Top Former Number One Cigars

April 22, 2020

Top Former Number One Cigars

When you get a prestigious award for being the best of the best at what you do, that accolade you were able to achieve will be attached to you and your name for eternity. No matter how much time will pass, you’re immortalized as one of the greats forever. Having a popular reputation for finishing at the top doesn’t only happen in the sports or entertainment world, but also happens to take place in the cigar industry as well.

For this week’s Top List, we took a trip back to revisit some smokes that had the honor of being named #1 at some point since their inception in the industry. These five cigars were fortunate enough to be top dog on some of the most well-renowned lists in the business. Don’t forget our limited sampler is available right here!

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Padron Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro

There’s not one, not two, but three cigars under the Padron brand that have all been deemed “Cigar of the Year” by Cigar Aficionado. What an honor it must before Jose Padron to have three of his creations to be named “Cigar of The Year”. In 2004, it was the Padron Serie 1926 40th Anniversary to be the inaugural #1 pick. Three years later in 2007, the Padron Serie 1926 No. 9 was honored the #1 spot, and in 2009, the Padron Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro was named “Cigar of the Year”. The No. 45 Maduro is one of the smokes we’re focusing on today.

Among the finest cigars made by Padron, the tobaccos in this Nicaraguan Puro were aged for 10 years. The No. 45 Maduro is a full-bodied cigar, being one of the strongest Padron’s to date, has flavorful notes of coffee, pepper, and a touch of nut throughout the smoke. This box-pressed beauty is limited to a total of 15,000 sticks. Everything from the construction to how it tastes, there’s no wonder these sticks from Padron seems to “Cigar of the Year” 3 years out of the 16 years this list has been active.

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Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill

Joining the cigar business in 1996, Alan Rubin, founder of Alec Bradley cigars, which is named after his sons, took over a decade to really get the ball rolling in the industry. Once Rubin realized he would ultimately succeed in premium cigar stores, he hit the ground running in 2007 with the release of the Alec Bradley Tempus. The success of the Tempus wouldn’t last too long, due to the acclaimed cigar we will be discussing today, the Alec Bradley Prensado.

Placing #1 in 2011 on the “Cigar of the Year” list, the Alec Bradley Prensado should always be stocked in your humidor. With a wrapper from Honduras, fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras, and a binder from Nicaragua, this medium to full-bodied smoke has delicious flavor notes of coffee, chocolate and a plethora of spices throughout. This vintage smoke comes in multiple sizes, but we prefer to enjoy the Prensado in the Churchill size, which is available on jrcigars.com.

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My Father Flor de Las Antillas Toro

In March of 2012, the Garcia Family, who produces My Father cigars, released a gorgeous EMS stick known as The Flor de Las Antillas Toro. Its immediate success allowed the stick to finish Number #1 in the prolific Top Cigar List that Cigar Aficionado releases every year. It’s safe to say that having two cigars from the My Father Line finish #1 pushes the Garcia Family to continue their hard work and perseverance, which ultimately leads to success.

This beautiful box-pressed smoke has a binder and fillers from Nicaragua, while cloaked in Nicaraguan Sun Grown tobaccos. The Toro size is a medium to full body in strength and provides an overabundance of savory flavor notes such as nutmeg, white pepper, and coca.  The company decided to release a Maduro version back in 2016, giving you various options of the Flor de Las Antillas to enjoy.

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Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado

Founded in the 1800s by Melanio Oliva, he started growing tobacco in Cuba. Fast forward almost 165 years, his grandson, Gilberto Oliva Sr. decided to leave Cuba and move to Honduras, where he started working for the Plasencia family. In his time at the Plasencia Factory, Gilberto would always experiment with blends and tobaccos until he created one that would be good enough to honor his legendary Grandfather.

Created in 2012, it only took the Oliva Serie V Melanio two years to reach #1 on Cigar Aficionado’s “Cigar of the Year” list. Drenched in an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, with a binder from Nicaragua, and Jalapa Valley Ligero fillers, the Figurado shape is loaded with scrumptious flavors. Some notes you’ll get while smoking the Melanio Figurado is red pepper, almonds, cinnamon, and toast. Every expectation you have for the Oliva Serie V Melanio will meet all the needs. It was #1 for that very reason.

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E.P. Carrillo Encore Majestic

I’d say it’s pretty fitting to discuss a cigar from E.P. Carrillo on a list that is showing love to excellence. Carrillo and his product are nothing short of brilliance, and other manufacturers like Jon Huber of Crowned Heads and Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley cigars can vouch for Carrillo’s masterful creations. Before reinventing himself and his brand, Carrillo purchased La Gloria Cubana in 1999, eventually changing the name to E.P. Carrillo Cigar Company ten years later.

Since 2009, E.P. created one of his greatest accomplishments with the Encore Majestic. Finishing #1 in 2018, the Encore Majestic made waves 2 years before it’s highly acclaimed ranking at the 2016 IPCPR (now PCA). This Nicaraguan Puro is a Medium to Full bodied stick that has mouthwatering flavor notes of earth, cocoa, and spice. E.P. has always been the type of cigar crafter to take risks and almost all of his decisions pay off. Hence, why the Majestic will forever have the #1 Cigar of the Year status to its name.

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