Since 1992, wow, that’s 20 years already, we have not only named The Cigar of the Year, but before naming a Best of the Best, we decide on The Contenders.
Today, cigars are better than ever, every cigar maker is making great cigars. Every cigar maker is using well aged tobaccos and they have improved so much from the days of the cigar boom of the 1990’s.
In 1992 when we first started choosing the best cigars of the year, we had to get through a lot of crap to get to the best. This year was much different. This year, it was very tough to pick just eight contenders for The Cigar of the year – but we did it.
The criteria for this task are that the cigar first had to hit retailers’ shelves between Oct 1, 2011 to Oct 1, 2012. If it came in a little late, that doesn’t mean it can’t become The Cigar of the year, it just means it will have to wait till next year. And oh…by the way, a cigar that came out years ago cannot be this year’s cigar of the year just as an old song or old movie cannot become the song of movie of the year regardless how good it is. Now that this is understood it also needs to be available.
Availability: That hard to get, limited edition that nobody has cannot be The Cigar of the Year or even a Contender. Ya, it was a great cigar – but it cannot and will not be the Cigar of the Year.
Consistency is very important and if it only just came out, one shipment and no others, it cannot be proven that it is consistent or it is not a Contender.
Quality is obviously a big one but it must be side by side with Value. A great $5 cigar gets more points than that of the same cigar with a $20 price tag. If they were exactly the same cigar, the value would have to go to the $5 one right?
Sales…this is another big one. Just getting over an election that may or may not have gone the way you wished but wouldn’t you think it would of gone very different if you had to pay to vote? Well, when people buy cigars, you are voting with your wallet and this is a big vote – a vote that really counts.
We take all this in consideration along with knowledge of product and the consideration of professional cigar salesman and votes from consumers. The votes come in through an e-mail address that is included in The Contenders Gift Pack that includes all 8 Contenders for The Cigar of the Year. You can find it at www.2GuysCigars.com and join in on the tasting.
The Contenders for The Cigar of the Year has been announced and they are here….The Winner will be announced on the day before Superbowl Sunday which will be Saturday Feb 2, 2013…and not a day before…and right here on The Cigar Authority Radio Program.
After 20 years it is our pleasure and honor to once again present to you The Contenders for The Cigar of the Year 2012 and here they are:
ORIGEN MADURO
C.O.JONES
INCH BY E.P. CARILLO
ATABEY
ESTILO CUBANO
C&C COROJO
UNITED CIGAR
LA DUENA
