1. Stardust by Isabela Cigar Company
2. Southern Draw Cigars Rose of Sharon
3. 1936 Elegante by Tabacalera Casa De Zabala
4. Illusione Haut 10
5. All Out Kings by Caldwell Cigar
6. The T. by Caldwell, AJ Fernandez, Booth
7. Mash-Up by Isabela Cigar Co.
8. Todos Las Dias by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
9. Montecristo Crafted By A.J. Fernandez
10. Southern Draw Cigars Jacob’s Ladder
11.Ramón Allones Specially Selected
12. Rocky Patel Dark Dominican
13. Brick House Double Connecticut
14. Flor de las Antillas Maduro
15. Foundry Time Flies
16. My Father The Judge
17. Casa Fernandez Sabor Aganorsa Corojo
18. Menage A Trois by Alec Bradley
19. Drew Estate Undercrown Sun Grown
20. Hiram & Solomon Fellow Craft
21. HVC Cerro Maduro
22. Warped Cigars Lirio Rojo
23. Monte by Montecristo AJ Fernandez
24. Romeo 505 Nicaragua
25. E.P. Carrillo Elenco 2017
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
Cigar Reviews by Phil 'Katman' Kohn 
Nice list. Thanks for all your great reviews. Happy holidays.
I half expected to see the Boneshaker and Pepperbox on the list but I’m kind of glad they aren’t, I didn’t like those either. I think the H Upmann by AJ Fernandez should be somewhere in there but I am also just a novice. Maybe I should make a top 5 strain list….?
Thank you Katman! I couldn’t wait any longer for your Top 25.
Nice list. I was surprised to see that the CFT Kama Sumatra was not included, despite its 99-point review back in April. Thoughts?
I made the decision this year not to list extremely limited production cigars. I’m a fan of Ezra Zion but a total of 2000 cigars produced eliminated them from consideration.
Fair ’nuff. Thanks for the response.
Your list is unusual and eclectic – just like you! Much nachas for the shanah tova, lansman!!
I’ve been called worse…Thank you bubbeleh; my altakaker freund.
Katman, Thanks, for the 2017 top/best list. I travel the US and Canada about 40 weeks per year. The Katman top 25 list is my mission each new year, while I travel. It’s great fun finding and smoking your favorites while I’m on the road working throughout each year. Last year 2017- I found and smoked 19 of the Katman 2016 top/best list.
I was a little surprised the Bespoke line didn’t make the list for 2017. (hard to find – probably removed it from your list) I have fallen in love with the Bespoke brand. The Gran Mareva has topped my personal favorite list. Jeremy Casdagli made the Gran Mareva available for me to enjoy. Jeremy, jumped through some hoops, just to get me box. So, I find myself often behaving as the ambassador for Bespoke cigars , when I visit the B&M stores while traveling.
Please, keep up the great work my friend. I am so grateful for what you do !
Thanks Mark for the kind words.
Bespoke and Jeremy are no longer part of my cigar industry circle. I kept getting a few cigars from Bespoke but they kept sending me the same blend over and over. I told Jeremy that I wasn’t getting new blends. He said he’d take care of it…never did. And the couple other blends I did get weren’t that great. So I became a hypocrite and decided not to review them to save Bespoke some face; especially after several rave reviews. It was taken wrong and I’m off Bespoke’s Xmas card list. But I lie for no man regardless of my relationship. My readers always come first and deserve the truth no matter what. Some manufacturers get that and appreciate I don’t trash their cigars.
And I certainly cannot afford these expensive Bespoke sticks so life marches forward.
Phil
Thanks, Phil.
Consistency combined authenticity commands respect. These two characteristics can be identified in all you’re writings. Stay the course my friend !
Mark
Thanks to Andrew and the good folks at SBC, 5 of your #5 will be making their way to you. I don’t know the box code, so I guess you’ll have to be patient. Shanah To’va my friend!
(Or is it Shania Twain?)
PS: Heal up quick my friend! The older we get, the more susceptible we are to flu or worse. I just got over a week PLUS flu (thank you Lord Codeine for saving me from breaking my ribs), and last year had bronchitis while my poor wife had pneumonia.
Thank you Peter, my old friend…I’m doing my best to recuperate. Still have another week of meds to go and am feeling better. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m sure I will be able to come back mid February, at the latest.
And thanks to all of the wonderful readers who have sent me get well wishes.
Phil