How Are Cigars Rated? The Blind-Tasting Process Explained

When you see a score printed on a cigar box or shelf tag, it's natural to wonder: who decided that, and how? The short answer is that how cigars are rated involves a careful tasting process — sometimes quite rigorous — that tries to evaluate a smoke as objectively as possible. Here's how it actually works.

Why ratings exist at all

The cigar world is enormous. There are thousands of blends from dozens of countries, and new releases hit the market every week. Ratings give smokers a shorthand — a quick sense of whether a cigar is worth seeking out before committing to a full box. They're not perfect, but they do one thing well: they push reviewers to smoke carefully and document what they find.

Blind tasting: removing the bias

The most rigorous publications use blind tasting, meaning the reviewer doesn't know what they're smoking. The band — the paper label with the brand name — is removed or covered and replaced with a coded number before the cigar reaches the reviewer.

This matters more than it sounds. If a reviewer knows they're smoking a famous and expensive cigar, that knowledge can nudge their perception upward. Blind tasting removes that influence so the score reflects the actual experience in the mouth, not the prestige on the label.

Cigar Aficionado, the industry's most recognized publication, has used blind tasting with a panel of expert reviewers since the magazine's early years. Each cigar is smoked by the panel without identifying information, and scores are recorded before the blind is broken.

What gets judged

Reviewers don't just say "I liked it." They evaluate specific, consistent criteria across every cigar. The most commonly assessed factors are:

Construction

This covers how the cigar is physically made — how tightly or loosely it's rolled, whether the wrapper leaf is smooth and free of soft spots, and whether it holds together as it burns. A well-constructed cigar burns evenly down from the foot. A poorly rolled one may canoe (burn faster on one side), run (burn unevenly), or go out repeatedly.

Draw

Draw is how easily air flows through the cigar when you puff. A good draw feels like sipping through a slightly resistant straw — not wide open (which gives you too much smoke and heats up fast), not plugged (which makes you work hard for every puff and can fatigue your jaw). Draw problems are often where expensive cigars disappoint: even a beautiful blend falls short if the roll is too tight.

Flavor and complexity

This is the heart of any cigar review. Reviewers note the flavors they detect — earth, cedar, leather, coffee, chocolate, pepper, cream, nuts, fruit — and how those flavors develop across the thirds of the cigar (most cigars evolve as they burn). Complexity, meaning how the flavor shifts and layers, is valued. A cigar that tastes exactly the same from light to nub is less interesting than one that transitions.

Overall impression

After the specifics, most reviewers give a holistic impression: Did the experience feel cohesive? Did the cigar deliver on what its aroma suggested? Would they smoke it again?

Single reviewer vs. panel

Not every publication works the same way. Some use a panel of tasters who each independently score the same cigar, then average or discuss the results. Others rely on a single experienced reviewer who smokes each cigar multiple times to check for consistency before assigning a score.

Both approaches have merit. Panels reduce individual bias but can average out nuance. A single trusted reviewer develops a consistent reference point over time — you learn whether your palate matches theirs.

What ratings don't capture

Ratings are blind to your situation. A cigar rated 94 might be a perfect Tuesday evening smoke for one person and overwhelming for a beginner. Price, availability, pairing potential, and personal taste preferences don't show up in a number.

Use ratings as a starting point, not the final word. Browse our cigar library — many pages show published ratings alongside tasting notes — and treat the score as an invitation to explore, not a verdict.

When you've smoked a cigar yourself, you can log your own rating in the Casa DNC app. Your palate is ultimately the one that matters.

Ratings are a map, not the destination

The process behind cigar ratings is thoughtful, but it's still subjective. A 90-point cigar from one publication might score 86 at another. What counts is that ratings give you a place to start. Learn the criteria, pay attention to which reviewers share your preferences, and let your own tasting notes become the most reliable guide. Check out how to taste a cigar like a pro to start building that skill.