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Cigar Aficionado Top 25 for 2011

BrandonP

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Someone from CA posted the pic and link early. It was up for all of 5 min but long enough to be discovered. Pete is not joking.
 

JVB

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AB Prensado
Smoked one once. TON of smoke (think Native American smoke signals), really, really peppery, a little sweetness... kind of creamy-ish. It was quite hearty. I could see why the first inch might be good. After that, however, it's just the same thing for however many more inches... I didn't really make a point to remember the size. Taste was consistent, but not very complex from what I recall, then again maybe my palette sucks and I missed something? Which, by the way, is totally feasible.

At any rate, congrats to them. I'm sure they deserved it
 

Dread

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It could be a lot worse. The Prensado is a very good cigar but I wouldnt pick it to be #1. But coming from CA this sort of thing is to be expected.
 
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Interesting. If Pete's not playing this would be a mild suprise to say the least.

I really like the AB Prensado but #1? I don't know if I'd go that far... actually I kinda like the Tempus better. :scratchhe
 
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Smoked one once. TON of smoke (think Native American smoke signals), really, really peppery, a little sweetness... kind of creamy-ish. It was quite hearty. I could see why the first inch might be good. After that, however, it's just the same thing for however many more inches... I didn't really make a point to remember the size. Taste was consistent, but not very complex from what I recall, then again maybe my palette sucks and I missed something? Which, by the way, is totally feasible.

At any rate, congrats to them. I'm sure they deserved it
i confoos.

i just got a box and was quite disappointed. like JVB said: boatload of smoke which is fun, i guess, but it was so peppery at initial light that it actually hurt. i felt like i was smoking wasabi. that went away within a 1/4 inch and was replaced with a bunch of intense flavor, but none of it all that good. i got some savory black cherry, but there was so much going on that i think my tongue was confused. to give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe the professional cigar-smokers at CA were able to differentiate the madness, and got a bunch of delicious flavors instead of an overwhelming hubbub.

my cigar buddy only smoked like an inch and a half of his and tossed it. i smoked the whole thing (which took a long time for a robusto) and just thought it was ok, not cigar of the year caliber.

also, like JVB said, it was hearty as heck. i smoke at least one cigar a day, and this still got me buzzed. that hasn't happened with anything else i have smoked in the last year except the 5 vegas relic.

summary: what the heck? AB prensado = not all that good.
 
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njstone

BoM January 2010
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i confoos.

i just got a box and was quite disappointed. like JVB said: boatload of smoke which is fun, i guess, but it was so peppery at initial light that it actually hurt. i felt like i was smoking wasabi. that went away within a 1/4 inch and was replaced with a bunch of intense flavor, but none of it all that good. i got some savory black cherry, but there was so much going on that i think my tongue was confused. to give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe the professional cigar-smokers at CA were able to differentiate the madness, and got a bunch of delicious flavors instead of an overwhelming hubbub.

my cigar buddy only smoke like an inch and a half of his and tossed it. i smoked the whole thing (which took a long time for a robusto) and just thought it was ok, not cigar of the year caliber.

also, like JVB said, it was hearty as heck. i smoke at least one cigar a day, and this still got me buzzed. that hasn't happened with anything else i have smoked in the last year except the 5 vegas relic.

summary: what the heck? AB prensado = not all that good.
To each his own -- your description actually makes me want to retry the Prensado more than the CA rating! But I like strong cigars.
 

javajunkie

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i am still waiting for CA to post, but if it is true that the AB prensado is the killer of the list, kudos to alan et al.! i think it is a wonderful smoke. i would have liked it IN the top 25, maybe In the top ten, but probably not TOP of all 25. that's what i get for smoking the whole cigar down to the nub like a noob.
 
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Its funny because this happens every year where CA builds up this "insert drum roll here" whats going to be #1 only for people to say.. "what, I can't believe that made it in the top 10, even 5!!" At least with the Padron Family Blends, they actually belong there. Think fellas, its all about making consumers happy while still rewarding your best clients. There will always be a Fuente in there as well as a Rocky Patel. I think last year, there was a Camacho in the top 5. Good thing now is that there are actually true review sites like Stogie Review and Halfwheel and forums like ours where you have real reviews/discussions on current and new smokes as well as the "oh yeah remember those" which we find back in the humidor.

Back in the day, there was only CF and ASC with really no review sites.

We always took the top 25 with a grain of salt and yes while its interesting to see what CA decides will be in the top 10 but like any other publication where ads are paid for, there will eventually be a reward. I personally like the fact that my favorite cigars/companies made it into the top 10 but not in the 1 or 2 slot so that there won't be the major shortage that would have happened if they made the #1 or 2 slot when casual or poser smokers go and buy all of them out. G1
 
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