JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022
The
BEST CIGARS of
And the
2021
editorials JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022
22 MANCAVE ESSENTIALS You love smoke? You love cocktails? We’ve got a brilliant way to smoke your drinks in the comfort of your mancave.
25 5 TO TRY: DIGESTIF Whether it’s distilled from grapes and infused with orange essence, made of French apples and pears, or set on fire with a coffee bean in it; after-dinner drinks are meant to help you digest a big meal, that’s why they’re called digestifs. Here are five very different digestifs expertly paired with an excellent smoke.
26
GRAND MARNIER CUVÉE LOUIS-ALEXANDRE / ILLUSIONE ULTRA
28
COMTE LOUIS DE LAURISTON CALVADOS DOMFRONTAIS V.S.O.P / AVO SYNCRO CARIBE
32
GODIVA CHOCOLATE LIQUEUR / SOUTHERN DRAW ROSE OF SHARON
34
MIAMI CLUB CUBAN COFFEE RUM LIQUEUR / LA AURORA 115TH ANNIVERSARY
36
ROMANA BLACK / SUNDAY GRAVY BY DIESEL
53 TOP 25 CIGARS What do you get when you ask our tasting panel to smoke, re-smoke, and rank the best cigars of the previous year? Our annual Top 25 list is here and it’s a good one! Don’t forget to snag the perforated list before heading to your favorite tobacconist.
65 LOOK AHEAD 2022 Smoking sages get down to some prognosticating for our new year. Their crystal ball offers a mostly sunny outlook for everyone, tempered with some cautionary calls.
8 | CIGAR SNOB | JAN / FEB 2022
JAN / FEB 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
9
features JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022
14 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
16 FEEDBACK
18 WHAT’S BURNIN’
38 THE OSCAR FEATURING OSCAR VALLADARES
71 RATINGS
90 TWITTER SCOREBOARD
92 INSTAGRAM SCOREBOARD
94 EVENTS 94 iMORDECAI PREMIERE 96 SHORE THING CIGARS WHITE PARTY 98 DAVIDOFF GOLDEN BAND AWARDS 100 CIGARS UNDER THE STARS WITH MONTECRISTO
101 SMOKE THIS 102 CIGAR HERITAGE FESTIVAL 104 OLIVA NIGHT AT CUBA UNDER THE STARS
106 CREATIVAS ANNUAL TOY DRIVE 108 EXIT ONE TAPROOM AND OLIVA CIGARS
10 | CIGAR SNOB | JAN / FEB 2022
JAN / FEB 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
11
DIGESTIFS
DIGESTIF IS JUST A FANCY WAY OF SAYING AFTER-DINNER DRINK, A BEVERAGE MEANT TO HELP YOU DIGEST A BIG MEAL. NATURALLY ANY ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CAN BE USED IN THIS MANNER – I PERSONALLY LOVE RYE WHISKEY AFTER DINNER – BUT THESE 5 ARE PRIMARILY DIGESTIFS. I TRIED TO
PUT TOGETHER AN ASSORTMENT OF DRINKS COMBINING FAMILIAR PRODUCTS AND STUFF YOU MAY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF. THE CHALLENGE HERE WAS FINDING A CIGAR THAT COULD BE ENJOYED WITH THE AFTER-DINNER DRINK WITHOUT OVERPOWERING IT OR VICE VERSA.
oscar onthe the redmaduro carpet featuring starring
the oscar maduro and habano
PLAY THE PERFECT CLING.
www.colesoflondon.com
64 | CIGAR SNOB | JAN / FEB 2022
READING THE TOBACCO LEAVES
Industry insiders weigh in on what's in store for the new year.
JAN / FEB 2022 | CIGAR SNOB |
65
48 CIGARS