The Top 25 Cigars of 2017

Really? Only 25?!! How can they choose? With so many premium cigars on the market, manufactured by well established companies, many generation after generation owned, choosing the top 25 is a task that I’m sure any cigar lover would endure.  Fortunately, Cigar Aficionado has taken on that task and has given their expert opinion on what qualifies a cigar to make it to the top 25 each year; however, feel free to keep on doing your own research!

Here’s how the process works:

To start this daunting task of pairing down the hundreds of excellent cigars to just the top 25 for the year, they begin by choosing the highest scoring cigars of the year.  Next, the cigars are presented to a distinguished panel of tasters.  To prevent any bias, the cigars are repurchased at retail, their identifying bands are removed, and finally, are blind tested through several rounds of tastings.  It becomes a cigar competition where only the best of the best will survive!  Excellent tobacco crops and masterful blending have made it a difficult task, but the winners have been chosen!

And the winners are…

• No. 1 – The Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark

• No. 2 – The Padron Serie 1926 No. 2 (Natural)

• No. 3 – The Oliva Serie V Belicoso

• No. 4 – The Bolivar Belicoso Fino

• No. 5 – The Alec Bradley Tempus Natural Centuria

• No. 6 – The Ashton Symmetry Belicoso

• No. 7 – The My Father The Judge Grand Robusto

• No. 8 – The Guardian of the Farm Apollo Seleccion de Warped

• No. 9 – The Plasencia Alma Fuerte Generacion V

• No. 10 – The Villiger La Flor de Ynclan Robusto

• No. 11 – The Partagas Lusitania

• No. 12 – The New World Puro Especial Toro

• No. 13 – The Archetype Axis Mundi Toro

• No. 14 – The 601 Red Label Habano Torpedo

• No. 15 – The Romeo by Romeo Y Julieta Aging Room Small Batch F25 Cantaor

• No. 16 – The Rocky Patel Vintage 2003 Cameroon Churchill

• No. 17 – The C.L.E Prieto 50 x 5

• No. 18 – The E.P. Carrillo Dusk Solidos

• No. 19 – The Romeo Y Julieta Short Churchill

• No. 20 – The Macanudo Inspirado Orange Churchill

• No. 21 – The Regius Exclusivo USA Pressed Perfecto

• No. 22 – The Joya Black Nocturno

• No. 23 – The La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Lancero

• No. 24 – The Tatuaje Cabinet Noellas

• No. 25 – The Undercrown Churchill

That’s quite an impressive list!  You can view all the details of the Top 25 Cigars at Cigar Aficionado.

Now that we’ve peaked your interest, maybe it’s time to initiate your own Top 25 research for 2018 and see how your favorites compare to next year’s list.  You can begin at Smoke Rings, where we have over 100 facings in stock….that should give you a good starting point!  Researching the Top 25 is a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!  See you at Smoke Rings!