Ratings and Premiums....

jd50ae

.....what do they mean to you..?

Years ago I would look at Cigar Aficionados ratings as a wish list, and today it is still interesting to look at. But I am thinking that not everyone agrees with all of their picks.

And premiums suggest nothing more then a price point.

Lee.mcglynn

I don't rely on ca ratings at all but find them interesting. As for premiums well it's a hit or miss depending on what you think a premium is. Either way I like what I like and I know what I like so it just doesn't matter too me

Rain

Premium is anything I like and think is worth the money.

catfishbluezz

Ratings and premiums mean nothing to me. The opinions of those with palates I trust do.

SleevePlz

Ratings? I don't really put any stock in them. I've seen people rate my favorite cigars very low and very high. If you are curious about a cigar, just smoke it and decide for yourself. Your rating is the only one that matters. I checked CA's No. 1 for the past 10 years and I've only had 4 of them. One of them I thought was horrible and the others were Padron

Lee.mcglynn

SleevePlz:

Ratings? I don't really put any stock in them. I've seen people rate my favorite cigars very low and very high. If you are curious about a cigar, just smoke it and decide for yourself. Your rating is the only one that matters. I checked CA's No. 1 for the past 10 years and I've only had 4 of them. One of them I thought was horrible and the others were Padron

thank god for padron!!

J.S.

I used to read all the mags back when I started smoking in the early 90's. I learned a long time ago that what the guy reviewing thought and I thought were very different. I stopped reading them more than a decade ago. I used to keep very detailed notes about what I smoked too but that has stopped too. Just too many new blends out and new lines and who has the time? I know what I like, I know blenders that generally have things I enjoy and I try to smoke something new at least 2 or 3 times a month. No need to read someone elses thoughts. Although if you are just starting out it does have some advantages.

Martel

J.S.:

I used to read all the mags back when I started smoking in the early 90's. I learned a long time ago that what the guy reviewing thought and I thought were very different. I stopped reading them more than a decade ago. I used to keep very detailed notes about what I smoked too but that has stopped too. Just too many new blends out and new lines and who has the time? I know what I like, I know blenders that generally have things I enjoy and I try to smoke something new at least 2 or 3 times a month. No need to read someone elses thoughts. Although if you are just starting out it does have some advantages.

This. For those starting out, like me, you will find taking notes on blends, blenders, and specific cigars to be very helpful. I have some fun with it and by no means feel pressured to review every cigar, and certainly not always the first time I smoke it.

I used to want to be a film critic. I know what many critics look for in a film is not the same as what most viewers look for in a film. It doesn't mean either is wrong. I also know which critics have similar taste as I and which ones I can trust to critique the film in such a way that I'll generally know whether or not I'll enjoy it whether or not I agree with them or not!

I don't watch enough movies any more to do reviews on here, otherwise I would. Everything I watch is family crap. Well, not all of it is crap, but I can't remember the last time I saw a great movie that I picked. Except for when I made the family watch Casablanca for my hundredth time or so. So, make that a recent movie.

kuzi16

jd50ae:

.....what do they mean to you..?

Years ago I would look at Cigar Aficionados ratings as a wish list, and today it is still interesting to look at. But I am thinking that not everyone agrees with all of their picks.

And premiums suggest nothing more then a price point.

i dont pay attention to ratings or reviews for the most part. the only part of a review that i like is the part where they talk about the history of the cigar.

dennisking

I use the ratings a litmus test sometimes, especially if I am intrigued with a brand and am curious as to the performance of a particular stick. Word of mouth from someone who has a similar palate is more informative to me though.

catfishbluezz

Personally I like reading reviews, but it takes time to get to know a reviewer if you ask me. If you find a reviewer whose palate you can trust, there is no better recommendation to me, unless you have a tobaccanist that knows you.

The_Kid

catfishbluezz:

Personally I like reading reviews, but it takes time to get to know a reviewer if you ask me. If you find a reviewer whose palate you can trust, there is no better recommendation to me, unless you have a tobaccanist that knows you.

My local tobaccanist doesn't smoke,, so I cant put any of that into what he says, also kinda bothers me he keeps offering cigars that he only stocks in big RG 's when Ive told him several times I don't care for the plumpers, but what are ya gonna do, im sure most of us have more knowledge than the majority working in the retail industry.

catfishbluezz

The Kid:

catfishbluezz:

Personally I like reading reviews, but it takes time to get to know a reviewer if you ask me. If you find a reviewer whose palate you can trust, there is no better recommendation to me, unless you have a tobaccanist that knows you.

My local tobaccanist doesn't smoke,, so I cant put any of that into what he says, also kinda bothers me he keeps offering cigars that he only stocks in big RG 's when Ive told him several times I don't care for the plumpers, but what are ya gonna do, im sure most of us have more knowledge than the majority working in the retail industry.

For sure, and that is probably the case more then not. I am lucky and have a good one. He probably bats about 90% with my palate. Rarely when he tells me I will like something, do I not. Normally, he just looks at me and says no lol.

bigharpoon

Definitely finding someone with a palate which coincides with your own is a wonderful thing. I've been fortunate enough to find a few reviewers who are sounding boards for me and I will try any cigar they enjoy.

In general, many ratings are crap because they are heavily influenced by many factors outside of the cigar's flavor and performance. Not all, but many.

As far as reviews go, I read quite a few but take them all with a grain of salt. When they start pulling out 15, 20, 30 different flavors and start differentiating between WHITE oak and RED oak as the wood flavor I can't help but laugh.

jd50ae

bigharpoon:

Definitely finding someone with a palate which coincides with your own is a wonderful thing. I've been fortunate enough to find a few reviewers who are sounding boards for me and I will try any cigar they enjoy.

In general, many ratings are crap because they are heavily influenced by many factors outside of the cigar's flavor and performance. Not all, but many.

As far as reviews go, I read quite a few but take them all with a grain of salt. When they start pulling out 15, 20, 30 different flavors and start differentiating between WHITE oak and RED oak as the wood flavor I can't help but laugh.

Agreed.

When I lived in N Va. I had a great relationship with one of the owners of a local BnM and we agreed on a lot. He would put aside (without asking) some new smoke and hold it for when ever I visited again. He was usually spot on. Had a goodbye scotch and smoke when I left, broke out my last 4 Cuban RyJ Churchill's, long and under 50, he grinned from ear to ear, and when I left there were 2 very special Fuentes in my coat pocket.

So I sometimes read a review, but now it is just to see if I agree with any of it.

PAtoNH

If I see a review here or elsewhere online that looks good I'll consider trying a stick… I'll always look at top 10 or 25 lists to see if there's something new or interesting to check out. It doesn't drive what I buy but I'm always curious.

Bob_Luken

Top ten lists and such of all types can be regarded as gospel or taked with a grain of salt. They are all compliled by humans so there can be no perfect lists.

Just this morning there was a list of states with the worst drivers. Louisianna, Mississippi and Alabama made the top 5. --------- WTF?...........Grain of salt time for me.

lawhornjp

One thing about ratings - if CA rates it an 82 or 84 or something, you know it's not a very complex smoke in terms of flavor. If CA gives it a 92 or higher, expect a good amount of complexity and balance. Anything in between that more or less is a crap shoot.

Still, flavor isn't everything to a lot of people. When I first started, I was strictly an aroma guy. And sometimes the more flavorful smokes don't overwhelm on the aroma front (though sometimes you score twice, like in the case of My Father).

Echambers

The ratings have encouraged me to try a cigars I might not have otherwise tried--or at least moved them up my list a bit. Case in point is the Arturo Fuente Hemingway short story. Weird size and shape and I would likely not have picked it up but a 93 rating peeked my interest enough to try, and quite honestly I did enjoy it. If you've read my wish list you'll see that I am really just interested in trying as much variety as I can. I'm the same way with food and drink--if there is something I haven't tried on a menu I will order it. Ratings focus this a little for me much like a review of a wine or a restaurant my encourage me to go. Of course that's not the same as saying that I always agree with the reviewers...