Cigar Review: Cigar Aficionado #1 Cigars of the Year Sampler

Cigar Aficionado #1 Cigars of the Year Sampler Review

by Jamie Stevens

Introduction

These past few months I have been lucky enough to smoke all the cigars included in Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigars of the Year Sampler. All I can say is…..wow! This sampler has exceeded all my expectations when it comes to quality and tase! All of these cigars scored an over 90 rating, proving that they really are the best of the best! Below are the cigars included in the sampler and a brief overview of my review:

E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic

A unique cigar consisting of tobaccos from Condega, Jalapa, and Nicaragua; this smoke brought out rich flavor of Earth and floral tones, with quite a bit of pepper, giving the cigar a slight kick. I enjoyed the premium feel of the smoke and the variety of flavors throughout. The flavors felt new and something I hadn’t really experienced before. Score: 96

Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado

This cigar with it’s almost “odd” appearance (tapered ends) proved to be a powerhouse smoke with its creamy chocolate, coffee, and nutty profile. It also adds some pepper towards the end of the smoke, building up to be more of a medium bodied smoke. If there was a title for the most “SMOOTH” cigar, this one would be the clear winner. Score: 98

Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill

There was quite a bit of spice to this smoke combined with leather and Earth tones. The added sweetness towards the end paired perfectly well with the spice. Thie cigar had literally the perfect draw, preceding all of the other cigars in that regard. I probably would have scored this cigar higher if my nose hadn’t been running the entire time from the spice explosion in the beginning. Score: 94

E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel

This rich smoke packed in a lot of my favorite flavors: nuttiness, chocolate, and leather. I really enjoyed the first half of the smoke, but the second half of my smoke with the “burnt wood” flavors through me off a bit. I definitely need to smoke this cigar again to see if I get the same flavor profiles which could change the score. Score: 94

Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro

Typically, I am not a fan of intense black pepper, but this cigar seemed to balance out the pepper well with chocolate and coffee, providing a great combination. The flavors didn’t change much throughout, but they were great indeed. This cigar also had the perfect draw and burn, which I enjoyed. Score: 94

Conclusion

Overall, I can see why these cigars were scored so high. They were all excellent in their own way and I recommend everyone to try this sampler. I plan on keeping a few of these on rotation in my humidor from now on.

Now, which sampler should I try next?

About the writer Jamie Stevens

Jamie Stevens is a cigar enthusiast who has contributed both as an influencer and reviewer for close to ten years. She lives in historic York, Pennsylvania, where she works for her local government as a leader involved with the coalition on homelessness. When not working, she enjoys outdoor activities (hiking, kayaking, etc.) and spending time with her family. She appreciates all kinds of cigars, from mild-bodied all the way to the stronger full-bodied cigars. She enjoys both the higher-end sticks and the ones on the more affordable side. You can find her on Instagram as Cigareyes717, where she has over 16.5 followers!

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