Cigar Rating Systems

[sheppsea]

Sorry to revive a very old thread - Ross.Co's thread on reviews reminded me this existed and I thought I may as well post what I now do

The scores are intended only as a reference guide and isn't perfect but I find its simple, works quite well and reflects how much I enjoyed the cigar. I have a list of all the aspects I look at in a cigar and then rate each one out of 2 (0 - Below Expectations, 1 - meets expectations and 2 - above expectations). The only exception to this is the flavour, which can score up to 3 (for when you smoke an exceptional cigar). The areas I rate are:

Wrapper
Feel
Flavour
Development of Flavour
Draw
Burn
Smoke
Ash
Relights

The draw and the flavour are weighted as I find these two the most important things so the final score those areas receive is double the rating (so if they're ranked as 2 their overall score is 4), the score for everything else is the same as the rating.

I also previously rated the band and value, but found they quite often got the same score, especially for bands, so gave up on those

[TJCoro]

Cheat Sheet!

Sorry to revive a very old thread - Ross.Co's thread on reviews reminded me this existed and I thought I may as well post what I now do

The scores are intended only as a reference guide and isn't perfect but I find its simple, works quite well and reflects how much I enjoyed the cigar. I have a list of all the aspects I look at in a cigar and then rate each one out of 2 (0 - Below Expectations, 1 - meets expectations and 2 - above expectations). The only exception to this is the flavour, which can score up to 3 (for when you smoke an exceptional cigar). The areas I rate are:

Wrapper
Feel
Flavour
Development of Flavour
Draw
Burn
Smoke
Ash
Relights

The draw and the flavour are weighted as I find these two the most important things so the final score those areas receive is double the rating (so if they're ranked as 2 their overall score is 4), the score for everything else is the same as the rating.

I also previously rated the band and value, but found they quite often got the same score, especially for bands, so gave up on those

Haha! Of course...there's always this!



Jay, Ray Jay


Hey RJ! Isn't that a bit like cheating?

(Hurumph!) Of course it is, blu-balls. How the hell do you think all those fancy-pantz reviewers come up with discriptors like "burnt wheat bread" or ""Anice?"


Haha! Dawg face said "Anice!"

[butternutsquashpie]

I absolutely detest rating cigars on looks/feel.
Those Troyas and LFdC wouldn't have 80+ if I rated them like that.


For me, it's:
96-100 - Montecristo No.4 Reserva. Davidoff Mille 2000s. I have to nub them. No exception. Amazing smokes with a lot of development. Must have 3 flavour changes.
90-95 - Edmundo Dante 109. no nubs needed. 2 flavour changes maximum. Not too strong, not too weak. Great flavours.
86-89 - Young Siglo IIIs. Brilliant smokes. Decent amount left of the cigar. Could've been too strong or too mild. Could've had a weird harsh tinge. Could've had many things. Not exactly a 90+ cigar.
80-85 - Punch Coronations. Cigars I would buy again and keep around for a while. Weekly cigars (normal rotation) would fall under here. so would rare ones that taste like normal cigars. Mainly consists of regular productions under 2 years old.
70-79 - Hoyo Du Prince. Okay cigars. Ones I might try again if i felt like it. Maybe not worth keeping around. Half of Cuba's current arsenal falls under here for me.
60-69 - RyJ Petit Churchill. Very rarely would I smoke these cigars again. May keep them in my singles drawer. But only a few - definitely not many
50-59 - Fresh Partagas D4. Cigars that were good on the first third and turned into ass. Cigars I don't taste. Cigars that are hard for me to palate.
40-49 - RyJ Duke LE2009. Cigars that have a weird taste that I don't enjoy as much as others. Cigars that don't last past the first half.
30-39 - Guantanamera. Cigars that don't last past the first third or sixth. Ones that taste off to me. Ones that feel like they have to be hazardous to my health.
00-29 - Partagas Black Label Pure Medio Tiempo./ At this point, i just see how far i even get into these cigars and rate them accordinly.

[tommy]

I am finding it hard to see how price should have any bearing On the enjoyment of the qualitative aspects of a cigar or the recording there of.

Like I said it may affect value to the individual e.g I smoke a Cohiba and an Oliva the the Cohiba was ?20 the Oliva ?10 yet I enjoyed them the exact same so I should score them the exact same.

Oliva didn't produce a "better" cigar, they produced a cigar which proved to be of better value to me.

I totally agree that the act of rating something by its nature is very personal to the individual, however standard rating systems when well implemented can benefit a community of like minded enthusiasts.

Exactly how I feel. Reviews for these cigars should be equal, Then at the end a note to say, loved this cigar, didn't love the price. Or vice versa.

[butternutsquashpie]

The scores are intended only as a reference guide and isn't perfect but I find its simple, works quite well and reflects how much I enjoyed the cigar. I have a list of all the aspects I look at in a cigar and then rate each one out of 2 (0 - Below Expectations, 1 - meets expectations and 2 - above expectations). The only exception to this is the flavour, which can score up to 3 (for when you smoke an exceptional cigar). The areas I rate are:

This is quite nice. I do enjoy the rating scale of (-10) - (10). 0 being neutral.

But I feel like the 100pt system is great for me already. 80 above is what I would buy again. 79 and under is something I would probably not buy again if I've already tried it 5 times.
80% of vitolas I have had have probably fallen under the 79 mark. 80% of cigars I have smoked probably rate above 80

[Simon Bolivar]

It's late here Butter's & I am off to bed. I am no scientist but "80% of vitolas I have had have probably fallen under the 79 mark. 80% of cigars I have smoked probably rate above 80" doesn't add up to me. Hope your not in the stats dept, are you?

[butternutsquashpie]

"80% of vitolas I have had have probably fallen under the 79 mark. 80% of cigars I have smoked probably rate above 80" doesn't add up to me. Hope your not in the stats dept, are you?

If one smokes more of one vitola (Siglo III counts as 1 vitola but 25+ smokes), it's entirely possible.

The point I was trying to make was that most cigars on Habanos SA's inventory (regular, LE, RE, reserva, etc) are not very good but they do have some very good cigars that I absolutely love and will smoke the hell out of them.

[TJCoro]

Ninos say the darndest things!

If one smokes more of one vitola (Siglo III counts as 1 vitola but 25+ smokes), it's entirely possible.

The point I was trying to make was that most cigars on Habanos SA's inventory (regular, LE, RE, reserva, etc) are not very good but they do have some very good cigars that I absolutely love and will smoke the hell out of them.

Hmmm, exactly how long have you been smoking fine puros, chico?


Perro, el Perro


Haha! I think the point he's trying to make is under his hat!

[butternutsquashpie]

Haha! I think the point he's trying to make is under his hat!

Seeing the lot of you...

TOO DAMN LONG!!

[TJCoro]

old boy

Seeing the lot of you...

TOO DAMN LONG!!

if i am honest i no get this young bot err i mean boys posts he must be from other place like canada not earth lol is it just me or does he never answer questions directly if you catch his drift haha

bb

[TJCoro]

Get to the POINT!

Hmmm, exactly how long have you been smoking fine puros, chico? Perro, el Perro

Seeing the lot of you...

TOO DAMN LONG!!

if i am honest i no get this young bot err i mean boys posts he must be from other place like canada not earth lol is it just me or does he never answer questions directly if you catch his drift haha bb

HELL NO bb! It ain't just you....many of us feel the same way, damn it!

I, el Perro, asked a simple question and chico dodged it with a simple response.

Now, quit playing politics, chico...and answer the danm question!!!



Perro, el Perro

Hey El P! I'm scarred!

Umm, I'm a wee bit frightened meself.