#ELOSOFUMARTAKES - 316th Take - 2024 Top Ten Cigars with George Brightman
WELCOME BACK! HAPPY NEW YEAR! The night is here! The time is right! It's time for the #ELOsoFumarTakes Top 10 Cigars of 2024! Once again, the legendary George Brightman joins us for the Top 10 Countdown for the ages! I've sent George my top ten cigars for him to sample and taste test blind. He gives an honest breakdown alongside my own assessments, Enjoy! Criteria: 1) It's vitola based. 2) I had to have smoked the cigar for the first time in the last year and a half.* 3) It must not suck. 4)No limited edition cigars (i.e. TAA, shop exclusive) are eligible. 5) A previous number 1 cigar winner (blend-specific, i.e. 2017 Winner Espinosa Habano) cannot be on this year's Top 10 or repeat as winner.* 6) A company cannot have more than 1 cigar on the Top 10, however, may be considered for honorable mention.* 7)THE BIG ONE: frequency of smoke. Basically, I had to have the means AND opportunity AND did, in fact, smoke the cigar frequently. Just to review, here is last year's list: Top 10 2023: 1) Gran Habano 20th Anniversaro Edicion Limitada El Sueno 2) Luciano Cigars Maria Lucia 3) Black Label Trading Co Deliverance Porcelain Robusto 4) Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Gran Corona 5) Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva Double Perfecto 6) Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Connecticut Short Churchhill 7) Quesada Cigars Liga F toro 8) HVC Selección No. 1 Natural Poderosos 9) United Toro Maduro 10) Kristoff Cigars Guardrail Robusto You can listen to last year's show HERE. Honorable Mentions 2024 (Time Stamp: 00:31:24): United Cigar Group Gold Star Limited, Macanudo Estate Reserve Release No. 2 Churchill, The E.P. Carrillo Pledge of Allegiance 2023, BLK WKS Intergallactic Event Horizon Toro, Knuckle Sandwich Chef Special 2024 Top 10 Cigars of 2024 (this year): 1) Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu Blue No 1 Toro Grande (Timestamp: 03:01:00) Wrapper: Shade-Grown Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: My Father Cigars S.A. No. 1: 6 1/4 x 52 2) BLK WKS Killer Bee Robusto (Timestamp: 02:24:50) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: (Fabrica Oveja Negra) Robusto 5x50 3) Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Robusto 2023 edition (Timestamp: 02:19:20) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Binder: Mexican Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Tabacalera AJ Fernandez Cigars de Nicaragua S.A. Size: 5x50 4) Joya de Nicaragua Cinco de Cinco Robusto Gordo (Timestamp: 02:15:48) Wrapper: San Andres Mexican Binder: Undisclosed Filler: Nicaragua Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua, S.A. Size: 5 1/2 x 54 5) Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Umbagog Bronzeback (Timestamp: 01:43:11) Wrapper: 2LS Connecticut Broadleaf Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Nicaragua American Cigars S.A (NACSA) Size: 5x48 parejo 6) Plascencia Consecha 149 Azacualpa (Timestamp: 01:35:44) Wrapper: Honduran Binder: Honduran Filler: Honduran Country of Origin: Honduras Factory: Tabacos de Oriente Size: 6x52 7) Powstanie Connecticut Belicoso (Timestamp: 01:29:35) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Binder: Pennsylvania Broadleaf Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Fabrica de Tabacos NicaSueño Size: 5.5x52 8) La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona (Timestamp: 00:54:15) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Binder: Nicaraguan Filler: Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: My Father Cigars S.A Size: 5 1/2 x 44 9) Micallef Blue Robusto (Timestamp: 00:48:15) Wrapper: San Andrés Sumatra Binder: Ecuadorian Habano Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Fabrica de Micallef size 5x50 10) Ferio Tego Summa Torpedo (Timestamp: 00:41:34) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican Country of Origin: Dominican Republic Factory: Tabacos de Exportación (TABADEX) size 6.25x52