2013 Cigars of the Year

Video recap HERE.

It's time to announce my cigars of the year. These represent the best cigars I've smoked during 2013. I reviewed 80 cigars this year. Many of them achieved high ratings. I don't typically place them in numerical order; rather group them in the rating they achieved. In the case of this year's cigars, I have decided to rate the top 15 in numerical order. The cigars below represent my top 15 of the year. They range in scores from 93 to 96. A link to to the original blog post is provided by clicking on the cigar name.


I'll start off with those cigars that achieved a rating of 93. (no. 8-15)

 

No. 15 E. P.Carrillo E-Stunner Corriente; 4x46 (9/15/13)

 

 

 

 

 No. 14 Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva no. 50; 5 1/4x50 (12/8/13)  

 

 

 

 

No. 13 Cult Profile Robusto; 4 1/2x54 (6/30/13)

 

 

 

 

No. 12 L’Atelier LAT56; 6 1/2x56 (4/14/13)

 

 

 

 

No. 11 2013 Viaje Zombie; 5x52 (6/23/13)

 

 

 

 

No. 10 Oliva Serie V Milanio Maduro Torpedo; 5 1/2x52 (8/17/13)

 

 

 

No. 9 La Flor Dominicana Oro Chisel Natural; 6x54 (2/2/13)

 

 

 

 

No. 8 Ortega Wild Bunch Warrier Joe; 6 ½x50 (11/29/13)

 

 

There were several cigars that achieved a 94 rating this year.  (no. 3-7)

No. 7 San Lotano Oval maduro robusto; 5x52 (6/9/13) 

 

No. 6 Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto; 5x50 (9/8/13)  

And now The Top 5!
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Camacho Mike Ditka Throwback; 6x50 (8/11/13)

 

  

 

Aging Room M21 Fortissimo; 5 3/4x47 (11/24/13)

  

Aging Room M-356 Mezzo; 6x54 (3/9/13)  

One cigar achieved a 95 rating:
 
Kings Cigars Conde Churchill; 7 ½ x 52 (10/19/13)

 

This is a new cigar for me and it was more than a little impressive. Most of you may not have heard of it either but seek it out. It's worth the search! Available at limited locations. Check the blog post for more info and try them. You won't be disappointed.

 

 

 

 

The cigar with the highest rating this year achieved a rating of 96.
 

 

My Cigar of the Year is:
 

Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador Ranfla; 5 1/2x30/50 (6/22/13) 

 

 

The Namakubi Ecuador amazed me in June and nothing could match it the rest of the year. I have found the Namakubi Series to be very, very good. This cigar is certainly no exception.

 

 

**Manufacturer of the Year**
Based on the fact that two of their cigars landed in my top 15, both with 94 ratings, (no. 3 and no. 4)plus the Aging Room Maduro that received a 92 rating, my manufacturer of the year is: 

Aging Room Cigars and Rafael Nodal

Mr. Nodal has made some fantastic cigars and I truly look forward to what he has in store next.

 

**New Cigar Company of the Year**

This  year I decided to pick a New Cigar Company of the Year. I have reviewed several cigars from this new company and they all did very well. My New Cigar Company of the Year is:

  

Cult Cigars 

The Original series (90 rating), Fuerte (88 rating), and Ometepe series (92 rating) are all very tasty cigars that you should try. The Blood Red Moon series (89 rating) was also very good. The Profile series is the newest and definitely one of their best. The Cult Profile Robusto achieved the highest score with a rating of 93.

 

 

Review Cigars for 2013
The entire list of all cigars reviewed during 2013 is shown below with rankings for top 15:
 

96

1. Room 101 Namakubi Ecuador Ranfla; 5 1/2x30/50 (6/22/13)

 

95

2. Kings Cigars Conde Churchill; 7 ½ x 52 (10/19/13)

 

94

3. Aging Room M-356 Mezzo; 6x54 (3/9/13)
 

4. Aging Room M21 Fortissimo; 5 3/4x47 (11/24/13)

5. Camacho Mike Ditka Throwback; 6x50 (8/11/13)

6. Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto; 5x50 (9/8/13)
 

7. San Lotano Oval maduro robusto; 5x52 (6/9/13)

 

93

8. Ortega Wild Bunch Warrier Joe; 6 ½x50 (11/29/13)

9. La Flor Dominicana Oro Chisel Natural; 6x54 (2/2/13)
 

10. Oliva V Milanio Maduro Torpedo; 5 1/2x52 (8/17/13)

11. 2013 Viaje Zombie; 5x52 (6/23/13)
 

12. L’Atelier LAT56; 6 1/2x56 (4/14/13)

13. Cult Profile Robusto; 4 1/2x54 (6/30/13)

14. Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva no. 50; 5 1/4x50 (12/8/13)

15. E. P. Carrillo E-Stunner Corriente; 4x46 (9/15/13)

 

92

CLE Corojo Robusto; 5x50 (1/13/13)

Murcielago Robusto; 5x50 (1/20/13)

Cuenca 5 Anniversary; 7x54 (3/2/13)

Black Patch Kenbano Robusto; 5x50 (3/3/13)

Cult Ometepe; 5 1/2x54 (3/29/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Dandy McCoy Empire State; 6x54 (4/28/13)

Room 101 Daruma Sucio; 7x48 (5/4/13)

Martin Family Limited Edition 2013; 6x54 (5/18/13)

E. P. Carrillo Short Run 2013 robusto; 4.875x50 (6/16/13)

1502 Black Gold Toro; 6x50 (7/5/13)

Headly Grange Dobles; 6x50 (7/7/13)

El Centurion robusto; 5 ½ x 50 (7/21/13)

Room 101 Serie HN 305; 5x50 (8/4/13)

Perdomo Champagne Sun Grown Epicure; 6x54 (8/10/13)

Arandoza White Label; 5x52 (8/25/13)

Aging Room Maduro Rondo; 5x50 (10/5/13)

Azan Burgundy Line Short Robusto; 4 3/8x50 (10/20/13)

Viaje Late Harvest Hang Time 648; 6 x 48 (11/2/13)

Torano Vault D-042; 5x52 (11/3/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Da Byrdman; 6x54 (11/30/13)

Drew Estate Nica Rustica El Brujito; 6x52 (12/7/13)

 

91

Bugatti Maduro Churchill; 7x54 (1/19/13)

H. Upmann Legacy Toro; 6x52 (3/23/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Tony the Boss Enforcer; 7 1/2x49 (4/27/13)

Espinosa Maduro robusto; 5x52 (6/2/13)

1502 Emerald Toro; 6x50 (7/4/13)

Diamond Crown Julius Caeser robusto; 4 3/4 x52 (7/14/13)

CyB Toro Supremo; 6x54 (7/20/13)

La Gloria Cubana Gilded Age Churchill; 7x52 (7/27/13)

King of Kings Cuadrado; 6x64 (8/4/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Wild Bill Cheroot; 6x46 (8/31/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Gearhead Gary Crankshaft; 6x52 (10/12/13)

Azan White Label robusto; 4 7/8x50 (10/13/13)

Tatuaje 10^th Anniversary Bon Chasseur; 5 3/8x52 (10/27/13)

Torano Exodus 1959 Finite Robusto; 4 7/8x52 (11/10/13)

 

90

Arturo Fuente Unknown Reserve 2012; 6x48 (1/12/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Island Jim Wahoo; 6 ½x52 (3/16/13)

Cult Classic Torpedo; 6 ¼x52 (3/17/13)

CAO Brazilia Carnivale; 6 1/2x60 (5/26/13)

La Duena robusto; 5x50 (7/28/13)

Cuenca 5 Anniversary robusto; 5x54 (12/1/13)

 

89

Bugatti Connecticut Churchill; 7x54 (1/5/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Series Big Bad John; 6 7/8x60 (1/26/13)

Humo Jaguar Grande; 6x60 (2/9/13)

La Zona Habano Super Toro; 6 1/2x52 (2/16/13)

Black Patch Select Toro; 5 1/2x52 (2/22/13)

Surrogates Bone Crusher; 5 1/4x55 (3/24/13)

Asylum 13 robusto; 5x50 (3/30/13)

4/19 by Juanitos Cigarros; 5x50 (5/11/13)

Cult Blood Red Moon Mini Corona; 4 3/4x42 (5/19/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Honest Abe Ringmaster; 6 1/2x52 (6/1/13)

Herrera Esteli Toro; 6x52 (7/6/13)

Ortega Wild Bunch Fast Eddie Eight Ball; 6 ½ x 38 (9/1/13)

CAO Flathead 554 Camshaft; 5x54 (9/7/13)

Romey y Julieta Nicaraguan; 6x52 (11/16/13)

 

88

Pinolero Toro; 6x52 (2/17/13)

Arandoza Blue Label Robusto; 5x52 (3/10/13)

Cult Fuerte churchill; 7x48 (4/6/13)

Saint Luis Rey Gen2 toro; 6x54 (5/25/13)

La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli No. Fifty-Four; 6x54 (9/14/13)

Allure Connecticut Torpedo; 6x52 (10/6/13)

Victor Vitale Tortuga 215 Reserva Tributo; (6x56); 10/26/13)

 

87

Ortega Wild Bunch Iron Mike I Beam; 4 7/8x54 (2/10/13)

Alec Bradley Nica Puro Gordo; 6.2x60 (6/29/13)

Ora Vivo Armand Assante; 6x56 (11/23/13)

 

85

CAO Right Coast; 6 3/4x72 (6/8/13)

 

84

La Zona Connecticut Robusto; 5x52 (1/6/13)