Cigar News: 2019 Stogie Press Top 25 Boutique Cigar Candidates – 16 through 20

Here is hoping everyone had a fine Christmas, Hanukkah, Festivus, Kwanza time with your family and friends. As we continue with the unveiling of our 2019 Top 25 Boutique Cigars, today we present candidates 16-20.

Remember, these are not yet ranked, they are only candidates, and like in the past, there will be 28 cigars finally listed with 3 getting honorable mentions. The final ranked list will be announced, as always, at the stroke of midnight December 31, as the ball in Times Square lights up the 2020 sign and champagne glasses clink through the US eastern time zone.

So without further adieu here are the next 5 candidates:

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Southern Draw KUDZU LUSTRUM

The Southern Draw Kudzu LUSTRUM was a spectacular cigar. I had to smoke through 5 of them just to be sure I was getting this one right. Each one was spot on with zero issues in burn, flavor, and aroma. Never overbearing and offering pleasant and balanced transitions of flavor. This is one I highly recommend buying a Mazo of – you will not be disappointed

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Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Mi Querida Triqui Traca 552

With two vitolas in the line that I smoked, the Mi Querida Triqui Traca 552 stood out as the better of the two when it came to burn. It was flavorful from the foot to the nub with rich syrupy sweetness, floral, cocoa, pepper, and finished with a cinnamon sensation. A delicious medium to full strength cigar that offered a full volume of smoke through the journey.

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Room 101 Farce Habano Robusto

The Room 101 Farce Robusto was a very pleasurable cigar that offered a complex array of notes with a sweet and fruity aroma. Though there was a slight bitterness entering the final third, that was quickly cloaked with a natural sweetness. The kept the cigar interesting.

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Hiram and Solomon Veiled Prophet Monarch

The Hiram & Solomon Veiled Prophet Monarch is a cigar designed for experienced cigar enthusiasts. The strength picks up near the half way point and does not pull back through the finish. The flavors were complex in the first half but settled in a more of a blended spice and sweetness in the second half with bold and fragrant aromas.

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El Artista Big Papi The Slugger

The El Artista Big Papi – The Slugger was a pleasurable 2 plus hour journey that offered a medium body of flavor and aroma components. Though not the most complex cigars from the company, it did have easy transitions, except for a moment deep in the second third where some bitterness appeared and then faded into a smooth and pleasant smoke down to the final. The cigar is very well constructed, as demonstrated by the fairly clean burn, tight ash, and well defined burn cone.

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That wraps up the the next 5 candidates for the 2019 Stogie Press Top 25 Boutique Cigars. Stay tuned as we continue to announce the remaining candidates, then tune in New Years Day, as we announce the ranking and the Stogie Press Boutique Cigar of the Year!