Who are the taste experts?

[Doctorossi]

I'm an expert. I know exactly what I like. Don't know how anyone else feels about my reviews, though.

[JJG]

I agree with those who say they're best for entertainment value. I really enjoy reading and seeing pictures of rare and vintage smokes getting torched. The video reviews are fun to watch as well.

but taste being so subjective, I don't really base my decision to smoke something off of a review. I know many times I'm listening to someone describe a cigar I've tried and it sounds like they're talking about a completely different smoke than the one I had.

[Mr. Ed]

Originally Posted by JJG

I agree with those who say they're best for entertainment value. I really enjoy reading and seeing pictures of rare and vintage smokes getting torched. The video reviews are fun to watch as well.

but taste being so subjective, I don't really base my decision to smoke something off of a review. I know many times I'm listening to someone describe a cigar I've tried and it sounds like they're talking about a completely different smoke than the one I had.

I also really enjoy hi def pictures of cigars getting torched.

Taste is very tricky, I think it's difficult to get the true "taste" of a cigar from just doing or reading one review. Rote memorization is where it's at.

At the same time though, you can get a basic understanding of whether or not you should try the smoke. Most people can agree on whether a cigar is "smooth" or "harsh" or if the draw is too tight or too loose. It's when you start venturing into the cigar's strength and flavor profile that things get murky.

[Zanaspus]

I'm a newbie as well. I agree with the minority (is it a majority yet?) YOUR taste is what's important. That being said, if I see 50 negative reviews of something, I generally avoid it. If I see 50 positive reviews of something, I try a 5'er. I'm not rich. I really see no point in buying a "blind box." Bundle reviews I find handy just to see what is quality and what is not.

[Snake Hips]

I agree with the others. You can't go by reviews alone. However, they do help. When you've been in the Asylum for long enough, you start to notice members who have similar tastes to you, then you can give their reviews some attention. I use reviews myself to help me with purchases; if there is some kind of consensus on a cigar for or against it, it affects my purchase. If all the descriptions of the cigar are things I look for, I add it to my list. But I don't see a rave review by icehog or skywalker or landhoney or OLS and immediately go to buy a box of that cigar.

[HK3-]

Too many variables involved. I would say tobacco fields and curring barns are not as controlable as lets say a Hershey factory. (my candy bar will most likely be exactly the same as yours... but cigars will vary within the same box, possibly)

[kaelaria]

Well, +1 to everything above!

Taste is physically subjective. Each person will get a slightly (and sometimes drastic) different taste experience from a cigar. Finding a reviewer with similar physical tastes to your own is key. It's trial and error. Find reviews of a certain cigar you are familiar with and then you can use that as a barometer for that person's other reviews.

This is exactly why I never give a rating of any kind - it's 100% meaningless to anyone but me, at that moment. I simply report what I experience and it's up to the viewer to make their own decisions from there. In fact the only time I give a negative review is for purely construction issues.

[Doctorossi]

Don't listen to any of these other clowns. I am a real bona fide EXPERT. I will tell you, with complete confidence and accuracy, precisely whether or not something floats my boat, each and every time, without fail. How many of these other guys can say that?!

And get this: I've taken the GENUINE OFFICIAL HIGHER-AUTHORITY EXPERT'S PLEDGE OF SERVICETM

"I solemnly swear that for each and every sample you send me, I will do my utmost best to provide you, in turn, one genuine and authentic verdict on the question of whether I'm likely to ask you for any more of them."

Welcome to the big leagues, son.

[muhren]

Well, although most of you are repeating a similar idea (smoke whatever you can & like it!) I appecciate all folks providing input.

I'm looking forward to hanging around here a bit and smoking some good ones!

Thanks fellas.

M

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by volfan

If you want a reviewer that makes you want to try cigars, read the main cigar magazine (the other ca). Every cigar is better than average there.

Yeah, but their reviews average- what- eight words long? Wouldn't want to have too much cigar-related content cluttering up a cigar magazine, now would we?

[JJG]

anytime I'm at someone's house who has a CA subscription I flip straight to the "connoisseurs corner" or whatever the sh*t it's called where they smoke and review vintage Cubans. That one page is the most entertaining section in the whole mag if you ask me.

[HK3-]

Originally Posted by JJG

anytime I'm at someone's house who has a CA subscription I flip straight to the "connoisseurs corner" or whatever the sh*t it's called where they smoke and review vintage Cubans. That one page is the most entertaining section in the whole mag if you ask me.

+1 That's pretty much the only interesting thing to read besides the corny paid into regular reviews.

[ZenSilk]

When i first joined the forums, I did this exact thing. What I found was that although I did have some similar tastes to a handful of different individuals, others enjoyed sticks that I though were absolutely horrendous, and that's when I started to venture into my own humidor instead of buying sticks I saw in reviews.

But, of course, reviews are VERY fun to read and really do help one find amazing cigars.

[kaelaria]

Just as an example - I recently did the Exile Wired, and so did another guy. He got 'mild coffee and sweet', I got 'tobacco, leather and pepper/spice' - same cigars!

[mikeyj23]

If a particular cigar is on the market, it's because people like it and buy it.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Skywalker]

Originally Posted by gnukfu

Don't read any reviews posted by Skywalker....he is totally clueless.....

Seriously though you need to find someone with tastes similar to yours. Just because "the top reviewer" says a certain cigar is good doesn't mean you will like it.

My name mentioned in the same post as "the top reviewer" has to be a mistake!!!

Originally Posted by Snake Hips

I agree with the others. You can't go by reviews alone. However, they do help. When you've been in the Asylum for long enough, you start to notice members who have similar tastes to you, then you can give their reviews some attention. I use reviews myself to help me with purchases; if there is some kind of consensus on a cigar for or against it, it affects my purchase. If all the descriptions of the cigar are things I look for, I add it to my list. But I don't see a rave review by icehog or skywalker or landhoney or OLS and immediately go to buy a box of that cigar.

My name mentioned at all has to be a mistake!!!

[rizzle]

Originally Posted by muhren

I'm new to the boards (see intro thread) and in order to get adjusted quickly, I'm curious who the 'in-the-know' guys are around here when it comes to reviews.

i.e. who are the vets who post a favorable review and you say to yourself, "Well, XXX said it's good, it must be good!"

I wanna know who's reviews I should be paying the most attention to. I'll read them all, I just figured you guys who know better than me!

Feel free to rattle of a list of names rather than narrow it down to one.

Thanks,

M

If your palate is rather goat-like, feel free to read my reviews.