Cigar Intel 2017 Cigar of the Year
This is our 6th year selecting a Cigar of the Year. Unlike other websites and publications, our 2017 Cigar of the Year is based simply on the cigar Smokey Butts and I smoked the most of that year. Plain and simple. Other publications base their selection on taste, quality, burn, flame, ash, hints of heather and cinnamon, tobacco source, blah blah blah. Our selection for 2017 was easy. I personally smoked at least 100 of our 2017 Cigar of the Year. Smokey smoked a ton as well. The empty cigar boxes from our winner are stacked a couple of feet high in my smoke room. Yes, this cigar is a winner!
Per the usual, our selection does not match any the other Cigar of the Year awards. We have nothing against the other magazines, bloggers, podcasters, and retailers who hand out their own Cigar of the Year. We just like our method better. We are cigar smokers just like you. We don’t give a whit about price, lineage, or how many times the cigar appears in the various media. We choose the winning cigar because we smoke it. Period.
Before we reveal the Cigar Intel 2017 Cigar of the Year, here’s a list of our prior selections:
- 2016: My Father Cigars Don Pepin Garcia El Centurion Toro
- 2015: JM’s Nicaraguan Sumatra
- 2014: Rocky Patel Cargo
- 2013: Oliva Serie V Melanio
- 2012: Punch Rare Corojo Elite
So, let’s get to it!
The Cigar Intel 2017 Cigar of the Year is the. . .
Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Flor Fina 8-5-8 Natural
Here are the details on the Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Flor Fina 8-5-8 Natural:
- Size: 6 1/4″ x 47
- Shape: Corona Grande
- Wrapper: African Cameroon
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Filler: Dominican Republic
Here’s what Arturo Fuente Cigars has to say about the Gran Reserva cigar line that includes the 8-5-8:
“The Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva series is the flagship of the esteemed Arturo Fuente brand. Representing four generations of family tradition, every Arturo Fuente cigar carries the personal family touch that makes it one of the world’s finest. Only the highest quality vintage tobaccos and hand workmanship go into Arturo Fuente cigars, resulting in a blend of art and craftsmanship. Each leaf is selected from a private reserve set aside exclusively for the making of these cigars. These fine tobaccos are internationally recognized for their superiority. Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva cigars are then skillfully rolled with African Cameroon, Connecticut shade or Ecuadorian sungrown wrappers. Taking absolutely no shortcuts, every step of the cigar making process is done completely by hand, to ensure a finished cigar without parallel. The cigars are then aged in Spanish cedar vaults to the peak of perfection to create a marriage of the blends producing an excellent “individualistic” heavyweight cigar to be counted among the world’s finest.”
Here’s what Best Cigar Prices states about the Gran Reserva cigar line:
“A-Fuente Gran Reserva is more that just the finest smoking enjoyment a cigar lover can experience, it represents Four Generations of family tradition, that include love, pride, and personal sacrifices. Every A-Fuente cigar carries the personal family touch that makes it one of the world’s finest. Only the highest quality vintage tobaccos and hand workmanship go into A-Fuente cigars, making them a blend of art and craftsmanship. Each leaf is personally selected from a private family reserve set aside exclusively for the making of these cigars. Blended with the finest “Fuente Tobaccos” internationally recognized for their superiority, the A-Fuente Gran Reserva is then skillfully rolled with African Cameroon, Connecticut Shade or the most recent addition to the Gran Reserva line, Ecuadorian Sun Grown, these wrapper tobaccos are the most expensive and sought after wrapper tobacco in the world. The honor of making the A-Fuente Gran Reserva is given only to the most gifted cigar makers, those with the rare skills needed o create this uniquely blended cigar. Taking absolutely no short cuts, every critical step is done completely by hand, to ensure a finished cigar without parallel. A Fuente cigars are then aged in Spanish Cedar vaults to a peak of perfection to create a marriage of the blends producing an excellent “individualistic” heavyweight cigar to be counted among the worlds finest. A Fuente Gran Reserva guaranteed one quality only ‘The Finest.'”
The Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 Natural comes packaged 25 to a box and retails for around $120. That equates to roughly $4.80 a stick. You can pick them up at your local retailer or buy them from the following online cigar retailers (direct link):
- Best Cigar Prices: $119.99 as of the date of this post.
- Famous Smoke: $122.99 as of the date of this post.
Grab a few of our 2017 Cigar of the Year and enjoy them! Let us know in the comments section what you think of our choice of the Cigar Intel 2016 Cigar of the Year.
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(Note: Cigar Intel makes a couple of bucks from your purchase to keep this darn site running. The site is a labor of love so far.)
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