It's that time of the year again: the final days of the calendar that blur Christmas with New Year's Eve and suddenly spit us out into January. It's a time of looking toward the future while also reflecting on the past 12 months. Admittedly, 2020 didn't create the fondest of memories for many of us, but plenty of others have waxed poetic about the trials of this year in much better words than I will ever conjure. The following words are intended much more positively: It's that time of the year for Smokingpipes' Top Cigars of 2020!

Many of us here at Smokingpipes smoke cigars as often as we do pipes, and 2020 saw continued growth in cigar-related content, from the second release of Warped's collaboration with Cornell & Diehl, to the first episodes of our Mystery Cigar Review series. Last year was the inauguration of this spirited Top Cigars project, and while we maintained the general format as 2019's list, we added more participants and expanded the final selection beyond merely 10 cigars. This project highlights our favorite cigars of the year — not necessarily those that debuted in 2020, but the cigars that captured our attention most consistently throughout the year.

This year's project included Shane Ireland, Director of Smokingpipes; Jeremy Reeves, Head Blender of Cornell & Diehl; Tim Vanderpool, Cigar Specialist and Manager of our brick and mortar store, Low Country Pipe and Cigar; Tyler Caldwell, Sales Associate at Low Country; Bill Lloyd, Assistant Manager of Smokingpipes; Matt Johnson, Operations Director; and well, me... obviously.

Here's a quick refresher regarding our cigar selection and grading process:

The seven of us each selected our five favorite cigars of 2020 and compiled them all into a list. We, then, smoked these cigars and rated each of them based on the following qualities:

• Construction: quality of the roll, draw, and burn consistency
• Flavor: our personal opinion on how enjoyable the flavor profile was overall
• Presentation: packaging, band, and overall aesthetic appeal
• Value: the ratio of overall quality to price

Each cigar was graded one to five, worst to best, in each category, and our scores were added together, with 35 points possible for each category and a total of 140 points possible for each cigar. To simplify the results, we converted the out-of-140 ranking to a 10-point scale, just like last year's list; however, this year had a number of ties, with four cigars all receiving the exact same final score, so as tie breakers, we used each cigar's individual Flavor ranking — and even with that, there was still one tie that continued, forcing Value as the tie-breaking category.

Enough with the technical details though, onto the cigars themselves!

20. Liga Privada T52 Short Panatela

Liga Privada's T52 Short Panatela features a unique Stalk-Cut Connecticut leaf dubbed "American Habano." That special varietal is then wrapped around a filler blend of seven different tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras and a piquant Brazilian Mata Fina binder. The Short Panatela vitola is conveniently sized and offers a punch in a small overall package, showcasing the best of the Connecticut wrapper and offering creamy notes of espresso, wood, and peppery spices.

• Score: 7.1
• Price: $9.60
• Length: 4.30 in./109.22 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 40
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut Stalk Cut
• Wrapper Country: United States
• Filler Country: Honduras, Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Brazil

19. Lost & Found Plume Lonsdale

Lost & Found is a clandestine endeavor created by Robert Caldwell of Caldwell Cigar Company and Tony Bellatto of La Barba Cigars. The brand itself doesn't fashion or create any of their own cigars, per se. Instead, Caldwell and Bellatto have utilized the potential of "lost" cigars forgotten in the vast warehouses of other manufacturers. It goes something like this: Whenever a cigar brand rolls and boxes cigars for a particular line or release, they're inevitably left with, well, leftovers — either only so many boxes were made or the series was capped at a certain number, the surplus left on the factories' shelves. Caldwell and Bellatto, then, "find" these "lost" cigars, rebrand them, and offer them to consumers. While the blends' specific components and company of manufacture remain anonymous, connoisseurs can count on them being from some of the most reputable names in the industry and having several years worth of age to them. The Plume Lonsdale's only known tobaccos are binder of Criollo '98 from the Dominican Republic, and a Habano wrapper also from the DR, with a filler blend of Habano 2020 and Corojo from an undisclosed country. It offers a sumptuous flavor profile, and at a price of $9.80 apiece, it's a ridiculously good price for a cigar with several years of age on it — available exclusively in a pack of 10.

• Score: 7.3
• Price: $98.00 (Pack of 10)
• Length: 6.50 in./165.10 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Unknown
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Dominican Republic
• Filler Country: Unknown
• Binder Country: Dominican Republic

18. Foundation Charter Oak CT Toro

Ranking number one in our list for Value, Foundation's Charter Oak CT Toro offers an incredible cigar at an unbelievable price point. Simply put, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better Connecticut-wrapped cigar for under $7.00 than the Charter Oak, (and for those less inclined toward Connecticut wrappers, Foundation offers Habano and Maduro versions at equally unbeatable prices). The Charter Oak CT Toro is a long smoke and one packed with flavor, perfect for those interested in an affordable, everyday cigar — and that's exactly what Nick Melillo and Foundation intended for it to be: smooth, creamy, delicious, and financially approachable.

• Score: 7.4
• Price: $6.20
• Length: 6.00 in./152.40 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Indonesia

17. Southern Draw Rose of Sharon Perfecto

Decorated with an eye-catching pink-and-gold band, the Rose of Sharon line from Southern Draw was created as a way for founder Robert Holt to say thank you to his wife, Sharon, for the role she's played in the company's success in the industry. Fashioned at the AJ Fernandez factory, the Rose of Sharon Perfecto features a silky smooth Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper encasing long fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Boasting notes of leather, oak, and subtle spice, this cigar tied in overall points with Foundation's Charter Oak CT Toro, but just edged its way to 15 by a slightly better Flavor rating.

• Score: 7.4
• Price: $11.30
• Length: 6.00 in./152.40 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 56
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

16. Davidoff Winston Churchill Belicoso

A brand that epitomizes luxury and class, Davidoff could well be considered the Dunhill of the cigar industry. In the Winston Churchill Belicoso, Davidoff offers four premium cigars in an elegant tin and at an attractive price. The series celebrates the life and cigar-loving legacy of the former Prime Minister, with fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua covered in a Peruvian binder and Ecuadorian Habano wrapper for a flavor profile of sweetness, spice, and subtle floral notes that all pair exceptionally with a single malt Scotch whiskey. The Davidoff Winston Churchill Belicoso also ranks within Smokingpipes' top 50 cigars in sales.

• Score: 7.5
• Price: $32.80 (Pack of 4)
• Length: 4.50 in./114.30 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Dominican Republic
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Peru

15. Crowned Heads Mil Días Sublime

A cigar actually released for the first time in 2020, the Mil Días Sublime from Crowned Heads is the realization of 1,000 days of planning and preparation — hence the Spanish-translated name "1,000 Days." The genesis of Mil Días resulted from a meeting between Don Eradio Pichardo, master blender of Tabacalera Pichardo; Luciano Meirelles, a blender, sommelier, and global entrepreneur; and Jon Huber, co-founder of Crowned Heads. The trio desired a premium cigar that merged both modern and traditional aspects of cigar making, and they were dedicated to taking as much time as was needed to patiently perfect such a blend before sharing it with the world. As a cigar, the Mil Días Sublime highlights its Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a unique filler blend of Costa Rican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos.

• Score: 7.5
• Price: $11.50
• Length: 6.00 in./152.40 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 54
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Peru
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

14. Aladino Corojo Reserva Toro

Founded by Julio R. Eiroa, who helped Camacho to major success in the 1990s, Aladino is a family project between Julio and his son Justo. Named for the movie theater that was converted into the factory where the cigars are rolled in Danlí, Honduras, Aladino offers authentic, old-school cigars. The focus is strictly on the premium tobacco used to create each cigar, calling to mind the Habanos produced in Cuba in the mid-20th century, with each leaf grown on Julio's farm and rolled in his factory. The Corojo Reserva Toro is the only cigar on our list completely composed of Honduran tobaccos, boasting Cuban-seed tobaccos and representing Aladino's magnum opus cigar. Its flavor will transport you to the heyday of Cuban cigar production in the '40s and '50s, with an impeccable construction and a delightful flavor profile that ranked it just above Crowned Head's Mil Días Sublime.

• Score: 7.5
• Price: $14.00
• Length: 6.00 in./152.40 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Country: Honduras
• Wrapper Type: Corojo
• Wrapper Country: Honduran
• Filler Country: Honduras
• Binder Country: Honduras

13. Warped Selección de Warped Lirio Rojo 2019

Warped's Lirio Rojo 2019 shared an overall score with both Aladino's Corojo Reserva Toro and Crowned Head's Mil Días, but it received the highest Flavor ranking out of our entire top 20 list. On top of that, it ranks among Smokingpipes' top 50 cigars in overall sales. It's simply a stunning cigar, flavor-wise, with a depth of complexity and deliciousness that leaves nothing to be desired. Visually, it lacks any sort of band, instead defining itself by a rounded cap that calls to mind the traditional Cuban 109 size — nodding to Kyle Gellis and Warped's affinity for Cuban blends and flavor profiles. It's an annual, limited release from Warped since 2015, with 2019's version being a singular Lonsdale vitola comprising a blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos: a Jalapa '99 wrapper and Corojo and Criollo fillers.

• Score: 7.5
• Price: $11.00
• Length: 6.38 in./162.05 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 42
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Nicaragua
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

12. Caldwell Savages Corona Extra

Originally released as a limited-edition extension of Caldwell's Long Live the King line, the Savages cigar began as a singular, 6" x 46 size before the series was expanded with several other vitolas after much praise from aficionados. That original Corona Extra size places 12th in our list. The wrapper has remained a secret over the years, its Habano varietal being the only disclosed detail, and it covers a blend of choice tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua for an exceptionally creamy flavor profile marked by hints of nuttiness.

• Score: 7.7
• Price: $11.00
• Length: 6.00 in./152.40 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Dominican Republic
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Unknown
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Dominican Republic

11. Foundation The Tabernacle Havana CT-142 Corona

Foundation's The Tabernacle line was created to highlight founder Nick Melillo's love for Connecticut tobacco, showcasing the leaf in the form of an enticingly dark wrapper. The Tabernacle Havana CT-142 version expands the original blend, showcasing a unique Havana-seed wrapper grown in Connecticut through a partnership between Melillo and local Connecticut River Valley farmers and undergoing a three-year fermentation process. The results lend The Tabernacle Havana CT-142 Corona a medium- to full-bodied profile with balanced flavors of woody earth, spice, and subtle sweetness that placed it just ahead of Caldwell's Savages Corona Extra despite receiving the same overall score.

• Score: 7.7
• Price: $9.25
• Length: 5.25 in./133.35 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut
• Wrapper Country: United States
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Mexico

10. Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988

Three cigars all received overall scores of 7.7 within our ranking system, and two of them, Foundation's The Tabernacle Havana CT-142 and Warped's Series Gran Reserva 1988, both also tied in Flavor scores. Warped's slightly higher Value ranking, though, brings it within our top 10 cigars of 2020, and it also places among Smokingpipes' 25 most popular cigars in overall sales. A singular Robusto vitola, the Serie Gran Reserva 1988 commemorates Warped founder Kyle Gellis' birth year. Like many of Warped's cigars, it's a Nicaraguan puro, and Kyle's ability to blend rich and nuanced cigars is exemplified in its use of Corojo and Criollo leaf from Aganorsa's esteemed farms. The GR88 is Gellis' life's work manifested in a single cigar, full of depth and nuance and offering notes of pepper, sweetness, nuttiness, oak, and cream — the perfect introduction to this year's top 10 list.

• Score: 7.7
• Price: $9.00
• Length: 5.25 in./133.35 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 50
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Corojo
• Wrapper Country: Nicaragua
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

9. Black Label Trading Company Super Deluxe Lancero

Another 2020 release, Black Label Trading Company's Super Deluxe Lancero was blended specifically to showcase bold tobaccos, corresponding with the company's reputation for particularly robust cigars. It's uniquely the only box-pressed cigar in our top 20 list as well as one of only two Lancero sizes, comprising Nicaraguan fillers and an Ecuadorian Habano binder underneath a dark Mexican San Andrés wrapper. The flavor presents a rich, earthy profile with subtle spice while remaining deliciously smooth and approachable, all in a slender size that showcases the wrapper leaf and burns exceptionally well.

• Score: 7.8
• Price: $11.50
• Length: 7.00 in./177.80 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 42
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: San Andrés
• Wrapper Country: Mexico
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Ecuador

8. Aladino Corojo Corona

The second Aladino cigar in our list, the Corojo Corona is one of Julio and Justo's core-line cigars. All of the tobaccos are grown on the Eiroa's farms in Honduras from Cuban-seed Corojo, offering a flavor profile that exemplifies Aladino's passion for Cuban-style cigars. Furthermore, even though it was edged out by Foundation's Charter Oak CT Toro in overall Value ranking because of the Corona's smaller size, the Aladino Corojo Corona presides as the most budget-friendly cigar in our top 20 list — an especially apt choice for those who prefer cigars of smaller ring gauges. Simply put, it has the makings of the perfect everyday cigar with an enticing flavor that makes the price all the more appealing.

• Score: 7.86
• Price: $6.00
• Length: 5.00 in./127.00 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 44
• Country: Honduras
• Wrapper Type: Corojo
• Wrapper Country: Honduras
• Filler Country: Honduras
• Binder Country: Honduras

7. Illusione Epernay Le Elegance

Named for a town in France's Champagne region, Illusione's Epernay line personifies refinement and discerning taste. It's a cigar meant for connoisseurs, and the Le Elegance is an aptly named 5.75" x 40 vitola that exudes class in a suave and slender form. Fitting with the line's theme, the Epernay Le Elegance prioritizes subtlety — as good taste demands — blending Nicaraguan Criollo '98 and Corojo '99 tobaccos underneath a triple-A grade Corojo Rosado wrapper. Like a flute of France's most exquisite champagne, the Illusione Epernay Le Elegance isn't meant to be consumed mindlessly, but rather sipped and appreciated, leaving one satisfied yet still wanting just a bit more.

• Score: 7.93
• Price: $8.90
• Length: 5.75 in./146.05 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 40
• Country: Honduras
• Wrapper Type: Rosado
• Wrapper Country: Nicaragua
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

6. Dunbarton Sobremesa Cervantes Fino

Founded by Steve Saka, former president and CEO of Drew Estate and an esteemed tobacco blender and magnate, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust offers a diverse portfolio, with cigars that pay homage to the long history of cigar making and others that seek to innovate and creatively expand upon that tradition. Such diversity ensures that Dunbarton has a cigar for all flavor profile preferences, yet all Dunbarton cigars are united by an unwavering commitment to quality. Steve sources only the best tobacco and remains one of the most transparent blenders in the industry, trusting the performance of his cigars rather than relying on well-kept secrets. The Sobremesa Cervantes Fino is an excellent introduction to Dunbarton, and it's a cigar meant to be enjoyed around company — the word sobremesa referring to the Latino tradition of leisurely conversing around the table after a meal. It comprises Pennsylvania Broadleaf ligero and Nicaraguan fillers covered in a Mexican San Andrés binder and Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper, offering a flavor profile of cream with notes of cedar, cocoa, and coffee.

• Score: 8.0
• Price: $11.45
• Length: 6.25 in./158.75 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Rosado, Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua, United States
• Binder Country: Mexico

5. Dunbarton Sin Compromiso Selección "Intrépido"

Sin Compromiso means "Without Compromise." As Dunbartion's mantra, the phrase reflects the brand's guiding ethos and dedication to quality: Steve Saka sources only the best tobaccos for his cigars, and this quality is immediately apparent in every Dunbarton cigar. The Sin Compromiso Selección "Intrépido" is Dunbarton's preeminent, flagship cigar, the crème de la crème, the magnum opus. It embodies the Dunbarton mantra and offers a unique blend of distinct tobaccos and a complex flavor profile. Saka spent three years creating and modifying the blend, with the results being his personal favorite cigar. The tobaccos used in Sin Compromiso are grown specifically and exclusively for this cigar: independent-plantation grown Nicaraguan fillers, a hybridized Ecuadorian Habano "Thin Ligero" binder, and a Mexican San Andrés Negro "Cultivo Tonto" wrapper cultivated in a manner à la Japanese fruit farmers — the bottom leaves removed as the tobacco plant grows, ensuring more nutrient-rich, bolder leaves up top. It's a decadent cigar to say the least, offering something new to experience each time it's smoked, and the Sin Compromiso Selección "Intrépido" also scored highest in Construction and tied for first in Presentation.

• Score: 8.1
• Price: $15.95
• Length: 5.63 in./143.00 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: San Andrés Maduro
• Wrapper Country: Mexico
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Ecuador

4. RoMa Craft Neanderthal OM Lancero

I'm an unabashed fan of Mexican San Andrés tobacco, and RoMa Craft's Neanderthal OM Lancero is one of the best cigars to showcase that varietal — the slender Lancero size offering a higher wrapper-to-filler ratio for greater appreciation of the San Andrés leaf. It's also distinguished by rare Pennsylvania Double Ligero fillers, adding boldness and strength to the blend with slight sweetness offered by the Connecticut Broadleaf binder. The Neanderthal OM Lancero presents intense yet balanced notes of dark cocoa, cream, and piquant spice, ranking within Smokingpipes' top 100 cigars in sales and as number four here in our Best of 2020 list.

• Score: 8.2
• Price: $10.80
• Length: 7.00 in./177.80 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 38
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: San Andrés Maduro
• Wrapper Country: Mexico
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, United States
• Binder Country: United States

3. Dunbarton Sobremesa Brûlée Robusto

If you haven't caught on yet, Dunbarton makes good cigars, and honestly, pretty much every cigar they make is worth trying. Two Dunbarton cigars have already made our list, both in the top 10, and the Sobremesa Brûlée Robusto makes it three, ranking in at number three. It's a special version of the original Sobremesa blend (see number six), removing the original's Pennsylvania Broadleaf ligero fillers and utilizing a Connecticut Shade wrapper for a more medium-bodied, even smoother flavor profile. The Connecticut Shade tobacco used for the wrapper, though, is allowed to sit long enough to expose the leaf's natural sugars — much like with aging Virginia pipe tobacco — making the Sobremesa Brûlée Robusto one of most intriguing and unique cigars I've personally smoked. Fans of Connecticut Shade cigars, you've never smoked one quite like the Sobremesa Brûlée: It's naturally sweet and unbelievably smooth and creamy, and will make you question everything you once thought you knew about Connecticut Shade leaf.

• Score: 8.3
• Price: $12.45
• Length: 5.25 in./133.35 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 52
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Connecticut Shade
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Mexico

2. BLK WKS Studio Green Hornet Robusto

The second cigar from Black Label Trading Company to crack the top 10 of this year's list, the Green Hornet Robusto is found in the BLK WKS Studio brand, an offshoot of BLTC that focuses on complex blends and rarer components. Founder James Brown flexes his creative muscles in the blending of BLK WKS Studio cigar as well as in the modernist, avant-garde artwork accompanying each line, all designed by Brown himself and quite evident in the Green Hornet's eye-catching box and band. As a cigar, the Green Hornet Robusto is a small-batch extension of the BLK WKS Studio Killer Bee line that features a small piece of Candela wrapper covering the foot of the cigar, matching the Candela strips around the cap. The Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper with Candela accents, then, envelops a Nicaraguan Habano binder and Nicaraguan fillers. It all makes for a stronger blend than the original Killer Bee, featuring a unique profile that's bold, rich, and spicy.

• Score: 8.4
• Price: $9.50
• Length: 5.00 in./127.00 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 48
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Maduro, Candela
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Nicaragua
• Binder Country: Nicaragua

1. Dapper La Madrina Corona Gorda

After all the data for this project was compiled, one cigar excelled in all four categories, ranking within the top six in each and even tying for first in Presentation. Our top cigar of 2020 is Dapper's La Madrina Corona Gorda, and it's one that also finds a place within Smokingpipes' top 100 cigars in sales. Founded by Ian Reith, Dapper enjoys a rich portfolio of world-class cigars and has developed intimate partnerships with some of the most reputable names in the industry, like the Oliva Tobacco Co. and Raul Disla, supervisor of the Nicaragua America Cigars, S.A. factory.

Those inclined to window shop, perusing humidors to see what looks good, would be hard-pressed to miss the La Madrina: Its ornate band depicts a macabre skeleton hand holding a rose — death and decay juxtaposed against life and beauty — and that image hints at the cigar's bold and complex flavor profile. The La Madrina Corona Gorda is an enticingly full-bodied cigar but it's not without a refined and delicate touch, its use of tobaccos from five different countries adding subtle nuance and a rich depth of flavor. The filler blend combines leaf from Oliva's farms in Nicaragua with Habano '92 tobacco from the Dominican Republic and Pennsylvania Broadleaf from the United States. Enveloping this tri-country combo, then, are a Mexican San Andrés binder and a wrapper from Oliva's La Luchita farm in Ecuador. Defined by intense notes of chocolate mixed with earth and sweetness, as well as hints of fruit in the retrohale, Dapper's La Madrina is for the discerning connoisseur, not the faint of heart.

• Score: 8.6
• Price: $9.30
• Length: 5.62 in./142.75 mm.
• Ring Gauge: 46
• Country: Nicaragua
• Wrapper Type: Habano
• Wrapper Country: Ecuador
• Filler Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, United States
• Binder Country: Mexico

The world of cigars is full of extremely wonderful options, and we're honestly spoiled by the number of quality offerings. Choosing our five favorites of the year individually was challenging, and whittling the combined group down to only 20 proved insanely difficult, especially when there are so many other cigars that could have easily made the cut. We hope this list introduces you to some new cigars, though, and some that will become longtime favorites! What were some of your most enjoyed cigars these past 12 months?