2016 Recap
With it being the first of 2017, I hope everyone had a safe & happy holiday season. Prior to 2016, I typically enjoyed 1 to 3 cigars in a day. 2016 was way different as I was lucky to have 2 or 3 a week. I didn’t get to try a sliver of the cigars I had on my “Try List.” I didn’t get in no where near enough reviews as I should have. My daughter started school this year which means I had more on my plate this year than last. With her school functions, homework, various dance classes and recitals, I was pretty wore out. My typical day starts at 4am and usually ends around 8 or 9; not leaving me much quality time to sit down with a cigar (to review or just enjoy). Then, the closest local shop went up for sale middle of the year. With that being said, the owner didn’t get many, if any, new cigars in from there on out so I didn’t frequent it often. I would have to travel 45mins or more to a stocked B&M. I was either pressed for time or didn’t want to travel the distance to get to the other shops. I also was saving and pinching pennies all year to try to save up for a summer Florida vacation, car tag, birthdays, Christmas etc…
With all that being said, I won’t be publishing my 2016 Top Cigar list. I wish I could, but my list of cigars smoked was not as vast as I wished it to be and wouldn’t be a fair list in my opinion. What I am going to do is post up a few pictures of some cigars, in no particular order, that may have made it to the list this year.
I have made some 2017 cigar related New Years resolutions:
- Try to get to local B&Ms more frequently.
- Try more cigars I wouldn’t typically try.
- Visit the closest B&M more as a new owner has taken over & see if the offerings have increased.
- Order more online if I can’t find a particular cigar locally. (I only made one small online order in 2016 and it was for some pipe tobacco.)
- Make or find time to enjoy more than 2 or 3 cigars a week.
- Try to publish a weekly or biweekly cigar review (new or old cigars).
- Try to publish more cigar news (not personnel changes or things of that nature).
- Looking at doing B&M tour posts and possibly shop owner interviews.
Here are a few contenders of my favorite cigars I smoked in 2016. Some of these may or may not have made it to the list had I had a better selection to go by. Not all of these cigars were released in 2016, many are older than 2016 release.
All Time Classics
Oliva V Maduro (non 6×60) – Last year I added the 2010 era of the Oliva V Maduros. I smoked quite a few of them over the past years and they have aged nicely. Not particularly the 2010, but basically any with about 3+ years of age on them. The 6x60s introduced recently drove me away from the V Maduro this year and drove me more to enjoy the aged Toros in my humidor.
Viaje Satori Zen (2010) – What can I say, the original release Satori is still one of my all time favorites. The Ayra came out a while back and was it good, but the OR Zen still takes the cake. I still have a box plus of these….
AVO LE10 – My annual birthday smoke that still gives me a great smoking experience after 6 years. One of the best AVO LEs that has came out in a while. I wish I would have bought more than one box so I can enjoy them more than once a year.
A. Fuente Anejo Shark – A cigar that’s very sought after that smokes great fresh or even better with a few years age on them. I buy these every year with some to smoke fresh and some to smoke aged. My aged selection is getting better and bigger each year. I did get to try the Eye of the Shark last year. It was a pretty good smoke, but its hard to beat an Anejo Shark with some age.
Reinado GER – This cigar will be one that I will smoke regularly if available to me. A bit stronger than the original Reinado but still has never let me down. Just waiting for the Petite Corona size in this blend.
Drew Estate Unico Serie Dirty Rat – Don’t get me wrong, the No.9 and T52 are great smokes and somewhat readily available. But the Dirty Rat is the one I will seek out and pay a bit more for. The size and flavors are one of DE’s best showings that I will always enjoy
2016 Reviews
MBOMBAY KeSara Vintage Reserve Nikka
Rocky Patel Decade 10th Anniversary
Dunhill Aged Maduro Short Robusto
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Comments
The only cigars I typically don’t try are infused or flavored cigars. I’ve had maybe 4 infused cigars over the last 6 or so years. I like a variety of cigars from mild to full; it doesn’t matter. As long as the flavors fits my likings. I’ve had some great mild smokes & horrible full bodied cigars & vice versa.
Iron will… yeh, pretty much! I had told my daughter in the spring I would take her to Legoland before she started school. So I had to pinch pennies as much as I could as our vacation turned into more than just Legoland. I have a fairly substantial “collection” of cigars, so didn’t have to order any to be able to enjoy a cigar. Doing this, I didn’t get to try many new smokes. I didn’t particularly want to not order any, but I’m a man of my word, I made a promise to my daughter and I was going to do what ever it took to do it.
I have made progress with my 2017 Cigar Resolutions. I made it to one of the “local” B&Ms yesterday and got a few cigars. Two out of three were new to me. Next paycheck I’ll go to another “local” B&M and see what I can come up with there.
Hey Shawn, just saw that you responded. Sounds like you are a man of your word. Respect!
I was really turned off by the idea of an infused cigar but I’ve been reading more and more about them. Just not even sure where to start with one if I wanted to try…
Local B&M support is a good 2017 resolution – I want to try one of the local lounges soon. I’ve purchased a few times the past few months but have always preferred to smoke at my house.
Hey Shawn,
Just stumbled across your site a few days ago and loving the thorough reviews. Really enjoyed seeing where your head was at for 2017. Two questions out of curiosity:
1. What types of cigars wouldn’t you normally try? Seems like you have a decent variety in your reviews.
2. How did you only make 1 online order in 2016?! You have an iron will.
Thanks,
Clay