There have been a few articles written in the last year on the inconsistencies of wine judging and ratings.

Here is a great article http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...282653628.html

I have rarely agreed with wine reviews or tasted what they have tasted, the same with most cigars too.

I have had a bottle of wine on a special occasion and loved it yet at another time it was just so-so. You see it with cigar reviews from people too, where they say "i'm going to smoke this cigar on this special occasion" and it's always a raving review!!! You never hear "I was celebrating with this special smoke and it sucked". Obviously you select a great smoke for great occasions so that has something to do with it.

Do you think there is a psychology to cigar smoking? I have thought so but would love to get some opinions.

I've had cigars where I tasted a certain profile and then gone on to try another one and never got that taste again. You also smoke a cigar and don't taste anything that another person has stated they tasted.

Everybody's palate is different but I also think there is a little mental mind games going on at times too.
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I think there is some psychology to cigar smoking. For instance smoking a cigar out in the cold alone or smoking the same cigar on a nice 70 degree afternoon with friends. In my opinion I believe the same cigar would be much more enjoyable in warmer weather among friends.
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Great point!!!:-)
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And don't forget the taste of a cigar is very subjective...everyone's palate is different as is everyone's sense of taste and smell...I've had cigars other swear by and couldn't stand them and not everybody likes what I smoke even though they tend to be high end...I think it would be very difficult to put out any cohesive ratings on cigars even though many magazines do so...and personally I think the wine ratings fall in the same category...all you're getting in a rating is what someone else tasted when they smoked the cigar or drank the wine...might be a totally different experience for you...sure, I use the cigar magazine ratings but only in a very loose sense...
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I think, at least for CA... That some ratings are skewed and/or some companies get/buy/earn favoritism.










...Padilla?
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I ignore ratings totally. Especially cigar ratings. One man's trash is another man's treasure and vice versa.
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Yes, without a doubt.
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I don't care what some magazine rates a cigar.

I'll read their flavor description and if that interests me, then I'll try one.

Now, if someone I know, in particular, Bobarian, TheRiddick, Ratters and a few others says "Hey, this cigar is phenomenal, you have to try it" That is a rating I will put stock in since we tend to share very similar, abet not identical tastes, and for the most part, we tend to know most of what not to recommend when it comes to the differences in our tastes.
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I'm not only saying that magazine type reviews are wrong but that would also include individual ones.

Wines and cigars both have different types that have different flavors but also depend on terroir or environments that add to the flavors. But like the article pointed out, one person could taste something but others couldn't.

But like others have said, the best cigars I've ever had are always with other people or during a beautiful day or event. That's where that psychological aspect comes in.
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A review is, by definition, a personal opinion. Ergo, they can't be wrong as long as they convey the belief of the reviewer.

Not to jump on you too hard, but statements like yours are very uninformed and biased in, well, amazing ways. Many, many here at CA suffer from this, so you are, at least in the opinion of some, in good company.
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Well if we are going to examine it that deeply then isn't my "statement a personal opinion" and I couldn't be wrong or "very uninformed and biased in, well, amazing ways"????
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Keep believing that. You'll go far. :-)
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So you are the only one that can believe that?

Wow the psych minor is kicking in now. Would you like to lay down on the couch? :-)
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minor is correct. You should have studied harder or perhaps smarter.

I'm done teasing the small children, I'll let you go back to play now.
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I'm hurt... I didn't make the list!!!:-)

:-)
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Wow who the heck are you and why do you feel so entitled to be a *****?

This was a nice discussion until you came around putting me down.
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I'm just a nobody who doesn't like to see blanket statement pontifications.

Carry on. :-)
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It's those arganese man...


But you're quite high on the beer recommendation list if thats any consolation.
(Gene Arganese doesn't make beer yet, right?)
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Oh, you mean like what you have been doing on this post?
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There is a reason why there was a ":-)". :-)
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