At Cigar Sense, our mission is twofold:
– to guide cigar lovers to the cigars that best match their personal preferences
– to help cigar producers develop and position cigars that truly delight consumers.
In order to achieve this, we apply the principles of sensory science – adapting them specifically to cigar tasting. This scientific approach allows us to go far beyond hype, intuition, or personal bias.
Individual “Expert Tasters” vs. Reliability
Today, our panel maintains an average alignment score of 88% – a measure of how closely each panelist’s results match those of the group. This has exceeded our internal benchmark of 85% ever since we introduced self-monitoring tools. With access to personalized dashboards, each panelist can now identify precisely where their evaluations diverge and improve accordingly.
When we first began tracking this kind of performance, the average alignment was 82% – acceptable, but not ideal. At that time, our panel included several individuals who identified as “expert tasters” but lacked training and, more importantly, the openness to being coached. As a result, they generated a large number of outlier data points which, without the support of statistics, could have compromised the integrity of our insights.
This experience reaffirmed a core principle: a panel of uncoordinated “experts” does not equal quality. In fact, when alignment is missing, they can become a liability to data reliability.
Also, be wary of statements like “The sensory expert says…”. Without a panel, blind randomized samples, and statistical analysis, such claims are unlikely to be reliable. The expert may have a valuable background – and so do most of our panelists – but a single trained individual, no matter how skilled, can offer only a personal opinion, not objective data.
Cigar Procurement and Testing: Blind and Independent
We source cigar samples directly from manufacturers and retailers. Each cigar is tested blind, using multiple samples per product. This process minimizes brand bias and ensures that we evaluate only what truly matters: the cigar’s sensory attributes.
From Data to Recommendation
After blind reviews, the Cigar Sense reviews process continues with data consolidation using a dedicated method designed to further reduce potential bias. Cigars that do not meet our internal quality threshold are not recommended – regardless of branding, reputation, or hype.
Once the data is consolidated, the cigar profile becomes available to members through:
– Personalized recommendations
– Our searchable cigar database
Ratings That Are Personal, Not Generic
Thanks to this rigorous and aligned reviews process, our data consistently exceeds a 97% accuracy rate in predicting consumer satisfaction. This also makes our business insights highly effective in forecasting a cigar’s success across more than 80 countries.
Each cigar is evaluated in detail by the panel, and these profiles are matched with our members’ unique preferences to generate a personalized fit percentage – a score that reflects how well a cigar aligns with an individual’s taste.
These preferences go beyond sensory elements like aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and nicotine strength. They also include other important factors such as size, price point, or wrapper type.
Communication with Producers
When manufacturers or retailers provide samples, we share the results with them. If a cigar doesn’t perform well, we offer to discuss the test outcome or evaluate additional samples upon request.
Even when we purchase cigars, we may still engage with producers to offer insights. Our goal is always to help elevate the quality and relevance of products for real consumers.
The standard lead time for the Cigar Sense reviews process is 30-60 days from the moment we receive the samples. If you’re interested in reliable sensory analysis, please reach out to Franca.
Thank you to our members and partners for your trust in our Taste Intelligence* process. We’re honored to serve a community that values not just cigars, but meaningful experiences.
References
On the Cigar Sense reviews process: https://www.cigarsense.com/the-cigar-sense-reviews-process/
On how to join the Cigar Sense panel: https://www.cigarsense.com/how-to-join-the-cigar-sense-panel/
On sensory analysis and its misconceptions: https://www.cigarsense.com/a-new-profession-in-the-cigar-industry/
On cigar reviews usefulness and standards: https://www.cigarsense.com/on-cigar-reviews-usefulness-and-standards/
On sensory analysis vs. tastings: https://www.cigarsense.com/sensory-analysis-or-tastings/
On the science of cigar tasting: https://www.cigarsense.com/the-science-of-cigar-tasting/
On sensory evaluations: https://www.cigarsense.com/005-on-sensory-evaluations/
On sensory analysis: https://www.cigarsense.com/004-on-sensory-analysis/
*Taste Intelligence is a framework that includes sensory analysis, which helps us translate individual perceptions into consistent, meaningful data. The method follows ISO norms for sensory analysis, as far as technically applicable to smoke evaluation.
