Ladies and gentlemen, the hour has come. We're proud to present you with our
third annual Cigar.com Awards! Unlike other companies that offer a series of
ratings based on complex algorithms and paid advertising space, here at
Cigar.com our equation is much simpler and less scientific. Our panel
included six of our expert tobacconists, a keg of Stone Ruination, spirits
galore, and hundreds of premium cigars. Over a long, very cold November
weekend, we powered through nearly everything this industry had to offer in
2011 and finally, after hours upon hours of discussion, we found ourselves
in the presence of an empty keg, hundreds of extinguished nubs, and 18
selections we all agreed deserved gold, silver, and bronze medals. We knew
you'd be eager to get our sincere, unbiased feedback so read on and see if
your favorites made the cut.
Looking for our 2011 Cigar.com Awards Sampler? Click Here.
Cigar.com Awards: Mild
5 Vegas Gold
Price aside, 5 Vegas Gold is still the best mild cigar on the market. The seamless
Connecticut Ecuador wrapper makes for a beautiful presentation. Upon first light,
notes of white pepper hit the front of the palate. After an inch this blend emits
a super-smooth, flavorful, mild character with a creamy finish. You can enjoy this
blend any time of day as the creamy Honduran fillers create a bouquet of earth and
nuts complemented by a sweet-cedar aroma. When it comes to mild cigars 5 Vegas Gold
reigns supreme and takes first place due to its consistency and fantastic every day
price.
Angelenos by Fuente
This cigar is a top-notch premium made at the Fuente factory. The reputation of
the factory alone should calm your nerves about the quality of this excellent
smoke. A delicious Dominican blend hugged by a seamless Connecticut wrapper.
CAO Gold
It's always good to have a stash of CAO Gold on hand. Delicious
Nicaraguan long-leaves come wrapped in a flawless Connecticut
wrapper. Mild enough for the morning yet flavorful enough for
the evening. Tastes best with some age.
Best of Mild Sampler
Best of Mild Sampler includes:
- 2 - 5 Vegas Gold (5.0" x 50)
- 2 - Angelenos by Fuente (5.2" x 50)
- 2 - CAO Gold (5.0" x 50)
For the second year in a row Ave Maria took the gold. It outweighed all other blends due to its
phenomenal flavor and proven consistency. This cigar has a lot more to offer than a pretty face.
This medium-bodied blend hits all the high notes perfectly, as the savory components of
all-Nicaraguan primings come together with a flawless Habano wrapper, providing a rich, chewy
flavor we can't seem to get enough of. With thick smoke, a plethora of complex nuances throughout,
an excellent finish, and a fantastic presentation, we simply love this cigar. No argument here,
Ave Maria strikes gold.
Alec Bradley Black Market
Complex, beautiful; Black Market nearly earned a gold medal in this category.
Getting past the awesome look, feel, and construction qualities you're left
with an extraordinarily complex blend. With a four-country filler and epic
balance, we love it.
Obsidian
We couldn't pass up on Obsidian since it exceeded all of our criteria. Its premium,
bold, flavorful, complex, smooth, semi-sweet, hearty, well-constructed, inexpensive,
great any time of day. Simply — it's awesome.
Best of Medium Sampler
Best of Medium Sampler includes:
- 2 - Ave Maria (6.0" x 54)
- 2 - Alec Bradley Black Market (5.2" x 52)
- 2 - Obsidian (6.5" x 52)
After your 30th review of the day, you're palate is sort of burned out.
So lighting up Unlimited didn't excite us at first. At that point, the
beer had already kicked in and we were just exhausted from smoking. We
know, it's a rough job. But as soon as we fired up Diesel Unlimited, we
got our second wind and a huge smile overtook all of our faces. This
cigar is just so rich with flavor. The Nicaraguan long fillers, mixed
with the zesty Habano wrapper create the perfect combination of strength,
body, and flavor. Any cigar that gets you excited after lighting up
cigars all day is gold in our book.
Cain 'F'
Cain 'F' brings the heat. This potent blend comes reserved for the brave.
100% Nicaraguan ligero long-leaves, a savory, oily Habano wrapper
compliments the bold filler nicely. When it comes to full-bodied cigars,
this is as good as it gets, almost.
Cu-Avana Punisher
When we reviewed this blend, it almost made our Chief Merchant cry. This is the
spiciest cigar we've ever experienced. It is the pinnacle of strength and pure
unadulterated spice. If you don't like strong cigars, this pairs well with a
box of tissues.
Best of Full Sampler
Best of Full Sampler includes:
- 2 - Diesel Unlimited (5.5" x 54)
- 2 - Cain 'F' (5.7" x 50)
- 2 - Cu-Avana Punisher (6.0" x 52)
All figurado sizes for less than $50 per box, it doesn't get any better.
Est. 1844 is an unbelievable value in a world full of over-priced,
over-hyped blends. The price and presentation grabbed our attention, but
the flavor kept it. Expertly crafted in Estelí, this blend features
Nicaraguan fillers wrapped in a San Andres maduro wrapper. The combination
creates a fantastic medium to full-bodied blend with light spices, hints
of cedar, and earthy undertones. The blend alone makes it a medal winner
but the price just puts it over the top. This is why Est. 1844 is one of
our favorite blends of the year.
AJ Fernandez Fresh-Rolled
It's no surprise we love AJ Fernandez cigars. How could we not? Traditional
Cuban blending, super premium cigars and reasonable pricing makes AJ Fernandez
top dog in our eyes. With Fresh-rolled, you still get his best work and it's
under $3. Wow!
Sancho Panza
Sancho Panza is an old stand-by of ours and it never disappoints. Wrapped in
a dark Connecticut wrapper, this cigar exudes tasty, cedar flavors and a full
body without becoming too intense. This cigar definitely warrants at least a
bronze medal.
Best of Value Sampler
Best Value Sampler includes:
- 2 - Est. 1844 (7.0" x 52)
- 2 - AJ Fresh-Rolled (5.0" x 50)
- 2 - Sancho Panza (6.1" x 50)
From the first day Reconquista arrived on our docks, it's been pandemonium
trying to get a hold of them. They definitely live up to the hype and then
some. Sporting an oily, ultra-rare Brazilian Habano Oscuro wrapper,
Reconquista is as good as it gets with full-bodied flavor and a wonderful,
clean finish. The cigar presents a tasty bouquet of complex flavors all
masked with hints of sweetness for impressive balance. This savory blend
comes in attractive coffin boxes perfect for aging for a special occasion.
Hands down, the best cigar we lit up all day.
Cohiba Puro Dominicana
Our favorite Cohiba. This blend is comprised of 100% of the best
Dominican tobaccos money can buy. Smoke slowly, this cigar is
so smooth you won't notice its strength till it's too late.
Expensive indeed but well worth it.
La Aurora Preferidos No.2 Maduro
La Aurora has been making cigars for over 100 years and none are better than
their prized Preferidos line. A classic maduro, this blend exudes a distinct
sweetness unmatched by anything else we lit up. Unique and delicious.
Best of Super-Premium Sampler
Best Super Premium Sampler includes:
- 2 - Ave Maria Reconquista (7.0" x 54)
- 2 - Cohiba Puro Dominicana (5.5" x 50)
- 2 - La Aurora Preferidos No. 2 Maduro (5.0" x 54)
With all the great blends Drew Estate develops, they're going to have to release
a clunker sooner or later. Then we realize that clunkers are simply not an option
at Drew Estate. With Undercrown, Drew Estate strikes gold yet again. It follows
the uber-popular Liga Privada No. 9. The big difference between the two are the
primings used for the Undercrown blend — lower primings resulting in a smoother
presentation with slightly less strength. Certainly worthy of the Liga Privada
name and then some, Undercrown met and exceeded our lofty expectations.
Man O' War Puro Authentico
AJ's fermentation process is truly unmatched and Puro Authentico magnificently dots
this 'i.' A unique corona, the blend blasts your palate with tons of flavor, all
perfectly balanced by natural sweet tones and light complexities.
E.P. Carrillo Maduro
From the man responsible for La Gloria Cubana fame comes his own private label.
Naturally, E.P. Carrillo Maduro didn't let us down. Gently graced with a
Connecticut maduro leaf, we love how rich this blend gets. Offers a long,
hearty finish as well.
Best New Release Sampler
Best New Release Sampler includes:
- 2 - Liga Privada Undercrown (6.0" x 52)
- 2 - Man O' War Puro Authentico (5.0" x 42)
- 2 - E.P. Carrillo Maduro (5.8" x 52)
Cigar.com Awards Sampler
An impressive selection featuring the best of the best in 2011. After a lengthy weekend
of cigar sampling, we're proud to present you with this award-winning selection brought
to you by our very own cigar experts. Sampler features 18 cigars and includes one each
of the following: Angelenos by Fuente, Alec Bradley Black Market, Cain 'F,' AJ Fernandez
Fresh-Rolled, Cohiba Puro Dominicana, Man O' War Puro Authentico, 5 Vegas Gold, Ave Maria,
Diesel Unlimited, Est. 1844, Ave Maria Reconquista, Liga Privada Undercrown, CAO Gold,
Obsidian, Cu-Avana Punisher, Sancho Panza, La Aurora Preferidos Maduro, and E.P. Carrillo
Maduro. The ultimate sampler for the ultimate connoisseur.
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