Cigar aficianado best of 2011...

[Remo]

Originally Posted by ktblunden

There are some people whose reviews I trust on cigars, but that's based on past reviews that line up with my own findings on those particular cigars. I don't trust CA's (or really any publication that rates the products they sell ad space to) objectivity enough to put much of any stock in their findings.

This has nothing to do with CA, but I was reading a European cigar magazine that I don't remember the name of. They rated the Cain Daytona something like a 96. Absolutely blew me away.

[replicant_argent]

I tend to think Cigar Assianado's ratings and "top 10" lists are....


...ahem....



somewhat ad revenue dependent.

But then again, I am a bit cynical.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by DaBear

I'm not a big fan of Cigar Aficionado's rating system. Everything is rated on the first inch and then tossed, they don't look into how a cigar holds up throughout the smoke or with how it can start off rough but finish fantastic.

Where are you getting this information? As much distaste as I have for CA, I have a very hard time believing this.

[Brooks W]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Where are you getting this information? As much distaste as I have for CA, I have a very hard time believing this.

Yep.

"We do have a lot of cigars to review...often in a short period of time. So it would be virtually impossible to smoke every one down to the nub. Just as would be impossible to smoke four or five examples of a cigar to come up with our final tally.

I've also spoken with knowledgeable folks in the cigar business to re-affirm one of my core beliefs--that a cigar reaches a "running" state about a quarter to one half inch into the cigar. That's when the tobacco has warmed up and a taster or smoker gets a nearly complete profile of the blend and how the cigar is going to smoke. For me that reality also undermines the contention that you have to smoke a cigar more than halfway before you get to the good part...there's not a consumer product on the market anywhere that's going to be successful if you have to suffer to get to the good part. I won't dispute that cigars change as they are smoked, but I still would argue that not many people, me included, are going to hang in there through a long stretch of bad smoking.

So, how much of a cigar do I smoke. I've come up with a different answer than I gave about six months ago, and it is based on consistent observations of my smoking patterns. I spend at least 20 minutes per cigar...sometimes that's only a quarter of a cigar, sometimes it is half a cigar. I never take one or two puffs and rate a cigar. Every cigar gets a chance to show its stuff before I give a final impression."

http://forums.cigaraficionado.com/ev...032#3017072032

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Where are you getting this information? As much distaste as I have for CA, I have a very hard time believing this.

Check out my reply here:

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showpo...3&postcount=42

[Doctorossi]

Interesting- and thanks for the pointers.

Sounds to me like he's saying something more along the lines of giving anything at least half-an-inch's chance (I know, not saying much) before discounting it, as opposed to how they might review the stuff they like enough to put in their 'best-of-the-year pile'. In the same way, if a movie reviewer acknowledged sometimes walking out early on a POS rom-com, I wouldn't be suspicious that the reviewer's year-end top 20 contained movies s/he had only seen the first 15 minutes of.

Am I defending Cigar Aficionado?


On an entirely OT note, I'm loving Halfwheel so far, Brooks!

[Bill86]

To think of the cigars they waste.... 700 cigars is less than 2 a day. Why can't they smoke the full cigar?

They don't need to resmoke the first inch of a bunch of cigars either.

[weak_link]

Originally Posted by Bill86

To think of the cigars they waste.... 700 cigars is less than 2 a day. Why can't they smoke the full cigar?

They don't need to resmoke the first inch of a bunch of cigars either.

How do you get 700 hours + of cigars into 80 hours?

I'm not a fan of their testing methods either but I don't see how you could smoke full cigars with that kind of deadline. Which begs the question- why not give themselves a larger window?

[Brooks W]

I have a problem with anyone deciding anything definitive about a cigar after only smoking 20 minutes of it. How can it be a review of a "Cigar" if the whole cigar is not smoked?

There have been plenty of cigars I have reviewed that I wish I could put down after 20 mins, and there have been plenty of cigars that I was glad I did NOT put down after 20 mins.

I understand their deadlines (I really do), but not smoking the entire cigar is not acceptable review practice, IMHO, esp when the people who are taking your reviews as gospel ARE (supposedly) smoking the entire cigar.

Just my $.02.

~brooks

[Brooks W]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

On an entirely OT note, I'm loving Halfwheel so far, Brooks!

Thanks dude, you have no idea how much work has gone into it in the last 6 months...But we think it is the best out there (at the moment)

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by weak_link

Which begs the question- why not give themselves a larger window?

... or more man-power.

This makes me very curious just how unimpressive something has to be for them to pitch it in the first inch or so. I could understand if it was simply terrible and irredeemable, a la my rom-com analogy, above. However, I've experienced MANY a stick that simply did nothing to impress or differentiate themselves until well into the second third and then proceeded to really come alive. I don't know if anything with a mediocre first third could end up in a 'best of' running, but it certainly does call their entire review methodology and scores, 'best of' or otherwise, into question.

... further question, that is.

[Zeuceone]

So they rate a Nub cigar by just toasting the foot?

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Brooks W

Thanks dude, you have no idea how much work has gone into it in the last 6 months...

I may not know the extent of it, but I can see it's at least a few metric tons.

Originally Posted by Brooks W

But we think it is the best out there (at the moment)

Early days yet (ie. I'm not putting it in the top 25 based on the first half-inch alone ), but I'm leaning that way, myself.

[Bill86]

For their purposes in deciding the top 10-12 or whatever. If a cigar SUCKS for the first third....put it down. I dont care about that. But if its going good finish it and then score it.

I also believe they give high ratings way too easily. Everything to them is a classic

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by Zeuceone

So they rate a Nub cigar by just toasting the foot?

Predraw

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Zeuceone

So they rate a Nub cigar by just toasting the foot?

On the contrary- if their policy is applied evenhandedly, Nub is getting the fairest shake.

[DaBear]

Originally Posted by Bill86

For their purposes in deciding the top 10-12 or whatever. If a cigar SUCKS for the first third....put it down. I dont care about that. But if its going good finish it and then score it.

I also believe they give high ratings way too easily. Everything to them is a classic

Yeah, I dislike how their rating system makes it impossible for a cigar to get less than a 70(I personally haven't seen less than a 75, but I'm sure there were a few out there), and damn near impossible to get higher than a 95. If you're only going to rate something in a 25 point range, just make it a rating out of 25 instead of adding to each rating to make them seem higher.

Brooks basically states my opinion here, more or less, so I won't make you all suffer through another explanation of the same exact thing

[BigAsh]

#7 Cabaiguan Guapo
MADE BY: My Father Cigars S.A
FACTORY LOCATION: Nicaragua
WRAPPER: Ecuador
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Nicaragua
PRICE: $11.00
RING GAUGE: 54
LENGTH: 5 5/8"
RATING: 93

#6 Rocky Patel Fifteenth Anniversary Torpedo
MADE BY: Tabacalera Villa Cuba (Tavicusa)
FACTORY LOCATION: Nicaragua
WRAPPER: Nicaragua
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Ecuador
PRICE: $10.75
RING GAUGE: 52
LENGTH: 6 1/8"
RATING: 93

#5 Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo Maduro
MADE BY: Tabacos Cubanica S.A.
FACTORY LOCATION: Nicaragua
WRAPPER: Nicaragua
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Nicaragua
PRICE: $10.90
RING GAUGE: 50
LENGTH: 5 1/2"
RATING: 94

[lenguamor]

Originally Posted by DaBear

Yeah, I dislike how their rating system makes it impossible for a cigar to get less than a 70(I personally haven't seen less than a 75, but I'm sure there were a few out there), and damn near impossible to get higher than a 95. If you're only going to rate something in a 25 point range, just make it a rating out of 25 instead of adding to each rating to make them seem higher.

Brooks basically states my opinion here, more or less, so I won't make you all suffer through another explanation of the same exact thing

Well-said. I dislike all numbered rating systems, but starting at 70 seems specious at best, and deceptive at worst.

[lenguamor]

Originally Posted by BigAsh

#6 Rocky Patel Fifteenth Anniversary Torpedo
MADE BY: Tabacalera Villa Cuba (Tavicusa)
FACTORY LOCATION: Nicaragua
WRAPPER: Nicaragua
BINDER: Nicaragua
FILLER: Ecuador
PRICE: $10.75
RING GAUGE: 52
LENGTH: 6 1/8"
RATING: 93

Why did I just know that a RP would make the top 10?

Watch for a Puros Indios in the top 5.