The blindness that opens the eye is not the one that darkens the vision.
Jacques Derrida
What is this project?
Shedding the band means shedding preconceived notions.
In early 2021 we tried blind tasting cigars for the first time and made a YouTube video on our experience. It was meant to be a one-time fun video, but the impact of the experience was one that remained. Reviewing cigars on YouTube the "old-fashioned way" is great, but you will always be swayed by knowing the cigar you're reviewing. Whether it is your past experience of smoking that particular cigar or just a slight perception you have of a brand, you can never be completely neutral. With this project we will try to reach the most objective conclusions on cigars while being influenced as little as possible by preconceived notions. In layman's terms; monthly blind tasting and reviews.
Meet the Panel!
Carl
Age: 24
Nationality: Swedish
How long have you been smoking cigars?
Eight years since the first one, five years regularly.
First cigar you ever smoked?
Romeo y Julieta No. 2. The petit coronas that come in the white tubos.
Your cigar background?
Started as a passionate cigar smoker and have gotten more involved through the media side with the Stogie Lads!
What are your top three cigars?
In no particular order, Juan Lopez Seleccion No. 1, Arturo Fuente Don Carlos, Trinidad Reyes.
What was your worst cigar experience?
A Montecristo No. 4 that was plugged beyond belief. This, paired with an insanely windy day in London and only matches for lighting up made it a nightmare. The cigar was also way too expensive.
Biggest cigar industry pet-peeve?
Using the word "cubanesque" as a crutch to describe non-cuban cigars.
What do you hope to get out of this blind-tasting experience?
To put my palate to the test and see what I truly like without any preconceived notions.
Instagram: @stogielads
Manuel
Age: 28
Nationality: Dominican
How long have you been smoking cigars?
11 years.
First cigar you ever smoked?
Can’t remember.
Your cigar background?
I am from Santiago, DR known as the capital of the cigar world. I have various connections to the industry but have never personally worked in it.
What are your top three cigars?
In no particular order: Davidoff Puro de Oro Notables, Arturo Fuente OpusX Petit Lancero, Juan López Selección No. 1.
What was your worst cigar experience?
I’ve had many and I can say most have been attributed to “premium” cigars with subpar construction.
Biggest cigar industry pet-peeve?
Companies who push shitty cigars with extravagant marketing and a select group of “influencers” to push the brand on consumers.
What do you hope to get out of this blind-tasting experience?
To experience how much a band and a name on a cigar can impact one’s perception on the overall experience, specially on cigars one might not have historically enjoyed.
Instagram: @mannyarguelles
Cristina
Age: 37
Nationality: Swedish/Filipino
How long have you been smoking cigars?
Three years.
First cigar you ever smoked?
Macanudo Maduro Diplomat.
Your cigar background?
Consumer.
What are your top three cigars?
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto, H. Upmann Sir Winston and Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve.
What was your worst cigar experience?
Gurkha Shadow Robusto.
Biggest cigar industry pet-peeve?
Price increase of cuban cigars despite its inconsistent quality.
What do you hope to get out of this blind-tasting experience?
Learn more about how to distinguish different types of wrappers and to increase my palate with the different notes I get from each unbanded cigar.
Instagram: @ca_califestyle
Enrique
Age: 35
Nationality: Mexican
How long have you been smoking cigars?
14 years.
First cigar you ever smoked?
No2 (a private blend from a Mexican producer).
Your cigar background?
I am from San Andres, Mexico. I worked for five years as a distributor in Sweden. I know all Mexican tobacco producers and some cigar manufacturers.
What are your top three cigars?
Padron 40th Anniversary Natural, Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado andLFD 2000 Series Cameroon Cabinet Nº 3.
What was your worst cigar experience?
Being on a bus with over 20 people smoking cigars for a three hour bus ride!
Biggest cigar industry pet-peeve?
All lies about aged tobacco or mystic properties.
What do you hope to get out of this blind-tasting experience?
Share honest experiences from people with different backgrounds that can represent a general cigar smoker.
Instagram: @cigarrstaden
Oswaldo
Age: 34
Nationality: Dominican/Swedish
How long have you been smoking cigars?
14 years.
First cigar you ever smoked?
A cigar from La Aurora.
Your cigar background?
Consumer.
What are your top three cigars?
Cuaba Salomones, Opus X Angel's Share and Arturo Fuente Rare Pink Happy Ending.
What was your worst cigar experience?
Drew Estate Papas Fritas.
Biggest cigar industry pet-peeve?
Habanos' lack of quality control.
What do you hope to get out of this blind-tasting experience?
Learning and experiencing new things in this industry.
Instagram: @oswaldo.armz
Raul
Age: 42
Nationality: Dominican
How long have you been smoking cigars?
Seven months.
First cigar you ever smoked?
Leon Jimenez Corona Series 300.
Your cigar background?
Consumer.
What are your top three cigars?
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark, Arturo Fuente Añejo 77 Shark Maduro and Oliva Melanio Series V Figurado.
What was your worst cigar experience?
All Gurkhas I've smoked!
Biggest cigar industry pet-peeve?
Again, Gurkha.
What do you hope to get out of this blind-tasting experience?
Learn more about how to detect flavors, complexity of flavors, and know more in details each cigar / brand.
Instagram: @raulelias
Fadi
Age: 44
Nationality: Iraqi/Swedish
How long have you been smoking cigars?
7 years since the first one, 5 years regularly.
First cigar you ever smoked?
Jose Bartolo.
Your cigar background?
Consumer.
What are your top three cigars?
Montecristo Double Edmundo, Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente King T and Partagás Serie D No.4.
What was your worst cigar experience?
Gurkha Ghost Shadow Robusto.
Biggest cigar industry pet-peeve?
Plugged cigars.
What do you hope to get out of this blind-tasting experience?
More knowledge about cigars.
Instagram: @cigarmansweden
Charles
Age: 42
Nationality: American
How long have you been smoking cigars?
For 24 years.
First cigar you ever smoked?
Machine made: Black and mild
Handmade: A Romeo y Julieta
Your cigar background?
Mostly a happy consumer but I do have some small connections in the industry.
What are your top three cigars?
Foundation Tabernacle Havana Seed 142 Lancero, Stolen Throne Crook of the Crown Toro, and Davidoff Year of the Rat.
What was your worst cigar experience?
I was given Cohiba Maduro 5, and the cigar wasn’t smokable, so many knots.
Biggest cigar industry pet-peeve?
That Cubans make the best cigars.
What do you hope to get out of this blind-tasting experience?
Hoping to fall in love some new brands and cigars I would have never tied. And to push my tasting and smoking skills.
Instagram: @charlesschuet
The Method
How will this work?
Each month, one member of the tasting panel will be the "host". That member will choose cigars to review and will distribute these cigars to the rest of the panel without bands. With the tasting sheet we have made ourselves we will fill out our thoughts on the cigar and score it according to the criteria we have selected. The score will be out of 100 points, being based on the flavor, construction, complexity and quality. An aggregated score along with a presentation of the most prominent notes and other thoughts will be posted on this website every month.
The goal was to get the most diverse panel possible. We wanted to get as many different perspectives involved as possible to get the fairest view on each cigar no matter the experience. We hope you'll follow us along on this journey on discovering the truth on how cigars perform!
