Today, we look at the performance of cigars on Cigar Coop by Vitola for 2023. The Performance Rankings were introduced in 2012 as a statistical analysis based on the average numerical score of all cigars assessed on Cigar Coop. It is meant to serve as a barometer regarding how the cigars were evaluated.
Today, we slice this data by vitola – a category introduced in 2015. This is not meant to be an award, but a look at how the scoring went and what can be learned from it.
For the 2023 year, a total of 148 cigars (down from 152 in 2021) were reviewed. The average score for the entire set of 148 cigars was 88.59. (Statistically, this was down 0.13 points from 2021, when the average was 88.72)
We used the following criteria in this exercise:
- The cigar must have its score published from November 1, 2022, through October 31, 2023.
- All cigars scored were eligible regardless of the release date. The goal is to see how a vitola performed during the Cigar Coop Cigar Year.
- This year, we consolidated vitolas into two sample sets based on the number of assessments for the vitola: Large (14 or More Cigars) and Small (Less than Cigars)
- Robusto Grande and Toro Grande have been separated from Robusto and Toro, respectively- with the Grande size having a 54 to 56 greater ring gauge. Traditional Robusto and Toro have ring gauges of 50 to 52.
- Gordos had 58 and 60-ring gauges. Anything over 60 was classified as Super Gordo.
- Regardless of ring gauge or length, all sizes of Torpedo, Perfecto, Gordo, and Super Gordo were each put into a single category.
- This year, Churchills were 7-inch cigars with a 47-49 ring gauge. Seven-inch cigars with a 50+ ring gauge were classified into one category as: “Churchill Plus” (for lack of a better name) and “Double Corona.”
- Box-pressed cigars were not separated out and were included with the rounded vitolas.
2023 Cigar Coop Performance Rankings by Vitola
The number of cigars in the sample set is listed in parentheses for each sample set below.
Large Sample Sets (>= 14 Cigars Reviewed)
| Rank |
Vitola |
Avg Score |
| 1 | Robusto (18) | 88.61 |
| 2 | Toro Grande (14) | 88.43 |
| 3 | Toro (41) | 88.39 |
| 4 | Robusto Grande (14) | 88.38 |
Small Sample Sets (<14 Cigars Reviewed)
| Rank |
Vitola | Avg Score |
| 1 | Double Corona (2) | 90.5 |
| 2 | Corona (1) | 90.00 |
| Lancero (1) | 90.00 | |
| Churchill (1) | 90.00 | |
| 5 | Corona Gorda (5) | 89.40 |
| 6 | Gordo (8) | 89.00 |
| 7 | Short Churchill (6) | 89.00 |
| 8 | Belicoso (7) | 88.75 |
| 9 | Other (6) | 88.67 |
| 10 | Firecracker (3) | 88.67 |
| 11 | Perfecto (12) | 88.25 |
| 12 | Lonsdale (2) | 87.50 |
| 13 | Rothschild (1) | 87.00 |
Assessing the Results
As I said last year, this category is the most uninteresting of the Performance Rankings. What this tends to show every year is that Toros and Robustos are the most smoked sizes. I find the counts of vitolas smoked throughout the year more interesting than the average scores. As I also said last year, I’d like to see a more balanced view of vitolas reviewed. Still, Robustos and Toros represent what many consumers are reaching for, so the ratios of what is included in the review year reflect this.
We included the small data set for completeness and a view of what was smoked in 2023.
