Top 5 New Cigars of 2009
Dec 14, 2009 Cigar
Tonight we kick off our week of reflection by looking back at the Top 5 New Cigars of 2009.
This list includes all cigars released in 2009. It includes new lines, new vitolas or new blends of existing cigars. The cigar must have been released in 2009, it cannot be a special edition release or limited release and it must be available at the time of this article.
Away we go…
#5 – Man O’ War Ruination
Man O’ War Ruination features a hearty concoction of Cuban-seed Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Further more, these tobaccos are mostly ligero leaves, which add a ton of spice to the blend allowing for a bold, robust experience. The wrapper is an oily Habano Ecuadorian leaf, chosen for balance since it features nuances of black pepper with a sweet aftertaste. I found it to be a powerful smoke that had lingering flavors of creamy coffee, earth and bitter chocolate. Think Man O’ War kicked up a notch.
Full review can be found at StogieReview.com – here
#4 – Tatuaje Cojonu 2009
Pete Johnson has another winner with his 2009 Cojonu blend. The 7×49 Nicaraguan Puro explodes with flavor of roasted nuts, espresso and dark earth. The stick burns beautifully and has a sweet spicy finish. It’s full bodied, but not over the top. I adore many of Pete’s creations, and the Cojonu 2009 did not disappoint.
Full review can be found at ACigarSmoker.com – here
#3 – CAO La Traviata
CAO La Traviata is a full-bodied, full-flavored cigar that combines an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a Cameroon binder and incorporates two different ligero filler tobaccos from the Pueblo Nuevo farm in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. It’s a fantastic value at its price point and one of the better CAO cigars I’ve had in a while.
Full review can be found here
#2 – Illusione Epernay
New from Dion Giolito, the Illusione Epernay is a new, lighter blend patterned from the original ECCJ release.
Named after the heart of France’s Champagne region, Epernay is an all-Nicaraguan cigar comprising tobacco from two specific farms and finished with a shade-grown Corojo ‘99 wrapper leaf.
“Certain cigars and Champagne go together fabulously,” said Giolito. “I think that this cigar is the perfect complement to great Champagnes, so I named it after a region in France that made this grape famous.”
According to Giolito, the blend is more suited to a “European palate,” which, to him, entails using a lighter shade of wrapper, and replacing some of the spicy character of his other brands with a sweeter, more floral tobacco.
I found the stick to have an incredible range of interesting flavors that, paired with its medium body and balance, made it incredibly good.
Full review can be found here
#1 – Liga Privada T52
T52 remains a departure from Drew Estate’s flavored cigars and is the second cigar created by Steve Saka for his own personal enjoyment, but released to the market due to its phenominal characteristics. The blend consists of full-flavored, premium Nicaraguan tobaccos just as the No. 9 but comes cloaked in a beautiful, toothy and oily Habano wrapper. I am a HUGE fan of the original Liga Privada No.9 blend. This T52 variation adds a little more body, a little more spice and a little more complexity. The combination is an outstanding blend that is SmokeScore’s Top New Cigar of 2009.
Full review can be found at ACigarSmoker.com – here
Stay tuned tomorrow for SmokeScore.com’s Top 5 Cuban Cigars of 2009.
Tags: Top 10
COMING SOON – Smoke Score Top 10 of 2009
As the Holiday season approaches, we reflect on our the year that passed and look forward to 2010. In that regard, SmokeScore is currently assembling our Top 10 Cigars of 2009.
We will present the Top 10 list on Friday, December 18th.
That will be preceded by a week of reflection on 2009 which will end on Friday with the Top 10 of the Year.
Our week of reflection will include:
Monday, December 14th – Top 5 New Cigars of 2009
Tuesday, December 15th – Top 5 Cuban Cigars of 2009
Wednesday, December 16th – Top 5 Value Cigars of 2009
Thursday, December 17th – Top 5 Limited Release Cigars of 2009
Friday, December 18th – TOP 10 CIGARS of 2009
Stay tuned!
Tags: Top 10
