CA Top 25 thoughts

[ramon_cojones]

do you think the editors of that magazine don't smoke and prefer cuban cigars? just curious

[Habana Mike]

The accepted system for rating wine is the same. For a wine to be say an 84 (and ken can correct me) it would need to be technically flawed.

So basically an 84 is a 1 on a 4 point scale then? a 90'ish a 2, around 95 would be a 3 and close to 100 rating a 4?

Like said before, what's the point of a 100 point scale? I imagine a 70 must be horrible so can't imagine a 40 point wine or cigar....

[Habana Mike]

All the time but it is the widely accepted Standard for wine.

The Cubans don't rank cigars out of 100. I am more along the lines of : Brilliant/Very good/Average/Crap

And voila, the 4 point scale

[Magpie]

All the time but it is the widely accepted Standard for wine.

The Cubans don't rank cigars out of 100. I am more along the lines of : Brilliant/Very good/Average/Crap

And in an Englishman's lingo the El Pres ranking would be.......Not bad, quite good, OK , Bloody awful

[almudawi]

I have to note: The European based Cigar Journal came out with a top 25 in 2012. Only TWO were Cuban! That really shocked me. I don't see why they would have a pro US slant, as I assume they cater more to the European market. Any thoughts?

I have cancelled my subscription with ECJ ever since they started targeting the American market (effectively making them the European printed Cigar Aficionado Magazine). These days all you see is NC adverts and with that a massive push towards NC cigars. A huge difference to what once was a great cigar magazine for the rest of the none nc smoking world.

[Stanislaw]

Guys let's face it, we are all here because we know that Solent green is PEOPLE! ITS PEOPLE!!

seriously though, way back in 1996 when I first started smoking cigars I only smoked NC's (Fuentes!) because I bought into the "rules" about possessing cuban anything meant I was a card carrying communist! but it was a chance reading of an CA magazine in a car dealership waiting room that pushed me to go out and get a readily available (I was in Germany at the time) montecristo cigar and the rest is history.... So yeah, I know that their rating system is flawed in so many ways but until the embargo is lifted and their top 25 is 90% cuban, be thankful that everyone is buying the soy lent green and leaving the good stuff for us....

[Spartan]

Fwiw- if your into sampling the CA list makes a decent "what's hot" reference. Other than that it's pretty useless.

[srbbones]

I had to laugh at the cigars rated 11-25. No JL #2, but even they rated it 94!

Sheesh!

[sw15825]

BRC The only other cuban at #21! Its amusing. I do like reading stories from the mag and online about Cuba and cuban tobacco though.

[Skyfall]

No constuction problems may-be yes, but also no taste, I would rather have a PESO cigar then any high end N.C. , Anyday .

Yep, spot on !

X

1000

[oliverdst]

The ranking it not serious. They should have 2 lists: one just for CC and another just for NC.

When they compare apples with bananas they lose their reliability.

[Cigar Surgeon]

I'm not talking about this board at all, but a a portion of people that smoke strictly CCs that I've come in contact with seem to develop an extremely elitist attitude towards anything that isn't Cuban.

I run into it quite a bit. Sometimes it's elitist in fun sometimes not so much.

[sw15825]

The ranking it not serious. They should have 2 lists: one just for CC and another just for NC.

When they compare apples with bananas they lose their reliability.

They should but they never will there is no incentive. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ For them. Personally, I think we should make our own list with current production, maybe a poll where all members list there top smokes, put numbers together and get our own list. Anyone interested?

[Cigar Surgeon]

The ranking it not serious. They should have 2 lists: one just for CC and another just for NC.

When they compare apples with bananas they lose their reliability.

Agreed, that's how I do it. NCs aren't CCs and CCs aren't NCs. I can't see how you have them on one list.

[Puros Y Vino]

Personally, I think we should make our own list with current production, maybe a poll where all members list there top smokes, put numbers together and get our own list. Anyone interested?

Ahem..... FOH Top Cigars of 2013 Poll

[oliverdst]

I will create a thread about it. If Rob doesn't feel confortable I ask him to delete it. But he and his staff have credibility. CA...

[sw15825]

Ahem..... FOH Top Cigars of 2013 Poll

Ahem, That is not what I'm talking about at all. There is total of 107 votes on your list in almost a month now. . I have not smoked one thing on that list. I was thinking more in line of regular pdoduction maybe including limited production but not REs. Many of us have little access to a lot of REs due to various reasons. I guess one could do an RE poll too with all of those releases.

[Cigar Surgeon]

Ahem..... FOH Top Cigars of 2013 Poll

Where do I rate the NCs?

[sw15825]

Where do I rate the NCs?

This is FOH!

[Cigar Surgeon]

This is FOH!

I know, I'm just teasing Frank.

[sw15825]

I know, I'm just teasing Frank.

Me too! Can't wait to hear the replies.!! LOL

[El Presidente]

I think there has always been civility here in regards to CC and NC discussion. We should always ensure that continues.

The thing about Cuban Cigars is that you will one day hit that "brilliant cigar". You will then hit a series of "brilliant cigars" that no other source country comes close to matching. You then spend the rest of your life chasing that holy grail experience, sometimes hitting it, but mostly not and having to settle for in the main a good cigar experience.

It is a little like golf for hackers. You always remember that glorious shot of the last round or last year.....it keeps you coming back!

[Puros Y Vino]

Where do I rate the NCs?

I don't know. But I tend the rate them at the bottom of my shoe.

[sw15825]

I think there has always been civility here in regards to CC and NC discussion. We should always ensure that continues.

The thing about Cuban Cigars is that you will one day hit that "brilliant cigar". You will then hit a series of "brilliant cigars" that no other source country comes close to matching. You then spend the rest of your life chasing that holy grail experience, sometimes hitting it, but mostly not and having to settle for in the main a good cigar experience.

It is a little like golf for hackers. You always remember that glorious shot of the last round or last year.....it keeps you coming back!

So true. Always evolving. Things always changing. Just like life. Seems I always have different favorites. One year into cohiba, next ra, then love monte! SLR, and on. I'm like oh WOW that's the best cigar ever, until you find the next best. The journey and friendships are the best parts!

[LeafLover]

I don't care what CA does so I'm ambivalent to their list. It wont stop me from picking it up and perusing through it while im sitting and smoking at a B&M. Articles can be interesting and it is interesting to see the ratings as I enjoy knowing other's opinions about cigars. Just like how I can spend hours just reading reviews on cigars whether it be on FOH, cigars-review, ICC, dirtyashes, etc. But i wont ever bash anyone's take on cigars or their rankings on them. After all, who am I? I'm just a cigar smoker who has no stake in ratings or lists. Should I ever buy any cigar off the list because the list did a great job of selling it, and that cigar might be a dog **** of a cigar, yah I might be little miffed. But, caveat emptor is what I believe and I can't blame that author of the list if my opinion of the cigar is not theirs.

At the end of the day, CA does serve a purpose in the cigar world to a lot of people, so do your thing Mr. Shanken and do it well.