Winter 95,96 Volume I Issue 1

moking a cigar is a highly individual experience. No two individuals share the same tastes, and in the case of cigar smokers in particular, the differences are incredibly vast. Some enthusiasts prefer churchills, others panetelas; some like a mild smoke, others a rich full-bodied one; some like Dominicans, others Hondurans, etc. This extensive range of selection for the cigar smoker makes it difficult for any review to briefly sum up -- in a truly equitable way -- the quality of a cigar. Keeping this in mind, the editors of SMOKE set out to design an impartial system that would not only be fair to each cigar, but would also reflect the individual tastes of cigar smokers from across the country. W also felt that a proper review should provide the smoker with an indication of how consistently a cigar performs, an idea of how it tastes, and some overall comments that emobdy the spirit of each individual cigar. In searching for the most amenable way to meet these criteria, we sought out the advice of the CEOs and presidents of the world's largest cigar manufacturers. On the strength of their advise, and on our own creative ideas, we assembled SMOKE'S Cigar Review Panel. The panel -- 20 randomly selected dedicated cigar retailers and consumers from around the country -- had the pleasure of smoking some of the finest premium cigars available today. This diverse group, ranging in age from the mid-20s to late-70's, reviewed 32 different cigars in four different shapes over the course of one month. THE REVIEW The panel smoked four different sizes of cigars: Torpedos, Churchills, Coronas, and Corona Gordos. Once the sizes were chosen, we divided the panelists into four groups of five smokers, and assigned each group to one single size. Because cigars tend to differ from smoke to smoke, we gave each reviewer five unidentified cigars of each brand in separate plastic bags, marked only by number. We asked the panelists to complete one brand entirely before moving onto the next bag. This process helped eliminate brand confusion through the course of the review and allowed the reviewers to concentrate on consistency. Over a period of one month, the panelists jotted down their impressions. While the panel followed a general review format set forth in a letter accompanying the cigars, their own words were used to describe the cigars. The most intriguing and relevant aspects of each review were culled from the impressive responses received from the panelists.

In the first section, "PRE-SMOKE," we asked the panelists to critically examine the look and feel of the cigar before lighting. This beginning section was divided into the two categories: "Aesthetics" and "Construction Before Lighting." In the "Aesthetics" section, reviews concentrated on the cigar's wrapper; and in "Construction Before Lighting," reviewers judged the character of its roll. The second phase of the review, "SMOKE," focused on the cigar after it was lit. First, smokers examined the cigar's "Construction After LIghting," judging the draw and burn of the cigar. Second, the panel determined "How It Smoked/Flavor." This critical critical area of the review asked tasters whether they felt that the cigar had a straightforward or complicated flavor, if the flavor became stronger after the smoke continued, if the cigar had a nice, solid ash or a loose crumbly one, if the smoke was light or full-bodied, how it tasted, if they found it pleasant or unpleasant, and ultimately, did they like it? Third, panelists commented on the cigar's "Aroma," assessing whether the scent was heavy or light, and if the smoke smelled outdoorsy or floral. In the last segment of this section, reviewers considered the "Aftertaste" of the cigar, focusing on its lightness or heaviness and whether it tasted sweet or bitter. The third and final section of the review was appropriately titled "GENERAL COMMENTS". For the purpose of this article, we selected some of the more noteworthy thoughts and criticisms offered by our panelists. A key goal of the review was to have the panel examine the overall consistency of the cigars; hence the format of having each taster smoke five cigars of each brand. It should be noted that, for the most part, it was not the manufacturers that provided us with the cigars. The cigars, purchased randomly across the United States and in Europe, remained sealed in their boxes until the day they were sent to the reviewers, eliminating anyone from cherry-picking the cigars tested, another assurance of the impartiality of the veview. It should also be noted that, even though each reviewer received a veritable humidor-full of free cigars, the panel took to their duties with the utmost seriousness and smoked every cigar, insuring a fair and honest review. In fact, the panel seemed to revel in their anonymity, mincing no words, and alternatively praising or panning the selections. In other words, the panelists were not afraid to express their true opinions, and express them they did. What follows is an honest and unbiased account of our panel's review of 32 premium cigars from around the world.

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