#ELOsoFumarTakes

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes counts it down! That's right, our Top 10 Cigars of 2022 will be brought to you in countdown fashion. This year, I wanted to bring something special (you all know I like the twist). So, here it is - I've enlisted some help this year with my Top 10, so that's why for our #236thTake and our 2022 Top Ten Countdown the incomparable George Brightman will join us to give his own blind assessment on my Top 10!!! It'll be one to remember, Enjoy!

 

Criteria:

1) It's vitola based.

2) I had to have smoked the cigar for the first time in the last year and a half.*

3) It must not suck.

4)No limited edition cigars (i.e. TAA, shop exclusive) are eligible.

5) A previous number 1 cigar winner (blend-specific, i.e. 2017 Winner Espinosa Habano) cannot be on this year's Top 10 or repeat as winner.*

6) A company cannot have more than 1 cigar on the Top 10, however, may be considered for honorable mention.*

7)THE BIG ONE: frequency of smoke. Basically, I had to have the means AND opportunity AND did, in fact, smoke the cigar frequently.

 

Top 10 Cigars of 2021 (reference from last year):

1) Dissident Rave 
2) Diesel Esteli Puro toro
3) Adventura The Queen's Pearls robusto
4) Rocky Patel Edicion Unico 2011 toro
5) Alec Bradley Kintsugi Robusto
6) E.P. Carrillo Pledge Prequel
7) Pichardo Clasico Sumatra
8)  Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua Churchill 
9) RoMa Craft Baka Ota Benga
10) Micallef A Churchill

 

2022 Top Honorable Mentions:

1. BLK WKS Studios Intergalatic Corona Larga
2. Alec Bradley Fine and Rare BC 1(13)4EV
3. Tatuaje Cohete Capa Especial 2022
4. Espinosa 10th
5. Powstanie SBC 20

 

Top 10 Cigars of 2022 (this year):

1) Espinosa Crema Box Press Toro
2) Artista Cigars Buffalo Ten Connecticut
3) St. Luis Rey Carenas Toro
4) Howard G Magic Stick Cameroon Toro
5) CAVALIER GENÈVE BII Japala Viso Robusto Gordo
6) Crux Bull & Bear Double Corona
7) Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Brulee Blue
8) Rocky Patel Disciple Robusto
9) The Arrival Robusto
10) Luciano Cigars (ACE Prime) The Seargeant

 

https://www.history.com/news/george-washington-little-known-facts

 

 

 

Merry Christmas everyone!!! For our very first Christmas #Take we bring you a very special simulcast on both YouTube and Facebook. Drew Newman returns for a very special #235thTake for an #ELOsoFumarTakes Christmas. Since we last spoke to Drew we've seen the expansion of his cherished The American line, rebranding throughout the portfolio, a renovation into his family's 100+ year old factory and his father's election into the Cigar Hall of Fame. Drew shares his family and cigars with us this Christmas. Enjoy!

 

Drew Newman and I would like to spotlight:

Cigar Family Charitable Foundation

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes invites you to our Christmas Party! Our #234thTake promises to be a good time with a pretty cool cast of characters. 'Cigar Hustler' Mike Szczepankiewicz, 'Mr. Blue Smoke' Jay Davis, and 'How 'Bout that Cigar' Garret Robinson join the celebration. Will Mike bring cereal? Will Jay smoke a Fuente? How 'bout Garret's Candy Cane grip? We'll find out and more! Enjoy!!

 

This week, we'd like to raise awareness, spotlight, and if you feel called, donations to:

Toys for Tots

The Salvation Army

 

Source for tonight's United Cigar Presidential Trivia segment: https://jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com/a-presidential-christmas-trivia/

 

 Merry Christmas Everyone!

 

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes welcomes a first time guest in Steve Abbot of General Cigar Company to sit down for our #233rdTake. Steve brings an incredible background in the Tobacco industry into his role at General. We smoke Macanudo and explore the journey of Abbot himself. Enjoy!

 

For this occasion, Steve and I would like to spotlight The Salvation Army

Please consider donating: https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/give/164006/#!/donation/checkout?amount=Other

 

Macanudo Estate Reserve Flint Knoll

Macanudo Inspirado Year of the Rabbit heads abroad

General Expands M by Macanudo

Eighth Inspirado hits shelves in U.S.

 

Fun Facts about William & Mary

United Cigar Presidential Trivia resource:

• Three U.S. presidents were educated at William & Mary: Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler. Four if we count George Washington's surveyor's license. https://www.wm.edu/index.php

 

My son makes his podcast debut (00:04:45) - all he wants for Christmas is his two front teeth!

"I just yanked it out" - My son

 

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes has something very special for our #232ndTake. Ram Rodriguez of Artista Cigars returns to talk about the latest goings with his family’s company - including the fantastic re-branding. We’ll walk through a few things tonight and explore his father’s words, “Let your words be more valuable than your pocket because money comes and goes, but words stay. Make sure you deliver what you promise.” Enjoy!

 

Ram's Featured Charity: https://davidortizchildrensfund.org/

Please consider donating HERE

PCA 2022: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/08/pca-2022-report-artista-cigars.html

 

 

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes returns to the cinema. I've wrangled the best nerds our industry has to offer as we dive into the second installment of Lord of the Rings. The Two Towers debuted 20 years ago! Our goal tonight is to revel, drink, smoke and nerd out with Matt Tye, Tripp Waldrop and, of course, Sam Spencer! Enjoy!

 

Just like with our foray into LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring, this #Take is dedicated in honor of my sister Reagan, who without, my life would be absent of art.  Please support the Whitney Museum of American Art.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167261/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_8

https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/two-towers/

 

 

#ELOsoFumarTakes turns 5 years old this week!! In those five years we'll have done 230 #Takes. This week is special, as many of you know, each year, I've invited Tim Wong of Pier 28 Premium Cigars to return as my guest, as he was my guest on the very first #Take. Tim will be back!!! Joining us will be the Cigar Coop Coalition members - Ben Lee, and Erron Nielsen.  It doesn't stop there, Aaron Loomis,Co-Founder of Developing Palates will also be on hand to make sure we keep everything in order. Yes, I will be thanking a lot of people, because it took a lot of people to get us here. We have some hijinks and hilarity planned as well as smoking some good cigars. Enjoy!

 

Please consider donating to Sepsis Alliance

The first person to screenshot a donation of $50 or more gets their choice of a box of Espinosa Habano #4 (2017 #ELOsoFumarTakes #1 Cigar of the Year), E.P Carrillo Vallientes (2018 #ELOsoFumarTakes #1 Cigar of the Year), Kristoff Vengeance Perfecto (2019 #ELOsoFumarTakes #1 Cigar of the Year), La Barba Ricochet Cru Mexi-Sol (2020 #ELOsoFumarTakes #1 Cigar of the Year), OR Dissident Rave (2021 #ELOsoFumarTakes #1 Cigar of the Year).

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes welcomes the return of Reinier Lorenzo of HVC Cigars. Our #229thTake promises to be a good one as we dive into what it takes to open your own factory, the "new new" from HVC, and what we can expect from HVC in the next few months. It's more than that, as we dive into an all-new This or That, plus I want to know what cigars Reinier smokes when he celebrates. Enjoy!

 

Reinier and I, along with our friends at Cigar Dojo would like to spotlight Cigars for Warriors

Check out the Fumar & Fundraiser: Support the Troops here: https://dojoverse.com/members/eric/activity/4077625/?q=news-feed%2Fp%2F4077625%2F

 

Black Friday 2022: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/10/cigar-news-hvc-black-friday-2022-limited-edition-release-announced.html

PCA 2022: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/07/pca-2022-report-hvc-cigars.html

HVC 500 Salomon: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/06/cigar-news-hvc-500-years-anniversary-salomon-to-debut-at-2022-pca-trade-show.html

HVC Opens Factory: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/06/cigar-news-hvc-cigars-opens-factory-and-announces-hvc-seleccion-no-1.html

 

 

 

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes celebrates Bear's birthday! Our #228thTake welcomes two fan favorites as well as two host favorites. First, we welcome back the man himself who just couldn't get enough birthday last year -Mr. Steve Saka of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. Our second guest is none other than Cigar Coop's William Cooper. We spotlight charity, favorite birthday cake, the Navy, and more. We'll probably be smoking some good cigars, too. Enjoy!

 

For this occasion, Coop, Saka, and I would like to spotlight:

Sepsis Alliance

-and-

K9s for Warriors

 

Paladin de Saka review: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/10/cigar-review-sin-compromiso-paladin-de-saka-by-dunbarton-tobacco-trust.html

 

PCA 2022: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/08/pca-2022-report-dunbarto-tobacco-trust-33-minutes-with-steve-saka.html

 

 

 

This week, La Flor Dominicana's own and beloved Jon Carney returns for our #ELOsoFumarTakes #227thTake! Jon has done more than a few favors for me over the years, but that's what friends are for. I'm blessed to be close with a lot of people in this industry, but I do consider Jon a dear friend. But, far too much has happened since Jon's last stop on the show. From Family news to NFTs, we sit down to cover it all. We'll be smoking the new, new Solis and discussing socks, steaks (of course) and all things LFD! Enjoy!

 

For this occasion, Jon and I would like to spotlight Cigars for Warriors

We had an interview with Storm on #Take193: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-vwf62-1153f4b

 

Presidents and their Steak: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-presidents-eat-steak-2018-2#donald-trump-new-york-strip-well-done-with-ketchup-1

 

NFTs: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/08/cigar-news-la-flor-dominicanas-golden-bull-nft-auction-closes.html

Solis: https://cigar-coop.com/2022/06/cigar-news-la-flor-dominicana-to-launch-solis.html

 

other LFD News: https://cigar-coop.com/tag/la-flor-dominicana