Top 25 Cigars of 2023

Brooks Whittington, Charlie Minato and Patrick Lagreid announce halfwheel's list. The 25 highest rated cigars based on nearly 200 reviews of new cigars during 2023.
Get your guesses in now.
As a bonus, Typos 4 Charity! is back. The first viewer who leaves a comment that shows they found a typo on the broadcast is eligible to win a halfwheel prize pack. Terms and conditions can be found here. If we somehow make it through the broadcast without anyone finding a typo, we will donate $100 to a food bank of our choosing.

[@dominicvergnetti]

Does anyone notice that anytime someone other than AJ makes a blend from his factory it is a banger?! I believe he has some of the best tobacco available but his pallet does not translate well in his house blends.

[@Void7.4.14]

I've been saying this for years. Even some of the cheaper stuff he's done for companies like Cigars International are pretty decent for that price range. And I tend to really enjoy most everything he's put out for others like Matt Booth/Room 101, Robert Caldwell, Illusione, Karen Berger, Foundation, Southern Draw, Artesano del Tobacco, 1502, etc, with the only real exceptions being much of what he's done for Altadis brands. But I just don't care for most of his core stuff beyond the New World Dorado. Not sure why. I tend to find it very unbalanced with more earth and pepper than sweetness and other notes that would make the profile more balanced and enjoyable. But I will say I feel similarly about Don Pepin and Mt Father. Just never liked his stuff much but Tatuaje/ L'Atelier are among my absolute and all-time favorites. While I like Aganorsa cigars I actually think their major clients like Illusione, Warped, HVC, etc, make far superior blends with their leaf that only really the collaborative effort of the Guardian of the Farm as well as the Supreme Leaf, Rare Leaf, and maybe Aniversarios can even stand up to. Seems to be a thing at multiple factories, at least for my palate, but none more noticeable than AJ for me.

[@johnnymetallica1039]

Excellent list. You do it right. It should always be the best cigars in your opinion period.

[@GionneS]

The stuttering had me dying!!! 😂 reminded me of myself on work meetings

[@emmanuelfernandez9509]

Again this is really my favorite end of year list and Im Love to see the Oscar 10 here. This one was instantly in my list as soon as I smoked it.

[@emmanuelfernandez9509]

Happy to see Cigar Hustler and the brothers getting some credit for just great great cigars and at fair prices no doubt about it. In a world of ridiculous pricing with no justification, Postawnie and Roma Craft giving you a bang for your buck.

[@ar007r]

I just bought a box of the davidoff anniversario no 1 LEs. Ive yet to try any davidoff cigars for some reason but I figured it was a good box for my first experience.

[@infmsram]

Halfwheel for the Win!!! 🙌🏻 CA can stay classy elsewhere 😁

[@paulsingh9043]

An 86$ cigar for you guys equates to 200$ cigar in the Uk 😢

[@paulie6446]

Their "cheap" $9 cigars cost me up to £45 here in Belfast 😭

[@orion10x]

Did Brooks prepare for this?

[@Dash_Akol]

Meerapfel!! 🤣🤣

[@thecharreddog4707]

?

[@randykeller58]

I have to take that back. CI has many on the Top 25. Sorry.

[@randykeller58]

Most of the cigars I saw in your top 25 are not available from CI. Not a complaint, just a comment. Of course my currently fixed income keeps me from purchasing most on this list. CI does have a sampler of 2023 top 20 best sellers listed in order and the catalog showcases the top 5. No 1 Man of War Virtue 10th Aniversary. Rediscovered Conneticuts this year but not this one.

[@ar007r]

do you mean cigars international? Why on earth would you buy from that disgusting company. The fact that a lot of these cigars are not sold there is because they sepcialize in selling trash.

[@randykeller58]

@ar007r Well I have had two bad decades at the brick and mortar. I have been shocked the ones I selected were any better. This is since the end of the cigar boom. My prev fav was the Macanudo and Partagas. Blends not the same since. No wonder their good. CI is owned by General Cigar. ThecMacanudo Cafe is in no way comparable in flaver to the original. Maybe it is my eedOne Cigar Humidor. Most of the Top 25 are not availab.ecat the brick and mortar either. Orcso it would seem. Not done a thorough check on either.

[@ar007r]

@@randykeller58 I hate CI because they constantly buy old lines and use the bands on new blends that are much cheaper. They dont tell people this and purposefully mislead the customer. I like places like cigars and pipes, holts, atlantic cigrs, and many others but I wont buy form CI anymore.

[@cantthinkofausername8698]

Charlie doesnt look an ugly girl anymore. Surgery?

[@testerzz]