That sungrown Rocky has been on sale on various sites for the last two months, not any more - ha!
Holts had them for like 75 bucks a box!
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Can't argue with a Stinky Dick Hacker.
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It's a pretty magazine with a lot of expensive crap. Even the cheap stuff is expensive.

I often wonder how the judging comes about - I mean I know how they score them, but who and how. Do they have 100 bandless cigars, say robusto sizes, and they blind taste them all? We all know that band warps the mind. Does one dude blind taste all 100 or is it a crowd? Do the same folks do it month in, month out? If you gave 4 of us 25 to test separately, especially blind, we'd get all kinds of values. The reveal would be like, "Oh, chit, we can't publish this!" Besides, RP would flip over backwards if his Sungrown robusto scored 70 points. He would yank his advertising! I don't think a sleek, beautiful, great-drawing, great-tasting Felipe Dominicana or Free Cuba (might be one on occasion) smoked blind with a score of 93 would ever make the listing on the reveal. Horsefeathers!
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It's a secret, but I can tell you.....


It's magic. :-)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u40mJ_ls5VE

I imagine it's something like this
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Much like how they gather the cigars for reviewing....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nKkGqHCfCI
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And the #1 cigar of 2016...


Wait for it...


#1 • 2016 • la flor dominicana andalusian bull
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I've heard people "in the industry" but not CA employees try to explain the process, I don't remember the specifics but it's supposedly blind and "impartial." doesn't change the fact that those who advertise get higher ratings, and you start seeing ads an issue or two before the end of the year for those that end up the highest (other than the obligatory random cc so people can say "oooo I want to try that one day"). In my opinion that's the only objective part of the process, 8 times out of 10 if a top rated cigar isn't Cuban it is specifically advertised for in their magazine.

Truth is it sells the cigars to those that don't know, when the list comes out people would come into our shop and ask for everything from the top 10 and if we didn't have them they would get frustrated as if we are choosing not to stock what is unanimously the best cigar in the world because that's what the top people are saying. I don't know how much they pay CA to be in the top, maybe it's an unwritten understanding, but a higher rating in their listing = more stores buying the cigars because more people who casually ready CA who want to be an "aficionado" always want to smoke what the "aficionados" smoke. CA knows this and will not give away that power to something as silly as chance, or a group of "experts" who could possibly pick one that doesn't advertise with them. Maybe they only pick from a pool of advertisers, maybe they go off how many they get sent for free, I don't think we'll ever know.

**note I haven't picked up an issue in probably 4 years so I'm just going off my prior experience working in a cigar shop, but I don't think it's changed much
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I was so sure Phillies Strawberry Blunts were goint to take the #1 spot this year.

Though I will say the RP is a really good cigar and I have not trouble with that at #2. That Sun Grown is a really good line.
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Thanks, Ben. Makes perfect sense. I like what you said about blind picking from those that participate in our magazine. You pay, you get thrown in the mix - you might win. No pay, no play. So it's the Top 10 of those that pay with the obligatory CC for good measure. That cuts the field way down.

You know I drink Budweiser because it IS the king of beers.
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hello
i'm new here.i also like 4 • 2016 • E.P. CARILLO SELECCIÓN OSCURO PIRAMIDES ROYAL (Mexican wrapper, Ecuadoran binder and Nicaraguan filler)
• 2016 • PARTAGÁS SERIE E NO. 2 (samples with a box date of August 2016 mark the most impressive Cuban of the year)
regards
aaran brown
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Devil's advocate here... There would be a number of brands out there that I never would've heard of unless they showed up on their list. Illusione being the first one to pop into my mind. There are also many sticks where I disagree with the CA ratings, but in general, it's no different then any other hobbyist magazine out there. They don't say the bad things about there advertisers. Only the good.

The odd thing about this hobby is it's all about which flavor you like. Hopefully, they're honest and post what they actually like, but there is no guarantee that anyone else will like it.

My overall thoughts are that it's a net positive.
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I agree with it being net positive, I think any time we can get more people into the cigar world it's a good thing.

The tricky part is really deciding between the $5k and the $7k prosciutto slicer, but I ready an article in CA one time explaining why the $7k is really worth the extra scratch :-)

(true story)
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If you were to use the 3 match technique for lighting your cigars then you would understand why the $7k slicer is better, you philistine dolt.
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He's obviously never eaten prosciutto sliced too thick! :-)
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I liken the CA list to professional wresting. It gets people talking and that isn't a bad thing. Brings together people who might not otherwise meet.

There is also the part that most know that it is for entertainment purposes only and not designed to be taken seriously. A source of entertainment, so to speak. However, some do take it seriously and we can only hope that they don't hurt themselves too badly.
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This man understands the meaning of life
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I have to admit, I'm a noob and did get suckered by the CA top 25. So far I'm just into the AF Sun Grown but haven't smoked it yet.

All that aside, am curious about people's thoughts on #1 on the list at least. is the Bull worth the ride?
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Few good sticks in there, the Oliva V Melanio and Partagas Serie E no.2 are tasty. I don't put much merit in the rating systems anywhere, everyone's buds are unique
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I just read it for the articles.
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