CA names "Cigar of 2017"

[jefslat]

Fuente Anejo Shark.

Yawn.

Yet another strike against the veracity of CA's ratings.

FYI, #2 is a Padron. I think their *might* be one thing new in the top ten.

Yeah, I'll be the shit shoveler. Someone has to do it.

I'm not saying these aren't good cigars, but the same old shit year after year becomes meaningless in my opinion, especially with brands like Caldwell, Dunbarton, Cornelius and Anthony, Mombach, and Southern Draw putting out excellence.

*rant off*

[otto_sear]

I completely agree with you. There is no credibility at all, in my opinion. Of course Padron makes excellent cigars, we know that already. It’s just pandering to advertisers. The list is a joke, in my opinion.

[ak2000]

Guardian of the Farm Apollo at no. 8, how much advertising does Cass Fernandez/Warped do? They're both small companies right, can't be much?

[jefslat]

Originally Posted by ak2000

Guardian of the Farm Apollo at no. 8, how much advertising does Cass Fernandez/Warped do? They're both small companies right, can't be much?

Warped at last made the top ten, or five, depending on how well my memory is working

[mannish]

I don't have a problem with their ratings, I would always have Padron Annis in the top and would also include Ashton VSG, every year. How you you not have Padron or Fuente in the top 25..??

I do not think CA ratings have anything to do with advertising. I have compared their ratings with others and they are usually pretty consistent

Hard to believe padron, bolivar, fuente, my father..etc would not be in someones top 10

the oliva serie V is a fine cigar as well

I am pretty sure Dunbarton will make the top 25 - was it the best cigar i smoked in 2017, NO it wasn't but top 25 worthy

[otto_sear]

The Warlock cigar by Altadis was rated #9 in 2011 by CA. You don’t think that was strange?

[BigO]

I don't want to be a stick in the mud, but I don't trust any list of the best cigars of the year. By my tastes I can tell you my opinion, but I know that it isn't going to play with anyone else's.

[TommyBB]

I'm going to take cA's side in this, if only a bit. For the moment in this discussion, let's set aside the whole ratings-for-advertising-dollars thing. I would like to approach it from what I perceive to be their angle.

We have a calendar year, here, we've all smoked cigars this year. Now, if a 2017 production cigar, one that is from a well-established and capable cigar manufacturer, from a line that's been in existence a while, WHY can that NOT be in the top cigars of the year?

Have we not had discussions before, concerning the similarities of cigars to wine? How each year's tobacco is different, and that manufacturers strive for a certain consistency in spite of all the variables? Is it out of the realm of possibility that the best cigar I smoked this year was one of the ones I voted for? and it's not "new?"

In my case, I voted Todos Las Dias, because I had one a couple weeks ago and it was fantastic. I voted GTO PainKiller, too, and the last one I had was months ago, but it's not a new to 2017 marca or vitola. I had a Casa Fuente a couple weeks ago that was damned fantastic. Now, I didn't nominate it, but I certainly could have.

With the top NEW cigars, that's a slightly different thing, and one where I totally agree with Jeff's thinking.

I agree that naming a VERY limited edition vitola as cigar of the year, can be problematic for retailers, and of course many assert that the big companies pay dearly for the privilege of high ratings. I'm not averring one thing or another. But IF that cigar WAS the best, it's kind of disappointing that it's rare and expensive to where smokers can't find them or won't spend the coin to have them.

Great discussion, Jeff, thanks for raising the points you did, m'friend.

AND!! Thank you for the great work you do for us, please don't think that it goes unnoticed or unappreciated. You've done this for us longer than ten years, now, and I'm willing to state that YOU are CW to a LOT of people in the business, and to interested smokers.

[jeepdad]

Originally Posted by TommyBB

I agree that naming a VERY limited edition vitola as cigar of the year, can be problematic for retailers.......But IF that cigar WAS the best, it's kind of disappointing that it's rare and expensive to where smokers can't find them or won't spend the coin to have them.

Agree 1000 percent. Was at my LCS last night with the owner and a small group of regulars. And we talked about this subject of naming a VERY limited stick as number 1 and how there should be a separate category for seasonal or limited release stock. And the owner had put in a call to his AF rep and to no ones surprise no sticks are forthcoming.

In Virginia there are three well connected (in cigar industry and politically) store owners (Old Virginia Tobacco, Emersons and Havana Connections). These are the "heavy" hitters in our state so if anyone would have the Sharks it would be these guys and if anyone of the three it would be Gary at OVT.