How much stock do you really put into the CA reviews and top 25?

[mkarnold1]

Originally Posted by FUEL

If a cigar tastes poorly at the outset, very few people will wait out the 20 to 40 minutes to get to the "good part." That doesn't mean it won't acquire some different flavor profiles, but I would wager that in 20 years of rating cigars, the number of times a bad cigar has turned great could be counted on one hand."
[/u]

I don't read Cigar Aficionado, but this statement really bugs me. I have not had many (if any) cigars go from bad to great, but I've had many go from mediocre to good or good to great. On the reverse, I've had several that started out good and went bad, for various reasons, at the halfway point or thereabouts. IMO, it's just plain lazy to judge a cigar by the first 1/3 or 1/2 (unless it sucks).

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by mkarnold1

I don't read Cigar Aficionado, but this statement really bugs me. I have not had many (if any) cigars go from bad to great, but I've had many go from mediocre to good or good to great. On the reverse, I've had several that started out good and went bad, for various reasons, at the halfway point or thereabouts. IMO, it's just plain lazy to judge a cigar by the first 1/3 or 1/2 (unless it sucks).

I agree - sort of.
I understand what you're saying and know that cigars will change somewhat. But if I'm not enjoying a cigar 1/3 of the way into it, I'm pitching it and lighting something else.

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by BHalbrooks

Read it, interesting...

With me I have found a couple Guys on C Asylum have similar tastes as me, so I'll keep their Reviews in mind. I like to try new Cigars as often as possible. I've been smoking for 3ish years, and I haven't smoked 1/20th of the Cigars out there. Always try new things

I agree to a point...price point. I have my favs and do expand but for example a brand IMO that gets too much hype for what they put out and how they select who gets what is Viaje. There is a B&M near that gets their stuff in but is not an "authorized merchant" for whatever that is worth and he is a huge distributor and sells at or below MSRP on some items (no idea how) and I might pick up and try one from him but the notion of finding these sticks and how the company comes off to me discourages me from them. I'm not going to spend over $15 on a over hyped / ultra rare / very limited edition when I wouldn't want to give the brand my money in the first place. Hope that kinda makes sense.

I will however if I find a stick I like a bit there is something not quite "there" for me I'll try a different vitola of it as I am very into and firm in the philosophy of the trifecta of wrapper, filler and binder ratios and how they play on the flavor and strength profile. Recent examples being Undercrown and MUWAT. The smaller sizes are dramatically different than that of even a 50 RG going down to a 44 RG to 46 RG for those particular blends.

Originally Posted by pnoon

I agree - sort of.
I understand what you're saying and know that cigars will change somewhat. But if I'm not enjoying a cigar 1/3 of the way into it, I'm pitching it and lighting something else.

I'm the same way hence why I get leery on the $15+ sticks and if I want them despite how I feel about the two big auction sites being a little low on quality of care of sticks (i.e. arriving dry or cracked) I try and snag them there when I see them.

[mkarnold1]

Originally Posted by pnoon

I agree - sort of.
I understand what you're saying and know that cigars will change somewhat. But if I'm not enjoying a cigar 1/3 of the way into it, I'm pitching it and lighting something else.

I think you agree with me all the way. If a cigar sucks, chuck it. My point was about a decent cigar getting better through gaining complexity, not toughing out a crappy cigar in the hopes of it getting better.