I have to admit that we made a mistake last year...we published some actual reviews based on samples that our retailer friends brought back from the IPCPR show. We did note that they were show samples in the reviews, but we gave them numerical ratings and, in my mind, that's just not right. Why? Because the show samples are rarely kept in an optimal environment for a long period of time...Las Vegas is dry to begin with, the convention hall is air conditioned which, while necessary, keeps things even drier. Can you get a good impression of a cigar from a show sample? Absolutely! Should you use that as the "be all, end all" of that cigar? No.
So, this year, Keith and I will be publishing a series of "Previews" of the cigars our respective retailer associates have gifted us. Keith's will be published on Mondays starting in a week or so; mine will start this coming Friday. These will be in the style of our normal "Cigar Extra" pieces: unscored general impressions of a cigar, not following the rules of "water only" for a beverage and "first cigar of the day" like we do with full reviews. We have some really cool popular smokes like the CAO OSA Sol and the Drew Estate Undercrown, as well as some lesser known stogies like the Casa Fernandez Miami and Oliveros Sun Grown Reserve. Hope you enjoy!
So glad to read this, I find it hysterical smoking stogie is doing reviews on samples they got out of the trade show already. Hysterical.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I had no intention of calling out any particular site on this issue, besides my own really: I felt we had made a mistake in how we did it last year, so we should pursue a different path this year. If others do not share the same opinion, I'm not going to spend a lot of time arguing about it with them...after all, few of us share the exact same methods of reviews cigars on an everyday basis, either, but I can respect what other sites do.
ReplyDeleteThat Oliveros Sun Grown Reserve was one of the hidden gems of the show. Can't wait to see the preview on that.
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