the PIO Resurrection. Here are some other links:
Cigar Cyclopedia gave the PIO Resurrection a stunning A- ! This is NOT easily done!
The guys at Cigar Beat also seem to love the PIO.
3. Rocky Patel Patel Brothers Toro - (Our Rating: 92)
The Rocky Patel Brothers Toro cigar serves two purposes - It's a tribute to Rocky Patel's brother and it is also a reblend of one of Rocky's cigars that did very well with the public (the 2009 Winter Collection). This is a strong, maduro cigar that is packed with flavor. The cigar was originally released at the 2009 IPCPR show (where most of the best cigars seem to emerge every year) and it was a big hit there as well. We gave the cigar high marks because of its flavor, the strong construction, the nice even burn, and the way the cigar draws. If you were a fan of the Rocky Patel 2009 Winter collection you're going to love this cigar. If you're a fan of a full-bodied cigar with a broadleaf, flavorful wrapper you're also going to love this cigar. It has a great price-point at nearly $5 a cigar as well.
4. Alec Bradley SCR Robusto - (Our Rating: 91)
Surprised that Alec Bradley is topping the charts with a new blend? We're not, actually. Alan Rubin has been cranking out some new blends in 2009 and when you put out a 94 rated cigar (The Tempus Centuria) in 2008 it's likely that you might have another big hit in 2009. He does with the SCR Robusto. Not surprising, the SCR is actually very much like the Tempus line except that it is a bit mellower. It has a cuban-style construction with an indonesian binder and Honduran wrapper. You might taste spice, woody notes, and some fruity flavors with this cigar. Why did it do so well with us? Well, the cigar was easy to draw and made tons of full-flavored smoke. The burn was nearly perfect and required no touch-ups. The wrapper is beautiful and the construction was great. The Flavors, as described above, were pleasing and mellow. The Alec Bradley SCR Robusto cigar is just a solid 90-91 all-around cigar.
5. Xikar HC Colorado Belicoso - (Our Rating: 91)
The Xikar HC Colorado line is made in Nestor Plasencia's factory in Nicaragua. This multinational blend is made up of Costa Rican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Nicaraguan wrapper. When we smoked this cigar we tasted flavors of cocoa, cedar, some fruity sweetness, and spice. The cigar buned well and the draw was excellent. The wrapper was evenly done and the construction was acceptable. Cigar Aficionado did rank this cigar very well also, but we're not sure it was quite as good as they said. However, regardless of their rating, it still did a very good job on our charts at a 91. This means the cigar was without question a great cigar.
6. CAO La Traviata Radiante - (Our Rating: 91)
CAO tried to make a "cuban-like" cigar when they made the entire La Traviata line of cigars. Taking the best of the best from Cuba, they've done everything they can to recreate what a cuban cigar looks like, smells like, and tastes like with non-cuban tobacco. Well, they did a pretty good job! The La Traviata Radiante is a winner in anyone's book when it comes to comparing it to the other cigars released in 2009. The cigar has a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper & Cameroon Binder to the nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos this cigar is fantastic. We rated the cigar well because it is a pretty good representation of cuban cigars and had a nice burn, draw, and pleasing flavors. A great buy and a great cigar!
7. Illusione MJ12 - (Our Rating: 90)
The Illusione MJ12 was a well-accepted change for Illusione's Dion and his cigar followers. This cigar is above par in every aspect and has hints of cedar and coffee. We think it's one of the best cigars that Illusione has produced and wish they could do more of these types of blends. Cigar Aficionado, we think, would agree considering that the 91 they gave the Illusione MJ12 is one of the highest ratings given to a cigar by Dion and Illusione. Great cigar and comes wrapped in foil in a box. This cigar is an over-sized toro at 6 x 54 and features Nicaraguan tobaccos only - making it a Nicaraguan Puro. We rated this cigar well because of it's unique flavors, construction, and burn. It did not do as well with the draw, but this was overlooked because it did so well in the other areas of testing.
8. Oliva Cain Habano Torpedo - (Our Rating: 90)
One of our favorite manufacturers is Oliva and that's no secret. Why do we love them so? Well, because they're constantly making fantastic cigars. They do it the right way and they don't cut corners. Oliva scored a huge hit in 2007 with the Oliva Serie V Torpedo that got a whopping 94 by Cigar Aficionado and took the cigar industry by storm. Since then they released a few different blends of cigars including the Oliva Nub, Oliva Connecticut Reserve, and now the Oliva Cain. The Cain is a straight Ligero cigar that is packed with flavor and has a wonderful, spicy aroma. Unfortunately, the Cain didn't do so well with our judges because the cigars were so damn strong! Wooo! These are some strong cigars. If you like the super-strong cigars then you might like this cigar better than we did. The Cain did VERY well on all other categories scored including the draw, burn, and construction. In these three categories it ranked in the 91s to 92s. No bias here, just the facts. These are strong cigars and are made for a specific type of cigar smoker - one that loves strong cigars!
9. La Aroma De Cuba Robusto (Don Pepin Blend) - (Our Rating: 90)
Well, Don Pepin has done it again. He's reblended an old blend of a cigar and made it even better! The new La Aroma De Cuba 2009 Churchill is now rolled by Ashton in Nicaragua. The Cigars now have a chocolaty Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, claimed to to be one of the most flavorful wrappers, and features a rich and spicy blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos. By improving the flavor and quality, Ashton believes that they've produced a new cigar without changing the full-flavored, spicy cigar that smokers have loved for years. We liked this cigar because of its construction, flavor, and burn. The draw was a bit off, but otherwise the cigar scored very well with us.
10. La Flor Dominicana Habano Perfecto - (Our Rating: 90)
La Flor dominicana is also one of our favorite cigar manufacturers. We hoped that they would produce something this year that would help them sway more customers to their lines of cigars. The Habano line was released at the IPCPR show in New Orleans in 2009 and features a habano wrapper and Dominican tobaccos. We liked the cigar because it was medium-bodied and had a great flavor. The cigar struggled with the draw and construction, but it still scored very well with flavor! The La Flor Dominican Habano is another great cigar for anyone that loves cigars because they're only about $7 per cigar.
Not a bad list, I agree with number 1 but the rest IDK. There are no Tats, Fuente, Liga Privada, and only 1 Padron...
hdroadglide
BoM x 2, BoY 2011
pio :dunno:
smokemifugotem
BoM July '10
What...you dont think they are all blind taste tasted like they say...no way
I have never heard of them until that list.
Here's a link to their site but there's not much on it, still under construction.
http://www.piocigar.com/pio%20cigar%20company_003.htm
I agree, they proved it last year that it isn't purely blind. By bringing price into the equation for the #1 cigar, that goes out the window.
BTW, my mother in law knows I like cigars but has not clue about them. She gave me a cool cigar tube for Christmas with a $50 dollar bill in it to buy cigars. Also included were two wood-tipped, grape-smelling things that I haven't even looked at. I thought it was a wonderful gift and great effort from someone with zero knowledge! Hilarious but nice.
BTW, my mother in law knows I like cigars but has not clue about them. She gave me a cool cigar tube for Christmas with a $50 dollar bill in it to buy cigars. Also included were two wood-tipped, grape-smelling things that I haven't even looked at. I thought it was a wonderful gift and great effort from someone with zero knowledge! Hilarious but nice.
SkinsFanLarry
Craft Beer Addict!
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2008
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Even after reading what was there, I have never heard of that cigar!
