Transparency in cigar reviews forms an indispensable cornerstone of credibility and authenticity. It ensures that reviews are not just informative, but also reliable and trustworthy. Reviews that prioritize transparency offer a vivid glimpse into the quality and distinctive attributes that a particular cigar may provide you. While meant to benefit every level of enthusiast, this is particularly valuable for beginners who rely heavily on reviews to navigate their way through the intricate world of cigars. It also encourages fair competition among cigar manufacturers. By ensuring the review process is unbiased and clear, each blend and format is judged solely on the merits of the cigars being smoked rather than on the strength of any advertising or personal connections. Beyond leveling the playing field, it also fosters healthy competition and innovation within the cigar industry.
Building on that foundation, Cigar Public launched on June 1st of 2022 with a team of 30 blind reviewers who rate cigars without knowing their brand or origin. Selected from an applicant pool over over 150 dedicated cigar heads, nobody on the review team knows anything about their numbered, unbanded cigars beyond what they look like and what they smoke like. Based off of the composite experience of 2 samples, these blind reviewers submit their scores and only learn what they’ve smoked after their evaluations are complete. This methodology aims to ensure an added layer of impartiality to the review process. The intended result is for the community to be provided with as objective, honest, and in-depth an analysis of each cigar’s experience as possible. One of the site’s founding reviewers, Bearded Moon, has been creating cigar related content since the Spring of 2020. Providing even more transparency into the process, he’s put together a pair of videos covering every step. You’ll get to take deep dive into the rating criteria that the team uses, then be guided through a real review as it is being conducted.
As Cigar Public continues to grow, it’s becomes more and more evident that this approach to reviews resonates within the cigar community. This increased faith in the impartiality of reviews is encouraging cigar lovers to make more informed choices, while also curating an environment wherein the intrinsic quality of a cigar takes priority over who made it. Interestingly, while the scores on Cigar Public are generally appear lower than those from many other outlets, they demonstrate a remarkable consistency with each other, reinforcing the efficacy of providing unbiased assessments.
The official review covered in part 2 of the series is available here. If you’re interested in becoming a reviewer, please reach out to [email protected].