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2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #8: Kristoff Guardrail Robusto

The #8 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Kristoff Guardrail Robusto. The story behind the Kristoff Guardrail is like no other. Kristoff Guardrail debuted in 2022, but the story’s roots go back a couple of years before that. Kristoff owner Glen Case was in Oklahoma and had rented a motorcycle. He was on the road when his back tire gave way and caused him to crash into a guardrail. The accident was severe enough to land Case in the hospital for weeks, followed by many months of rehabilitation – including spending time in a wheelchair. When Kristoff Guardrail was released a couple of years later, Case was fully recovered. Those around him kept the accident quiet, so many were shocked to hear of the accident. Case felt he was given a second chance at life, and this was the inspiration for the Kristoff Guardrail.

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

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #9: Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1 (Audio)

The #9 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1. The Verocú Blue is a regular production line that made its debut at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Verocú Blue is described as an offshoot of the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú line, which is, in turn, an offshoot of the Tatuaje Havana VI (aka Red Label) line. While there may be some DNA connections among these lines, the difference with Verocú Blue is the Shade-grown Corojo wrapper grown by the Garcia family in Nicaragua.

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

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #9: Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1

The #9 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú Blue No. 1. The Verocú Blue is a regular production line that made its debut at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show. Verocú Blue is described as an offshoot of the Tatuaje Havana VI Verocú line, which is, in turn, an offshoot of the Tatuaje Havana VI (aka Red Label) line. While there may be some DNA connections among these lines, the difference with Verocú Blue is the Shade-grown Corojo wrapper grown by the Garcia family in Nicaragua.

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

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #10: Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I (Audio)

The #10 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I. In 2021, Plasencia Cigars launched an offshoot of its Alma Fuerte brand known as the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro. When Plasencia decided to bring its own brand to market in 2017, one of the first blends it introduced was the Plasencia Alma Fuerte. This cigar went on to become a very successful line. The Alma Fuerte was known for its dark Nicaraguan wrapper. As the name indicates, the Colorado Claro has a lighter shade with a slight reddish tint. The blend to the Alma Fuerte was tweaked, and thus the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro was born. Today we take a look at the second vitola released in the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro, the Eduardo I.

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

Note: The photography used for these two thumbnails has made this cigar wrapper look darker and the cigar bands less green. We apologize for this, but we want to reassure you that this was the Colorado Claro Eduardo I that was used for his assessment.

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #10: Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I

The #10 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro Eduardo I. In 2021, Plasencia Cigars launched an offshoot of its Alma Fuerte brand known as the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro. When Plasencia decided to bring its own brand to market in 2017, one of the first blends it introduced was the Plasencia Alma Fuerte. This cigar went on to become a very successful line. The Alma Fuerte was known for its dark Nicaraguan wrapper. As the name indicates, the Colorado Claro has a lighter shade with a slight reddish tint. The blend to the Alma Fuerte was tweaked, and thus the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro was born. Today we take a look at the second vitola released in the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro, the Eduardo I.

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

Note: The photography used for these two thumbnails has made this cigar wrapper look darker and the cigar bands less green. We apologize for this, but we want to reassure you that this was the Colorado Claro Eduardo I that was used for his assessment.

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #11: Mi Querida Black SakaKhan by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust (Audio)

The #11 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. At the 2022 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust would launch its third line under its Mi Querida brand, the Mi Querida Black. The cigar was initially released in one size called SakaKhan, which was a nickname given to Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust founder Steve Saka during his days in the Navy. The Mi Querida Black SakaKhan wasn’t exactly a new cigar. It had been released at the end of 2021 as a part of JR Cigar’s 50th-anniversary series when it was simply called the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Limited Edition EM Maduro.

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

 

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #11: Mi Querida Black SakaKhan by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

The #11 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. At the 2022 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust would launch its third line under its Mi Querida brand, the Mi Querida Black. The cigar was initially released in one size called SakaKhan, which was a nickname given to Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust founder Steve Saka during his days in the Navy. The Mi Querida Black SakaKhan wasn’t exactly a new cigar. It had been released at the end of 2021 as a part of JR Cigar’s 50th-anniversary series when it was simply called the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Limited Edition EM Maduro.

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

 

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #12: Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata Vibrato (Audio)

The #12 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata Vibrato.

While it’s distributed by Altadis U.S.A., Aging Room is a brand owned by Altadis’ Director of Product Capability, Rafael Nodal. Aging Room, and particularly the original Aging Room Quattro line, has seen tremendous success. In 2019, the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua garnered critical acclaim, including a Top 20 Cigar on Cigar Coop and a Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado. This past year, Nodal introduced a new line, an offshoot of the Quattro Nicaragua line known as the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata. Like many Aging Room Cigars, the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata is inspired by Nodal’s love of music. A Sonata is a classic music composition for an instrumental soloist, often accompanied by piano. After the success of the original Aging Room Nicaragua Quattro, Nodal decided he wanted to compose his own interpretation of a sonata, but in the form of a cigar.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-rc6

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #12: Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata Vibrato

The #12 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata Vibrato.

While it’s distributed by Altadis U.S.A., Aging Room is a brand owned by Altadis’ Director of Product Capability, Rafael Nodal. Aging Room, and particularly the original Aging Room Quattro line, has seen tremendous success. In 2019, the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua garnered critical acclaim, including a Top 20 Cigar on Cigar Coop and a Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado. This past year, Nodal introduced a new line, an offshoot of the Quattro Nicaragua line known as the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata. Like many Aging Room Cigars, the Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata is inspired by Nodal’s love of music. A Sonata is a classic music composition for an instrumental soloist, often accompanied by piano. After the success of the original Aging Room Nicaragua Quattro, Nodal decided he wanted to compose his own interpretation of a sonata, but in the form of a cigar.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-rc6

2023 Cigar of the Year Countdown (Coop’s List) #13: Micallef Black Toro (Audio)

The #13 2023 Cigar of the Year is the Micallef Black Toro. If there is one cigar company that has made the best use of its Ambassador group, it would have to be Micallef Cigars. The Micallef Ambassadors group is an integral part of providing input to its products. One piece of feedback that Micallef heard frequently from its Ambassadors group is that it needed a cigar that was fuller in terms of strength and body compared to most of the medium strength and body cigars that existed in the portfolio. For the Micallef Black, Micallef incorporated this feedback and developed a blend to on the fuller side. Micallef Black had a soft launch just prior to the 2023 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show and had a full launch at the Trade Show itself. It's the Toro size of the Micallef Black that landed a spot on this year's countdown.

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