So here it is, the Tuesday Night Cigar Club’s “Top Ten Cigars of 2022!” Cheers!
As always, before y’all start clutching your pearls, we’re not saying these are the best cigars on the market by any means. We are simply stating that out of the cigars we smoked on the podcast and for our web reviews this year, these ten were our favorites by a long shot and we think our listeners, viewers, and readers should all go out and grab as many of them as possible because there’s not a cigar on this list that isn’t special. They’re all outstanding smokes, just click on the link for each cigar and it will take you directly to the review page so you can read our thoughts on it. And, yes, we realize there are thousands of other cigars out there that deserve recognition as well but we only do so many shows AND we can only afford to buy so many cigars. Make sense? Of course it does. LET’S PARTY!
1. MUESTRA DE SAKA THE BEWITCHED by DUNBARTON TOBACCO & TRUST
“Smoke production is copious here in the final act, as thick white clouds pour from both ends of The Bewitched. I love a cigar that keeps me on my toes and the continuously fluctuating strength of the pepper spice does just that. The mineral and vanilla are now solely presented on the retrohale while the draw’s core profile of cedar and coffee holds steadfast although the creaminess has now receded to a point where you have to really hunt for it. Much like owls hunt for their prey at night perhaps… nice touch, Maestro Saka. The vanilla is now more of a vanilla cake flavor here in the final few puffs as the cola and cherry notes have dissipated. So I suppose that I need to now add a Vanilla Cake Batter Milkshake to my Sonic order… for further research purposes. Look folks, I have my process and if you don’t like it then you can start your own fucking website and call things as you see them…”
2. LIGA PRIVADA H99 CONNECTICUT COROJO TORO by DREW ESTATE
“Complex yet easily discernible flavors, surprising transitions in both strength and core notes, everything just gels together in perfect harmony here. Simply put, the Liga Privada H99 Connecticut Corojo is not box worthy but rather multiple box purchases worthy. And while I won’t hold my breath on that front, a boy can always dream… hopefully another 3 years won’t pass by before I can smoke another…”
3. INTERGALACTIC CORONA LARGA by BLACK WORKS STUDIO
“Upon torching the foot of the Intergalactic, we were all greeted by an immense blast of pepper through the nose. The powerful mix of pepper and wasabi-like spice nearly kicked our fucking teeth in before impressively downshifting almost immediately which allowed notes of chocolate Nestle Quick powder, bright leather, cedar, and cream to soon develop via the draw. If that sounds to you like a lot of flavors entering the smoking profile all at once, it is. But we weren’t complaining one bit…”
4. MI QUERIDA BLACK SAKAKHAN by DUNBARTON TOBACCO & TRUST
“At over seven inches in length and a duration of just over two hours, the Mi Querida Black SakaKhan would make a killing as a performer in adult films. No no, I’m not envious of a cigar in that way… not at all… really, I swear! Seriously though, THIS is the Mi Querida that I’ve been waiting over 5 years for. Ballsy and powerful, yet complex, and featuring just enough slight transitions in both strength and dominating flavors to keep things highly interesting. So hit up the nearest breakfast buffet, ignore the judging stares and make a fourth trip to the waffle station for that matter, then go home, pour yourself a glass of bourbon, and prepare to have your nuts gloriously crushed by the highly impressive monster that is the SakaKhan…”
5. CREATURE by TATUAJE
“At the start of the Creature’s final act, smoke production increases as copious grey clouds pour from both ends of the cigar. Leather and spice continue to rule the retro while the mineral note has now transitioned to the nose as well. The coffee and cream flavors have overtaken the oak on the draw although it is still present underneath the surface… like all good aquatic monsters tend to be. Construction has remained stellar in all categories. Remember that chocolate cereal sensation that I picked up on the cold draw? Well, in the last inch and a half of the smoking experience a chocolate cake batter flavor arose out of nowhere to join in with the coffee and cream. And, yes, that combination of flavors is exactly as enjoyable as it fucking sounds…”
6. NÚMERO UNO L’AMBASSADEUR by JOYA de NICARAGUA
“Upon ignition, the L’Ambassadeur delivers crisp white pepper through the nose accompanied by a unique blackberry note. The draw is almost entirely cedar with a floral component backing it up. Around the 1” mark, the pepper burn calms down tremendously in strength just as some classic Nicaraguan mineral begins to quickly emerge from the background…”
7. WHITE TORO by WEST TAMPA TOBACCO COMPANY
“Here in the final third, the overall body of the White Toro becomes noticeably fuller with the coffee and cedar flavors commingling now beautifully with the consistent accent notes of pepper, mineral, and faint vanilla cream. I can’t stress enough just how well this cigar performed from a construction standpoint, you couldn’t improve upon it if you tried…”
8. HYENA CORONA GORDA by BLACK WORKS STUDIO
“At the beginning of the Hyena’s final act, the pepper spice gets its third wind as it jumps up off the couch, cracks open a fuckin beer, and rapidly increases in both power and overall presence. Watch out for Drunk Spice, folks, she’ll get you. The cream continues to play nicely with the draw’s cedar and espresso although that coffee note is now coming through louder than ever before. While the introduction of cream was the highlight of the second third, the elevated pepper strength and escalating espresso boldness are the closing act’s shining stars…”
9. KNUCKLE SANDWICH HABANO TORO H by ESPINOSA PREMIUM CIGARS
“At the start of the Knuckle Sandwich Habano’s final act, a slight sense of Nicaraguan mineral begins to creep in behind the cedar and leather. I’ll use that word balanced here again because it keeps entering my mind as the smoking experience continues on its path. This cigar isn’t headed to the promised land of Flavortown, USA – it has fully arrived and is in the final stages of buying a home and enrolling its kids in the highly regarded Flavortown Independent School District (FISD). And yes the highschool’s football team, the Mac Daddy Nachos, are always in contention for a district title. But I digress before this review becomes too cheesy… although Mr. Fieri would most likely argue there’s no such thing as too much cheese. Like ever.”
10. NAMAKUBI RANFLA (2021) by ROOM 101
“The Namakubi’s peppery strength through the nose continues to elevate up to medium territory in the final third but it is well balanced by the consistent cedar note that’s been present from the beginning of the smoking experience. The coffee, cream, and yellow cake are all commingling wonderfully here in the last act and the addition of a thick vanilla icing note is certainly welcomed by yours truly with open arms. My only complaint with this cigar, as I sadly drop its burning corpse down in to my stinky ashtray, is that it didn’t last longer…”
Happy New Year Motherfuckers!!!
2022 was a year of big moments and minor changes here in the TNCC’s Corner Of No Hope. We did a few less shows but, on the flip side, we reviewed double the amount of cigars that we usually do over the course of a calendar year. We interviewed a musical icon, a cigar legend, and we even experimented with changing up the show’s format for the first time in 8 years. So expect the unexpected in 2023 and brace yourself for more laughs, more tears, and more controversy in what just might be the most dramatic season in Tuesday Night Cigar Club history. Stay tuned suckas!!!
