FYI
Cut & Paste of posting from CF regarding this thread's subject matter....
From: LEW ROTHMAN
Date: 06/21/04 2:38 PM
Sample Kits of 20 premium cigars will be shipped in the next week or so to randomly selected people who responded to the free subscription offer for CIGAR MAGAZINE last month.
Those people will receive the following instructional information in order to rate the cigars they receive. I am posting that instructional letter here to apprise everyone on the method the magazine will use to judge the cigars.
The die is already cast, so there's no reason for anyone to post comments about a different or better system,and of course every system has its flaws and weak points (as we've all discuused to death many times here and on other BB's).
I believe the system described below is better than others that have been used in the past, but the system is by no means "set in stone" and may be altered sometime in the future (especially if the brands I own come out looking like crap LMAO !)
For better or worse, here's the letter that's going out with the samples:
The Cigar Magazine Rating System
Congratulations on being selected as a reviewer for this segment of cigar ratings. Please be aware that your opinion of the cigars contained in your sample group will influence the buying decisions of thousands of fellow smokers. Therefore, we urge you to rate these cigars objectively without regard to brand name or retail price.
As you will immediately notice, we do not remove the bands from your test samples. Some critics of our system will claim that knowing the brand names of the cigars being tested may influence the results we publish. We, on the other hand, believe that our testers are mature enough and sophisticated enough to determine for themselves what is or is not a good cigar.
In addition, we wish to be extremely cautious that readers put their full faith and confidence in our ratings. If the samples that are rated are only identified by letters or numbers, readers may question whether the ratings had been orchestrated to give high ratings to advertisers. This could be accomplished by simply changing the letter or number ascribed to each cigar. Therefore, in the interest of open and completely above board ratings Cigar Magazine has left the bands on the test cigars, and all results will be sent directly to an outside accounting firm for tabulation.
The “Scores” published in each issue will be YOUR scores – unedited, untouched, and beyond reproach.
HOW TO RATE YOUR SAMPLE CIGARS
We are asking reviewers to rate their sample cigars for Construction, Taste, and Appearance. The samples you receive will all be of one basic group, either milder, medium, or heavier bodied cigars. Your task is to determine which of the milder cigars are the best, or if you happen to receive a sample unit of medium or heavier bodied cigars, which of those cigars are the best.
Reviewers will never be asked to compare milder cigars with heavier bodied cigars, or milder with medium, etc. This would be similar to the proverbial task of deciding “which tastes better, apples or oranges?”
It goes without saying that hand made cigars are made by hand! Every now and then you will get a bad cigar, and for that matter, the best cigar you’ve ever smoked in your life may very well be in the same box of cigars that contained the worst cigar ever made. It’s part of the mystique of a hand made product. Most Premium cigars are fine, as they are inspected many times at the factory level, however, a bad cigar will slip through the inspection process every now and then. To discredit a manufacturer because of one bad cigar would be an injustice to the cigar maker and the cigar brand, and unfairly damage a reputation that has taken some manufacturers a lifetime to achieve.
For that very reason, there are two of each cigar in your sample unit. If the first cigar is unsatisfactory, throw it away, and try the second cigar. However, two bad cigars in a row should engender a very negative rating on your part.
Try to be very objective, even if the cigar being sampled has been your personal favorite for years. Being too gracious or too critical in your assessment of a cigar may invalidate your vote as we have instructed the accounting firm to disregard the highest and lowest scores for each cigar.
Here are your instructions for filling out the rating card:
CONSTRUCTION: Was the cigar made properly? A fine cigar should be a source of relaxation. If the user has difficulty drawing smoke through the body of the cigar, or difficulty keeping it lit or burning properly, then it naturally takes much of the enjoyment out of the smoking experience. The CONSTRUCTION rating is assigned by judging whether the cigar draws satisfactorily; develops an acceptable volume of smoke with each puff; burns evenly without tunneling or relighting; develops a tight ash, and generally functions well enough to allow the user to concentrate on the flavor of the cigar rather than the task of keeping the cigar burning properly. An improperly made cigar is as useless as an improperly made meal. The former. you can’t smoke, and the latter, you can’t eat. Enter a rating between 50 and 100 on your response card. (100 being Perfect) And a short comment on the cigar’s good or bad Construction features.
TASTE: How did the cigar taste? Was it harsh? Was it bitter? Was it mild, medium, or strong? Was it spicy? Was it bland? Did the character of the smoke change as you progressed through the length of the cigar? Did you enjoy it? Regardless of the price, quality of construction, or magnificence of the cigar’s wrapper and packaging, a bad tasting cigar is not something you want to waste your time on. Enter a rating between 50 and 100 on your response card. (100 being Perfect) And a short comment on the cigar’s taste.
APPEARANCE: How does the cigar look? A great deal of the pleasure derived from a cigar is based on expectation. A beautifully made cigar with a flawless wrapper mentally prepares the smoker for a wonderful experience. Since you will receive sample cigars with their identifying bands still in place, fancy gold foiled and embossed bands may draw your attention away from the look, feel, and cleanliness of the cigar’s wrapper. Please remember that sensational looking bands are made by the millions on printing presses. Each band is not only identical, it is perfect. Premium cigars on the other hand are made one at a time by real people, not machines. In rating sample cigars for appearance, you are being asked for your opinion on the appearance of the cigar only. Enter a rating between 50 and 100 on your response card. (100 being Perfect) And a short comment on the cigar’s appearance.
Please enclose you ratings in the pre-addressed, post-paid envelope provided.
Thank you for your cooperation,
The Staff at Cigar Magazine
