2014 Cigars of the Year

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The top 2014 Cigars of the Year list published by Cigar Aficionado was led by the incomparable Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado. The Sumatra-wrapped version of the Series V blend was a huge hit, thanks to its rich, leathery profile with notes of coffee, caramel, and wood. With a 96-point rating, this was the cigar that finally brought Oliva to the top of the cigar world officially. E.P. Carrillo was nipping at Oliva’s heels with his La Historia blend, the first part of a trilogy that would take home Cigar of the Year honors in two years to come. The Mexican San Andrés leaf won over the judges and produced a flavor that showed Perez-Carrillo was truly blending on another level. #3 on the top 2014 Cigars of the Year list was the Illusione Fume d’Amour, a Nicaraguan puro that contained no Ligero whatsoever. Instead, the mild and balanced profile showed how restraint can sometimes lead to addition by subtraction when it comes to blending. Nutty, with flashes of nougat and spice, the Illusione Smoke of Love was a special cigar that is still in the memory of smokers who caught the first batch of it. While the #4 spot on the 2014 Cigars of the Year rankings went to a Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey blend, the #5 cigar was the Rocky Patel Royale. The dual binder, comprised of Connecticut broadleaf and Connecticut shade, was a fairly creative touch and helped turn the Royale into a complex and interesting smoke. It also was a historically high ranking for the Rocky Patel cigar company. The #6 location on the 2014 Cigars of the Year list was a cigar that no one can forget – the Fuente Fuente OpusX PerfecXion X (yes, they like to repeat themselves just a bit over there at Arturo Fuente). This all Dominican blend was a full-bodied fad hit, and sold out everywhere faster than you can say “uno mas, por favor.” Leathery, spicy, earthy… it has it all and hooked an entire generation of cigar lovers. Number 7 was yet another exquisite stick from Padrón, the Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro. That