The cigar countdown began Saturday December 1st with cigar #30.  Cigar #29 is unveiled on December 2nd, Cigar #28 on December 3rd, etc. When we get to #1 and #2, I will hold a little suspense and announce those cigars on New Years’ Eve.  Cigars eligible are ones released for the first time to retailers during the “2013 Cigar Year” (November 23, 2012 through November 28, 2013 – the Cigar Coop Black Friday to Thanksgiving cycle). The process is detailed in the December 2013 Editor’s Corner column.

I hope you will enjoy this original concept in sharing my top cigars of the year.

The List (Scroll down to see current spot in the countdown)

Rank

Cigar

1 La Aurora Cien Anos Edicion Especial (La Aurora Cien Anos Maduro) 
2 Davidoff 2013 Year of the Snake Edition
3 Tatuaje Apocalypse (Part of the Smoke Inn Microblend Series)
4 E.P. Carrillo Medalla D’ Oro (Federal Cigar 92nd Anniversary Cigar)
5 Avo Movement TAA Limited Release
6 Don Pepin Garcia – 10th Anniversary Limited Edition 2013
7 Lou Rodriguez La Mano Negra
8 Liga Privada Unico Serie UF-13 Dark by Drew Estate
9 E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2013
10 Alec Bradley Mundial
11 EIROA by CLE Cigars
12 Ezra Zion Eminence
13 Nomad LE Esteli Lot 1386
14 Aging Room Maduro by Boutique Blends
15 Herrera Esteli by Drew Estate 
16 601 La Bomba Maduro Warhead by Espinosa Cigars
17 Davidoff 2014 Year of the Horse
18 Draig Cayuquero by Emilio Cigars
19 7-20-4 Hustler
20 Avo Limited Edition 2013 – The Dominant 13th 
21 Los Regalos Quetzal by Emilio Cigars
22 Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva Maduro 
23 L’Atelier Maduro
24 Recluse Draconian by Iconic Leaf Cigar Company
25 Ortega Wild Bunch 2013 Island Jim
26 Rocky Patel II.XXVI
27 La Palina Collection – Mr. Sam
28 AFR-75 by PDR Cigars
29 Viaje Full Moon 2013
30 Alec Bradley Nica Puro

Honorable Mentions


In 2013, we are introducing a major change to Honorable Mentions.

For the past three years of our Cigar of the Year countdown, we have unveiled a list of “Honorable Mentions”.  While we didn’t rank these cigars, we picked ten cigars that just missed making our Top 30 countdown.  While we didn’t intend this to be a Top 40 list, this is exactly what this ended up becoming.  For 2013, the concept of Honorable Mentions are changing on Cigar Coop The ten cigar we selected were picked from a pool of cigars that did not meet the criteria to qualify for the Top 30.  While we didn’t order these cigars, it was worth mentioning some of these very good cigar experiences.

Details of the Honorable Mentions can be found here.

Atabey Brujos by Selected Tobaccoo
Avo Limited Edition 2009 Companero (Avo LE 09)
El Primer Mundo Epifania
La Aurora Preferidos 1903 Edition Diamond
Padron Family Reserve No. 45 Natural
Paul Gamirian Symphony 20 Salomones
RoMa Craft Tobac Intemperance BA XXI Avarice
RoMa Craft Tobac Formorian
Tatuaje Black Label Corona Gorda 2013
Tatuaje Noellas Reserva 2013