iROBUSTO’s Top 25 Cigars of 2019 is brought to you by Cigar Oasis- humidification solutions since 1997!
The Top 25 Cigars of 2019 is here. At iROBUSTO, we believe that the cigar community’s opinion matters. Each year we’ve had a Community Cigar of the Year Top 25 list. In 2019, we’ve done it again and we’re excited to bring you the best Cigars of 2019 as voted upon by the Cigar Community.
iROBUSTO Ambassador Lists
The Ambassador Lists have been be posted and include the top cigars from CutLightSmoke, LeeMack912, Hyacinth LaPanatela and Mark.
Community & Ambassador Top 10 Cigars
Community, Noah & Leander’s 25 – 11 Top Cigars
Best Boutique Company
Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust – DT&T has now claimed this award two years in a row. Steve Saka, the mastermind behind the Dunbarton portfolio, continues to blow us away. The consistency of these cigars is almost unmatched, and this company exceeds competitors year after year by releasing rockstar core lines and top notch limited production blends. DT&T claimed multiple spots on our Top 25 lists including Noah’s #1 cigar of the year for the second time in a row.
Best Big Dog
Altadis USA – You don’t always find the right kind of care and attention to detail in larger cigar companies. Hell, a lot of them are known for putting out sub-par garbage year after year. There was one “Big Dog” that really stood out to us this year. Altadis USA is responsible for a number of well-known brands. They’ve seemingly improved quality of production in recent years, and they put out some solid blends this year. We’ve been especially fond of many of their H. Upmann releases.
Best New Company
A.C.E. Prime – A.C.E. Prime came out with a bang at IPCPR 2019. They introduced a boat-load of new cigars coming from some very experienced, behind-the-curtain masterminds who produce a number of hits for large companies. A.C.E. Prime cigars are currently quite difficult to get a hold of as they aren’t in a ton of shops yet, but all of the cigars we’ve tried from this company are fire. Once they see more humidor shelf space around the country, I expect we’ll see this brand on many top 25 lists.
Most Improved Company
Gurkha Cigars – Gurkha brings about many mixed feelings in the cigar industry depending on who you talk to. Over the years, we’ve smoked countless different Gurkha lines, but the majority of them have been underwhelming. They’ve produced a few standouts, but overall, their marketing was seemingly the priority over the quality of their cigars. This year, the Gurkha Nicaragua Series changed the game. This AGANORSA-made cigar is the best we’ve seen from Gurkha in years, and we hope it’s an indicator quality cigars to come.
Most Innovative Cigar
Jas Sum Kral Nuggs Habano (20mg) – The Nuggs line of cigars exploded in popularity in the cigar industry this year. Nuggs feature an infusion of CBD into the tobacco leaves delivering the associated effects orally. There have been a few releases of CBD cigars, but they produced awful flavor. JSK patented a process of infusion that does not impact the cigar’s flavor negatively. They’re damn good cigars, and the CBD benefits are especially noticeable on the Maduro.
Best Budget Cigar
Southern Draw 300 Hands Connecticut – The 300 Hands line came out in 2018 and paid homage to the supposed 300 hands it takes to make a cigar from seed to final product. A portion of the profits are given to Nicaraguan charities, and the cigars come packaged with a card displaying photos and stories of some of the workers. These cigars float around the $6 price point and are tasty budget sticks for a good cause.
Best High-Dollar Cigar
La Flor Dominicana 25th Anniversary – La Flor Dominicana released the 25th Anniversary this year to celebrate exactly what the name implies. It’s retail price is $18 which doesn’t compare to a number of extortionate cigar prices in the market, but it’s still on the high end for most folks. It’s one of the best cigars LFD has put out, and one of the best Dominican cigars we’ve had in a while. It’s worth every penny.
