The 2015 Cigars of the Year list published by Cigar Aficionado featured José “Don Pepin” Garcia’s second #1 Cigar of the Year win (the first was for Flor de las Antillas). This time around, the My Father Le Bijou 1922 garnered an astounding 97 points from the judges, making it one of the best cigars of all time. As the review said, “It takes a profound understanding of cigar tobaccos to create a smoke that conveys uncanny impressions of dark chocolate-covered raisins, savory leather, and a sweet-and-salty finish that resonates on the palate.”
If that doesn’t make you salivate for a blend, we don’t know what will.
The #2 blend came from Ramon Allones in Cuba, and it was followed by a very memorable smoke in the #3 spot: the CAO Flathead V660 Carb. This dark wonder blend from the 2015 Cigars of the Year list put Connecticut broadleaf to perfect use to cover a Connecticut Habano-seed binder and a filler blend combining Nicaraguan Ligero and Dominican Piloto Cubano tobacco. Fruity, leathery, and sweet like molasses, the CAO Flathead earned a reputation for being a high-test cigar that would put hair on the chest of a bear.
At #4 on the 2015 Cigars of the Year rankings was a cigar that would win #1 overall in 2017, the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos. That Cameroon wrapper just won’t quit and made this blend the acquired taste that thousands would happily acquire. The #5 spot was held down by a company that has permanent residence inside the top ten: Padrón. This time, the Family Reserve 50 Years once again captured the hearts of the judges, showcasing some of the finest Nicaraguan tobacco around.
The sixth cigar on the 2015 Cigars of the Year list was an Illusione Ultra Op, another Nicaraguan puro displaying the fantastic flavors that make Nica leaf so popular. Spicy, flavorful, and full-bodied, the Ultra Op is a bona fide cigar lover’s cigar. At number #7, Rocky Patel was also working with Nicaraguan tobacco, but this was a less refined smoke in The Edge. It was spicy, woody, and all-natural – a great cigar for people who like classic flavors.
The Ashton Symmetry was a multinational blend that earned a 94-point rating and continued to remind the industry why Ashton has such a solid reputation for quality and consistency. Taking tobacco from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador, the blending team put together a complex and satisfying smoke that couldn’t be denied.
#9 on the 2015 Cigars of the Year rankings was a delicious Cuban blend from Bolivar, and the top ten was completed by a cigar near and dear to our hearts: the Drew Estate Liga Privada No. 9. The spicy Brazilian Mata Fina binder, the flavor-packed Connecticut broadleaf wrapper, the meaty and complex flavor profile that had the perfect amount of sweetness… we were all hooked, and the Liga line burst on the scene as a new monster hit smoke. It just never goes out of style.
Please browse our selection of Cigar Aficionado’s 2015 Cigars of the Year at your leisure.
