Cigar of the Year 2010, part 1: The Contenders

In naming my own personal Cigar of the Year, I decided to first list all cigars that scored a perfect 10 out of 10 possible points in my reviews this year, then decide which cigars on that list were..."10-er." Or something like that. The bottom line is that these cigars were the ones that impressed me the most in 2010. Looking back they all either came out in late 2009 or 2010, and these were the ones that either kept me coming back for more...or wishing I had the money to do so!

I'm doing this list in 2 parts: Today I will list 7 of my top 10...the ones that didn't crack the top 3. This Friday, December 31, I will conclude the Tiki Bar postings for 2010 by announcing the 3 cigars that earned my money continuously this past year...and will continue to do so for years to come if the quality is kept high. In no particular order, the 7 that became numbers 3 through 10 are:

1. Cubao Maduro by EO Cigars: a great smoke that I enjoyed several times. If the new distribution deal with Rocky Patel does have the expected effect of lowering the price on the EO lines, I will be very, very happy!
2. Air Bender by La Flor Dominicana: probably one of La Flor's most important releases in several years, I was immediately impressed by how well the Air Bender worked in a variety of vitolas, even the 6 x 60 that squashes the flavor out of so many blends. I think the Corona ended up being may favorite, though.
3. Double Press by La Flor Dominicana: I had a heck of a time finding these when they came out (fall 2009), so Keith sent me one early in 2010. I loved this stick from puff one. I got Burns to carry them and have had the pleasure of smoking several more since that first one. I had heard that it was to be a limited release, but was later told it would be a regular.
4. L'esprit de la Verite, 2008, by Tatuaje: When I saw the price tag on this stick, I had to take a step back. I am "budget-conscious" about my cigars (alright...I can be cheap), and $16+ a stick for the robusto seemed a bit steep. Then I tasted it. Worth every penny, in my opinion. I know others don't feel the same way, but these are remarkable.
5. Oro by Viaje: I finally got the opportunity to smoke all the way through the Viaje lineup in 2010, and found that the Oro is the one that really stands out for me. While the 50/50 is a little gimmicky and the constant special releases are sometimes most notable for their price tags, the Oro is a solid, upper-medium-priced cigar that I thoroughly enjoyed.
6. Aganorsa Leaf by Casa Fernandez: The funny name and total lack of buzz about this one made me wonder if it was worth even buying...boy, am I glad I did! This reasonably-priced cigar has a ton of flavor and would be a "box-worthy" stick if I were to use that term. 
7. Anarchy by Tatuaje: When a major player produces a cigar exclusive to one retailer, it always is tempting to wonder if it's just a throwaway blend that was sent their way. With the Anarchy, though, I was blown away by how extremely good it was. I wish I could buy a box and I hope this is not a "one and done" cigar...that would be a huge shame.

So...any guesses as to what is number 1 on this list? Or even the other in the top 3? Someone who knows me (or at least my smoking habits) pretty well guessed it about a week ago. If you've paid attention on Twitter, you've probably seen me light up a ton of the Tiki Bar Cigar of the Year. Tune in this Friday to see what won the year for me.

In the meantime, what is on your list? Have you tried any or all of the ones on my list? If so, what did you think?