Just wanted to make a quick comment on all the various end of the year cigar lists that come about now that 2012 is over. The Mayans were wrong or simply ran out of room when they were making their first calendar either way they missed some great cigars this past year!
I can take or leave any “top cigar lists” as my palette never picks up the tastes or flavors described and in discussion these lists always makes for heated debate or even some level of tobacco consternation. Bottom line: use the lists as a guide for buying, profiling or building your own own list perhaps as a point of reference. Chances are you missed a lot of the cigars listed on one or more of these tobacco tabulations, not for lack of trying, simply not enough time to add another stick to the regular smoking rotation. Get out there, find a new stick, maybe from one of these lists, buy one, buy another for a friend and get to smoking and discussing what you find good, bad, great or otherwise about the stick.
Here are a few of my favorite lists in no particular order:
Cigar Coop – 2012 Cigar of the Year
Cigar Aficionado– Top 25 for 2012
Halfwheel.com – 2012 Awards: The Consensus
Seth’s Humidor – Top 25 of 2012
Stogie Review – Top 10 cigars of 2012
Cigar Dojo – Best cigars of 2012