Your top 5 CC and NC Power rankings for 2023?

[El Presidente]

Your top 5 CC and NC Power rankings for 2023? 

What has gone up within  your personal top 5 cigars of your rotation? Those cigars you are reaching for more and more in 2023.

Personally:

Up

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Number 2. 

best that I have had in 20 years. No brainer for me. 

Partagas Serie D number 4 

I haven't had a dud D4 this year. In terms of sheer excellece, it hasn't quite matched the Epi 2. Close however. 

Nudies Carlota 

Everything I wanted it to be. Satisfies every bloody time. So proud of this cigar. 

H. Upmann Magnum 54 

You may hate the size, but I can't fault the blend. Magnificent and consistent. 

Nudies Canonazo

Our top selling cigar of 2023 and for a reason. It is no Siglo VI, but it is consistently bloody good at a price point I can smoke without giving it a second look. 

 

Yours? 

 

 

 

 

[MagicalBikeRide]

Epi 2 - as above 

 

Monte 2 - not sure if I’ve landed on two magic boxes, but they’ve been phenomenal 

 

Monte 4 - the boxes I’ve had have been way more consistent than I ever remember - and any singles I’ve picked up have been super too

 

N1 Lancero - best of the bunch for me; just keep reaching for them 

 

Davidoff No 2 - I picked up two large boxes of tubos in Italy early 2020 and really wish I’d bought all they had / as much as I could afford - prices have followed a similar trajectory to Habanos since then - remains my favourite cigar with weekend coffee, but not likely to be replaced when I run dry 

[gormag38]

H.Upmann No.2: I jumped on the bandwagon about a year ago and boy am I glad I did. I literally have to force myself to grab something else when I take out a smoke. 

HDM Epi 2: was my first love cigar and I my other cigar I refrain from reaching for all the time. Recent examples have been fire. 

Partagas Serie E 2: love the blend and actually don't mind the size. It all works together

Arturo Fuente Short Story: Another all timer for me. Super consistent and great for the Michigan winters

Nudie Canonazo: while this one could certainly be a recency bias on my part; this past week I've been remembering this smoke fondly. Certainly will reach for another soon. 

[Cigarsmoker81]

Ashton esg and vsg:  so good I ran out and hopefully I’ll restock on my next US trip 

AF: opus x/ hemingway/ don carlos 

hdm Rio seco: either I lucked out on good boxes or this thing is amazing 

Padron: loving 1926 and liking the 1964 

Trinidad media Luna: smoking down on my stock faster than I wish 

[Puros Y Vino]

As my HUHC stock dwindles, I moved to replace them with Quintero Petit Quintero and OMG are they good. They are hitting way above their weight.  Different tasting notes than the HUHC but an equally interesting journey throughout.

Not an official Habanos release, but I've been hitting my stash of 2017 Jorge Monsdales quite often over this past summer.  They just keep getting better.

PSD4.  Sampling from different boxes.  Haven't hit a dud yet.

2016 Siglo II.  Doing my best to keep my hands off these but they are in top form.

NC? Not much. But I am impressed with the Davidoff Millennium Lancero that was recently released. They hit a grand slam with this one IMO.  Very flavourful, lots of transitions.  Very "Cubanesque".  It takes me back to the 1970 Davidoff No 1 I smoked many years ago.  

[DrCaffeinated]

While there are still two months remaining, 2023 will likely go down as the year of Davidoff for me.

HdM Epicure No. 2

This was always one of my favorite cigars, but I feel like I’m living in the golden age of Epi 2 right now. Can’t get enough.

RASS

Like the Epi 2, RASS has been a staple of my humidor. I just haven’t been able to say no to one in the last 6 months.

Juan Lopez Seleccion No. 2

The JL2 is going through a renaissance with me. I literally haven’t had a bad one this year.

Davidoff Signature No. 1

I had one shortly after the release and found it good, but nothing to write home about. Now it’s in the running for my cigar of the year. Kicking myself for not buying more.

Davidoff Signature No. 2

I feel like I’ve always had a box of these on hand, but I almost never seemed to reach for them until about 3-4 months ago. Now I think it’s my new standby cigar.

 

HONORABLE MENTION:

Davidoff Millennium Lancero - So bloody good. The only reason this didn’t make the above list is the first one was just as good as the last one I had, so it gets no marks for improvement. Another candidate for my cigar of the year.

[Chibearsv]

I haven't smoked any 2023 dated cigars yet.  For cigars I've smoked in 2023 that are knocking it out of the park, here you go in no particular order except RAG:

2019 RAG - Cigar of the year right now, just a great ride.

2020 BPC - My favorite after dinner cigar

2021 N1 - Must have with my coffee every Saturday morning.

2021 Montecristo No 1 - tasty and complex

2019 Esplendidos - they will always be on my list