Every year since 2010, Cigar Coop has done a countdown of the 30 best cigars, culminating with the number one Cigar of the Year (COTY). A few fair questions are how well these cigars have performed commercially and whether they have maintained consistency and are great cigars.

Outside three limited edition cigars that were part of annual releases, only one cigar line was a number one COTY on Cigar Coop has been discontinued – and even that one had a spinoff. Today, we go back in time and look at the number one COTY selections from 2010 and 2022 and assess how well they have done over the years.

These are my thoughts on the selections. Obviously, I’m a little biased, but remember, Cigar of the Year is entirely subjective.

Year Cigar Assessment
2010 AVO Limited Edition 2010 This was a one-and-done limited release (although it made a comeback in the AVO Greatest Hits Sampler). It is arguably one of the most popular releases in the AVO Limited Series. This annual limited series ran for two decades, from 2011 through 2022.
2011 La Palina El Diario (Robusto) One can argue this one didn’t have long-term success. The popular (and bolder) KB (Kill Bill) line extension was released after this COTY award. Last year, El Diario was replaced by the KB line, which focused on the bolder blend
2012 La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 2 Like the AVO Limited Edition 10, this is part of an annual limited edition series. This blend is released in a different size. The Laguito No. 2 is a petite lancero. The Goldie remains one of La Palina’s most popular releases each year and has sold out numerous times at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show.
2013 La Aurora 100 Años Edición Especial This is the La Aurora 100 Años Maduro. It is a periodic limited edition release from La Aurora. I’m confident it has maintained its popularity. This cigar also went on to capture Cigar Coop’s Cigar of the Decade Award for 2010-19.
2014 Joel Sherman 75th Anniversary by Nat Sherman Unlike the other limited editions on this list, this one was a true one-and-done. One can make a fair argument this is why limited editions should not be Cigar of the Year, but many cigar enthusiasts still talk about how good it is.
2015 Padrón 50th Anniversary Maduro This was one of the most highly anticipated releases of the last decade. Many will say it remains a limited-production cigar that has earned its place among some of the great cigars.
2016 Crux du Connoisseur No. 2 This lancero was one of the more shocking #1 picks made. Lanceros are always going to have a more limited audience, and with a smaller company like Crux, this will be more amplified. Still, this cigar has been well-received, and the Du Connoisseur line has garnered number-one honors from other media brands as recently as 2022.
2017 Eiroa – The First 20 Years Colorado 50 x 5 by CLE Cigar Company The Eiroa family reintroduced Authentic Corojo back to the market over two decades ago. In 2017, Christian Eiroa released this Authentic Corojo puro highlighted by a special Colorado wrapper. It’s an ongoing limited-production cigar that has built up its following.
2018 Aladino Corojo Reserva Robusto by JRE Tobacco Co. The Eiroa family once again topped the Cigar of the Year, but this one comes from Eiroa family patriarch Julio Eiroa and his son Justo. The Robusto was the first release of this line, and it remains a popular choice among many cigar enthusiasts.
2019 Saga Short Tales Tomo VI: The Sixth Element: El Tabaco by De Los Reyes Cigars It may be our most surprising number-one COTY choice. This cigar comes from the Reyes family, a premier grower and producer in the Dominican Republic. Many Dominican tobaccos in blends smoked come from this family. Saga is their brand, and the Short Tales Tomo VI is a quieter release, but it has a strong cult following.
2020 The American Toro by J.C.Newman Cigar Company They said Drew Newman couldn’t do it – namely, create a product with all-American tobacco packaged with all-American parts that are 100% made in the USA. With The American, Newman did just that. This cigar features a Florida Sun Grown wrapper from Jeff Borysiewicz‘s farm. This cigar is produced by Newman’s El Reloj factory and has become a popular cigar with many.
2021 Rocky Patel Winter Collection Robusto Back in 2008, Rocky Patel introduced a seasonal collection with limited releases named and themed for the four seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter). It was the Winter release that became the most popular. After a long hiatus, it was brought back in 2020 as a regular production line.
2022 Alec Bradley Fine & Rare BC-(13)4EV Like the AVO Limited Edition and La Palina Goldie lines, Fine & Rare is an annual limited edition with over a decade of popularity. Fine & Rare is a ten-tobacco blend. Each year’s release has a different blend and different sizes. Alec Bradley has had no problem selling these cigars out. The BC-(13)4EV certainly was one of the more popular ones. Coincidence, there was a 72 million dollar sale of Alec Bradley to Scandinavian Tobacco Group?