Fire Up That Cigar’s Top 25 Cigars of 2010

This is one of my favorite times of the year to be a cigar enthusiast. I always enjoy reading everyone’s Top Cigars of the Year lists because it is amazing to see the diversity of lists out there. It truly goes to show you that everyone has a unique palette. Our Top 25 Cigars of 2010 are cigars that were reviewed in 2010 (except for one) and I eliminated any cigar that was an exclusive cigar for a retailer. The list is comprised of cigars that I was impressed with and cigars that I found myself smoking more of, even after the reviews.

25. Pride Corojo Robusto

A relatively unknown brand to most, but the Pride Corojo really impressed me. With a Dominican Corojo wrapper, this cigar imparts notes of cedar, nuts and coffee. A nice medium to full bodied Dominican smoke that I think anyone can enjoy.

24. G.A.R. Vanguard Corona Gorda

I first reviewed this cigar in August of 2009 and was extremely impressed with the samples I got. I went out , bought a box and have since backed down on my prediction of it being a Top 5 cigar, but still enjoy this cigar very much.

23. Brickhouse Corona Larga

I couldn’t stop smoking these when they first came out. Since then I have backed off a bit because I was starting to burn myself out on them. Still though, a great smoke with a great price point.

22.Master by Carlos Torano Robusto

The Torano’s went through some changes in 2010 with revamping their logo, their name (Torano Family Cigars), and taking back distribution from CAO. The Master is a great new addition to the Torano Family portfolio and it is one of their best cigars I have ever experienced.

21. CAO La Traviata Radiante

When the La Traviata first came out I wasn’t blown away. But somehow, someway this cigar stuck like glue. I’d find myself reaching for this cigar when I was in the mood for something with nice dark fruity flavors. A great smoke that can hopefully live on in the General line of cigars.

20. La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial No. 1

The Edicion Especial is blended by Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia for Robert Levin of Ashton Cigars. We originally reviewed the No. 5 size which I did not care for. However, I was extremely impressed with the No. 1 size which is a 5 5/8 x 46 corona gorda. Balanced and elegant, it has a nice medium bodied cuban-esqe profile.

19. 1961 by Rocky Patel Robusto

By far this is one of Rocky Patel’s strongest smokes. Ultra spicy upfront that backs down a bit but still remains present throughout the entire smoke. Originally we reviewed the Toro, however I find the robusto to be the best in the line. It might not be a Decade but it’s a damn fine cigar worthy of the number 19 spot.

18. La Gloria Cubana Artesansos de Miami Artesanitos

By far, the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Miami is one of the greatest smokes to come out of General Cigar Company. Although, we cannot consider General Cigar a boutique cigar company, some of their more artisanal blends are quite nice and this cigar is no exception. Notes of cinnamon, molasses and a earthy coffee flavor are present that make for a nice medium to full bodied smoke.

17. San Cristobal Seleccion del Sol Belicoso

After reviewing this cigar for the first time, I was left a little disappointed by the draw of the cigar. However, it must have been a bad box I got them from because I smoke them again and had no issues, hey it happens. I smoked a couple in the Fireplug size (4.5×50) and again in the Belicoso. The Belicoso seemed to be a little smoother and a bit more balanced. Just goes to show you that you can’t always judge a cigar by one review.

16. PDR 1878 Cubana Especial Capa Madur0 Short Toro

The more I smoke this cigar, the more I like it. Extremely well balanced and very economical. Abe Flores did a wonderfull job with blending this cigar. The PDR 1878 has a thick Brazillian Arapiraca Maduro wrapper, a Dominican Criollo binder, and a mixture of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers.

15. Padron Anniversary 1964 Maduro Exclusivo

What’s a Top 25 Cigar list without a Padron on it. Unfortunately I didn’t get to smoke very many Padron’s this year but of the few I did, I enjoyed them greatly. The Anniversary 1964 Maduro has been a favorite of mine and I had the opportunity to smoke it in the Exclusivo line which is a …

14. 90 Miles Robusto

One of the best $5 smokes I have had all year. Flor de Gonzalez nailed it with this cigar. An Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper cloaks a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers. Notes of cedar and cocoa abound. Nice job Flor de Gonzalez!

13. Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo El Martillo

Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo is great cigar. Rich, creamy, smooth yet robust in flavor. Notes of coffee, pepper and a dark fruity sweetness. An awesome smoke.

12. Davidoff Puro d’ Oro Magnificos

I’m not a big Davidoff fan but this cigaris completely different than anything I have ever smoked from them; flavorful, complex and balanced. A nice medium bodied cigar from Hendrick Kellner with notes of wood, cashews, raisins and spices.

11. Guillermo Leon Signature Corona

Not only do we like this cigar, but we also like Guillermo Leon the man. I mentioned in our original review of the Guillermo Leon Signaturethat the draw was a bit tighter than I preferred, not bad by any means just a hair tighter than what I like. He then messaged me on Twitter and sent me some ther sizes to try. In the little sampler pack were a few Corona’s. I was completely blown away. Smooth, creamy and a touch of spice.

10. La Aurora 107 Corona

La Aurorahas really stepped up thier game and this cigar proves my point. An Ecuadorian wrapper is featured on this cigar and imparts notes of spice, wood, leather, and sweet bread. I’ve had the Torpedo, Robusto and Lancero and find the corona to stand out the most.

9. Carlos Torano Exedus 50 Year Torpedo

This cigar was a comlete surprise when I first smoked it. I wasn’t expecting much, in fact I wasn’t expecting anything. From the first puff I knew this cigar was good. Deep rich notes of raisins, earth, cinnamon and leather. A great smoke indeed.

8. Viaje Oro Chico

The Viaje Oro is one of my go to cigars. It doesn’t matter if I’ve had a bad day, as soon as I light up the Oro my worries go down the drain. Brand owner Andre Farkas has his cigars made for him by Casa Fernandez and are rolled at Racies Cubana in Honduras. Although Andre’s strategy is to create micro-batch cigars that concentrate on quality over quantity, the Viaje Oro is not part of the limited edition cigars he creates. However I find the Oro to be a fantastic smoke with a great deal of flavor.

7. Air Bender Lancero

Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana has created a gem with the Air Bender. An intoxicating blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers wrapped in a Nicaraguan wrapper. I’ve smoked pretty much every size in this line besides the Chisel and out of the sizes I have smoked the Lancero takes the prize.

6. Viaje Skull and Bones Daisy Cutter

The Viaje Skull and Bones is one of Andre Farkas’s limited lines and is part of his micro-batch strategy of making cigars. The Skull and Bones was released twice this year, once in Spring and the other in Fall. The Daisy Cutter, which refers to the size of the cigar (4×52) was the original release and was superior to the second release in the fall. This cigar is the only cigar that made the list that was not formally reviewed. Reason is because I by the time I got them home they were sold out nation wide and none to be had. However, I had to put this cigar on the Top 25 list. Rich full flavors of wood, esspresso, carmel and cocoa that are well balanced and very complex. If you do happen to see these make sure you pick some up. They are tremedous cigars that would be higher on the list if the supply was greater. The link to this cigar will bring you Ben’s review from Nice Tight Ash as I think he nailed it.

5. Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador Noella

By far Pete Johnson’s best cigar in the Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador line. Also known as the Brown Label or the Miami line. Notes of cedar, coffee, leather, chocolate and a touch of sweet tea are present in this cigar and is very complex and well balanced. An awesome smoke with a ton of aging potential as well.

4. Viaje Oro Reserva

Viaje Oro Reserva represents the third cigar in the Top 10 for Viaje Cigars. The Oro Reserva is the best cigar released by Viaje this year. The Reserva takes the original Oro and adds an extra aged wrapper. What results is a smooth delicious cigar that is extremely complex and balanced.

3. El Triunfador #3

A fantastic mild to medium stick from Pete Johnson and the Garcia Family. A lightly colored Ecuadorian Habano wrapper covers this cigar. Light sweet notes of wood spice and some coffee bean.

2. Liga Privada T52 Robusto

The Liga Privada T52 is an amazing cigar and I had a hard time not making this cigar number one. Made by Drew Estate, who is typically known for their Acid line of flavored/ infused cigars, the Liga Privada is a traditional cigar blended by Drew Estate President Steve Saka. A stalk-cut Habano seed grown in Connecticut graces this beauty. Ultra complex and extremely balanced, this cigar imparts notes of leather, spice, honey and a rich espresso flavor.

1. My Father Belicoso

Jose “Pepin” Garcia is a cigar master and this cigar was made by his son Jamie Garcia to honor him. The project was kept a secret till the end where Pepin eventually found out about the project. He asked for 3 cigars to take home with him that night, he smoked them, came in the next day and gave his blessing for the project. This cigar is covered in an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper which has been an extremely popular wrapper this year. The cigar is a perfectly balanced medium to full bodied cigar that leaves you with a cedary core and notes of spice, coffee beans and leather. We feel this cigar is best in the Belicoso format which seems to cool down the smoke a bit more than the others; but if a robusto is all you can find, by all means pick a few up. Very complex and balanced to perfection, the My Father Belicoso is our Number One Cigar of the Year.

There you have it. We hope you have enjoyed our list as much as we enjoyed making it and many thanks for a great year, you guys are the reason I do this. Some new things we have coming up this year for you is a Cigar Review Database so you can easily look up cigars we have reviewed by Company, by wrappers, by ratings and a few others. Also I hope to add a second reviewer to our site in 2011. It’s been extremely dificult to post regularly with how busy life is getting (family, work, etc.) which is the sole purpose of why the reviews have been a little lighter this year. We look forward to another year of revews and wish all of you a Happy 2011.