Cigar Aficionado Ratings Explained: How Their Scores Work

If there's one publication whose scores have shaped the modern cigar market more than any other, it's Cigar Aficionado. A score from CA can make a cigar's reputation. But what does it actually mean when a cigar earns a rating from their team? Here's exactly how Cigar Aficionado's ratings work.

The publication and its authority

Cigar Aficionado launched in 1992 and quickly became the dominant voice in premium cigar evaluation. Their 100-point rating system set the standard that most of the cigar industry now references — the score bands you'll see on retailer websites, shelf tags, and marketing materials across the category.

Their authority comes partly from longevity, partly from consistency, and partly from process. The blind-tasting methodology means the scores aren't influenced by relationships with manufacturers or the prestige of brand names.

The blind-tasting process

The foundation of Cigar Aficionado's scoring is the blind tasting. Here's how it works:

Cigars are brought to the tasting panel with their identifying bands removed or covered, replaced by a numbered or coded label. The reviewers — an expert panel with years of tasting experience — smoke each cigar without knowing the brand, country of origin, blend details, or price. They evaluate what's in their hand, nothing more.

This process is designed to eliminate conscious and unconscious bias. A taster who knows they're smoking a prestigious and expensive cigar might unconsciously inflate the score. Blind tasting prevents that. Scores are recorded before the blind is broken.

The same cigars may be smoked by multiple members of the panel, and results are discussed and reconciled. Cigars that perform consistently well across tasters earn higher confidence in their scores.

The 100-point scale and its bands

Cigar Aficionado classifies scores into five distinct bands:

95–100: Classic

The highest tier. A cigar rated Classic is extraordinary in every measurable way. Construction is flawless. Draw is effortless. Flavor is complex, evolving, and memorable. These are benchmark cigars — the kind people remember years later. They're rare by design; not many cigars earn a 95 or above.

90–94: Outstanding

This is the range most enthusiasts target when seeking a special smoke. Outstanding cigars are excellent in nearly all respects, with perhaps a minor imperfection that prevents a higher score. A 90 from Cigar Aficionado is a reliable signal of quality — they use the term "outstanding" deliberately.

80–89: Very Good to Good/Excellent

A broad band that covers a lot of ground. An 89 is close to outstanding but falls just short. An 80 is solidly good — enjoyable and without major flaws, but not complex or remarkable enough to push into the 90s. This is where many dependable everyday cigars live.

70–79: Average to Good Commercial Quality

Smokeable, but without distinction. Cigars in this range may have minor draw issues, flat or monotonous flavor, or inconsistent construction. You won't regret finishing one, but you probably won't remember it.

Below 70: Don't Waste Your Money

Significant problems — poor construction, harsh flavors, plugged draw, or simply an unpleasant smoke. Rarely published, since CA tends to review cigars that have already cleared a quality baseline.

What the score evaluates

The 100 points are distributed across specific criteria. Appearance and construction — how the cigar looks and how well it's rolled — accounts for a portion of the score, though flavor and smoking experience carry more weight. The criteria include:

• Appearance and construction — wrapper quality, roll consistency, firmness
• Smoking performance — how the cigar burns, smoke production, draw
• Flavor — complexity, depth, development across the length of the cigar
• Overall impression — the holistic experience

A cigar that scores high on construction but delivers flat flavor won't reach outstanding. Conversely, a cigar with an uneven burn but extraordinary flavor may still score well if the overall experience is compelling.

Cigar Aficionado vs. Cigar Insider

Cigar Aficionado publishes full reviews in the magazine, but they also operate Cigar Insider, a twice-monthly newsletter with a much larger and more frequently updated ratings database. Many scores that inform the Top 25 list appear first in Cigar Insider, which subscribers can search online at cigaraficionado.com.

How to use CA ratings practically

CA ratings are most useful as a floor-setter. If something scores 90+, you can walk into a shop knowing it's passed a rigorous review. The tasting notes — available alongside the score in the magazine or online — tell you the flavor profile, so you can match the cigar to your preferences.

Browse our cigar library, where many pages display published ratings so you can compare blends at a glance. If you're building your palate, start with how to taste a cigar like a pro to develop the vocabulary that makes ratings more meaningful.

Once you're ready to form your own opinions, log your tastings in the Casa DNC app. The critics' scale is a great reference — but your notes are what you'll actually reach back to.