Since 1992, numerous publications have presented their list of the year's best cigars. Introduced by Marvin Jenkins, the founder of Wine SpectatorThis practice was first popularized by the magazine Cigar Aficionado before being adopted by other magazines, such as Cigar Snobthe Cigar Journal and Cigar Coop. Today, these assessments are eagerly awaited by aficionados the world over. They enable highlight the exceptional quality of certain vitolas and influence consumer buying behavior. In this article, we look at how these publications evaluate cigars.
Cigar pre-selection
Before publishing his "Top 25the Cigar Aficionado makes a pre-selection which takes place throughout the year. His tasting panel carefully examines each vitola, repeating this process several times throughout the year. He also takes care to remove the band from each cigar before tasting, so as not to be influenced by brand, price or reputation.
These cigars are then evaluated according to various criteriasuch as appearance, combustion, flavours and overall impression, and then rated on a 100-point scale. This rating scale is presented as follows:
- 0-69 = No interest
- 70-79 = Average to good commercial quality
- 80-89 = Very good to Excellent
- 90-94 = Exceptional
- 95-100 = Classic
In order to determine which cigars will appear in the "Top 25", the panel revisits only those vitolas that have obtained 91 points or more. If several cigars of the same brand qualify for the final selection, only the one with the highest score is retained.
The "Top 25" cigar rating system
As a cigar aficionado, you've probably already noticed that some of the cigars in the "Top 25" of Cigar Aficionado have higher scores than other cigars higher up the list. What seems at first sight to be an inconsistency actually reflects a well-established scoring system.
In the article " The Top 25 "published by the magazine in January 2009, Matt Gordon, one of the members of the tasting panel, explains that the final classification of cigars is not based solely on the scores obtained during the various blind tastings organized throughout the year, but also on various criteria such as price, country of origin, quantities produced or the uniqueness of a cigar.
Once the cigars in the final selection had been determined, the panel of tasters revisit each of the cigars blindly. Each evaluator receives a humidor containing the 25 best cigars of the year. For each cigar, the band is removed and replaced by a numbered white band. Once each cigar has been smoked, the panel makes a new selection, retaining only the 12 best cigars. This operation is then repeated to retain only the 5 best cigars, and so on until the final selection is made. determine the best cigar of the year.
Just like the Cigar Aficionadothe Cigar Coop uses a 100-point rating system to evaluate the cigars in its "Top 25". The cigars are first assessed on merit and then on value. Scoring is based on the following criteria:
- Saveur 45 %
- Complexity 10 %
- Balance 5 %
- Combustion 10 %
- Issue 10 %
- Overall impressions 20 %
Certain factors, such as poor construction, overpowering aromas, or the presence of corks, are responsible for this, systematically disqualify a cigar for a score over 90even though it has achieved good results in other categories. Price, quantity of cigars produced, appearance and quality of the raw run are not criteria that are taken into account when scoring out of 100. They are, however, considered when determining the value of each cigar.
The best-rated cigars of all time
Among the best-rated cigars of all time, the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona topped the list with an incredible score of 99 points awarded by the Cigar Aficionado in 1992. Then came the E.P. Carrillo Prequel and the H. Upmann No.2 with a score of 98.
7 other exceptional cigars obtained a score of 97 points :
- Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark
- Cohiba Behike BHK 52
- Fuente Fuente OpusX Double Robusto
- My Father Le Bijou 1922 Torpedo Box Pressed
- Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Hermoso
- Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Torpedo Natural
- Padrón Serie 1926 No. 9
During the magazine's 30 years of publication, only 16 cigars scored 96 points and only 47 scored 95 points.
What value should be placed on the various cigar classifications?
While blind tasting eliminates prejudice and provides the most objective assessment possible of a given cigar, it is nonetheless an essential part of the tasting process. a subjective process that depends on individual tastes and perceptions. This subjectivity explains why the same cigar may score 96 points in one tasting, then 93 points in the next. Although it's rare for the same cigar to achieve significantly different scores, the final rating is therefore likely to fluctuate depending on who's doing the tasting. So why do we place so much value on these ratings?
According to an article published in Forbesclassifications are an essential means of categorizing or breaking down large quantities of information into "categories". digestible morsels that they can understand more quickly ". They make it easier to find one's way through the mass of data and products available, and facilitate decision-making.
However, these assessments are not a scientific process. It's important to remember that tasting panel members often test several cigars on the same day. Full-bodied cigars will therefore tend to take precedence over cigars with a milder aromatic profile. It can also happen that some cigars are not tasted in their entirety, which makes it impossible to appreciate the coherence of construction and flavors.
Before consulting a classification, it is therefore essential to check that it comes from a reliable source. And don't let yourself be blindly swayed by these evaluations and assessments. use them as guides rather than absolute truths. Cigars are a matter of personal taste and preference. When it comes to knowing which cigar to enjoy, the final assessor is you.
