Cigar Coop Prime Time Show

Prime Time Episode 361 Audio: Media Panel #22

For Episode 361, it's Media Panel #22. Tonight, we are honored to be joined by Eric Guttormson of Cigar Dojo and Kevin Shahan of Cigar Prop!

The topic is the COTY (Cigar of the Year) lists. We will look into the practices and criteria for what should make a good COTY list. Both Eric and Kevin have unique ways to pick a Cigar of the Year, and we will get their inputs tonight.

Plus, we will have our FSG Beef Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa Today in Sports History, and the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments.

Prime Time Episode 361: Media Panel #22

For Episode 361, it's Media Panel #22. Tonight, we are honored to be joined by Eric Guttormson of Cigar Dojo and Kevin Shahan of Cigar Prop!

The topic is the COTY (Cigar of the Year) lists. We will look into the practices and criteria for what should make a good COTY list. Both Eric and Kevin have unique ways to pick a Cigar of the Year, and we will get their inputs tonight.

Plus, we will have our FSG Beef Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa Today in Sports History, and the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments.

2025 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List): #24: Montecristo M Toro (Audio)

Coming in at #24 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Montecristo M Toro from Altadis U.S.A.

The story of this cigar revolves around an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, which, according to Altadis U.S.A., has been aged for 20 years. The wrapper came from David Perez of A.S.P., and Rafael Nodal, Vice President of Product Capability for Altadis U.S.A. and AJ Fernandez obtained it and went to work developing a limited production line. The result was the Montecristo M. The Montecristo M is a limited-production line because of the availability of the 20-year-aged wrapper. Given the age and availability of this wrapper, it also becomes one of the more premium Montecristo offerings.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yln

 

2025 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List): #24: Montecristo M Toro

Coming in at #24 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Montecristo M Toro from Altadis U.S.A.

The story of this cigar revolves around an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, which, according to Altadis U.S.A., has been aged for 20 years. The wrapper came from David Perez of A.S.P., and Rafael Nodal, Vice President of Product Capability for Altadis U.S.A. and AJ Fernandez obtained it and went to work developing a limited production line. The result was the Montecristo M. The Montecristo M is a limited-production line because of the availability of the 20-year-aged wrapper. Given the age and availability of this wrapper, it also becomes one of the more premium Montecristo offerings.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yln

 

2025 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List): #25: Black Label Trading Company Orthodox Toro (Audio)

Coming in at #25 Black Label Trading Company Orthodox Toro. 

Black Label Trading Company was the first brand founded by James Brown. During the early days of Black Label Trading Company, James Brown built a reputation for bold, dark wrapper brands. However, over the past decade, we have seen Brown emerge as one of the industry’s top blenders. At the same time, we’ve seen him expand well beyond bold and dark wrappers and master a wide range of tobaccos and blends. With Orthodox, this blend shows that while Brown has expanded his horizons, he can still mix bold and dark elements.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yhn

2025 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List): #25: Black Label Trading Company Orthodox Toro

Coming in at #25 Black Label Trading Company Orthodox Toro. 

Black Label Trading Company was the first brand founded by James Brown. During the early days of Black Label Trading Company, James Brown built a reputation for bold, dark wrapper brands. However, over the past decade, we have seen Brown emerge as one of the industry’s top blenders. At the same time, we’ve seen him expand well beyond bold and dark wrappers and master a wide range of tobaccos and blends. With Orthodox, this blend shows that while Brown has expanded his horizons, he can still mix bold and dark elements.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yhn

2025 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List): #26: El Pulpo Octo Ocho by Artesano Del Tobacco (Audio)

Coming in at #26 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the El Pulpo Octo Ocho by Artesano Del Tobacco. This is a historic placement on the Cigar Coop Countdown because it marks the first time a culebra has landed on a Cigar Coop Countdown.

A culebra consists of three panatela cigars intertwined. Often, the cigars that form a culebra are likened to snakes. In fact, culebra is Spanish for snake. In the case of El Pulpo, this is Artesano Del Tobacco's second brand, but it pays homage to the octopus. Octo Ocho is a mashup of Latin (Octo) and Spanish (Ocho) meaning 8 which are the number of tenacles on a octopus. In the case of Octo Ocho, while it fundamentally retains the culebra concept, the the twisted panatelas in Octo Ocho's case symbolize tentacles of an octopus. It’s important to note that this culebra does not have eight tentacles, only three.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yhg

2025 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List): #26: El Pulpo Octo Ocho by Artesano Del Tobacco

Coming in at #26 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the El Pulpo Octo Ocho by Artesano Del Tobacco. This is a historic placement on the Cigar Coop Countdown because it marks the first time a culebra has landed on a Cigar Coop Countdown.

A culebra consists of three panatela cigars intertwined. Often, the cigars that form a culebra are likened to snakes. In fact, culebra is Spanish for snake. In the case of El Pulpo, this is Artesano Del Tobacco's second brand, but it pays homage to the octopus. Octo Ocho is a mashup of Latin (Octo) and Spanish (Ocho) meaning 8 which are the number of tenacles on a octopus. In the case of Octo Ocho, while it fundamentally retains the culebra concept, the the twisted panatelas in Octo Ocho's case symbolize tentacles of an octopus. It’s important to note that this culebra does not have eight tentacles, only three.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yhg

2025 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List): #27: Don Julio Sang Bleu Robusto by De Los Reyes Cigars (Audio)

Coming in at #27 Cigar of the Year is the Don Julio Sang Bleu Robusto by De Los Reyes Cigars.

This is a cigar that comes from De Los Reyes Cigars. Many know De Los Reyes for their Saga brand of cigars. Don Julio is De Los Reyes’ more premium brand. Don Julio, pays tribute to Don Julio Samuel Reyes Fermin, a celebrated tobacco grower and a third-generation member of the family.  As for the name “Sang Bleu” it means means “blue blood.” The Sang Bleu marks the first core release by De Los Reyes by Don Julio in over a decade.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yfb

2025 Cigar of the Year Countdown: #27: Don Julio Sang Bleu Robusto by De Los Reyes Cigars

Coming in at #27 Cigar of the Year is the Don Julio Sang Bleu Robusto by De Los Reyes Cigars.

This is a cigar that comes from De Los Reyes Cigars. Many know De Los Reyes for their Saga brand of cigars. Don Julio is De Los Reyes’ more premium brand. Don Julio, pays tribute to Don Julio Samuel Reyes Fermin, a celebrated tobacco grower and a third-generation member of the family.  As for the name “Sang Bleu” it means means “blue blood.” The Sang Bleu marks the first core release by De Los Reyes by Don Julio in over a decade.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yfb