7x7 best cigars 2020
Before you read any further, here’s the most recent 7x10 matrix from 2021, so you’re up to date with the most recent developments.
We all love Top twentysomethings, Best of lists and awards. Whether we’re cheering with the winners, crying with those who didn’t make it, or question the how’s and why’s of all these reviews, the buzz and excitement around them are contagious.
The cigar world offers plenty of reviews and lists by various opinion leaders, publications and blogs—usually around the end of the year or early January. There’s live shows for the announcements, lengthy write ups about the results, and lively discussions about right or wrong decisions. Ultimately everybody can agree to disagree with this or that and pick a favorite final list.
We kindly wanted to give you a comprehensive overview of some of the most widely acknowledged Top lists, compiled into a 7 x 7 matrix. Most of the 7 publishers create a Top 25 list, so we wanted to focus on the top-ranked cigars to keep it short and sweet.
The origin of filler, binder, and wrapper is represented by the flags from left to right. If there are four flags, the first two create a blended filler. The color gradient is a proxy for the cigar.
The simple fact that hardly any cigar gets multiple mentions in the top 7 of 7 rather influential publications, indicates the diversity of the industry. There’s an abundance of excellent cigars on the market. We clearly live in a golden age for cigar lovers.
While some of the publications, like Robb Report or Cigar Vixen, have a more lifestyle orientated approach, Cigar Journal and Cigar Aficionado, probably the two biggest and most respected industry media groups, rely on blind tasting panels and multiple degustation rounds. Their #1 cigar of the year announcement comes in form of a countdown, stretched over days and weeks, and is highly anticipated by most cigar lovers all around the world.
Ferdinand Piet’s Ministry of Cigars offers a very detailed summary of the 111 cigars tasted throughout the last year. He depictures further details and analysis about the cigar’s origin, price point, and even offers a separate Price Quality Top 25 list. “Each cigar scores on appearance, aroma, flavor, draw, smoke, and burn. That creates a score with two digits. To create this price-quality list, we divide that score by the price. That creates an x amount of points per Euro. Thus, a budget cigar with a lower score can rank high in this top 25 list due to the low price.”
Cigar Coop—as always—shines with a rather meticulous and detailed review process as well, with The American Toro by J.C. Newman Cigar Company ending up on top of the list as the #1 cigar of the year. “The importance of doing any Cigar of the Year list is the criteria used to define the list”, Cigar Coop states on the website, where one can find more details.
Blind Man’s Puff takes a slightly different approach, which also makes for a very interesting list. “Every year we put together a list of our Top 25 Cigars of the Year. Our list is a bit different from some other lists, it is not simply a rehashing of our top scores from the year, or one person’s opinion. We gave each of our panelists 10 votes to cast how they please for what they enjoyed the most in 2020. The order of their votes matter, so their #1 pick is worth twice as much as #10. The cigars do not necessarily have to be reviewed by Blind Man’s Puff, but the panelist must have smoked it.”
Which ever cigar media outlet you prefer, which blog you like to follow or whichever Top 25 / 15 / 10 list you can’t wait for every year: there’s plenty of amazing cigars to be smoked and just as many interesting reviews to be read.
May our 7x7 matrix help you to get a good overview and interesting comparison. Because the next top #something list is always just around the corner anyways!
With my very best wishes and spirits, light em up!
Reinhard
Sensory expert, cigar passionado, and host of the Light ‘em Up Lounge
