May we have your votes? A sentence made famous by the Eurovision Song Contest. So it’s very suitable to use for the annual Cigar Trophy votes from Cigar Journal. Cigar Journal was formerly known as the European Cigar Cult Journal. Earlier this month, cigar smokers could nominate their favorite brands, cigars, lounges, and accessories. The top 5 in each category are on the shortlist and it’s up to the audience to vote. So, may we have your votes?

Cuba

There are several categories to be voted on. It starts with Best Brand. For Cuba, the following brands are nominated: Bolivar, Cohiba Linea Clasica, Montecristo Linea Clasica, Partagas, and Trinidad. 

As best cigar Cuba, you can vote for the Cohiba BHK 52, Montecristo Linea 1935 Leyenda, Partagas Serie D #4, Ramon Allones Specially Selected, and Trinidad Vigia. Cuba doesn’t have a ‘best value’ award

Dominican Republic

For the Dominican Republic, the nominees in the best brand category are Arturo Fuente Don Carlos, Davidoff Signature Series, Diamond Crown Classic, La Aurora 107 Ecuador, and the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero. As best cigar, the Arturo Fuente Hemmingway Best Seller, Balmoral Añejo XO Connecticut Rothschild Massivo, Davidoff Grand Cru Toro, La Aurora AND Dominicana Churchill, and the La Flor Dominicana 25th Anniversary made the shortlist.

The best value award Dominican Republic is a battle between the Davtian Mestizo, Kristoff Vengeance, La Aurora Cameroon 1903, La Galera Maduro, and the VegaFina 1998.

Honduras

Honduras is represented by Camacho Corojo, Eiroa the first 20 years, Flor de Selva Classic Selection, Kafie 1901 San Andres, and Rocky Patel Vintage 2003. In the best cigar category, 2012 by Oscar Corojo Toro, Aladino Reserva Corojo Robusto, Alec Bradley Lineage Toro, Asylum 13 Medulla/Oblongata, and the Rocky Patel Number 6 Robusto are nominated.

Camacho Criollo, Eiroa Classic, La Libertad, Rocky Patel The Edge, and Villa Zamorano are fighting for the best value Honduras award.

Nicaragua

With the hundreds of brands made in Nicaragua, just getting in the top 5 is an honor. And the five brands that made the shortlist are Dias de Gloria by A.J. Fernandez, My Father La Promesa, Oliva Serie V, Padron 1964 Anniversario, and Perdomo Estate Seleccion Vintage. 

The best cigars from Nicaragua, according to the nominations are The A.J. Fernandez Bellas Artes Maduro Lancero and the Luciano The Traveler. Add the Padron 1926 Serie No.35 Maduro, Perdomo ESV Imperio Sun Grown Box Pressed, and the Plasencia Alma Fuerte Generacion V to the shortlist and you will have a hard choice.

All the nominees in the best value Nicaragua category would not stand out in the best cigars category either. Brick House Maduro, Undercrown Sun Grown, Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970, Oliva Serie G, and the Padron Classic Series will be battling it out.

Other countries

Finally, 5 brands from other countries complete in the ‘best brand other countries’ poll. Those are Atabey from Costa Rica, Casa Turrent 1901 from Mexico, Toscano Antico from Italy, The American made by J.C. Newman in Tampa, Florida, and finally, the Villager do Brasil from Brazil.

For the best cigar from other countries, you can vote for cigars from Costa Rica, Mexico, Russia, Italy, and the United States. Brun del Re 1787 Rainforest Short Robusto, Casa Turrent Serie 1880, Eugene Onegin No.3, The American Churchill, and Toscano Antico are the nominees.

Best lounge

Five cigar lounges are nominated for the best cigar lounge 2020 award. Surprisingly, none of the nominees are from Europe. Where in the previous years’ Jacks’ Cigar Bar, Cigaragua, La Casa del Habano Almere, and other European lounges were nominated, this year non of the contenders are from Europe. Bertie Cigars from Hong Kong, Cigar Social from Perth, Australia, and The Duke Cigars in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are all located in the Asia Pacific region. The remaining two nominees are Burn by Rocky Patel in Pittsburgh and Soho Cigar Bar in New York City.

Best accessory

We always look forward to the Best Accessory award. We like our tools, and love to see innovations. And this year, the award will go to one of these five nominees. Boveda Humidity Packs, ES Elegant Smoker, HENK Cigarbone, Les Fines Lames Le Petit, and the Smoking Moses RazorCut.

And this is the only category for which we reveal our vote. We voted for the Henk Cigarbone. From all the nominees, the Cigarbone is the most versatile. It’s a travel humidor, a cigar stand, and an ashtray in one. It’s a true innovation. Just like the Smoking Moses RazorCut is an innovation, but the difference is that we have been testing the HENK Cigarbone for a few months. And we love it, it’s a conversation piece just from the looks of it. It’s versatile and works like a charm.