2020 Cigars of the Year

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The 2020 Cigars of the Year were led by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo, who barely had time to take in his 2018 win before he was honored once more with the top spot. Cigar Aficionado couldn’t get enough of the Pledge Prequel, which boasts an astounding 98 rating. Few cigars will ever see a score like that, so this was truly an otherworldly smoke in the minds of the judges. Nicaraguan filler, Ecuadorian binder, and a Habano-seed wrapper leaf grown right here in the U.S.A made this cigar one that would never be forgotten. Cigar Aficionado had this to say about their #1 cigar of 2020, “[A] delicious smoke that delivers flavor in bold, zesty parcels of spicy oak, licorice, black cherry, and black pepper. Baking spices sing like a holiday chorus, and when you think you’ve tasted all the cigar has to offer, a warm, familiar note of baked apple settles across the palate.” These guys are cigar crazy, clearly, but you get the point. The 2020 Pledge is a blend that everyone should try at least once. Something old was new again for the #2 cigar on the list of 2020 Cigars of the Year: the Fuente Fuente OpusX. This Dominican puro once again laid people flat on their butts with how good it was. At 97 points, any other year probably would have seen it become a #1 rated champion, but the competition was just too ridiculous this year. That Chateau de la Fuente wrapper leaf is as good as it ever was, and OpusX will be flying off the shelves forever. The #3 spot belongs to a brand that is a permanent resident on Cigar Aficionado’s top cigars lists: Padrón. With three #1 wins, this company set the standard for consistent excellence. In 2020, it was the 1964 blend that rolled across the room with white smoke that tasted like luxurious chocolate. As Nicaraguan puros go, Padrón makes some of the very best. #4 on the list of 2020 Cigars of the Year was La Mission’s L’Atelier 1959 blend, with a rustic Mexican wrapper leaf that was just begging for a lighter. The real prize, however, was that Garci