We have just a day and and a half before the stroke of midnight to ring in the new year. As part of the bell tolling, comes the announcement of the annual Stogie Press Top 25 Boutique Cigars of the year. Today we offer the final list of candidates that have made the cut for this years honor.

Here are the final candidates – this makes for a total of 30 candidates that will be presented in ranked order of 1-25 and 5 Honorable Mentions tomorrow, December 31, at the stroke of midnight.

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MBombay Classic Torpedo

The MBombay Classic Torpedo was an absolute pleasure of creamy flavorful smoke delivered through a a mostly pristine burn. The ash held for more than half the cigar and there were no major issues with it. I took this deep into nub!  For a Connecticut this was a complex yet balanced cigar

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Protocol Themis Lancero

The jury found the medium strength Protocol Themis Lancero to be a fine lancero specimen. The flavors were closely aligned with its larger siblings in the line and it even delivered the tasty mint note I love in a cigar. It produced a full volume of mouth watering smoke all the way to the nub.

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Dominican Big Leaguer (DBL) MAFU Cameroon

The DBL Cigars MAFU is certainly one of those big ring, long cigars, that will give you hours of pleasurable smoke and aromas. The cigar was all but flawless in construction and I highly recommend you trying this cigar. The flavor was well balanced throughout the pristine burn and the draw was perfect. 

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Balmoral Añejo XO Oscuro Rothschild Masivo

The Balmoral Añejo XO Oscuro Rothschild Masivo was full of enticing flavor with terrific transitions throughout the burn in both flavor and aroma. The ash was amazingly long but the burn did have a few off spots along the journey, though did not require any touch-ups. 

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Crux Epicure Maduro

Although there was little to no pre-light aromas the cold draw on the Crux Epicure Maduro made up for that by delivering an enticing blend of flavors.   The flavors were well balanced and offered some unique notes including mint, cream, cocoa, nutmeg, and maples syrup. The cigar did have a short and flaky ash progression.

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Cornelius and Anthony – The Gent Robusto

The Gent from Cornelius & Anthony had a delicious pre-light set of notes and a full  and creamy smoke once ignited. Though not overly complex, the Gent delivers on flavor keeping a well balanced flavor transition through the journey. There was however, some off burns that required a touch up.

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Room 101 Farce Lonsdale

The Room 101 Farce Pre-Release Lonsdale had some decent flavors and aromas that transitioned well throughout the burn, however the cigar exhibited some burn issues in the first half.

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Ventura Cigars Archetype Mini Series Curses

The Archetype Mini Series Curses cigar was a pretty decent smoke. The flavors were enticing with some unique and exotic notes that kept me under its spell throughout the journey. It had a trouble free burn line and a well-formed ash.

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Happy New Year

As you sip your champagne and shake your noise maker tomorrow, look to your phone for the Stogie Press Top 25 article.

Does anyone have a thought what it may be? Comment below if you like. Meanwhile enjoy the lead up to 2019 and thanks again for following Stogie Press.

~ Boston Jimmie