• By Bryan Smythe
• Published 03/2/2011
• Writing

Like a good cigar, a cigar review requires several important elements. A good review should include some basic information about the cigar accessories used in the smoking process (cutters, clippers, etc.), but should focus more on the cigar and the five elements that cigar lovers care about the most. These items are the cigar’s appearance, construction, draw, burn rate and taste. Of course, taste trumps all other areas, but each item is important for smokers, and they will look for this information in your review. There are five basic criteria on which a good cigar (or bad) will be judged. These are the cigar’s appearance, its construction, its draw, its burn rate and its taste. While you might be tempted to focus solely on the cigar’s taste, each of these elements is also important. The appearance of the cigar is possibly one of the least important, so long as the rest of the areas score high marks. This simply refers to the appearance of the wrapper and the condition of the cigar. The cigar’s construction is important, too, as it will affect burn rate, draw and flavor, as well.

The burn rate of the cigar is

really nothing more than the speed at which it smokes, and how evenly the tobacco burns during the smoking process. Finally, taste is the most important factor in a cigar review, though it will hinge on the other elements listed. You need to describe the taste of the cigar as best you can. Is it spicy? Are there notes of different flavors in the smoke? What notes are given off at the very beginning? How does the taste change throughout the smoking process? Your readers will want to know if the taste remains consistent, how complex it is and what notes are contained in it. This is perhaps the most important part of the entire review – conveying the taste of the cigar. You should end your review with a summation of the entire experience. What was it like? Was it something that you would be willing to repeat? What is the overall value of the cigar in your opinion and how does it compare to other cigars in the same category from other manufacturers?

Each of these areas is important to your readers and if you do not provide this information, then your review will not be complete. You’ll also lose readers if they cannot count on you to provide them with an accurate review of the entire smoking experience.