Hey, they had the coin for a million advertisements this summer in CA, so, they get the "honor".
Looks like it's time for the price to go up $3-5 a stick on these.
I've actually never had a melanio. Just the unsmokeable V lanceros and a V torp. Melanios always look weird and discolored at the 2 B&Ms by me.
Another pointless rating (except for their sales that will boom because of it) that real smokers find only slightly above interesting.
What makes it hilarious is that it's all "blind" tasting. I wonder what they were thinking when they saw the Melanio. "Check out this shape. I wonder which this one iiiiiiis ... hmmm ponder ponder ponder."
I'll be like "Can I smoke that one first? That one right there. ....... the one that looks like a Padron"
You don't know what your talking about!!! The media is never wrong.... If they say it's the 9th best then gosh darn it you better say it was an amazing knock your fancy DZR inspired socks off kind of cigar!
Seriously bud, say it, don't want the authorities comming after your stash, I am trying to help you
At least it wasn't complete crap!! Look at the ROMEO the one year icky!! And IMO Alec Bradley should never fall in the top 25 ever!!
Hold up... the Black Market and now Black Market Vandal are great smokes. And, do you mean Rocky Patel?
Do u Prensado bro?
Do you even Fine and Rare bro?
because I sure as hell don't. Heyoooooo!
Fine and Rare is a bad smoke? I've really enjoyed the Prensado when they burn correctly. Never had another AB. Was considering Fine and Rare for a future purchase.
At least it wasn't complete crap!! Look at the ROMEO the one year icky!! And IMO Alec Bradley should never fall in the top 25 ever!!
Hold up... the Black Market and now Black Market Vandal are great smokes. And, do you mean Rocky Patel?
Do u Prensado bro?
Do you even Fine and Rare bro?
because I sure as hell don't. Heyoooooo!
Fine and Rare is a bad smoke? I've really enjoyed the Prensado when they burn correctly. Never had another AB. Was considering Fine and Rare for a future purchase.
The Family Blend and Tatuaje Havana VI were my first two more Medium/Full smokes and both got me into the fuller bodied stuff. Really enjoy the Family Blend, Tempus and Black Market from AB. Their other stuff can't vouch for but those all treated me well.
At least it wasn't complete crap!! Look at the ROMEO the one year icky!! And IMO Alec Bradley should never fall in the top 25 ever!!
Hold up... the Black Market and now Black Market Vandal are great smokes. And, do you mean Rocky Patel?
Do u Prensado bro?
Do you even Fine and Rare bro?
because I sure as hell don't. Heyoooooo!
Fine and Rare is a bad smoke? I've really enjoyed the Prensado when they burn correctly. Never had another AB. Was considering Fine and Rare for a future purchase.
Fine and Rare is a great smoke, but very pricey. Lot of AB haters around here. Not a big fan myself, but like a select few. Filthy Hooligan is where its at.
At least it wasn't complete crap!! Look at the ROMEO the one year icky!! And IMO Alec Bradley should never fall in the top 25 ever!!
Hold up... the Black Market and now Black Market Vandal are great smokes. And, do you mean Rocky Patel?
Do u Prensado bro?
Do you even Fine and Rare bro?
because I sure as hell don't. Heyoooooo!
Fine and Rare is a bad smoke? I've really enjoyed the Prensado when they burn correctly. Never had another AB. Was considering Fine and Rare for a future purchase.
I haven't had the Fine and Rare. The Prensado tastes great, but I've only had two and they both had horrible burns. One I couldn't even finish it annoyed me so much. Not a big Black Market fan.
At least it wasn't complete crap!! Look at the ROMEO the one year icky!! And IMO Alec Bradley should never fall in the top 25 ever!!
yes. yes. yes.
there was nothing special at all about the Prensado. in fact, here is what i said about it in my catalog:
kuzi16:
If this cigar is consistent from one to the next, its non-offensive nature will not turn people away. It offers little to be mad about. It is a nice relaxing cigar with good flavors. On the side of the Devil’s Advocate, it has little “mind blowing” uniqueness. This is a good “top of the middle ground” cigar. A group of people would like it. A group average would even out the score and since there are no real negatives to bring it down that could place it firmly at the top. This is not a polarizing cigar in my experience. Nobody hates it and a few like it very much.
it scored a 90.
i just feel that nothing about the cigar stands out. its not that it is bad, its just that it isnt setting itself apart from the crowd.
At least it wasn't complete crap!! Look at the ROMEO the one year icky!! And IMO Alec Bradley should never fall in the top 25 ever!!
yes. yes. yes.
there was nothing special at all about the Prensado. in fact, here is what i said about it in my catalog:
kuzi16:
If this cigar is consistent from one to the next, its non-offensive nature will not turn people away. It offers little to be mad about. It is a nice relaxing cigar with good flavors. On the side of the Devil’s Advocate, it has little “mind blowing” uniqueness. This is a good “top of the middle ground” cigar. A group of people would like it. A group average would even out the score and since there are no real negatives to bring it down that could place it firmly at the top. This is not a polarizing cigar in my experience. Nobody hates it and a few like it very much.
it scored a 90.
i just feel that nothing about the cigar stands out. its not that it is bad, its just that it isnt setting itself apart from the crowd.
I thought its nutty flavors were kind of something special. They reminded me of macadamia nuts more than anything-kind of a creamy and sweet feel integral to the nut flavor itself. You're right it wasn't mind blowing, but there was enough there to make me feel it was more than just average. It's flavors were good to me. Burn sucked.
At least it wasn't complete crap!! Look at the ROMEO the one year icky!! And IMO Alec Bradley should never fall in the top 25 ever!!
Hold up... the Black Market and now Black Market Vandal are great smokes. And, do you mean Rocky Patel?
Do u Prensado bro?
Do you even Fine and Rare bro?
because I sure as hell don't. Heyoooooo!
Fine and Rare is a bad smoke? I've really enjoyed the Prensado when they burn correctly. Never had another AB. Was considering Fine and Rare for a future purchase.
Fine and Rare is a great smoke, but very pricey. Lot of AB haters around here. Not a big fan myself, but like a select few. Filthy Hooligan is where its at.
The Fine and Rare wasnt a bad smoke. However, there was nothing Fine and Rare about it.
IMO ab has nothing that I see and I feel damn I really need to get some of these. I'm not saying the brand is bad although I feel that it's headed down RP's path. But I feel that anything in the top 25 should be something that when you see it you want to buy it and not even debate buying it. Take for instance when the opus and anejos are released I don't think hhhhhmmmmmm should I get some?? You just do...or atleast I do. But I can say I have not bought or smoked anything ab in about a year
I personally love the Melanio. It is one of my favorite go to smokes. I am not sure I would go with #1 however. It's easily in the top 10.
Agreed. I don't get all the hate.
Remove the boutiques from the picture because CA isn't into them and what would you all want as the #1.
Oliva Melanio
Kidding. Like I said, good safe choice. I think Davidoff Nicaragua, Viaje Leaded, a couple of the Crowned Heads would be a better choice. Its a subjective hobby so I am sure everyone has a different opinion and depends what CA considers a boutique blend. I am sure if you polled 100 people on this forum, you would get at least 80 different answers. That is what I love about this hobby.
I personally love the Melanio. It is one of my favorite go to smokes. I am not sure I would go with #1 however. It's easily in the top 10.
Agreed. I don't get all the hate.
Remove the boutiques from the picture because CA isn't into them and what would you all want as the #1.
Oliva Melanio
Kidding. Like I said, good safe choice. I think Davidoff Nicaragua, Viaje Leaded, a couple of the Crowned Heads would be a better choice. Its a subjective hobby so I am sure everyone has a different opinion and depends what CA considers a boutique blend. I am sure if you polled 100 people on this forum, you would get at least 80 different answers. That is what I love about this hobby.
don't forget to throw in yhe "blind" tasting in the mix
The whole premise of the top 25, to me, is just plain wrong. Personally, I think it should just be a contest between cigars released during the calendar year. Make cigar manufacturers try to put out new, good cigars every year to compete in this "contest". Or at least release a new vitola to be considered ,like the Anejo 888, if you want an older blend to be considered for the top cigar of the year. Otherwise, it just seems arbitrary when an older cigar (Monte #2) is considered and is selected the winner.
The whole premise of the top 25, to me, is just plain wrong. Personally, I think it should just be a contest between cigars released during the calendar year. Make cigar manufacturers try to put out new, good cigars every year to compete in this "contest". Or at least release a new vitola to be considered ,like the Anejo 888, if you want an older blend to be considered for the top cigar of the year. Otherwise, it just seems arbitrary when an older cigar (Monte #2) is considered and is selected the winner.
True... the problem is with companies like Fuente, Padron, and the ISOM's you have vintages to consider. The Opus tobacco and Padron tobacco is not the same every year, so the quality will vary, albeit slightly. These companies should not be taken out of the picture, because they refuse to water down their product with new releases every year. Fact is, I have never had a construction issue with a Padron, and rarely with a Fuente. If they made new releases eveyr year and rushed them into the market, their quality and leaf would diminish. For ISOM, it varies greatly, very similar to wine in that regard, so I get that part of it. Another thing to consider, is how hard it is to continually produce a great product year after year and have lasting power in this industry. The boutiques don't make it, because honestly most of them produce a good release, blow their wads, and slowly disappear. Either that, or their blend is one sided, or tastes like every other cigar in a sea of boutiques. The new hot boutique changes every year, so why as a larger company invest in relations with companies that will not build lasting relationships, makes no sense. Hate to say it, but i can pretty much nail down every new release boutique to their respective factory. In that regard, if I want stuff from that blender, I'll buy their blends, not some overpriced boutique someone is adding an extra $3-4 because they are paying three middlemen to get it to the shelf.
I don't have a problem with their process really. I think every year the list provides excellent cigars. People get upset at the rankings in the end and accuse them of political influence. I think everyone would agree there probably is some political influence, but for all the people whom get upset, look at the list...
Melanio-tosser for me, but people dig it: pass
EPC-tons of buzz around the show for this: pass
Fume-bunch of highly respected reviewers love this: pass
Hoyo- Jiunn and Catfish roundly agree on a pass
Royale: Take the band off, get over your (not you Tony) hate for Rocky, it's a great smoke: pass
Opus/Padron/Ashton ESG: NOMNOM pass
Monte Epic: Here is a WTF overpriced advert cigar, but some folks love it: pass
PDR: Anyone had one of these lately? They kick ass: pass
Navigating through the rest of the list, most of the cigars kick ass really. There are not many duds. That being said, I would personally toss the Melanio and think it tastes like dog ***. I thought the same of the FDLA, and the aging room last year, absolute tossers. People love all three of those though. If you took away the ranking, they produce a great list every year of cigars to go out and try. My only beef with this year, is the lack of Cuban cigars, as they easily beat the crap out of NC in the rankings every issue.
Comments
Looks like it's time for the price to go up $3-5 a stick on these.
I've actually never had a melanio. Just the unsmokeable V lanceros and a V torp. Melanios always look weird and discolored at the 2 B&Ms by me.
Another pointless rating (except for their sales that will boom because of it) that real smokers find only slightly above interesting.
Do you even melanio bro?
I'll be like "Can I smoke that one first? That one right there. ....... the one that looks like a Padron"
because I sure as hell don't. Heyoooooo!
Seriously bud, say it, don't want the authorities comming after your stash, I am trying to help you
The Family Blend and Tatuaje Havana VI were my first two more Medium/Full smokes and both got me into the fuller bodied stuff. Really enjoy the Family Blend, Tempus and Black Market from AB. Their other stuff can't vouch for but those all treated me well.
Fine and Rare is a great smoke, but very pricey. Lot of AB haters around here. Not a big fan myself, but like a select few. Filthy Hooligan is where its at.
there was nothing special at all about the Prensado. in fact, here is what i said about it in my catalog: it scored a 90.
i just feel that nothing about the cigar stands out. its not that it is bad, its just that it isnt setting itself apart from the crowd.
Remove the boutiques from the picture because CA isn't into them and what would you all want as the #1.
Yeah. This. I can imagine some lower on the list might be better, but I really like this cigar.
Oliva Melanio
Kidding. Like I said, good safe choice. I think Davidoff Nicaragua, Viaje Leaded, a couple of the Crowned Heads would be a better choice. Its a subjective hobby so I am sure everyone has a different opinion and depends what CA considers a boutique blend. I am sure if you polled 100 people on this forum, you would get at least 80 different answers. That is what I love about this hobby.
I don't have a problem with their process really. I think every year the list provides excellent cigars. People get upset at the rankings in the end and accuse them of political influence. I think everyone would agree there probably is some political influence, but for all the people whom get upset, look at the list...
Melanio-tosser for me, but people dig it: pass
EPC-tons of buzz around the show for this: pass
Fume-bunch of highly respected reviewers love this: pass
Hoyo- Jiunn and Catfish roundly agree on a pass
Royale: Take the band off, get over your (not you Tony) hate for Rocky, it's a great smoke: pass
Opus/Padron/Ashton ESG: NOMNOM pass
Monte Epic: Here is a WTF overpriced advert cigar, but some folks love it: pass
PDR: Anyone had one of these lately? They kick ass: pass
Navigating through the rest of the list, most of the cigars kick ass really. There are not many duds. That being said, I would personally toss the Melanio and think it tastes like dog ***. I thought the same of the FDLA, and the aging room last year, absolute tossers. People love all three of those though. If you took away the ranking, they produce a great list every year of cigars to go out and try. My only beef with this year, is the lack of Cuban cigars, as they easily beat the crap out of NC in the rankings every issue.