Coming in at #21 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Charter Oak Pasquale by Foundation Cigar Company.

Charter Oak is one of the core premium brands in the Foundation Cigar portfolio. It's a line that pays homage to owner and founder Nicholas Melillo's Connecticut roots. The Charter Oak CT Shade, CT Broadleaf, and Habano are popular blends have very approachable price points. In 2023, Melillo created a couple of limited production offerings that round out the story. These would be more premium offerings, and each would extend the story of Melillo’s Connecticut heritage even more. Known collectively as Charter Oak Especiales, two blends were created. They are named after Melillo’s grandfathers. There is a Connecticut Shade offering known as Pegnaturo and the Connecticut Broadleaf known as Pasquale. It's Pasquale that lands on this year's Countdown.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ymT

Coming in at #21 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Charter Oak Pasquale by Foundation Cigar Company.

Charter Oak is one of the core premium brands in the Foundation Cigar portfolio. It's a line that pays homage to owner and founder Nicholas Melillo's Connecticut roots. The Charter Oak CT Shade, CT Broadleaf, and Habano are popular blends have very approachable price points. In 2023, Melillo created a couple of limited production offerings that round out the story. These would be more premium offerings, and each would extend the story of Melillo’s Connecticut heritage even more. Known collectively as Charter Oak Especiales, two blends were created. They are named after Melillo’s grandfathers. There is a Connecticut Shade offering known as Pegnaturo and the Connecticut Broadleaf known as Pasquale. It's Pasquale that lands on this year's Countdown.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ymT

Coming in at #22 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Fiat Lux Tenebrus Limited Edition by Luciano Cigars.

Fiat Lux Tenebrus made its debut in 2024, continuing the story of Luciano Cigars' Fiat Lux line. While Fiat Lux is Latin “let there be light”, with the case Tenebrus, it comes at things from a different angle - exploring the journey of “darkness into light”.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ymD

Coming in at #22 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Fiat Lux Tenebrus Limited Edition by Luciano Cigars.

Fiat Lux Tenebrus made its debut in 2024, continuing the story of Luciano Cigars' Fiat Lux line. While Fiat Lux is Latin “let there be light”, with the case Tenebrus, it comes at things from a different angle - exploring the journey of “darkness into light”.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ymD

Coming in at #23 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Fratello Arlequín Connecticut Robusto.

Arlequín Connecticut is the second blend in the Arlequín series. In 2019, Fratello Cigars released a sampler known as the Fratello Space Pack. In that sampler were two unreleased blends: Sorella and Arlequín. Following the sampler release and based on the feedback received, Sorella and Arlequín were added to the Fratello portfolio. Sorella would be launched in the international market, while Arlequín would focus on the U.S. market. Although the blend remained the same, the Arlequín would be adjusted into a box-pressed format. That original Arlequín was a San Andres wrapped blend. As the name indicates, the Arlequín Connecticut is a Connecticut wrapper.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ylF

Coming in at #23 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Fratello Arlequín Connecticut Robusto.

Arlequín Connecticut is the second blend in the Arlequín series. In 2019, Fratello Cigars released a sampler known as the Fratello Space Pack. In that sampler were two unreleased blends: Sorella and Arlequín. Following the sampler release and based on the feedback received, Sorella and Arlequín were added to the Fratello portfolio. Sorella would be launched in the international market, while Arlequín would focus on the U.S. market. Although the blend remained the same, the Arlequín would be adjusted into a box-pressed format. That original Arlequín was a San Andres wrapped blend. As the name indicates, the Arlequín Connecticut is a Connecticut wrapper.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-ylF

For Episode 361, it's Media Panel #22. Tonight, we are honored to be joined by Eric Guttormson of Cigar Dojo and Kevin Shahan of Cigar Prop!

The topic is the COTY (Cigar of the Year) lists. We will look into the practices and criteria for what should make a good COTY list. Both Eric and Kevin have unique ways to pick a Cigar of the Year, and we will get their inputs tonight.

Plus, we will have our FSG Beef Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa Today in Sports History, and the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments.

For Episode 361, it's Media Panel #22. Tonight, we are honored to be joined by Eric Guttormson of Cigar Dojo and Kevin Shahan of Cigar Prop!

The topic is the COTY (Cigar of the Year) lists. We will look into the practices and criteria for what should make a good COTY list. Both Eric and Kevin have unique ways to pick a Cigar of the Year, and we will get their inputs tonight.

Plus, we will have our FSG Beef Question of the Night, Tabacalera USA Ties That Bind, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa Today in Sports History, and the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Deliberation segments.

Coming in at #24 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Montecristo M Toro from Altadis U.S.A.

The story of this cigar revolves around an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, which, according to Altadis U.S.A., has been aged for 20 years. The wrapper came from David Perez of A.S.P., and Rafael Nodal, Vice President of Product Capability for Altadis U.S.A. and AJ Fernandez obtained it and went to work developing a limited production line. The result was the Montecristo M. The Montecristo M is a limited-production line because of the availability of the 20-year-aged wrapper. Given the age and availability of this wrapper, it also becomes one of the more premium Montecristo offerings.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yln

Coming in at #24 Cigar of the Year for 2025 is the Montecristo M Toro from Altadis U.S.A.

The story of this cigar revolves around an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper, which, according to Altadis U.S.A., has been aged for 20 years. The wrapper came from David Perez of A.S.P., and Rafael Nodal, Vice President of Product Capability for Altadis U.S.A. and AJ Fernandez obtained it and went to work developing a limited production line. The result was the Montecristo M. The Montecristo M is a limited-production line because of the availability of the 20-year-aged wrapper. Given the age and availability of this wrapper, it also becomes one of the more premium Montecristo offerings.

Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-yln