Good cigar brands? Good small cigars?

[heftysmokes]

All I know is, there are some brands that will put out a line of cigars under the name "x" and it will be a great smoke one year. Then the next year, that same brand and that same line may not be as good.

How, with your limited experience, do you know this? Not trying to be a dick, just wondering where you came up with this conclusion. Have you smoked multiple production years of the same brand/line of cigars?