David Savona

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Happy New Year

Posted: 01:42 PM ET, December 31, 2007

There’s only a few hours left of 2007, so I’m taking a moment to reflect on the year gone by.

First, this was as fast a year as any I remember. I’m sure part of the reason is the four-year-old who is playing in front of me as I type this (now I know what dad was talking about when I was younger), and the other reason is the full year I had at work.

I did a fair amount of travel for business this year, touching down in Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Miami (a couple of times), Charleston, Houston and Las Vegas. The web site had a banner year, with the launch of two great new sections, our Editor’s Blogs and Cigar Cinema, a.k.a. our video gallery. From your responses, you enjoy reading and watching them as much as we love making them for you. We have a number of great new videos coming in January, including ones of Gordon Mott, James Suckling and myself puffing away on the best cigars of the year. Stay tuned.

This year’s cigars were amazing. I’ve been working for Cigar Aficionado for more than 12 years, and I can’t remember a better year in terms of cigar quality. There are so many wonderful smokes out there, Cuban and non-Cuban, that it’s often hard to choose what you want to smoke. I puffed one great cigar after another this year. Some of the cigars simply blew me away with their flavor.

I hope you all enjoyed 2007 as much as I did, and I wish you happiness, health and success for 2008. Light up something great tonight to celebrate. I’m going to fire up something with a little age on it, a Padrón Millennium Series.

What’s your special smoke for New Year’s Eve?

(11 comments on this post) Submit your comments >

Reader Comments

User Name: Manny Iriarte, Miami, Florida Posted: 04:04 PM ET, December 31, 2007

Good choice to smoke tonight!

User Name: richard greene, mohawk, ny Posted: 02:52 AM ET, January 01, 2008

OK, You spent all of 2007 smoking great cigars. You have no idea how much I envy you. You probably have the best job in the world. Seriously I smoke some pretty good cigars. I just finished a 1964 Padron Anniversario and I have Cuban Cohiba for New Years Day. They were Christmas presents from a very good friend But they are few and far between. If you ever get to a point that you are overwelmed with great cigars and just can't handle them all, Please feef free to send me a few and I will smoke and rate them for you. It might be an interesting perspective and I would certaintly like to see how I stand up againt the Experts. Happy New Year Richard Greene efg3909@hotmail,com

User Name: Heath Close, IL, USA Posted: 01:16 PM ET, January 01, 2008

My only celebratory cigar this year was for Christmas, and it was a CAO 65th Anniversary tubo. Cano def. put me in my place that night, strong, complex, and delicious.

User Name: Kevin Zaborniak Posted: 10:34 PM ET, January 01, 2008

Smoked the Davidoff Domincan Puro

User Name: Christian Aliperti, NY Posted: 12:34 AM ET, January 02, 2008

Smoked a Padron 80th and Tatuaje Black label. Great night!

User Name: Geraldo Scotto, S?Paulo/ Brazil Posted: 06:01 PM ET, January 03, 2008

Dear David, First of all, let me introduce me, I am a Export Director for Brazilian Premium Cigar Company, Menendez Amerino & Cia. Ltda, which I believe we know. Our main brand in USA market is Dona Flor. One of our cigars was rated 92, Dona Flor Sele磯 Robusto. As you normally travel to visit cigars companies,we would like to invite you to visit our facility in Brazil (Bahia state), it will be a pleasure to receive you there to know our products. I am not sure if you know about the festival called Carnival, it is very famous here in our country, so, if you decide to come to visit us, I believe Carnival will be a good time, since you can enjoy with this festival and visiting our factory. If you are able to travel on the first week of February 2008, we can arrange everything to receive you. If possible, please invite my friend Greg Mottola, who I met several times in USA. my e-mail is geraldo@mitka.com.br. Regards,

User Name: Barry Kamen, NY Posted: 07:40 PM ET, January 03, 2008

Happy New Year David. I finished the year with an A�ejo #48 and accompanied it with a snifter of Hennessy XO

User Name: jim mayer Posted: 01:34 AM ET, January 04, 2008

Tried the top 5 cigars this year and my favorite was carlos torano exodus 1959 torpedo. Went to cancun just before chhistmas and had a few authentic cubans. Found the habanos shop in the Isla mall. Best prices and freshess cigars. I had a few cohibas sublime 2007 limited editions. Best smoke ever. In canada where i live they cost over $50, I got them for $17 in cancun.

User Name: DAVE Savona, New York Posted: 10:07 AM ET, January 04, 2008

Richard, thank you for the kind offer. I'll be the first to admit, it's a great job and I truly love my work.

User Name: DAVE Savona, New York Posted: 10:09 AM ET, January 04, 2008

Doc, nice choice of cigar. I have some Anejos aging for future smoking. Jim, $17 sounds a lot better than $50. Canada is a tough place to be a cigar smoker.

User Name: DAVE Savona, New York Posted: 10:11 AM ET, January 04, 2008

Geraldo, thank you for the invitation. I know of your cigars (the Selecao is very tasty) and someday I would like to visit. I'm afraid next month won't work for me, but hopefully some other time.

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