Official Top 25 Cigar List Chosen by CP members

[SkyKing]

I was wondering if there was a Top 25 Cigar List based on a poll among CP members. I didn't find anything after searching the forums nor did I see a related pinned topic. Of course, there are dozens of informal questions, "What's your favorite?; Whats the Best Value cigar?; etc." I know because I submitted a lot of them.

Personally, I would find such a list a more valuable resource than the one put out by CA or other publications. Has this idea been discussed?

If there is interest, free online polling services and voting software exist that can help automate the process. I would be willing to give a hand if needed.

 

[tomthirtysix]

You'll usually see around the time the CA Top 25 lists is released a thread pop up discussing it. That thread usually contains a lot of talk about what should and shouldn't be there, and what smokes the members here think should be on the list.

 

[Kid Montana]

Trying to assemble something like a CP's Top 25 would be a fools errand, IMHO. Brands and vitolas availability changes , new brands, blends and vitolas come out, a brand will change blend in the same vitola, cigars taste different based on time of day/year/mood/ Soul Dogs's fashion decisions... there are too many variables. What CA does is pick the best of what their panel smoked that year so if CP were to attempt something similar, it would need to be qualified to a specific time period. I'm not going to compare one of Moki's UHTF super rare ORs from the mid 90's to the newest Tatuaje release.

 

[kona1000]

I like the idea, we just need to get suppliers to give us the stogies and have 3 weeks to blind sample them. I know CA says they go buy them- it's the time and tax write off we need.

Should we plan it? It has to be all in one year release. The thing about top 25's is they are so subjective. Padrons are always in the top 10, that Prensado better than a 64 exclusivo, Ahhh, not so sure.

 

[SkyKing]

it would need to be qualified to a specific time period. I'm not going to compare one of Moki's UHTF super rare ORs from the mid 90's to the newest Tatuaje release.

I like the idea, we just need to get suppliers to give us the stogies and have 3 weeks to blind sample them

Should we plan it? It has to be all in one year release. The thing about top 25's is they are so subjective. Padrons are always in the top 10, that Prensado better than a 64 exclusivo, Ahhh, not so sure.

I agree that the choices should be constrained by time. A panel simply reflects the panel preferences and the statistical sample is small by definition. Rather than set up a panel, I was thinking simply of polling members about their favorite cigars and listing the top ten or twenty cigars - or just list each nominated. A simple poll also eliminates most of the logistics that a panel would require.

Also, objectivity or the appearance of objective can be compromised if merchandise is given gratis.

CP could pose two questions to members and produce two lists.
1. "What was the best cigar you smoked last year?"
2. "What was the Best Value cigar you smoked last year?

The poll could be fill-in-the blank, or a multiple-choice, run-off of eligible cigars nominated by members.

We could call the list something like, "The 2013 CigarPass.com Members Choice Award". Design a little logo that the manufacturers can use in their advertising. (Incorporating a link to CigarPass of course) and/or "The 2013 CigarPass.com Members Choice Best Value Award."

The list would be self-correcting. If a member wishes to vote for a HTF cigar, that will be fine but they will know that it likely will not make the top cut.

Really, automated polling could be setup in an hour or two and probably for free. And I would volunteer to handle that aspect, if so requested.

Of course, this is all up to Rod.

 

[Kid Montana]

it would need to be qualified to a specific time period. I'm not going to compare one of Moki's UHTF super rare ORs from the mid 90's to the newest Tatuaje release.

I like the idea, we just need to get suppliers to give us the stogies and have 3 weeks to blind sample them

Should we plan it? It has to be all in one year release. The thing about top 25's is they are so subjective. Padrons are always in the top 10, that Prensado better than a 64 exclusivo, Ahhh, not so sure.

I agree that the choices should be constrained by time. A panel simply reflects the panel preferences and the statistical sample is small by definition. Rather than set up a panel, I was thinking simply of polling members about their favorite cigars and listing the top ten or twenty cigars - or just list each nominated. A simple poll also eliminates most of the logistics that a panel would require.

Also, objectivity or the appearance of objective can be compromised if merchandise is given gratis.

CP could pose two questions to members and produce two lists.
1. "What was the best cigar you smoked last year?"
2. "What was the Best Value cigar you smoked last year?

The poll could be fill-in-the blank, or a multiple-choice, run-off of eligible cigars nominated by members.

We could call the list something like, "The 2013 CigarPass.com Members Choice Award". Design a little logo that the manufacturers can use in their advertising. (Incorporating a link to CigarPass of course) and/or "The 2013 CigarPass.com Members Choice Best Value Award."

The list would be self-correcting. If a member wishes to vote for a HTF cigar, that will be fine but they will know that it likely will not make the top cut.

Really, automated polling could be setup in an hour or two and probably for free. And I would volunteer to handle that aspect, if so requested.

Of course, this is all up to Rod.

The problem is, it always comes down to value. Some people can't or just won't afford a Casa Fuente Corona Gorda even though many would consider it a better cigar than the much more accessable AF Magnum Rosado. At the same time, more people will be smoking Padron 5000's than a PAM 1964 Exclusivo because of the 30% price difference. Unless the panel all smokes the same cigar and provides a blind quantatative result, the poll will always come down to accessability and will only be useful for identifying widely accessible but good cigars.

 

[SkyKing]

Unless the panel all smokes the same cigar and provides a blind quantatative result, the poll will always come down to accessability and will only be useful for identifying widely accessible but good cigars.

Excellent point, as always. I would argue that identifying and quantifying good accessible cigars, as preferred by CP members, is itself a worthwhile endeavor. But I would heartily support an expert panel as well.