Dynamo320 Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 They are unveiling their list this week. So far only 10-5 have been released and shocker, no CC’s so far. The usual suspects, Oliva Melanio, Rocky Patel, Opus X etc so far. I know most on here scoff at their selections (myself included) and perceived bias towards advertising dollar$, but I find it somewhat interesting to hear what they have to say. Last year only 3 CC’s made the list and I wonder who will make their cut this year. I have had a few of their cigar of 2018, Carrillo Encore, and have really enjoyed it. I would compare it to a San Cristobal/Por Larranaga hybrid with a Nicaraguan punch. Better than a Siglo VI which barely cracked the list? Not so much. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoliDan Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 They certainly have an agenda. They are very tied to the American market that wants patrons to believe there is zero reason to explore Cuban tobacco. Trust me, If I owned a B&M in the US, I'd pump money in to that propaganda machine as well. None the less, if you enjoy NCs, (I do), it is a mag worth picking up. I'd trust more in halfwheel but CA is pretty cheap and detailed... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post nKostyan Posted December 18, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 18, 2019 I believe that Cubans should be compared separately, it is a different world, another dimension. Separately, the rating of NC, CC separately. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Hookmaker Posted December 18, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 18, 2019 I believe they should keep off CC’s entirely. After all they’re reviewing cigars on the US market and there are no CC’s on the US market, so no reason to include ? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeBeezy Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 JUAN LOPEZ SELECION NO 2 will crack the top 4, you heard it here first....epicure no 2 will also make the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derboesekoenig Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 2 hours ago, Hookmaker said: I believe they should keep off CC’s entirely. After all they’re reviewing cigars on the US market and there are no CC’s on the US market, so no reason to include ? There legally can be NO Cuban cigars on the US market. The only ones legally allowed to be sold are pre-Revolution Cuban cigars 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derboesekoenig Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 12 minutes ago, dan benhamou said: JUAN LOPEZ SELECION NO 2 will crack the top 4, you heard it here first....epicure no 2 will also make the list. Doubtful. Only 1 CC makes the list each year. 2 if they're being generous. I feel like it's always a formality. Always include 1 or 2 just to make the rest look more prominent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeBeezy Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 We'll find out later today for the JL2...maybe the epicure as well hmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dowjr1 Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 2 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said: There legally can be NO Cuban cigars on the US market. The only ones legally allowed to be sold are pre-Revolution Cuban cigars True in terms of the US “market.” That said, CCs can be legally purchased and brought back into the US within limits. So their thoughts on a particular CC are interesting at least. I personally like the magazine and they clearly love CCs...their aged tasting corner is almost always all Cubans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SigmundChurchill Posted December 18, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 18, 2019 My feeling about Cigar Aficionado, has always been that it is a great magazine that is providing us a very valuable service. The longer they can con people into thinking NCs are as good as, or better than CCs, the longer they keep these people out of the CC market. This is better for everyone. If NC smokers all decided at once that they suddenly like CCs better, it will only drive up prices and increase shortages. I don't want the CA list to be full of Cuban Cigars. That would be very bad. I like the list just the way it is. 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 I think Cuba has benefited hugely by CA's existence through awesome exposure to US palates. Marvin Schenken was the first Habanos Man of Year in 1995. But CA makes its money from NCs. All makes sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Squiggler Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 CoRo clocks in at #4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTP21 Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 28 minutes ago, The Squiggler said: CoRo clocks in at #4 With a December 2018 box date to boot. Didn't think it was a cigar that excelled when young, but I guess they thought otherwise. Never had one myself! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Squiggler Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 36 minutes ago, TTP21 said: With a December 2018 box date to boot. Didn't think it was a cigar that excelled when young, but I guess they thought otherwise. Never had one myself! They're insane. Somebody wrote that list then smoked the cigars later. It depends on when they smoked it, but yeah, DIC2018 is probably pushing it... if it had a full year on it it probably wasn't half bad, but 95/100 seems like a stretch (I haven't smoked one from 2018 yet... *anybody been sampling any 2018 CoRos recently?). Sometimes a young one will surprise you, but more likely: they smoked straight through the band and lost their minds... those holograms will get you f#@%ed up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Squiggler Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 I'd like to think they factor potential into their scores, but I doubt they do. Not considering aging potential is the only reasonable explanation I can think of for there not being more CCs on the list (if it were, as they claim, totally impartial). Of course, that theory kind of runs contradictory to the CCs that do make it onto the list, because they don't really seem to gravitate toward ones that have a reputation for performing well young (occasionally they pick ELs or something with more aged leaf in it, but not often). In 2011 and 2012 there were 4 Cuban cigars in the top 25. Every year since there have been 3. Seems like a hell of a coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeBeezy Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 OH boy was i wrong.. did not see the coro coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyBones777 Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 49 minutes ago, The Squiggler said: They're insane. Somebody wrote that list then smoked the cigars later. It depends on when they smoked it, but yeah, DIC2018 is probably pushing it... if it had a full year on it it probably wasn't half bad, but 95/100 seems like a stretch (I haven't smoked one from 2018 yet... *anybody been sampling any 2018 CoRos recently?). Sometimes a young one will surprise you, but more likely: they smoked straight through the band and lost their minds... those holograms will get you f#@%ed up! They don't smoke them far enough to hit the band. They should stay off CC's with exception of their Connie Corner.? They smoke everything young and often is not a fair assessment...and they know that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Squiggler Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 12 minutes ago, JoeyBones777 said: They don't smoke them far enough to hit the band. This assumes one of the judges doesn't light his backwards to sample the final third Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post VRATJV07 Posted December 18, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 18, 2019 The Oliva V Lancero which cracked their top 10 is actually a very good cigar. I had one this summer and really enjoyed it. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey rockets Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 CA testers are mailed cigars without bands purportedly making them a true blind test? They have held a general fondness for Cohiba throughout the years but over the course of the last couple of years, they have shown a regular fondness for oddballs like Bolivar Corona Junior that pops up repeatedly and over the past 2 decades, a regular CA favorite has been the Monte #2. Years ago, I was a subscriber to this fairly low cost magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyBones777 Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 1 minute ago, VRATJV07 said: The Oliva V Lancero which cracked their top 10 is actually a very good cigar. I had one this summer and really enjoyed it. I've had the D'Aosta and it is fantastic! The Warped GR88 was probably one of my favorite NC's this year, I've had numerous. I always enjoy Opus X but just like with CC's I don't know how they are rated so high with no age on them. Their list is somewhat fair but I don't see how they got there "blind". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cigar Surgeon Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 1 hour ago, The Squiggler said: They're insane. Somebody wrote that list then smoked the cigars later. It depends on when they smoked it, but yeah, DIC2018 is probably pushing it... if it had a full year on it it probably wasn't half bad, but 95/100 seems like a stretch (I haven't smoked one from 2018 yet... *anybody been sampling any 2018 CoRos recently?). Sometimes a young one will surprise you, but more likely: they smoked straight through the band and lost their minds... those holograms will get you f#@%ed up! Initial review date that gave it a qualifying 93 was in April of 2019. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Squiggler Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 33 minutes ago, JoeyBones777 said: I always enjoy Opus X but just like with CC's I don't know how they are rated so high with no age on them. Their list is somewhat fair but I don't see how they got there "blind". I think they have at least some impression of what they're smoking. I'm not sure how their system is set up, but even without bands, if you have some idea of which cigars are being sampled it would be possible to guess at least a few of them. I could be wrong, but I think Opus X are all part of the 'Fuente Aged Selection" so they have 3 years on them or more. I agree that most of them are much better when aged longer, but they're a little closer to 'ready' than the CCs they're smoking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Squiggler Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 37 minutes ago, Cigar Surgeon said: Initial review date that gave it a qualifying 93 was in April of 2019. Never had a 4 month old Cohiba rate 93 for me, but who knows... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorPerfecto Posted December 18, 2019 Share Posted December 18, 2019 Here's your CA 2019 Cigar of the Year: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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