The end of the year is a very special time for cigar enthusiasts. This is when our favorite cigar publishers name their best cigars of 2011. The information provides us the impetus to begin depleting our refreshed cigar budgets and generally act against those half-hearted resolutions. Of course will try to drink less and eat healthier in 2012. However, if we’re going to buy those fabulous smokes gushed about in the annual “best of” lists, then we need some spirits to pair with the sticks, don’t we? We will also need to plan a few decadent meals (preferably with a few BOTLs). When else would it be appropriate to pull out that $50 extra limited edition hyper-premium that our favorite blogger claims will give our lives new meaning? Isn’t nicotine, alcohol and animal fat addiction a meager price to pay for entrance to nirvana?

Friends, there is no way around it, we are an indulgent breed participating actively in the punishment of our earthly vessels. While the phrase “dying breed” could be a little dramatic, it seems to apply on several levels. But if we are going down, then we’re doing it in style dammit!

So in keeping with cigar-blogger tradition, we would like to present you with another excuse to kill some time (among other things) and beef up your stogie wish list. Highlight Cigars proudly presents our first annual COTY awards to honor our 2011 selections for Cigars of the Year!

With a stack of new offerings from Tat, Drew Estate, Pepin, Alec Bradley and others accumulating in the HLC cabinet, we’re beginning to wonder if another humidor needs to be on our holiday wish list. We prefer to let purchases rest in the humi for a couple weeks and resisting the desire to indulge in this new crop of post-IPCPR releases is hard to say the least. Hopefully, reviews of the aforementioned sticks will go up soon, or at least some consideration of these releases can be included in the HLC “best of” lists now that 2011 has just about blown by. So as the new-release tastings are beginning, an extra-large One Timers post seemed to be in order.

The number eight figures prominently in this second edition of our One Timer quick reviews. Eight cigars are covered in the post with five earning an HLC rating between 88.0 and 88.9. That’s a lot of eights! Two sticks managed to break the oh-so-important, 90-pt. barrier. One of these highlights is nearing iconic status (in our opinion) and another surprised us with an intense, but pleasant sweetness.

As a reminder, the One Timers format is reserved for recent smokes that we weren’t compelled or able to create full-length reviews for. Some One Timer sticks have only been tried once, some are go-to sticks we’ve been enjoying for years and others weren’t considered noteworthy enough to warrant a full analysis.

Pepin Garcia’s name doesn’t usually come to mind when considering the latest, greatest, Connecticut-wrapped releases. The San Cristobal Elegancia could be an attempt by the crew at My Father change this perception. If creating inroads beyond the Nicaraguan-spice-bomb market is a Garcia family priority, then Ashton, with their record of quality and established following, is an ideal choice for the Elegancia partnership.

Garcia-made sticks registering lower on the spice scale like the Vegas Cubanas and Tat Caibaguan are clearly winners. But My Father––or any other hot Nicaraguan boutique manufacturer––has yet to release a signature Connecticut that equals their best puros. Such an uber-successful CT launch may require super-premium positioning to captivate enthusiasts. Readily available and reasonably priced, the Elegancia doesn’t exude high-end exclusivity which may explain the comparatively little hype it received coming out of IPCPR.

Perhaps an opportunity for Ashton and Pepin to make a statement, to tell a story, has been lost?

By all appearances, Pepin Garcia’s Mi Amor blend for Ashton’s La Aroma de Cuba has been a success. Since the cigar’s late 2010 release, ratings & reviews have been good, availability steady and aggressive online discounts rare. To put it plainly, the Mi Amor looks like winner.

Despite all the good news, we were slow to come around and try this entry in the “new” La Aroma de Cuba lineup. This reticence was due mainly to a few bad experiences with LADC several years back before Ashton and the Garcia family breathed new life in to the label.

Even after the decision was made to toss a few Mi Amor Magnificos in the HLC humi back in May, reluctance remained strong and the smokes “rested” for longer than planned. Sure, there is little connection between the old and new LADC products, but the sour, circa-‘06 memories lingered. Eventually, concerns of past frustrations were shaken off, Magnificos were toasted and the time was at hand to see if the Mi Amor lives up to its reputation.