The very best years....

[Wailbait]

It’s likely that this has been discussed as nauseam, but since I couldn’t find the specific topic easily, I’m wondering if folks have a particular preference for years.  Are there certain years that have, on the whole, produced better cigars and certain years that have produced worse?  Since tobacco is a crop that is subject to climate conditions, I’m fairly certain there have to be some trends.  I know about the asbestos wrappers of 2000 etc. 

Any new observations over the last 20 years?  

[RolandHeadlessGunner]

Not everyone knows the vintage ratings as well. Frankly, the more ranges the vintage rankings cover, the more I appreciate it.

 

[earthson]

There are banner years to me, though I base it upon box codes, not necessarily knowing the years the respective tobaccos were grown.  07-08, 2013, and 2017 have produced some nice boxes in my (limited) collection.

[M777]

1 hour ago, earthson said:

There are banner years to me, though I base it upon box codes, not necessarily knowing the years the respective tobaccos were grown.  07-08, 2013, and 2017 have produced some nice boxes in my (limited) collection.

Fully agree on the 2013 (thankfully stocked up on several marcas). I didn't buy much 2015-17, 5 boxes/cabs total, great to hear about 17's, 3 out of those 5 are 17's which I haven't sampled yet.

[stogieluver]

The following is a post from 2014. I copied it for reference but can’t tell you who posted it. I’m pretty sure this topic has been covered by El Presidente and a search will probably find it. 

 

The copied post starts below. Don’t ask me what “FOG” stands for because I don’t know. I’m taking no credit here for this info.  

 

“As an FOG I will pay a large premium for sticks from pre 1996 and a premium for sticks from 1996-1998 and from mid 2001-mid 2003. Reasoning below:

Pre 1996- wrappers of pre '96 cigars are much more fine and silky. Different tobacco used then. Best cigars in the world to age.

 

1996-1998: Good quality with decent tobacco which have aged very well.

 

1999-mid 2001- CC's were waaaaay overproduced with young tobacco and inexperienced rollers. Many suffered from poor draws and bad construction. Hit or miss now as some are excellent and some suck. I avoid these years unless it's a specific factory/marca (ie, el Laguito or Partagas factory for robusto, CG or piramid sized cigars which have a much better chance of being good);

 

Mid '01-mid 2003: These IMHO are the best cigars to buy and age. Post "BOOM" so production had caught up to supply. Inexperienced rollers now had experience. Aged tobacco now used again. I just LOVE the way these have aged. In addition you had the huge "cut-list" in 2002. Tremendous cigars were discontinued (Punch SS#2s and Monarcas, RA Coronas and 898s, Upmann Super Coronas, ERDM lonsdales and Gran Coronas, RG lonnies, LGC Sabrosos, PL Lonsdales and the like). These cigars could be had (and some still can be) for decent prices and have aged tremendously.

 

Mid 2003 to present: Somewhere in the middle of 2003 Cuba did something to their tobacco to make the cigars taste better young. Some say they started "cooking" the tobacco some say different. I really don't know what they did but whatever it was the cigars tasted much better young. Cigars post mid 2003 no longer went through the traditional sick period where the ammonia smell and taste would permeate the cigars (like EVERY SINGLE box of CC's had previously) sometime during the first year or two after rolling. I cannot recall a single cigar produced after July of 2003 that smelled of ammonia. That said those cigars tasted great ROTT. Each year since then the cigars have seemed to taste better ROTT as evidenced by the recent 96 given to the Monte 2 by CA in their Cigar of the Year edition. While these cigars taste much better young I have noticed that they do not age nearly as well as the pre mid2003 cigars did. Cigars that tasted great when young (Punch RoyalRobusto RE from 2006 for example) has aged terribly. Another CC BB that I frequent recently had a taste test for an entire box of these and the almost unanimous consensus was : BLAH!!

I do know that the CC collectors in the Far East, MRN included, believe that whatever was done to the cigars to make them taste better young has affected their ability to improve with age. I buy young stuff and smoke it now.

 

That's my $.02 on value of aged cigars.”

 

 

 

[Sudzdaddy]

FOG = F’n Old Guy, usually said with (some) respect.  ?

[stogieluver]

5 hours ago, Sudzdaddy said:

FOG = F’n Old Guy, usually said with (some) respect.  ?

Oh okay. Well then, I’m also a FOG. 

[joeypots]

I remember delectable boxes from '06 and I'm smoking some good cigars from '13 now.

[BrightonCorgi]

Box codes and the harvest year of tobacco are not the same.  I recall 2002-2003 as having some great ones, especially from LGC

[planetary]

 

[Notsocleaver]

'08 TEB has been good to me. '05 has treated me really well personally, but I know others who don't agree. 2013 has been pretty good too, and much more attainable.

[Wailbait]

I have found many things from late 12 to 14 to be very very good.