Top 25 or lack there of

[CigarB]

I'm sure this topic has been discussed in prior years, but as a newcomer I wanted to get today's prospective. My question: How can a high profile global publication to date only include a single CC in the top 10? (granted the #1 spot is suspected to go to the Behike)

I understand some of the opinions will be associated to advertising dollars or other business partnership nuances, but this overall lack of inclusion makes them look ridiculous. I take these ratings as I do all ratings more as entertainment and a loose guide of something I might enjoy. However, when you read something like this it leads me to believe this publication should be in the grocery store isle next to a story about Elvis working a rodeo in El Paso.

My own theory is that the CC is at an unfair disadvantage in these rankings primarily on aging as well as price point bias. Is this simply a case of CC's being proportionality small to the other global producers and as such receiving 20% of the top 10 is a good showing? I understand this is all personal preference, but this one seems to be so blatantly obtuse. Would love to hear the opinions of the more experienced members who are well versed in both CC and NC. WE all couldn't be that far off...could we?

[KB24]

My opinion is that the more a company spends on ads in the magazine throughout the year or perhaps the last few years, the higher ranked one of their cigars will be. I wouldn't be surprised if certain spots in the top 25 are sold.

[CigarB]

Great point! We've recently seen US Senate seats up for sale. As Kenny Powers says...dollar dollar bill yall!

[sepp]

I believe it has to do with testing/tasting methods. The publication only allows tasters to smoke the first inch of a cigar. As we all know CCs can change dramatically throughout the stick. The testers are not getting the full value of a CC smoke. For trialing one dimensional NCs this works as they would not expect any differences or growing flavors later in the cigar.

[Guest rob]

People have different tastes.

I love wine... but I cant stand Moét.

I love high end audio... but wont buy Mark Levinson ever again.

I like cars... and prefer a a mid range Subaru to an Audi.

[brian1]

It does boil down to advertizing dollars, its as simple as that..period. Do you think all the domestic Don Nobody brands would be buying very exspensive full page glossy spreads if their cigars were constantly rated below their cuban counterparts. Off course not. Shankin is a shrewd businessman, he knows where his bread is buttered.

There is nothing in it for CA magazine as a business to promote cuban cigars. Obvioulsy too keep some credibility with the casual cigar smoker (which CA targets) it cant ignore cuban cigars and hence the odd bone thrown to a cuban in the form of a very high score.

[bassman]

This is a magazine that called a vintage Cuban cigar disappointing & with a difficult draw, yet still gave it a 91 rating. They lost any credibility with that one.

[compitaveggie]

My opinion is that they just prefer NC more than Cubans. Just like we would rate Cubans higher and our list would be the exact opposite, they have NC cigars all around them and prefer them over Cubans and rate them as such. As unbiased as one tries to be, myself included, we have our favorites and they always tend to win out. It's like a dress on my wife looks beautiful, but on her twin sister looks OK. James was the same way and admitted his extreme bias for Cuban cigars. Now there is no one at CA that prefers Cubans over NC. I do have a feeling that a Cuban will win the top spot, especially after losing James and getting called out for their lack of knowledge on Cubans cigars, them seem to be going out of their way to prove they like Cuban cigars. Personally I feel many here are more knowledgable about Cubans cigars than them. If I were them I would have Nino join CA team with his knowledge, his connections, and true love of all things Cuban cigars.

Jose

[danclough]

My own theory is that the CC is at an unfair disadvantage in these rankings primarily on aging as well as price point bias.

I don't think the price point is really an issue. As a US customer, I can buy great CC's from the Czar for about the same price and often less than the good NC or HC cigars. Why? Taxes!

[El Presidente]

The lads at CA must be under a shiteload of pressure.

Your main income stream is advertising from the the very people you will upset if there is too much focus on Cuban Cigars.

Mark down Cubans and upset a minority of your readers or mark them up and upset the majority of your advertisers.

It is a business and a successful one. Good luck to them but to many within the industry it has long ago stopped being a measure or reference point for cigars reviews/opinion.

[Dbone]

It's true. In my line of work I will win product of the year, achievement awards, spotlighted item, but in trade publications I advertise in. OR I'll get a spotlight, hot product, free review from a publication courting my business. Don't be fooled these publications make all their sales revenue from advertising, not subscriptions.

It is sad to see only 1 Cuban in the top 10. I've not had the opportunity to try the HU2. I do not think Behike is going to be number 1, I read the staff found them to inconsistent to move the stick from one round into the next, but I stand to be corrected. I do know they LOVED the SLR Pacifico RE.

[brutusthebuckeye]

Are we talking about C A !!!!!! what a crock!!!

That list is for complete nOOOOOOOOObs who just run out and buy all the "top" gars for that year....

I wonder how many maroons are out there with boxes of CASA MAGNA aging!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Colt45]

I don't subscribe, but buy it when I think I might find some of the articles interesting - I enjoyed this month's cover article on Jim Belushi, for example.

I will occasionally peruse the ratings section, but it's rare. Regardless, I don't begrudge them their opinions.

But overall, I consider it more of a lifestyle magazine than a strict cigar publication - as it says on every cover, "the good life magazine for men".

[Wil]

I don't subscribe, but buy it when I think I might find some of the articles interesting - I enjoyed this month's cover article on Jim Belushi, for example.

I will occasionally peruse the ratings section, but it's rare. Regardless, I don't begrudge them their opinions.

But overall, I consider it more of a lifestyle magazine than a strict cigar publication - as it says on every cover, "the good life magazine for men".

Agreed. I haven't tried any NCs, so can't comment on that aspect. However, I do enjoy reading the articles and glossing over the ratings section. Some of the feature interviews are excellent. I recall one on Hugh Grant that was particularly good.

[Ken Gargett]

But overall, I consider it more of a lifestyle magazine than a strict cigar publication - as it says on every cover, "the good life magazine for men".

could not agree more. and i thoroughly enjoy the mag, but i do not use it as a reference for what cubans i'll buy. that said, if they come up with something outside the usual parameters, i'm interested to try it.

i buy endless wine mags - plenty of stuff in them i disagree with.

sports mags - anyone who follows any sport closely will inevitably have some strong differences with published opinions. it is all half the fun.

[DoubleDD]

My opinion is that the more a company spends on ads in the magazine throughout the year or perhaps the last few years, the higher ranked one of their cigars will be. I wouldn't be surprised if certain spots in the top 25 are sold.

Yeah and if you make that correlation on their forum you are automatically the black sheep. I believe the same thing as you do. How is it that out of all the great cigars coming out of Cuba, only one or a select few are rated in the top 25? I find that many NC smokes leave me wanting more from a smoke, even the Opus X line, which I find are highly overrated compare to many CC's.

[LeafLover]

I don't lend much credence to CA ratings when I want to try a new cigar whether it be CC's or NC's. More valuable to me is the feedback of fellow habano smokers or NC smokers. Nor, do I let CA sway my mindset about a cigar. CA does have some great articles I admit. I usually look at the ratings in the back for amusement. Usually, when I look at the ratings I'm thinking, "Are you f'ing serious? That cigar is pure ****!" Then, I like to flip back and see which cigar company has the nicer advertisements that would earn them that ranking. Of course, I'm only speculating. Only CA knows the rhyme and reason as to how they rate.

Someone should start a magazine like CA but strictly for habanos and write up pieces about people who smoke habanos, the habanos themselves, and the industry.

Call it Cuban Cigar Afficianado. I'll subscribe to that.

[mbrody]

"Someone should start a magazine like CA but strictly for habanos and write up pieces about people who smoke habanos, the habanos themselves, and the industry."

We got all we need right here. And, it is basically free!

[StumpyJoe]

I have had a subscription with them for about three years and am letting it run out. I find the Czar Video reviews far more entertaining and informative. They not only rate the cigar but also smoke the cigar fully and put a great deal of emphasis on the flavors...I can match those flavors to the cigars which I might buy in the future...and that's all I need. I would make a suggestion to see Smithy and Alain do some more reviews...gotta say I miss their banter...even if Alain is a Partagas whor...uh...he really likes Partagas. I know it's gotta be tough with an infant but he needs to show his mug sooner or later!

Oh...and Elvis is working as a Rodeo clown in El Paso...the article said he might give it up as his knees are giving him some trouble.

[docbp87]

The lads at CA must be under a shiteload of pressure.

Your main income stream is advertising from the the very people you will upset if there is too much focus on Cuban Cigars.

Mark down Cubans and upset a minority of your readers or mark them up and upset the majority of your advertisers.

It is a business and a successful one. Good luck to them but to many within the industry it has long ago stopped being a measure or reference point for cigars reviews/opinion.

I was reading an opinion from the head of a big name online house in the US earlier today, and basically what he was saying is that ten years ago CA really did scrutinize and accurately score cigars. To get a score in the 90s was a HUGE deal, and "basically wrote your ticket" or something like that, where, today, it is every one in three smokes that scores that highly, and the number of different brands reviewed is down to maybe 15 or 20... Hmm...

[CanuckSARTech]

I don't subscribe, but buy it when I think I might find some of the articles interesting - I enjoyed this month's cover article on Jim Belushi, for example.

I will occasionally peruse the ratings section, but it's rare. Regardless, I don't begrudge them their opinions.

But overall, I consider it more of a lifestyle magazine than a strict cigar publication - as it says on every cover, "the good life magazine for men".

Fully agreed. Sometimes, its the non-cigar-related stuff that interests me the most in a particular issue. Or, just an article or two about Cuba, or the Robaina's, or something like that, and then I take all the other stuff in stride.

And damn - that Jim Belushi was lookin' good in that article! Loved his suits and ties - I need to update my wardrobe!

[cigcars]

This is a magazine that called a vintage Cuban cigar disappointing & with a difficult draw, yet still gave it a 91 rating. They lost any credibility with that one.

*Speaking of the phenom of raters running down some cigars - then giving them 90+ scores/as well as those who talk really well of them and then rate it in the 80's: Many of the tobacconists who's stores I regularly parked myself in in the 1990's were talking in high and joyful expectation of "Smoke Magazine" which made its debut with Pierce Brosnan on its cover. Their main contention was that there would be a FAIR and exhaustive cigar review in this new mag. They too pretty much verified what you all have been stating...that ADVERTISERS paying for ad space get the good reviews, cigar-wise. They spoke of the Cubita cigar, for example, and how impressive it was - but that it couldn't seem to get the time of day initially in CA because they wouldn't pay advertising dollars to Marv and so on.

[PigFish]

I would be happy to patronize any company that makes a superior cigar. While I hate the management at H SA, no one... and I mean no one, makes a cigar like they make in Cuba. No other countries' best cigar is better than the Cubans' best cigar. The way I see it, the average Cuban cigar is far superior to the NC makers best cigars.

Who needs to be told what is good and what is bad? Unless you have a bead on another smokers taste, his/her rating numbers are worth about as much as the fish that got off your hook! Smoking magazines are a waste of paper!

[adic88]

My opinion is that they just prefer NC more than Cubans. Just like we would rate Cubans higher and our list would be the exact opposite, they have NC cigars all around them and prefer them over Cubans and rate them as such. As unbiased as one tries to be, myself included, we have our favorites and they always tend to win out. It's like a dress on my wife looks beautiful, but on her twin sister looks OK. James was the same way and admitted his extreme bias for Cuban cigars. Now there is no one at CA that prefers Cubans over NC. I do have a feeling that a Cuban will win the top spot, especially after losing James and getting called out for their lack of knowledge on Cubans cigars, them seem to be going out of their way to prove they like Cuban cigars. Personally I feel many here are more knowledgable about Cubans cigars than them. If I were them I would have Nino join CA team with his knowledge, his connections, and true love of all things Cuban cigars.

Jose

+1 to this.

Comparing NCs to CCs is not practical, unless you have equal access and spend equal smoking time on both. In the absence of this, a fair comparison is nearly impossible.

They should have a separate list just for CCs, and not try to compare the CCs against the relative "goodness" of the NCs.

[adic88]

I don't subscribe, but buy it when I think I might find some of the articles interesting - I enjoyed this month's cover article on Jim Belushi, for example.

I will occasionally peruse the ratings section, but it's rare. Regardless, I don't begrudge them their opinions.

But overall, I consider it more of a lifestyle magazine than a strict cigar publication - as it says on every cover, "the good life magazine for men".

+1 to this too. I dont buy the mag for the reviews because they just dont jive with my personal tastes. But i do buy it for alright articles every once in a while. And cigar porn that i can carry around with me, never know when i might need help in the toilet.