The 2013 Cigars of the Year list published by Cigar Aficionado was topped by a Cuban blend produced by the classic brand, Montecristo. The No. 2 was irresistible, rich in flavor and carrying a characteristic tangy wood note that won over the judges with ease.
For those of us in the States, the #2 cigar of 2013 was the top blend we could get our hands on: the Aging Room Quattro F55. It was a Dominican blend topped by a genuine Sumatra wrapper grown in Indonesia – one that really forms the backstory for the Aging Room company. The wrapper leaf was surfaced in a storehouse in Germany, and the rest was history.
The #3 cigar on the 2013 Cigars of the Year list was a Nicaraguan puro from Davidoff. For a Dominican-dominated brand, this was an expansion. The team nailed it, using exquisite imported tobacco from a Nicaraguan grower and blending things up perfectly to secure a 95 rating and a place in the humidors of cigar lovers around the world.
At #4 was no stranger to Cigar Aficionado’s best cigars of the year list: Padrón. The 1964 Anniversary blend was a nutty, toasty maduro with a hint of raisin on the finish – another excellent smoke from one of the most storied brands in the cigar industry.
Another Cuban blend was at #5, coming from the world-class Cohiba facility. Number #6 was the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos (which would take the #1 spot in a later year). Flashes of greatness from the Cameroon-wrapped blend were evident, and reviewers would wind up hooked once this “slow starter” really got going after the initial phase of smoking.
The 2013 Cigars of the Year list continued with the affordable and tasty Curivari Buenaventura BV560. The #8 spot was owned by the Herrera Esteli Piramide Fino, a blend from Drew Estate chief blender Willy Herrera. Incorporating tobacco from Nicaragua, Honduras, and Ecuador, it was the elongated finish that really helped this one stand out. It was also Drew Estate’s first appearance on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 list and helped the company take steps to become the strong brand it is today.
#9 on the list was held down by the promotional powerhouse Gurkha. The 125th Anniversary smoke was impressively balanced for a smoke incorporating leaf from so many locations and won quite a few new fans to the brand.
The top ten set of the 2013 Cigars of the Year was completed with the Ashton Virgin Sun Grown Spellbound, a Dominican blend with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper that brought new attention to the use of ES leaf in premium blends. At 94 points, this large-format smoke brought out the best in tobacco from the Olivas, Levins, and Fuentes – an esteemed group that somehow exceeded expectations with the blend.
Please browse our selection of the Cigar Aficionado 2013 Cigars of the Year at your leisure.
