Best of 2010
Friday, December 31, 2010 at 7:00AM Like every other cigar blogger out there, here is my list of my favorite cigars from 2010! These cigars aren't all necessarily new to this year, but are a few that really stood out to me as the best of what I smoked. I have also included a section of my favorite limited edition/small run cigars from this year. This was a big year for limited edition cigars, in fact it was hard to find enough regular production cigars for this list because a large chunk of what I reviewed over the last year was either a limited edition or small batch cigar!
Guillermo Leon- The Guillermo Leon from La Aurora was a surprising cigar for me. I really liked the 107, but when the Guillermo Leon came out, I thought it was even better! This is one of the most balanced cigars Ive smoked this year. This is a medium bodied cigar with wonderful flavors that I think any cigar lover will enjoy!
La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor-This was the new release under the LADC line for the year, blended by Don Pepin Garcia. This utilizes a Mexican maduro wrapper and is full cocoa and leather flavors and a little bit of classic DPG spice. This is a pretty affordable cigar and of all of the vitolas I found the Corona Gorda to be my favorite.
Tatuaje Petit Cazadores Reserva- What can I say about this little cigar other than it's little flavor bomb! This has become my go to cigar when I want a small format smoke with a ton of flavor. At $4 a piece, you can't afford not to pick up a handful of these to have around for when you only have 30 minutes or so to smoke. I have had a few with tight draws, but most of them performed really well.
Liga Privada T52-The Liga Privada T52 blend (usually the Toro) has become one of those cigars I can't stop reaching for. It is the most expensive cigar on my list (not including the LEs) and I can't help but buy one every time I go to pick up a few cigars from the cigar shop. The stalk cut Habano wrapper is one of the most attractive wrappers I have ever seen on a cigar, it is dark, oily and usually flawless. If you haven't picked up a T52 yet (and can handle a full bodied cigar) you are missing out!
Illusione Epernay-The Epernay line is not new, but there were a few new sizes in the line that really stood out to me like the Le Matin (Box pressed) and the larger Le Monde. This is one of my favorite medium bodied cigars that is good at any point in the day. They are light enough for me to have earlier in the day but have enough flavor to have in the evening.
The following cigars are my favorites of the small batch and limited edition cigars I smoked through the last year.
Litto Gomez Small Batch 3- I only smoked one of these, but it certainly made quite an impression. I think it is great now but with a few more months time it is going to be even better. They are a little fresh at the moment but if the Small Batch 2 (from 2007) is any sign of how the 3s are going to age, anyone who holds onto these for a while will be in for a treat.
The Face- The 2010 Tatuaje Monster series was one of those cigars that had a lot of hype built around it and lived up to it in my opinion. I wish I had picked up more than the 10 count box because I would like to smoke these a little more frequently than my current stash of them will allow. I am definitely saving one or 2 to smoke on Halloween in 2011.
My Father Limited Edition 2010- The special edition My Father released earlier this year was one I was really looking forward to. Each of these cigars was made by Jaime and Don Pepin Garcia and contain the famed Pele De Oro tobacco. I only bought 2 of these, one of which I reviewed and the other I smoked on Christmas day. They can still be found, and I might have to track down a few more to hide in my cabinet for a few years because they have some major aging potential.
Dirty Rat- The Liga Privada Dirty Rat is not a cigar for everyone, but I love them! This Corona sized cigar is on the pricey side, but I feel like it is worth every penny. This is one of the spiciest cigars around and has a very strong, concentrated flavor that might be a turn off to some people. They have some power, but it never overwhelms the dark, rich flavors coming out of this stick. I wasn't sure where to put this cigar on my list since it is a technically a regular production cigar. but the production is small and they tend to sell out pretty much immediately when they land in shops. (for some reason I only have pictures of the pre production Rats, not the current production version with the actual band on it)
Illusione Singulare 2010 "Phantom"-This is the first Limited Edition cigar from Dion of Illusione cigars and was a nice change of pace for the Illusione brand. I found it closer to Epernay than Illusione but it is definitely a unique blend. These are medium bodied and complex and a must try.
There you have it everyone, my favorites of 2010! This is never an easy list to make, especially with the amount of fantastic cigars that came out this year. There were a few I didn't include on this list that came pretty close like the La Aurora 107, Illusione hl Candela, and the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial that deserve to be mentioned as runner-ups. Also, the Casa Fernandez Aganorsa Leaf would probably be somewhere on this list, but I haven't officially reviewed it yet. (but i will be very soon!) This was a great year for cigars and I can't wait to see what 2011 brings!
On a side note, what would you like to see from Cigar In Hand for 2011? Is there any cigar you would like to see reviewed or anything else you would want to see on this site? I hope you have enjoyed reading my reviews this past year as much as I have enjoyed doing them!
2010 in Yearly Favorites
Reader Comments (1)
Enjoy your site and find you choices interesting. Hear really mixed things about the LADCMA. Haven't had one yet, Hope to change that soon. Want the Phantom really bad but can't find them. It is the cigar I most want to try from last year. Cheers and happy new year!!