How do you use cigar ratings?

[silentjon-cl]

I find ratings interesting, but I do not place much weight on them. At most it may pique my interest in cigar.

[dberge-cl]

I think they can be a coarse indication. Most cigars above 90 in CA are decent and worth trying a single. I agree that you should never buy a box based purely on a rating.

[cigarsarge-cl]

I don't believe in published ratings...I've reviewed cigars for a magazine upon several occasions. I gave less than favorable notes on a couple of cigars they sent me to review.

They twisted my actual words to project a different light on the cigars. The reason why...All the cigars they sent me to review had purchased ad space in their magazine.

The best factual reviews come from places like this...

[alanf]

Originally Posted by cigarsarge

I don't believe in published ratings...I've reviewed cigars for a magazine upon several occasions. I gave less than favorable notes on a couple of cigars they sent me to review.

They twisted my actual words to project a different light on the cigars. The reason why...All the cigars they sent me to review had purchased ad space in their magazine.

...

That's very interesting. I know when I wrote PC Game Reviews, the charge was often made that advertising influenced the reviews. It may well have happened in some cases, but I never had any editor change my review, my rating or my wording to make a game look more or less favorable. It's sad if this does happen with some published cigar reviews.

[Architeuthis]

I would tend to trust the reviews of people from CigarLive before I'd trust the ratings from someplace like CA. I do not pay any attention to the ratings in CA, as I don't read any of those magazines...

[Click2Riff-cl]

It's funny how most of the time it seems like these authors are afraid to give cigars "not-so-good" numbers in their so called rating scale so as to not offend or upset anyone. I'd rather have brutal facts and multiple opinions from seasoned pro's! And honestly, it all comes down to personal taste and how experienced your palate is with each and every cigar. IMHO.

[Research-Colin-cl]

I think the last few comments on this thread bring something important to light. Boards like this are some of the best places for cigar reviews. In order to make sure that reviews are useful to more readers, not just those with a similar preference (palate), we should use lots of specific details and descriptive terms in our reviews. Just my $.02

[AngryFishH]

I look at the ratings but only as a reference.

I don't know about you guys/gals but my mood, the weather, time available, food, company, and wrapper appeal (maddies vs caldera vs natural vs etc...) all have a bearing on my rating of a cigar that day. Plus when you add quality control into the mix you need to smoke a few of the same cigar under different conditions and see if your own assessment is still the same.

I use the "AngryFish 5 Point Method" for determining cigar ratings. I take a little different approach to rating cigars. Who knows? Maybe it will catch on... Feel free to steal this and use it as your own.

After smoking no less then 5 of the exact same cigars:
Rating 1: Never again - The classic dog rocket
Rating 2: Yard or Fishing 'Gar - Not terrible but I don't feel bad if I toss it early
Rating 3: Everyday Smoke - Balance of taste, appeal and price
Rating 4: Special Smoke - Great smoke that I keep separate from the others
Rating 5: Classified - The best I have, usually used as bomb fodder or celebrations


Fish

[bluesman455-cl]

with a grain of salt!!!

[Newfie]

I will use sites like top25cigar quite a bit for reference, but as someone said above, with a grain of salt. I ain't gonna but a box of $15 smokes 'cause someone said they're great.

If a cigar has less than 8 ratings, I ignore 'em. Eight or more, I ignore the top 25%, the bottom 25% and just pay attention to the middle 50%.

[jdamelio]

I don't pay a great deal of attention to them but use them as a good cross-reference.

I rely most heavily on recomandations and tend to go back to the ones that have panned out to be more in line with the results that I get personnaly.

For instance I find that the reviews that I hear on Stogie Fresh 5 that I have smoked on that recomendation are right in line with my impressions so I listen and jot down the ones that I'd like to try. I usaully pick up a few from my local b&m and give them a try before buying a box. I think that our taste buds were seperated at birth.

Just my two cents,

--jd

[xavier_chino]

Personaly I used it as an extra tool in trying new cigars because I love trying new cigars and in my circle of cigar smoking freinds I am the guy how goes out looking for a new smoke.