Over glamorized cigar reviews

[KnightsAnole]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

It should be more than  a valuable resource. It is front and centre of one's "life skill"  arsenal. 

Society is always going to have the sheep who send their banking details to their previoulsy unknown Nigerian prince cousin.  You can't protect morons. 

I know and you’re right. I can’t 

[Lamboinee]

I would appreciate anyone's constructive criticism regarding the reviews I posted in the cigar review thread. I've only done three. I'd like to find a happy medium between "smokes good, notes of tobacco" and "flowery words". I'd like a review to provide a good picture of the smoking experience using descriptive language that is accurate and reasonably accessible. Above all else, the review should be functional I. E. It should inform the reader of whether or not they would want to consider that brand/vitola/blend/box. Tear it up! Get your red pen out.

Also, who's reviews do y'all think are best? I often Surgeon  charlie monatos aand @JohnS and the breakdowns on @Cigar SurgeonSurgeonSurgeonSurgeon's website just to name a few. Sometimes I enjoy cigar aficionado short and sweet descriptions, but sometimes they really make me want to hear more about a specific issue or attribute. 

[KnightsAnole]

 

12 minutes ago, Lamboinee said:

I would appreciate anyone's constructive criticism regarding the reviews I posted in the cigar review thread. I've only done three. I'd like to find a happy medium between "smokes good, notes of tobacco" and "flowery words". I'd like a review to provide a good picture of the smoking experience using descriptive language that is accurate and reasonably accessible. Above all else, the review should be functional I. E. It should inform the reader of whether or not they would want to consider that brand/vitola/blend/box. Tear it up! Get your red pen out.

Also, who's reviews do y'all think are best? I often Surgeon  charlie monatos aand @JohnS and the breakdowns on @Cigar SurgeonSurgeonSurgeonSurgeon's website just to name a few. Sometimes I enjoy cigar aficionado short and sweet descriptions, but sometimes they really make me want to hear more about a specific issue or attribute. 

I haven’t read yours, but I think surgeons are among the best. They are all transparent about their cigar histories and don’t repeat shit that seems to become a narrative of hype on any particular cigar. That’s the problem really. The hype festers and causes people to pay a $1000 for a box of cigars…  Just be honest, try to not let what others have said influence your opinion  or review of the cigar. Don’t copy language.

[ha_banos]

I think it does matter. But it has and will always happen.

I'm for sure one of those emotionally repressed who have no imagination when reviewing a cigar. So I don't like to .. often. Ha. 

Does it harm? What happened to all publicity is good publicity (caveat)? The more people are talking about you the better right?

There'd be a lot less people reading and discussing if reviews were like mine: "It's alright.", "Tasty and aromatic.", "Bag o'shyte.", "Meh.", "Bland."

[KnightsAnole]

On 1/26/2023 at 11:27 PM, ha_banos said:

I think it does matter. But it has and will always happen.

I'm for sure one of those emotionally repressed who have no imagination when reviewing a cigar. So I don't like to .. often. Ha. 

Does it harm? What happened to all publicity is good publicity (caveat)? The more people are talking about you the better right?

There'd be a lot less people reading and discussing if reviews were like mine: "It's alright.", "Tasty and aromatic.", "Bag o'shyte.", "Meh.", "Bland."

I love a good review, as I’ve pointed out. I don’t like overly glamorized reviews, which I think are harmful and do a disservice to the industry. 

[BrightonCorgi]

31 minutes ago, ha_banos said:

There'd be a lot less people reading and discussing if reviews were like mine: "It's alright.", "Tasty and aromatic.", "Bag o'shyte.", "Meh.", "Bland."

Look at vintage cigar advertisements.  They were more towards your style than a James Joyce "paid per word" review.

[99call]

2 hours ago, ha_banos said:

"Bag o'shyte."

[Cigar Surgeon]

What I do, for reviews or even manufacturers, is establish a baseline of list of cigars I liked. I look to find a reviewer who also liked those cigars, and that creates a good litmus test for brands they review that I might also enjoy.

 

[bates40]

I once had lunch with a Master Sommelier in Napa. I was new to wine and looking to expand beyond the local (Napa) cabs I was enjoying and stocking up on. After a lengthy lunch and a good cigar he told me "At the end of the day you want to have more wine on your good sh%$ list than your bad sh%^ list- how you get there is completely up to you and your sole journey. Ignore reviews and taste everything you can."

[KnightsAnole]

3 hours ago, bates40 said:

I once had lunch with a Master Sommelier in Napa. I was new to wine and looking to expand beyond the local (Napa) cabs I was enjoying and stocking up on. After a lengthy lunch and a good cigar he told me "At the end of the day you want to have more wine on your good sh%$ list than your bad sh%^ list- how you get there is completely up to you and your sole journey. Ignore reviews and taste everything you can."

Sage advice 👍

[Ford2112]

I dig the review style that of Rob and Ken. " draw is fine. " "will you light that already??"  " my draw is a bit tight" " you haven't even cut it yet!"

*Pulls out plastic bag

"1st third Kenny"

" well I'm getting light Cointreau "

"Is that it?"

" well you're the one who picked this 68 ring guage monstrosity "

" it's free"

" I ought to be getting paid..."

*both laughing

2nd third Kenny" I'm getting this sort of raisin character and tobacco"

"I get a lot of stone fruit out of _______ cigar."

*Springsteen in the background,possum running by,water bottles stacked to the heavens.

Final third 

This is usually when I get distracted.  By Ken's feet. God forbid he's in his underwear.

[LordAnubis]

There’s two video reviewers I absolutely hate. One practically yells at the camera, so I try and watch them on mute with subtitles if I must. The other the visuals are akin to what breaching the Geneva conventions would be like for a cigar, so I tend to listen to audio of those but not watch, if I must. 
 

But a previous poster nailed it to me. Watch reviews and try and pick things you particularly don’t like. I personally see if any mention of spice or pepper. If there is I pass. The major stuff the reviewers can generally agree on I think.

[Corylax18]

3 minutes ago, LordAnubis said:

One practically yells at the camera, so I try and watch them on mute with subtitles if I must.

Rob's not yelling at You! 😄

[KnightsAnole]

4 minutes ago, LordAnubis said:

There’s two video reviewers I absolutely hate. One practically yells at the camera, so I try and watch them on mute with subtitles if I must. The other the visuals are akin to what breaching the Geneva conventions would be like for a cigar, so I tend to listen to audio of those but not watch, if I must. 
 

But a previous poster nailed it to me. Watch reviews and try and pick things you particularly don’t like. I personally see if any mention of spice or pepper. If there is I pass. The major stuff the reviewers can generally agree on I think.

All sunshine makes a desert.. I’ll smoke a pepper bomb now and again just to remind me.