Stump The Experts

Marvin R. Shanken leads the audience in a blind cigar tasting.

This Big Smoke seminar, however, had a somber start. Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Cigar Aficionado, was called to the podium by seminar co-host Gordon Mott, executive editor of the magazine.

"The person who was supposed to be here was Rush Limbaugh," said Shanken. "He's a great friend of ours, and he's gone totally deaf. I just wanted all of us to wish him well."

Smoking along with Shanken were executive editor Gordon Mott, European editor James Suckling, George Brightman, special contributor to the magazine, and Hollywood's James Orr, a wine and cigar lover. They were presented with two cigars bearing numbered bands, identical to the manner in which cigars are put into the tasting humidors at Cigar Aficionado. Suckling and Shanken described the magazine's tasting process.

"We're not trying to find out what cigar it is," said Suckling, showing how this Las Vegas tasting would differ from a magazine tasting. When smoking for the magazine, he and the other tasters are simply seeking to score and judge the cigar -- not unveil its identity.

"We have no idea -- no idea -- what the cigars are," said Shanken. "They must be tasted blind."

The panelists lit their cigars and began the cigar rating process. All cigars are judged on appearance, smoking characteristics, flavor and overall impression. Orr began by speaking about the importance of appearance.

"After all, a cigar spends more time in your hand than in your mouth," he said. "The feel and the appearance is the critical first act for me. Cigar No. 1 has an incredible wrapper. The second cigar I find much less pleasant to hold."

Suckling also liked the look of the first cigar. "It's probably from the top priming," he said, referring to the highest point on a plant where the leaves are grown. He puffed away on the smoke. "I love the flavor and aroma -- it's chocolaty and spicy."

The first cigar was popular with the panel. "I like this cigar a lot," said Shanken. "It has a beautiful wrapper." Brightman said it was "really well made, with a fruity, leathery flavor."

The panel's scores were high, with Shanken and Orr scoring the cigar 92 points, extremely high on the Cigar Aficionado ratings scale. The remainder of the panel scored it in the high 80s.

From left to right: Marvin R. Shanken, James Suckling, James Orr and George Brightman ponder the unknown cigars.

The crowd enjoyed the cigar as well: most put their scores in the 85 to 90 range.

Cigar No. 2 didn't fare quite as well. Shanken found that it had a rough finish and a mild body, but did note that it improved as he puffed along. Suckling called it "woody and papery, with a nice draw." He found the taste a bit neutral.

Orr wasn't fond of the cigar. "Its performance was modest at best," he said.

The audience scored cigar No. 2 a bit lower than the first, averaging in the 80- to 85-point range.

Orr guessed that cigar No. 1 hailed from Nicaragua. Suckling went out on a limb and guessed that it was a C.A.O. He was right. Cigar No. 1 was a C.A.O. L'Anniversaire eXtreme Churchill, made in Estelí, Nicaragua, by Tabacalera Perdomo S.A. The 6 7/8 inch by 48 ring cigar retails for $7.70. It is made for Nashville, Tennessee's C.A.O. International Inc. from a blend of Nicaraguan filler and binder and Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper.

Cigar No. 2 was a Te-Amo Aniversario, made in San Andres, Mexico, by Nueva Matacapan de Tabacos S.A. de C.V. for Altadis U.S.A. It retails for $5. It is made with a blend of Mexican, Dominican and Nicaraguan filler, a Mexican binder and a Mexican-grown Habana2000 wrapper.

After the tasting concluded, the audience moved on to lunch. They needed to fuel themselves for the coming evening's Big Smoke, when they would walk the floor to load up on fine cigars and drinks.

--David Savona