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

[BHalbrooks]

Originally Posted by FUEL

Brian skim through the link I posted and read Gordon's comments in the comment section on that. That was the straw that broke the camels back for me but do agree with a statement he made and Im paraphrasing "like most things if you start out a cigar and get a little into it and hate it you aren't going to wait an hour to see if it transitions into something you might like."

Is that the Paragraph you copied a few posts down?

Originally Posted by FUEL

As well as they should be. Its a great eclitic place. Not often do I read a few members posts then make note of them and seek their posts daily. "Lockspur" absolutely cracks me up. My same sense of humor but figured I best get known a bit before releasing the hounds.

Don't encourage Scotty... Nor Jason (Bigjaygee or whatever haha)

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by BHalbrooks

Is that the Paragraph you copied a few posts down?

Don't encourage Scotty... Nor Jason (Bigjaygee or whatever haha)

Yes sir.

[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).

[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

[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.

[Remo]

I put stock into some CA reviews.....Cigar Asylum

[ApexAZ]

Just playing devils advocate here and not necessarily endorsing the CA top 25, but they are just that, the top 25. This implies that there are dozens, or hundreds below these, so a range of 85-96 seems appropriate. One would assume that those below the top 25 should automatically score lower.

For those who said that the reviews here on this CA are more valuable, I would have to agree with. Cigar reviews in terms of taste are entirely subjective though, which is why many reviewers break the scores down into categories, such as build, draw, etc.

[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.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

Just playing devils advocate here and not necessarily endorsing the CA top 25, but they are just that, the top 25. This implies that there are dozens, or hundreds below these, so a range of 85-96 seems appropriate. One would assume that those below the top 25 should automatically score lower.

Yet look at their regular reviews, I can't remember seeing more than a handful of reviews under 84 in all the years I've read their magazine.

[BHalbrooks]

Yea, I won't go super crazy whenever I go into a BM. I do like to try and get different vitolas as well.

[FUEL]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

Just playing devils advocate here and not necessarily endorsing the CA top 25, but they are just that, the top 25. This implies that there are dozens, or hundreds below these, so a range of 85-96 seems appropriate. One would assume that those below the top 25 should automatically score lower.

For those who said that the reviews here on this CA are more valuable, I would have to agree with. Cigar reviews in terms of taste are entirely subjective though, which is why many reviewers break the scores down into categories, such as build, draw, etc.

Sorry for post whoring today but moms day is a tough day for me and trying to not be stuck in my head about it.

I agree but also thought about other comments in that article about what the differences in a few bucks for a cigar with similar ratings to the top 25 landed them on the "best budget or value" sticks in the same issue. That does not make sense to me.

Not to mention taking the full advice of just a handful of guys as "experts" just does not make sense in this industry. Whether or not you love or loathe him I love Brian at Cigar Obsession and his vid reviews (which I normally do not like) as I find his opinion more in line with the "average joe" not to mention he is quite humors IMO. I'd take his reviews or Seth's Humidor, Cigar Coop and forums like these over CA any day.

This years #1 one after trying a few and reading about how they are judged blew me away. Its a very good cigar IMO but knowing they smoked only 20-30 mins of it they did not even allow that cigar to show its full potential as it starts out very good and IMO, and not that I am trying to validate it, I've smoked it differently and mentioned to people about smoking it a bit differently and got a overwhelming positive consensus on it, it blooms into a excellent stick. I guess what I'm saying is any cigar can start off with a bang and turn to sh!t and many many can start off good and turn to excellent in just 20 mins which they could never account for due to their ratings.

A recent example is the over priced hyped RP 50. What a dud. And I'd like to try the new RP birthday stick but sorry not paying $18 for one from a company that puts out cigars like Walmart does stores.

[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.

[ApexAZ]

Originally Posted by icehog3

Yet look at their regular reviews, I can't remember seeing more than a handful of reviews under 84 in all the years I've read their magazine.

This is true, but I can't imagine that it's advantageous for them to take up valuable print real estate for dog rockets. I see how it can skew the image of the scale though. My thought is that they don't necessarily give high grades to every cigar, rather, they focus one those that they deem deserving. Maybe it would lend them extra credibility to throw in some low rated, truly awful budget cigars as a benchmark for comparison.

[Coach Deg]

As a lot of people have said I respect the reviews on the Asylum more then anywhere. Every once in awhile I'm still disappointed. I know my likes and stick within that range, unless I read a good review or I'm gifted something then I give it a shot.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

This is true, but I can't imagine that it's advantageous for them to take up valuable print real estate for dog rockets. I see how it can skew the image of the scale though. My thought is that they don't necessarily give high grades to every cigar, rather, they focus one those that they deem deserving. Maybe it would lend them extra credibility to throw in some low rated, truly awful budget cigars as a benchmark for comparison.

Or even some expensive dog rockets....How about a 42 for theTatuaje Lil Drac?

[AdamJoshua]

I tend to trust people over reviews written for the masses, when I say people I mean people I know and smoke with, I know that if Peter and Angel like a stick I will like it, their pallets are similar to mine, I am sure they are much more refined but I haven't been let down by asking their opinions on a particular stick I'm interested in.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by AdamJoshua

I tend to trust people over reviews written for the masses, when I say people I mean people I know and smoke with, I know that if Peter and Angel like a stick I will like it, their pallets are similar to mine, I am sure they are much more refined but I haven't been let down by asking their opinions on a particular stick I'm interested in.

Ya think?

[AdamJoshua]

Just a smidge In all seriousness, even when I'm looking at a box of something I haven't tried or that has a few years on it, I always ask peter first, steers me away from the real dog rockets. I am just not comfortable buying a box on some person's word that I don't know or have trust built up in. (and well my pallet might be a bit more refined than Angel's )

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by AdamJoshua

Just a smidge In all seriousness, even when I'm looking at a box of something I haven't tried or that has a few years on it, I always ask peter first, steers me away from the real dog rockets. I am just not comfortable buying a box on some person's word that I don't know or have trust built up in. (and well my pallet might be a bit more refined than Angel's )

Your pallet may be a lot of things, but I guarantee you Angel's palate is worlds more refined than yours.

[hotreds]

muy poco, but I like to see what might be new out there. I don't read CA, but am on their e-mail list and get sent their Top 25 list. The boys aboard the USS Green Bay love reading it, however, and I save the issues I get for their monthly box.